Houston19514

2 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

I just think it’s important for people to be able to listen to his actual words, in context. Hence I provided the link.

And, FWIW, the rest of the Houston Matters show (after the interview with the Mayor) is also worth a listen.

37 minutes ago, s3mh said:

What did he say during his interview that I got wrong?  And more importantly, what did he say in his interview that justifies sending a completely approved and funded project back to the drawing board, possibly jeopardizing federal funding and causes unnecessary delays.  The Shep corridor will be three lanes from Memorial to I-10 and from 15th to 610.  How is carving a 1.3 mile segment for four lanes out of 3.5 miles going to help traffic?  And giving up on the pedestrian improvements right smack in the middle of the corridor basically wastes all the money spent improving the bookends as you lose connectivity.  This is just a flex by the mayor to show the libs who is who.  This right out of the play book of the likes of Rep. Culberson and Gov. Abbott who just can't stand it when a local government wants to do something other than build more lanes.

I just think it’s important for people to be able to listen to his actual words, in context. Hence I provided the link.

Again, I suggest everyone listen to the interview.  Maybe even with an open mind.

For those interested in what the Mayor actually said:  https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2024/05/02/485119/transportation-projects-in-limbo-may-2-2024/

https://youtu.be/pLPBeJGNIaY

17 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

This has to be a move from Brock. She is cutting anything she considers a waste. The problem is the mayor is going to be asking for even more from Metro. In todays city council meeting he mentioned asking the agency to use some of it's funds to build an underpass in the East End. The mayor seems clueless to the fact that an underpass is already part of the University BRT and that the neighborhood has already given their input. 

This is the opposite of a cut. This is adding significant additional elements to the project.

Can we tap the brakes on mayor-hate?  In yesterday's council meeting, there was a quite encouraging discussion about addressing the long-neglected rail crossings in the east end.  The Mayor indicated full support for addressing the issue and merely said he would talk to Metro about the possibility of using some of its funds to help address the issue. There was NO indication of anyone's knowledge of the University BRT underpass, one way or the other.

FWIW, the discussion exposed pretty huge failings on the part of the City on this issue.  Apparently, the FRA funding from several years ago specifically calls out Houston as being the worst in the nation on the rail-crossing issue,  but the City hasn't bothered to apply for grants under that funding.

They are not proceeding immediately with the originally-planned structure, because Metro is rethinking the plan (and applying for some additional grants).

The original plan was to provide facilities for

• Metro Police Department (which has to relocate; they are in one of the structures up by the Bayou that will be demolished for the North Canal project.
• Metrolift
• Metro Emergency Operations Center (currently dispersed among several facilities)
• Transtar support facilities and
• parking.

Now they are considering incorporating additional Downtown Transit Center facilities.  They say they need up to 22 bus bays at the DTC and currently have only 7 for buses and 2 for Metrolift.

Famous?

From a Houston Airports System press release last week:

“Next month, we will break ground on the $470 million Southwest Airlines expansion at William P. Hobby Airport.”

41 minutes ago, jessicau said:

I don’t like that the Northside and 5th Ward are divided by 59 or 5th Ward is divided by 59 and now it will be divided once again with another highway. Would the city run a highway through the Heights? No.

Already divided by the railroad tracks, (which I believe are actually the western boundary of the 5th Ward).

2 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

There's a correlation between all three, in a very specific order:

1. Pick up Rx at dispensary

2. Pick up vape at smoke shop

3. Use 1. with 2. as intended

4. Immediately develop powerful craving for hot chicken sandwich

All 4.

5. Pass out on new Mattress Firm mattress (or on the display in the store).

1 hour ago, trymahjong said:

I have a 3 wheeled electric bike - one of the grandkids has tiny pedal bike  with train8ng wheels, but you can't forget the double wide stroller that usually comes along to sort of act as guard on the other side for pedal bike........if we all go side by side we take up more than 6 feet wide-- at 10 feet wide, there is possibility of someone else either going in our direction or the opposite direction can also use sidewalk.

This seems to be a hard concept for people to understand.

Of course, you don't all need to go side-by-side. This seems to be a hard concept for people to understand.

With this demolition and Tilman's purchase of the office building next door, I'd be surprised if Tilman is not purchasing this property as well.

What's the over/under on the percentage at which Downtown Austin's office availability rate tops out?  Will it hit 40%?

55 minutes ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

Tilman Fertitta recently acquired 777 Post Oak Blvd, according to Houston Chronicle today:

Fertitta announced Wednesday he closed on a... 176,779-square-foot office midrise at 777 Post Oak Boulevard, near his Post Oak Hotel...Fertitta bought the 2.28-acre property at 777 Post Oak in mid-March...


There is also this speculation:

The parcel’s proximity to River Oaks District could create future expansion opportunities for the upscale mixed-use development he bought in March for $450 million.


http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/tilman-fertitta-buys-uptown-river-oaks-post-oak-19408478.php 

To be clear, the reference to future expansion opportunities for River Oaks District was with respect to the 3.4-acre parcel at 4702 Westheimer (adjacent to ROD), which Tilman also purchased.

Yeah, I really wish they would redo the Westheimer frontage to connect with the neighborhood.  My guess is this is intentional on their part; short-sighted in my view, but I'm guessing they view themselves the big dog/destination and they don't want to make it convenient for "their" customers to venture out into the neighborhood.

The whole Commons is really beautiful.  Great addition to a pretty amazing park.

20 hours ago, shasta said:

EXACTLY...nothing screams Urban Synergy more than a sauna and a nail spa.

The juice spot, ice cream shop and workout space, I can live with

Have you ever been to the great urban centers in the world?

They have "casual" food/drink spots that spill over into the street...the square...the piazza...the green space...the plaza, etc. then, from there..you "sprinkle" in select retail, entertainment, fitness then..a few select high end restaurants for those with greater means.

There is a reason why the only tenant doing well is the Flight Club (food + drinks + games).

Why is this soooo hard for Houstonians to understand?

 

Shops and services such as nail salons, sauna studios, and juice bars are part of the mix that creates an urban neighborhood.

19 hours ago, shasta said:

WHY IN THE WORLD are these mixed use Urban developments, with many 1 bedroom units AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT, leasing out their restaurant spaces to $100 a person places like Georgia James, MF Sushi, or Turner's Cut?

Go to any synergistic high traffic urban center and you find a number of "casual" dining options for the urban loving people that are looking for something they grab and hang out in the adjacent urban space

Grab a slice of pizza, grab a cocktail, grab a taco, etc. and HANG OUT.

Leasing to the like of Georgia James and Turner's Cut and Pastore are going to kill these developments.

There is a reason why The Flight Club is still going strong...it creates Urban Synergy!

The casual Mexican Restaurant going into Regent Square is MUCH better!

So does nearby Piggys Kitchen

I mean, Autry Park leased a space to a high end boot maker fronting their green space.....what?

How are they continuing to get the selection of Urban center retail spaces wrong?

 

Aren't you the guy who was hating on Regent Square a while back because they were leasing to a nail spa, a sauna and a Clean Juice?

48 minutes ago, AS_ said:

Either this or Georgia James falls in a year or two, I just can't see both of these staying open a block away from each other with Brasserie 19, Perry's, Andiron, Federal, Brenner's, and Laurenzo's also just a hop skip away. (His own B&B Butchers, Flemings, and Doris also in the area).

 

Or maybe there's a regular demand for upscale steakhouses and I'm an idiot?

The demand for upscale steakhouses seems practically unquenchable. Not much farther either east or west and we have a bunch more as well. I'm sure I'm leaving out a bunch. Do you think Turner's Cut is going to be the one to tip the scale?  ;-)

• Vic & Anthony's
• Pappas Bros
• Gatsby's
• Guard and Grace
• Morton's
• Toro
• Shula's
• The Palm
• Steak 48
• Del Frisco's Double Eagle
• Capital Grille
• Ruth's Chris
• Mastro's

18 hours ago, Renaissance1999 said:

Looks like there are no new construction plans for 2024 just yet. However, within the Texas triangle Austin and DFW will be the biggest metropolitan areas in my opinion. 

Presumably, you are predicting Austin and DFW will have the most new construction in the Texas triangle (possible for certain periods of time, but not a given), not that both Austin and DFW will have larger populations than Houston (not gonna happen in the lifetimes of anyone reading this).

Who is Brochsteins?

12 hours ago, Highrise Tower said:

Took a walk through the tunnel to 609 Main.  On Friday's it's practically empty

Brochsteins outdid themselves here.  Really fantastic wood work and design.

 

Who is Brochsteins?

9 hours ago, Big E said:

They pretty much have to. I-35 is an undrivable mess most of the day, and hasn't had any work done in well over 30 years, when they double decked the freeway in 1975, other than removing some of the exits for the lower deck because traffic made it too dangerous to keep them. It's a freeway built to 60s standards handling 2020s traffic.

Kinda like I-45 in central Houston...

3 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Drove by here today.  Area is now fenced in with some heavy machinery behind the fence.   Sure hope the Astros have nice plans for this space.   I saw a lot of dirt but no trees.

Interesting...  I'm sure there will be a detailed and accurate report in tomorrow's Chronicle. 

Reminder:  Avalon has relocated before. Hopefully, they will relocate again. Maybe they could move in to the apartment building under construction next door...