Angostura

Just now saw the Lowell St thread. 18th and Shepherd it is.

Let the reckless speculation begin! I'll start: 7th and Yale or 18th and Shepherd. Or maybe 24th and Shepherd.

I was quietly hoping the 20-month timeline was a red herring.

Sorry you feel that way. (Really) With respect to design, I think HEB has earned some credibility, especially in comparison with its competition. With respect to the Montrose store, HEB replaced a beloved complex of low-rise art-deco apartments on a beautifully wooded lot about as thoughtfully as possible while still complying with CoH's development rules (parking, setbacks, etc.). The size of that store is about 3/5 the size of the Bunker Hill store. I don't frequent the cereal aisle, so I can't really speak to the Frosted Flakes At the Shepherd site, I have little doubt that whatever they build will be an improvement over what preceded it. In fact, I'm willing to bet that the amount of area dedicated solely to surface parking will be a significant decrease over what was there previously. But... I don't think any of that really matters to those making the "they'll tear down our bungalows to sell demon spirits" argument. It's about land use control. But using prohibition as a way to control land use is a little like using a lawn mower to trim the hedges: I suppose it's possible, but it's really not the best tool for the job, and you might end up doing more harm than good.

Sorry you feel that way. (Really) With respect to design, I think HEB has earned some credibility, especially in comparison with its competition. With respect to the Montrose store, HEB replaced a beloved complex of low-rise art-deco apartments on a beautifully wooded lot about as thoughtfully as possible while still complying with CoH's development rules (parking, setbacks, etc.). The size of that store is about 3/5 the size of the Bunker Hill store. I don't frequent the cereal aisle, so I can't really speak to the Frosted Flakes At the Shepherd site, I have little doubt that whatever they build will be an improvement over what preceded it. In fact, I'm willing to bet that the amount of area dedicated solely to surface parking will be a significant decrease over what was there previously. But... I don't think any of that really matters to those making the "they'll tear down our bungalows to sell demon spirits" argument. It's about land use control. But using prohibition as a way to control land use is a little like using a lawn mower to trim the hedges: I suppose it's possible, but it's really not the best tool for the job, and you might end up doing more harm than good.

Thanks for deciding what's best for the neighborhood, but I disagree. This store would be similar in size to the Montrose store, and that's exactly what I'd like to have in our neighborhood. I get that people still resent HEB for failing to outbid Walmart for the Yale St site, but it's time to move on.

I wonder what the reason could be for that? The Heights has been clamoring for an HEB for years. Scott McClelland acknowledged as much in an interview in the Leader: There is a paucity of good-sized parcels of land in the Heights. Even though this site it smaller than they would typically prefer, they've shown a willingness to design a store that makes the most of the available space by building the store above parking, limiting the area devoted to surface parking. This is considerably more expensive than building a typical suburban style store. So HEB is essentially saying this:

From what I understand, the CVS and Walgreen's on 20th run afoul of the 300-ft rule due to their proximity to Hamilton Middle School, and therefore would not be eligible to receive a beer and wine permit. With respect to the private club work-around: First, so what? Second: doubt it. For this to work, the restaurant would have to be BYOB, which means you could bring your beer and wine from anywhere, not just the retailer next door, which means that the retail operation would have to operate at pretty close to normal retail markups. It's far more profitable to operate under a private club license and sell alcohol at typical restaurant markups. Finally, "beer and wine only package stores" are not a thing that exists. Alcohol retailers in Texas have two choices: operate beer and wine only and sell from 7AM to midnight 6 days a week, and noon to midnight on Sunday, or sell everything and only open from 10AM to 9PM, 6 days a week. I know of no specialty alcohol retailers who have chosen the former. The only thing that comes close is Premium Draught, which sells growlers. I don't believe they are considered a blight on their neighborhood. Yes, I'd like an HEB in the neighborhood, but it'd also be nice to pick up a 6-pack at Sunny's at the same time I pick up my pizza at Pink's. In fact, in the 21st century, it's kind of insane that I can't.

From here: "Ground floor pre-leased to a well established designer plumbing showroom."

Presumably the window's aren't in yet because they still have to get the bus inside.

I would not be surprised if they beat Bernie's, despite the announced "summer 2016" opening, given that we're now in the 2nd half of October, and the interior build-out hasn't started. Apparently it's easier to get a pediatric clinic permitted than a burger joint.

Well, this article said building permits would be issued by Q3. They were off by 2 weeks.

HEB confirms that it won't invest in a dry store on this site, surprising no one. Heights busybodies are outraged, and accuse HEB of corporate blackmail, also surprising no one. This is the one result of election 2016 that could potentially make me happy and people are determined to ruin it.

That wording would win by 60 points. The current wording is actually: "The legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only." I'm terrified that people may take this to mean that the ballot measure IMPOSES prohibition rather than partially repealing it.

Sample ballots are now available, and addresses within the dry area should have the local option measure on the ballot. (Mine does.)

The term should only be used when discussing food trucks.

You have demand on one side, and supply on the other. As the dirt underneath them gets more valuable, the used car lots are getting property-taxed out of the market. Similar thing is happening with a lot of the warehouse/light industrial property along Yale. Unlike most owner-occupied residential property, commercial and industrial appraisals aren't capped at 10%/year. This, combined with our lack of zoning, has really accelerated land-use conversion in gentrifying neighborhoods.

Obviously a lot has changed in the 10 years since this thread started, but the observation about burgers, chinese and pizza is still relevant. A handful of recent and upcoming openings: Cane Rosso, Mellow Mushroom, Luna, Pi, Alli's, La Fresca, Bernie's, The Burger Joint and the Rice Box.

Gelazzi is an odd case for a couple of reasons. First, to get a private club license, the establishment has to serve "meals" to its members. At the time, I think Gelazzi had yet to start selling pizza. While my son might beg to differ, I'm not sure an ice cream sandwich constitutes a meal. Second, a private club license requires that alcohol be consumed on-premise only. If the reason for the permit was ice cream with booze in it, anyone who buys that kind of ice cream has to consume in on-premise. They can't, say, buy a pint in a take-away container or eat their cone while talking an after-dinner stroll. Also, I'm not sure if changes in the licensing would have triggered off-street parking requirements. I don't think they currently have any off-street spaces.

The beer bungalows don't appear to have invaded Woodland Heights, Norhill or the other parts of the greater Heights that are outside the dry area.

...which is why Regent Square is always packed. Here's the list of retailers at City Centre: Allen Edmonds, Anthropologie bevello Charming Charlie Elaine Turner Eye Couture Free People H&M ivivva J. Crew Kendra Scott lululemon athletica Madewell Muir Fine Art Gallery OLIVE & VINE Paper Source Sephora Sur La Table Urban Outfitters West Elm Z Gallerie None of these are local, one-of-a-kind shops, and most of them have other locations in Houston. I think the ability to draw unique, high-end retail to a site surrounded on four sides by a freeway, an active freight rail line, a grocery store parking lot and the ass end of a Target, by saying it's pedestrian friendly from the Heights and downtown, may be limited.

Who is this "we," and where were they when the land was being sold?

Based on the rendering, that's seems like about the right mix of retailers, except maybe for Total Wine.

Yes, a three-apartment building requires more off-street parking than a single-family townhouse in the same footprint. Three 1-BRs would require 4 spaces (1.333 per unit), three 2-BRs would require 5 spaces (1.666 per unit).

Issue will be on the ballot in November. Video of City Council accepting the petition and ordering the election is here (at 19:30). Attached to that second agenda item is the most definitive map of the dry area I've ever come across, complete with house numbers.