SilverJK Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I noticed there is some new construction going on behind lucky's pub (houston @ white oak). I didn't get too good of a look, but it appeared to be 3/4 stories and the fronts were offset (if townhomes, some look to be a few feet higher than others which could look interesting. Anyone know whats going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanith27 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Walked by these yesterday en route to Luckys for a pint and it sure looks townhome-ish to me. The typical park on the bottom, live on the top architecture. They may be elevated slightly since they straddle Little White Oak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 yeah it kind of looked like each one closer to Houston was a few feet lower than the one before which would look a lot different than anything else I've seen around (could still be a generic townhome). I'll take a closer look this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Just got back from riding over there. They look a bit like they are conforming to the rise in the street. The street humps right where the middle home is. The middle one is slightly higher than the one to either side. At least that is the way it looked to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Yeah I took another look and it wasn't as drastic as I'd orgininally though. Concrete block construction for the bottom, is that because of potential flooding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanith27 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 When I drive by these now I'm stunned at how tall they are. I look at this semi supported stack of 2x4s reaching skyward and I can't help but think of the three little pigs story when a strong wind or hurricane shows up. They look to tall and brittle right now. I'm a little surprised there isn't a stronger structural support going that high but I guess they know what they're doing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 compared to most construction of similar buildings, I'd thought almost the opposite... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 When I drive by these now I'm stunned at how tall they are. I look at this semi supported stack of 2x4s reaching skyward and I can't help but think of the three little pigs story when a strong wind or hurricane shows up. They look to tall and brittle right now. I'm a little surprised there isn't a stronger structural support going that high but I guess they know what they're doing.... Most new construction uses plywood or fiberboard on the outside of the 2x4 prior to putting up the siding. That plywood (for lack of a better word) is extremely strong, and effectively ties each 2x4 to the next. This creates an extremely rigid wall. When they stagger the plywood so that the same pattern is not repeated, they effectively tie the fist floor to the foundation, the second floor and the third...It is shocking how much strength is added when built this way. The old days the houses just had the siding over the framing - this is substantially weaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Most new construction uses plywood or fiberboard on the outside of the 2x4 prior to putting up the siding. That plywood (for lack of a better word) is extremely strong, and effectively ties each 2x4 to the next. This creates an extremely rigid wall. When they stagger the plywood so that the same pattern is not repeated, they effectively tie the fist floor to the foundation, the second floor and the third...It is shocking how much strength is added when built this way. The old days the houses just had the siding over the framing - this is substantially weaker. Actually, the metal straps are what tie the first floor to foundation, etc. However, the plywood...or more commonly, OSB...does serve a valuable service in providing rigidity to the structure during high wind. Rigidity keeps the structure from blowing down, while the steel straps keep it attached to the foundation. And, you are correct that the increased strength achieved when properly fastening OSB to a frame is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 http://nonsequiteuse.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/the-woodland-park-massacre/ This takes balls. The developer of the townhomes clear cut a path down to the bayou taking out almost an acre of vegetation in a City park. I guess the developer won't mind if folks in the neighborhood rip up the landscaping around the townhomes and take an equivalent amount of lumber from the construction site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 S3mh, Now this is where you and your friends at RUDH should put your efforts. Crush these guys! I'll be taking a look at this personally this afternoon. I really can't fathom the audacity of the developer to do something like this. Hopefully they put some heavy fines of this developer (in addition to replacement of plants and landscaping cost) and can roll that money back in to the park (which is in real need of updating) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwki Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 This is the type of disgusting act engendered by a callous disrespect for property rights. O crap, I thought I was posting in the Historic Districts thread. Nevermind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Funny. I live near this development and, at first, I was glad to see some townhomes going in on this vacant lot. Wasn't til I noticed the bulldozer back in the forest that I started to wonder how much property this developer bought! Based on what I could see, they cleared all the way down to the creek. It looks pretty bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Sad thing is, if they probably put in a request with the city with a proper plan, they might have been able to do it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Heights-area-residents-outraged-as-developer-4597469.php I haven't been to see it first hand, but the photo in the chron looks pretty bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 While the developer had no right whatsoever to do that, and should pay full restitution - getting rid of tallow trees, and mulching underbrush is very good for the ecosystem in our area. Part of the reason the drought was so rough on memorial park is b/c the convinced the city to stop doing partial underbrush thinning many years ago. The mulching of the underbrush is exceedingly good for desirable plants/trees/shrubs and allows water that is available in the soil to be used by beneficial plants and not the dang ole good for nothing tallow tree...I really hate that tallow tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 While the developer had no right whatsoever to do that, and should pay full restitution - getting rid of tallow trees, and mulching underbrush is very good for the ecosystem in our area. Part of the reason the drought was so rough on memorial park is b/c the convinced the city to stop doing partial underbrush thinning many years ago. The mulching of the underbrush is exceedingly good for desirable plants/trees/shrubs and allows water that is available in the soil to be used by beneficial plants and not the dang ole good for nothing tallow tree...I really hate that tallow tree. Thining is good, clear cutting is bad. Nothing is better for invasives that clear cutting. The first plants to spring up after clear cutting is tallow, giant cain and Chinese privet. It takes extensive planting and maintenance to restore an area that has been clear cut. Tallows will come back unless you dig out all the soil around them. That is what they are having to do along Buffalo Bayou to get rid of the tallow and white cedar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 so I did go look at it... its not quite as bad as it looks in pictures (it appears they didn't take out any mature trees judging from the brush piles and lack of stumps), but holy crap did they do an ugly job. They also just pushed most of the brush to the bottom, which will inevitably end up in the bayou during the next big rain... not happy with that. I think the city should fine the developer enough to plant some mature trees (big enough to block the view of the townhomes) and other landscaping, as well as an amount to maintain the improvements for the next several years to ensure they live/thrive. In addition to what I would consider replacing the damage they have caused (as punishment) they should have to pay a fine (amount determined by a judge) that would be used to support the park in general in addition to community service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Thining is good, clear cutting is bad. Nothing is better for invasives that clear cutting. The first plants to spring up after clear cutting is tallow, giant cain and Chinese privet. It takes extensive planting and maintenance to restore an area that has been clear cut. Tallows will come back unless you dig out all the soil around them. That is what they are having to do along Buffalo Bayou to get rid of the tallow and white cedar. Actually, a tallow tree will lose to native plants, but it takes time and it must be cared for properly, something parks do not usually do. I took 250 acres of tallow trees and pine tree stumps that had been ignored for 10+ years and restored it to native prairie pasture 3 or 4 years ago for a Ducks Unlimited Project....The key to getting rid of tallow trees to to get the root balls too. If you just remove the trunks but leave the roots you will accomplish nothing...the tallow seed dies quickly and is not fertile after 1 growing season, so its not really that difficult to get rid of. When I did it we bull dozed the stumps and roots and burned them, drug the pasture twice with a root plow to get all the roots up, then we disced, cross disced, leveled, built leaves, flooded, slowly drained, and then planted the pasture....it took off like wildfire and we have seen very few tallow trees even sprout back up....the ones that do are usually trampled by the cattle in the summer and they can be counted on one hand. Tallow trees also die quickly when exposed to Grazon P+D...or just flat out P+D (if you can find it) but Grazon will setback hardwood trees and other desirable woody plants....Im somewhat of an expert at this....I did this basically as a second career until I had kids...now, well, now I live vicariously through my dad who picked up where I left off....all I still work on out there are the cattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I went and walked around the area. They cut down a lot of bamboo. I did not see any evidence of tallows, white cedar or privet. I did see a big pile of debris that had some very large live oak branches (8-10 inches in diameter). I did not see any big stumps in the ground and could not tell where the live oak branches came from. The biggest problem will be trying to keep the bamboo from returning. The roots all look to still be in place. It definitely looked like someone was trying to create an amenity for the townhomes. They cleared out a spot on a small plateau that overlooks the little bend along the bayou. They also left a stand of bamboo near Houston Ave. to give the clearing some "privacy" from the road. If replanting is managed well, it could actually be a really nice spot for people to enjoy the bayou and bird watch or just sit and relax. It would be pretty easy to cut a trail over from where they built the little nature trail by the community center. So, the irony may be that the developer may have intended to build a little private oasis by the bayou for the townhomes, but may end up with a very popular site for people to come and use the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 s3mh, I believe those live oak branches were there by the bayou before this happened. (I was exploring over there a few months ago and saw a few downed trees and branches). I'll swing by again today to see if they've cleaned up the pile of debris yet. I don't understand how it is still there, the city should hire out someone to clear it out and send the developer the bill, the longer it sits there the more likely it is to get pushed into the bayou. Something else I'm not sure if others realize and s3mh kinda of mentioned.... the bamboo was just clear cut/scraped by the bulldozer. This is going to make this area somewhat dangerous in the near future as the bamboo shoots start to come back. I had a friend that had a bamboo grove within their circular driveway and it was a foot stabbing deathtrap after they removed it. (even after removing 2' of the dirt and rebuilding the beds and adding a gravel base to parts of it, bamboo still would shoot up occasionally) Those little shoots are sharp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 The Houston Parks & Recreation crew is there right now surveying the damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 I'll check it out later today to see if the brush is still piled up by the bayou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Giant pile of brush is still there. Looks like contstruction has stopped as well. Anyone got an update on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrison Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Fines are being levied and possible criminal charges are being considered-per the WH bb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share Posted July 22, 2013 Can we at least get the giant pile of brush/branches hauled off? I'm sure with the recent rains a lot has already went in to the bayou = [ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 The developer was assesed 300k in fines and already paid it. I wish they'd have given the developer community service as well. Can we get that pile of debris cleaned up now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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