RedScare

They say the building would stand 260 feet above grade, “casting an enormous shadow over dozens of surrounding homes and blocking sun and rain from reaching the yards of neighboring properties.” The building would “make it impossible for certain of the plaintiffs to maintain their gardens,” as well as affect the privacy of the homeowners.

Sounds like s3mh is their lawyer.   

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24342-construction-at-11-12th-and-studemont/page-3

Houston has had plenty of pretty plans that haven't happened (e.g., Astroworld site redevelopment, Hardy Yards). When one reads more of the detail of this "plan", one sees how unlikely this plan is to come to fruition. Head scratchers include luxury retail anchored by Sears and JCPenney; and a gondola!

I predict that both Astroworld AND Hardy Yards will be redeveloped within 30 years.

And, Houston will do it without zoning!

Is a plan that never comes to fruition better than no plan at all?

Pretty impressive vision. Wish we could get plans of that magnitude here in Houston.

Break out your pencils and draw one then. No one said that those buildings would be constructed. That is simply a drawing of what it COULD look like in 20 or 30 years IF developers all followed one person's idea of what buildings should be built in what locations. It is a safe bet that it will never look like that.

Nooo! They can't destroy that beautiful specimen of Soviet era architecture!

Eminent domain? Who knows.

Actually, pretty much everyone should know, since eminent domain is the taking of land by GOVERNMENT. This property is owned by private individuals.

You should probably go to post #1 to find the answer to your question.

They might just go to nosy neighbor's house and look that way. But, realistically, no one cares about the back of your house. I'm not even sure that HAHC would care about windows back there. They are obsessed with the front, and a little bit of the sides.

On a side note, I am watching a neighbor completely redo his hideous looking house with even more hideous looking windows and hardie siding. It is hilarious, as there is no way that any of this could have gone through HAHC or permitting. No one on our street is a snitch, so it keeps going up, but we all gather in a neighbor's yard and laugh at it each evening.

which is why my window may or may not miraculously change over the weekend...  got it.

That would be my recommendation. Black market renovations are the only way around a capricious and arbitrary governmental commission. If you get caught, plead ignorance. Even s3mh got it wrong. The usual punishment is to go through the HAHC, and they usually approve, rather than make you tear it out.

This is rediculous.  I think the new slogan should be   "HAHC wants to kill Polar Bears"

 

 

(my gross exaggeration is almost as rediculous as the HAHC)

 

s3mh,   you can make them better for sure (as I have done on several of my current house's and my brother's old bungalow), but compared to new windows... not even close.  It is laughable that you even think it is comparable.  I have 20 windows in my 1300 sq. ft house... one of them being ~ 8' tall by 10' wide.  This one was added at some point (probably in the 50-60s judging by its style).  If I was in the district, would I need to get a COA to replace that one?  I also have several triple windows  (three windows in one set with the middle being slightly bigger) that are orginal.  These are the kinds of windows that would greatly benefit from upgrading.  Yes you can (and I do) use thermal curtains and have blinds and etc., but now in a roundabout way i'm being told how to decorate...

If you were in the HD, you would be told that you cannot replace that window at all.

If you are able to convince the HAHC that the 8x10 window was added later, and as such is not original, you might be able to return to original. However, they don't just take your word for it. You need proof, such as old photos.

Translation:  Can't answer the question, avoid the issue with a snarky remark. 

 

But, I am serious.  It is very much possible to reconstruct the old windows.  The HAHC and the ordinance make a compromise and allows people to just put in a new wood window when the old window has rotted away.  But if the only reason for replacing the old windows is that you want better performing new windows, then you will have to get a COA and show that there is no difference in the appearance of the new windows. 

You may be serious, but you are seriously wrong.

The HAHC makes NO compromises. The proposed compromise from Gaffrick was that old windows could be replaced with new ones that look the same. However, the HAHC now does not approve replacement windows unless the old window cannot be repaired. That is not a compromise. That is tightening the screws.

Further, your belief that one can simply replace a rotted window without a CoA is laughably wrong. NOTHING can be done to the house without a CoA. Replacement of a rotted window must be approved. Of course, it likely won't be, but you have to ask. The only thing that does not require a CoA is having old windows rehabbed or repaired. Replacement requires a CoA.

As for my translation, there was no question that I was answering. I was comparing your "it could have been worse" comment to the choice between two miserable options. But, you do not seem to have the logic skills to get my comparison, just as you do not seem to understand what HAHC has done to the historic ordinance.

They could require you to rebuild rotten windows to be identical to the originals.  

Translation: You think living in Russia is bad? We could force you to live in China, instead!

We will be travelling back to Houston this week for some reminiscing.  Does anyone remember the location where Confetti's was?  Also, does anyone remember an upscale disco near Greens Road?  

Confetti was in the Galleria area south of the mall on Alabama. It was where the Roxy is located now.

Impressive editing! I expect a full length feature film soon, maybe documenting the struggle against the oppressive government and its moles!

That is pretty funny.

Some are easily amused, I suppose.

No zoning really causes residents and business to fight each other. Why can't they (patrons) just come and go peacefully. 

Really? Now no zoning is the cause of loud drunks? 

I think I have now heard it all.

And you'll find the same sort of disputes raging in cities with zoning...

I know, but since this person was blaming a noisy bar on lack of zoning, I doubted she would get that point.

No,

Not a Texan...

Clearly. But, you don't seem to be complaining about padding your bank account with Texas earned money while complaining about stupid Texans.

By the way, we are stupid Houstonians. The rest of the state has the zoning that you prefer...and that we Houstonians have specifically rejected. More than once.

Exactly. Look at the rendering in the article. Now, imagine that bus with steel wheels instead of rubber. Boom. You got rail. This plan sets aside the ROW for rail but puts BRT in there while waiting for rail funding. This is what should be done on the U-Line as well. Take the funding that is available for BRT, set the ROW up for rail, and when the time is right, convert to rail.

Shame there is no zoning..Stupid Texans!

Hmm...and you'd like sympathy from me? 

Good luck.

Need more exclamation points for effect.

I just do not know why you get all flustered when your posts get taken down by the admins.  I am fine if you want to throw insults in every post in response to anything I say.  Just don't whine and pretend that you are not dong what you are doing.

Would you like to respond to the poster who completely eviscerated your post?

Crazy to see Sue Lovell, who was instrumental in shoving this ordinance through, now claiming that it isn't being used correctly.

I was at the forum at which Pluckers was discussed and the whole idea that Pluckers is going in Harold's is a great example of a game of Telephone. The guy said that he drove his friends who own Pluckers around Houston and that they "got the Heights". He did not say that they had definitively leased a space - the closest reference was that they might be interested in 19th and Shepard. 

nclux, I don't think you realize who you are dealing with. s3mh is never wrong. If he says Pluckers is going in, it is going in. Just like that Walmart that everyone thought was going in on Yale...oh, wait.

Man, I can't believe Petco backed out. Midtown needs a pet store badly.

You probably do not realize this, but you need a Mattress Firm more badly than a Pet store. I didn't realize how empty my life was until the MF opened near me in the Heights.