Jesse

Yikes, sorry. Not always easy typing from a phone. The Irving, TX headquarters are not moving to the new Woodlands campus, which was formally announced this morning. Expected move-in date is 2014, with full occupancy expected by 2015. There will be a gym, childcare center, and multiple dining options. Floor to ceiling windows, flexible workspaces, and a large welcome center will also be included. Only about half of the 385 acres will be developed.

Irving not moving Start in 2014, full occupancy in 2015 Gym, childcare, multiple dining options

IT'S OFFICIAL

swamplot has some info

Are you double-posting on swamplot?

All of them.

Dilapidated buildings Serious safety concerns/issues in Greenspoint Skyrocketing rent costs for leased buildings Security issues & costs with so many individual buildings in high-traffic urban areas Transportation costs for employees to attend meetings all over town Inefficient workspaces Need for technologically up-to-date infrastructure etc

ExxonMobil has offices in a few DOZEN countries. I think they're ok with not having senior management of the corporation within spitting distance of all 90,000 employees.

Think they'd give him a cost of living adjustment? There's a nice 2/1 Bungalow down the street from me for sale... I should email him the listing. I bet he'd love it!

Nah. I could easily see they consolidating all of the scientists, business folks, etc to the new campus, but keeping Senior Management separated up in Dallas. Corporate structure is set up so that there's really no need for 99.9% of the workforce to interact with the highest-ups. Word on the street is it's all but a done deal

Don't Wallyworlds usually have a McDonalds in them?

Dunno. You can usually smell it before you see it though. *vom*

I thought there was a Subway there already... just a few doors south of Kroger. Am I making that up?

Must be an inside job! They've got someone working at TXDOT! :-)

http://swamplot.com/studewood-place-some-new-building-behind-the-11th-st-someburger/2011-01-25/ From Swamplot's article: "They’re planning a cast-in-place concrete structure with an all- or mostly masonry exterior, containing apartments or condos and “some retail.” Also included: some multi-level parking and some “really cool green space.” Car entrances will be on both Studewood and 11th 1/2. The architect is from San Antonio; a local historical consultant is working to make sure the design is what the developer considers “period appropriate.” The long-vacant site is the former home of the Globe Laundry; the new project is registered under TCEQ’s Dry Cleaner Remediation Program, which the developer says doesn’t appear to require any solvent cleanup on the site. Vita Nuova plans to put a sign up soon announcing more details in the next 30 days."

Utter nonsense. Most Dr's these days are actually put out of business by a single lawsuit, if the malpractice premiums don't get them first.

Can someone please explain to me what is so terrible about caring about what goes on in my neighborhood? I hate how the anti-Walmart or anti-developers on this thread are being attacked and forced to defend themselves about traffic, construction, etc etc etc.. Shouldn't the burden of proof be on the developer to prove how their proposed impact will be mitigated? Traffic studies, drainage studies, input from the nearby residents and businesses, etc. This information should be INDEPENDANT from any 380 agreements, tax incentives, etc. Furthermore, many of the pro-Walmart or pro-developer comments recently reek of hypocracy (not calling you out specifically samagon, just continuing a thought here). They're calling people out on NIMBY. Ok, so say I wanted to build a 30 story highrise literally next door to you. I'm guessing you probably wouldn't like that. Ok, so how about 2 houses away? Still no? How about 10 houses? What is the exact distance at which I'm allowed to call you a snob since it's no longer in your backyard? If we can establish that, then I'll draw a circle around the proposed Walmart site, and everyone outside of that area can leave the discussion. Does that work for you? I have a funny feeling many of the more vocal folks on this board would be outside of that radius.

From 610 to the train tracks, Yale is exactly 2 lanes each direction. From the train tracks to Washington, Yale is 3 lanes Southbound and 1 lane Northbound. South of Washington Yale goes from 4 lanes, to 3, to 2, back up to 3 as it merges with Waugh at Memorial. The traffic light on Yale at Washington actually allows quite a few cars through, as it is 3 lanes wide. Northbound from Washington (either East or West) is another story - as a few of us mentioned a few posts ago, Eastbound has an unprotected left turn that's only green when oncoming traffic (W on Washinton) has a green light as well. Westbound on Washington has a single right turn (or right on red) onto the 1-lane (at that point) Yale.

{Emphasis Added} Pro-Walmart or Anti-Walmart, I don't think anyone can say with certainty that they know what will or will not have an effect on traffic until it's actually built. True?

If you're going to take a shot at me while responding to someone else's post, the least you can do is address the points I've made, instead of totally ignoring them. Or do you agree with what I said? It's hard to tell since you ignore what I say but continue to put words in my mouth. I think there will be increased traffic in the area due to a combination of the new feeder roads/exits and a major retail shopping center.

In my explaination I did show how his initial mention of Memorial could be totally valid: I-10 East, Exit Yale South, Left onto Memorial East into Downtown. Maybe people will choose Yale because it's one of the few N/S streets that avoids the train crossing. Or, as you said yourself, to save time getting downtown. Aren't we arguing the same thing on that point? I'm saying that extra lights on Yale will slow down existing traffic even more. I didn't say gridlock, so please don't put those words in my mouth. Yale and Heights might be a total of 8 lanes, but that's somewhat misleading since there are only a total of 4 lanes in each direction. Saying that Taylor is 2 lanes while Heights + Yale is 8 is misleading. Keep in mind too that Heights (2) + Yale (2/3, depending on where you look close to Washington) COMBINE into 3 lanes as you approach Memorial/Allen Parkway. So its a more complicated issue arguing that Yale and Heights can both be used to funnel traffic into downtown, as they'll only pull traffic off I-10 faster but said traffic will just combine again a few blocks South. Gee, I really wish there were a traffic study done on this area. /sidenote So, one more time, please do not put words in my mouth. I did not claim that everyone else is looking for shortcuts. I'm happy to discuss this further, but only if you're going to be respectful of what I say, since I am being respectful of your comments. And, as a resident of the area in question, I do look for shortcuts. And I know that today, during the evening rush hour, there aren't many. There are a few trains that regularly cross around 5pm or 6pm, which temporarily shuts down Shepherd, Heights, and Taylor. Yale and Studewood are the only alternatives in that proximity. Studewood is generally fine, though with the I-10 construction (and Party Boy, ugh!) it's been a mess recently. Yale is nasty, since going Northbound you can only get to it from: 1) Washington Eastbound, in which case you have a 1 lane left turn going into 1 lane Northbound, followed immediately by a traffic light (at Center); or 2) Washington Westbound, with 1 right lane turning right, followed immediately by a traffic light (at Center). Don't think of turning North on Heights from Washington Eastbound, since there's no left turn allowed. Taking the Northbound Waugh route from Memorial/Allen Parkway/Downtown? Prepare to either turn left onto Washington and then right on Yale (see point #2 above), or go straight on Heights, possibly hitting the train, traffic light at Center, traffic light at I-10, or construction at I-10. Or the traffic light on the Westbound feeder of I-10. Gee, I really wish there were a traffic study done on this area. /sidenote My point here is that there aren't a lot of good ways to get mass amounts of people out of downtown to the N or NW without going on 45. You quickly get shoved onto streets, and for anyone living in the Heights, Garden Oaks, or pretty much anywhere in the NW quadrant of the city, you end up dealing with a lot of congestion. My personal feeling is that adding traffic lights on Yale will increase the congestion in that area (isn't that the area we've been discussing for the past 1226 (!!!!!!) posts?). Adding exits off I-10 for Yale, Heights, etc will take some of those cars off the streets, and add some others. What's the net effect? Nobody knows (Gee, I really wish there were a traffic study done on this area. /sidenote). My personal belief is that the net effect will be more cars in the Heights/Yale/Washington region due to the added exits. Add in a large retail center, and you draw more cars to the area (if that weren't true, nobody would build a retail center anywhere, right?). That's my $0.02. Feel free to discuss. But quote carefully - I do not wish to be misrepresented or misquoted anymore.

He probably meant via Washington. I-10 East, exit Yale. South to Washington, Washington East into Downtown. And vise-versa. Makes sense, since Washington is wider than Yale, and skips the CF that is the I-10/45-S interchange. Or I-10 East, exit Yale. South to Memorial or Allen Parkway East into Downtown. Same reasons. With or without Walmart, adding an exit off I-10 at Yale will significantly increase traffic on Yale, of this I think we can all agree. Adding traffic lights on Yale between I-10 and Washington will slow down those added cars. Again - I don't see how anyone could argue that a new red light or two would speed things up. Adding a retail center there will take some cars off the road, while adding others. Net effect? Who knows. My opinion is it's going to be real messy.

Yale already sucks between 5-6. Oops I mean 4-7. Oops I mean 7am-9am and 4pm-7pm. Also, I dare the Mayor to drive Yale with a cup of coffee and NOT spill it all over herself. It's gotta be one of the bumpiest roads in the city.

Jesus christ. How many times must we go in circles? The information in the article was accurate when I posted it. That's it. However you want to read further into that is your own choice, but don't put words in my mouth or make me seem like i'm spreading lies, for god sakes. Do you want to talk about Walmart or do you want to get into semantics? Fine, you want me to admit that the article didn't focus on this Walmart and doesn't belong in this thread? Fine. There you go. My mistake, your honor. Please retract your statement about crime at other big box stores then too, since it isn't directly about THIS Walmart. See how fun that is?

What misinformation did I post? Did you see the earlier discussion about how when I posted the link, the article was different? Seriously, I wonder how many times I'm going to have to say this.