WestGrayGuy

Well gang,

After the recent upswing in crime in my neighborhood (near West Gray and Taft), I have decided to join the citizen's patrol group we are forming in the Sutton Square neighborhood. I have definitely noticed a crime increase since last September. These are the crimes that I know of or have been reported by my neighbors:

* My home was burlgarized in October 2005

* The cleaners on West Gray was robbed and the owner pistol whipped.

* A woman opened her garage and was followed in by a black man.

* Cars were broken into on Webster between Wilson and Bailey.

* Early morning shootout between cops and drug dealers last spring near Mason and Fairview,

* (the final straw) A jogger was robbed at gunpoint of his Ipod on W. Webster and then pistol whipped.

Our neighborhood is meeting August 1st on National Night Out to form the Citizen Patrol Program. I just thought I would share this as I think my neighborhood is great and I will fight for it.

Wish me luck!

Yes it is still open, I go to see movies there all the time including recently:

Capote

Brokeback Mountain

Keeping up with the Steins

An Inconvenient Truth

I love this theatre, especially the bar upstairs. If the teardown rumor is true, I will personally chain myself to the front door in the front of the bulldozer.

Question:

Under which school district will the inhabitants of the Bridgelands fall? Cy-Fair or Katy?

The Edge project and Camden properties.

They want to close Cushing street. Does this mean the whole street or the tiny portion between Midtown Square phase 2 and phase 3? If it is just a block, I think Sheila Jackson Lee is over reacting.

Here is the story:

As new developments continue to rise in Midtown, residents in historic areas are fighting to curb street closures

The sanctity of community

By CINDY HORSWELL

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

IN the shadow of downtown skyscrapers, the Rev. Samuel Smith vowed Sunday to fight proposed street closings he says will shut off the remnants of the historic black Fourth Ward from new high rises developing in Midtown.

"We stand as a testament that we mean business," said Smith, with 30 members of his Mount Horeb Missionary Baptist Church standing behind him. "If you close these streets, it would be like cutting a main artery to the heart of the streets feeding the interior of the Fourth Ward."

*Edit* copyrighted material deleted.

The legal department at the Houston Chronicle has informed the editor of HAIF that we can briefly quote from copyrighted articles and post links, but cannot reproduce articles in full.

Link to full article

dbigtex56

So what's the story on what is going up here?

Also, there are some orbs in those demolition pics above.

I'm a dumbass

Kind of a shock that the Penn Hotel is being demolished. I had heard nothing about the demolition until now. Anyone know what is going in it'splace?

Here is the Chron story:

Historic Houston hotel under the wrecking ball

By LISA GRAY

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Demolition of the 1925 Penn Hotel, which quietly began Sunday, shocked Houston's preservationists, who hadn't considered the building endangered.

The 10-story brick building at 1423 Texas is owned by Spire Realty, which until now has been active in rehabilitating historic buildings in Houston's downtown.

The building was designed by Joseph Finger, the architect who designed many of the city's most important buildings of the era: among them, City Hall; Temple Beth Israel; Citizen's State Bank (known to most Houstonians as the home of the Rockefeller's); 701 Texas (now the Lancaster Hotel); the Jefferson Davis Hospital formerly on Allen Parkway; and the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal.

Houston's preservation laws, among the weakest in the country, do not require public notification of intent to demolish a historic building unless it's in one of the city's small historic districts.

For preservationists, even demolition equipment at the site didn't seem cause for alarm. David Bush, director of programs and information for the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance, drives past the Penn every morning on his way to work. Even when he saw workers removing the building's plate-glass windows and tearing down a one-story addition, he said he assumed that Spire was renovating the property.

"It just shows you," said Bush. "Nothing is safe in Houston."

Quirkmiter:

Spoken like a true engineer.

I disagree. I think a large underground parking garage is ideal for this part of downtown. Surface parking = bad. Underground parking under a park = good.

Kudos to the City Council for their vision for this part of town. I mean come on, there is the GRB, Toyota Center, Hilton Americas, Houston Pavilions coming online in the near future.

Good job City Council

Two things:

First of all, the San Jose seems to be quite successful winning two MLS championships and winning its division last year. Always good to have a winning team.

Second thing is how did Houston get the franchise without some sort of fantastic venue proposed? Reading the article from the Chronicle, it seems there is not even an ownership team in place yet. The stadium in San Jose looked nice.

Just wondering.

I have never felt the pride in the campus at UH that I did at A&M or even UT. That is why I chose not to go there. It didnt have the same energy as the bigger Texas schools.

To me it seems kind of dead, perhaps when I start my Masters there I will see it differently?

What is going in that Lord & Taylor expansion at the Galleria, I heard new stores were coming in? Anyone know which ones?

I work in the Galleria and there is a sign on the outside of the old Lord and Taylor entrance. It says there will be a few stores. The ones I remember include a Borders and a Del Frisco's.

The Presidential studio is called the "heads". Go there and see if you can name all the presidents.

I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet visited this place. I will make it a point to try it this weekend and report to the forum next week.

Grasshopper is a cool place. Lounge on the first floor and dance area on the top floor.

One of my favorite places in downtown.

Star is the best.

California Pizza Kitchen is good for the gourmet pizza.

I do not like Romano's on West Gray.

The H-Town diner has opened...

Has anyone tried it out yet?

Can we confirm this is on the Western side of 288, just South of Shadow Creek Ranch?

Holy Worst Case Scenario Batman!

Instead of a residential tower a parking garage?!!?!?!

My stomach turns...

I know the architect. He is very talented. I love the Ventana in Midtown.

For drag queen, you have to vote for Kofi. She is the best!

I was referring to the history of "fires" that occurred in Montrose and neartown that seem to happen at the right time for development.

There are plenty of examples.

It will become part of the Urban Loft (tin can house) take over of Freedman's Town.

Mark my words!

Funny how "fires" started by the homeless seem to happen to buildings that are in the way.

Parking in midtown is quickly disappearing with all the new clubs popping up. We crave the urban environment and this diner will have it. Accordingly it will not have a massive parking lot. You are going to have to park on the street and walk a few blocks.

I will support it as I think it is a cool concept. This part of midtown is developing fairly rapidly with Post and the Edge coming up. There will be plenty of walk up customers.