Big Tex Storage At 730 E. 11th St.

[j_cuevas713]

8 hours ago, LBC2HTX said:

There are very few beautiful buildings on that block. 

What are you talking about? If you drive down 11th before the church, all of that strip is old buildings. Even next to Bella Green. And the old homes converted in to businesses across from Lencor Apartments. 

[LBC2HTX]

The best section of 11th is on the other side of studewood, and even those buildings aren’t beautiful.

[hindesky]

Heights residents to protest storage facility planned at former Stude Theater

Ryan Nickerson, Staff writer Feb. 4, 2021Updated: Feb. 4, 2021 5:53 p.m.

 

A group of Heights residents said they are prepared to protest the development of a storage facility on Saturday at 11 a.m. The protest will take place at the site of the former Stude Theater, which was demolished after the property was purchased late last year.

The protest comes after a petition was formed by a community group called Stop BigTexStorage that, as of Feb. 4, is almost at its 5,000 signature goal. The petition calls for the Houston City Council to stop the permitting for Big Tex Storage Heights at 730 East 11th Street because they believe the project is poorly suited for its location and will have a negative impact on the community.

“We don’t know of any historically appropriate seven-story storage facilities,” SBTS said in a statement. “Our concern is with the size and function of the structure. It will be large and not contribute in a meaningful way to the neighborhood streetscape, and in any form, will detract greatly from the charm of the neighborhood that so many moved here for.”

Bobby Grover, the president of Grover Ventures and the developer behind Big Tex Storage, released a statement addressing resident’s concerns. He suggested that the facility will have a very light traffic footprint, be pedestrian-friendly and the facility will be architecturally designed to be complementary to the character of the Heights.

“We consistently strive to build aesthetically pleasing best-in-class storage facilities in some of the area’s best neighborhoods like River Oaks, Montrose, Garden Oaks and The Woodlands,” Grover said in a statement.

“As a life-long Houstonian, I recognize the importance of our properties being an integral part of the unique and diverse neighborhoods they serve,” said Grover. “Our Heights facility will bring a first-class storage experience to the Heights neighborhood. We look forward to working with Heights residents and organizations on this project.”

The property is scheduled to begin construction in March, according to local newspaper The Leader. However, the protests are still commencing as the community group is calling on elected officials to hear their concerns.

“We want them to realize the depth of anger about this project and the breadth of support for opposing it,” said SBTS in the statement. “We elected them to represent all our interests, not a select group of developers.”

On Feb. 8, District C City Council Member Abbie Kamin is speaking at a Houston Heights Association meeting, giving a general overview of the city’s planning and permitting process alongside a presentation by the city’s Principal Planner Kimberly Bowie-Ihedigbo.

Although Kamin will not be addressing residential concerns over Big Tex Storage, according to her office, the meeting is intended to provide information about how neighborhoods can use Houston’s neighborhood protection tools.

Heights resident Viula Torgerson who will be attending the protest hopes the protest sends a message not only to their elected officials but to Grover himself.

“I’m just hoping that it demonstrates both to our elected officials, but mostly to the owner of the facility, that the community does not support his project as it currently stands,” said Torgerson. “Our homes are the largest investment we will ever have and his project has the potential to really impact our quality of life in a negative way.”

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com

Edited February 5, 2021 by hindesky

[Highrise Tower]

On 1/31/2021 at 8:44 PM, august948 said:

This one apparently eats lampposts so it's clearly a different animal....

Building permit issued.

[LBC2HTX]

NIMBYs triggered 

[hindesky]

Heights residents lobby legislators with protest of new storage facility

 

Ryan Nickerson, Staff writer

Feb. 6, 2021Updated: Feb. 6, 2021 4:52 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5of6

People protest the construction of a Big Tex Storage building Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, along East 11th Street in the Heights neighborhood in Houston.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

 

A group of Heights residents are lobbying legislators to protest the development of a storage facility at the site of the former Stude Theater, which was demolished after the property was purchased late last year.

The residents held a protest on Feb. 6 at the former theater.

The protest comes after a petition was formed by a community group called Stop BigTexStorage that, as of Feb. 6, is almost at its 5,000 signature goal. The petition calls for the Houston City Council to stop the permitting for Big Tex Storage Heights at 730 East 11th Street because they believe the project is poorly suited for its location and will have a negative impact on the community.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee also attended the protest. Lee suggested the city look into a compatibility ordinance and for the developers to meet with the community to try and find a common ground.

“I know these homeowners are angry about the fact that they have something being constructed where they didn’t have any input, any acknowledgment that this is a community, a community of families,” said Lee.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Heights' residents fear demolition of historic buildings after Stude Theater becomes storage facility

Bobby Grover, the president of Grover Ventures and the developer behind Big Tex Storage, released a statement addressing resident’s concerns. He suggested that the facility will have a very light traffic footprint, be pedestrian-friendly and the facility will be architecturally designed to be complementary to the character of the Heights.

“We consistently strive to build aesthetically pleasing best-in-class storage facilities in some of the area’s best neighborhoods like River Oaks, Montrose, Garden Oaks and The Woodlands,” Grover said in a statement.

“As a life-long Houstonian, I recognize the importance of our properties being an integral part of the unique and diverse neighborhoods they serve,” said Grover. “Our Heights facility will bring a first-class storage experience to the Heights neighborhood. We look forward to working with Heights residents and organizations on this project.”

The property is scheduled to begin construction in March, according to local newspaper The Leader. However, the protests are still commencing as the community group is calling on elected officials to hear their concerns.

“We don’t know of any historically appropriate seven-story storage facilities,” SBTS said in a statement. “Our concern is with the size and function of the structure. It will be large and not contribute in a meaningful way to the neighborhood streetscape, and in any form, will detract greatly from the charm of the neighborhood that so many moved here for… We want them to realize the depth of anger about this project and the breadth of support for opposing it,” said SBTS in the statement. “We elected them to represent all our interests, not a select group of developers.”

On Feb. 8, District C City Council Member Abbie Kamin spoke at a Houston Heights Association meeting, giving a general overview of the city’s planning and permitting process alongside a presentation by the city’s Principal Planner Kimberly Bowie-Ihedigbo.

Although Kamin did not address residential concerns over Big Tex Storage, the meeting was intended to provide information about how neighborhoods can use Houston’s neighborhood protection tools.

Heights resident Viula Torgerson who attended the protest hopes it sends a message not only to their elected officials but to Grover himself.

“I’m just hoping that it demonstrates both to our elected officials, but mostly to the owner of the facility, that the community does not support his project as it currently stands,” said Torgerson. “Our homes are the largest investment we will ever have and his project has the potential to really impact our quality of life in a negative way.”

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com

[Highrise Tower]

Wow those pictures! At least everyone had their mask on.

[mollusk]

1 hour ago, Highrise Tower said:

Wow those pictures! At least everyone had their mask on.

It's the Heights.  Of course everyone has a mask on. 

Contrary to popular belief, we don't wear them to bed, though...

[august948]

17 hours ago, hindesky said:

 

“We don’t know of any historically appropriate seven-story storage facilities,” SBTS said in a statement.

Well why didn't they say so?  Here's one that's more historically appropriate...

 

 

[tangledwoods]

I don't think these residents quite understand how lucky they are.  A storage facility is about the LEAST impactful development possible.  Hardly any traffic, no late night noise, and it will contribute more to local taxes than the existing church.

Now the 7 story thing is a bit tall, but storage centers have a really low Floor to floor height. My guess is it will be around the same height as 1111 Studewood which is 6 floors but typical 14' ceilings.

Yeah there are a few houses that will back up to this and it will be a bit of an eye sore but I would rather back up to a storage center than a bar or restaurant.  Hell imagine the impact that a 7 story condo / apartment tower would have here, that would be WAY worse than a storage center...

[pablog]

1 minute ago, tangledwoods said:

I don't think these residents quite understand how lucky they are.  A storage facility is about the LEAST impactful development possible.  Hardly any traffic, no late night noise, and it will contribute more to local taxes than the existing church.

Now the 7 story thing is a bit tall, but storage centers have a really low Floor to floor height. My guess is it will be around the same height as 1111 Studewood which is 6 floors but typical 14' ceilings.

Yeah there are a few houses that will back up to this and it will be a bit of an eye sore but I would rather back up to a storage center than a bar or restaurant.  Hell imagine the impact that a 7 story condo / apartment tower would have here, that would be WAY worse than a storage center...

I would prefer a 7 story condo tower that fits the design and character of the neighborhood than a giant storage building with 0 character 

[august948]

1 hour ago, pablog said:

I would prefer a 7 story condo tower that fits the design and character of the neighborhood than a giant storage building with 0 character 

A craftsman style condo tower?

[LBC2HTX]

6 hours ago, pablog said:

I would prefer a 7 story condo tower that fits the design and character of the neighborhood than a giant storage building with 0 character 

Don’t worry, it’s just a matter of time before that whole corridor goes the way of 19th and 20th.

[rental me this]

On 2/1/2021 at 7:40 AM, wilcal said:

Big Tex mentioned in their reply to a news station that the building will:

· Adheres to COH Transit-Oriented Development: pedestrian-friendly plaza with 6′ wide sidewalks & a well landscape street façade.

· Architecturally designed to be complementary to the character of the Heights: honed brick, la Habra stucco and architectural metal panels

"La Habra stucco" is a nice sounding word for EIFS, which no one should be excited about.  And I'm guessing "architectural metal panels" is code for corrugated metal. 

[august948]

5 hours ago, rental me this said:

"La Habra stucco" is a nice sounding word for EIFS, which no one should be excited about.  And I'm guessing "architectural metal panels" is code for corrugated metal. 

What if it turns out to be the nicest building on the block?

[HouKev]

Just drove by this morning, they are pouring cement.

[thedistrict84]

Article on CultureMap from a few days ago:

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/02-09-21-stop-big-tex-storage-heights-petition-houston-city-council/

I love the phrase “ugly bunker design” used in the article, as if that was the actual style the architect was going for.

[hindesky]

[toxtethogrady]

On 1/31/2021 at 9:44 PM, august948 said:

This one apparently eats lampposts so it's clearly a different animal....

Looks like a Steve Cutts graphic...

[j_cuevas713]

Hopefully this doesn’t look awful af 

[august948]

7 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Hopefully this doesn’t look awful af 

Wouldn't it be cool, though, if it really looks like the graphic?  😜

On 4/19/2021 at 3:00 PM, hindesky said:

They should stop construction right here and paint it to look like the nimby graphic....

[mkultra25]

13 hours ago, august948 said:

Wouldn't it be cool, though, if it really looks like the graphic?  😜

They should stop construction right here and paint it to look like the nimby graphic....

And rig up a fan and some tubing for the arms, a la Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man.

 

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[thedistrict84]

I hate this project so much. 

Bad location ✔️ 

Dumb purpose ✔️ 

Owner who doesn’t give a crap about putting up a suburban monstrosity in a historic neighborhood ✔️ 

I hope area residents boycott it, the company goes bankrupt, they implode it, and turn the lot into a park.

(Extremely unlikely, but one can dream!)

[clutchcity94]

2 hours ago, thedistrict84 said:

I hate this project so much. 

Bad location ✔️ 

Dumb purpose ✔️ 

Owner who doesn’t give a crap about putting up a suburban monstrosity in a historic neighborhood ✔️ 

I hope area residents boycott it, the company goes bankrupt, they implode it, and turn the lot into a park.

(Extremely unlikely, but one can dream!)

There’s another one coming soon at 4503 Montrose. Literally a 10 minute walk from the new Kinder MFAH building.

[august948]

19 hours ago, thedistrict84 said:

I hate this project so much. 

Bad location ✔️ 

Dumb purpose ✔️ 

Owner who doesn’t give a crap about putting up a suburban monstrosity in a historic neighborhood ✔️ 

I hope area residents boycott it, the company goes bankrupt, they implode it, and turn the lot into a park.

(Extremely unlikely, but one can dream!)

I'm all for more parks, but more than likely the local residents (with the exception of a few Karens) will fill this up quickly and demand more.

As for historic neighborhood, it's got a lot of nice old craftsman style homes, but it's historic high point is that it was Houston's first suburb.  You might say it's the original Katyville.

[hindesky]

[pokemonizepic]

I drive past this all the time and I thought it was going to be an apartment complex or something nice, cant believe its more of these garbage self storage things 

[Luminare]

Everyone in Houston loves no zoning when it works for them, but laments it when it doesn't. Houston is a growing city, and a densifying one. Yes that means people moving in with more stuff than they need, and yes that means they need to put it somewhere, and no that doesn't mean they want to drive all the way out to Katy to access it. This is the nature of the beast when it comes to Houston. All the rapid growth of new apartments and towers we cheer, and that is thanks to no zoning. Be prepared for side effects of it. You take the good with the bad, and hope that this cycle Houston gets more good than bad.