CleaningLadyinCleveland

I am convinced s3mh is just being a troll. If I am wrong this person should go through and list citations for every claim he has made.

If this can't be done, I will be inclined to continue believing this person is nothing more than a troll.

s3mh is not a troll.

Just to jog your memory about what was written in the HBJ about the Target in Sawyer Heights during the planning stages, "Sawyer Heights Village will be an urban shopping center, similar in style to Highland Village and Town & Country Villages, Moss says. The developer is turning Taylor/Sawyer into a heavily landscaped boulevard with brick roadways, and has designs to make the entire project pedestrian-friendly, Moss says."

Look what happened...? And that was Target which has a higher average customer income than Wal-Mart. Pretty far from their "Vision" Too bad the Mayor and others don't see 20/20 on what will really happen to the development if the proposed Wal-mart is built.

I agree that there is no hope for me. As little of a fan of Walmart as I am, there is no hope whatsoever that I will make up things in an attempt to keep them from building on Yale. I thoroughly understand the law of unintended consequences. Therefore, I realize that if I convince government officials to violate the rights of a corporation simply because I do not care for them, there is nothing to stop that same government from violating my rights simply because someone does not care for me.

You strike me as rather young. You also do not appear to be much of a student of the Constitution and of fairness. Not that you should be ashamed. There are many who feel as you do. Too many, in fact. My only wish is that you and your anti-Walmart friends would channel your energies into something worthwhile, as opposed to fighting a Walmart proposed on an industrial site. In a world where tens of millions are homeless in Pakistan, we are still stuck in 2 wars, the economy is going back into recession, and Jimmy Johnson is about to be on Survivor, few could care less whether a Walmart is built on Yale. As for me, add up the sum total of my post on this thread. That is the grand total of time I have spent on this subject...unless you count the times I have laughed with my friends and neighbors about how seriously some take this.

Pretty hilarious - you have posted over 10,000 times in the past 5 years ...? That's an average of about 5 posts a day every day for over 5 years! Who are you to state that people should change their energies when you spend so much of your time posting? These people are fighting for something they believe in and are taking action. You do not know what other causes the people (that are against the proposed Wal-Mart) are involved in (and nor do I know yours). I have given my time, blood and money for various causes that I believe in; local, national and global.

s3mh is young at heart and that's why he believes and will do something. I do hope (as with the other mega-posters) you are actually doing something to make a positive change in your life other than posting.

Is that the rubicon, whether or not you walk your own children and pets? Is that what divides snobbery from community activism? I just don't get it, with all that's wrong in the world, with all the places your non-snobbist energies could be put to use for good, you've chosen to latch onto this stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid issue to waste your time and energies on. Go volunteer at a hospice. Go build a house for someone less fortunate than you. Spend six months in the Congo helping people readjust back to normal life after decades of civil war. Rebuild a church in Chiapas. Dig a well in the Gobi. Go do something, anything, that actually benefits mankind. And please stop, stop for the love of all that's good and righteous in this world, please stop claiming that what you're against with this Walmart has some noble purpose. It's not noble, and you're not noble for pushing the agenda. It's snobbery, it's bigotry and it's vile. All these putrid moral and ethical justifications for opposing this construction make me sick. It's pathetic. You aren't helping anyone with this cause, and the very people who need help in this world are being hurt by it. Your insipid cause helps nothing but your own self-aggrandizement in your standing among your neighbors. You have no moral purpose, and you'll be first in line when the red, white and blues doors on Yale open for the first time. You're a hypocrite, and a hypocrite of the worst kind. You've rallied around a cause that you can't possibly actually feel a great conviction about unless you're a soulless snob, and it helps no one but yourself, which again, makes you a snob.

You are the one telling someone they are wasting their time and energies on this...? How many posts have you made on this thread and you don't live in the area-you live in the 1960 area....? If someone is passionate about what they believe in - whether for or against anything - they have a right to express themselves more than someone sitting up north in EXURBIA speculating on what people should do, think or feel. You are too removed from the heart of the issue.

I think that Houston due to lack of zoning needs responsible urban development not only for the proposed Wal-Mart development, but for future development as well.

But the Heights doesn't want sustainable urban development. The pre-requisite for walkable neighborhoods is population density. Heights preservationists HATE densification. Try building a townhouse (or, god forbid multi-family) in the Heights and look at the wailing and gnashing of teeth that results. Look at the uproar that resulted from building single-family houses on 3300-sf lots at 15th and Rutland. I know of no truly walkable neighborhood anywhere in the world that has a population density as low as that of the Heights.

As to the site in question: who the hell is going to walk to it? There's no access from the south; there's a stone dealer, a bayou, a freeway and several blocks of commercial and light industrial sites between the site and anything residential on the north; and there isn't much to the east but a cemetary and the railroad townhouses on Heights. It's hard to justify 25 acres of walkable retail to serve the few dozen single-family homes between Yale and Shepherd.

But even if someone WANTED to put 25 acres of walkable retail here, they couldn't. CoH setback and parking requirements pretty much outlaw "sustainable urban development" within our city limits. Like it or not, there's gonna need to be 600-700 parking spaces on this site no matter what gets built there.

hmm...walkable neighborhoods. I have walked to: Kroger (both), Walmart, CVS, Onion Creek, Jenny's Noodles, Lights in the Heights (most every year), Antedote, Jalisco, Berry Hill Tamales, Buchanon's, Metro Mart, Bliss, Shade, Buffalo Exchange, the Shoe repair place an W 19th., friends houses in the area, Heights Boulevard, the cemetery where Howard Hughes is buried, the new Bike Trail, etc....and I am not in my 20's or 30's. This is a walkable neighborhood - people are just lazy (or physically unable to do so.) I understand during extreme heat/heat advisories one should not walk - just like up north people don't walk around during extreme cold/blizzards. The furthest I have walked is about 2-1/2 miles to get somewhere by walking. It's really not that far especially if it's recommended that people walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (about 2 miles) 5x a week. (Optimum distance is 5 miles daily.) Even a one-mile one-way trip to Yale and Koehler there are apartment complexes within that distance as well as homes.

You continue to demonstrate that you're not actually opposed to Walmart, but that you're just opposed to Walmart in this location. Do you really think a Walmart will diminish your cool street cred that much? And, your predictions about the deleterious effects this Walmart will have on the local traffic are grossly exaggerated at best. Why do you continue to mock the future with such blatant disregard for probability? Sure, the intersection at Yale and I-10 could become an impossible quagmire, the likes of which have never before been seen, and the damage wrought to the neighborhood and city as a whole may be immeasureable in real dollars or community morale. But, really... yeah, you'll see an uptick in traffic. So what? These things happen, and would happen regardless of what's built there. The only way to prevent that would be to legislate the crap out of those empty wastelands, preventing any future development there at all. And I doubt you're actually ok with that. You want something there, you just don't want it to be Walmart. Fortunately, the decision isn't yours to make.

As for your continued suggestion that there are more suitable locations for a Walmart development, how do you know those aren't also in the planning stages? Are you suggesting that you know more about retail development and store placement (beyond just location - to also include priority and time) than the ultra-successful multibillion dollar machine that is Walmart? If so, your arrogance knows no bounds. If not, you're merely a snob who doesn't want Walmart nearby. If there's a third personality option that I've missed, you've yet to display it, so get over yourself.

Also, the Heights is a suburb.

You do not live near the proposed Wal-Mart -you live in EXURBIA! Therefore your comments about traffic are pretty flippant as you will not be affected nor will you have to drive this area every day at differing times. Your continuing comments are just conjecture of something that will not affect you on a daily basis - therefore don't really carry much weight or substance. I (and I'm sure others) would rather hear from both sides that live in the 3 miles radius.

Boycotting a store you like to try to hurt one you don't does not make any sense and will in no way help to achieve the result that you are looking for. I know what an effective boycott is, and in this case only your boycott of Wal-Mart itself makes sense. Otherwise by extension you may as well just boycott the entire city, that'll show 'em.

I posted prior that it is my personal choice and that boycotts are valid. Please don't lecture me about boycotts-I have seen a major boycott work firsthand, my parents marched with Cesar Chavez in California. And before everyone starts with the flippant stereotyping - my parents were not hippies or ultra liberals. My father was a Rocket Scientist....oh but he did always wear a pocket protector to work and wore ties with short sleeved shirts

Yep, the acting president of Responsible Urban Development for Houston lives in a McTownhome..

And I rode a bike around the heights and the majority of the houses (such as mine) were bungalows that had StopHeightsWalmart signs. We come from all walks of life with a common interest.

I can't figure out if there is sarcasm in your post. If there is not, I hope you go back to Cleveland so you don't get cooties from driving past on Yale as I come out from shopping at my new Walmart.

if it is built and you plan of shopping at the proposed Walmart : for your enjoyment , a preview for you - here is a beautiful video of a proposed shopping center in Weaverville, NC with Wal-Mart as an anchor in 2007:

In 2008 here is another video in Weaverville, NC with Wal-Mart pollution running into a stream:

Coming to a neighborhood near you...

Yes that was my original point about 10 posts ago. I agree with that, they have no control over who will fill the spots. I'm just amused that it somehow went from that to "I'm not going to shop at a place I love to shop at because it's next to Wal-Mart." That illogical on the level of what some crazy sports fans do sometimes.

It's not illogical to boycott stores and developments. Boycotts have been organized & worked throughout history....Grapes, sugar,salt, buses, etc. This is my individual choice - not crazed fan mentality.

Remember that much of the non-WMT space is on the other side of Yale, and will be accessible from Heights Blvd. I'd also bet that it will be visually distinct from the Walmart, much of which won't be visible from the street anyway (because of the Yale underpass). With the exception of a small and unusually well informed minority, the properties between Yale and Heights will almost certainly not be affected by any Walmart cooties.

Oh, and mark me down as a "Yes, please" on that Spec's. I think the bayou marks the southern border of the dry area.

...don't think so - it will be the kiss of death for any local business to be there if the proposed Wal-Mart is built there. Wal-Mart cooties are hard to wash off and anyone that shops there probably feels like taking a shower afterward. I love Spec's -but if the proposed Wal-Mart is built and Spec's opens a store there - I will not patronize any of their stores.

Can they really pick and choose like that? I wouldn't think so, so let's just expect a verizon store, mattress store, check cashing place, and some crappy asian chain restaurant.

exactly…with all of the noise generated by the locals I hardly doubt that any “chef-driven restaurants, local boutiques and non-chain outlets” are going to risk being in that plaza. Just being in a plaza with a Wal-Mart in general would be a kiss of death for “chef-driven restaurants, local boutiques and non-chain outlets”. If the proposed Wal-Mart gets built - I will not patronize ANY shops in that development. Sorry A-Binder, but people know who you got into bed with and you’ll have to deal with your walk of shame….it will be a long walk in that little black dress and heels.

The idea has no substance.

...and that answers what I wrote...am I correct that the basics of debate in itself , have left the building?

Heights Blvd. already is a major thoroughfare.

Traffic lights and stop signs allow for effective traffic management at an intersection so as that the right of way can be equitably distributed among drivers coming from and going to various locations.

The only way that adding a signal would be unjustified is if people weren't wanting to go to this new Wal-Mart or the retail on pad sites in front of it. But if the argument is that this new development is going to add too much traffic, then clearly it is because lots of people want to go there (which is an admission that the community wants a Wal-Mart). And if the community wants the Wal-Mart and will patronize it, then a signal is the most effective way to address what would otherwise become congestion as too many people tried to make left hand turns across a major thoroughfare.

Heights Boulevard is a thoroughfare - but not a major one.

MAJOR THOROUGHFARE: Major, multimodal streets in urban areas (arterials and collectors) which are designed to complement and support adjacent land uses.

On the Heights Assoc web site, under History of the Blvd: "The blocks were carefully arranged, scattered open spaces supplemented the 60 foot-wide esplanade on Heights Boulevard, a broad, tree-lined central thoroughfare patterned after Commonwealth Avenue in Boston."

Commonwealth Ave. in Boston is considered a parkway and a thoroughfare - not a major thoroughfare.

Do you think this tactic will work where whining didn't?

Attack the idea not the person. One of the basic rules of debate....

did you just look at the site layout and decide that they looked the same, so the content was the same?

the different sites have a similar look and feel, what's so bad about that? if I go to bestbuy.com the refrigerator section of the online store looks the same as the tv section, so what? the same can be said of any online retailer, or anything online for that matter.

you know, Continental Airlines released a press release about stopping food service in the same format as the press release about charging for each piece of checked baggage, as a matter of fact, the press release that said they were joining another airline was the same format too, I guess that means that the content of the individual press releases is completely invalid.

the content is completely different and specifically generated to address the concerns of the specific area the site is targeted to reach.

I guess I just don't understand how the layout of the site has anything to do with the quality or validity of the content held within?

to your point about the site being disingenuous, where does the site talk about the area needing just a grocery store?

this is the closest I can find.

That sentence says that grocery and pharmacy are only 2 examples of the basic services the store plans to provide, not that those are the ONLY services they are going to provide, nor does it even seem to imply it.

and it certainly doesn't imply that a grocery store/pharmacy is all the area needs.

I also found the above. that still doesn't say that grocery/pharmacy is all the area needs, nor does it say it is all it will deliver to the area.

I will admit that they focus on grocery and pharmacy on the houston PR site, but if the reports of a 200k sq/ft store size are accurate, then we're talking a supercenter, which contain both grocery and pharmacy.

The site is very poorly administrated. On the www.walmarthouston.com site, I submitted a comment earlier this week under the "contact us" tab and this is what I received back:

Contact Walmart Houston Community Action Network

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 5:31 PM

From: "Walmart San Diego" <no-reply@wufoo.com>

Add sender to Contacts

To: XXXXXXXXXX

Thank you for your submission to Walmart San Diego. We will respond accordingly.

A copy of your email is below.

Chin-chin to Walmart's marketing/digital department!

The doublespeak (doublethink) on the home page is pretty ridiculous too. How are they going to add sales tax revenues to Houston...? People will be shopping elsewhere in Houston and if something else (yes HEB we are still praying you will build a store) is built at Koehler & Yale it too will generate sales tax revenues . Maybe they are going to be busing people in from San Diego...?

Quite a few people on this thread that are for the proposed Wal-Mart being built so they could shop there to save money, even though the shopping experience was not favorable. Well here is a link to an article on a survey by JP Morgan Chase that they are starting to raise their prices.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/walmart-raises-prices/19587730/

So if you do chose to shop at Wal-Mart becasue it is saving you money, make sure you double check the prices and compare...

Like it or not, there's a Wal-Mart coming to a block near you!

Just because you are in exurbia (Katy,TX) and have Wal-Marts does not mean that we will roll over...ever.

ONE: The Heights is just one neighborhood that will be served by this Wal-Mart. The 2nd Ward will be served by this Wal-Mart and is certainly more aesthetically and economically prominent than the Heights; why not call the Wal-Mart's service area the "2nd Ward area"?

TWO: The firm that I worked for the did apartment demo/rebuilds made it rather worthwhile for the renters. Muss and fuss is not worth a few concessions on the back end.

ONE: The 2nd Ward is about 7.7 miles from the proposed Wal-Mart location on Yale/Koehler. The 2nd Ward is about 6.4 miles form the proposed Wal-Mart on Airline and Crosstimbers (Northline). It's right up I-45 on an exit. The Northline location will also have direct access to public transportation as there is a transit center there. Eventually, there will be a metro rail line (also called Northline) that will allow easy connections with the rest of the Metro Rail lines.

You live in the Heights. You don't live in the same neighborhood as this Walmart either.

Oh, and SFW?

Nemo me impune lacessit

Some people are full of hate and anger, and very often they don't know why, and they have no clue where to direct it. So they center their impotent rage on the biggest thing around. It's everywhere. It's on the news. It's on the interwebs. It's in damned near every neighborhood and small town in America. It's more American than apple pie and baseball. It's the center of life in some communities. And why not be angry with such an imposing behemoth. It's like all that impotent rage I had against my parents and "the man" when I was a teenager. That's what this rage is against Walmart. It's angst. The world sucks right now. Walmart is clearly a villain. Therefore, let's rail against the beast. The only problem is, Walmart's not the beast. Walmart's the thumbnail on the beast. The entire system is flawed, and raging against this machine is dumb and pointless. It's teenage aggression. It's misdirected anger. Walmart isn't the problem. Walmart has never been the problem. The system that allows Walmart to exist is the problem.

.

Whoooo - hold on there - getting a bit of balance there Mr Flinch....you have now entered a rant. Please mind the gap & reboot your computer (brain).

Since everyone here clearly knows what everyone else thinks and wants, let's put it to a vote (which in my opinion is what the city should do):

http://www.houstonar...for-or-against/

Thank you for posting the vote....if people answer honestly, it will reflect that the incessant posters that are for the proposed Wal-Mart don't even live in the neighborhood. I live in the neghborhood on a very nice street and I know my neighbors that are from ALL WALKS OF LIFE and they do not want the proposed Wal-Mart built.

Actually, there was a lot of discussion on here and on other forums about the Target center when it was proposed. There was not a lot of opposition, as I remember anyway, and I think a lot of that was the location. I think what a lot of people have is an optimism and a hope for something better in the proposed Walmart location. Anyway, the Target drew a lot of criticism, especially as the smaller store names came in and people realized it was a mattress store and a Chili's. There were a lot of pictures of "urban" Target marketplaces that people hoped for and lots of grumbling about the parking lot we ended up with instead.

No, it was not to such a degree as the Walmart issue but again many people have issues with Walmart that go beyond just this development. On the "sorry excuse for a FB page" a lot of people mention having not set foot in a Walmart in years and that their boycott started long before this thread started on the HAIF.

I love how in this thread the same people who are just rich folks who don't care about the poor people who need Walmart are also the same people who resent anyone who makes any money. The people who are accused of being shallow and having no principles are also derided for trying to save the world. This is why this whole conversation makes no sense anymore. People aren't allowed to have varying view points with out being personally maligned for being on the other side of the issue. It's sad, honestly, the path this has taken. I was trying to take part in a conversation which has now gotten so mean spirited that I'm out.

I'm right there with you....my energies are being wasted here.

Might does not make right, no matter if the intentions are good or not. The path to hell is paved with good intentions. For every ill-conceived battle you fight in order to create your urban oasis, you create 1000 more problems. Fight away, self-described liberal, but your liberalism looks more like Che Guevara than Martin Luther King. They both had successes, but one is a revered leader who's memorialized in some way in virtually every city in this country while the other is now little more than a T-shirt design. Even if you manage to keep Walmart out of the inner-loop (which you won't be - there is no ecological nor cultural value to that land), it won't fix a damned thing. Walmart will still be evil, the poor Taiwanese will still be working for ten dollars per year, the million plus employees of the company still won't qualify for medical insurance, the women still won't be promoted fairly, they'll still sell genetically-modified agriculture... all this and the less than wealthy residents of the Heights and surrounding communities won't he able to take advantage of low prices. To use another trite axiom, you're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

And you fall right into their trap. By wasting time focusing on individual stores, you've allowed them to sneak the big picture cultural, political and economic shift right by you. They've changed the world for the worse, and you somehow feel that defeating one tiny store will correct everything. It fixes nothing, but it creates another 1000 problems.

One person cannot take on the whole world, but one person can make a difference in their own world.