The Heights Information & Developments

[heights_yankee]

Think so. Thankfully it has a little more traditional design. What were they thinking with that Tuscan thang?

Obviously they weren't

[NYC Texan2]

Unfortunately, even a quality builder like Harry James is putting up Victorians that are "dual-use"-- they are designed to be conducive to business or residence. Is zoning the only thing that will rescue Heights Blvd?

[Subdude]

Unfortunately, even a quality builder like Harry James is putting up Victorians that are "dual-use"-- they are designed to be conducive to business or residence. Is zoning the only thing that will rescue Heights Blvd?

Probably, yes.

[segovia]

I have noticed several homes "for sale by owner" off Heights Blvd. The least expensive was $289K (1236 Heights Blvd). Most of these older homes are being demolished. On the other hand, Broman remodeling recently finished an older home off 15xx Heights Blvd...it looks nice.

[minipearl]

does anyone know the reason why there will not be a 2006 Heights Festival (first weekend of October)? I have seen numerous notes that it will not be held this year and thought someone may have some insight.

Edited April 15, 2006 by minipearl

[RedScare]

According to an article I read a few months ago, rising costs for security and insurance sapped all of the profit out of it. The only recourse would be to raise the fees for the vendor booths, but the vendors claimed they did not get enough sales to justify the higher fee. Therefore, the founder just shut it down.

I believe they are trying to replace it with some kind of bicycle ride or some other low cost alternative.

[minipearl]

that's too bad. A bike race/ride is great...but it's no festival

[RedScare]

that's too bad. A bike race/ride is great...but it's no festival

I don't even think it is a real ride. I think it is just one of those hokey family rides (apologies to the families), not a true, supported ride.

[heights_yankee]

Does anyone know what's going on this Friday night on 19th? Some kind of "festival"? I got a flyer at my house, but it was very vague...

[RedScare]

Article on the Sunset Heights prevailing lot line fight.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3849950.html

Interesting, that the residents are arguing for a prevailing lot line size of 6,000 square feet. However, Sunset Heights was designed with mostly 3,000 sf lots. So, the residents are asking to set in stone, not the ORIGINAL lot lines, but what was done LATER. Why is this interesting? The "developers" that they are trying to keep out are attempting to build on the ORIGINAL lot lines.

Also interesting that they mentioned my street, Columbia, as a success story. I have one of the few bungalows left. Numerous 3,000 sf houses line the street. This no more looks like the original Heights than the townhomes do.

Edited May 9, 2006 by RedScare

[lilyheights]

Article on the Sunset Heights prevailing lot line fight.

http://www.texasescapes.com/Texas_architec...oupGargoyle.jpg

Interesting, that the residents are arguing for a prevailing lot line size of 6,000 square feet. However, Sunset Heights was designed with mostly 3,000 sf lots. So, the residents are asking to set in stone, not the ORIGINAL lot lines, but what was done LATER. Why is this interesting? The "developers" that they are trying to keep out are attempting to build on the ORIGINAL lot lines.

Also interesting that they mentioned my street, Columbia, as a success story. I have one of the few bungalows left. Numerous 3,000 sf houses line the street. This no more looks like the original Heights than the townhomes do.

Good points.

[nmainguy]

Article on the Sunset Heights prevailing lot line fight.

http://www.texasescapes.com/Texas_architec...oupGargoyle.jpg

[psst...Red...fix your link]

[nmainguy]

The fight here in Sunset was about Prevailing Lot Size: that is whether or not some one could come in, buy a platted 6000 sq/ft lot and replat it back to it's original 3000 sq/ft size in order to build 2 homes. I-like most in Sunset Heights live on one single platted lot of 6000sq/ft which were originally 2 3000 sq/ft lots.

Prevailing Building Line is similar in that it restricts how far out to the street you can build but does not address lot size.

http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Developm...ldLineFlyer.pdf

[TheNiche]

U.S.A.

U.S.A!

My American flag is bigger than yours!

You're a pinko commie if you don't like developers destroying the fabric of your hood!

You're less American if you actually CARE about what your neighbors want and what they have worked to preserve over the course of several decades because now the Heights is HIP and I wanna move there but not without my street facing 4 car garage, gated lot (better yet, gate the whole damn hood to keep "those" folks out), fake stucco, cheap siding, roof deck 80 feet above height restrictions for downtown views, maple cabinets, granite countertops, stainless appliances, and a paved front yard to showcase my Hummer.

It's MY right to demand this. Screw the rest of the world cuz that's what America is about and if you don't like it you must spell MY country with a "K" and be one of them dirty-haired liberals.

Wow, I completely forgot that I'd posted on this thread.

You seem to mock the notion that an 'outsider' has the right to a "street facing 4 car garage, gated lot (better yet, gate the whole damn hood to keep "those" folks out), fake stucco, cheap siding, roof deck 80 feet above height restrictions for downtown views, maple cabinets, granite countertops, stainless appliances, and a paved front yard to showcase my Hummer," and yet you presume to have the right to keep that person out of a neighborhood. How come you have rights and those that disagree with you do not?

I would also submit to you that gated communities come in two forms. There are those that keep 'undesirables' out with rod-iron bars and there are those that keep out 'undesirables' with regulation and bureaucracy.

[heightslurker]

I hear gossip that the old HEB on 11th could be soon inhabited by a bank? anyone know if this is true or not?

[mary]

The mint green house is to the left of the stone facade house if you are standing in the street and looking at the front. BTW, I have a strong suspicion that the owners of your 'favorite' house is one of the developers in the area. I've seen heavy equipment in their driveway on multiple trips past. I have to admit the house is pretty cool with it's raised deck. Even the AC unit is elevated above the carports. I'll try to keep everyone updated on the goings on in Timbergrove.

Cheers,

Victor

Greetings all,

I scan this site ever so often and just joined so I can add my 2 cents worth. I happen to live on the dead end part of 14th. We bought our house from the orginal owners in 1999. The reason the stone house as you call it is elevated with no sytems on the ground floor is because of all the regulations related to building in the flood plain. Any permitted construction in the flood plain cannot have any operating sytems below the "flood level". The orginal house that was here prior to TS Allison had 48" of water in it. The owners are not developers just homeowners who rebuilt one house on one lot. The man of the house just happens to be very active and handy and did lots of the preparation work on the lot prior to rebuilding himself - that's the reason for the equipment in the driveway. His most recently completed project is the iron fence so their dogs can again roam the yard.

The mint green house was built on 2 smaller lots of the 5 that were divided out of one larger lot. In fact, one of the new owners of the new stucco house bought the empy lot next to hers so that another"skinny" house would not be be built right next to hers.

If you really want to see the shenagins of the developers/builders drive by 1904 and 2001 W 14th and see the all red tags that Lindsey was able to rack up because he started building without replats, no elevation certificates and no building permits. The 311 line was full of our calls!

[houstonray]

I understand that something new and "nice" there is better than what was there before, and they are freestanding, but I still look at the pics and it just looks like any other number of townhome developments. I know they aren't townhomes, but by cramming as many as possible onto the lot and then building "up" just seems wrong to me.

In my humble opinion of course. And please note that my opinion is influenced by the fact that we live in a 90 year old restored bungalow that is about to have 15 three story townhomes built behind it, peering down into our backyard/pool.

[mary]

I understand that something new and "nice" there is better than what was there before, and they are freestanding, but I still look at the pics and it just looks like any other number of townhome developments. I know they aren't townhomes, but by cramming as many as possible onto the lot and then building "up" just seems wrong to me.

In my humble opinion of course. And please note that my opinion is influenced by the fact that we live in a 90 year old restored bungalow that is about to have 15 three story townhomes built behind it, peering down into our backyard/pool.

houstonray,

I can't blame you and I can empathise. The city of Houston declared this an urban area and has allowed the increased density. Increased density can be advantageous for the development other city servces, say mass transit, but it's certainly a detriment to one's one privacy.

The tract of land directly behind me had been replatted and Northgate Custom Homes is going to put 21 "sinlge-family" homes there. I haven't gone to e-plat yet to see what has been approved, I don't really want to acknowledge that there are going to be so many peole living behind me and peering down into my yard.

[bachanon]

i just looked at the site plan for the park at prince. the developer should have eliminated four units for a park/courtyard in the middle. if i were shopping for an inner loop home/townhome, the first units that would interest me would not be in the middle of a cavern of other structures. even if it is high-density, people need "wiggle" room.

maybe i just feel claustrophobic in rows of 3-4 story townhomes? personally, i wouldn't buy there.

[HeightsGuy]

houstonray,

I can't blame you and I can empathise. The city of Houston declared this an urban area and has allowed the increased density. Increased density can be advantageous for the development other city servces, say mass transit, but it's certainly a detriment to one's one privacy.

The tract of land directly behind me had been replatted and Northgate Custom Homes is going to put 21 "sinlge-family" homes there. I haven't gone to e-plat yet to see what has been approved, I don't really want to acknowledge that there are going to be so many peole living behind me and peering down into my yard.

Did they get the approval to build on that land? I was at a little league game at the baseball fields on TC Jester that back up to that property with a friend and his kids, and overheard a few of the parents talking about that property who said that when they were building the original I-10, that land and the baseball field were the dump for the project where all the used building supplies were tossed. At the end of the project they bulldozed a layer of dirt over it. Due to that it has never been a viable location for homes to to soil compaction issues. Heights2Bastrop, you grew up in the area, have you heard this story?

[houstonray]

Read this article today from Chron.com about TxDOT plans for some retention ponds that will take some homes near I-10 and Patterson...also noticed talk of elevated feeder roads? Hadn't heard of this before...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/hei...ws/4004351.html

[Highway6]

Read this article today from Chron.com about TxDOT plans for some retention ponds that will take some homes near I-10 and Patterson...also noticed talk of elevated feeder roads? Hadn't heard of this before...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/hei...ws/4004351.html

I thought one of the reasons I-10 is subgrade is secondary flood control. Yeah, it was a surreal site during Allison, but i thought it performed how it was supposed to... better to lose cars then property.

ray.. more information for ya ...

http://ctchouston.org/information/factshee.../i10inner.shtml

[ricco67]

While I agree that it should be better to lose cars than property during heavy rainstorms, I merely wish that the city would monitor traffic on those highways during major rainstorms to divert traffic where necessary.

I was almost stuck on I-10 during allison and it was only my realization of what was happening ahead of me was I able to cut across 4 lanes to hit the LAST exit available to me.

[Highway6]

While I agree that it should be better to lose cars than property during heavy rainstorms, I merely wish that the city would monitor traffic on those highways during major rainstorms to divert traffic where necessary.

I was almost stuck on I-10 during allison and it was only my realization of what was happening ahead of me was I able to cut across 4 lanes to hit the LAST exit available to me.

I agree.. it doesnt matter if the freeway was partly designed for that.. more effort should still have been made to warn, and close off earlier so that less cars would have been lost in the secondary bayou.

I love this part in the article...

"Construction on the flood mitigation ponds is not expected to begin until fall of 2007. Cooper estimated the total cost is about $1.5 million.

Although some residents have called for turning the area around the ponds into park space, Cooper said the department is not required to do so.

"People are asking to develop these as recreation facilities, but they'd have to go through the city of Houston to get that done," he said."

Why would we build a park for you around our hole in the ground ? That would require us dealing with another entity !

We have too many agencies that it is in their financial interest to get the job done...over the other agencies. Txdot, HCTRA, CoH, Harris County... and it seems that if it is too much a hassle to deal with another entity to produce a better product for the citizenry.. they don't

Edited July 6, 2006 by Highway6

[HeightsGuy]

Am I being selfish to my Katy neighbors if I join the Cottage Grove protesters on this?

[ricco67]

and WHY would you join the CGP? Because of the E-Domain or the ponds?

Do you WANT your home flooded?

[RedScare]

We have too many agencies that it is in their financial interest to get the job done...over the other agencies. Txdot, HCTRA, CoH, Harris County... and it seems that if it is too much a hassle to deal with another entity to produce a better product for the citizenry.. they don't

I suppose State law that does not allow TxDOT to build parks should not enter into the equation?

As for the protests, I did not read that they were opposed to flood control, or even the ponds, but rather 30 foot high frontage roads. Those of us that live in the area have always found a way to get onto I-10 without the roads. Why do we need them now? And, even the "development at all costs" crowd can't find a way to put a strip center next to a 30 foot tall frontage road.

[Highway6]

I suppose State law that does not allow TxDOT to build parks should not enter into the equation?

Can't they partner with the City ?

[editor]

I agree.. it doesnt matter if the freeway was partly designed for that.. more effort should still have been made to warn, and close off earlier so that less cars would have been lost in the secondary bayou.

I love this part in the article...

"Construction on the flood mitigation ponds is not expected to begin until fall of 2007. Cooper estimated the total cost is about $1.5 million.

Although some residents have called for turning the area around the ponds into park space, Cooper said the department is not required to do so.

"People are asking to develop these as recreation facilities, but they'd have to go through the city of Houston to get that done," he said."

Why would we build a park for you around our hole in the ground ? That would require us dealing with another entity !

So... TexDOT can plant a million bazillion wildflowers along the highways around Austin, but can't sink a few hundred trees into their retention ponds around Houston. Nice.

[HeightsGuy]

and WHY would you join the CGP? Because of the E-Domain or the ponds?

Do you WANT your home flooded?

Of course I don't want my home flooded I just don't see a need for feeder roads 30' above grade going over the RR west of TC Jester.

I drive to work on I10 from TC Jester to downtown in rush hour both ways, and the only place it backs up in that entire drive is in the aternoon between Shepherd and TC Jester, and the only reason for that is the ongoing work on the 610-I10 interchange.

Does building feeder roads through that area "fix" anything?