The Great Hizzy!

Semipro is Schleprock. Take it with a grain of salt.

Anyway, I was think the same location as 19514. That seems like a very good location for a hotel because you're not all that far from MMP, the theater district, the bar district and the upper end of the skyline district (where the larger offices are located).

I could see a 30-35 story Sheraton-type hotel on the block. Would be cool if it included residential units.

I've been hearing and reading about that more and more lately, H-town Man. Thanks for the link.

I admit that I might have the length wrong... but I do remember reading articles after the decision on the 2010 SB was made and how Huizenga had guaranteed the use of yachts to all the owners. John McClain from the Chronicle even joked about it, saying that Bob McNair said afterwards that if he'd known "Wayne" was going to do that, that he would've offered up some of those big, obnoxious bass fishing boats out on Lake Conroe.

Personally, I have no problem with Miami hosting every three or four years, given the climate, amenities and the fact that it's a hot tourist spot, but they really need to eventually fall back into a sensible rotation of about five or six locations, including Tampa, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, New Orleand and maybe one of Dallas or Atlanta... I can see a bit of trepidation about Dallas and Atlanta only because there's more of a chance to see snow and ice in those places, like with the 2000 SB.

Ah well. People will flock to wherever the play the game because it's a social event regardless. I mean, if you can have a successful SB week in Jax (waay too small) and Det (waay to cold and waay to lacking in infrastructure), then you should be able to hold it anywhere, frankly.

I'd agree... I don't think it's ever fair to judge a large scale development, with several pieces required to fulfill its promise, until everything is in place. Same could be said about Atlantic Station in Atlanta. Given what was in the area beforehand (such as, empty parcels, vacant warehouses and the like) there's going to be a certain level of blahness to the landscape and this may affect the initial emotional/psychological impact of the asthetics of the project itself from a design standpoint.

That said, I really don't like the design of the plaza itself. Seems to have sort of a new age brutalist feel to it, to me. Maybe more landscaping will cheer things up but it does look like the contemporary inklings of some communist block project.

Single family homes... interesting. I wonder if they'll be in the same vein as the new single family homes going up in NE and SE Houston--that is, moderately priced three and four bedroom homes for around $110,000.

There's a good chance that the SB will be in Arlington in 2011 and in Indianapolis in 2012 (or vice versa). "Ability to host the SB" has nothing to do with it. These decisions were made as rewards/payoffs for those communities forking over money to build new stadiums. The SB won't be back in SD for the foreseeable future because Qualcomm Stadium is old and the owner there wants a new stadium, so the NFL is using their ability to keep the SB away as "blackmail" so to speak in getting SD officials to pony up some dough.

The setup for the SB in Houston is excellent, without debate. But I wouldn't expect Houston to see another one until around 2013 or 2014 at the earliest. BTW, New Orleans probably won't see another one until the league feels comfortable with a) the idea that the Saints really are staying, b.) the economy/crime/infrastructure is a more stable and c) upgrades to the Superdome (that were made last year after Katrina) are deemed acceptable (before Katrina, the NFL had already said the equivalent of no new SBs to NOLA until the Superdome was revitalized, as per owner Tom Benson's wishes).

So, it's really politics, when you get down to it. Do you know that Wayne Huizenga, in part of his pitch to land SB 44 in 2010, promised each owner a 20-foot yacht or some such crap for a full week?

Politics, baby.

I mostly agree with Dal's post. You have to really establish a bonafide neighborhood, one that is enduring and not the beholden to the social whims of a populace that may or may not have any vested interest in it beyond their occasional patronage of some restaurant or store. You want a seven day a week pulse from morning to at least midnight. It's difficult to ask the population at large to flock to downtown on a whim at 9:30 PM on Tuesday when they don't live there (after a long day's work, people want to get home).

Heck, even if we were to finally reach that 10,000 persons living downtown mark, that would be a great start to things, and I don't see it as being so difficult once you find someone who is willing to invest in the creation of a residential property that has the middle-income person/couple/family in mind. This is Houston... there's quiet a bit of incentive to live in areas inside the loop for $350,000 rather than a small, boxy unit downtown or midtown for the same price. Until developers start to understand that... we're going to struggle to get those areas (in particular) to reach their potential.

Good work. Love the frog pics, man!

Signs, lights and landscaping aside, the true character of the Washington Ave Corrdior will most likely be dictated by what developments spring up on the empty/gutted lots still in existence as well as the quality of the retail outlets that replace the long since defunct parcels that once occupied those older structures, especially east of Montrose.

I agree. The used car lots cheapen what is otherwise a pretty bustling area of the city. Evidence that 10-plus years of gentrification and renewal still haven't completely transformed the area.

That said, I like what 11th Street from Shepherd to Studewood is becoming.

I think there are quite a few good residential mods in places like Ayrshire, Braeswood and Cambridge Green, and I agree a drive down Bluebonnet would yield some good results.

If you want to see massive abuse... just remove the barriers and watch the calamity ensue. Miami's got a massive problem with diamond lane abuse, mainly because there's not much to stop people from crossing back and forth as it fits them, and this is even with Florida Highway Patrol posted every couple of miles.

That said, the reversible HOV lane is often a pain when there's an accident or a stall. Hopefully the new Katy Freeway double lanes will yield better results.

Interesting! More investigative work for me!

There are indeed some icons along the corridor (unfortunately, some of them, like the Pig Stand, are closing or have already closed). OTOH, it's developing a new, funky type of urbanity--far from perfect but certainly nothing text book. I'd like to see the city step up and redo the street and the sidewalks from about Sawyer to T.C. Jester (which has already been planned but has yet to really get kicking). A design similar to Almeda in Third Ward would be cool, IMO. Meanwhile, the roundabout at Washington and Westcott (WOW) is finally starting to see the finishing touches to its landscaping.

So all in all, the future still looks very good.

Unfortunately, the old Raddison will still be plagued by the intrustive, whirling exit ramp from the Sam Houston Tollway to the Katy Freeway. Talk about your obstructed views!

Nevertheless, good to hear more about those redevelopment plans moving forward. It had been kind of quiet on that front for about a year or so.

no f'n way anyone in their right mind would put another apartment complex in here. there are SO many empty units already.

now, if it's retail, that might not be so bad. i could use a "new" grocery store i could walk to.

if it's a liquor store, corner store, and borrow money store... not so much...

So true. IF is at a point where the expansion of quality retail is vital to helping it return to some of its old glory. A liquor store--even if it's a Spec's--is basically another hand swiping at the last legs of credibility on which it has to stand.

All that said, IF still has some of the best natural beauty of any neighborhood in Houston, IMO.

For whatever reason, people just haven't taken to the 18 Kirby. Thus, METRO hasn't been very aggressive about running bus service along the Kirby Corridor, including through the Village. Nevertheless, I agree that the service still sucks and I tend to think the general affluence of the communities lining the northern 2/3 of the strip are the types to use rail transit long before bus transit (if they were to even use public transit at all).

Yeah, I noticed on Sunday that there's definitely been some digging around, and it looks like a specific plot has been outlined. I have no idea what it's for, though.

You can't exactly cite TheNiche as a source of your information to a lender/broker/your boss, as the case may be.

The Who... ?

That seems surpisingly fast to me, but as I said, I really don't know. Can mid-rises be built that fast? I'm certain high-rises cannot be. But I also don't know if there are any mid or high-rises included in the 13,000 + number.

8-10 months seems a little fast to me as well but I'm also assuming projects with a minimum of 300-plus units. Perhaps smaller projects would fit into Gary's estimated timeframe. For your average 300-unit or more project, I'd figure more along the lines of 12-15 months, depending on height and amenities.

Outstanding.

Very well said, Rantanamo.

Unfortunately, as far as Westchase goes, the intersection of Briar Forest @ Wilcrest has seen a very significant increase in crime, especially east of Wilcrest. It has also seen some of the apartment complexes in that area take on some of the low maintenance, ghettofabulous qualities that have affected some complexes in Fondren Southwest and Sharpstown over the last twenty years.

The good news is that further west along Briarforest, at Kirkwood, it seems as if property owners are trying to nip the potential problem in the bud before it gains any more momentum. A couple of complexes are undergoing renovations, which might affective not only the quality of the property longterm but the quality of its tenants as well. We'll see, though.

Well, there has been some light digging at the site for a few months but nothing big enough to infer anything concrete. I've not seen the latest of what you've seen as of yet so I'll have to take the time today (hopefully) to snoop around.

Sure would be nice, though, if the Chronicle had a more dedicated real estate column and poked around.