University of Houston To Buy Old Compaq Campus On Highway 290?

[TheNiche]

I'm glad it's not happening; it would increase traffic too much on 249 and they'd probably clear cut more acres of trees. No need to bash Prairie View because of this. That school is doing well, and they've been around a long time. I always said they needed to build another university out in Spring either east or west of I-45. They should have done this before the housing boom went nuts and all these ugly neighborhoods started being built. Now there's hardly any room for a university. A satellite campus would do no good, because students want a central campus that they can finish their degrees at. NW Houston is getting too big for students to be able to comfortably commute to UH Central Campus, and the long commutes will affect morale and motivation.

You do realize that the new university campus would've been along 290, not 249, right? And that existing buildings would've been reused for the most part?

There's also still PLENTY of vacant land and office buildings available that are well-within UH's budget.

And if the success of UH's Cinco Ranch and Sugar Land campuses are any indication, seems like if you happen to be a student that lives way out north or NW (usually with family, it seemed to me), you might actually welcome this opportunity to spend less time on the road.

Honestly, man...where on earth are you coming from?

[nmainguy]

We ought to pull the plug on Prairie View. Nobody wants them there anyhow, worthless school.

Yeah, except for the 5,700+ students and 480+ faculty members not to mention the support staff and local buisnesses that count on the university for survival. So yeah, let's just lobby A&M to cut these worthless low-lifes off.

[PureAuteur]

While I would defend Prairie View A&M against some of the snide remarks on here, there's no way they have a right to say UH can't build a NW school. In Boston, there's a university every few miles and I don't think anyone's complaining. If you are that worried about it, then you have no confidence in your school.

Sorry, Niche, I thought it was being built near the HP Campus or it was going to replace it, so I got worried about more tree cutting and traffic.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

If PVAMU has the right to decide which classes UH can offer in NW Houston, why didn't UH/TSU get to decide what classes UT gets to hold here in Houston?

UT opened up an MBA program here in Houston a couple years ago that directly competes with TSU and UH (not to mention private schools like Rice, HBU, St. Thomas, etc.)

I remember Rice complaining about UT coming into Houston, but I don't believe UH did. Goes back to UH President's comments about "letting the market decide".

Sounds fair enough to me.

[MidtownCoog]

Prairie View A&M is a charity case, that's why.

But UH did succeed in keeping Aggy out of STCL. They want a law school so bad there are turning maroon.

[mark324]

You do realize that the new university campus would've been along 290, not 249, right?

since the location has been a hot bed of misinformation, I have to correct you here. The proposed location is at the HP campus at Louetta and 249, not 290. This is the only HP campus in Houstion.

[MidtownCoog]

Wow. Even the Chron weighs in:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/4230846.html

[KatieDidIt]

Jeez. Not everyone wants drive up to SH and not everyone wants to be labelled an Aggie (apologies to any aggies). The educational system is treating it like its some sort of threat. Its a college, not a titty bar for pitys sake.

[T 2 THA C]

I thinks its only fair to let Uh open up that campus, but i do not blame PV for doing what they can to hold on to the income they got coming from there. Honestly, I lived out there before and went to school in that area and I believe more and more students who normally would go to PV would end up going to the new UH campus. Thus hurting PV with what they barely got ne ways.

[MidtownCoog]

Hewlett-Packard Company

20555 SH 249

Houston, TX 77070

(281) 370-0670

Notice, it does not say Prarie View, TX.

[TheNiche]

since the location has been a hot bed of misinformation, I have to correct you here. The proposed location is at the HP campus at Louetta and 249, not 290. This is the only HP campus in Houstion.

As of the present, you are correct that there is only one HP campus in Houston. The other, one that was built back in the Compaq days, is located along the north side of US 290 between Barker-Cypress and Skinner Roads.

It is my understanding that this is the site that was being discussed.

[Mom22Blessings]

It's the place that used to be Texas Instruments way back in the day.....

[MidtownCoog]

It's the place that used to be Texas Instruments way back in the day.....

Yep. I worked there after Compaq bought it.

It was the TI Printer plant. The building is 1/4 mile long setup for a manfaucturing line.

Easy indoor mile during lunch.

[mark324]

As of the present, you are correct that there is only one HP campus in Houston. The other, one that was built back in the Compaq days, is located along the north side of US 290 between Barker-Cypress and Skinner Roads.

It is my understanding that this is the site that was being discussed.

I realize there was a campus on 290, but the proposed UH site was on the 249 campus. I work on the 249 campus. HP will be selling or leasing most of the buildings closest to 249 and will be consolidating the workforce in the remaining buildings.

[mrfootball]

Mark, I heard that Exxon Mobil or a similar company was looking to lease space on that campus or build nearby. Is that true?

[mark324]

Mark, I heard that Exxon Mobil or a similar company was looking to lease space on that campus or build nearby. Is that true?

I've heard that rumor but it's been a while. I haven't heard anything definite about who is considering moving to the campus. I'm scheduled to move to a new building in late January, so I imagine it would be a few months later before anyone would move in. I'm not sure if Exxon considered the same property UH wanted. It's currenlty vacant and has already been sold to an investor.

[T 2 THA C]

I realize there was a campus on 290, but the proposed UH site was on the 249 campus. I work on the 249 campus. HP will be selling or leasing most of the buildings closest to 249 and will be consolidating the workforce in the remaining buildings.

Really Why would Pv Worry about a campus that would be closer to Tomball than PV.The 290 site is not far from PV. I dont think a campus on 249 where Hp is currently located would hurt PV much!

[mrfootball]

I don't think PV needs or can even support a campus out here. It's ridiculous, there's no common sense being applied here. The area in question is less than 6% Black. It doesn't take a Marketing expert to know that there are other parts of town where PV might find more success and not have to stand in the way of what local residents want, namely The Greenspoint area.

Yet another reason this area needs to organize and incorporate, to have a voice so that outsiders like PV A&M can't come in and put up opposition to what NW Harris Cty Area residents want for THEIR community. Self-determination to choose what we want, not what they want.

[mark324]

Really Why would Pv Worry about a campus that would be closer to Tomball than PV.The 290 site is not far from PV. I dont think a campus on 249 where Hp is currently located would hurt PV much!

There is a Prairie View satellite campus at Stuebner Airline and Cypresswood. This is the PV campus that that was part of the debate.

[mrfootball]

That "campus" on Steubner is little more than an office. It's just for show and the enrollment is miniscule. Senseless.

If PV desires to have a presence in Greater Houston, they should instead look towards the Greenspoint area. While I think there's infinitely greater demand for a UH campus, I think PV A&M would at least have a market in Greenspoint. Where they're located now is an absurdity. Its like Texas Southern setting up a campus in The Woodlands. It just makes no sense. To add further insult to injury, they've actively worked to stymie the desires of the local community.

[wakester]

I don't think PV needs or can even support a campus out here. It's ridiculous, there's no common sense being applied here. The area in question is less than 6% Black. It doesn't take a Marketing expert to know that there are other parts of town where PV might find more success and not have to stand in the way of what local residents want, namely The Greenspoint area.

Yet another reason this area needs to organize and incorporate, to have a voice so that outsiders like PV A&M can't come in and put up opposition to what NW Harris Cty Area residents want for THEIR community. Self-determination to choose what we want, not what they want.

My wife got her masters at PV and she is not even "Black". I think they let people who are not "Black" go there too.

[mrfootball]

I realize that, however the % is quite small.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Amen mrfootball!!!

I myself have wondered why the 3rd Ward lets the University of Houston stay where they are. There are a lot of non-black people at UH. I think the community leaders in the 3rd Ward need to get together and GET THE WHITE PEOPLE OUT!!! Self-determination of the community...

[mrfootball]

myself have wondered why the 3rd Ward lets the University of Houston stay where they are. There are a lot of non-black people at UH. I think the community leaders in the 3rd Ward need to get together and GET THE WHITE PEOPLE OUT!!! Self-determination of the community...

Retarded.

It's about market.

There's very little market for PV A&M degrees in general, much less in this particular area where they've decided to butt heads with UH and the local community.

Whereas there's community-wide support for UH to have a campus in NW Harris County that would attract thousands of students, PV A&M can hardly boast any significant enrollment at their local "campus" on Stuebner.

Your pathetic simpleton racial smack, while cute, does nothing to address the issue.

The irony is, there's probably not a more diverse major university in Texas than UH, yet the PV A&M entitlement whores were quick to play the race card...threatening "Civil Rights" lawsuits.

[MidtownCoog]

Don't fall for Timmy. He's a TSU lover. These black colleges serve no purpose other than to provide a lower level of academics.

[VicMan]

My European History teacher once explained how PV ranks in terms of universities...

In terms of all universities: below average

In terms of mostly-African-American/historically Black universities: above average

In terms of public mostly-African-American: one of the best

PV should stay as is, but it should not interfere in northwest Harris County politics.

As for TSU, I would like to see TSU attract all groups of people. If this requires a takeover by A&M or UT, so be it.

A combined TSU/UH presence could turn the Third Ward into Houston's "Westwood."

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Don't fall for Timmy. He's a TSU lover. These black colleges serve no purpose other than to provide a lower level of academics.

Don't listen to Midtown...Midtown W. Coog doesn't care about black people!

The whole reason for my post was to skewer mrfootball's post above. It reads like a Strom Thurmond speech from the 40's.

I'm 100% Cougar Red. It's my home away from home. I'm going to work out over there in a few minutes. I support the HAO and Cougar Pride. I was also 100% in favor of UH opening a NW Houston campus. I too think it's ludicrous that PV A&M and SHSU shut down UH's plan to open a campus there.

That doesn't stop me from reading mrfootball's post for what it was...he's saying the NW Harris Co. community needs to organize to defend their neighborhood from the outsiders from Prairie View. Sure sounds like an old anti-blockbusting campaign, doesn't it?

My European History teacher once explained how PV ranks in terms of universities...

In terms of all universities: below average

Guess what...according to US New & World Reports, UH is also below average. That doesn't stop thousands of UH grads from bettering their lives with their educations every year. (I think the USNWR rankings are BS, btw, but that doesn't stop them from being printed every year.)

PV is just another institution of higher learning where people go to improve themselves. I don't look down on someone because of where they went to school (excepting Longhorns, of course). UH was the best place in the world for me. I could have taken a scholarship to Texas A&M, but I preferred the atmosphere at UH. For some people, PV A&M is the best place for them to be.

[MidtownCoog]

Just call me defensive of UH. Like y'all said, PV A&M has no business in Houston.

They already have a nursing school in the Texas Medical Center.

Along these lines, Garnett Coleman (Timmy's Rep and the surrounding UH area) says he would make UH wait for their discussed/propsed medical school in conjunctin with Cornell U. and give one to PV A&M first.

Absurd.

[T 2 THA C]

Amen mrfootball!!!

I myself have wondered why the 3rd Ward lets the University of Houston stay where they are. There are a lot of non-black people at UH. I think the community leaders in the 3rd Ward need to get together and GET THE WHITE PEOPLE OUT!!! Self-determination of the community...

Whats wrong with white people. I know the area there are alot of older white people who stay in the genral area. Maybe not 3rd ward per say but riverside terrace, south park, Macgregor etc.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Whats wrong with white people. I know the area there are alot of older white people who stay in the genral area. Maybe not 3rd ward per say but riverside terrace, south park, Macgregor etc.

White people aren't so bad...they just need to learn their place. I grew up around white people. Hell, both my parents are white.

(I guess I forgot to add the [/sarcasm] code at the end of my previous post...it was sarcastic. )