Brian Reading
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Everything posted by Brian Reading
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Why would someone sign a 12-month lease if they only intend to live there for the school year? It's obviously for those who wish to stay here year-round. If that's not what the person is looking for, then there are plenty of other places to live. Calhoun Lofts is not meant for those who wish to go home to parents in the summer, but to those who are off on their own, and would rather stay where they are at after the school year ends.
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What trap are you talking about? No one is forcing people to live there. Also, what private dorms are you talking about? If you're referring to Cambridge Oaks, Bayou Oaks, and Cullen Oaks, there is no requirement for twelve month leases there either.
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That's the plan. Twelve month leases will allow the community at UH to remain bustling during the summer time, etc. If UH isn't going to be just about going to class, then it shouldn't die just because classes have let up.
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Here are a few new shots of development around campus done a few days ago: The East Parking Garage. It's gone up quite quick. The lot in front of the garage is open for Calhoun Lofts residents, which are now moving in across the street. The floor plan layout for the new Barnes & Noble bookstore that will occupy retail space at the bottom of Calhoun Lofts. They have this lying in the window. Other retail occupants will be an Aramark-operated convenient store, and a dry cleaner. I have no idea when these will open. Finally, a sign on Wheeler Street detailing some information about the new "Freshman Village" or "Wheeler Housing East" project. There hasn't been any part of the structure built yet, but demolition of the previous area has been finished I think.
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Where did $800 come from? Their site says $545/person.
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Right. The last university-owned and run housing was Cougar Place, which was built in 1981. All the later housing complexes listed above have been built on university-owned land, but are not the property of the university. I have lived at Cullen Oaks, and currently live at Cambridge Oaks. While I was a student at UTSA, I also lived at another Century Campus Housing (now it's actually known as Campus Living Villages) property, so I'm familiar with this business model. At UH even though the aforementioned properties are privately managed, they do this in conjunction with the university's Residential Life and Housing department. They use some of the university's utility services as well. For example, while I was at Cullen Oaks, the complex was forced into using the residential network for internet access (the same one in use at the Quadrangle/Moody Towers), and it was horrible. I was told by the management that it was Residential Life and Housing's call. If a resident owes money to one of the private complexes, the management can also request that a hold be placed on the student's university records. This can actually stop a student from registering for classes and graduating. Even if a student is paid off, the change won't be immediate, and the management can only get the hold removed by calling/emailing Residential Life and Housing. Calhoun Lofts and the new Wheeler dorms will both be done using the traditional campus-housing model, and I think it's a good thing. It gets messy when things are mixed with private owners/management. It is important that UH competes with off-campus housing though. I think they're especially attempting to do that with Calhoun Lofts. It will be coming with AT&T U-Verse. I think they also need to upgrade the networks for the rest of campus-housing. As far as the reasoning for the model UH is using, it may actually just have to do with the fact that the administration has changed. I'm really loving what our President is doing.
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Thanks for the good news. I'm guessing that this will be the new facility on Wheeler Avenue.
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Deleted post.
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I certainly disagree, but remember, I'm not advocating keeping the name either. I think using the distinction "Allen's Landing" will make a lot of difference. Two main things should accompany the name change. Firstly, a large ad campaign should be launched in conjunction with the UH System and quick re-branding should be done. This will allow for education in the community and general public. Secondly, the university needs to look at much more traditional ways of expanding. How about changing their open admission policy? Maybe look into adding athletics programs? Take a look at UH-Victoria! These guys have the right idea for expansion, and probably even a more logical reason for a name change. This is what will truly gain this university recognition. Like I said, nobody sees UCLA as in the shadow of UC Berkeley anymore. Although, this wasn't always the case. It took lots of hard work, not a simple name change. Basically, I guess my main point is that a name change doesn't create recognition, tradition of prestige does. Yes, but having different names hurts those university systems in the same way that UHD's name change could hurt the UH System. I personally feel that the UH System is superior to the Texas State and Texas Tech Systems, so a comparison there isn't worthwhile to me. The Texas A&M University System is also nowhere near as established as the University of Texas System, despite their flagship. I stand by my idea that prominent university system schools want to show solidarity with their respective systems. Separation might fix confusion, but it's throwing out the baby with the bathwater. As I mentioned above, there are better ways to fix this issue. I feel that UHD's public rejection of the UH System does more to hurt my university's quest for Tier I status than help. What do you think?
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What nobody seems to talk about is the damage the name change will cause to the University of Houston SYSTEM! As mentioned above, having "University of Houston" in the name is what allows for name recognition, not because of simply the flagship university, but because it's part of something greater than just one university. Dr. Hoffman, would probably hate to see what Max Castillo has done here. Allowing a university in the system to disregard those system ties is signifying a weak brand recognition for UHS. Our system is fledgling as it is, we don't need more fragmentation, but unification. Let's look at some of the more prominent public university systems in the country. Do you think the universities in the University of California system don't want to be associated with the UC name? How about the universities in the University of Texas System? The fact is that it actually helps to build a university, rather than tear it down. Having a similar name to a "flagship" university in the system doesn't stifle growth either. Just ask UCLA. The school made a name for themselves on their own. UTSA, UTEP, and UTD are starting to do it too. As Chancellor Khator mentioned, there's nothing formally set-up that disallows UHD from being treated equally from UH. Thus I recommend, if there is to be a name change, that it keeps the "University of Houston" in the name. My favorite was "University of Houston-Allen's Landing". It's distinctive, nods to history, is highly Houston-oriented, and upholds brand recognition for the University of Houston System. Hell, it even could be a kinda catchy little abbreviation; UHAL. I hope that they start thinking about this, and allow for UH names again in the new process. What do you guys think?
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Okay, so here's a look at the progress now. Calhoun Lofts appears to have gotten a lot of exterior work done on it. Especially on this side (towards Law Center) Here's an empty lot across from Calhoun Lofts. It's apparently privately owned, and the retail advisors, Page Partners have a sign prominently displayed in front of it. Visiting their website, they have some info on it, and call it the "Cougar Den Plaza". Let's hope they actually do something with this soon, as it's really a premium location for retail. Across from Melcher Hall, right outside the parking lot also on Calhoun I saw this sign marking the location for the "East Parking Garage". And finally, here's what's going on with the new Michael J. Cemo Hall. It's really just a pile of dirt out there. I'm sad that they hadn't done more. Maybe there's just a lot that you can't see.
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The great thing is that even though most of the campus is dead right now due to the holidays, that bar is still lively, and Pizza Hut looked to be busy. More areas like this are key to making students want to stay on-campus outside of class. I can't say if that's the original color, maybe somebody else knows...
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I'm pretty sure it's considered to be officially on-campus. It's pretty much in between the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center and the Catholic Newman Center in what was part of the parking lot for the rec center. The land is owned by UH, and in this case the building is owned privately by a company called "Lovett Commercial". Sort of like the operations that Cullen Oaks, Bayou Oaks, and Cambridge Oaks run on-campus. This is opposed to the Welcome Center across the street, where UH owns the land and the physical facility, but lease space for retail.
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It's a faux second floor exteriorly. The only business that utilizes it is The Den with a tall ceiling and a faux second floor interiorly...I hope that makes sense. Let me know if I need to clarify. Yeah, and Moody Towers apparently really needed the restoration. Here's UH Plant Operations' info regarding it. It apparently is at about a million dollar cost.
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Thought you guys may want to see some of the updates on-campus in their current state. These were taken with my iPhone yesterday, and the sun was on its way down, so they're not the best quality. Let me know if you want to see any photos of other things on the campus, and I'll snap some. I'm a current student at the university, and live on-campus so it's no big deal. Here is the new professional/graduate student housing known as Calhoun Lofts near Entrance 1 from Spur 5: This is the new retail area also on Calhoun next to the Recreation Center. The location consists of Maui Wowi (a tea/drink franchise http://www.mauiwowi.com/), Subway, Pizza Hut (take-out only), a textbook buyback/reseller, and a nice new bar called "The Den". These guys have an High Definition projector, and several TVs with satellite. This is Moody Towers being restored/sealed. They're currently sandblasting and painting the exterior, and they're not done yet, so it's crazy looking.
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Thanks guys. If anyone has any images, it'd be cool to see. I'm a current UH student, but as mentioned before, it was torn down. What was the inside like? I've heard the other field that Cougar Place (that student housing) was built over was called "Little Jeppesen", but did it have an official name? By the way, they're also about to tear down Cougar Place as well. Check out the story here. -
I'm trying to find out more about the spot known by the names "Public School Fieldhouse", "Jeppesen Fieldhouse", or "Jeppesen Gym". Since the Houston Cougars athletics department say the basketball team played early home games there, and note that it was called "Public School Fieldhouse" at the time, I'm pretty sure it was owned and operated by H.I.S.D. at the time of it's completion. Am I right? As far as the location goes, it seems like it was practically connected to Jeppesen Stadium (aka Robertson Stadium these days), as UH also mentions that it was located where the scoreboard currently is. On March 20, 1996, The Daily Cougar (UH's student newspaper) ran a story about the facility, among other things on-campus being recently torn down that can be read here. So I'm guessing it was torn down in March '96? My questions are: Was this part of the Works Progress Administration work done at this site? Was it constructed and opened at the same time as Robertson Stadium? Does anyone have any photos or other information about this facility?
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