SilverJK

that fiesta has been my go to place for the impending zombie invasion for years. Barred glass doors with metal garage doors, that is pretty dang secure, not to mention the supplies. The security was exposed slightly though after that person crashed their car through the wall so easiliy to get in to the pharmacy. (as long as zombies didn't learn to drive it would have still been good).

I wonder if they are going to move all the buggies to other locations, or perhaps just evenly distribute them throughout the neighborhood? (Fiesta is known for picking up their buggies I know)

I think that all historic districts should have a real vote. Let all the homeowners cast their vote, and if a majority support it, then it can stay in place. Seems fair and simple to me. S3mh is going to say "you had your shot, blah blah blah" but if you honestly believe the support which you claim is there, why not try to help get this vote to happen? The most likely reason you don't support having a fair vote, is because you think the results would be different... and that in itself says more than any of the rhetoric you attemp to pass as facts.

I have no intention of tearing down and building a mc-whatever. I'm not in the historic district. I'm pro preservation, but the historic ordinance is far from anything I could ever support. It was intentionally misleading, unsupported, and overbearing (not to mention it actually supports construction that is not only not historic, but downright ugly).

Who asked for the troll for christmas?

i see dirt work being done... haven't seen any significant concrete pour yet... I'll update when I see more work (I literally drive by this twice a day). A nice new two-sided wooden fence has been installed to separate this development from the Church Condo Loft things on Norma and their garage on Beauchamp. I really hope the development continues to the other side of that garage and eventually take out the crappy apartments on Beauchamp/Pecore.

I had some of their desert's recently... they were okay. not nearly as good as described in the Alison Cook's review. Sale Sucre has soo much potential and I want to like it so badly... but i'm just not impressed yet. I'm still hopefull for improvements.

So... Chicken and Dougnuts place going in next to Liberty Kitchen.... any timeline on that one?

The lot across from the empty lot in the david weekly add with the crappy multi-family building and outcropping buildings is also for sale... (http://search.har.com/engine/3520-Beauchamp-St-Houston-TX-77009_HAR44378070.htm)

I wonder if they will develop that as well? I really wish someone would do something with those crappy apartments on the corner of beauchamp and Pecore, I've seen some pretty shady stuff go down in that parking lot and just outside of the building.

Few questions... anybody have any more information regarding timelines for Torchy's, the Revival Market people's italian restaurant, the killen/hubcap place, Ruggles Green, or Union Kitchen?

Anything further known about distillery 2520 being replaced by Hearsay?

Has anyone been to Sale-Sucre lately? I went there when they first opened and was less than wow'd. Wanted to wait until I heard positive reviews before going back.

What does WHCA have to do with Norhill anyway?

There is no restriction on the rental of existing garage apartments. The restriction that is already in place is for the construction of a new garage apartment. That restriction continues, but is now defined. Without a definition, the intepretation of what is and is not a garage apartment is left up to the nit-picking micro management of whomever is on the board of the civic ass'n or a neighbor entitled to enforce the restriction. They could claim a single room with electricity is a garage apartment and force you to go to court to fight over the definition. Far better for everyone to agree on a definition so everyone is on notice what is permitted and what is not than to make everyone guess and fight it out in court. But the question of whether to restrict the construction of new garage apartments has been decided decades ago in the existing deed restrictions. Anyone who bought into the restricted area was on notice that they could not build a new garage apartment. Anyone who wants to build a bath + kitchen + bedroom with their garage has been SOL in the Norhill Addition for a long time. The new restriction just draws a fairly good bright line as to what is SOL and what is permitted which is preferable to the alternative.

So in this instance you support and rally behind the clearing up of the ambiguity of the previous rule... why can't you understand that is what people wanted from the Historic Ordinance. I don't agree with what Nohill is doing, nor would I want to live there, but I do appreciate clearly knowing what is and isn't allowed. The ambiguity and what I feel intentional vagueness of the Ordinance is what so many people are against and why it will eventually be revoked. Norhill is a clear example of why the ordinance is NOT needed.

I love garage apartments, I wish I had one. I know someone who has a garage apartment that is very open loft like space. They pretty much rent exclusively to artists and the rent is very affordable. They do this because they are art fans, and like to help out young strugging artists. (i think they charge $500 for rent in a space that would easily rent for up to $1000). These are the kinds of stories that really make the Heights interesting to me.

If it doesn't have a kitchen is it still considered an apartment, or is it just detached living space?

S3mh,

The Historic Districts have helped increase my houses value to the point where I have so much equity that I can get a construction loan, and not having to work through the approval committee makes it that much sweeter.

Just because you googled something and talked about it with your friends who also googled something doesn't make you knowledgeable. My next door neighbhor who grew up in the heights, has told me some interesting stuff about the neighborhood he heard from his parents who were some original residents of The Heights. What does that have to do with an overbearing Historic District.... absolutely nothing. For the gajillionth time, it isn't "preservation" that bothers most of us, it is the way the ordinance works. I miss the old days... when you weren't here.

Your going to have a situation where in the HD, houses are worth either 800k, or 200k., as where outside of the HD they will be from 300k to 1.5 mil. Some of these run down but still livable bungalows within the HDs are getting very low price point. I've been thinking about buying one just to use as a rental, with no intention of ever really doing anything to it, or at least until the HDs are disolved.

From what I've seen in Woodland Heights... run down bungalows in the district aren't selling as well as outside of the district. Nice livable bungalows (not completely redone but still nice) are selling faster outside of the district, and also are selling for more than they were a few years ago, in the district seems to be about the same or less than before. Completely remodeled/renovated are seemingly selling faster in the HD. This is all based off of my own observations, talking to realtors, looking at HAR, and shopping around for a bungalow in the 300-500k range. (if the right property comes about, i'm looking to upgrade to a 3/2).

but aren't the areas outside of the HD are outperforming inside the HD...

Sam's Club

I saw some stuff in this general area on the daily demolition report recently... I wonder whats going on.

I believe Hogg is working hard to improve their school. I don't think it is quite where I would want it yet, but in 4-5 years maybe it will be. I saw from that spreadsheet that 90% of students come from economically disadvantaged families... that kinda blows my mind knowing where Hogg is located.

stray cats eh.... maybe we should film them and put it up on youtube... LOL NIMBYS.

wow, sure am glad I don't live in Norhill Addition... that sounds as strict as most Woodlands neighborhoods...

I love the fact that you went there to prove nobody goes there... It does look much better than most walmarts in my opinion. I haven't made it by there yet... but i'm sure i'll need something at 2am in the near future...

if that is true, that is amazing news.

it was open/crowded recently. I"ll double check when I drive by today. Everytime I went there it was a really weird vibe, but I still managed to have fun each time.

I always gave them credit for at least having ground floor retail. There is absolutely nothing utopian about wanting mixed use developments. They are sprouting up like toad stools after a down poor in the Galleria area.

so you do support walmart..?

there is a mcdonalds in walmart though so i guess it is also mixed use and is part of your "down poor" (emphasis on "poor")

retail and residential in one nice building.... utopian paradise, yet the ones who always push their distopian agenda still complained about this development. I'm very excited about this opening, I spend a good bit of my time in that immediate area (brazilian arts foundation), having another place to eat within walking distance will be great!