Montrose TIRZ

[trymahjong]

 

 

17 hours ago, wilcal said:

Turner killed it after getting feedback from a few businesses in Midtown. Planning and HPW were completely on-board.

 

Lower Westheimer was never happening without a matching grant from HGAC. The reason why it was only half funded was because HGAC grants require a local match.

Supposedly, at any point, HGAC is getting ready to put out another call for projects, so I'm sure they are dusting off the Lower Westheimer plans to get them ready for resubmission. Evidently METRO is not happy with the way the bus stops were done in the old plan. 

As far as soliciting community input, it is a double-edged sword because the people that participate don't necessarily make up the entire community. This has gotten better with digital input. Community input works best for things like minor design changes, but not for the core design of things. Lower Westheimer right-of-way is only so large, so it isn't like there are really many options to begin with. 

Grant from HGAC?

hmmmmmm the COH/community leader Committee to give input was set up long before Harvey. I was vetted for that committee- but replaced by engineer. I had to decline since It was one of those times I was living in Manhattan. But I am fairly sure  I was told the lower Westheimer improvements were fully funded, thus suggestions ( from committee)  had to keep in mind that dollar amount.  So as far as I know that short commuter video that showed the proposals was within that dollar amount. That project being fully funded, before Harvey is what knocked the wind out of me when a city council explained the attachment to the completely unfunded remainder of Westheimer improvements. I have been vocally crabbing about that (including city council town hall meetings)  to who ever would listen. ever since. But now if that HGAC grant is true……I feel duped.

 

But I disagree with the notion of committees  must be made up of entire community to be successful digital age not withstanding. 
 

I do agree that Mayor Turner killed it but I think a different reason might be involved. Hurricane Harvey had Houston spending out the kazsue  thinking feds would repay but that didn’t happen……but those lower Westheimer funds were just sitting there as a quick stop gap replacement…….adding  unfunded remainder of Westheimer improvements to lower Westheimer meant no questions about availability of initial lower Westheimer funds……… just my suspicions.

Edited December 20, 2021 by trymahjong

[ErickEdgar]

13 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

If anyone can find a link to the 2017 presentation, can you please post it?

I believe this is it.

 

[wilcal]

14 hours ago, trymahjong said:

Grant from HGAC?

hmmmmmm the COH/community leader Committee to give input was set up long before Harvey. I was vetted for that committee- but replaced by engineer. I had to decline since It was one of those times I was living in Manhattan. But I am fairly sure  I was told the lower Westheimer improvements were fully funded, thus suggestions ( from committee)  had to keep in mind that dollar amount.  So as far as I know that short commuter video that showed the proposals was within that dollar amount. That project being fully funded, before Harvey is what knocked the wind out of me when a city council explained the attachment to the completely unfunded remainder of Westheimer improvements. I have been vocally crabbing about that (including city council town hall meetings)  to who ever would listen. ever since. But now if that HGAC grant is true……I feel duped.

 

From what I remember, the way they had to fund locally required that one half be fully funded and the other half be unfunded. Some other bookkeeping shenanigans like that.

I bet you $1 it'll be back in CIP next year for the HGAC call for projects, and when it isn't close, it'll be pulled right back out of CIP again. 

I think they missed funding by about 40 projects last time. Maybe we'll say they'll miss by 25 projects this time?

[Amlaham]

I would have thought this project is a top priority considering how busy Westheimer is and how bad the road condition is. You legit can't drive on the right side of lower Westheimer (both ways) for a majority of street. There's way too many potholes, so we basically have 1 way of mediocre street in the middle going both ways. 

[trymahjong]

https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/transportation/CMP/LowerWestheimer/

 

maybe that has the original info-

i have been out of pocket so much this year and only getting to read HAIF sporadically 

But truth be told……..I was sooooooo enamored by the idea of improvements to lower Westheimer, I was just “ all in” going to public meetings, writing letters, getting Avondale involved, raising awareness at Neartown. I had been tilting at windmills in CIP proposals for years without getting anywhere— I mean nothing got approved for Avondale…..ever.”

So here was this  fully funded proposal, proposal  to rethink 4 lanes into 3 ( this was what Ihad remembered when I lived here in 1979), repaving the street the street, pedestrian friendly cross walks with under surface lighting, curb cuts for those @#$!  Over sized metro buses at those bus stops, wider sidewalks, large canopy’ trees, with street lighting that accommodates that,even  occasional  “pedestrian oasis” of table and chairs, even public art! I thought I was experiencing urban planning nirvana.

I did hear the squeaks of western Westheimer advocates  about inequalities—— phooey! Lower Westheimer never seemed to get any attention at COH. And about that time all the accolades of walkability ofLower Westheimer was getting all kinds of media attention. I naively thought COH wanted to reward the positive PR.

But then poof!

Everything changed and my Ultra urban Planning skepticism began.

But that sort of explains why I’m so quick to repeat what I was told back then.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by trymahjong

[trymahjong]

Councilwoman Kamin spoke atNeartown meeting. 

a coalition has been made with COH, Midtown TIRZ and Montrose TIRZ to help get renovations to Alabama sooner.

[Amlaham]

Was Westheimer mentioned at all during the meeting? We're entering year 6 of when it was supposed to get rebuilt 😒

[trymahjong]

3 hours ago, Amlaham said:

Was Westheimer mentioned at all during the meeting? We're entering year 6 of when it was supposed to get rebuilt 😒

If Westheimer was mentioned, I missed it. This was about Alabama and how a “ jumpstart” was anticipated when Montrose and Midtown TIRZ would be brought in.

councilwoman Kamin did mention that her CIP meeting would be restarting very soon-probably by zoom.

[trymahjong]

Something a bit interesting happened at last TIRZ meeting. The bike lanes on Commonwealth and Waugh were part of discussion centering on how improvements suddenly halted at Dallas street- where TIRZ boundary ends hence no improved access to hook up with Allen Parkway. A grateful audience got to hear that Montrose TIRZ will reach out to Memorial Heights   ( I think that’s the TIRZ name) to form coalition to expand bike lanes to connect to Allen Parkway.

[trymahjong]

I did try to pay attention to this months zoom- but there seemed a lot of new participants- there was a lot of reciting back-to-basics proposal s....amendments to proposals.....reconstructed proposals etc.  I think my attention might have drifted.

Still, IMO, consensus was made on 1) street/sidewalk-crosswalk  improvements; 2)  reducing 4 lanes to 3 ; bus cutouts for bus stops; 3) planting trees.

 

I hope I got that correct

 

...for myself....I'm hoping for all  ROW green space between sidewalk and curb to be planted in Texas native wildflowers-- if that's not possible then huge upcycled ( empty bottles or cans from local bars or restaurants)  planters ( with Texas native blooming  tree- Texas native wild flowers also.  I hope an occasion large canopy tree could be transplanted from some other COH site,where that tree is in jeopardy of being destroyed. I hope for a bit of public art.........COH devises a recycled art  chair contest---- of course a modest cash prize but also winners items could be placed along lower Westheimer. At the green space at Bagby and Elgin-- the "M" statue be replaced with double huge upcycled planters and additional Texas native trees. Plus all the Obediance Smith  (lost?) brass plaques be installed with a few extremely heavy tables and chairs to contemplate that installation. Maybe a public art piece that makes a sound. 

Perhaps a space at the strip mall ( it would have been lovely to have used one of the great old houses on lower Westheimer but I'm not sure there are any left ) at Bagby and Westheimer; curated by COH- could become a modern display of old lower Westheimer artifacts. That space could be a repository of all things from historical montrose. Those who experienced first hand the Montrose of the  past are aging and those touch stones could be lost in the near future.  Who knows but, all this would propel this corner into a tourist destination- .!

All of this to enhance the walk ability and pride of lower Westheimer.

 

oh my, but I do love my " sky's-the-limit-endless-budget-everyone-will-agree-with-me urban oasis daydreams!  

Edited December 16, 2022 by trymahjong

[dbigtex56]

On 12/16/2022 at 8:41 AM, trymahjong said:

oh my, but I do love my " sky's-the-limit-endless-budget-everyone-will-agree-with-me urban oasis daydreams!  

"You may say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one."

[trymahjong]

I attended the meeting last night--

lots of talk about various street improvements. The one that really intrigued me was concerning the Montrose blvd mprovments and the possibility of commorative markers (or same such) for Montrose LGBTQ+ history. This is more exciting than it might seem as Montrose TIRZ can't maintain those things it might build.....but apparently TIRZ found a way. I am so excited for this.

For myself I still wonder if there isn't somewhere for the missing Obedience Smith plaques to be found and displayed.

[trymahjong]

Council District C Kamin spoke of Montrose TIRZ stepping up to finish improvements to Alabama street- returning it to 3 lanes- middle lane is a turn lane. These lanes would have already been painted as turn lanes but COH is short staffed on painters.

[j_cuevas713]

Yeah it looks like UK is about to start on it's two stretches of W Alabama soon

[hindesky]

They seem to working on the sidewalks for now on in the section between HEB and UST.

[Gameofcones]

Will there be bicycle lanes?

[trymahjong]

I have heard discussion but nothing seemed to be in the actual plans.

[j_cuevas713]

On 4/26/2023 at 3:57 PM, trymahjong said:

Council District C Kamin spoke of Montrose TIRZ stepping up to finish improvements to Alabama street- returning it to 3 lanes- middle lane is a turn lane. These lanes would have already been painted as turn lanes but COH is short staffed on painters.

That's such a lame excuse. If someone wanted something done it would happen. The city seems to be short staffed on just about everything. Either way I'm glad something is finally happening. 

On 4/27/2023 at 8:06 PM, hindesky said:

They seem to working on the sidewalks for now on in the section between HEB and UST.

What is UST? 

[mkultra25]

2 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

What is UST? 

University of St. Thomas.

[j_cuevas713]

4 minutes ago, mkultra25 said:

University of St. Thomas.

Ahh ok duh .

[trymahjong]

Ok-

about that lane painter shortage.......?

I'm wondering if that particular shortage is true; why cant the bosses over there step in? Am I supposed to believe COH has no one that can use paint roller  to designate lanes?  Is the bar set that low?

[Ross]

44 minutes ago, trymahjong said:

Ok-

about that lane painter shortage.......?

I'm wondering if that particular shortage is true; why cant the bosses over there step in? Am I supposed to believe COH has no one that can use paint roller  to designate lanes?  Is the bar set that low?

They don't use rollers, they use spray equipment or use heat activated striping. Both of those require training that the bosses probably don't have. That's pretty common. I know that just about every boss I've ever had was not nearly as good as me in performing the actual work, their skills were people management.

[trymahjong]

At the meeting tonight, the first segment of Montrose Blvd improvements were discussed- everything should be posted online-

 

one of the Skanksa developers attended, identified the property at Montrose and Westheimer and stated his support of this project.

[hindesky]

I attended the meeting in person but got these from the online source.

https://montrosehtx.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/BoardBook-MRA-8-21-23-compressed-compressed.pdf

New to me highlights for the Montrose Blvd Segment I.....

 

First pic was the original plan for the Montrose Blvd at W. Clay intersection but after input by citizens comments was changed to the second pic.

 

Montrose Blvd at W. Clay St. new plan will include toucans signals like these examples.

 

Next meeting for this Montrose Blvd project will be an in person only meeting.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by hindesky

[hindesky]

Public Art for the Montrose Blvd Construction project to be handled by Houston Art Alliance.

https://montrosehtx.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/HAA_ArtProject_ManagementProposal.pdf

[Texasota]

I'm pretty happy with this design. The intersection with Clay is an improvement.

Would I love dedicated transit lanes? Sure, but that was never really in the cards. This is massively better than Montrose as it is today.

[trymahjong]

I talked with a few people after the meeting about the art project.

 

I am not the only person who is cautious about the makeup of the HAA team...............all of them will bring forth their knowledge of what Montrose was- by reading about it- reading what someone else's viewpoint and impression was.................

 

 

[MrFubbles]

Two-way bike lanes in the median? Too good to be true

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

In person meeting about Phase I of Montrose Blvd reconstruction. They have the money, plan to start the bidding process towards the end of the year and would like to start construction in the 1st Q '24 after the Houston Marathon.