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So, if the City requires a developer to expand a road to put in a left turn lane, the developer can demo and not replace all the sidewalks in the area as long as they are not fronting his property?

If you are like the City and consider a dirt pipe yard to have the same permeability as a concrete parking lot, then yes, it is less hardscape. If you are an objective hydrologist, then there has been a big increase in hardscape because dirt is far more permeable than concrete.

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=41772682&v=s Just a stone's throw from the Heights. i think you will have the best luck looking just outside the Heights in Lazybrook, Timbergrove, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest etc. It is still very competitive, but you are more likely to find a house with a garage as most of the ranch houses were built with garages. I guy who has a rental near me owns a bunch of rentals around the Heights. He has just done the minimum maintenance on them and they are very basic. He rents them for under 2k as they are small and pretty shabby, but rarely uses a realtor. Mostly puts out a sign or goes on craigslist and gets multiple applicants. Keep your eyes peeled and you may get lucky.

The main problem is that they did the Yale/I-10 interchange on the cheap. Yale SB should have taken some ROW/eminent domain and added a right turn lane. The other problem is the difficulty in timing lights. If you are first in line on Height NB at I-10, cars making the left turn to I-10 feeder EB will plow into you if you are not careful as they cannot see that the light has changed when they are under the bridge. And the light at Koehler is now out of sync so that you can hit a red at that light after coming through Yale SB light. Being able to get to I-10 West without having to go to Shep or u-turn at Studewood is a benefit. But, the memorial exit from I-10 EB and connecting the feeder to Shep isn't worth much.

The rendering has a lot of architectural detail in it. Granted, the computer graphics stink, but it definitely comes from architects and not someone in sales/advertising. You make be ok with "there is nothing wrong with it" as being the standard for architecture in the Heights, but I would dare to hope for something better for my neighborhood. And my parents have started looking at their options for assisted living in the next few years should the need arise. Architecture is a major consideration for them. They do not want to live anywhere that looks institutional. Compared to the other designs on that company's website, the "Village of the Heights" rendering looks too plain and institutional. The same company has shown in its other projects that they can do better. I would want them to do better for the Heights and for the old folks who will pay plenty to live there.

The developers were the ones who put the idea of it having craftsman inspired architecture in the media. But even if they had not, this is a complete dud compared to the other finished projects on their website.

http://www.bridgewood.us/property-detail.html It is a pretty crude computer generated rendering, but it is pretty disapointing. Looks like an updated urban version of Century Village. And the "Village of the Heights" just reminds me of "Village of the Damned".

From the architect's website under the rendering: "One of the scenarios the developer is considering for a new apartment project, called Elan Heights, is an eight-story building with about 250 units and attached parking." Word from the meeting with the developer at the Woodland Heights Ass'n meeting was that they are looking at building something modern-leaning to attract 25-35 year old age group. I suspect that once designs get in front of investors the final version will get dumbed down and be more like the Gables Memorial Hills apartments, which aren't bad looking.

And will get every penny back with interest. Kind of odd how you left that little detail out.

"When you make it too hard to do anything in an area like these HAHC, and other nimby snots have, only those very well capitalized investors can afford to play the game. So what do you get? You get mid rises, apartment complexes, and anything else that a developer can be profitable with. If the NIMBY's would have left well enough alone, this area would probably have ended up all single family homes. You deserve everything you get. I only wish every HAHC supporter backed up to this complex." Again, what in the world does this mean? How do you get from railing against overly controlling NIMBYs to getting mid rise apartments? I know you hate the HAHC and people who are against Walmart, but how does their presence in the neighborhood lead to mid rise apartments? Are you saying that investors find NIMBYs and anti-Walmart control freaks attractive and that is why we are getting a mid rise apartment complex? If you just want to cuss out people you do not like, that is fine. But, I do not see any connection between your cuss outs and the apartment complex. Which is ironic because your main beef with the NIMBYs is that they are all emotion.

Or the City gets fleeced for 6 mil when it could have had the developer pay for the work out of its own pocket.

What is your point? You chastize NIMBYs for being all emotion and then rant about the historic districts being somehow related to getting a midrise apartment complex. But the apartment complex isn't in a historic district. What in the world does one have to do with the other (except that the architecture would be better had the apartment been in a district)?

Go to the City and tell them that you want to develop a parcel of land and will need to widen the road, add a turn lane and put in turn signals. The City will tell you that you have a choice: wait 10 years until the request goes through the CIP process or pay for it yourself. The "city's responsibility" is to put everyone who needs infrastructure work in a very, very long line. At the very least, the 380 makes Ainbinder a supertaxpayer who gets to direct his tax funds to the projects he wants done. I would love to have that power and get my street curbed and guttered so the emergency vehicles can actually get down the street and do not have to stop and honk their horn until someone comes out and moves their car. At the very worst, the 380 is a gift to the developer who would have had to pay for the infrastructure out of pocket, like HEB did with the road work on Dunlavy for their new store in Montrose. If you cannot understand that then you are a blah blah blah, credibility is blah blah blah--personal attacks are so lame.

I was simply making the point that people will remember those who spread the lies about HVAC placement, paint color and false predictions of slums overtaking the Heights with the amended ordinance. People who fought dirty to try to defeat the ordinance should not just get to wake up the next day like they did nothing wrong. That is just fundamental fairness. I never even joked about tar and feathering or called anti-ordinance people Nazis. That is just typical of the anti-historic rhetoric.

This makes no sense at all. This apartment complex is not in a Historic District.

The planned condo tower around E. 5th and Frasier by the bike bath isn't going to happen. There is a deal in the works to buy the land for a park.

Anti-ordinance rhetoric always keeping it classy.

So, facebook likes do matter unless facebook likes don't support your arguement. Ok. The RUDH facebook page is new and has not been up for that long. There isn't a big hot button issue in the news recently. What is actually interesting is that a group called the "west heights coalition" has formed to oppose the Trammell Crowe apartments and as far as I can tell RUDH has expressed reservations, but not outright opposition. It looks like neighborhood dissatisfaction with new development is real and not confined to the group that fought Walmart.

The stop heights facebook page has been migrated to a new RUDH facebook page. www.facebook.com/stopheightswalmart does not exist anymore. Also, the store has been built. So, naturally, people would de-friend it as it is no longer active and the campaign to stop the store is over. But, you only brought that up to show that I had previously claimed facebook likes as evidence of support/opposition to the Walmart was erroneous, right? (wrong)

You shot nothing down. I quoted you directly and you obviously have no substantive response to your own words. That is fine because you and the few others in this anti-Heights echo chamber are the only people in the Heights that think that 19th street is something negative that should be demo-ed in favor of more retail from the burbs.

You do not know how much Torchy's is paying or how much the competing national chain is paying. That information is always closely held by the parties. If you know the terms of the lease, tell us what they are. I will wait patiently for your response.

I argued that a live music venue or big bar like Christians would not be good for 19th street. Here is your response: It just occurred to me how unlikely it is that anyone has ever uttered these statements to you, or anyone else. Since 19th Street shops all close at 5 or 6, the strip is dead after that. Therefore, no one would be anywhere near 19th Street to even notice whether a live music venue or big bar was even open at night. I'd be willing to bet that the shop owners wish there was a draw to bring people to 19th Street at night. Some of them might stay open later. In conclusion, I can think of no reason why anyone would be opposed to more business and entertainment opportunities on 19th Street after 5 pm. I am all for it. And the issue is not whether 19th st evovles, but how it evolves. Marksmu wants to see nothing but mainstream/national retailers. You have repeatedly denigrated the current genre of retail (second hand, antiques, home decor, etc.) and claim that it will all fail and be demolished ("Progress will eventually steamroll the old 19th Street in favor of something useful. Its supporters will be left to lament its decline and fall, likely blaming other Heights residents and "big box" stores for its demise."). My point has always been that businesses may come and go from 19th St., but the character of the street will never change because that character is what makes it successful. Also, as noted in a previous post, the rise of a number of new retail developments inside and just outside the loop will decline any interest in displacing current tenants in favor of national retailers. And I win because you continue to ignore the fact that 19th st. is leasing at a brisk pace without a single national retailer while Ainbinder's strip mall next door has had two empty pads for as long as I can recall. You may think 19th st. is full of junk, but National Geographic Traveler, Fodors, and Frommers have highlighted 19th st. The debate over 19th st is over because it does not exist outside this message board.

Who said that Torchy's was willing to match the offer from the national chain? It isn't what I or you think that matters. It is what the landlord thinks. Buffalo Exchange was replaced by Thread, a children's consignment shop. The paint it yourself pottery place was replaced by Style Cycle, another resale shop with clothes and home goods. Jubilee, the king of the trinket stores, has been so successful that it expanded to two store fronts and took up the space that used to be the exercise studio. Chippendale Antiques just redid their exterior stucco facade--not something you do when you are about to go out of business. 19th street will evolve, but will never turn into another strip mall development with national retailers and restaurant chains. In fact, kicking out all the tenants and replacing them with the Gap, Eddie Bauer and other national retailers would just be the landlord shooting himself in the foot. Regent Square is finally on the way and will add a lot of retail sq ft. River Oaks District and BLVD Place are adding tons of retail sq ft in the Galleria. There will be plenty of developments near the Heights for national retailers to occupy. And a revamped 19th st. would not be big enough to compete with the aforementioned developments. 19th st. makes good money because it is unique. Here is the story on Crickets: http://houston.eater.com/tags/michael-alborn Another example on how 19th st may upgrade, but will always remain the same. Crickets is not replaced by Starbucks or Pinkberry. It is just upgraded. I will miss John's recipes, but look forward to an upgrade that will keep them open for dinner.

The record store does a great business. Apparently, the kids today like records and use them to "dee jay", or something like that. And for all of you who want a live music venue on 19th, your wish will be granted on a much more appropriate section of 20th in Shady Acres: http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2013/05/21/rudyards-british-pub-owner-to-open.html

Quite to the contrary, 19th street is an example of something old becoming new again. It is one shop away from being fully leased. Ainbinder's strip mall on 19th still has two empty pads. People like 19th street because it is different. Houston has miles of retail strip malls with national retail chains and restaurants. 19th street is one of the few places in Houston where you can find unique gifts, home decor, boutique and resale clothing and other interesting things all in one walkable area. Peolpe come in from the burbs to shop 19th street because it is so unique. Braun Enterprises understood this and turned down a national restaurant chain in favor of Torchy's because of the character of 19th st.