RedScare

Clearly.

It's unincorporated......for now. I bet dollars to donuts Houston is licking their chops waiting for this to be complete. Is there an off chance that when The Woodlands becomes a city that they could hop the county line to acquire the property?

Woodlands isn't going to become a city for a long time...maybe never. Once the truth came out how much it cost to be a city and provide city services, most residents decided that they were not that scared of Houston after all. Most are content to remain a village.

On second thought, X is right. We should turn it into a Texas theme park.

Is there some kind of permit or something they have to obtain before demolishing these buildings? 

Yes, there is a demo permit required. Water and sewer must be disconnected from the system, as does electrical. Once that is confirmed, permits issue.

I don't know if it's really fair to imply that this is a problem that is specific to Houston, because this kind of demolition of historic stadiums has happened all across the US.  Does anyone know of a successful example of repurposing a facility like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nALg1w1IeJo

I also understand that it is the "Houston way" to discard old buildings that are no longer profitable or are standing in the way of someone's corporate profits, but this one time we better make an exception.

Only relevant to the extent a prior post used the old Heights snob argument to claim that people would oppose the parking if it was a waffle house. My retort was that people on this message board showed little concern about the sidewalk issue on Yale.

The sidewalk was eliminated in order to widen Yale per the 380 because no one anticipated that the utility poles were in the way. The sidewalk was supposed to be part of the 380. Only relevant to parking requirements to the extent it shows selective enforcement of ROW all over the place by the City. Thus, it is unfair for the City to come down hard on Coltivare while at the same time giving the big project soaked in free tax dollars a pass on their ROW foulup.

So, now you believe it is unfair for the City to be capricious and arbitrary in its dealings with the citizenry? I must agree with you on that point, even though your analogy to the Walmart situation could not be less analogous to this situation.

Kraftsmen has a row of spaces along 22nd that are all over the right of way with no sidewalk access. Chilosos has a row along Gostic that are identical to the row along Arlington in the photos above. Cedar Creek has pull in diagonal parking that has the tail end of big trucks hanging over the sidewalk. Coltivare is going to be relatively small. 3000 sq feet for kitchen and dining room with a sliver of outdoor terrace seating. This should be a no-brainer for the City.

Reading your examples, the "no brainer for the City" would be to deny a parking permit on Arlington, and then to proceed to either revoke the permitted parking in those other areas, or to begin citing those who block the sidewalk when parking there. I know that is not what you intended, but it is what your comments provoked.

I believe the term is Cablinasian.

What? Crane is going to rename EaDo CaBlInAsia?

This is jus a FYI but the golf weekend that Obama had with Tiger Wood also included Jim Crane as part of the foursome on two rounds. Take it for what it is worth.

Jim Crane is half Black? 

Actually, it is more akin to plea bargaining. Government cannot nullify itself. However, it can bend its rules to favor one group over another. It appears that today the City bent its rules in favor of business, just as it did for the condos down the street, Walmart on Yale, and Kroger on Studewood. I am not terribly whipsawed over this, so long as the sidewalk is kept accessible. In fact, having been a restaurant owner, I would normally favor helping them out. I just want the same benevolence extended toward homeowners, something that my Stockholm Syndrome neighbors seem to oppose.

I think I will oppose this change. People will never understand the problem of giving city government power if we keep asking for variances. It would be best for the neighborhood if Coltivaire is forced to play by the same rules the homeowners do.

But, kicking a small business (or home) owner in the pants in order to celebrate form over substance is the kind of thing that keeps people from redeveloping the Heights.

Glad you are starting to notice. When you begin opposing these nut-crushing ordinances we'll really be making progress.

So by April 1st a collection of new spots are opening up in NoDo. They include Goro & Gun, Captain Foxheart's, Bad News Bar, Batanga Tapas, Spirit Lounge and Clutch City Squire Bar. This inaddition to OKRA, Hearsay, La Carafe, Dean's & Warren's

Dare I say it ....is Downtown coming back alive again?!?

Unless Firehouse Philly's is coming back, it will never be the same.

I am really tired of the argument that cycling won't happen in Houston because it is hot in the summer. First, riding a bike in the evening during the summer is actually very pleasant. It is the least humid time of day and when you are out of the direct sunlight, it is very pleasant. 

Lastly, enough with the hipster crap. This is the Heights not Montrose. I see lots of families out biking in the Heights. I actually prefer taking a bike with my kids to go out to eat because it is easier to lock up a few bikes than to try to find parking on White Oak.

This is not entirely correct. The lowest humidity occurs during times of highest temperature, generally early to mid afternoon. However, the evening humidity is generally still lower than in the morning, and after the sun goes down, the temperature drops as well.

Agreed that the Heights is decidedly not hipster, but in many ways Heights residents can be worse. But, I find most inner loop upper income residents to be the same. They want parking for their cars, but don't want parking where they can see it. And, they want to park on your street, but don't want anyone parking on their street. They are very bi-polar in this regard. 

It opened today. Almost anything's worth a shot, so I'll probably check it out.

Please order the jam in tequila calamity and report back.

The name sounds terrible, and the drinks in mason jars angle looks hokey. Something about trying too hard comes to mind.

And, that drink with a glob of strawberry jam in it? Holy jesus, that is nasty! Looks like someone hacked up a piece of their lung into the jar!  

Kinda sounds like the price you pay for owning a huge truck in the city.

Since when does Montrose have terrible parking issues?

 

Some of you folks need to travel a bit. Parking in Houston is still very, very easy.

 

The only problems with parking in this town are for two reasons;

 

1) People are lazy and wont walk more than 13 feet.

2) People are entitled and think no one should ever be parked in front of their house.

Kinkaid...

Consider the source of the comment. 

Really, Mark? The EPA?

What is pedestrian unfriendly about it? It will have sidewalks. Besides, how much retail could 600 apartment dwellers support? Don't guess. Put some actual thought into it. How much effort should be put into pedestrian friendliness for a retail site that abuts a bayou and a freeway?

Man, this thread got really good really fast. None of that boring HP stuff! This is info we can use! How to avoid bums in downtown.  

 I'm sorry that hurts your feelings so much. But i don't have any control over your feelings. 

I'm not the one whose upper lip is quivering over bums. My feelings are just fine, thank you.

By the way, HP is not a half mile from Rice Lofts. It is actually just over a quarter mile. 6 blocks at 250 feet per block. That's some serious commitment to downtown right there.

Not everyone is cut out for urban living. Maybe you should look into other living arrangements. As for living downtown, I don't. However, I officed downtown from 1997. I think I've met my share of bums. It never got to me to the point of not walking where I wanted to go. Again, urban life isn't for everyone.

Wants a pedestrian environment. Too lazy to be a pedestrian. Someone else's fault.

There's probably a life lesson there somewhere.