MidtownCoog Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 Looking out my window, I notice City Hall no longer has hands to the clock on Smith St.Very bush league to say the least.Are they being repaired? I notice they are cleaing the building, so maybe they took them off the protect them? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 I believe you are right. Ever since they started cleaning the building, they took the hands down. The took the one facing Smith down first. I don't know if they've taken the other(s) down yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 I've been in Houston since '81 and for the majority of that time the City Hall clock(s) have not been fully functional. Either the neon is out, or they're wildly inaccurate - or stopped. From what I've read, they operate under some peculiar 1937 miracle of engineering - to set the time, a person on the ground would have to holler up to workmen to set each individual clock-face. I hope they'll modernize the works before re-installing the hands. Of course, the original appearance must be maintained; I'll shriek if they go digital. As an aside, I'm sorry that more buildings don't integrate large public clocks - it used to be quite common. Even at the airports you have to go peer at one of those damn electronic screens to verify the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted July 20, 2005 Author Share Posted July 20, 2005 Now I figured it out. The clocks hands are gone so they can move up and down the front.There is some lunch time concert today. Wonder what's going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 The hands are back up as of this morning. They were lit, too! Of course, the time was all wrong but, damnit, they're back up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 Yep. The scaffolding thing is still up. A month of work and I can't tell what they did. I guess they sealed the rock.I like buildings made out of that material (what do you call it?).There are some at UH, and the fossils in the stone are amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Limestone, perhaps. It is sedimentary, which can allow for the fossils of which you speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Isn't city hall made of the same material as the San Jacinto Monument? The San Jac has that cool mixture that had seashells mixed in it. I can't recall what it is called, but it has very interesting detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 I'd like to create a list of these type buildings in Houston. My fave: Roy G. Cullen Memorial Building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YakuzaIce Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Yeah as someone said the hands are back up. But regarding lights on buildings I noticed tonight that the beacon on the Transco wasn't on. Do they turn it off late at night or is it under repair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 The beacon at Transco is usually off by midnight M-S. Don't know about Sundays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YakuzaIce Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 The beacon at Transco is usually off by midnight M-S. Don't know about Sundays.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I didn't know that, but it makes sense, and yeah I saw it around 12:15 AM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djrage Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 The hands are back up as of this morning. They were lit, too! Of course, the time was all wrong but, damnit, they're back up! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Isn't it time to take those clocks down from City Hall and replace them with digital clocks? Atomic clocks no less so they are always right...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted July 30, 2005 Author Share Posted July 30, 2005 No way! Neon looks cool when I am trippin.(jk)Acutaly, looking out my window at work today, all the work is done.City Hall is looking mighty fine! Even the "pool" looks good enough to take a dip in. Even the roof was cleaned!I love this funky city! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 30, 2005 Share Posted July 30, 2005 The City Hall neon clock rocks! Especially at night. In fact, Houston needs more of this art deco funkiness around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Most everyone who passes through the City Hall rotunda agrees the new reception desk is beautiful, with its imported marble and shiny trim, and spacious enough for both police and city security officers to monitor the building.With a price tag of nearly $37,000, it also was expensive.The desk was custom-made for the city by a local company that used marble from Italy to match the building's 1930s-style architecture. It made its debut in the lobby of City Hall several months ago, where it serves not only as a sign-in desk for visitors and a security station but also as a topic of conversation.Though the city paid only half the cost of the large, L-shaped desk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 If anyone here has been inside City Hall, I think you'll agree with me that a desk from Ikea wouldn't have cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 i am sure there is something out there that would be appropriate and purty that lies between Ikea and 40k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 and that was just for a reception desk? The security guard or temp that will work around it should be proud to work in such style and class. Can you imagine what the mayor's office is like? 4 Star hotel? ie: Four Season's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted May 4, 2007 Author Share Posted May 4, 2007 first class furniture for a first class cityyou cheap skates need to get with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 first class furniture for a first class cityyou cheap skates need to get with it!No kidding. This isn't Phoenix or Jacksonville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 and that was just for a reception desk? The security guard or temp that will work around it should be proud to work in such style and class. and i'll bet if we go look, there will already by dried bubble gum under it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 and i'll bet if we go look, there will already by dried bubble gum under it. If I go check it out I'm taking a crow bar in hand to pry off that fancy imported Italian jazz so I can take home and tile the floor. Since tax payers dished out $ for it. Everyone wants thier piece of the pie. Yahoo! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 For some reason, civic pride took a nosedive soon after WWII. The contrast is striking; courthouses, city halls, schools, bridges, fire houses and so on used to incorporate great design and substantial materials with impressive results. Heck, the average 19th century prison is more attractive than today's McMansions. Houston may not have a Chrysler Building or a Grand Central Station, but we do have a City Hall of which we can proud. I'm glad it's not being cheapened with substandard materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 I agree, Tex. All day long, we read on here about how ugly Houston is, and how cheap they do things. Then, the City does something first class for one of its iconic buildings, and we get the gripes from the other direction.Hats off to the good citizen who donated half of the purchase price for the desk. And Drake Townsend, the resident of SPRING, who is quoted in the article bitching about the expense, can kiss my HOUSTON tax paying ass. What do I care what a non-resident thinks of the City's expenditures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 When I saw that story I figured whoever was complaining sure must have never bought any custom-made institutional furniture. Five figures is not outlandish for a custom made reception desk. If it was *really* nice I wouldn't be surprised by over $100,000. Kudos to Houston for not cheaping out on something that makes a strong first impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 For some reason, civic pride took a nosedive soon after WWII. The contrast is striking; courthouses, city halls, schools, bridges, fire houses and so on used to incorporate great design and substantial materials with impressive results. Heck, the average 19th century prison is more attractive than today's McMansions. Houston may not have a Chrysler Building or a Grand Central Station, but we do have a City Hall of which we can proud. I'm glad it's not being cheapened with substandard materials.Here, here.The thing is though, most of these people have probably never been inside City Hall. I suspect the reporter just went around asking people, "What do you think of the city spending $37,000 on a new desk in City Hall?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 (edited) Houston is one of 16 cities worldwide selected to receive funding for a "green makeover" of our City Hall, in an effort to reduce energy consumption. "Sixteen cities around the world will get financing to "go green" by renovating buildings they own with technology designed to cut carbon emissions, former President Clinton announced Wednesday.Clinton's foundation has created an arrangement among four energy service companies and five global banking institutions that will result in major environmental upgrades in the cities, which include New York, Chicago, Houston, Toronto, Mexico City, London, Berlin, Tokyo and Rome."http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/C/CL...EMPLATE=DEFAULThttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/city_halls_to_g.phpYour thoughts? Edited May 18, 2007 by Blake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Your thoughts?What's to think about? Anyone that wants to give the City of Houston free resources is welcomed to in my book. I really don't care what they're used for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 What's to think about? Anyone that wants to give the City of Houston free resources is welcomed to in my book. I really don't care what they're used for.i agree. buildings that are super-tight need to have specialized hvac systems too which cost more to install and require a bit more maintenance to ensure enough fresh air is introduced into the building. i worked in one new green building that made many people sick because the offgassing of the materials inside. not enough fresh air was being introduced so the offgassed air tended to remain in the building making people ill. the building engineers ended up having to leave the fire exhaust fan on for over a month which forced fresh air to enter the buildings. unfortunately this resolution came more than 6 months after we moved in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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