Porchman

Public Safety Services is the firm making the calls. I just ignore the phone when their name comes on the caller I.D. at home.

They first called me about 3 or 4 years ago. It was around the time the Sherriff's union was embroiled in to Toys for Tots scam, so I was already a bit wary about fundraising and cops. I became more suspicious when they refused to send literature out to me and became evasive about how the funds were used. When I finally got them to disclose that they are not a 501©(3) organization, (a query which involved a more aggressive supervisor joining the call), I chastised them for their guile (in so many words), and hung up.

If you want to give to a legitimate organization that helps public safety personnel and their families, I think the Houston 100 Club is a good channel.

I've been in this house. It's really fantastic. I want a loggia in my house.

mkultra25: Maybe Peggy McGee can work a deal for you. Can you come up with 8.1?

does it exist? i heard a few friends tell me that there is a skatepark in the heights but he didn't tell me where? anybody here know about it? or was he just making stuff up? thanks in advance

Maybe they meant this (?)

One question, say banks do own the properties - how or why is that a bad thing?

thanks so much for the info!!! -redant!

1) If there was creative financing involved for the original owners, how steady is the homeowners association? That is, if the mortgage payments were minimized, were the condo fees, as well? Have the banks been paying fees in the meantime? This may be hard to wrangle an answer with most of the owners being non-residents. Can you get HOA financial status?

2) My other concern, as I mentioned before, did the original owners walk because there's something wrong with the building. I, myself, doubt this because the mortgage mess seems more likely, and the buzz on bad buildings is ususally loud. Still possible.

3) The vested interest of non-resident owners is always considered lower than that of resident owners. For this reason, lenders don't like to extend loans on condo units where 75-80% of the unit owners are residents.

Who knows? You might be able to find some leverage in this. $100/SF in the Heights is a deal, certainly. Just be sure you know the risks and whether you can afford them. Get a realtor. Get disclosures.

It's only a few years old. One thing that would make me a bit nervous about buying there is that most of the owners banks. (See HCAD). Most orginal owners probably bought in with "creative financing" as can be typical with a new development. Also, most of these banks became owners over the summer which would further support this theory. However, it could be that there is/was something intrisically wrong with the building that might have prompted people to walk. Have a good realtor to get you the skinny on this.

One other matter for consideration. You would want to avoid having a unit closer to W 14th (on the north side of the building). It gets a fair amount of traffic and can be noisy, particularly when some is using their audio system to buzz the bumper off their '82 Bonneville.

There are not many condos available in the Heights - particularly in this price range. 1500 Harvard might be a good comparison for you to consider.

Good luck!

Perhaps a different sign would make the neighbors happy..

You've mentioned the Yale reconstruction a couple of times. What are they planning? I would assume a Studewood style redo? Hopefully, without the mid-project delay? Do you know a timeframe?

It was mentioned last night that it's been pushed up to next year. Yes. it's my understaing that it's the whole thing - utilities, pavement, etc. I vaguely recall someone mentioning that COH would be overseeing this project, where TXDOT was in charge of Studewood.

Thanks for the update, Porchman. I'm not too upset at no first floor retail. Putting a happy face on Kroger Plaza would be a MUCH more impressive feat. "Mixed use" is becoming an extraordinarily overused term anyway. There is retail on either side and across the street, as well as up and down 19th and 20th. The Republic will survive without it.

Agreed. It also minimizes the impact on the residences in that area. I think Allied eschews managing anything other than residential. Probably a smart business plan.

I like the brick on the bottom, neither impressed nor disgusted with the top. Isn't that pretty much what happens with passe architecture? Overall, I am glad to see the new blood coming to Yale. As I have stated before, Yale is exactly the street this type of development should occur on. Who knows, a $30 million shot to 22nd Street could boost interest in 23rd through 28th. How's that for a "half full" statement?

It will be interesting to see how much of an impact it will have. The pending reconstruction of Yale could delay any positive effects, however.

BTW, what was your impression, having been there and seen and listened to the presentation?

I really don't do impressions except for maybe Ethel Merman.

Anyhoo, the Allied Realty folk gave solid answers to a barrage of questions. Some of the answers were not what some people wanted to hear. There is solid concern from those living near the project - the impact of construction being paramount right now. There was general concern over long-term impact issues like traffic. They got light applause at the end for braving the quick-fire queries. It was a fairly moderate turnout. No big harangue.

Here it is...or atleast mostly...the big Y thang is apparently not going to be part of the design.

Project specs:

-$30M project

-Rendering lies - no retail on first level. Apparently they've talked to Weingarten about making the Kroger plaza a happier place to be. Although, Weingarten is pretty tied up right now .

-195 units - half 1 BR, Half 2 BR; 1.88 parking places per unit. Interesting point: They have created a 2-level parking garage (at least one level below grade). They made each level acessible from a different street - one Level from 21st and one level from 22nd. This should help abate a concentration of traffic.

-Average monthly rent $1500. Residents are puportedly expected to earn 3x rent (54K).

-They say there is primo deposit for doggies and kitties. They have a pet walking area. (Walking a cat doesn't work, trust me).

-Outdoor pool and fitness room.

-No clear answer on what's going to happen with the remaining retail property, which purportedly tied up in probate. Allied (the developer) has no control over this.

-Another developer is going to put 4 townhomes on the lot west of Long John Silvers, which is currently being currently being used as the construction lot. They're targeting the fried fish lovers market .

-As shown in the rendering, brick on the bottom, metal on the top.

-Issues raised:

• Metal on the top. Issue raised: Is the loft look passe?
  
• Traffic: No turn lanes on Yale to serve Northbound traffic. Yale is about to get torn up, now what?
  
• How ya gonna get the water out the garage? Answer: Sump pumps that feed into the storm sewer. 2nd question: How ya gonna deal with the over-taxed storm sewer? Not a problem...because the City of Houston says so.
  
• Make your construction people respect the 'hood. Answer: we'll work on it. Let us know.
  

Much thanks to the HHA Land Use Committee Chair for getting them to come speak with us.

Oh, someone might as well add this to the "Going Up" wiki.

A representative from Allied Realty / Allied Construction will be making a presentation to the HHA Land Use Committee this evening regarding this project. All those interested are encouraged to attend.

• 6:30 PM, Heights Fire Station @ 12th and Yale.
  

Very cool. Thank you. I would suggest that this pic...

and this pic...

go to the contest.

If money were no object?

I'd want to be driven.. in an environmentally sensitive vehicle of course

Sherpas would be a good way to arrive.

Cool pic. You captured the confluence of Buffalo and White Oak very well.

They have a Quizno's over there now?! If I was still working over in that area, I would be a much larger person (Mesquite Chicken with Bacon becoming my lunch standard).

my best friend and I goofing off at Starbucks:

M1100, you may have been goofing off, but I'm seeing this...(Good Shot!)

Lyons Ave @ Jenson in the 5th ward in 1956Same corner now!

Mark,

Unfreakingbelieveable! Please also post to the Historic Houston area (to a Jensen or related thread, if there is one).

I was going to go there and use that. . . .darnit!

Sorry, he kept looking at me. Don another one! Get a sunrise pic, instead.

Ooo! We could start a whole "Big Head George" pic thread! (Quick...everybody over to Sesquicentennial Park!)

While terribly intimidated by the other submissions so far, I'm puttingh a few more submissions in. Also, saw a great shot today, but was sans camera and was driving (not that the latter matters in Houston). Will try to snap it later this week.

So here we go...

Houston traffic: Expect the Unexcpected..

Success, at last...

Big Head George...

Some of the computer models have Humberto circling back around to Houston a second time, similar to....dare I say it....Alison.

Hmmm....

*(Re)Forming just off the TX coast

*Forming rapidly

*Three syllable name

Sounds familiar.

Tropical Storm Humberto heading toward Gulf coast

A tropical storm is expected to hit the upper Texas coast and forecasters say parts of the region could receive 10 inches or more of rain by tomorrow.

The tropical depression became a storm named Humberto around 12:40 today. It was centered about 55 miles southwest of Galveston, according to the National Weather Service.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5128029.html

Very interesting contest. But seeing some of Jax' work, I don't think I want to embarrass myself by even entering anything.

Come on in, Boris. The water's fine. How about reposting some of your recent market pics? They're cool.

Anyhow, the guy who dared to cross the gym floor to ask a girl to dance in 6th grade will put it out there again. I call this "CO2" - taken form Continental Flight #2 on approach to IAH January 31, 2007. I know...gratuitous nature pic. With Jax and Highway6, our HAIFers fresh off their really big show, not to mention Boris' talent at capturing life, I figured I would start high...really high.

Editor, are you sure we're not playing for an iPod here?

"CO2"

Congratulations! Awesome! A little more moderation would do us all well.

Here is an example of the Heights these days:

Hey! That's my house! It looks much better than this these days. I have at least half that much trash in the yard now. (I needed somewhere to park my car)

Cool! And in a wet zone, no less.

Details of the proposed patrol program...

PROVIDE: 8 hours of patrol, 5 days a week (proposed 10pm to 6am)

Can be expanded in the future as more participants sign up.

FOR THOSE WHO PAY ONLY: Provide Vacation Property Checks and a Direct

Number.

COST $255 per year per participating property.

START: Takes about 45 days to implement after we get our target

number of participants signed up and money collected.

TARGET TO START: 250 participants per 1200 properties

The Houston Heights will be divided into 4 quadrants with businesses

and residents included. Woodland Heights will be 2 more. Sunset

Heights west of Main is another.

Your quadrant can start as soon as we hit the goal for your quadrant.

ALL MONEY: will be collected by a third party management company who

does this for other neighborhoods around town.

SIGN UP: just by e-mailing me (Karen@KarenDerr.com) your name, phone

number and address for now. You will be billed later, when we have

your exact start date and the third party management company has all

the info.