Wayside being re-asphalted

[samagon]

not sure if that's a real word, but I guess it is now.

anyway, they started work on July 5, not sure how long it is going to take. it's from 45 to just before Polk, so far as I can tell.

I think they are also going to do some work on the underpass at Lawndale, but I'm not sure what all is going to be included.

[cspwal]

Resurfaced? 

[JClark54]

Saw this a while back, but forgot to post in this forum. 

[samagon]

just got this from my neighborhood.

they say end of 2024.

https://files.constantcontact.com/1d03b1ce601/07d1e96d-2150-497f-a28a-ed8e98ecd574.pdf?rdr=true

so yeah, not just a re-asphalting, full rebuild with drainage.

Edited July 27, 2023 by samagon

[hbg.50]

What could have been!
People still moan about Culberson killing the University line.  I’m still bitter about NIMBYs in Idylwood preferring a 3rd rate public golf course over a world class botanic garden accessible by rail.  Alas, there are no mulligans in this game.  :(

[samagon]

from the perspective of a golfer, Gus Wortham is a far better course, and has more history than Glenbrook did.

from the perspective of a person who frequents the botanical garden (at least once a month with the kiddo), having a bayou run through the middle of it, rather than just along one edge provides so much more opportunity for cool stuff. granted Sims Bayou has a hike/bike trail along the side of the bayou, so the botanical garden really only has access to one bank, but then the hike/bike trail on Brays Bayou is on the golf course side, so if the botanical garden were at Gus Wortham, there would be no access to the bank of the bayou at all. having homes with mature trees bounding the outside of the botanical garden is far better than having a 4 lane highway on one side, a very active railway on another side, and a cemetery across the bayou on another side. literally the lawndale side is the least worst view from inside Gus Wortham looking out, that isn't a compliment to the views from inside. sure, I can see the freeway from certain perspectives within the current botanical garden, and there are some industrial stacks visible over the tops of some tree lines, but otherwise, it feels far more secluded and natural than anything at Gus Wortham ever would have.

finally, from the perspective of someone who lives within walking distance of Gus Wortham, I wouldn't have minded the botanical garden so close to home. there's nothing in it from a NIMBY perspective, literally, there's probably fewer people who visit the botanical garden, so from a traffic perspective, having a botanical garden across the street would be preferable to the golf course.

literally, the only thing that made Gus Wortham a better site than Glenbrook was the proximity to the light rail and that it is inside the loop.

edit, sure we can say that Slaughterpen Bayou goes through the middle of Gus Wortham (and thus would have gone through the middle of the botanical garden, had it been at that location, but then we can also say that the original channel for Sims Bayou bounds 3 sides of the botanical garden, adding huge trees that hide anything on the other side, and there's still a bayou that goes through the middle.

nope, the more you compare the two locations, for each purpose, it's plainly obvious that Glenbrook is a far better venue for the botanical garden, and of the two, Gus Wortham is a better location for a municipal golf course.

Edited July 27, 2023 by samagon

[hbg.50]

Quote

literally, the only thing that made Gus Wortham a better site than Glenbrook was the proximity to the light rail and that it is inside the loop.

Yes, both of those things would have benefited the garden as a tourist location.  My memory could be failing me but I seem to recall some nice elevations inside Gus Wortham that Glenbrook just doesn’t have.  That was another reason I preferred GW over GB.

It’s water under the bridge now.  I saw recently that Claudia Gee Vassar is stepping down as President and CEO of HBG.  I REALLY hope the board brings in someone that can get things moving.  I feel like the garden has been stagnant since it opened.

[dart330]

18 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Yes, both of those things would have benefited the garden as a tourist location.  My memory could be failing me but I seem to recall some nice elevations inside Gus Wortham that Glenbrook just doesn’t have.  That was another reason I preferred GW over GB.

It’s water under the bridge now.  I saw recently that Claudia Gee Vassar is stepping down as President and CEO of HBG.  I REALLY hope the board brings in someone that can get things moving.  I feel like the garden has been stagnant since it opened.

An outdoor attraction closing everyday at 5pm makes it very difficult to visit for most people who work during the day. I think extending the hours into the evening would help dramatically.

[004n063]

22 hours ago, samagon said:

from the perspective of a golfer, Gus Wortham is a far better course, and has more history than Glenbrook did.

from the perspective of a person who frequents the botanical garden (at least once a month with the kiddo), having a bayou run through the middle of it, rather than just along one edge provides so much more opportunity for cool stuff. granted Sims Bayou has a hike/bike trail along the side of the bayou, so the botanical garden really only has access to one bank, but then the hike/bike trail on Brays Bayou is on the golf course side, so if the botanical garden were at Gus Wortham, there would be no access to the bank of the bayou at all. having homes with mature trees bounding the outside of the botanical garden is far better than having a 4 lane highway on one side, a very active railway on another side, and a cemetery across the bayou on another side. literally the lawndale side is the least worst view from inside Gus Wortham looking out, that isn't a compliment to the views from inside. sure, I can see the freeway from certain perspectives within the current botanical garden, and there are some industrial stacks visible over the tops of some tree lines, but otherwise, it feels far more secluded and natural than anything at Gus Wortham ever would have.

finally, from the perspective of someone who lives within walking distance of Gus Wortham, I wouldn't have minded the botanical garden so close to home. there's nothing in it from a NIMBY perspective, literally, there's probably fewer people who visit the botanical garden, so from a traffic perspective, having a botanical garden across the street would be preferable to the golf course.

literally, the only thing that made Gus Wortham a better site than Glenbrook was the proximity to the light rail and that it is inside the loop.

edit, sure we can say that Slaughterpen Bayou goes through the middle of Gus Wortham (and thus would have gone through the middle of the botanical garden, had it been at that location, but then we can also say that the original channel for Sims Bayou bounds 3 sides of the botanical garden, adding huge trees that hide anything on the other side, and there's still a bayou that goes through the middle.

nope, the more you compare the two locations, for each purpose, it's plainly obvious that Glenbrook is a far better venue for the botanical garden, and of the two, Gus Wortham is a better location for a municipal golf course.

I find the location of the gardens extremely difficult to get to, personally, to the point where I canceled my membership when I got rid of my car. The golf course, on the other hand, is super accessible, with light rail access, solid lanes on Lawndale and safe neighborhood routes from other directions, and the Brays Bayou trail (which is a much "bigger" and better-connected route than Sims).

As somebody who loathes golf courses and harbors a minor obsession with trees, I personally would have preferred the two swap places.

Of course, METRONext could just get a move on with the Broadway/Hobby extension of the green line and all of this would be moot. But alas...

Edited July 28, 2023 by 004n063

[samagon]

On 7/27/2023 at 5:57 PM, steve1363 said:

Yes, both of those things would have benefited the garden as a tourist location.  My memory could be failing me but I seem to recall some nice elevations inside Gus Wortham that Glenbrook just doesn’t have.  That was another reason I preferred GW over GB.

It’s water under the bridge now.  I saw recently that Claudia Gee Vassar is stepping down as President and CEO of HBG.  I REALLY hope the board brings in someone that can get things moving.  I feel like the garden has been stagnant since it opened.

the elevation changes at both courses relied upon natural slopes from the bayou, the flatness is very Houston, but there's a good amount of elevation at the botanical gardens. they do a lot of small things. they had the Lego exhibit, they have a sculpture exhibit now. during the holidays they had a holiday light exhibit (and had extended hours for it).

I think if they are to boost weekday attendance they'll need to work with schools to bus in kids during the school year (which they may do, I'm not a weekday visitor), or have more kid friendly attractions during the summer. the only way they would have been able to attract the large number of families that frequent the zoo and Hermann park during the summer would be to have put the botanical garden where Hermann park golf course is, and that wasn't ever an option (although it would have been the best way to generate immediate attendance). 

On 7/28/2023 at 2:54 PM, 004n063 said:

I find the location of the gardens extremely difficult to get to, personally, to the point where I canceled my membership when I got rid of my car. The golf course, on the other hand, is super accessible, with light rail access, solid lanes on Lawndale and safe neighborhood routes from other directions, and the Brays Bayou trail (which is a much "bigger" and better-connected route than Sims).

As somebody who loathes golf courses and harbors a minor obsession with trees, I personally would have preferred the two swap places.

Of course, METRONext could just get a move on with the Broadway/Hobby extension of the green line and all of this would be moot. But alas...

as much as I hope for a future Houston that not only caters to, but creates options for car free mobility, the reality I have to accept is that most Houstonians choose to travel by car using the freeways to get to their destinations, and the entrance being about 1500ft from the freeway is about as convenient as it gets.

and you bring up a good point, and I am hopeful with you that it comes quickly. these problems are today problems, if/when METRO builds out there should be a stop close to the botanical gardens.

as far as a new CEO/President, I hope they can ensure someone is at the gate checking tickets during normal business hours. more than half the time I show up I just walk through the gate because there's no one there to check my membership card. I kind of wonder why I even get the membership if I can just walk in. yes, I show up right after 9a when they open, but this is a problem when we leave an hour or so later, there's still no one there.

Edited July 31, 2023 by samagon

[hbg.50]

6 hours ago, samagon said:

as far as a new CEO/President, I hope they can ensure someone is at the gate checking tickets during normal business hours. more than half the time I show up I just walk through the gate because there's no one there to check my membership card. I kind of wonder why I even get the membership if I can just walk in. yes, I show up right after 9a when they open, but this is a problem when we leave an hour or so later, there's still no one there.

This is my experience as well.  Perhaps they realize it is a crime to charge for admission and the people who visit are already members anyway? I personally don’t think they should charge for admission…just solicit donations/memberships.

Have you ever been to the Dallas Arboretum or Fort Worth Botanic Garden?  It literally is the only thing I envy about DFW.  And it’s a shame because Houston’s climate is so much more conducive to gardening.

I realize that Dallas Arboretum is now 40 years old and Fort Worth’s Botanic Garden is almost 100 years old but I don’t care.  Houston Botanic Garden is moving too slow.  There is almost nothing to see there.

[samagon]

time and funding will get it there.

I recall going to the Dallas arboretum when I was a kid, but I don't recall much more than having gone.

San Antonio has one too, which that one's over 40 years old at this point, both seem pretty mature.

we've had ours open for coming on 3 years. Sept 2020. as far as I'm concerned, 3/4 of 2020 and maybe half of of 2021 were lost as far as planning for anything more than just survival, especially for a place that just opened. I wouldn't be surprised if covid knocked them back about 5 years as far as funding goes.

anyway, yeah, I get it, and if I didn't have a kid under 2 who can be fascinated by repeating the same things over and over, it wouldn't be such an easy value proposition for me. we have a zoo membership too, but even if we get there early, it's still a tougher visit. parking 10 feet from the entrance and not having the crowds is really great if all we're doing is repetition. and anyway, any kid can point at an elephant and make the long elephant nose gesture with their arm, but my daughter can point at a banana plant and say 'nana, so that's something she can add to her resume.

Edited July 31, 2023 by samagon

[hindesky]

One lane in each direction, traffic is backed up as far as the drone can see.