trymahjong

I don't know how well this location is doing---but in my experience of visiting the store . . . the parking lot usually has a lot of cars and there is always a line to check out. The downstairs where the tools are always seems to have people in the aisle.

Sears renovating by taking off cladding from great art deco architecture---GREAT IDEA! The Renovation (Great paint job) of old Cleburne Cafeteria--Great idea More Great ideas are needed for this section of Midtown. I'm hoping that Half-price Books will move into this area "If and When" the location on Westheimer and Montrose gets booted.

I saw the Chronicle article yesterday. I was in that store last week. I will miss it. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2014/02/houston-hardware-store-to-shutter-after-66-years.html

Noticed a lot of construction and building of upper and lower decks-- any updates?

from Ellen Cohen newsletter Food Deserts Targeted by Council A distance prohibition on the sale of alcohol has acted as a partial barrier for large grocery stores to enter many Houston neighborhoods, resulting in 'food deserts,' across the city. To make affordable and healthy food easier to obtain, Council amended the ordinance that creates ‘alcohol-free zones’ surrounding churches and schools so that large grocery stores – stores that typically include beer and wine sections, which experts assert are necessary for these businesses to remain profitable – may locate in these zones. To ensure that affected neighborhoods remain protected from unwanted bars and liquor stores, only grocery stores that are over 10,000 square feet, for whom alcohol represents less than 25% of sales receipts, are applicable. In addition, stores that sell liquor or provide for on-premises consumption are expressly barred from participating. University of Houston researchers found that up to 26% of Harris County residents are afflicted by food deserts and that residents in low income areas with limited access to transportation are disproportionately affected.

In the Ultimate Heights section of todays Chronicle http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/news/article/Planned-arts-center-seen-as-boon-to-Midtown-5101910.php

A little light magazine reading in doctors office . . . . . I looked the article up online .http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2158652,00.html The author must have encountered similar opinions and perhaps a few horrible pass experiences.

Thanks for the info-- There is the tiniest bit of green lawn as part of Trinity property on corner of Francis and Main.I've only seen it used when the "blessings of the animals" takes place. I have heard that now there are different ideas being talked about as to what might be done to enhance that bit of green space.

The concrete building just north of the proposed Arts center- on the otherside of Francis street. . . . . is it vacant? What's the plan for that building?

HmmmI forgot that Vin Poscal was going in at 608 Westheimer . . . . But I love the idea of an old house venue for 1/2price books-- maybe that old house down the street next to 'jus Mac- by Bagby.

How about combining the two old houses at Stanford and Westheimer to one fab place for 1/2 price books? I have given up my dream that the old Diedrich coffee would return and take over one of them--since Southland Expresso Moved in.

This house is part of Avondale east historic district. So ALL renovation must be looked at through that lens. You'd think it would take 100k to do good job and meet historic requirements. The title was in long court battle (to get clear title-rumor was the house was won in card game 60+-years ago) I heard- so maybe lots of heirs made the price go to this point? there is still one back building falling down in back this building looks like it was built upon property line so probably will have to be surveyed. My bet it will have to be torn down. I think there is alley access?

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/travel/fcc-cell-phones-flights/ This is on local and national news-- I'm thinking the noise level inside any airplane is loud-- having dozens and dozens or hundreds and hundreds trying to carry on conversations all at once would be crazy.

found the pictures of the house.

On the front page of todays Chronicle. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/ The article talks about Houston Hispanics, which reminded me that Avondale has a small link to those events. The building ( a converted house on triangle of land bordered by Bagby, Baldwin and Anita) where the newly formed LULAC members brainstormed. The house is very very deteriorated. The fate of the house is unknown--even the ownership is murky. The house is outside the Avondale East Historic district protection which ends at Baldwin street. The plaque outside commemorates the organization rather than the building. I spoke with a new member who told me the remaining group that is interested in this building are divided---some would like to restore it the others to raze it and rebuild a new building that could be used by community.

from Cohen's enewsletter Council approved a proposal to utilize automated passport control kiosks within the Houston Airport System. To reduce wait-time and streamline the arrival process of international passengers, the automated kiosks will collect routine data while passengers are waiting in line to be processed by a U.S. Customs & Border Patrol officer. In other major U.S. airports, such as Chicago-ORD, New York-JFK, and Dallas-DFW, this system has increased the number of passengers processed by up to 400% per officer. The program will initially be available to U.S. citizens returning from abroad to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

got this in the COH newsletter Saving Houston's Trees Trees located in the City of Houston (COH) right-of-way (along neighborhood streets, typically the area from the curb to the sidewalk) are public property and developers do not have the right to remove these trees without express permission from the COH. Unfortunately, there have been a number of situations lately where developers have removed and destroyed large, irreplaceable trees without permission, thereby violating the law and harming both the environment and beauty of our surroundings. Such removal and destruction can subject developers to both criminal and civil sanctions, but once the damage has been done, neither sanction is really adequate. Rather, developers who would seek to violate the law must be deterred by realizing that their actions will result in serious sanctions, including shutting down their projects for some period of time. The COH has embarked upon an aggressive course of seeking sanctions against developers who remove and destroy public trees without permission. Any resident observing such potentially illegal removal or destruction of public trees is asked to immediately call 311, the COH helpline. Note: Permission to remove a tree may only be granted following a permitting process that requires justification and some type of mitigation, either by planting other trees or contributing to a tree fund. In many instances, justification does not exist to remove a particular tree and permission would be denied. I am posting this under "Montrose" as I think there were two instances in East Montrose Civic and Avondale Civic area that might have lead to this COH to spotlight this ordinance. This article tells about the EMCA situation: http://www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-profiles/articles/city-sues-developer-contractors-axing-protected-oaks-october-2013 Both of the Civic organizations try to defend the huge Oaks in their districts-the size that are so big it's hard to wrap your arms around-many times the developers cut them down with out notice and at odd hours when everyone is usually at work or very early in the morning.

How about using the "M" at the intersection of Elgin Westheimer and Bagby

if the thought is to have something that "brands" Houston and does it with water features. . . . . . maybe all those left over David Adickes presidential statues that you see off Summer street studio space could be used in some way?

This seems like a novel idea--

I tried (unsuccessfully) to surf the internet to find the cost of building a small "themed" garden-- but I did find what it costs to rent those gardens for weddings or other celebrations from $500 for a couple of hours to $2000 + for 2 hours-- Maybe a small themed garden would generate enough money through rentals to help pay for installation. full disclosure all of the gardens I found had themes running along lines of Shakespeare or Elizabethan so I guess who ever choses the theme would have to be careful. . . . . . . not sure if there would be the same response to "Ma Ferguson" or "Jane Long" gardens but then again. . . . . maybe. Guess it would be great for some "Garden Angel Philanthropist" to step up and provide money for garden in exchange for their name on a brass path plate.

This is a huge piece of land-- one wonders what will be placed here next.

I posted on swamplot--- there are apparently a lot of Sterling houses --relatives get named after relatives--similar names and different houses etc-- I might have posted before that Avondale Civic has a Historic walking tour that tells a lot about Avondale homes and their owners-- some of the information comes from local residents who have lived in Avondale since the 60's or so. That information (garnered from the owner of Sterling house) indicates the house was moved from the corner of Westheimer and Bagby where the strip shopping center is now. This Sterling house was apparently lived in by Helen Sterling a daughter in law.

http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Here-s-why-sidewalks-matter-4754156.php sidewalk neglect is on everyone's mind.

Thanks for the post and invite-- We stopped by and tried Radical Eats tonight. Fried Avocado tacos are my new favorite- I'll forward your post to Avondale Board of Directors.