Texasota

The interior layout was ...awkward. The bar was fine, but then they put oversized couches against the inside wall that were too far apart for a group of people to talk to each other.

The west side of main is physically much smaller than the east side though. At some point it will be financially way more logical to build out to the east. Maybe once the superblock is finished. 

I think the objection is more of a "not another, non-profit, social-service agency in Midtown"

These non-profits do not pay property taxes therefore the "best and highest use" cycle often ends with them.

"best and highest use"= maximum property taxes? The Midtown TIRZ has already been by far the most successful TIRZ in the city in terms of revenue collected, so I'm not sure I find that terribly convincing.

I hate carrying cash and only do so if it's a cash only business.

ah, but can you really predict where you'll end up throughout the night? What if theres a taco truck? Or that guy who sells a dozen tamales for $8?

eh, its just good etiquette to carry cash when going bar hopping.   

Yeah I'm really not sure what the objection to a Meals on Wheels facility would be. No matter how much you hate homeless people, this facility is serving people who are, by definition, not out wandering the streets.

Yes. This is momentum. 4 adjacent blocks of residential/hotel, and ground floor retail starts to make real sense.

The dichotomy here *is* pretty ridiculous, but if there's no market impetus to make "better" use of the site, then McDonald's will do whatever is in their best interest. "We" only have a say in the matter insofar as we're willing to change city ordinances, and "we" have pretty routinely voted against zoning of any kind, for better and for worse. 

*Although, wouldn't this be subject to transit corridor regulations? I realize that, as written, those are really more suggestions than hard requirements, but... 

Now we're getting somewhere! 

I hope that retail makes it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.  Maybe a single convenience store could make it there.   Obviously if more residential (or even offices) pop-up over there, then maybe additional retail could survive.  

Except! Think about that site. Immediately east is Houston House; immediately west is the soon to be renovated Savoy. That's not to say just *any* retail would succeed, but I think it could work if carefully curated.

I kind of really like that site plan. Dividing the block helps separate parking garage traffic from pedestrian shoppers. There's retail and a little dog park on Main. Retail on Leeland gestures vaguely toward toyota center, discovery green etc.

I think they keep the tunnel access signage to a minimum to keep the street trash out.

...And this is the problem right here. The idea that the tunnels are some sort of refuge from homeless people.

I've never been a fan of the Market Street murals. There's one facing (I think) Lake Woodlands of a smiling boy holding some fruit. It is absolutely terrifying. 

nice. i do wonder what it would take to convince developers to build out canopies/ loggias etc to make our sidewalks genuinely pleasant even in the summer.

I would love to see this integrate with the trails. maybe a little bridge.

That's actually a great use in the short term, particularly considering its proximity to the bayou. Do you have a source?

Yeah, you are right.  Everyone I meet who moved to the Heights thinks that 19th street is a dump and can't wait for it to be demoed and replaced with bars and clubs.  Only when that happens will the neighborhood ever take off. 

I for one *like* 19th street, which is why I want to see bars and venues go in to help diversify it. A commercial strip that shuts down at 7 is not sustainable, and the occasional evening artsy events just isnt enough.

Adding bars and clubs doesnt usually involve demoing anything; actually they tend to renovate and repurpose historic properties. 

"No one going to a big bar or live music club is going to shop for antiques, boutique clothing, or home decor on 19th street before they go to see Sparkle Pony."

Are you familiar with a little street named Westheimer?

Yeah White Oak is fine. Not personally a big fan of Christian's, but White Oak has managed to stay pretty diverse despite adding businesses. I did prefer Beer Island to Little Woodrow's, but that's mostly just nostalgia.

I don't want 19th to become Washington, but the fact that it shuts down by 7 or 8 *is* a problem and a wasted opportunity. The advantage of a venue over a bar or restaurant is that it becomes a destination. It pulls varying crowds depending on whos playing, and helps draw other bars in restaurants in to chase the new crowds.

I'm not a fan of the fact that that area is dry, but, as DownHouse shows, that doesnt totally preclude new places opening. I lived in NC for two years, and the whole state is "dry" in the same way. You just get used to becoming a "member" of every  bar. 

I really, really wish they would keep the church building and repurpose it into a "private" bar/club/venue. I'm not even joking. The biggest problem with 19th is its lack of nightlife, and, combined with DownHouse an alternative to Fitz's/Number's/Rudz etc would really help solve that

That's... actually pretty underwhelming for $300 million.

@daniepwils

Great. Way more convenient to get home at the end of the night.

Old Sears: http://www.houstondeco.org/1920s/sears.html

My understanding is that it had serious flooding issues (as that link suggests) that made it pretty much impossible to restore and maintain.

Yeah this is just weird, though very Houstonian. Integrating the mcdonalds into the base of the tower would have made more sense. I wonder if Astoria didnt want to deal with retail, or if the rent they would ask would have been to high? I would have thought that property values in that area would have made wasting a lot on a drive-through mcdonalds less than desirable

mediocrity