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Condo Slated For 11th & Studewood St.


fwki

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Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you the same person that has been screaming for a mixed-use project instead of walmart? Isn't mixed-use "responsible urban development"? I guess if your pursuit is to just control everything, then you can lobby for, and then against the same thing...

Busted! :lol:

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I think this is accurate. This project reminds me of the proposed mid-rise condo development some guy planned for Westheimer in Montrose. It was called "The Westheimer" and was supposed to be where the empty lot is next to Buffalo Exchange. You can still see the sign on google maps. He wanted to cram 8-10 stories into a tiny lot. He had drawings, a website, a fence and even started messing with some site prep. Of course, it never happened.

I think this guy knows the neighborhood will go crazy if he tries to put six stories on a 25,000 sq ft lot and is floating this idea in order to look like a saint when he is unable to deliver on the six story project and has to scale down to a two story development with ground level parking.

Frankly, I hope this guy builds six stories. People in the Heights are getting very well organized between stop walmart and the historic preservation group. Another stupid development will just grow the ranks of those who will push for some sort of limited zoning ordinance. Houston is not post-1980s foreclosure crisis Houston. We are not desparate for any development. People are tired of bad land use choices and are going to demand a greater public role in private development in the City. The question for developers is whether they want to see this happen sooner or later. If they try to dot the Heights with mid and high rise developments, they are going to see zoning much sooner.

There you go.. speaking for everyone again. You must be a very special person to argue for mixed use mid rise, and against it, all while telling everyone how they feel and how things "should" be. People in the Heights are getting well organized your right... but that is to get this rediculous ordinance overturned. The two groups you speak of (walmart and ordinance) are actually the same small group of loud mouth internet trolls. FACT.

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There you go.. speaking for everyone again. You must be a very special person to argue for mixed use mid rise, and against it, all while telling everyone how they feel and how things "should" be. People in the Heights are getting well organized your right... but that is to get this rediculous ordinance overturned. The two groups you speak of (walmart and ordinance) are actually the same small group of loud mouth internet trolls. FACT.

Its is a fact because he said so, and because I have positive rep'd it! Thats a doubly whammy factoid! You cant argue with double whammy factoids, its the law! I know, I am a lawyer!

I think the two opposition groups are TINY - I saw their little day of horrible traffic fiasco where they tried to simulate bad WalMart traffic in protest... it was hilarious! Traffic was not blocked at all, and the only thing accomplished was the un-necessary burning of gasoline....These are also probably the same people who complain about global warming, while living in houses that is so inefficient that I can heat/cool my McMansion, McVic, whatever you want to call it, for a fraction of their utility costs!

I see no problem at all with a midrise, with 2 floors of parking, 2 floors of retail, and 2 floors of living...its completely acceptable, especially at that location which is almost entirely commercial...at most 2 houses will have their back yard privacy reduced...and these people have no right to full privacy...any 2 story home would do the same thing, and we have determined already for a FACT, that anyone has the right to build a 2 story home, so I see no negative impact in any way!

There are also those 3 story concrete condo's on 11th and harvard that I think are beautiful...I am sure they are out of scale and out of touch with what I want too....I think they are beautiful, but since S3MH speaks for everyone in the Heights and I live in the Heights, I must not know what I want....

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I think this is accurate. This project reminds me of the proposed mid-rise condo development some guy planned for Westheimer in Montrose. It was called "The Westheimer" and was supposed to be where the empty lot is next to Buffalo Exchange. You can still see the sign on google maps. He wanted to cram 8-10 stories into a tiny lot. He had drawings, a website, a fence and even started messing with some site prep. Of course, it never happened.

I think this guy knows the neighborhood will go crazy if he tries to put six stories on a 25,000 sq ft lot and is floating this idea in order to look like a saint when he is unable to deliver on the six story project and has to scale down to a two story development with ground level parking.

Frankly, I hope this guy builds six stories. People in the Heights are getting very well organized between stop walmart and the historic preservation group. Another stupid development will just grow the ranks of those who will push for some sort of limited zoning ordinance. Houston is not post-1980s foreclosure crisis Houston. We are not desparate for any development. People are tired of bad land use choices and are going to demand a greater public role in private development in the City. The question for developers is whether they want to see this happen sooner or later. If they try to dot the Heights with mid and high rise developments, they are going to see zoning much sooner.

Sheesh, I have never seen anyone who is so out of touch with the realities of politics, the workings of government, and development. First of all, do you really think that the rest of Houston gives a flip about whether the Heights gets a Wal-Mart or saves 2/1 bungalows in perpetuity? Zoning is prohibited by the city charter. Do you know what it takes to change the City Charter? It takes a referendum. Houston has had at least four of them, all failed, and there is zero chance that there will be enough support to allow zoning. Yes, yes, we realize your pal Parker wants to try zoning outside the loop. We know she has lobbyists working on it. But you clearly know nothing about the development community in Houston if you think they will ever let any real zoning happen. And truthfully, your little band of hysterical preservationists won’t have enough support to even affect the project on Studemont. Most Heights people WANT more retail. Wal-Mart is only opposed because it is Wal-Mart. If it was some other retailer, everyone would have welcomed it. The only people who are going to go crazy are the 38 people who signed your ridiculous flyers that ended up just pissing off most of the neighborhood because you had the bad taste to think that everyone wanted to be bombarded with your propaganda. The NUMBER ONE complaint I have heard from my friends, some who support your ridiculous ordinance is that they HATE you people. They still support some protections BUT are completely disgusted with the yellow sign group. So, please so get started trying to stir up the neighborhood. They’ll love you!

And everyone knows you “are not desparate (sp??) for any development. Your group has long opposed ALL development in the Heights. You have a history and the neighborhood suffered for it, but not any more.

And while you are wandering around aimlessly crying about a fishing expedition, we will be working towards fostering a good relationship with the developer and finding ways to attract great retailers and restaurateurs to go in to his development. And while you are working on trying to get a referendum on zoning, I’ll be sipping a nice cold margarita in the new restaurant that will be blocks from my house and laughing ourselves silly about your fishing expedition.

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There you go.. speaking for everyone again. You must be a very special person to argue for mixed use mid rise, and against it, all while telling everyone how they feel and how things "should" be. People in the Heights are getting well organized your right... but that is to get this rediculous ordinance overturned. The two groups you speak of (walmart and ordinance) are actually the same small group of loud mouth internet trolls. FACT.

There actually are quite a few folks in the Heights who oppose the Wal-Mart project because they hate Wal-Mart. A few are concerned about traffic but mainly that company offends the sensibilities of people who gravitate to our neighborhood. However, many of those anti-Wal-Mart folks are also anti-ordinance people too. And you won't see them up in arms about a reasonable development on that site. People are only going to get up in arms about development that isn't on a major thoroughfare. The pro-ordinance, anti-development folks think that 100 years ago, there were no 6 story buildings so of course the whole neighborhood will hate a 6 story building. I'm a Yank, and grew up with lots of historic architecture all around. Their idea of what existed comes from a perspective of an imaginary land they envision they can impose on their neighbors.

They don't live in 2011. They want their neighborhood to be a postcard from the early 1900's so they can pretend they live in another time that they imagine their lives better than they are. They would be so much happier living in a small rural town where nothing much happens and life stays the same, no progress, no prosperity, no change. They can't wrap their little minds around the realities of 21st century urban living.

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I see no problem at all with a midrise, with 2 floors of parking, 2 floors of retail, and 2 floors of living...its completely acceptable, especially at that location which is almost entirely commercial...at most 2 houses will have their back yard privacy reduced...and these people have no right to full privacy...any 2 story home would do the same thing, and we have determined already for a FACT, that anyone has the right to build a 2 story home, so I see no negative impact in any way!

If Houston had zoning, this stretch of Studewood would almost certainly be zoned commercial.

And I encourage people to drive down the first block or so of 11-1/2 St. west of Studewood; it's a particularly unattractive stretch of run-down bungalows and low-rent multi-family. It's hard to imagine ANYTHING that wouldn't be an improvement.

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If Houston had zoning, this stretch of Studewood would almost certainly be zoned commercial.

And I encourage people to drive down the first block or so of 11-1/2 St. west of Studewood; it's a particularly unattractive stretch of run-down bungalows and low-rent multi-family. It's hard to imagine ANYTHING that wouldn't be an improvement.

I'm pretty sure my friends that live on that block in their beautiful well-maintained bungalo would disagree... but I digress, I know you were just generalizing. I can tell you though he's not thrilled about a 6-story building looking down into his yard

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I'm pretty sure my friends that live on that block in their beautiful well-maintained bungalo would disagree... but I digress, I know you were just generalizing. I can tell you though he's not thrilled about a 6-story building looking down into his yard

With progress someone will always be unhappy. Overall I am guessing a 6 story building will bring much good to the area....through restaurants, stores, and higher property values...The area is very commercial...only a few 2-4 homes will be affected, its difficult to build anything that effects fewer properties than that unless your on an island.

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With progress someone will always be unhappy. Overall I am guessing a 6 story building will bring much good to the area....through restaurants, stores, and higher property values...The area is very commercial...only a few 2-4 homes will be affected, its difficult to build anything that effects fewer properties than that unless your on an island.

Guys - this whole post started as an April Fool's joke, didn't it? Check the very first post....

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With progress someone will always be unhappy. Overall I am guessing a 6 story building will bring much good to the area....through restaurants, stores, and higher property values...The area is very commercial...only a few 2-4 homes will be affected, its difficult to build anything that effects fewer properties than that unless your on an island.

I'll reserve full judgement until I see renderings, or more likely the finished property in case they cheap out in the end. My guess is the 6 stories will probably end up more like 4 stories, but we'll see. Regardless, folks wishing for smart urban growth should be glad to see some denser commercial development. No historic properties will be destroyed, and a blighted eyesore of a lot will hopefully be resurrected into something beneficial to the neighborhood.

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If Houston had zoning, this stretch of Studewood would almost certainly be zoned commercial.

And I encourage people to drive down the first block or so of 11-1/2 St. west of Studewood; it's a particularly unattractive stretch of run-down bungalows and low-rent multi-family. It's hard to imagine ANYTHING that wouldn't be an improvement.

There are a couple of places on the second block in that are questionable, but the first block off Studewood are very well kept beautiful homes with large tree canopies. There is a nasty looking rental directly behind Zelko that probably isn't long for this world as well as a particularly nasty slum apt back there too, but those are more out of place than the norm.

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With progress someone will always be unhappy. Overall I am guessing a 6 story building will bring much good to the area....through restaurants, stores, and higher property values...The area is very commercial...only a few 2-4 homes will be affected, its difficult to build anything that effects fewer properties than that unless your on an island.

I wonder if this is what people said when they jammed apartment complexes and commercial businesses in various odd spots all around the Heights thirty and forty years ago. I am sure apartment buildings replaced vacant lots and run down buildings. I am sure people thought "it is good to see a new building go in, it will raise property values and attract development". And they looked at the rapid development going on in other parts of town and were happy to see a bit break off and go into the Heights. But, today, we are all wishing that something other than these apartments, chicken plants and other odd industrial facilities had been built.

A six story building with offices, restraunts and whatever sounds nice today instead of a vacant lot. But down the road will we regret that this project and, assuming it is successful, the many imitators that will inevitably come in and further chop up the Heights? This building may only affect a few properties, but the next one, and the next one and the next one will eventually collectively affect the entire area.

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Whatever ends up on that property will be aligned with market forces, and I cannot envision 6 or 4 story new construction for mixed use buried in the Heights at this time. Maybe the guy can sell ice to Eskimos or maybe he hates his own money, but I doubt it. I don't doubt that he has some leads and may be flashing a little cash, but that's a long way from a deal. Maybe Christian's tailgate, d'Amico's, Revival Market all took a hard look, but at the end of the day they all made business decisions to renovate, and we still don't have mixed use tower on White Oak. Had the market looked like 2006 instead of 2010 with all the speculation and flipping, the outcome there likely would be different. We're now in the midst of a CRE collpase and a commodities bubble. In the nearby Class C office building I work, the two newest tenants are right-sizing from Class A.

So let's hope for the best but don't bet against the market, and definitiely don't feed the trolls (except on April Fools Day).

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A six story building with offices, restraunts and whatever sounds nice today instead of a vacant lot. But down the road will we regret that this project and, assuming it is successful, the many imitators that will inevitably come in and further chop up the Heights? This building may only affect a few properties, but the next one, and the next one and the next one will eventually collectively affect the entire area.

I'd say considering the DOE just released that they expect a bbl of oil to be $99 by the end of 2012 (and thus gas prices will again be nearing the $4 mark) the question 20 years from now will be:

why wasn't this project bigger?

http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/31/doe-oil-will-average-99-barrel-by-end-2012-gas-329-per-gallon/

I believe it was you who said mixed use development is good for urban landscapes, by your own definition, the Heights is an urban landscape.

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Whatever ends up on that property will be aligned with market forces, and I cannot envision 6 or 4 story new construction for mixed use buried in the Heights at this time. Maybe the guy can sell ice to Eskimos or maybe he hates his own money, but I doubt it. I don't doubt that he has some leads and may be flashing a little cash, but that's a long way from a deal. Maybe Christian's tailgate, d'Amico's, Revival Market all took a hard look, but at the end of the day they all made business decisions to renovate, and we still don't have mixed use tower on White Oak. Had the market looked like 2006 instead of 2010 with all the speculation and flipping, the outcome there likely would be different. We're now in the midst of a CRE collpase and a commodities bubble. In the nearby Class C office building I work, the two newest tenants are right-sizing from Class A.

So let's hope for the best but don't bet against the market, and definitiely don't feed the trolls (except on April Fools Day).

darnit, sorry, was trying to neg s3mh, and didn't confirm the name before clicking :(

I think as oil prices continue to rise (not artificially caused by speculation) and we don't have suitable alternative fuels, people will continue to move closer to where they work, this will force density in certain areas. While this development may be leading the edge, and may not take off, things like this will eventually start being more normal than not.

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darnit, sorry, was trying to neg s3mh, and didn't confirm the name before clicking :(

I think as oil prices continue to rise (not artificially caused by speculation) and we don't have suitable alternative fuels, people will continue to move closer to where they work, this will force density in certain areas. While this development may be leading the edge, and may not take off, things like this will eventually start being more normal than not.

I agree. Houston is just too young to really see examples of dense inner city development driven by transportation limitations. In Chicago the brownstones are examples of dense development before cheap transportation, and I'm guessing they replaced nice little vilages (or farms). Demographics before and after cheap oil could look similar.

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I wonder if this is what people said when they jammed apartment complexes and commercial businesses in various odd spots all around the Heights thirty and forty years ago. I am sure apartment buildings replaced vacant lots and run down buildings. I am sure people thought "it is good to see a new building go in, it will raise property values and attract development". And they looked at the rapid development going on in other parts of town and were happy to see a bit break off and go into the Heights. But, today, we are all wishing that something other than these apartments, chicken plants and other odd industrial facilities had been built.

A six story building with offices, restraunts and whatever sounds nice today instead of a vacant lot. But down the road will we regret that this project and, assuming it is successful, the many imitators that will inevitably come in and further chop up the Heights? This building may only affect a few properties, but the next one, and the next one and the next one will eventually collectively affect the entire area.

Using ideals from 40 years ago, when the heights was not anything close to what it is today seems like a very rational point of view for not wanting a LEED certified building from being constructed.

Nice try.

Now if KB homes wanted to build something here I'm sure your argument might have some merit (not really, it would just coincidentally be similar to others thoughts)

Keep on Trollin'

and for the love of pete stop saying "WE" when you mean "I".

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I wonder if this is what people said when they jammed apartment complexes and commercial businesses in various odd spots all around the Heights thirty and forty years ago. I am sure apartment buildings replaced vacant lots and run down buildings. I am sure people thought "it is good to see a new building go in, it will raise property values and attract development". And they looked at the rapid development going on in other parts of town and were happy to see a bit break off and go into the Heights. But, today, we are all wishing that something other than these apartments, chicken plants and other odd industrial facilities had been built.

A six story building with offices, restraunts and whatever sounds nice today instead of a vacant lot. But down the road will we regret that this project and, assuming it is successful, the many imitators that will inevitably come in and further chop up the Heights? This building may only affect a few properties, but the next one, and the next one and the next one will eventually collectively affect the entire area.

Lets see how many commercial on commercial intersections are there in the heights? I mean really? We have 11th and Studewood - BOTH are commercial streets. The only others are Studewood and 6th, Studewood and 19th, studewood and 20th. 11th and Yale, 11th and Shepherd....then we have shepherd and 20, shepherd and 19th. 6th and Yale, 6th and Heights, Thats pretty much it, unless I am missing one.

I do not think we have any reason to fear giant mixed use commercial, or mixed use buildings taking over the area...this is a Commercial intersection. If we had zoning which you seem to preach and desire, this would be zoned commercial.

You seem to have this image of a utopia that has been created just for you, one in which everything is perfect, you control everything, and everyone listens to you....that utopia does not exist in the real world.

It truly is hard to imagine an intersection or location in the heights that would affect fewer residences. This is a perfect location for a mixed use development. You may not like it, but I dont think you like anything anymore. You only support keeping the Heights exactly as it is now....possibly you bought more house than you can really afford, and you are trying to drive property values down? I dont know....but one thing is for sure...this is a commercial location. Building a commercial building will not hurt anything.

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Lets see how many commercial on commercial intersections are there in the heights? I mean really? We have 11th and Studewood - BOTH are commercial streets. The only others are Studewood and 6th, Studewood and 19th, studewood and 20th. 11th and Yale, 11th and Shepherd....then we have shepherd and 20, shepherd and 19th. 6th and Yale, 6th and Heights, Thats pretty much it, unless I am missing one.

I do not think we have any reason to fear giant mixed use commercial, or mixed use buildings taking over the area...this is a Commercial intersection. If we had zoning which you seem to preach and desire, this would be zoned commercial.

You seem to have this image of a utopia that has been created just for you, one in which everything is perfect, you control everything, and everyone listens to you....that utopia does not exist in the real world.

It truly is hard to imagine an intersection or location in the heights that would affect fewer residences. This is a perfect location for a mixed use development. You may not like it, but I dont think you like anything anymore. You only support keeping the Heights exactly as it is now....possibly you bought more house than you can really afford, and you are trying to drive property values down? I dont know....but one thing is for sure...this is a commercial location. Building a commercial building will not hurt anything.

Building a commercial building isn't the issue. The issue is building four floors taller than anything in the neighborhood. The Stella Sola (formerly Bedford) property is on what looks like an identically sized lot (I think it is identical, but someone will pull the HCAD map and crow on about how it is .0002 acres different). They put in a two story business with plenty of parking that has fit in well with the neighborhood. And Stella Sola is making money hand over fist.

A six story building is too big for that area, and it will just set a precedent for others to copy. Then, next thing you know the Heights will be dotted with six, eight, ten and twelve story buildings. Just like the apartments may have seemed like a good idea at the time, a six story building may seem like a good thing after the land has sat empty for so long. But the Heights has suffered from too much short term thinking and could benefit from some better long term planning. If we can restrict paint color and HVAC placement under the historic preservation ordinance, we can certainly do something to place reasonable height restrictions on commercial buildings in the Heights, even if it means doing a little bit of the z-word.

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Building a commercial building isn't the issue. The issue is building four floors taller than anything in the neighborhood. The Stella Sola (formerly Bedford) property is on what looks like an identically sized lot (I think it is identical, but someone will pull the HCAD map and crow on about how it is .0002 acres different). They put in a two story business with plenty of parking that has fit in well with the neighborhood. And Stella Sola is making money hand over fist.

A six story building is too big for that area, and it will just set a precedent for others to copy. Then, next thing you know the Heights will be dotted with six, eight, ten and twelve story buildings. Just like the apartments may have seemed like a good idea at the time, a six story building may seem like a good thing after the land has sat empty for so long. But the Heights has suffered from too much short term thinking and could benefit from some better long term planning. If we can restrict paint color and HVAC placement under the historic preservation ordinance, we can certainly do something to place reasonable height restrictions on commercial buildings in the Heights, even if it means doing a little bit of the z-word.

by your thinking expressed here the Walmart is a perfect fit for Yale. Glad you finally have come around.

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Building a commercial building isn't the issue. The issue is building four floors taller than anything in the neighborhood. The Stella Sola (formerly Bedford) property is on what looks like an identically sized lot (I think it is identical, but someone will pull the HCAD map and crow on about how it is .0002 acres different). They put in a two story business with plenty of parking that has fit in well with the neighborhood. And Stella Sola is making money hand over fist.

A six story building is too big for that area, and it will just set a precedent for others to copy. Then, next thing you know the Heights will be dotted with six, eight, ten and twelve story buildings. Just like the apartments may have seemed like a good idea at the time, a six story building may seem like a good thing after the land has sat empty for so long. But the Heights has suffered from too much short term thinking and could benefit from some better long term planning. If we can restrict paint color and HVAC placement under the historic preservation ordinance, we can certainly do something to place reasonable height restrictions on commercial buildings in the Heights, even if it means doing a little bit of the z-word.

Given that you didn't live here when those two buildings were built, it is no surprise that you are unaware that people complained about them too. And, since you live nowhere close to them, you are unaware that there is a huge parking problem at the two restaurants in the buildings. For that reason alone, a 2 level parking structure is a great idea. I find it amusing that you call the Heights an urban area in the Walmart thread, but when a sensible urrban development is proposed, you claim that suburban style parking lots are a better idea, and propose zoning to control them...even on a commercial street like Studewood.

Once again, your brilliance overwhelms.

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But the Heights has suffered from too much short term thinking and could benefit from some better long term planning.

Coming from the person who supports the worst knee-jerk ordinance to affect the Heights in its 110 year existence, I find this statement hilariously ironic.

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I wonder if this is what people said when they jammed apartment complexes and commercial businesses in various odd spots all around the Heights thirty and forty years ago. I am sure apartment buildings replaced vacant lots and run down buildings. I am sure people thought "it is good to see a new building go in, it will raise property values and attract development". And they looked at the rapid development going on in other parts of town and were happy to see a bit break off and go into the Heights. But, today, we are all wishing that something other than these apartments, chicken plants and other odd industrial facilities had been built.

A six story building with offices, restraunts and whatever sounds nice today instead of a vacant lot. But down the road will we regret that this project and, assuming it is successful, the many imitators that will inevitably come in and further chop up the Heights? This building may only affect a few properties, but the next one, and the next one and the next one will eventually collectively affect the entire area.

Tell me Chicken Little, is the sky always falling where you live?

30 or 40 years ago, no one gave a damn about what was built in the Heights. It was one of the most undesirable neighborhoods in the city and it looked like the only thing it would be good for was multi-family development but even that proved to be a bust because they had a hard time renting them in a neighborhood that was increasingly more crime ridden.

Any pray tell, how will the Heights be further chopped up? Much of it is deed-restricted, a fact you extremists like to deny but true nonetheless. The fact is that the Heights needs more retail/commercial development to thrive. We need restaurants and retail shops. We need the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. The Heights had LOTS of retail back in the day. And as an expert in economics, (along with everything else it seems) you clearly know that it isn't economically viable for developers to come and build on the tiny spaces available for commercial development unless they can get enough square footage. (Of course, this is the part of the economic picture that your hysterical preservation group has trouble wrapping their arms around.) The small areas available will see more multi-story development just as the un-historic areas will see more multi-family development. Quit your complaining and get out there and DEED RESTRICT the rest of the Heights. And before you whine about deed restrictions, please remember that your pal Parker said your hysterical ordinance doesn't restrict density and Marlene Gafrick told you at your meeting up there on Waugh the same thing. Get some deed restrictions in place if you want to restrict height and density. If people love restrictions as much as your group claims, they will be happy to sign up for prevailing lot size, set back and single family restrictions. In fact, my guess is they would welcome those more than your style restriction ordinance, any day!

So, take out your umbrella before you go out, Chicken Little. The sky is falling and you wouldn't want it to hit you in the head.

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Note to s3mh. MY lot is deed restricted, which is why I don't need a ridiculous ordinance to protect me. Why haven't you done yours?

Nuther note to Chicken Little. MY LOT is deed restricted too. MY BLOCK is deed restricted. MY NEIGHBORS BLOCKS are deed restricted. My neighbors didn't spend their time getting their buddies at City Hall to tell entire community what to do. Instead, they worked with their neighbors to ensure that townhomes and condos and highrise development wouldn't occur on their block and their block wouldn't have too many homes built on lots designed for a single home. We did not want to be the style police for our neighbors. We simply wanted some reasonable restrictions on needed revitalization and development.

Here is the list of deed restricted properties, Chicken Little. Get started.

http://www.houstonheights.org/deedrestrictedproperties.htm

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The issue is building four floors taller than anything in the neighborhood.

My little Chick-a-Dee Little,

I fear your folks didn't read you bedtime stories nightly to foster and stimulate your creativity and imagination. And I’ve been picking on you and I feel bad about that (despite the fact that you made some pretty ugly threats against us). To that end, I've decided to make up for it by providing you a brief story of some of the history of our Heights community (from the HOUSTON HEIGHTS 1891-1991, A Historical Portrait and Contemporary Perspective”.

Once upon a time, (the 1890’s) a nice man name Oscar Carter had a “utopian vision for the approaching twentieth century.” Now, Mr. Carter was very rich. A millionaire and he dreamed of building a new type of town where “successful entrepreneurs and working people alike could live and work, in health and safety, as neighbors.” He knew that major industries would come to Houston and he wanted them in his planned community. He sort of had that Field of Dreams, “if you build it, they will come” kind of vision. One of the things he built was a commercial strip on 19th Avenue and arranged for stores to open there. There was a fine hotel and many other businesses.

And ya know what, little Chick? No one has found a single height restriction placed on any of those businesses requiring them to limit their buildings to 2-stories. It is rumored that Mr. Carter was known as a “developer.” I know, I know, this word is very scary for you Chick but developers are our friends and our friends the developers know that silly restrictions are a deterrent to bringing new business into the community. Mr. Carter understood that new businesses had to come to the Heights for his utopian, master planned community to be successful so surely he didn’t want to tell them silly things like their business could only be 2 stories high.

Pretty cool, huh Chick? The nice man who founded the Heights was a bit of a developer who wanted business and industry and retail in the Heights.

They also built many fine, fine homes along the 60 foot wide Boulevard. Victorian homes, Chick! (McVic’s to you, Chick). But, I’m sleepy and need to get to bed so I can get to work on time. I will tell you more later about Mr. Carter, his vision, and the business and homes he and his friends built.

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