dazed2010
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Posts posted by dazed2010
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Agree with the poster above. A lot is going on...both on campus and around town.
Traffic wise: the widening of Texas Avenue is getting close to completion, and Tx-dot is reworking the Rock Prairie Road Exit off Highway 6. I don't think Highway 40 was around...at least not in its present state, in 99...and development continues to march south.
Work will begin soon...I think 2009...on the George Bush Drive/Wellborn road intersection. If I remember correctly, TX-dot has come up with a very interesting design for how to do it...George Bush will be buried beneath the railroad tracks and traffic not turning on to George Bush off of Welborn will...I think...go strait without stopping on an elevated road. The trashy apartment complex on the corner will be mostly torn down, I believe, which is good news for the city aesthetically.
Two very large...and, most agree, very ugly, football/track practice facilities are nearly completed on Welborn road South of Kyle Field.
Downtown Bryan is a completely different place. Restoration began in full force I think in the early 2000s and I doubt it's ever looked better.
You should come and visit for a weekend...basketball games are half-priced in December and traffic is very light without students in town, so you could drive around and re-acquaint yourself with the town. Central park is nice this time of year and a drive through Santa's Wonderland is always fun. Also, the George Bush Library has just been reopened after an extensive renovation...so that's worth looking through. It'd be a nice relaxing way to spend a weekend.
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A mode of transportation that would move travelers from College Station to Houston in less than half an hour is about 13 years and $22 billion away, officials said Tuesday.The concept isn't new -- local leaders proposed it about 15 years ago and were met with opposition from residents who were worried that the rail system would be noisy, affect property and cost taxpayers.
But now officials are proposing to elevate the tracks, and because highways are crowded and commutes are taking longer, transportation alternatives are a necessity, said Brazos Valley Council of Governments Executive Director Tom Wilkinson.
"In the early 1950s when Dwight Eisenhower proposed the interstate highway system, I am sure there were people who said, 'You gotta be kidding. This is too big. This is too much,'" Wilkinson said. "[High-speed rail] is the new interstate highway system. What we do today will have an effect on our children and our grandchildren. It is important. It's going to cost money and it's going to cost time, but where are we going to be if we don't do it?"
The group is pushing for the federally-designated high-speed rail corridor to include a route known as the "Texas T-Bone." The 440-mile alignment would carry travelers to Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco, Fort Hood, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Bryan-College Station.College Station is spending $25,000 per year to participate in the Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation, which is lobbying for the route that goes through the Brazos Valley. The corporation's goal is to have the rail operational by 2020.
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Kevin Brady and Rep. Chet Edwards are among a group of 19 congressional supporters of the high-speed rail project. Another 21 state legislators also have lent their support. Sen. Steve Ogden of Bryan and Rep. Fred Brown of College Station do not appear on the list. A spokeswoman in Ogden's office said late Tuesday high-speed rail is "not something the senator is working on right now."
"I think the most important issue facing us right now is, we're going to have to have that corridor approved," he said Tuesday, referring to the T-Bone alignment. "Until we do that, we're not eligible for any federal funds."Several options are available to fund the multibillion-dollar elevated rail system, Commissioner Mallard said Tuesday.
"Riders will ultimately pay for it," he said, explaining that a public-private partnership is one option to build the system. "The [Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corp.] or the government would probably have a stake in owning and maintaining it. Private enterprise may be involved in that, too."
Mallard said he doesn't anticipate much opposition this time around. It won't affect properties and it won't make noise, the commissioner emphasized.
"It looks like a jet airplane -- no diesel, no noise," he said. "It's just as smooth as glass. You can sit there with a glass of water on the table, and there's no sensation that you're even moving. Then you look out the window at the ground, and it's just a blur."
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Bryan and College Station's elected officials soon will decide whether to invest in a massive regional park in Grimes County. It's an economic development opportunity described as "once in a lifetime," but one that could have a $9 million price tag.
The idea to purchase 10,000 acres off of Texas 30 for development as a wildlife preserve and campground first came up about five years ago. It recently resurfaced because of three new variables: A portion of the land will be available to purchase next year; an offer was made by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to operate the park; and a matching federal grant has been announced as a possible funding method.
Ultimately, the Bryan and College Station city councils will decide whether to buy the land in Grimes County from the Texas Municipal Power Agency. The cities together allocated about $1 million a few years ago from Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency utility funds as seed money for the project. But few of the council members that made that decision are still around, and there are concerns among some of the members that the project may not be feasible.
The vision for the land is to highlight its 1,500 acres of water by offering fishing, canoeing and kayaking activities. Camping, hiking and horseback riding also could be available on the site, officials have said.
"It's such a rich area," said College Station Councilman John Crompton, a Texas A&M University professor of recreation, parks and tourism sciences. "You're never going to get this kind of land in one parcel in Texas again. All our land is subdivided. Everyone recognizes this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Recently retired College Station Parks and Recreation Director Steve Beachy also has touted the benefit of the park, encouraging elected officials to find a way to pay for the land."Putting that deal together is the single best opportunity for outdoor recreation in our region," he said in a recent interview with The Eagle.
Although the land is in Grimes County, part of the park is in College Station's extraterritorial jurisdiction, a 3.5-mile swath of land around the city limits -- and it's only about 15 minutes from the heart of Bryan. It's also close to Houston.
"The economic impact, particularly so close to Houston, is enormous," Councilman Crompton said.
This could be really big for BCS....any thoughts?
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Great news, Scotch. Thanks for the update.
Bryan has been doing great city-wide lately, from what I've read.
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Condos grounded after research shows cost too expensive for former students http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage...s-2948494.shtml
The Aggieland Gameday Center Condominiums were advertised as being future luxury sports condominiums on Northgate. The center planned to offer fully furnished, one to three bedroom condominiums with access to a spa, clubroom and fitness facility. The condominiums were supposed to be available for sale or rent.
Yet, after demolition for the project began, the condominiums were put on hold.
Chris Tesch, a Bryan-College Station realtor, said he believes the project was put on hold due to lack of experience Gameday Center had with the College Station market. Tesch said the company had success stories in other notable places around the nation, but they should not have expected to come into the College Station area believing they can treat this market like the others they were familiar with.
Gameday Center has completed luxury sports condominiums located near universities in Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and Tallahassee, beginning as early as November 1999 as well as the recent attempts with the Aggieland condominiums.
The Tallahassee Gameday Condominiums, 2 bedroom/2 bath, are listed on the Gameday Center website for sale in the price range of $459,900 - $491,500.
"We are one of the most affordable markets in the nation," Sesch said of College Station. "There is just no room for those prices, luxury here costs a lot lower. Here a condominium considered luxury can be sold for $150,000."
Too bad, too. I thought it would be cool to have another high-rise in BCS.
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I may be stating the obvious...but the academy used to be in Redmond Terrace...
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I'm excited to see how they turn out after they get a much need makeover...
Area bowling alleys soldhttp://www.theeagle.com/stories/073007/bus...20070730022.php
Wolf Pen Bowl and Skate has been sold to a developer who plans to turn the property into a family entertainment center with multi-level laser tag, indoor miniature golf and a bowling alley.
Mike Logan announced plans over two years ago to build a similar entertainment center at Boonville Road and Earl Rudder Freeway in Bryan.
But Logan said he put plans for Boonville Station on hold when he found out Wolf Pen Bowl and Skate was for sale.
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Plans for Northgate condos in doubt
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/072907/local_20070729043.php
-April Avison
Plans to build a $25 million condominium in Northgate are falling apart because College Station officials won't concede to minor changes in the project, developers with Dallas-based The Staubach Co. said Friday.
Staubach is the second developer to try to build the facility - once billed as the largest investment in Northgate - at the northwest corner of First Street and Church Avenue near Cafe Eccell. A deal with Atlanta-based Gameday Centers Southeastern fell through earlier this year.
The plans with Staubach aren't scrapped, city officials said Friday, explaining that they're trying to work out an agreement that benefits both parties. The matter was discussed during closed session at a College Station City Council meeting Thursday night. Although the issue was posted for a council vote, no action was taken, and City Manager Glenn Brown said after the meeting that he had nothing new to report on the ongoing negotiations.
The Staubach Co., founded by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, originally wanted to take over an economic development agreement that was drafted when the city was negotiating with Gameday Centers. The agreement required that the developer spend $20 million, although about $350,000 would be repaid by the city as an incentive, said Steve Sanders, a vice-president with Staubach.
Developers were willing to forego the incentive and invest $25 million if the city would allow the building to be six stories, Sanders said. But College Station officials insisted on at least seven stories, which essentially is the reason for the stall in negotiations, Sanders said.
"We would love to go forward with the project," he said. "We simply don't see how we can, given the conditions the city has placed on us. We wanted the design flexibility to do a project of anywhere from six to 15 stories, but the city insisted on seven. The reason this matters is, it forces the entire project to be built under high-rise construction, which is significantly more expensive."
Previous plans submitted by the Atlanta-based Gameday company showed a 10-story building with a spa and fitness facility. About 10,000 square feet of retail space was planned for restaurants and gift shops, according to Gameday's original proposal. Furnished condos at the facility, which would be marketed to Texas A&M University graduates, were scheduled to sell for $130,000 to $750,000.
The complex's taxable value would be in excess of $40 million, Sanders estimated.
Sanders said his client, Texas investment firm EKW Partners, already has contributed "tens of thousands of dollars" planning the project, even though the land is still owned by Southeast Property Management Co. of Kentucky. EKW, which hired Staubach as the project and development manager, has been under contract since April to buy the land but won't close the deal until an agreement can be reached with the city, Sanders said.
Sanders said the height of the building is one of two problems in the negotiations.
In the 2-acre area where the condo is planned, College Station sold five of the lots and the developer assembled another 10 lots, Sanders said, explaining that when the lots were merged, the land became more valuable.
"The city said if we don't go forward with the [economic development agreement], they have the right to buy their lots back," Sanders said. "That never was in dispute; of course they have that right. But then they said they wanted to put a clause in the agreement to buy our 10 lots at appraised value. It's an unusual request because it's not their property and it never was a condition in the original deal with Gameday.
"We didn't think the city would have a way to pay fair market value for our lots," he said. "No appraiser is going to value it at what we pay for it. The way they're setting this up, we were guaranteed to lose money if we don't build for whatever reason."
To complete the deal, Sanders said, his client eventually agreed to what he called an "onerous" 10-lot buyback provision, asking for the city to concede, in exchange, to a six-story building. But College Station officials wouldn't agree, he said.
David Gwin, College Station's economic development director, has been the city's lead negotiator. Gwin said Friday that he was not at liberty to discuss the issue.
"From our standpoint, there's nothing to report," he said. "It is our intent to have a condo built at Northgate. We don't have a time frame. I can't comment any more than that."
City Manager Brown also declined to discuss the specifics of the negotiations. When asked to respond to some of Sanders' comments, Brown expressed concern about violating the city's policy of conducting economic development negotiations behind closed doors.
"I will not talk about the deal points publicly," he said. "I am disappointed that [sanders] has chosen to talk about the negotiations in public. Beyond that, I don't know what to say, other than the city of College Station would very much like to see Gameday happen. It has to be a good deal for the private investor and the citizens of College Station."
Brown said dozens of condos were pre-sold by Atlanta-based Gameday. If the project does not proceed, the original developer would be obligated to refund the money, Brown said.
The next step for the city, Brown said, is simply to continue negotiating. If an agreement is reached with Staubach, it will be discussed again by the City Council in closed session, he said. Any vote on the matter would be taken in public.
Staubach's Sanders said, however, that he ought to have the opportunity to present his plans to the council in a public setting rather than working solely with Gwin and Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson.
A public meeting is customary for a project of this magnitude, he said.
"I think the City Council would have loved our project and understood why we needed our changes if we'd gotten a chance to meet with them," Sanders said. "We were told we couldn't have a meeting without a deal. My question for three months has been, how can we get to a deal without a meeting?"
Sanders said that if he'd been permitted to meet with the council, it's likely ground already would be broken on the project. The facility could take about 16 months to complete, officials have estimated.
"Had they just changed the dates that expired in the original contract, we'd already be working on this," Sanders said.
Brown said developers are never allowed to present to the council during a closed session and it's unusual for a concept to be made public before an agreement is signed.
"Developers relay comments to staff, and staff relays them to council," he said. "If it's publicly aired out, it could place either the public entity or the private entity at a disadvantage."
But despite some trouble with the agreement, the city manager said he doesn't think the project has slipped away just yet.
"From the city of College Station's perspective, this deal has not fallen through," he said.
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Not that I've seen...
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Officials gear up to bring $435 million facility to town
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/032007/local_20070320008.php
By APRIL AVISON
Eagle Staff Writer
A proposed national agro-biodefense facility at Texas A&M University matters to College Station, which is planning traffic solutions. It matters to Bryan, which is partnering to build a nearby Health Science Center campus, and it matters to the Chamber of Commerce, which is heading to Washington D.C. to lobby legislators about regional issues in May.
That's what officials from several governmental entities said Monday as they heard from Garry Adams, associate dean for research at Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, during a monthly intergovernmental committee meeting.
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Great pics!
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Bryan council approves strategy for city's future
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/011007/local_20070110004.php
Bryan City Council members Tuesday adopted a plan they say will change the appearance of the community and reflect the desires of residents.Adoption of the 115-page comprehensive plan was unanimously approved following a public hearing during the council's evening meeting. Council members Jason Bienski and Ben Hardeman did not attend.
Consultants with College Station-based IPS Group spent 15 months gathering feedback from focus groups and city staff before compiling the plan, which includes recommendations in land use, transportation, economic development and neighborhood maintenance.
"The comprehensive plan is a chance to document the strategic view of the citizens, what their wants and needs are," said Kelly Templin, a principal with IPS Group. "It's a chance to educate the public on what you're doing and find out what they want you to do."
Although cities aren't required to follow the comprehensive plan "to the very letter," it serves as a guideline and to-do list when making decisions about future projects, Templin said.
Bryan's downtown master plan is an example of an action that came from a comprehensive plan, Templin said. The downtown area has been redeveloped and is undergoing streetscape projects and beautification efforts as a result of the master plan adopted in 2001.
Comprehensive planning has identified as priorities implementing central business corridor standards and redeveloping South College Avenue.
Just one resident spoke during the public hearing Tuesday evening. Sharon Anderson, a member of the advisory committee that studied the plan, said she was concerned about maintaining single-family neighborhoods.
"They are the backbone of our community," she said.
Neighborhood redevelopment is one of the top priorities identified by the focus groups that studied the comp plan, Templin said. Other priorities included community appearance and proactive code enforcement, according to the plan.
"Community appearance was a huge issue," Templin said. "It was brought up at every focus group we held. The public recognized that visitors make judgments based on what they see when they travel through Bryan."
The comprehensive plan was last updated in 1999. Bryan Planning Manager Lindsey Guindi, who oversaw the rewrite, has said it will be reviewed annually to ensure the items identified for action are being monitored.
Templin said the plan isn't useful unless it's put into motion.
"I'm aware of a number of award-winning plans that weren't implemented," he said. "One has to debate how effective those plans actually were."
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Senior center, east side study on College Station agenda
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/011107/local_20070111059.php
College Station leaders will talk this week about awarding an $80,000 contract for a consultant to study and make recommendations about transportation needs on the east side of Earl Rudder Freeway.
The City Council also will discuss design plans for a senior citizens facility to be built near a planned "city center" complex on Krenek Tap Road.
Both topics are scheduled during the council's 3 p.m. workshop meeting Thursday.
Public Works Director Mark Smith is recommending the city hire Kimley Horn and Associates of Houston to study transportation needs east of Earl Rudder Freeway between Harvey Road and the Nantucket subdivision. The work will take about 90 days, according to a proposal submitted by the Houston-based firm.
When city staff suggested in August that a transportation study be devoted to the east side of town, Councilman John Happ opposed it, saying it was a piecemeal effort and a waste of money, especially because the city is conducting a comprehensive plan update that includes a citywide thoroughfare.
But Smith said this week the east side needs to be studied immediately, and the comprehensive plan rewrite will take more than a year to complete.
"This part of town is a developing area," he said of the eastern portion of College Station. "We didn't want to wait that long to get data on an area that is growing so fast."
The consulting firm is scheduled to meet with an advisory committee - which will include representatives from the neighborhoods included in the study area, members of the city's transportation committee and developers who work in the area. Two public meetings are planned, and the consultant will develop a model of potential roadway scenarios.
An implementation strategy also will be developed. The consultant will identify and prioritize steps that should be taken before the adoption of the updated comprehensive plan in order to accommodate traffic, according to the proposal.
Design projects are not chosen based on the lowest bid submitted. Kimley Horn and Associates, which has not done prior work for College Station, is being recommended by staff for a couple of reasons, Smith said.
"They specialize in traffic work," he said. "And, honestly, it's important for this particular study to have a very objective consultant, one that doesn't have any local connections."
Prior to Smith's presentation to the City Council on Thursday, Parks and Recreation Director Steve Beachy will discuss a design concept for the planned senior center.
The senior center has been under consideration since 2000, and probably will be included as part of a bond package set to go before voters in 2008.
The facility could cost about $5 million to $6 million to build, Beachy said Wednesday. Specific cost estimates will be released Thursday.
The design work was performed by architects from Brown, Waterford and Reynolds for $75,000.
When the conceptual plan is presented Thursday, it will include a three-dimension model and floor plan, and it will define the scope of the project, Beachy said. The architect also is recommending that the facility be built between the future extension of Dartmouth Street and Central Park.
"The seniors wanted a building in proximity to Central Park so they can use the walking trails," Beachy said, noting that the architect met with a senior advisory committee several times while preparing the concept.
The City Council has said it wants to build the senior center in the Central Park area because other municipal buildings already are there, and a future City Hall is planned.
Beachy said if the design is approved by the council Thursday, the next step would be to put the project in a future capital improvement program, such as the 2008 bond referendum.
"Once the funding is approved, typically I think you could allow about one year to complete the design process and another year to build it," he said.
"This has been something our seniors have talked about for seven years now. It's a dream for them. It's an exciting project."
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I've heard that both Target and Old Navy are moving from Texas Avenue to this new location. I'm not sure true that is
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If this is true, I wonder how much the decision of not building a Wal * Mart in C. S. had on them deciding to build one in Bryan. If I any say in this I'll tell the Bryan city council to treat Wal * Mart like College Station did with building codes and promoting a nice image.
Combine this with the rumor that Target is leaving CS for Bryan to build a Supertarget, and taking old navy with it...then you have the health science center...wow...
If all that's true (unlikely, but hey, what are internet forums for
), then the next few years could be explosive for Bryan. -
Just saw this over on the Texags board, it could be nothing but I figured it was worth a thread over here.
At the corner of Leonard Rd. / 2818 where the shell gas station is located, they're building a car wash and laundry mat. So when I went in to pay for my gas, the store manger told me that Wal * Mart is planning on building a super center store right across the street sometimes next year so they decided to extend the store in hope of more business when Wal * Mart arrives. West Bryan will finally have a grocery store......... -
Maybe I missed something, but i haven't heard anything about the College Station City Center...last I heard it was being put on hold...are there any updates that anybody knows about?
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Thanks for the info.
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Interesting question! It will be a long, long time before College Station is ever included in the Houston Metro. There's just too much geography between the two. And, honestly, I hope I don't live to see that day. Central Texas is a beautiful place, I'd hate to see the suburbs of Houston extend all the way out here.
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I'm ignorant on the subject: does anybody know why the area east of Highway six is so underdeveloped relative to the area at the west?
It seems like development on Highway 30, especially, would have spilled over further east when the Post Oak Mall was built back in the 80s...
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Nope...don't remember 3C at all, or the red bandana...the two places my family went a lot were Tom's and Beetle's...
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Anybody else remember that restaurant....? We used to go there all the time when I was a kid.
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Good Points RedScare
First American Bank Corporate Headquarters
in Bryan-College Station
Posted
A few...though I think they'd have to be insane to do it, lol.
The population of Bryan is a little less than 70K, and the population of college station is about 83K.
The library was opened in 1997....and this renovation had a lot to do with updating the technology. It's much more multimedia focused, from what I've been told.
Here's a little snippet from wikipedia:
I hope you get a chance to make it through!