RedScare

Thank you for buttressing my point.

I don't think the Heights residents have an unfair advantage at all. Proof is the fact that Heights residents opposed to Walmart have so far unsuccessfully stopped any plans by Walmart. My only point (one that I have to make often) is to remind s3 and Looky and a few others that there are residents of the Heights that are not opposed to Walmart, in spite of their posts to the contrary. In fact, there are plenty of residents who WANT the Walmart. I am impressed that a Facebook page opposing Walmart has 3,500 likes. If they can get 600 more, it would add up to 10% of Heights Super Neighborhood's population. That means only 90% don't mind a Walmart. I guess that would also mean that 100% of SN22 supports Walmart...except of course, the guy that started the Facebook page. Anyway, just thought I'd point out again that not every Heights resident is opposed to this, and in fact, most are unopposed. I'll return the next time this misconception is posted. Until then, toodles.

I didn't really intend to make it sound upscale, so much as hip and trendy to those who don't have one nearby. Kinda like the Coors of the neighborhood market world.

I think the earlier criticisms were accurate. Most of those criticizing Walmart wished for fancier stores to shop at. Examples given were specialty shoe and clothing stores, HEB (a new chic one, as opposed to the old one located right inside the Heights), boutique hotels, and now, a Trader Joes. Those debunking the criticisms are not uber-consumers. In fact, that's the point. If you're shopping for necessities, Walmart is just fine. If you're shopping for status, Walmart simply will not do. Which sounds more affluent and superficial to you?

That would explain why SWLP was bought by Target. Stuff White People Like purchased by Target

What a coincidence. That's exactly what Walmart does. That's why they are building 3 stores within 10 miles of each other. How interesting that it is good business when Trader Joes does it, but some think it evil when Walmart does it.

Come on, crunch. You know what a homer is. A hometowner. You're a Houston homer, too.

My friends do not attribute the poor architecture in Houston to me just because I live here. They would never say, "What the hell is that 'thing' on top of yall's Embassy Suites?" Instead, they would say, "What the hell is that 'thing' you are wearing, Red?" My friends are like that. They attribute to me those things that I control, and attribute to others those things that others control. Your friends are wierd.

Oh, but I do plead guilty to being a Houston homer. Quite proud of it, actually. And, it has nothing to do with buildings or developers, and much more to do with people like Niche and crunchtastic and Porchman...people with brains and opinions based on information and knowledge, as opposed to myths and urban legends...that live in this great burg.

Boy, you missed me by a mile, but I'll let you run with it. FWIW, I am not defending the crappy Embassy Suites hotel, merely stating that it is not unlike any other city's crap, such as the picture of the one in Atlanta that I posted. Further, one 19 story building has no effect on Houston's reputation. And, further still, I am actually mocking the lack of architectural knowledge of the other posters, not bragging on my own. Not that any of this matters. It's not like internet opinions of me or you matter in real life...

Perhaps because no one is sure they agree with you. There are 3 tallish buildings under construction in downtown currently, and 2 get high marks. Yet, you focus one the one that may or may not be attractive (it is currently shrouded in tarps), and declare "Houston" bad/mediocre. You, like a few others on here, have a nagging habit of complaining about one building, then suddenly making a giant leap and exclaim that all of Houston sucks. Then, you'll throw in a blanket statement that Dallas, Atlanta or Chicago doesn't suck...without giving examples...and wonder why Houston can't be like them. Truth is, if you nitpicked those cities and skylines like you did your own, THEY would suck as well. Your problem is that you are simply a downer. You look for reasons to be disappointed, and it is not hard to find them in any city. Every city is full of forgettable architecture, but you only look for it in your own hometown. Sounds like you spend too much time on Skyscraper Page. Let's see some examples, so we can keep score.

Have you ever shopped at Kroger at 11th in the middle of the night? I have. How about Walmart? I have. There's one clerk on duty, and that clerk is just a stocker assigned to check out the occasional customer. There is never more than a handful of people in the store other than employees. And, wouldn't traffic on empty streets in the middle of the night be preferable to clogging roads at 5 pm?

Why is the Mayor giving 'unwavering support' to a group dedicated to knocking down an inner loop residence just to build a new one, while telling me that I cannot do the same?

Yes, since the self-anointed arbiters of taste and history have decided that the process of actually getting their neighbors to agree that a neighborhood should be designated historic is too much work, they are changing the rule to ONE PERSON living in the neighborhood may start the application process. No collective wish of the neighbors, no sense of community...one person starts it, and the rest get a postcard.

No, it is really not an issue of democracy, and it is not a constitutional taking, despite your attempt to call it one. The tax incentives being negotiated are in return for infrastructure improvements to City infrastructure. There are no offers of taxpayer money to improve the private land or to help "cram" a Walmart onto a 15 acre lot (for those unfamiliar with what 15 acres looks like, that is 653,400 square feet, or the size of 4 standard Houston Heights blocks). The City is in a financial bind, and doesn't have money to spare to upgrade the infrastructure that it normally provides its taxpayers, including those who will provide roughly $700,000 in annual taxes to city coffers. In situations like these, it is common for the city to reimburse developers for paying for the upgrades themselves in the form of reduced taxes for a set period of time. If you had offered to repave the street in front of your house, the city would have entertained tax incentives for you as well. You are correct that the city owes Ainbinder nothing. You would also have been correct if you had pointed out that Ainbinder owes the city no upgraded streets in front of his development, either. This is a mutual discussion between the two entities that benefits both. The city gets new streets that it otherwise would have had to issue bonds to upgrade, and Ainbinder gets new streets now, instead of in 10 years or so, when the city can afford it. Since you insist on using the 'cramming' argument, I might point out that this land was previously an industrial site, housing a steel plant. The plant was not only served by a railroad, but dozens of semi-trailers, more than would ever visit the Walmart. But, you were OK with a steel factory "less than a mile" from a school. I fail to see what a store selling school supplies would hurt. Besides, a high volume Target down the street is only .7 miles from a school, and I've yet to hear you complain about it. While there is some vocal opposition from a rather small segment of one neighborhood, you ignore the support of many others in that same neighborhood, plus many other neighborhoods in the area. And, it must be noted that the proposed Walmart is not even going to be located in the Heights. Just how much weight should your complaints be given when you live over 2 miles away? I live less than a mile from the site, and you seem to think my views carry no weight. And when are you going to provide support for the outrageous claims you make? Yes, the community has a seat at the table...ALL of the community. EDIT: Oh, almost forgot to point out that there is a Walmart on FM 1960 on a 384,000 square foot site...41% SMALLER than the Yale site.

Ahh, Rambo's Niteclub. Brings back memories of Morris Day doing The Bird. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pV_peqFmXM&feature=related

Umm...ever heard of cleaning crews?

It is actually a gut cinch that this place goes under. It is even designed to go under. They open with a splash, rake in the cash from the see and be seen crowd, and once they move on, shut down and re-tool. This happens in every trendy club. The only questions are what date does it close and what does it become.

Too late, already been done. Check out Pearl Bar.

Yep. Only Buckhead could get an Embassy Suites as cool as this... BTW, does Los Angeles even HAVE a downtown?

Jensen at Burnett.

The Houston Press seems to be agreeing with those of us who don't believe the Walmart will change anything in the Heights. http://www.houstonpress.com/2010-07-15/news/battle-in-the-heights/

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7555265 Interesting...

I suppose if you set your mind to it, you can convince yourself of anything. The Sawyer Target development, which is much larger than the proposed Walmart development, is situated on a 2 lane road (expanded to 4 lanes right in front of the development), yet no one has a problem with traffic. Studewood is 4 lanes, but is a major thoroughfare that becomes extremely congested at Washington and I-10, yet the suggestion is that no one would complain of a Walmart there. The Yale location fronts a 4 lane road, with an additional 4 lane road only 1 block away, yet traffic will be a nightmare. No traffic counts are provided to supoort this claim, no traffic studies have yet been completed, but these aposters are SURE that traffic will be terrible. Knowing that the City will not deny Walmart on false traffic claims, and City Council is FAR more interested in the increase in property taxes from the current $80,000 per year to the future $200,000 per year, in addition to the 1% sales tax on $50 million in annual sales, or $500,000, I am confident that there is a local neighborhood Walmart in my future. The industrial look architecture sounds interesting, the repaved streets in and around the store sounds good, and knowing that I can load up on hurricane supplies at one store a mile away sounds great. I'm thinking the Walmart opponents better start asking for extra trees in the parking lot, because this store is getting built.