sidegate

Wilson Elementary on Yupon is a one of three HISD Montessori programs. They are opening a Montessori middle school program this fall. I know they have a preschool program but not sure what the fees are.

http://es.houstonisd.org/WilsonES/

He does have some curious priorities, does Mr White. How much demand among low income groups is there for wireless access? I think some of this money be better spent on improving and adding to the number of COH libraries.

I immigrated to Houston from abroad about 12 years ago and have lived within a couple of miles of the Medical Center the whole time. For the first six months I didn't own even own a car and attracted more than a couple of concerned stares as I struggled up Kirby with my big Target carrier bags, wondering why the sidewalks kept disappearing.

Perhaps if I were born and raised here I'd have had more reason to familiarize myself with places beyond the Loop but the amenities inside it being what they are, I haven't. It's not a knock on U of H or Bellaire or anywhere else. I have a sphere of existence whose current dimensions suit me. Everyone does.

Pretty much. It's a function also of how often I have occasion to go to these places, which for UH is the annual March of Dimes walk, and that part of Bellaire to eat breakfast at Cafe Miami (not so much these days as I used to). Multiply time spent by fuel by general aggravation involved and "Way out there" is a lot closer in than it used to be for me.

And it's not my phrase anyway. I just understand where it's coming from.

I'm curious, what's your zip code?

eastern edge of 77098

I guess "way out there" has less to do with distance than with demographics. Go figure.

not really. pretty much has to do with what my fuel gauge says before I start the engine, and when I get back. all the more so these days.

Edit: typo

"Way out there" - I'm guessing you're an inner Inner Looper Jax. :-) Rightly or wrongly, I'd say the same thing!!

I went to the COB website to try and find where their city boundaries and zip codes are. An interesting academic question is the attitudes that prevail in the respective (COH & COB) city halls towards developments of this kind vs say a West Avenue type of approach. Even if a developer wanted to build a West Avenue-type complex in that part of Bellaire, would that be looked on askance by the COB planning commission?

Edit: Of course this is irrelevant if it still is City of houston....

Outside the Loop, west of Chimney Rock...

Chronicle article here.

Interesting to contrast this suburban-style development with the move towards denser, more pedestrian oriented retail developments inside the Loop.

maybe something for St. Patrick's? It would be interesting. Celebrating their O'Gayness?

Possibly but it's been vacant for years.

Charlie's is on the bend on Westheimer just west of Waugh, opposite the Hollywood Video store.

Dunno what this portends but I drove past Charlie's Diner today round 11.30 and there was some temporary steel fencing going up round the front parking lot of the type that is generally put up before a demo.

There's a parallel thread here

you're missing out.

maybe the city will claim eminent domain to help the situation.

Yeah that Fiesta's a great little shop. Their beer and wine selection is pretty extensive for the size of the shop. Not that that's everything mind you....

It is a sketchy part of Richmond all right. As development progresses one would hope it won't turn into another Greenway Plaza - all big setbacks, landscaping, parking garages and glass facades, discouraging pedestrian traffic. The area is currently walkable, with some retail, bars and restaurants, just not very attractive - the sidewalks in general are in a terrible state. Here' s hoping the light rail, when they get round to it, spurs a renewed approach. The pace of development along the Main St line hardly makes one particularly sanguine though!

Isn't there neighborhood deed restrictions that prevent ugly houses like this being built? Something like being totally out of character for the rest of the neighborhood?

Good lord....

depends on the 'hood. for my own it's height, front setback and garage door setback. after that all bets are off.....

It's the balconies at the front that get me. What do these people think they're going to be looking at?? Balconies were fine when you had 500 acres round your house all to yourself but they're kinda silly when you're either looking at the guys doing the yard opposite, or exchanging resentful glares with your more modestly domiciled neighbors. A porch would make a lot more sense, but perhaps not with that ugly six foot railing round it. I'd run a mile from any house that the builders felt they had to fence off from the neighborhood to sell it.

2727 Kirby at River Oaks

Posted Dec 12th 2007 8:04AM by Deidre Woollard

Filed under: Estates

The latest high-rise in the Houston area is in the Upper Kirby/River Oaks area of Houston. The 30-story tower is crafted in glass, stainless steel and stone and sits on a narrow lot that is less than an acre in size. 2727 Kirby will have 96 units which will be one-, two- and three-bedroom condos ranging in size from 1,250 square feet to 6,100 square feet. Units are divided into residences and "estates" which have an elevator that drops them off into their unit. The residences have fireplaces and a private terrace equipped with an outdoor kitchen.

The building will offer private gardens for residents with a green thumb.

Be a PITA getting your bags of topsoil up in the elevator!!

Don't these 'hoods have deed restrictions specifying garage setbacks? It's pretty easy to stop this kind of stuff if they exist and are kept up to date. keeps the tract developers out.

sevfiv that house is beautiful, just beautiful.

Good for them for snagging the "Responsible" tagline. Caught everyone else napping.

Now that I recall, when I lived in the Archstone Medical Center, there was a weekly motel next door where the shuttle used to stop. Every morning the same people would get on, obviously undergoing chemo. So I guess that's how some people manage it.

Good catch.

It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

One thing I've been rather curious about is that The Museum Tower on Montrose is sorta like the proposed 1717 Building and what traffic is like in and out of the place

The reason why I ask is, while I don't know the occupancy rate of the Museum tower, I do know a couple of residences who are always out of town (Figure they live there for an avg of 5 days a month) and there are people who keep VERY odd hours. Having a chance to rethink my stance on the traffic on this, perhaps the traffic won't be as massive as the people in that area (and this forum) think it will be.

The demographic that would live here are work excessively long hours, are away on business travel, or have the means that they can pick and choose their hours or don't have to work at all.

I concur. But it's never really been about the traffic. The traffic is a front because Bill White doesn't want to confront the Z-word issue. These developers have come in and had the temerity to play by the City's own rules and have found that, well, those actually aren't the rules, because these wealthy, connected NIMBYs say so. I'm personally pro-zoning, and would much rather this turn into a debate on the merits or otherwise of zoning city-wide, but that's not going to happen.

Edit: found typo

The neighborhood itself will help traffic around the Ashby high rise. This isn't suburban neighborhood where there are only one or two ways in and out and through streets are spaced far apart. Southampton is an open grid with many through streets and access points. The traffic can distribute to several locations and can route around congested areas, quickly blending into the background traffic.

Wroxton Court, the street immediately behind the proposed development, is a cul de sac, so pretty much useless for egress. The way the rest of the immediate grid is laid out there are a lot of T-junctions controlled by single stop signs, and all those streets have on-street parking. If I was a homeowner I'd fight entrances and exits into my hood tooth and nail, similar to how the locals restricted Trammel Crowe from barfing traffic into Winlow Place from the Alexan on Westheimer.

Just ride a bike.

not exacty an option for someone getting chemo

Which airline? Your pilot had a good sense of humor

Continental.

I was on a flight from Miami to IAH a few years ago and the pilot called it Intergalactic. Everyone cracked up.