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Houston19514

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Everything posted by Houston19514

  1. Houston19514
    Really? Next-door? I could be wrong, but I think you exaggerate. (I just checked on Google satellite, and at least as to the towers on San Felipe and 5 Post Oak Plaza, I don't see any houses next door.) And are they "60-story" towers as the GlassSteelandStone" website claims? And would it really be fair to say (as "GlassSteelandStone" says) that such an occurrence is "not uncommon?" There may be occasional single-family residences across the street from a high-rise building, but I see that in zoned cities all over America. Again, the differences between unzoned Houston and zoned cities generally don't seem to be caused by the lack of zoning.
  2. Houston19514
    I guess I don't understand your question. I don't know why one would take a "stance" if they didn't intend to try to "justify" it. I would like to see your counterarguments showing me where I am wrong... What about Houston's development is different from other similarly-situated cities, that can reasonably be attributed to the lack of zoning. I am well aware of what zoning means. There has been nothing whatever in my posts to suggest otherwise. And regarding your statements that zoning can allow for mixed use, I already alluded to that fact in my earlier post, but thank you for the clarification. But again, a "mixed-use" zoning, without the proper building regulations, setback requirements, etc. will NOT necessarily result in a pedestrian-oriented urban environment. Montrose is already the epitome of mixed-use. If I may add to my "stance", what I am saying is that zoning is neither necessary nor sufficient to achieve good urban planning. I want to make clear that I am NOT arguing against all land-use or building regulations or urban planning. I am not really even arguing against the concept of zoning. I am merely arguing for a realistic view of what zoning can and cannot achieve and also, more to the point, a realistic accounting of the results of the lack of zoning. If you will recall, this exchange was started by your statement: "Oh, so zoning lets you tear down houses -build a gas station and a pawn shop right next to an existing house in the middle of a residential area?" I am still waiting for your examples.
  3. Houston19514
    Exactly what "stance" is it you think I am trying to "justify"?
  4. Houston19514
    With regard to your first sentence, of course you know I never said any such thing. We were talking about zoning, not urban planning. There is a difference. A city can have either one without the other. What I do think, though, is that Houston is an example of how little real difference is made by the lack of zoning. The differences between Houston and other similarly-situated cities are more the result of frontage roads, billboards and signage ordinances and other non-zoning matters. Regarding your tangential discussion of Montrose, I would like to see the city do a better job of encouraging pedestrian-quality development as well. But that is not really a matter of zoning. Zoning merely tells us what KIND of activity can be conducted on a certain property (and very often requires only ONE kind of activity per property, thus eliminating the mixed-use development that we'd like to see to create an urban, pedestrian-oriented environment). Other land-use regulations, building codes, etc. impose other requirements on developments, such as building setback requirements, parking-space requirements, etc. Houston has such regulations. Unfortunately, in areas such as Montrose, Medical Center, Midtown, the requirements often seem to be the WRONG requirements. You can overlay all the zoning you want, but if you don't change the parking and setback requirements, you aren't going to get any more of a pedestrian environment than you have now. Regarding your last sentence... IS there a giant discount furniture store next to the MFAH? If there is, I've never noticed it. You are sort of making my point for me with that comment. One would think that only in a city with zoning could one have as lovely an area of town as the Museum District, with virtually no intrusion by discount stores. But there it is, right there in the middle of the nation's largest unzoned city, with nary a discount furniture store to be seen... Overall, then, since you completely avoided the point, I guess I'll mark you done as agreeing that the myth that developers all over Houston tear down single family houses in the middle of residential neighborhoods to replace them with gasoline stations and pawn shops next door to homes is just that... a myth.
  5. Houston19514
    Would it be fair to presume that, since nobody (including Shasta) has posted even ONE example, perhaps this is more urban myth than fact? I wish we could put these myths about the effects of no-zoning to rest. Another one that deserves a decent burial is the myth that Houston has high-rise office towers rising next door to single-family residences. I have previously asked for examples of this phenomenon (which is oft-repeated in the Houston media AND on GlassSteelandSone.com).
  6. Houston19514
    What designer names are you referring to? I just looked over the directory for Memorial City Mall and none jumped out at me.
  7. Houston19514
    Can you give me a specific example, or two or three, where houses were torn down, replaced with a gas station and pawn shop, right next to an existing house in the middle of a residential area? I'm not saying it has never happened, but I personally can't think of any. (But I am handicapped by not living in Houston). It would seem rather odd for any businessman to think that the middle of a residential area would be a good place to operate a gas station, or a pawn shop for that matter. If by "in the middle of a residential area" you really meant "on an arterial street at the edge of a residential area", well, yes, that is allowed in zoned cities, and happens quite regularly.
  8. Houston19514
    I just ran across the latest occupancy numbers for downtown Houston hotels: For the month of May: 63.9%, up from 50.8% one year ago. For the year to date (through May 31): 58.3%, up from 55.1% in 2004.
  9. Houston19514
    The merger is not complete yet. So in the meantime, it's business as usual for both companies. If everything goes as scheduled, this new "Foley's" store will probably never open as a "Foley's" but will be a Macy's on opening day.
  10. Houston19514
    Weiner's was headquartered in Houston... the company went out of business in 2000
  11. Houston19514
    Foley's parent company (May Company) is merging with Macy's parent company (Federated Department Stores). I'm not sure exactly how certain it is, but everyone presumes that all Foley's stores will be converted to the Macy's name. As we all know, there is already a Macy's in the Galleria, so there is speculation of what will become of either the current Foley's or the current Macy's. Hopefully, they will bring in Bloomingdale's (also owned by Federated Department Stores) to use the surplus property. The big questions are... will they convert the current Foley's into Macy's and the current Macy's (with its inferior location) to Bloomingdales, or will they keep Macy's where it is and convert the current Foley's into a Bloomingdale's?
  12. Houston19514
    I read somewhere that the Lord and Taylor space at the Galleria will be re-configured into dining and smaller retail shops. The L&T space seems too small to be a Bloomingdale's. I found it: "The former Lord & Taylor space will feature 100,000 square feet of varied new restaurants, specialty shops and a children's soft play area, according to the Galleria. The remodeled area, which is expected to be complete by April 2006, will be designed in the same look and feel of the mall, including fixtures, colors and lighting enhancements. " Lord & Taylor
  13. Houston19514
    I read somewhere that the Lord and Taylor space at the Galleria will be re-configured into dining and smaller retail shops. The L&T space seems too small to be a Bloomingdale's.
  14. Houston19514
    At the very least, Reliant Park should build a pedestrian-friendly walkway between the MetroRail station and the facilities. A pathway lined with shade trees, fountains and sculpture. I think someone on this board suggested moving walkways. That would be excellent and very "Houston-ish". Lining the walkway with retail/residential and hotels would be even better.
  15. Houston19514
    Does anyone else recall this building having been converted to low income housing in the mid-90s? Are you sure you are not thinking of the other former Holiday Inn that is just west of downtown along the Memorial/Allen Parkway corridor? I believe it was converted to housing for the elderly sometime in the mid-to-late 90s. As far as I can remember, the former Holiday Inn/Days Inn/Heaven on Earth Inn has been empty since it was last a hotel, and has never been converted into anything.
  16. Houston19514
    Found this info on the Anheuser Busch web site: The Houston brewery began operating May 18, 1966. Houston Busch Gardens opened May 28, 1971. Houston Busch Gardens closed December 1972. FWIW, they also used to have a Busch Gardens in Los Angeles, which was downscaled and converted to Busch Bird Sanctuary - Los Andeles in 1976 and was closed in 1979.
  17. Houston19514
    Pastiche: a dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly immitating the works of other artists. So Michael Graves' architecture has degenerated into a dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly immitating the works of other artists? Wow, that's quite the degeneration... ;-)
  18. Houston19514
    BRAVO!! BRAVO!! Very well said!
  19. Houston19514
    Very interesting... Editor, did you mean to say "northeast" part of the city, rather than "southeast"? I noticed on Mapquest, that there is also a street named "Epsom Drive" right there in the neighborhood of Jensen Dr and Parker Rd. I wonder if Epsom Drive was named for the racetrack or vice versa?
  20. Houston19514
    C'mon 2112, do it for US! Take one for the team! ;-)
  21. Houston19514
    ?? The link I provided shows Party on the Plaza when you click on May 5. No detail, but it says... "Weekly live concert series after work. Weather permitting."
  22. Houston19514
    The best and most-complete calendar of events I've ever found for Houston is actually now on the City of Houston's home page. It's quite good. Unfortunately it doesn't have the level of detail for Party on the Plaza that would give you the name of the band. But it does tell you it's occurring tonight.
  23. Houston19514
    DisneyQuest Chicago will be closing permanently on September 4th, 2001. Try this Disney Virtual Adventure while it lasts. (1-888-693-9265.) Located at 55 E. Ohio, on the corner of Rush and Ohio. It is one block west of Michigan and Ohio in the North Bridge area.
  24. Houston19514
    They are not building a dorm. It is an acacemic building.
  25. Houston19514
    At one time there was talk of adding another block to the Root Square park. I presume that idea is dead?
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