Fringe

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Fiesta_Mart

I maybe wrong but I think their 1st. store was on the corner of Bellaire Blvd. and Hillcroft in an old vacant Globe store.

It was the first one I was aware of. When it first opened we thought if was the greatest store ever. Fresh made tortillas, great produce section, and lot's of international stuff you couldn't find any where else.

There's been on in Sugar Land for several years now. They're okay but I'm more of a Popeye's person.

Reality sucks.

The coastline on the west end is retreating at 3 to 6 feet per year, the fastest rate of erosion in 6,000 years, the book says. Sea level rise could double or triple the rate of erosion over the remainder of the century, it says.

The sand supply for Galveston beaches has run out and existing sand is being washed away by storms, much of it too far out to sea to return, according to the study.

Oh well. We may not have an amusement park but we have more massage parlors!

I suspect it's only a matter of time before everyone in the Heights has malaria.

This must be a very localized problem. I had a friend mention to me yesterday that he had half a dozen get into his place this weekend. That was in one part of Montrose half a mile from me. But in my part of Montrose, I haven't seen a mosquito all summer. I was outside enough over the weekend I should have seen the latest infestation.... but nada.

So in short, Sucks to be you people.

LOL. Maybe they just are not attracted to you because it's definitely not localized. Worse it's been all year at my house in Sugar Land and at work in the Rice U area. Even getting attacked in the middle of the day.

Isn't a chain an lock system just a workaround when an OS&Y valve isn't present? The Outside Stem and Yoke valve gives you an instant visual verification that the valve is open, but if you only have a traditional gate valve, that valve ideally needs to be replaced. If replacement requires a massive shutdown (which in our case a few years ago it would have, affecting the entire block and more than just our building) then the Fire Marshall MAY let you work around it by making sure the valve is open by turning it CCW till it stops, and then chain and locking it so it cannot be turned by anyone not in possession of the key (or a good set of bolt cutters).

I can see some potential heavy code enforcement and code rewrites in the future pending the outcome of this investigation...

Again I have no idea what kind of system they had or if they even had an OS&Y valve or another type like a Post Indicator Valve (PIV). They could have even had interior sectional valves that would allow them to close off just one area. I can't wait for the official report but I'm sure that won't come our until after the trial. (If it goes to court).

If the water supply is interrupted doesn't it sound a local trouble? Isn't that a code requirement?

Depends on the system. The fire code allows control valves in some systems to be secured with only a chain and lock. It would depend on the type of fire alarm system they have in place to determine if there were tamper switches that actually sent a signal. Even then it would only be a trouble signal which a lot of people tend to ignore. Especially if the fire panel is located in a closed room.

Probably the most likely suspect... an angry employee whom was recently terminated, or a very angry customer, although I think an employee is a better fit, similar to what happened at Gallery Furniture.

Again regarding the sprinkler heads... it's not a perfect world, a well designed system can still have errors like incorrect heads for the height and popping temperature. Shipping errors occur, installer errors occur, and some things can be inspected over and over and caught years later. These things happens, I've seen these things happen on a variety of systems where life endangerment is not outside the realm of possibility (sprinkler systems included).

However if I were a betting man, at this time I'd place my money on disgruntled employee who shut the valve to the sprinkler system prior to setting the fire, knowing any supervisory alarms sent to a monitoring company would have taken hours to get corrected if there was no one on staff with the know how to check.

I agree. Probably a former disgruntled employee who knew where the shut off valve was located. Would love to see the fire marshal's report . If the valve was closed it would have been obvious and immediately raised suspicion. That would certainly explain how the fire burned out of control. Even a poorly designed system should have at least contained the fire.

Rice was here in 1980?

Think I'm going to go down and protest against the protesters.

Those bushes need to go, but even then, you're right, there wouldn't be enough room.

Also, the turns on westheimer would be too sharp for tracks. The only way this would work if metro does one of two things and that is either close off lower westheimer to only bikes and rail, or turn it into a subway until Weslyan. The buying of ROW there would not only be raise all sorts of hell from the area, but would be insanely expensive.

You forgot "elevated".

Great photoshopping though.

They make quick response heads and if the system was properly designed it would have easily handled the fire. I smell a lawsuit.

The KHOU link in the first post says the local Fire Marshal said the store had sprinklers that were working correctly at the time of the last inspection, but the fire was too big for the sprinklers. If true, wow!

If it was sprinkled it makes me wonder if the fire started on the roof? Wonder if they were having any work down? In which case sprinklers would not have helped. Otherwise even if the sprinklers were ineffective putting the fire out they would have at the very least controlled the fire.

I like El Real's, but Xuco Xicana's is even better. Chef Jones uses a processed cheese from Mexico that is a mix of yellow and white cheeses as opposed to El Real's Velveeta. Really good stuff.

I agree. That is some really good stuff? Tried his wings yet? They are so good but so hot you will cry.

They report they went defensive on arrival so it must have taken off really quick. Guess they didn't have a automatic sprinkler system. I'll bet their next store does.

Apparently she just stepped right out in front of the car. Feel sorry for her but when jogging or for that matter cycling, you should not be plugged into an ipod. It's distracting and you need all your senses to be alert.

Great thread to resurrect.

As far as restaurants I have to go with Escalante's. I like that they give you a side dish of meat, onions and peppers that you can add to the queso according to your preference. (I hate onions in my queso).

I keep it simple at home and make it with the HEB Queso Blanco cheese. It"s like white Velvetta with some spices already added . Heat and mix in a small amount of milk to make it creamier and throw in a bunch of sliced jalapenos. (I like it muy caliente). If it's around Hatch chili time I will use those instead of jalapenos. .

Those are some fabulous night time shots.

I agree. Four or five stories is what I would call a midrise.

And just because there are similar atrocities all over Houston, that doesn't make this one right. Still, as I said before, this is Houston and what can you do?

People need to use google earth and LOOK at this location.

Comparing Bissonnet @ Ashby with say 2121 Kirby (The address of The Huntigdon, Houston's tallest and most expensive high rise) is silly.

First off, The Huntingdon only has 115 units so you are dealing with FAR fewer people. Secondly, Kirby has SIX lanes of traffic at this location. It is just South of San Felipe, a four-laned major street. It's neighbors are River Oaks Elementary across the street and a 15 story office tower next door.

All joking aside I agree it is a stupid place for a high rise, but that's Houston for you.

I look forward to the day when the Jester prisons (in unincorporated Fort Bend) are closed too. The special facilities may need to be moved to Liberty County or Brazoria County.

I'm sure it's only a matter of time because of all the development along the Grand Parkway.

Will be interesting to see what becomes of the property.

The lock-up is locked up. Throw away the key, this one ain’t getting out.Texas Department of Criminal Justice Central Unit in Sugar Land closed Thursday, becoming the first prison Texas has shut without opening a replacement in 130 years. It was also the first time in 112 years the prison has been without inmates. The last 92 inmates were moved out of the hoosegow three weeks ago.

Nearly 1,000 inmates and the 300-person staff have been relocated to other nearby prisons, including the Jester Unit in Richmond and the Darrington Unit in Rosharon, TDCJ spokeswoman Michelle Lyons said.

"It was a very smooth process," Lyons said. "Some assigned to the soap and detergent factory were brought back daily to help close it."

The prison once covered 5,400 acres but dwindled to a 326-acre campus at the former Imperial Sugar-owned land near Highways 6 and 90A. The 112-year-old Central Unit property was handed over to the state’s General Land Office. Sugar Land officials are reportedly interested in buying it, but the decision to sell is up to the three-member School Land Board, which runs the investments of state’s Permanent University Fund.

Closing the facility is expected to save the state about $12.4 million a year, Lyons said.

Link

So now it's apartments. I was hoping for a low income housing project but I guess this is the next best thing.