J008

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Just out of curiosity S3MH, where would you think these 8, 10 and 12 story buildings would be located? I'm genuinely curious now!

While I think this 6story bldg is fine. 12th 1/2 ST at Studemont has a lot for sale, multiple times the size of this one, so indeed you could build a much bigger building 1 block over.

a large chunk of my neighborhood will lose afternoon sun because of it.

Morning sun maybe, but afternoon is a hard sell. I haven't done trig in a while but I think that most of the afternoon shadow won't make it accross Studemont.

My husband was always raving about the BBs on Montrose so I was very excited when this one opened. We had a GREAT dinner and can't wait to go back.

It might be the death knell for mamou but maybe not. I have to wonder if BBs is going to be more of a bar/restaurant than restaurant/bar. If that's the case, a lot of families will still go to Mamou. Mamou has a very sweet owner and a great patio. Plus it sits in the middle of a casual restaurant dry zone. I dunno. Do I think Mamou is the bees knees? Nope but I hate to see a locally owned establishment with great people behind it close. I don't wish that on anyone and just hope there is room for both since they offer different things...

I have really wanted to like Mamou but it just isn't very good, with BBs up the street it is an easy choice for me. I do agree with you that the crowd that keeps Mamou busy will probably stay there. With all the Louisiana people in the neighborhood there is more than enough local demand for both places.

Swamplot has something on the design for this spot. Looks pretty cool, hope they keep the rooftop pool.

http://swamplot.com/...-03/#more-29399

The headline to Lisa Gray's recent article in the Houston Chronicle regarding the alterations to River Oaks Plaza says it best: Beige, Blotchy and Bland.

Quote:"The snappy black-and-white buildings are turning beige. Fake stucco and more of that blotchy sandstone are covering the nifty old bricks. Above the building's canopies, new, taller parapet facades screw up the once-low-slung center's proportions, and allow more room for bigger, brighter signs."

I'm with you, Lisa, and am stunned that anyone feels that this botched-up job is in any way an improvement.

(If there's an existing thread on this topic, please merge.)

It is really hard to watch people actually working on making something ugly, and it really is ugly. Like someone intentionally parking an elegant classic car on the rail road tracks.

Unfortunately, Ms. Gray fails to mention the tacky heart-works scattered across the property and featured at the formerly prominent entranceway.

Express

Please say it isnt' so.

just curious if anyone has any update on this site. They are making huge progress. The big hole they dug is all walled with concrete, a visible paring garage ramp in the back, a big crane, and several pillars sticking out.

Really curious what this thing will wind up being.

It is pretty common for governments to give initial tax breaks to spur development. If this did not involve Walmart, no one would take issue.

I am glad they are spurring development in the "washington heights" there is no way that would have occurred with out some help.

To J008. The 380 is with Ainbinder, the developer, not Walmart. This ain't Walmart's fight. Hence, the derision toward RUDH and its supporters.

So how does Ainbinder get reimbursed? My understanding is it is through the city diverting sales taxes from the development of the tenants (WM being the only one disclosed). Please let me know if this is not the case.

Well, since I thoroughly enjoy driving on the rebuilt Studewood and North Main streets, and will soon enjoy the rebuilt 11th Street, and admittedly enjoying the new access provided by the new feeders, I will not hypocritically say that I would not appreciate the new Yale and Heights improvements covered by the 380. I will enjoy them, regardless who was the catalyst behind the improvements. I would also enjoy a new Yale bridge, though we have already solved that problem by sending the trucks down Heights.

And yes, the property taxes Walmart will pay on its new $15-20 million building, as well as sales taxes from the junk that it sells WILL help pay for jailers, firefighters and teachers. And Walmart does not get homestead exemptions, like all of its opponents do. Walmart will pay for far more firefighters than all of RUDH combined.

Can you explain how the 380 works? I was under the impression that they were reimbursed through the city forgoing sales or property taxes.

With so many new walmarts coming on line in town you'd think they'd be hiring with all that tax revenue youre talking about.

EDIT: Oh, a quick note on the possibility of 181 layoffs at HPD. It is not final, and the layoffs will likely be from the Houston Jail staff, not from patrol. In any event, it is unlikely to affect the Traffic Division, whose activities bring badly needed revenue to the City. Again, your argument lacks forethought or facts.

Next complaint!

Thanks I have changed my comment.

I agree it won't affect wal mart at all they will just put it on our tab.

So $6M 380 agreement + $9M bridge we're standing at $15M, plus whatever this giant feeder extra interstate exit every half mile cost.

We should all be thrilled to be such a crucial part of this whole new urban walmart experiment, maybe they will hire the teachers, possibly firefighters, houston jail staff, police officers, etc.. that we can no longer afford.

It is not even a thorn in Walmart's side. Walmart did not sign any agreements. They are not responsible for the bridge. This is someone else's problem. At worst, Walmart will direct their drivers to use the Heights bridge.

This is just fun for the anti-Walmart crowd. It won't actually affect Walmart at all.

I agree it won't affect wal mart at all they will just put it on our tab.

So $6M 380 agreement + $9M bridge we're standing at $15M, plus whatever this giant feeder extra interstate exit every half mile cost.

We should all be thrilled to be such a crucial part of this whole new urban walmart experiment, maybe they will hire the teachers, firefighters, police officers, etc.. that we can no longer afford.

We were there today and had a smoked chicken sandwich, just that there was almost no meat in it---

there was so little, we can't comment on the quality or taste of the meat.

the slaw and tater sald sides ere very nice.

what's the point? I know the owners have a humane farm, and I like this idea. Maybe they need to sel this idea more in the store, then we would knoiw why we get scrap meat in the sandwich (

That is too bad.

If you ask them, I am confident they will have a very informed answer. I value this place as much for the information they can provide as the food they serve, it is a bit refreshing to have a knowledgeable person on the other end of the counter.

Novelty may be the reason it thrives. You cannot get most of what they are selling anywhere else, except for the once a week farmer's markets. And the big opening has not been as much a reflection of novelty as it has been familiarity. Many in the growing Houston locavore movement (and foodies alike) are very familiar with what is inside Revival Market from seeing the same stuff at farmers markets for a few years. But, now, you do not have a four hour window each week to pick up goodies from Revival Market, Slow Dough, gunderman, etc. So, Revival Market is starting with more than just novelty customers. They already have a loyal base.

This saturday it was so busy I just got some bread and left. The prices aren't necessarily bad and rather than watch some food station or lookup a recipe on the internet you can spend five minutes getting quality ingrediants and expert advice. Area grocery stores have been competing mainly on the upper end for the past few years so I don't see any lack of demand and these guys actually have superior products.

I could see myself diverting 1/7 or so of my food spending there and I am seeing many others doing the same thing.

Take out the fancy booze, cheese, international and organic food at the W11/Shep Kroger, as well as what you mentioned, and the two stores are probably pretty close in terms of shelf space for groceries. I cannot recall whether Walmart was going to offer a full service butcher or seafood. They sometimes leave that out of supercenters.

I have still not figured out what it is about the 11th/Shep Kroger that makes it such a black hole, it takes triple the amount of time to go there than anywhere else. It is ungodly big I still think there are corners of it that have yet to be discovered. I imagine it would indeed compare well with a walmart (though thankfully they don't have the fried potato stink that I envision the WM having)

My experience saturday was almost identical, salami, bread, coffee all top notch. Unfortunately, it was so busy I really couldn't look at all they have to offer for all the people (that said I didn't have to wait for service at the deli or coffee bar). I wish they had a product list or something cause there is a lot of stuff that looks cool.

Stopped in here on Saturday to stock up a picnic lunch for a "tour" at St. Arnolds. Wow.

This place is doing it right! Everything we purchased was great - the tuscan salami was to die for, the copa and the pancetta also spectacular. Fresh herbed goat cheese was lovely, blue cheese from Houston Dairymaids tasted just like a barnyard (in that awesome way that cheese can).

And the bread, oh my goodness, the bread! Slow Dough is a great company. Their rustic round loaf is the best I have been able to get in Houston. (Our household has been known to mail order bread from a deli in Michigan, just to get our rustic loaf fix on).

Our out of town friends, who live in Organic Slow Food Central in Vermont,and who are familiar with "actual Italian food in Italy" were highly impressed.

Oh yeah, the coffee was great, too.

they have really done a lot of work in the past month and I am just curious if anyone has any updated info (their website has nothing of value).

Actually, there is a possibility to get around it if the premise derives less than 50% of its revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages, and it has a food and beverage permit from TABC. See TABC Sec. 109.33 (f). However, the 300 foot rule still applies. This property appears to lie within 300 feet of a public school.

Maybe they will get around it however Paulie's and Lanier Middle do (I think they are a "club" or something). There is no way they are 300 ft apart.

The kuff article has a link to a photo (provided by RUDH) of the load limit sign for that bridge showing that it is 40K lbs. Of course with their tactics, they might have planted that sign there.

The bridge is sort of a moot point since if Walmart needs a new bridge the city would simply reimburse them for it anyway.

Yeah, looks like its a mixed use development. The property is owned by these guys. http://vitanuovallc.com/index.html

yes their website is very strange, whole bunch of extremely non-specific hype.

"Novemeber 2010. Purchased land for development"

"December 2010. Completed design for latest development concept"

Picture of downtown Houston.

Thats it.

Well, someone on my FB page pulled the permit and looks like it is going to be mixed use. Someone on the blog commented that they heard six stories. I wonder if the Heights Assoc is going to address that like they did on White Oak.

wow. I just looked it up and seems there will be ~$3 Million of construction there they got there permit on the 20th so the timing is only coincidence

Interesting timing - Because of the 11th Street road construction, the course for the Houston Marathon on Sunday has been altered from past years. The "normal course" takes runners north on Michaux, west on 11th, and south on Studewood. This year, the course goes north on Michaux, west on Key, and south on Studewood.

Your explanation makes the most since to me. Come Monday it will go back to being the quasi waste dump big rig hangout that heights yankee more eloquently describes on her blog.

Anyone know what is being built on the big open lot between 11 1/2 and Someburger on Studemont? A black perimeter fence appears to have been put up today that I think says "cain construction" or something like that.

More doctors in the state sounds like a good thing to me....

Unless they are incompetent ones who are too risky to practice in any other state.

Y

ou want cheaper health care? Cap medical malpractice verdicts. Cap the percent a personal injury attorney is allowed to recover in a med mal case.

I thought Texas already did this. I am not in the medicine business (nor a lawyer) but I thought Texas leads the nation in limiting malpractice and capped pain and suffering at $250,000 and damages in case of death at $1.6 Million or something like this.

The result being more doctors in the state, but no meaningful reduction in medical expenses.