lwood

Bump as I am currently having the same questions.

Isn't In Town Homes the same guy as Lovette Homes? Frank Liu? Try a Google search for Lovette Homes complaints.

One does have to question the wisdom of building Discovery Green with public dollars and having this park bounded by two-block megastructures on the north and south and a five-block monoculture on its principal side. The remaining side is likely to have Discovery Tower, One Park Place, and Embassy Suites. That accounts for the entire perimeter. The fact that downtown Houston is the biggest employment spot in the South or Southwest and yet every downtown park and plaza is vacant except at lunch hour suggests that Discovery Tower (and probably Embassy Suites) is not going to enliven the park. One Park Place's handful of residents will be the only Houstonians likely to use the park for whom it won't be "out of sight, out of mind" for a lot of the times of the day at which they might use it. The GRB and 59 will obstruct any future pedestrian traffic from the east that it might have been used by, and will provide a thousand feet of dead-zone frontage that no area resident will have a reason to cross the park to get to. This is a major blow to its function as anything other than a periodically used garnish. So that leaves us with convention hotel guests (primarily evening and possibly morning use), affluent restaurant patrons, and people in between sessions of a meeting at the convention center (sporadic use throughout the day). It's a nice park for all that money, but it's not going to mean much to distracted visitors.* Having large structures with pitifully few points of entry or nodes of dense activity deactivating the edges of the Green, where fresh pedestrian flows from streets might have fed in - something that Central Park, by comparison, utterly relies upon - means that it really will be sort of a yard for businesspeople with business there, and not someplace that a Houstonian population would have much reason to wander into. On the other hand, if the double block on the north is perforated and made very permeable at ground level, it's still conceivable we could eventually have a neighborhood public space on our hands. But if all goes as appears to be planned, we'll have gotten a speculative real estate development spark plug for all our hopes and civic efforts - and from that development, more additional showpiece property tax dollars than actual human use.

*much as I want to believe otherwise, believe that it at least contributes to their minds some of the shade and the healthy division between hard work and unpresentable repine that Houston's fabric, out where conventioneers will never get to go, demonstrates and brings to grand scruffy life.

Wow.

I saw this on TxDOT's letting schedule.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgcha...s.htm#091271700

Hopefully, it means that construction really will start this summer.

This information received from the City today:

"Thank you for contacting our office in regards to the Nicholson Street Hike and Bike Trail. The community of Houston and myself would like to see this project started as soon as possible. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know the status of this project and assure you that it is scheduled to be completed.

The Nicholson Hike and Bike Trail is a part of the MKT Rail to Trail project. The design of the trail has been completed. The City of Houston has completed acquisition of the MKT corridor. The design is currently under review at TxDot.

As of date following are the estimated letting and construction start dates:

Contract is expected to be let for bidding in July 2008

Estimated Construction Start Date: September 2008, project could last up to 12-18 months.

The entire MKT Rail to Rail project will be an added asset to the Houston community and will serve to encourage bicycling and alternative forms of transportation in our great city.

Thank you for your patience on this project, I am as anxious are the community to see this done. During the construction period, I will also need your continued patience as any construction project can create some degree of inconvenience.

Please feel free to contact my office at (713) 247-2003, should you have any additional questions or concerns. You may also contact Rita Balchus with the Houston Bikeway Program at 713-837-0003.

Sincerely,

Adrian Garcia

Mayor ProTem"

The latest edition of The Leader indicates that project design on the bike trail is nearly finished, and that construction contracts are to be awarded in June. Additionally, a Houston Chronicle article includes an interesting squabble between the City, TxDOT, and METRO over an extension of the bike trail, from Shepherd to Hempstead Highway.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/5468333.html

Seems the City wants to link the bike trail to other trails, while TxDOT wants to build an attractive ditch over a mile long for freeway runoff, and METRO wants to make sure its commuter rail is not derailed.

This week's update from the City:

"First, thank you for the support of this rail to trail bikeway project.

I can certainly understand your disappointment in the delay of such a highly visible rail to trail bikeway project. Though there have been delays in the past, we have worked through each of the circumstances, and are anxious as well to bring this project to construction.

Let me explain our current activities. The 100% design plans are under review at TxDOT. There are items that are being worked out between the City of Houston, Harris County Flood Control, TxDOT and the consultant. Work on these items are in progress, and we hope to close all pending matters by the end of April '08. Federal funding is in place, as well as the City of Houston local match.

As we work daily on this project, as well as other trail projects, we can better determine the estimated letting dates. As of today, we are tracking a proposed letting date of July '08, and hope to possibly expedite to June '08. I know it sounds like more delay, but it is a realistic look at how long it will take to close all pending items. Once the project is let for construction, the estimated construction start date is September '08.

I hope this gives you a better idea of the status of the MKT Rails to Trails bikeway project. Please stay in touch with us and I will do my best to keep you informed of all progress.

Rita Balchus

City of Houston Bikeway Program""

Please email Rita to let her know we are anxious for this to move forward. Rita.Balchus@cityofhouston.net

I hope this is the right thread. At one point, we seemed to have a bunch going on this.

I was starting to wonder if this project was a go. They haven't done much at the lot yet, save a little scraping of old asphalt. They are in sales mode now. They have a sales trailer on W. 18 (behind Heights Assembly of God)

HAR shows listings ranging from

about $450k on the high end

to about $170k on the low end.

I went by their sales office yesterday. The builder is Garrett and Austen. I was told they are in the Montgomery/Conroe area. The first phase is for 40 units. Phase two is 80 units and the third phase is for 120 units. I could not get an answer to the question of which land they currently own. A two bedroom unit with about 1,100 sq. ft. is priced at $292,000. I understand that more details will be posted on the HAR listings this week.

Yesterday the manager at Krogers on 11th told me that they are adding 25,000 sq. ft. to the store. Construction is to begin after the first of the year with a construction time of 4 to 5 months.

The manager on duty yesterday said construction is scheduled to begin at the end of February but they are waiting for final corporate approval.

I found this on http://www.jenningsisland.com/ and heard about it from the Seabrook Mayor! I like the big yacht and helicopter. Jetall Towers

The design looks very much like the Anadarko office building in The Woodlands.

I actually know the loft that you are looking at. I live in the 4th floor of St. Germain and its an awesome place to live in!!! You won't regret it.

I have heard that you can hear your neighbors in the next unit. Is this true in your situation? The building seems to have that reputation because I have heard that comment from different people. Also, is the maintenance fee based on square footage or do the small units pay the same as the large units?

When I was little my parents took us through a Houston neighborhood that had elaborate displays of Christmas Lights. Each street, in the neighborhood, had their own theme and when you entered the neighborhood a sign told you to set your radio to a certain station and the Christmas music complimented each house. I can't recall the name or location of this neighborhood. I believe we had to pay a fee to enter as well.

The other neighborhood I recall was in the Katy area. When you entered, you set your radio to the correct station to hear the Christmas music playing as you passed each display.

Can anyone remember the names of these neighborhoods or suggest some really good neighborhoods to view Christmas lights for the family?

Lights In The Heights is this Saturday beginning at 6:00 p.m. Many streets in the Woodland Heights (north of White Oak, West of Houston Avenue) will be closed to traffic. The bungalows are decorated and many have bands or other entertainment. Bring the kids and your Radio Flyer wagon full of beverages to walk the streets and enjoy the Christmas season in the Heights. A Google search for Lights In The Heights will give more information.

I'm trying to decide on an electrical service provider and I'm torn between Reliant or Direct Energy. Which of these companies is better than the other? Which has a lower rate? Are either company known for corrupt practices? I've tried powertochoose.org but that site is so confusing. I have no idea which service area I'm in; I mean what is an Oncor service area versus a Centerpoint service area. Please help!

ETA: I live in the medical center area.

Check out powertochoose.org

This state sponsored web site lists all of the providers for Houston. I went with Amigo Energy because the price was considerable less than Reliant and TXU. My highest bill last summer was $189 for 1,850 sq. ft.

I am going to have an opportunity to move into a different unit in my current apartment building. Basically, the management could not come up with a soltuion to the problem we are having with noisy pipes (see this thread), and he offered to let me move at no charge before my lease is up.

The unit he has offered me has a nicer floor plan than where I currently live, and his idea of letting me move sounds fair. The only real downside is it's on the 4th floor which is the top floor of my building.

I was wondering if anybody has any experience with apartments on the top floor. I am guessing my electricity bill will increase in the summer if I live there, but does anybody know by how much compared to the 3rd floor? Will the cost of air conditioning always cost substantially more on the top floor, or is it possible that if the building is well insulated it might not be so bad?

I really don't want to end up paying a lot more than what I am currently paying for air conditioning in the summer, but I really like this new apartment, not to mention the fact that it would be quieter than where I currently live.

Any thoughts?

If it's a flat roof building, there will definitely be a difference. Either way, you will be open to two unairconditioned spaces (roof and front) as opposed to one (front).

Looking for some feedback on the current Houstonian condo market. I'd like to purchase 1BR/1BH in the coming months... looking galleria/ro/midtown areas, <~200k.Anyone have impressions/experiences in certain developments they could share?Also, with all these new developments coming, are there really any decent deals to be had?

I'd give a shout out to "The Weslayan." on the 5100-5200 block of Weslayan @ 59. Great inner-loop location and quite as a church cemetary! I've been there since April and love the unit and location. One of its best features is the coverage garage parking. It's nice to be able to get in/out of your car without being in the elements. The location is great because it's one block from West U and a couple from Bellaire. This area will never go ghetto.

Hi, Im curious if anyone may have photos of 3525 SAGE condos. I have heard alot of good and alot of bad about this place but would like to see what all has been built around it since I last saw 3525 in 1992. (what may be blocking good views etc.)

I know that THE MARK has since been built. I first saw 3525 in 1987 and loved the place. I believe it was only 2 years old then and the brochure I still have from back then starts the units off @ $79,900. I have been doing a search through HAR and have found some units well up into the 400's.

I am planning on moving back to Houston this next year and would love to take a look again at 3525. I heard that the units had been rentals but are now being remodeled and sold. It's so interesting to look at this brochure for 3525 and see the sister building that never did get built (where THE MARK stands) it would have been an identical 3525 but taller.

I hope i posted in the correct place! I looked around several hours hoping this might be ok to ask about photos.

Glad to be among like minded folks here on the site, can't wait to get back to Houston.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Rob

The location is good the price is good and the maintenance fee is right. However, if I remember correctly, the ceiling height is 8-feet. That made the unit feel somewhat confining. I was told the lobby flooded during Allison.

Strange request, but can anyone list off where this type of setup could be found in Htown???

With the garage on the 1st floor, 2 floors of living space, and a deck on top.

So far I've only seen this one, but I LOVE IT

www.midtownelevated.com

Tricon has a similar floor plan. Has anyone asked how this flat roof (deck) is detailed to prevent leaking?

Hey guys, a quick question. A friend of mine is considering moving out of her house into a 3-bedroom Loft apartment sometime within the next year. Her price range is $300-350K. Do you know which areas would be best for a young(ish) hip newly single woman? With two fully-grown kids who will visit on occasion?

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I'm just hoping I can get some guidance about where to look to find the best deals on (not new) lofts.

Many people use the term "loft" to describe what should be called an apartment. The "Lofts on Post Oak" come to mind. I guess it's a marketing thing.

Reuther Homes has been very successful with their loft conversion of the old Nabisco Building downtown. It's called CityView Lofts. Search for Reuther Homes and then CityView under the communities tab.

I plan to move to houston w/in the next few months. I have been exploring neighborhoods of where I might want live, but still am not sure. Firstly, I am a young professional who will be working at the medical center, so I want somewhere close to the mc or rail. I also have a big dog and like to jog w/ him, so greenery, parks, etc are a must. I am a young professional, so no to the college areas. I also like artsy atmosphere, but not slumming-it artsy, if that make sense? Looking to spend around $800-$1000 in rent. Any suggestions?

Olympus Nelson 713-622-8908 is a real estate company that specializes in duplexes and other rental units in the medical center/museum area. This may be a source if you are looking for something other than the typical apartment complex. I would also check out har.com.

We bought our house a year or so ago and are getting around to fixing up the garage apartment and renting it out. However, I have a few legal and tax questions that I'd appreciate help on.

Is it possible/recommended to establish a corporation to oversee rental of the garage apartment? Please remember this is on our primary residence property, but is in a detached structure. There are obvious tax benefits to doing this, but is it ok in regards to your primary residence from a liability standpoint? Does this open up recourse to be taken against our primary residence?

How did some of you or people you know rent out your/their garage apartments? I guess my primary concern is from a liability standpoint regarding my house while renting to someone else on my 'land'.

Thanks.

My insurance broker provided me with a $1,000,000 liability umbrella policy for $225/year that picks up after your homeowner's policy.

I am looking to build a home and I have a question of cost. Is it better to buy an internet plan or have someone design it for me? The question I have is cost. How much does a draftsman/architect charge to do plans?

Thanks.

I think the only way to go is to have an ARCHITECT design it for you. Prices vary widely depending on who you work with. You need to shop around to see who does the type of work you are looking for. When I was working on a small home I talked to several architects and the fees ranged from $3,000 to $20,000. I went with a lower priced one because we communicated well and he understood exactly what I was looking for. He had done similar projects that he could show me.

Remember that you will still have to budget for soil tests and the related engineering for the foundation. Those two items ran another $2,500.

My family ate at the Gabby's on North Shepherd this weekend. It was wonderful, and made me miss the days when there were more of these around.

My problem is, I think there used to be another BBQ chain that was very much like Gabby's. Gabby's, Luther's and this other place (if it really existed) all operated in the same way, with a similar layout. They had an entrace across from the counter. Customers went to the counter, ordered their meal, it was prepared immediately, they paid and took it to a table. I think all of the Luther's have been converted to Pappa's BBQ now (blech), but I could swear there was another chain like that with locations all over Houston in the 1980s and maybe early 1990s.

Anyone remember this? Am I forgetting the name or hallucinating my memory of its existence?

Maybe Demeris? One on Shepherd at Alabama and one on Hempstead Highway at Northwest Mall.

We are soon to be painting the exterior of the house (standard 1939 2 story) for resale..currently the house is yellow with bright white trim. I picked the colors from a sherwinn williams card that had them grouped together...the big question is should I use a off white color? I have NEVER seen another house with bright white trim. I think it looks great, but I dont seem to have the same taste of the majority. Oh ya...I also had bright white trim in interior and softened it up and it looks ALOT nicer.

There is a new construction house on Nicholson, between 9th and 10th with bright white trim. It is definitely too white.

Where would you suggest taking clients in the Downtown and Mid-town area for drinks and for dinner? They will range in age from late 20s to mid 50s.

Include a cruise through the museum area, especially North and South Blvd.

Does anyone know of any update on Metro's proposal to buy this right-of-way for commuter rail? My recollection was that Metro tabled the idea when it learned that the City of Houston held the right-of-way and was planning a hike and bike trail. However, the article in the Chronicle was a little fuzzy on whether Metro would pick this back up.

Counciman Adrian Garcia's office is still talking about this as if the bike trail is still moving forward. Please call or email Councilman Garcia's office to let them know we are trying to keep this alive.

Oh! I should have figured that out. Sorry. Wow, Prince's? Where on Shepherd?

On Shepherd, almost across from Mak Chin. That's just north of the railroad tracks, on the right if you are north bound.

Why do alot of drivers here don't wave to thank other motorists yielding for them ? Houstonians keep bragging about how friendly and courteous they are, but they sure don't act like it. Oh...stop throwing things out of the car while driving when there are other cars behind you in the streets or highways. I don't care if it is a cigarette(use your ashtray),plastic cups, etc. or whatever, show some respect!!!

If you see a company vehicle driving like an idiot, get the company name & phone number off of the vehicle, at least part of the license plate number and call that company to complain. I think if more of us did this it would help. If you own company vehicles, make sure your company name and phone number is on that vehicle.

Although they are quite controversial they make the .05% transfer fee on resale homes sound reasonable. Another money grab?

http://www.houstoneflyer.com/Archives2/5725-GGP/index.html

I dont know how long the link will be available.

CyKat

Some condominiums charge the buyer a one time fixed amount when they purchase a resale. I have heard of one high rise that has a $2,500 fee.