The Great Hizzy!

Speaking of Applebee's (well not really but kind of), I saw that one of their main competitors, TGI Friday's, has reacted to Applebee's latest expansion effort by changing the marquee on their buildings. Kind of funny. Considering that the handful of good dishes that TGIF DID serve some years ago have been replaced by carbon copy concotions found at any other type of franchise grill, I don't see who they think they're really fooling.

The question, in my mind is: what type of park are we talking about? A simple neighborhood park with a playground, basketball court, racquetball/tennis? Or a grand urban park with water falls, outdoor plazas, statuary and what have you. I think neighborhood parks would seem to be more of a priority because those of the type of parks that are used more often than not. A grand urban park can be a showplace for an area but how many of those do you need in a city of xxx size before it's overkill. For example, do we need three or four more Herman Parks inside the Loop? I wonder if that would be taking it a bit too far. I will say, however, that I think Third Ward and the East End could both stand to see at least one good urban park each and probably three or four more neighborhood parks. I can't think of many notable parks east of downtown and inside the Loop besides MacGregor in Riverside and John T. Mason in the East End. I realize that there are a handful of neigborhood parks but I'm talking about large, full service type parks. Given the number of bayous that meander throughout the east and southeast sides, it would seem that more bayou fronting park land could be developed.

^^^^ LOL

Sorry, but Skyscraper city is so irrationally pro-urbanity that you can't have a serious discussion about the overall nature of cities. I like the fact that people are passionate about creating quality urban spaces but when you become so passionate about it that you're irrational about ALL facets of a city (including your own), I can't take your discussion/points-of-view seriously. Skyscraper Page is bad about it as well but I think there's a bit more give there. Skyscraper city, however, is all-controversy, all-confrontation, all the time. Anyone who drives an SUV is the devil, anyone who doesn't want to live in a mult-unit dwelling that's attached on all sides to other units and has little to no available parking an is flanked on all sides by wide sidewalks is unenlightened and a suburban-minded neanderthal. I mean... really. Give me a break. For example, I love Chicago's Loop and Nearside neighborhoods but there are several aspects to the city that turn me off as well but it seems no one is willing to talk about any of those because it has a great skyline and it has an abundance of classic urban neighborhoods. Meanwhile, someone mentions... oh, Atlanta, for example... and it doesn't matter what positives are there, there will be a long line of people who will ridicule it to death because it wasn't built up at the same time your older midwest and east coast cities were built up. It gets old. As for the poll, I like what Wayne and Garret have both done with HAIF and Dallas Metropolis. You can have contrasting viewpoints and still have some prayer of reaching an understanding of those viewpoints.

A couple of movies: 1) There's a Burt Reynolds movie from the 80s called "The Man Who Loved Women" or something like that, and in one of the scenes, he comes accross the eccentric Kim Bassinger, a Texan from Houston, on a visit to Houston. You can see a police officer giving Bassinger a ticket on Memorial Drive between downtown and I would guess it's Waugh Drive. You can see the America Tower in the background. 2) "Jason's Lyric" starring Jada Pinkett and Allen Payne. Urban love story set and filmed in Houston. Lots of charming scenes of the surrounding meadows and pine forests as well. 3) The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, has several Houston skyline shots as a lead in to scenes of Dom DeLuise (playing hall of fame KTRK News personality Marvin Zindler) doing his "show." For hose of you who aren't familiar with the movie, it's a film version of an actual incident between Zindler and the sheriff of a small Texas town, who allowed a full-fledged cat house to exist. Members of the 1975 Texas A&M Aggie football team were said to have been some of their notable clients--that is, until KTRK's Zindler called attention to it.

I can verify that the Midtown Randall's does pretty good business during the middle of the day (saym, 9:00 AM to about 5:00 PM). Lots of downtown and Midtown workers go there for lunch and surprisingly, a lot of the local residents choose that time to do their shopping. They also appear to be fairly busy on Saturday afternoons. Frankly, from what I've seen, there are a lot of grocery stores that are pretty empty after nine o'clock in the evening. There's a Randall's near my cousin's off Fry Road in Katy and that place is almost always empty. Same with the Fiesta on Hwy 6 @ Clay Road near my girlfriend's place.

On one end of Main Street, you've got people breathing scented oxygen, on the other end you've got people tasting flavored tobacco through a straw. Trendy, trendy, trendy...

You mean the lot across from the West Building, on the west side of Main Street? If you are, I heard that it was going to be filled in by a parking garage with some street level retail. I remember the original structure being torn down DURING Super Bowl week. Otherwise, I don't have a clue.

There sure is. And I think 27 makes a good point. Psychologically, people tend to shut off additions if they're hidden behind an established structure or unit. If you're just browsing, you may not think enough to keep moving through a store and around display cases, registers and whatnot. You may just decide that the mall is "over" and turn back around. I think you could still do it but you would probably need to change the configuration of Neiman Marcus as well.

Yeah, that parking lot continues to look cheaper and cheaper with each month that passes by. It doesn't help that the owners of the Montague Hotel don't seem to care one way or another about the appearance of that area. People go into that Hard Hat Deli and they leave paper from in front of that door to down both Fannin and Rusk in both directions. I realize that a lot of construction crew is in that area but still... you're running a business. Funny how one or two buildings can have a prominent affect on the rest of the immediate surroundings. I agree about 1111 Rusk (as well as the notorious West Bldg). The Stowers Marketplace, however, could be a catalyst in revitalizing a handful of blocks in that area.

Yeah, as much as I like the concept and the vision, it seems that the ground level retails asthetics is missing something. It's not unattractive but it seems rather generic. Then again, it's just a model. It could look like anything once the renovations are done and they sign actual tenants.

Jefe sucks. People I've talked to who go there say that they don't ever feel like it's set up to have any staying power. It's like the owner runs a name out there six months to a year, does some "light" renovations to the interior and then closes up only to change again with a new gimmick and name (which might explain why they never do any work to the upstairs or put up any longterm signange/marquees).

We can only hope...

The people who didn't want to sell (and began promoting the Third Ward Is My Home And Is Not For Sale campaign) were people who lived in the more prosperous areas of Third Ward, where 95% of the redevelopment efforts were/are not taking place. Developers weren't looking to buy and convert homes south of Alabama Street, as most of the homes in that area are old but in pretty good shape and the residents earn pretty good incomes. North of Alabama and on up to Elgin, however, where many old homes lay abandoned or are in horrible condition are the ones that were/are being purchased or sought for purchase. I agree that given the condition of THOSE neighborhoods, I don't see why you'd not sell if you owned the property and it's falling apart anyway. But hey, it's their prerogative. Greystone, If I might make a suggestion, since you're considering moving from your current neighborhood, maybe you could find something reasonable along Almeda, north of McGregor Drive and west of the South Freeway (288). There are many apartments, duplexes and so forth that are for rent in that area and many UH/Rice/TSU students take advantage of 'em. Obviously, I'm not talking about the new units being built left and right but there are several older structures that are pretty good shape and have pretty good landlords.

I agree. Unless the lighting and sheetmetal are provocative, the building isn't all that distinguishable. But I didn't expect the design to be eccentric anyway, which, overall is probably a good thing.

I think this is good for Cabo LP overall as now they can focus on their downtown location. Maybe they could do okay in the Med Center depending on how they brand it and where they locate it. Of course, this would assume that they get their finances together and are on solid footing in the future.

Nice day. Good pics. From what were you graduating, Mancuso?

What?! Tam, you're gonna take that!

Clear skies, 68-degrees and, minus the construction, downtown looked lovely and active this afternoon (and why wouldn't it? Get out of your office buildings, you slaves!!). Too bad I've had one meeting after another since about 12:00. I saw a lot of people walking their dogs during lunch. That's always nice.

Says the server is going through maintenance. It'll probably be back online by Monday (I'm only guessing).

I agree. In many ways, I think newer growth cities like San Diego, Denver and Los Angeles (I know, I know, but it's new relative to the older northern cities) are starting to get it.

The fact that it is a finalist is a good thing, regardless. Say that Tampa or Atlanta were to be chosen, that would give Houston a stronger stake in the 2010 or 2011 game. However, 2009 has been stated as a likely date for the game to return to Houston. The Chronicle's John McClain (the Chron's lead NFL journalist) has stated this repeatedly since the SB ended earlier this year.

I remember watching a PBS documentary a few months ago and they were talking about the search for alternative fuels for future energy consumption and one sobering comment I heard came from an executive for one of the oil distributors (can't remember if it was BP or the company that owns Sunoco). He said (not verbatim), "The energy companies aren't dumb. We realize that oil will be a tenuous commodity and it could become more expensive to drill for it than it would be profitable to sell it to the public. Who can afford $5 a gallon at the pump 20 years from now? So we need to look at other options but the federal government is acting as if only the oil companies have a responsibility in this. Where is the government support for this? We haven't seen it." That really is scary when the government (if true) has a hands-off approach to this issue.

I would also think having the number on them would allow the proper authority to get in touch with them so that they can levy fines. Sadly, I'm hearing that bandit signs are now becoming a problem in Florida, especially in Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

97.9 is still The Box.