RWReagen

Well you don't have to come. You can stay on the mainland and look at us folks on the island enjoying the beautiful surroundings and activities while we provide good jobs and contribute millions of dollars into the local economy. (Everyone remember it's just a silly day dream. You internet guys need to lighten up already...)

That's funny. Well like I said if money were no object I would build a very nice company town which would be an incentive. Also there would be no rule saying you had to work there if you didn't want to live in the worker's village. I believe they have whole apartment complexes nearby at Disney World for some of their workers. Also I still like the idea of the self contained island instead of Bolivar. It would be easier to manage an island.

That's funny I just passed by there a bit ago and saw a guy inside working on the floor. So yes I would agree that the project is still going on. And if it's really just that one guy doing all the work then he has my admiration. I hope he is able to finish because it would be great to have some more eating options down under.

I'm not saying Beck's Prime isn't good I'm just saying the smell is very powerful and you can practically smell it on you when you walk past there sometimes. It's like its permiated in all of the surfaces in the area. While I'm at it could we get the Allen center food court remodeled? Wow that place is straight out of 1987 with the green neon. That stuff hurts my eyes when I go there! Ha ha. But really, how about a remodel? (Blah, blah,blah tough economic times, don't want to spend money, blah, blah, blah. There I just answered my own reply!)

Yeah I like Galveston's unique culture myself. I don't live there but have visited a million times since I was a kid. I'm particularly pained about the loss of the piers over the beach especially the Balinese Room. But going back to the original intent of my topic, is what would I do with the island of Galveston to breathe new life into it. It's just for fun. I'm not making any commentary on anyone or anything.

Please don't ruin my topic with a-hole replies. Thanks.

If money, power, and red tape were no object I have a fantasy redevelopment plan for Galveston. My new Galveston would be a privately owned and operated island sized resort and destination. Think Disney World with all of their private roads, villages and destination areas. All brilliantly designed and arranged far better than government could. They have private fire, ems, police, utilities, quasi-governmental entities etc. And it runs like a charm. It would focus less on the beach attraction aspect and more on other attractions such as casinos and theme parks. I would completely buy out the current entire island (including Landry's and Fertita). Dissolve the local government. Bulldoze and remove every house, building, store, structure and street that is not of obvious saving value i.e. historical strand buildings, mansions, cemetaries, high rise condo towers etc. Locate all new uilities underground and out of sight. Connect everything with fiber optic lines and island wide high quality free wi-fi. Construct a new and improved sea wall and other needed new fortifications. The goal would be to make the island more hurricane proof and more recoverable after a storm. Create paths and trails connecting the attractions. Blanket the new developments with new trees and tropical foliage. To encourange visitors and make it easy for them to get there I would remove the exisiting airport and build a new one comfortably west of town to allow regular commercial airline traffic. Also, build high speed transit rail lines from somewhere in Houston to the island. Connect the entire island with water taxis and an efficient railed system similar to DW's monorail layout. Replace Seawall Blvd with a boardwalk. Construct massive concrete and heavily reinforced piers over the beach with attractions. Develop the lake and area around Moody Gardens with all of the Vegas casinos, hotels, and convention centers. Fully and correctly redevelop the downtown and Strand area into a lively entertainment, dining, shopping, and cruise destination. Remove all streets for pedestrians similar to Fremont St. in dt Las Vegas. Build new exciting modern cruise ship terminals. Remember, thinking Disney / Universal style concepts. Construct an underground service tunnel system a la Disney World. Build a high quality roller coaster theme park and water resort where the current Coast Guard station area is on the end of the island. Where would all the workers live? Build a nice affordable company village past the airport outside of town with separate highway access. Remember this is just my crazy Saturday afternoon fantasy. I'm sure it is full of holes and rediculousness. It's just for fun and to maybe start some ideas going.

Actually, Sonics have walk up locations in mall food courts and the ones I have seen were always crowded. Which is why I thought it would be a good money maker in a tunnel food court. Also, the smell can't be any worse than Beck's Prime in the Milam tunnel. You can smell that from a mile away and it is pretty off putting and I love bbq.

There are / were mountain lions in San Angelo. A few years ago one came out of the woods and swiped a deer right in the middle of a residential neighborhood on the edge of town. Several people were out walking and were stopped to watch the deer that gathered in that one spot every evening. Needless to say everyone freaked out pretty good.

Bobcats and coyotes are two commonly mistaken wild animals in city areas. I know from having personally seen on job sites that there are plenty of bobcats, deer, coyotes, wild turkeys, and hogs all over the Houston area. Coyotes are pretty easy to ID. You can go to Bass Pro Shops and see mounted ones on display to get a good idea of how they look. Coyotes are all over the city and are commonly spotted. One time I chased a coyote around in my truck on a large open tract of land near BW8 and Beechnut right in the middle of town where apartments now stand. This was in broad daylight and just a few years ago. No we don't have bears or mountain lions but I have read somewhere, maybe here on HAIF, an oldtimer recounted how there used to be Red Wolves all around the present Hwy 6 area between I10 and 290 40 to 50 years ago. That area obviously would have been far out in the country then. Can anyone check in on red wolves in this area? I also think its funny the way "city folks" freak out over wild animals in their neighborhoods. They don't realize that in the far suburbs their neighborhoods were country a few years ago. The animals are all around. Don't be scared!

Does anyone know if the food court in the tunnel between the McKinney and Milam areas is ever going to be opened or has it just been put off? How long has it been sitting there? Every time I pass by there I think it would be a gold mine with the right stores. If it was me I would put in a Taco Bell, Sonic, and a nice Chinese buffet.

Interesting. But if you build a shopping center and have no tenants then you are out the cost of development and you are still out the carry cost of the land etc. But if I knew all the tricks I would be a high powered developer and not a desk monkey...

And their getting the tunnel's first and only soft serve ice cream machine!

I don't know the first thing about real estate which is why I can't comprehend the reasoning of people that keep building these eyesore empty shopping centers if they see noone is wanting the exisiting ones.

Hopefully, IF we are really lucky, it will be another half empty shopping center with a nail salon, dry cleaners, and taqueria. But I'm not sure we can keep the streak going. (Sorry couldn't resist)

Being a recent newcomer to DT I was curious as to how many buildings Shell has offices in. They seem to be scattered in several different buildings including Pennzoil, and Houston Center. Any others?

The wood panels are from Germany and are a prominent feature throughout the public areas of the building. I would like to see some kind of ambitious tunnel level presence along the lines of the CenterPoint and Reliant Energy Buildings with a large food court or open hotel lobby style public area. Of course future work in these areas may be put on the back burner but the fact that EP is going ahead with the current work is a positive sign to its people and the community.

This past year the El Paso Corp has begun renovation work on its downtown Houston headquarters. The building was completed in 1963 and was the first of the many steel highrises and skyscrapers to come along later. Until recently, it was known as the Tenneco building. EP companies are the sole tenant. The building has not been remodeled or had a major upgrade since it's completion and it was decided that a renovation was needed. The building's utilities are being replaced and upgraded floor by floor and special attention is being made to make the new renovation "green" and LEED compliant. Fire sprinklers are being added after so many years. So far several newly renovated floors have opened and they are very impressive. Perimeter enclosed offices have been done away with and moved in and replaced with glass walls leaving an open aisle all around the perimeter of the floor. The new space is bright and airy with natural light. All new offices and cubicles have been brought in with wood accents and frosted glass. Office doors are glass and slide on tracks. Many people comment that the overall look is reminiscent of IKEA style. Each floor has its own new common area in the central elevator lobby now featuring a coffee and kitchen area with stainless steel appliances, refrigerators and large flat screen monitors. Restaraunt style seating areas and pub height tables give workers a casual place to meet and have lunch. At each elevator lobby a large floor to ceiling size blow up of a black and white photo from the company's history makes an interesting detail and gives workers a sense of history and appreciation of the hard work from before the modern computer age. In two opposite corners of each new floor are casual seeting and meeting lounge style areas with whiteboard walls and comfortable chairs. These areas look out on the downtown view. Several new conference rooms have also been included in the new floor plans. This renovation will take place over the course of the next several years and tentative plans include a remodeling of the tunnel area and the ground floor, exterior and 1st floor lobby. The large two story windows on the second floor that were damaged during Hurricane Ike were temporarily repaired and will be replaced later. They are very expensive and take several months to get. Hopefully the renovations will be completed and EP will have a new headquarters that will be the envy of downtown.

Underwoods Brownwood: I highly recommend a visit to this famous place. It's a cafeteria style restaraunt that serves bbq and all the side dishes. The claim to fame is the bbq beef. Everything else is good but not exceptional. The beef however is oven cooked not pit smoked but it comes out SO incredibly tender that your brain waves from looking at it alone are enough to make it fall apart on your plate. Its also cut flat like a steak and not on the side like bacon like most other restaraunts. Topped off with my personal favorite greasy sauce. The lines are out the door most days. Plus they come around and pass out fresh hot grandma style rolls. I'm going there this weekend!

Wow thats awesome. I figured it had to be something like that. Thanks for the enlightenment!

Sorry if this has been brought up before... I am curious about a mystery secret button: It was found in a brick structure on the theatre side of the bridge on Preston st at the NW corner of the Wortham Theatre. You can walk inside this structure and on the left hand side there is/was a metal plate with a button. Several years ago I happened upon this thing and of course had to press the button. Down below in the bayou there was a big rumbling gurgling noise and then a fairly large surfacing of bubbles out in the middle of the water. Does anyone happen to know what in the world this is? I think it was a really cool hidden surprise and enjoyed it. I have not been able to see if it still works but might be able to get over there at lunch this week and get a better picture. I have included a screen grab from Google Street View buts its not too good.

I'm lost...shouldn't the big oil companies be awash in cash after their RECORD BREAKING profits this past year?

I am wary of Grackles also. They are sneaky and will give you the evil eye. I always check my wallet when I see one because I firmly believe one of them will steal it one of these days. Once at a patio we watched a Grackle jump on a table and pull out a sugar packet from the middle of the container. He then jumped over to a pot plant and wedged the packet in a notch. Then he tore it open and began eating the sugar. Another grackle came over and the first one began feeding the second one from the pile of sugar. We immediately packed up and went inside for fear of being mugged and or kidnapped.

One thing that bugs me about HD radio is that they advertise it implying that the HD stands for "high definition" whereas if I'm not mistaken the HD stands for "hybrid digital" referring to the transmission. It sounds better than analog yes but it seems a bit misleading. I personally have no interest in HD radio since it's mostly run by the same radio groups that are universally recognized for ruining regular radio. To me, it would just be more of the same but with better sound quality. And if there are not already, if it lasts, you can bet it will be filled with furniture and car dealership commercials all day. I'll stick with satrad until it dies out then after that who knows maybe in the not so distant future real wifi internet radio.

I spotted what looks exactly like a Metro bus in an episode of Reno911! It's the one with Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman). He jumps on it at the end.