trymahjong

I'm wondering if the strip center at Montrose & Westheimer is sold, potentially mixed use fabulous will replace it. . . . . . . what will happen to Half price books? Will they be able to afford higher rent?

The Avondale Board and Neartown are supporting the variance (parking in back)-- the amount of green space in the 27 foot set back exceeds COH requirement-- Brande is following the lead of Bobby Heugal and OKRA (Organized Kollaboration on Restaurant Affairs) in setting up bike racks as part of their parking (there are 58 propsed car spaces)

From the architectural drawings the front of the bulding is angeled so part of it is further than 27 feet. There will be a 7 foot wide sidewalk plus vertical gardenson street facing wall and trees in the 27 feet from the curb with an open patio with greenery---the current Ruggles is built to the sidewalk-- The other set of drawings had the parking in front----yuck.

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/05/fire-reported-at-montrose-restaurant/

hear chef Ryan Hildrebrand & his architect speak about their plans to raze the 3 lots where Ruggles stood (Habitat for humanity was allowed to salvage any materials they sought) a variance was requested --- as far as i understand 58 parking places on side and in back with a 27 foot set back from inside of curb.Planned opening next fall

Got this in an email--- We urge you to go to the Metro Public meeting on its sales tax to be held March 11 at 9:00 am in 1900 Main in the 2nd Floor METRO Board Room. Bring your friends to let the METRO Board know of your support for Metro to receive the full one fourth of the transit sales tax back. If you can't make the Public meeting, you can go to an online letter and let Metro hear of your support. Once you have sent the online letter let your friends know about the meeting and urge them to go to the meeting or send the online letter. Importance of the Public meeting on transit sales tax Why the METRO sales tax is important has been explained in commentaries by David Crossley published by the Houston Chronicle and Houston tomorrow Publications. The following are excepts. For his full commentaries please go to <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001TV4qgW4kYUyhFR49Q7Z3z7FoMDqj54phadFdbUEkTanw9qKonEzKP1BoKERiS25KTt8il8viHUqJRd9OcmS1NI7ORsv9_Ls3v7sih5GJSs8_sCgXGA90glUh-LGJEYj4znyS5vBL4UkmFlE2jWqU110UIVxdita_NR-bNlac42PAqi3gcfmU9xiihkYt9utL2cPzLMJ4XEcJXFO19veTxhnLphOT1_yPslqZs3DXI_ddM_p00RlCkqIbx3gCwiVq_NejL53bXYM=" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Houston Tomorrow. According to Crossley, "METRO has allocated over $2.5 billion to the City of Houston and other municipalities through the General Mobility Fund. METRO remits a quarter of its sales tax revenue to the municipalities - the transit agency's only local revenue source from taxpayers. Crossley stated "the percentage METRO sent to the City of Houston and other cities rose as high as 61%, while Bob Lanier was Mayor of Houston". In addition to the $2.5 billion METRO gave away to the cities, Crossley and Reverend Robert Muhammed point out that METRO missed opportunities for federal matching grants, meaning METRO has lost as much as $5 billion in transit revenue since the General Mobility Fund began in 1988." Crossley urges the use all of transit taxes for transit but why? "Indeed, any transit expansion at all other than the current rail construction and two more park-and-ride lots is not going to happen unless we can stop spending our transit taxes on roadway projects." CTC has heard if the one fourth of the transit sales taxe continues to go out to the cities "METRO which is already shrinking will be well and truly stopped" from adding to their systems beyond work currently in progress until sometime around 2030 or later. Worth noting David Crossley said "METRO investment in roads goes way beyond the General Mobility Program. More than half a billion dollars of the cost of the three light rail lines now under construction is for street improvements and utilities, replacing worn pavement and substandard drainage along all of those streets. The massive rebuilding of downtown and Midtown was a $200 million program funded by Metro and federal transit funds outside of the General Mobility Program." Ongoing CTC research so far has found the percentage of tax money spent on roads to be 80%(+/-) and the amount spent on Airport, Rail, Port and Transit 21%(+/-). In the small facts below is economic information to consider. Small facts ARRA presented Texas and other states with an opportunity to improve infrastructure and economic conditions in the areas facing the greatest challenges, as well as an opportunity to try out several different types of transportation investment and evaluate their effectiveness. A recent report by the Public Interest Research Group examined ARRA transportation projects nationally and identified trends that would maximize the economic impact of future investment: * In general, public transportation and road and bridge repairs produce 31 percent and 16 percent more jobs respectively than construction of new roads and bridges; * On average, repair and maintenance projects spend money and create jobs faster than projects that add new capacity. * Smaller projects, such as bridge painting, are generally quicker to start than large new projects and are also generally more labor intensive. * Economic rates of return for new-capacity road projects have been dropping for several years. Source of small facts and further information can be found on http://texasimpact.org/content/transportation

I got this in an email and was very intrigued by that phrase a reimagined Public Place I'm wondering what sort of chance this has to have impact on revitalization of that area. [url=""%5D%5B/url%5DHouston Public Library Placemaking Workshop Your input requested for the use of Houston Public Library's Central Library Plaza Houston Public Library (HPL) Placemaking Workshop Thursday, May 10, 2012 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Library Concourse Meeting Room 500 McKinney Houston 77002 HPL invites you to participate in a Placemaking Workshop for the Central Library Plaza. This is a project that will help transform the Central Library Plaza into a vibrant, exciting, active public space and make it a downtown destination for people of all ages and backgrounds. This workshop will be a fun, interactive session to brainstorm on the potential of the space. Light refreshments will be served. Parking is available in the Central Library parking garage or at the Heritage Society, located at 1100 Bagby, Houston 77002. Thanks to generous support from the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Reinvestment Zone Number Three, HPL is able to engage Project for Public Spaces to help the Library develop a well-conceived and managed re-imagined public space. Such a space could provide a platform for programs and events on the plaza and could even help positively activate this area of downtown.

got this from Ellen Cohen--- soooooooooooooooooooooo now the opportunity to go and express your opinion. . . . . . . . Dear Friend, The City of Houston is currently considering a proposal that would add international service to Hobby Airport. Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are both major stakeholders in the decision, but they are not in agreement regarding the expansion. Whatever is ultimately decided could have a major impact on our City. Public meetings are scheduled through the next several weeks so that the City can share information on this issue and solicit feedback from the community. Please don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the Hobby expansion and to weigh in on the proposal at one of the following upcoming meetings: City Council Chambers Tuesday, May 8, 2012 9:00 a.m. (MAP) Presentations by HAS consultants, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines Public Comment Doubletree Hotel JFK Wednesday, May 9, 2012 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 15747 JFK Boulevard Houston, TX 77032 (MAP) Presentation by Aviation Director Mario Diaz Public Comment Marriott Houston South at Hobby Airport Tuesday, May 15, 2012 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 9100 Gulf Freeway Houston, TX 77017 (MAP) Presentation by Aviation Director Mario Diaz Public Comment Sincerely, Ellen Cohen

I'm amazed that a 2 story parking garage is being built by HISD-- ---I was part of the "Master Plan" Committee for Lamar High school (Lamar has the smallest acreage of any HISD high school and parking is premium--300 spaces and graduating classes each year that top 700) when my kid attended--And a 2 story parking garage was discussed and dismissed by HISD as too expensive --this even when some St Johns supporters were approached and thought that sharing parking was a good idea and would also share costs. I don't remember the exact number quoted but I think it was $16,000. per parking space.

Wish the "powers that be" would consider moving moving 1/2 price books into that old house next door to Katz's-- i think it would be a cool place filled with bookshelves. .lots of nooks to read in. . . it's a great ole house. .I'd settle for any business really. . . . . . . I'm always afraid that instead of renovating, those woeful houses will get torn down like the one by Indika.

Got an email the the Alamo Draft house rolling road show was hosting a screening of "Some like it hot" June 5th--- Is the Majestic to open permanently?

seems like craft beer nirvana. . . . . . . . . . won't have a chance to try it out for a while. . . . . . . . . . anyone been there?

! am hoping for a good BBQ place to go in-- we tried the one up on gray street--hmmmmmmmmmmmmm not what I was hoping for.

I asked because I had posted this last January on the Fbar thread and haven't heard anything since=> The owner of Pub Fiction brought renderings of the building to a Midtown Planning meeting awhile back. If plans haven't changed since then... the building is going to be awesome w/ a nice entrance on the corner w/ columns. It will be multi story (I think 2 or 3) with a roof bar thing w/ parking in the back I don't get to go to as many meetings as I did last year. . . . . .

the next morning early--maybe 6 am all the strrets were blocked off and you could tell the firman had gone all the way to avondale and helena to use that hydrant-- I guess the building was only cinder block-- but I liked the cylinder looking part, the front door and the vw in the wall-- whatever happened to the plans for the building across the street?

I heard Bobby Heugel speak at the Neartown meeting Tuesday---he said the Hay Merchant was about 5 months behind schedule to open because of all the hoops he had to jump through for COH permits. He was there to speak about article 26 (i think that's the #--it's about new parking requirements) He gave a good speech from the individual restaurant owners perpective.

I was wondering if anyone knew what was planned for the 2 lots next to Indika? The old house (that was on one of the lots) was demolished and removed.

I wonder if any of Houston's chainsaw sculptors approached COH with the idea to carve a few of the more mature trees. . . . . . This was a miracle in Galveston. . . . . . . . . . . . one I continue to appreciate. . . . . . .

http://www.chron.com/default/article/Montrose-district-under-fire-over-taxes-2219517.php

. . . . . . the powers that erected the "M" at Elgin and Bagby might disagree?

sorry it didn't work out okay--i'm lucky enough to live close enough to walk---usually there are enough spaces in the valet--the menu gets "tweaked" from time to time--maybe try again:) i'm still wondering what was on this property originally --

Go and try it ---it is as good as everyone says. The Houston Press map shows it appeared in 2001 but I remember the middle of 2006 when it opened on 514 Westheimer it was out in the boonies before. I'm curious as to what was in business in the house that was torn down to make room for the new structure.

a friend sent this to me---- i've been watching since 2005---i wish i would have gone to chez georges. . . . . . . . . . . http://www.houstonpress.com/slideshow/the-restaurant-gentrification-of-lower-westheimer-1997-to-2012-34770204/

I hope they keep it--It was a nice location to people watch.