SilverJK

Yeah a simple no thanks would have sufficed.  What a schmuck.

Additions are being removed, not to go back to the original sq ft, but to do much more tasteful and architecturally harmonious additions which often result in a loss of sq ft.  The addition on Allston is crap today, but was probably one of the nicer additions in the neighborhood back in the day.  But had the prior owners just demoed the house, there would be nothing left to properly renovate and restore.  I can definitely see a time in the future when the large additions start to age and get removed in favor of more tasteful work.  The important point isn't whether the addition is removed to go back to the original sq ft, but preserving the original sq ft so a future owner has the option of getting rid of a lousy addition and doing something better.  The intent of preserving the original structure was never about making sure that people would be able to return to the original footprint.  That is another anti-preservation strawman argument.

 

And it is funny that you are asking why large chunks of Woodland Heights that are outside the HD are not getting developed.  I thought that the HDs were sending people running and screaming into non-HD areas where the rate of development was "outperforming" the HDs.  I guess the HDs must not be so horrible after all. 

You are not being honest.  There are many more factors in the remodeling than to be architecturally  harmonious.  Many of these additions were poorly designed attic builds, which are being replaced with nice rebuilds.  This isn't just about the architecture, a lot of it is about making the house more livable to today's standards.  (which for most the original bungalows can not do).   You arguement is completely disingenious.

As far as your last statement... even though it doesn't make any sense whatsoever... I'll try to address it.

Woodland Heights (even outside of the HD) is a pretty solid block of historic homes.  They aren't being "developed" because they are already mostly built out.  You are saying that despite being built out, the developers will buy the houses up and smash them to build Katy Heights.  People are choosing to do renovations/additions on these homes outside of the HDs without any silly HAHC or overbearing rules.  Even with rather weak deed restrictions.  Nobody said anything about people running and screaming from HD to non-HD areas...  but someone buying a home planning to do renovations would definitely look into outside of the HD instead of inside of the HD.  That doesn't change the fact that people wanting to do renovations in the HD are pissed off when they find out the hoops they have to jump through just to change out a dang window. 

Most of the builders see architecture as an expense that they want to minimize.  They also see architecture as being inimical to square footage.  They want to build boxes that are as big as possible and as easy and cheap to construct as possible.  This is happening with additions too and is the subject of an ongoing controversy in the HAHC/Planning Commission.  But at least the new builds and renovations are now appropriate and demos have been significantly reduced.  Entire blocks of houses would have been lost in the recent boom but for the HAHC.

 

As for your claim that an addition would never be removed, I have seen it happen several times.  The Bungalow Revival house on Allston took out a 2 story addition and restored the house to a single story.

Allston house was a crap addition.  (wasn't it barely walkable cause the roof was so low?)

If what you are saying was true... since a large chunk of woodland heights is not in the district... how come we didn't see whole blocks get developed?  Heck there is a chunk of 4-5 lots that is sitting vacant on Pecore that nothing has happened with.  It is just more S3mh being S3mh, saying if we don't do things your way, the only alternative is DOOM. 

If you really think any recent addition in the heights will ever be removed for the house to go back to it's orginal size, your are more off your rocker than I could have ever imagined.  My addition/renovation is going to cost somewhere in the 200-250k price range.  This is a pretty typical cost to do a full scale renovation/expansion.  Do you really think someone would removed a 1/4 million dollar addition to get back to the original 2/1?   What did the sq. footage end up being on the Allston house?  You have not seen the addition be removed several times... that is a blatant lie.  (i've seen a few removed, to be replaced by a different addition but that isn't what we are talking about.)

That house is on a 5000 ft lot and the set back for that house is consistent with the rest of the block (except the guy next door who managed to build right up to the sidewalk).  You can get rid of the attached garage and squeeze the house with some property line setbacks, but you will still have a stucco suburban home built on a slab with no porch and no proper architectural elements except for a vague reference to a Queen Anne in the front elevation.  So, why go through all the trouble of trying to get and enforce deed restrictions when the end result will be the same architectural cacophony that existed before the restrictions plus the loss of tons of the original housing stock?  Deed restrictions do not get it done. 

Is that really your best argument.  Developers are going to go build ugly houses that don't fit in just because.  Obviously they will build what sells.  People want front porches, with crafstman or victorian architectural styling.  You go through the trouble because it is the right way to do it.  Architectural cacophony???  the HD actively wants additons to be blatant, so they could be removed to go back to the original house (which will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER NEVER happen)... what could be less harmonious than that?

But the only way to keep people from building houses out of character from the rest of the historic neighborhood is to have some sort of architectural review.  Deed restrictions can only go so far. 

I think the majority is okay with that.  It isn't necessarily the new builds that anger people... it is suburban style house with front facing garages, and pseudo styled victorian/craftsman mcmansions that completely fill the lot (especially when lots get subdivided).  No forward facing attached garages, 5000 minimum lot size (unless already smaller), minimum setbacks and they we won't have any of the 8th street style row houses.  If someone builds a giant house on a 5000+ sq. foot lot that satisfies all the criteria, it would likely be over a million dollars, and not wanting million dollar homes in your neighborhood is just stupid at best.   (any attempt to complain about property tax increase will just prove that your trying to keep values down in the neighborhood).

Thats the beauty of deed restrictions... nobody is going to support architectural review for one, because it is stupid.

I didn't say Brooke Smith had good deed restrictions... simply stating that a lot of the new builds over there look great and don't detract from the vibe at all.  The one you linked is aweful, there is also the epitome of suburb homes directly accross from D&T Drive in... I swear the house has 9 keystones are whatever those dumb things are called.  I think not allowing front facing attached garages would be a good deed restriction.

Exactly... the hysterical preservationist basically try to threaten that the HD is the only way to prevent this... while deed restrictions are what the majortiy of people actually want.  EVEN with new contruction if it stays in the same look and feel of the historic homes... the charm isn't really lost.  I just went through Brooke Smith yesterday and there are brand new builds next to renovations and from the street... its pretty hard to tell which are which.  They seem to be building a lot of 3/2 1600-1800 homes over there and I really like what they are doing.  They are going to have to do something about street parking though... if two trucks part on opposite sides of the street there is barely enough room for one vehicle to pass.

I agree with you about the 50% setback rule; it results in camelback shaped homes which don't flow with the original shape of the house.

 

I wonder how one would go about creating a referendum to revise the existing ordinance?

And to make camelbacking worse... The HAHC has often recommended starting at 66%  back even though the guideline says 50%.  This makes the camelbacking even worse, as it would require you to use an even bigger footprint to get the same sq. footage.  To block "Lot line filling mcmansions" they have created something that causes the same issue they are trying to block... oh but you keep the same facade.    There is no reason why someone couldn't add a second story tastefully without having any setback or less than 50%, and the house wouldn't look nearly as stupid.  Humper houses have got to be one of the dumbest, ugliest things I've ever seen.

Not sure how true this is... but I've heard that a lot of the signatures used for the HD implementation (in Woodland Heights specifically) aren't even the current homeowners.

I could see something like the HAHC (obviously not in its current configuration) being useful around demolitions.  Mandatory waiting periods for demolition unless approved by the HAHC seems like a task that would be appropriate... but after what I've seen from the HAHC, I will never support anything that doesn't have clear cut guidelines (prior to implementation).

The Historic Districts are like using a full body cast when you only need a bandaid.

Yeah, I had a paper cut and needed something to stop the bleeding but now I can't move...

I do beleive if you modified your petition to get everyone in the "norhill addition" to support Minimum Lot size/Minimum set back you would get more support.  (does Norhill Addition already have these?).  Norhill was the perfect example of how things should have worked... the Historic Districts didn't really change anything for Norhill residents (they had good deed restrictions already), other than add extra steps to the process.

BTW, there are a few new to the neighborhood people already pushing to expand the Woodland Heights lines outward as well.

i saw a few good blues bands play at Waldos, great experiences there, but the coffee was just mediocre.  I'm really looking forward this change.

i guess my sarcasm was missed on you...

I think they drug it out a bit to catch the market on it's peak.  I am curious on how these will sell once completed. 

Yeah, it really ticks me off when someone says the victim is to blame for leaving valuables in their car...  I've heard people say it was their own fault and etc. and that is just rediculous.  It is always the theif's fault.  It sucks that we have to be carefull with hiding or not leaving valuables in our vehicles but in what world is it not the theifs fault? 

North side of 11th is trying to be like the south side of 11th...

The one time I was ever followed I made a couple of lefts in the neighborhood (obviously making a circle) and the people stopped following me.  (they must have realized that I  knew they were following me).  If you ever feel like you are being followed make a block in neighborhood and if they are still following you find help.  At night there are almost always police officers at Andy's on 11th, or Valero on Studewood.

Masks don't cover Height and Build. 

How is there not a detailed description of the robbers, that makes no sense whatsoever. 

I live in Woodland Heights and have no clue what this is... give you give more details? 

Mark,

Do you really think these criminals give one crap about whether or not who they are robbing is liberal or conservative?  Do you think they pull up a map of politcal affiliation and decide where they are going to rob based on poll data?  Give me a break dude.  They break into your car because they are walking by and see something in your car and nobody around.  This ain't the damn wild west either... if someone jumps out of a car with a gun drawn and wants your cell phone... it doesn't really matter if you have a gun or not... all you are going to do is get yourself shot.  I'm all for gun rights, I own several, but your vision is highly dillusional.  Now if you hear someone trying to break into your house and you get your gun and wait on them... thats a bit of a different story.

We as a community need to be on our watch more.  I'm personally responsible for the arrest of a few people (called the cops and they showed up VERY quickly) because of my late night tendencies and my constant looking outside when I hear noises.  One of the guys I caught was a habitual offender and was responsible for a plethora of burglaries just on my block alone.  I'm not saying we don't need more police presence, but meeting and organizing with your neighbors to make a community effort to help the police will make better progress stopping these kinds of crimes.  As you stated, these are mostly opportunity crimes.  I've seen many times where someone is walking down the street (instead of the sidewalk) and checking door handles to see if they are locked.  If there are cops around they obviously won't do this... but they will simply wait until they aren't there.  The real issue is these people just get slapped on the wrist when caught.  The guy I caught had an arrest record of over 18 convictions.  (i had to go to court because the fool wouldn't plea down and I got subpoena'd).  Several of his arrests for drugs or burglary he didn't even spend more than a month in jail.  Rediculous.  If you knew that you would spend serious time (years) behind bars for breaking in to a car or detached garage then you'd probably think twice about it.

These were broad daylight armed robberies... not exactly the standard vehicle smash and grab of the heights.  I don't think this is a trend for the area, but more of a one off group of desperate losers who will quickly be caught.  I see a rather large police presence in the Heights... but I do live on a block that is sort of overlapped by two beats so we get both patrols. 

Actually, farm to table Thai makes lots of sense in Houston.  A lot of Asian vegetables grow well in Houston's hot and wet climate.  Eggplant, basil, chilies, yardlong beans, clinatro, lemon grass, mint, sweet potato, and Chinese kale are some examples of typical Thai vegetables and herbs that grow well in Houston.  Even jasmine rice, used in Thai rice noodles, is grown in Texas. 

I agree. (WHAT!!!!)

I grow lemongrass, thai basil, chilies, mint, chinese mustard greens, and I have a kafir lime tree myself.  (most of my incredients I originally got for making my own Tom Yum Goon soup, which I admittedly hardly ever make anymore). 

Are we talking all against all, or particular sections of Westheimer?  = ]

How about Airline from Main to 610...