Astrodome History At 8400 Kirby Dr.

[Pumapayam]

I passed on these.

There are a whole bunch of condos at this price on Hearth.

If this is so good, why are there so many left on sold and why so cheap?

You can buy these on a 3 or 5 year loan and pay it off for the rent pretty much.

But the value will never go up.

UPDATE:

Even more disturbing, all the photo, or most, are of the outside.

Most people want to see the inside of the condo.

This is a bad sign.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Pumapayam

[Vertigo58]

Niche:

Try to read the reply before flying off the handle please. Geez, struck a nerve I guess.

My post is speaking in a "future possibility tense" not present. No need for words. I am sure your immediate area is as good as you stated, but we cannot deny the fact that the dome area had been a bad place to be.

What I have noticed is that any time I or anyone else on this forum mentions a truth about an area some one freaks out. That is normally because they are a realtor or owner of a condo and they are afraid their tenants or reputation will be scouwered and the tenant will get PO. I used to get slightly offended by

other's neg comments about my area but realized its out of either envy or any number of things I let it melt away and laugh. At one time you seemed liked a reasonable person however, over time you started jumping around and started telling off everyone point blank. I don't get it. There are at least 3 others that snub everyone as the norm its a systemic on-going pattern. Borders on harrasment. It only makes you guys look rude & unprofessional.

Again, I and thousands of Houstonians know the dome area has a long way to go as far as cleaning up crime is concerned. Buona sera.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Vertigo58

[Pumapayam]

What I have noticed is that any time I or anyone else on this forum mentions a truth about an area some one freaks out.

I think the area is dumpy, no better than the Alief area, Harwin, or Glenmont.

Not as bad as Sharpstown, since Sharptown is being revitalized

It is the truth the value of those condos prove it, no one wants to buy and live there. All those listing say, "great investment"

Really it is just a cheap apartment with maintenance fees.

You'd lose half your rent to the maintenance fees and the other half on the mortgages.

And these places are so old, as landlord you'd be fixing up the place monthly, there is no way to make a return on your investment.

That, and you'd have to have a decent tenent. If students are the main source from the tenant pool, you will have yearly carpet cleaning and painting.

Sorry, the area sucks.

[TheNiche]

I passed on these.

There are a whole bunch of condos at this price on Hearth.

If this is so good, why are there so many left on sold and why so cheap?

You can buy these on a 3 or 5 year loan and pay it off for the rent pretty much.

But the value will never go up.

A big part of it is that the high condo association fees and other costs are suppressing the sale price. And another big contributing factor is that anyone who lists these with a Realtor will have to pay either a big comission or a flat fee because they're too low-value to spend a lot of time and effot marketing units for sale.

Honestly, if there were ever a good target for a developer to swoop in and take down the whole complex, this is it. It's just too expensive to bother buying or selling condos in a place like this without it being cash financing on FSBO deals or a future bulk transaction, and there is a very limited market for such buyers, which gives them a distinct advantage.

[Pumapayam]

Honestly, if there were ever a good target for a developer to swoop in and take down the whole complex, this is it.

But then the other argument is that you lose affordable housing close to town. Whatever developer invests in a new project, the average price would be well about $100K. that place is stuck.

Example being, They are trying, unsuccessfully, in the 4th Ward and it is not working. Tearing down shacks for $50K and replacing them with Aluminum sided home fore $200K is not working. They can't coexist. My friends own one and they here gun shot randomly throughout the year.

It will be decades before that part of the Medical Center is worth living in again.

[TheNiche]

Niche:

Try to read the reply before flying off the handle please. Geez, struck a nerve I guess.

My post is speaking in a "future possibility tense" not present. No need for words. I am sure your immediate area is as good as you stated, but we cannot deny the fact that the dome area had been a bad place to be.

What I have noticed is that any time I or anyone else on this forum mentions a truth about an area some one freaks out. That is normally because they are a realtor or owner of a condo and they are afraid their tenants or reputation will be scouwered and the tenant will get PO. I used to get slightly offended by other's neg comments about my area but realized its out of either envy or any number of things I let it melt away and laugh. At one time you seemed liked a reasonable person however, over time you started jumping around and started telling off everyone point blank. I don't get it. There are at least 3 others that snub everyone as the norm its a systemic on-going pattern. Borders on harrasment. It only makes you guys look rude & unprofessional.

Again, I and thousands of Houstonians know the dome area has a long way to go as far as cleaning up crime is concerned. Buona sera.

I'm not sure why you think that I've "flown off the handle." I never even used an exclamation mark, much less an emoticon. Your misinterpretation of my reaction, on the other hand, may indicate excessive defensiveness IMO.

I'm just relaying to you what I've experienced over the past five years and what the Claritas demographics and HPD crime statistics indicate.

[TheNiche]

But then the other argument is that you lose affordable housing close to town. Whatever developer invests in a new project, the average price would be well about $100K. that place is stuck.

Example being, They are trying, unsuccessfully, in the 4th Ward and it is not working. Tearing down shacks for $50K and replacing them with Aluminum sided home fore $200K is not working. They can't coexist. My friends own one and they here gun shot randomly throughout the year.

It will be decades before that part of the Medical Center is worth living in again.

If you ever get a chance, drive by this set of townhomes. They sell well enough and continue to be developed in phases. But I've driven down that street and it is crawling with people that live in nearby apartments that make Hearthwood look like paradise.

Btw, all that developers care about is that they can find a buyer for their product. Whether that buyer has positive or negative experiences a year or so after closing is almost entirely irrelevant.

[Pumapayam]

Btw, all that developers care about is that they can find a buyer for their product. Whether that buyer has positive or negative experiences a year or so after closing is almost entirely irrelevant.

That leds to a whole other arguement about my issues with those stupid communities out in BFE where suburban decay occurs.

They looks nice enough, but could they look anymore alike.

Looks like row houses from the 60's nuclear age.

[TheNiche]

That leds to a whole other arguement about my issues with those stupid communities out in BFE where suburban decay occurs.

BFE?

[Pumapayam]

BFE?

It is a different way a of saying "out in the middle of no where", like Katy or Fairfield, or Bridgelands.

I will PM you, it is a vulgar acronym.

[TheNiche]

It is a different way a of saying "out in the middle of no where", like Katy or Fairfield, or Bridgelands.

I will PM you, it is a vulgar acronym.

Oh, ok. I like Egypt, but it doesn't strike me as a gay community.

Well without the creation of new suburban housing at the urban boundary where land is affordable, the price pressures in the city would be immense. The suburbs are the best things that ever happened for extremely poor people.

[Pumapayam]

The suburbs are the best things that ever happened for extremely poor people.

And in the mean time, Hearth!

Those places listed, they must have been rentals before condos I assume.

[TheNiche]

And in the mean time, Hearth!

Those places listed, they must have been rentals before condos I assume.

They have been condos since at least 1988, which is as far back as HCAD records go for this property.

[sevfiv]

From Houstonist editor Jim:

Friends --

As you might have heard, the future of the Astrodome is in jeopardy. A plan has been announced to turn the stadium into a hotel, but the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo are strongly opposed to that plan. The Texans and Rodeo say they're in favor of preserving the building, but it's not clear what form that preservation might take.

The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance is keeping track of the situation and favors a responsible Dome redevelopment that would preserve the stadium's historic integrity and restore its exterior to its original 1965 appearance. If you support preservation of the Dome, please consider signing GHPA's online petition at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/astrodome

-- and take a minute to forward the information to anyone else you think might be interested, too.

The important thing to remember here is that Harris County taxpayers paid for the Astrodome and continue to own it. We should have a say in the Dome's future, and if enough Harris County residents voice their support for responsible redevelopment, officials will be foolish not to listen.

Thanks!

Jim

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/astrodome/

please note that after you sign, you ARE NOT required to donate money - you can ignore that screen as your signature has already been recorded

[ProHouston]

Signed it.

[sevfiv]

Here is the GHPA official announcement/page:

http://ghpa.org/astrodome/

[Vertigo58]

Signed it.

Me too.

[rapturematt]

Not that I really want to stir the bee nest, but I really think it would be great if they made a hotel like they Gaylord in DFW or the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. I would really like to see the integrity of the exterior be restored, but the interior is really starting to fall apart.

Why don't we want to see this happen?

Either way, I want to keep my eye out on how to get some seats before the get rid of them. My grandmother had season tickets for years and i would love to try and get those seats.

[gto250us]

The damn place needs to be torn down.

[TheNiche]

The damn place needs to be torn down.

I agree completely. It'd only cost a little bit more than maintaining it in mothballs indefinitely and even using it from time to time, but hey...what are public funds for if not blowing things up?

In fact, I so strongly support your 'massively wasteful explosion' approach to public policy that we really ought to give some serious thought to blowing up the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas while we're at it. Heck, we can even set off a tactical nuclear warhead in Memorial Park...that'd be tremendously expensive and so thoroughly eradicate it that we wouldn't have to worry about pesky citizens using it again for decades.

Besides, these are all underutilized places, after all...and if they were mistakes to have developed in the first place, then surely destroying them will return to our budget all the funds that they have cost us to date.

If I may make a suggestion, a wise man such as yourself really ought to take these fresh ideas to Washington D.C. You can shout them from the steps of the Capitol building. "Blow up the White House!" "Blow up the Capitol!" "Blow up the Pentagon!" "And while we're at it, eradicate the vacant spaces between our politicians' ears!" Surely people would rally in support of your charisma, charm, and insight. Change. Hope. Peace.

[Subdude]

Wow. An online petition. The GHPA is really going all-out on this one.

I think I've grown cynical about the usefulness of preservation efforts in Houston. We can all sign petitions for weeks, but it's not going to change anything. Look at the roster of people lined up trying to save the River Oaks shopping center, and that all came to nothing.

With respect to the Astrodome specifically, I've never been convinced that in the long run it can be preserved. Used stadiums are difficult to convert to other uses. Offhand, I can't think of anything comparable that has been redeveloped. The proposed hotel plan would have entailed changes that would have significantly modified the original exterior, which kind of defeats the purpose of preservation. It would be nice to see the Dome saved, but in this case it is a difficult argument to make.

[rapturematt]

Well either way, I am sure a compromise would be closer if we focused on making it useful again. I will be surprised if there is ever a sporting event to be held in it again, but maybe the hotel idea would be good. Who knows, with a hotel that close to Reliant Stadium, maybe we can get another bid for a Super Bowl in the future. That would great for the economy as well.

I am really interested though in seeing the proposed hotel plans. Does anyone know where I can find those?

[Vertigo58]

Saving the dome is not a easy as it sounds I'm sure. For one thing If it were remodeled it would be ugly as hell. Right now it looks so dated and is so out of place compared to reliant. Like having an old, rusted car on the lawn next to a brand new one. It served its purpose well. Time to lay the flowers?

[jb4647]

Some slides my Dad took during the 60's of the Dome during it's glory days:

Under Construction:

1st Exhibition game with the Yankees in April, 1965:

In the Summer of 1968 (from Astroworld):

[rapturematt]

Cool Pics. Thanks for posting. I really miss the times that I spent in the Astrodome. I remember being a kid and going to the 86 All Star game, watching Nolan get his 4000th strikeout, and Darrel Strawberry hit the longest homerun I have ever seen all in the same year. What a great place, I will never forget it.

[Subdude]

Great shots. What is that lady wearing? The first photo gives you a feel for what made the Dome so impressive: its sheer size rising above a huge parking lot. I never got tired of seeing it when approaching from the South Loop. When Reliant was built the Astrodome was smaller, and it lost that rising-above-the-prairie look that made it such a landmark.

[sevfiv]

Thanks for posting those pictures - and the lady's hair is extraordinary!

And yes, in my opinion, Reliant overwhelms the dome and uglified everything

[Gary]

Some slides my Dad took during the 60's of the Dome during it's glory days:

Under Construction:

Forget the dome I want that car!

[AJB857]

I am stunned that not more of you have signed the petition. We have to save the Astrodome. This is what defined Houston.

[jb4647]

I am stunned that not more of you have signed the petition. We have to save the Astrodome. This is what defined Houston.

The petition won't do a thing. Something I've learned along time ago is that when the powers-that-be decide on a course of action, that's what they will do. When the land that Astroworld grew in value, they sold it and tore it down. The same thing will happen to the dome. Investors do not leave money on the table for sentimental reasons...regardless of how many petitions get signed.

It ain't fair but life just isn't fair.