sheeats

Bumping this thread up so that, hopefully, more people will go out to the HAIF Flickr group to join and/or submit their own pictures to the pool.

I just thought we had some heretofore unknown breed of Howard Hughes spammer.

I can see that, as you're up to FOUR posts now with the exact same information: two new threads and two replies to previous posts.

Let me give you an unofficial welcome to HAIF... Welcome! You only need to post something once. We'll see it.

This is great, but...two posts?

Wait, make that THREE posts. Calm down, Rammer.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Tickets go on sale at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Clayton Genealogical Library at 5300 Caroline. The tour begins at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 per person ($7 for GHPA members and students with valid ID). Children 11 and under are admitted free. Reservations are not required.

Explore one of Houston's lesser-known historic neighborhoods during Greater Houston Preservation Alliance's 90-minute guided walking tour of The Binz.

The area was developed in the 1910s and grew along with nearby Rice University. Some of Houston's most prominent architects created significant homes in the neighborhood, such as the Georgian style house at 5300 Caroline completed in 1917 for businessman and statesman William L. Clayton. Birdsall P. Briscoe designed the house, which Clayton left to the City of Houston for use as a library.

Please note, this is an exterior architecture tour only. The tour will not go inside any houses.

For more information, go to the GHPA website or call 713-216-5000.

Well, it could be worse.

God, I crack up every time I drive past that church.

And I don't know the name of it either...

Sorry, Puma. I have to disagree.

That's actually way worse than I expected. Then again, given the heinously ugly, faux-Mediterranean architectural style of their actual church (the North Campus in particular), I shouldn't be all that surprised.

And I have to ask... Has anyone else noticed that their top-level domain name is ".tv" (www.grace.tv)? That should tell you eeeeeverything there is to know about this "church."

I just realized that with my post above, I sounded like I should be in my front yard with a walker and my pants pulled up to my chest, yelling "Get off my lawn, you damned kids!"

I'm only 27.

The removal of Vans helped it a lot more than hurt. The demographic Vans brought in is not the one to support a place like this.

Yeah, teenagers at a mall?? What were they thinking!

I agree with kjb. The demographic that Vans was bringing to Marq*E wasn't simply "teenagers." It was a subset of wild, unsupervised, rude teenagers that made people like me not want to go there. Not only did they irritate the rest of the people there, they also weren't spending any money in the stores or restaurants. They were the outdoor mall version of mallrats, only much douchier.

Anyway, these little asshats (1) don't spend money and therefore don't support the business at Marq*E, (2) they discourage other people from coming out to Marq*E with their obnoxious behavior, which means that (3) people who would otherwise come and spend money at the cinema, restaurants, stores, etc. stop patronizing them and the whole place goes to pot.

Yeah, Vans is such a huge loss.

What's next, a 150 ft. menorah in front of the JCC?

I could totally get behind a 150-foot menorah, and I'm not even Jewish. Think of the enormous candles that you'd need to light it! And the sheer output of light during Hanukkah -- like the Lighthouse of Alexandria. That would be awesome in and of itself.

I think it's worth mentioning -- just for comparison's sake -- that the Sam Houston statue in Huntsville is only 67 feet tall. Think about that.

I can't believe no one's started a thread on this nonsense yet...

From the original article:

Riggle last week disclosed a plan to erect 150-foot crosses at the south and north entrances to the city. The crosses would be on the Grace South Campus and the North Campus properties.

Riggle doesn't mince words when he says that the country is headed in the wrong direction politically and spiritually. The only way out, he adds, is what he believes the Founding Fathers always intended the United States to be

Better than the old bazaar and warehouse structure that existed previous.

OMG. I had totally forgotten about that craptastic old bazaar! How could I forget it?!?

With all that said, I think it *would* be interesting if Chevron converted it into some sort of corporate apartments for their visiting employees. However, I'm sure it is cost-prohibitive to do so.

I look forward to the day when Houstonians (and the rest of the country) become stewards and conservators of our history, instead of worrying so much about cost-prohibitiveness. I think it's a stage of maturity which we simply haven't reached yet. In the end, not everything is about money.

I wanted to complain about the loss of this building, but it was immediately apparent that it was probably impossible to reasonably do anything with it. Still, sorry to see it go.

Not being argumentative, but why don't you think anything could be done with it? There are already residences inside, why not turn the entire thing into a neat loft/apartment deal? You could use the existing lobby as...a lobby, use some of the existing gym space as...gym space for the residents, and turn the rest into cool apartments.

That side of downtown could use a residential space. I know; I used to work at Continental and passed the old YMCA every day on my way to work. It's a terrible shame to see it go.

I know others in the thread claim not to see the beauty in it, but I always thought (and still do think) that it's a lovely building, especially in contrast to all the modern skyscrapers that surround it. I think it's a little gem in that end of town, and it will be a terrible shame to see it go.

I don't know about "working" on it. To me, it looks more like they're just gutting it.

Steak n Shake at Eldridge and 1960, man! Check it out!

More pictures, taken this weekend:

The front of the development along the Beltway 8 feeder road.

Buildings along Queensbury, across from the newly finished parking garage and bank. My husband noted that it appeared to be "1970s leisure center brick," which isn't a good thing.

Looking into the development from Queensbury. It's going up VERY fast now.

Inside the indoor pool area at Lifetime Fitness, on the "Luby's" side of the development.

The outdoor pool and spa at Lifetime Fitness. The gym itself pretty much finished except for a few interior bits. The view from the lovely outdoor pool should be stunning: the side of a parking garage and Luby's (including parking lot!). Here's to hoping they put in a lot of landscaping.

More construction next to the brownstones, which I love so much!

I have tons more photos over at Flickr, if interested.

The firm -- Kobi Karp -- still has the project up on their website with maps and a rendering.

Stop getting my hopes up, Kobi Karp!

The problem with accessing the excellent dining in the 'trose by Rail is that it is that it is a bit of a walk from the Holman station and you have to KNOW about it. But I would imagine that the walk is significant at the moment.

I should have been clearer, perhaps.

The Village and Montrose = car, perhaps a walk to some of the closer points (like The Black Lab).

Downtown and Midtown = light rail.

Sorry.

Whatever. I know some people don't like Cafe Express and I expected someone to say something. I have enjoyed every meal I've had there (mostly burgers, sandwiches, and salads, never a chicken breast.) Their condiment bar is spectacular and their _location and decor_ are classy and artsy, there in the basement/tunnel of the Beck Building. It's not cheap, but I have paid more for worse food, and nothing about MFAH is cheap except the free Thursdays.

/hijack on

I'm with ya on Cafe Express. I think it's good for what it is -- I mean, "Express" is right in the title -- and people who don't like it usually go in expecting something else entirely. I wouldn't order chicken breast in a place like Cafe Express because I'm realistic about when it was cooked and how long it's been sitting in a warming tray. I think one has to be realistic when placing their order at joints like this: sandwiches, salads, etc. are their bread and butter because it's easy to do those both fast and tasty. And their sandwiches and salads really are quite good.

/hijack off

I'm just wondering if these elusive Museum District (which, to be fair, is a very small nugget of Houston) restaurants are only to be sought by foot, or can you hop in a car? Or ride the light rail? I mean, the Village and Montrose are -- at most -- two or three minutes away by car (maybe 15 or 20 by foot) and have some of the best restaurants in town. Or take the light rail to midtown or downtown and chow down there.

So...I don't really understand the problem here, I guess.

Has anyone heard any news on this since January?

More info on the new brewery location today in the Chron:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/5847046.html

Don't forget the old middle school that was at the corner of Old Katy Rd and Kirkwood -- the name of which I can't remember any more, but it was an SBISD middle school -- where they filmed everyone's favorite Chuck Norris movie, Sidekicks.

They filmed some of it at Lamar High, but they filmed most of the interiors at the middle school since it had been shut down and they didn't have to work around classes or a school schedule. They tore it down shortly after the movie was finished filming.

Anyone remember the school I'm talking about? It was on the site of where the Technip building currently stands.

i heard that they are planning on putting condos or apts. above? anyone hear anything similar? doesn't seem likely, but it supposedly came from a credible source.

*drool*

I'd live there.