University of Houston Campus Developments

[bobruss]

The third ward is becoming more integrated. My daughter and her husband bought over near TSU off wheeler and Dowling three years ago and love their little bungalow and have not had any issues. My wife and I just moved into Riverside Terrace and we couldn't be happier with our neighbors and neighborhood. Driving down Magregor is such a nice drive and the lots are huge!

[KinkaidAlum]

5 hours ago, iah77 said:

Only in Houston could an area with 2 large universities be such a disaster and have people wanting to preserve it exactly as is segregation and all... Why would anyone want a neighborhood dominated by one ethic group in the 21 century? This should be a booming university neighborhood and it's not. UH needs to jumpstart cleaning up the area.

 

Do you direct this same rant to the residents of Montgomery County? It's 84% white. Third Ward was 67% African-American in 2010 and is more diverse now for sure. If you throw in UH/Riverside Terrace it's probably one of the most mixed neighborhoods in the city. 

[Sparrow]

1 hour ago, KinkaidAlum said:

 

Do you direct this same rant to the residents of Montgomery County? It's 84% white. Third Ward was 67% African-American in 2010 and is more diverse now for sure. If you throw in UH/Riverside Terrace it's probably one of the most mixed neighborhoods in the city. 

This interactive map from the New York Times published with 2015 data shows the 3rd Ward east of US 59 clearly still has a long, long way to go to be classified as diverse.

(That being said, Houston--and Texas--as a whole seems to be head and shoulders above many cities across our nation in diversity. Houston--and Texas--should be proud.)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/08/us/census-race-map.html?_r=0

 

 

 

[kbates2]

1 hour ago, KinkaidAlum said:

 

Do you direct this same rant to the residents of Montgomery County? It's 84% white. Third Ward was 67% African-American in 2010 and is more diverse now for sure. If you throw in UH/Riverside Terrace it's probably one of the most mixed neighborhoods in the city. 

 

If there were insinuations that white community leaders in Montgomery County were actively pushing to stop the area from being predominantly white, I would expect the same rant.  

 

[BeerNut]

In my area of Third Ward the residents of older non-renovated homes is more diverse than you think.  I wonder how those residents feel when politicians and some residents speak about maintaining a predominantly African-American community.  I understand not wanting to displace current residents but currently the only thing I see being done is preventing development.

[quietstorm]

41 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

In my area of Third Ward the residents of older non-renovated homes is more diverse than you think.  I wonder how those residents feel when politicians and some residents speak about maintaining a predominantly African-American community.  I understand not wanting to displace current residents but currently the only thing I see being done is preventing development.

When we start lamenting the fact that West U, Boulevard Oaks, the Heights and other historic Houston neighborhoods are not ethnically diverse enough, I will take your arguments about the "need" to diversify 3rd Ward as valid.  Otherwise, welcome to this historic African American neighborhood.  There is nothing wrong with you living in an area where you are the minority, and the community has affluent and politically connected African Americans who are looking out for their self-interests just as those in other neighborhoods do.  I've known Garnett Coleman, et. al for years...they/we  are not anti-development, but rather are not necessarily promoting the types of development you all might prefer.  

Edited April 14, 2017 by quietstorm

[KinkaidAlum]

3 hours ago, kbates2 said:

 

If there were insinuations that white community leaders in Montgomery County were actively pushing to stop the area from being predominantly white, I would expect the same rant.  

 

 

Have you heard the typical politician from Montgomery County speak? It's not exactly welcoming of others.

 

Also, it's laughable that people think the Third Ward is too black but nary a complaint about Tanglewood or Kingwood. It's like they are deliberately ignorant of the reasons why historically black neighborhoods existed. Hint, it isn't because blacks wanted to live all by themselves, it was because they were required to.

 

 

[BeerNut]

That's the thing about the internet you don't really know people.  As an African-American I chose Third Ward based on price and location, I chose Houston for diversity.  At no point did I mention a "need" to diversify Third Ward.  I'm still trying to understand how all the entities involved in the future of Third Ward plan to accomplish their goal of preservation.  

[KinkaidAlum]

UH is trying to preserve parts of the Third Ward by partnering with all of the public schools in the neighborhood and creating an educational lab focused on raising the profile of the schools AND providing a hands on experience for future educators studying at UH. UH is also partnering with Project Row Houses after recently hiring Rick Lowe (UT-Austin came after him hard) to bring the arts to all. UH is also active with Wheeler Baptist and the senior housing they provide. Lastly, although I am sure there's more I am not aware of, UT Optometry provides members of the community free eye care in their new Health Science Bldg. 

[BeerNut]

I've seen markers left by UH of students in the community designating former business and designs for future projects.  We've probably strayed way off topic...

[kbates2]

I don't think that anybody said that any community needs to stay predominantly one race or another.  Nobody was lamenting the third ward being one race either.  I was saying that no neighborhood's goals should be based on their historical demographics and the maintenance of that.

[KyleJohnstonNet]

On 4/14/2017 at 7:57 PM, KinkaidAlum said:

UH is trying to preserve parts of the Third Ward by partnering with all of the public schools in the neighborhood and creating an educational lab focused on raising the profile of the schools AND providing a hands on experience for future educators studying at UH. UH is also partnering with Project Row Houses after recently hiring Rick Lowe (UT-Austin came after him hard) to bring the arts to all. UH is also active with Wheeler Baptist and the senior housing they provide. Lastly, although I am sure there's more I am not aware of, UT Optometry provides members of the community free eye care in their new Health Science Bldg. 

The University Village Civic Club posted the following on their Facebook page about the upcoming education lab:

 

University Village is the area bounded by Scott, I-45, Cullen, and Elgin. AFAIK, the club is old but was revived in recent years by two UH alum who built a $370k house on an empty lot in a neighborhood where most properties are valued at less than $100k—pretty much the definition of gentrification. I believe UVCC is "the community" which convinced UH to get rid of the Leek St. parking lots. They are currently looking into getting the city to institute residential parking permits, presumably to deter street parking by UH students. (That said, I hear from those who're in the know that UH athletes who park in the neighborhood are frequently robbed when returning to their cars after dark.)

 

[iah77]

 

x

Edited April 17, 2017 by iah77

[nyc_tex]

What this issue, as with the overall issue of unmitigated gentrification, is the unapologetic displacement of a huge swath of the public who many already live a tenuous economic existence by a very small number of people many of whom could care less about the ramifications on peoples' lives. There are clearly exceptions to this generalization but many gentrifiers walk into a neighborhood where many generations of people who have made a neighborhood their home through blood, sweat and tears, with little reverence and literally destroying a community's long and proud history.

 

If a greater sensitivity and respect was displayed for the neighborhood's storied history, uniqueness and institutions, I suspect there would be a more receptive response. Otherwise, it's a full scale invasion. How can this be held against them when wealthy suburban areas create rigid rules, laws, and deed restrictions to ensure the security of their communities?

 

The other half is just not wanting more prosaic, bland, and ephemeral suburbanization of urban areas.

Edited April 18, 2017 by nyc_tex

[Texasota]

My understanding is that a big part of the problem is that much of Third Ward is, despite being single family homes, renter occupied. So these houses are owned by random landlords all over the country who feel no particular responsibility to the community. 

 

I'm not sure how you address that without finding a way to give renters significantly more power than they currently have. The city could mandate that renters who've been in their homes for some minimum amount of time have right of first purchase if the landlord tries to sell, but how many people could actually afford to act on that?

[Sparrow]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 4:06 PM, Sparrow said:

This interactive map from the New York Times published with 2015 data shows the 3rd Ward east of US 59 clearly still has a long, long way to go to be classified as diverse.

(That being said, Houston--and Texas--as a whole seems to be head and shoulders above many cities across our nation in diversity. Houston--and Texas--should be proud.)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/08/us/census-race-map.html?_r=0

 

http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/01/05/poverty-map/

 

I'd like to think that fear of gentrification by race/ethnicity is not the concern of those wanting to "preserve the character of the neighborhood", but rather the blue collar, working class nature with respect to income. I hope it's not about fear of building new houses that whites or Asians may occupy, but rather its about dissatisfaction with kicking out the poor old guy to be replaced with a rich yuppie. Too many people focus on race rather than income segregation and inequality.

 

Black and white the issue is not--green is the color that shapes our society.

[Texasota]

Eh, race and income separation are not wholly disconnected though. Look at the history of redlining - the ability of families to get loans, mortgages, access to credit - this had as much to do with race as it had to do with any legitimate measure of credit worthiness. Even if, for the sake of argument, race weren't an issue today, it would still have an effect because this generation might not have the advantage of relying on the financial success (helped by access to credit) of the previous generation. 

[Urbannizer]

UH Issues RFQ for $46M, 2,500-Car Garage

 

The University of Houston System is soliciting architectural and engineering services for the design of a $46.4 million, 2,500-vehicle parking garage that includes almost 43,000 square feet of tenant space.

 

The Request for Qualifications, issued April 11, calls for a multi-level pre-cast concrete parking garage at Entrance 18 and Elgin Street. The existing surface lots (18A and 18B) that will be replaced, currently have a capacity of 922 vehicles.

 

"To allow for proper traffic flow, a section of the existing campus loop road will need to be redesigned and constructed to make room for the new parking garage," the RFQ states. "In addition to the parking requirements (there) are the tenant spaces within the structure, with gross area of 42,692 square feet."

 

The garage is expected to have some architectural character. The RFQ requests building materials "likely to be incorporated" include buff brick, nominally transparent window glass, and patinated copper, aluminum-gray, or dark zinc metal panel.

 

The project site is just north of the College of Architecture, Law Center, and the Keeland Jr. Design & Exploration Studio.

A preliminary project timeline was given that has design starting in October, construction starting by July 2018, with substantial completion by October 2019, and final completion by December 2019.

 

https://www.virtualbx.com/thumbnail.php?file=UHParking_map_707025452.jpg&size=article_large

[ale7x]

 

Quote

From @UHCougarPride. 

 

[ale7x]

 

[hindesky]

[bobruss]

Fathers day, my daughter, son in law and grandson took me along to be with my grandson for his first game. We caught the train at this station to ride to Minute Maid for his first baseball game.

I haven't been to a game in the summer when it was this full. It was impressive to see so many people in the stands.

I won the bet on how long the 22 month old would last, and we left in the middle of the 3rd. Heck, it lasted till close to midnight so I wouldn't have 

stayed that late.

Sorry I digressed. This is a huge hangar.  This side of U of H looks so different than the Calhoun side. 

Obviously everything on the west is now new or under construction and with the addition of the rail it takes on a more connected urban feel. 

I cant help but think that a lot of the property across Scott will be under construction sooner than later. Its just so ripe.

[samagon]

8 hours ago, bobruss said:

with the addition of the rail it takes on a more connected urban feel. 

I cant help but think that a lot of the property across Scott will be under construction sooner than later. Its just so ripe.

 

Scott is going to change, all of 3rd ward (especially around UH) is going to change. I can't agree with your current sentiment about Scott street though...

 

Between Wheeler and Holman there's 5' chain link on both sides of the rail, and then there's a sea of parking lot on the UH side. The sea of parking isn't exactly urban, and the fence plus parking sends a pretty clear message of "stay on your side of the street".

 

Between Holman and Elgin it's a constant 8' wall. That definitely sends an even stronger message of "Stay out" to anyone looking across the street. It isn't a good look. I get it, one is the outfield of the baseball field, the other is the wall to keep prying eyes off the practice field. It doesn't change the feel.

 

Maybe you were thinking of Berlin when you were thinking of the Urban feel the street creates?

 

I will agree, once you get on the other side of Elgin going north on Scott, the whole area feels ripe for change, and with the student apartments going up on the NE corner of Scott/Elgin that replace that strip center, it really changes the feel of the area.

 

you know, thinking about it, it would be awesome if the art department worked with some of the local artists to put murals on the more permanent outfield wall that faces Scott, that might help make it feel less unfriendly.

Edited June 20, 2017 by samagon

[bobruss]

I guess I didn't really make myself clear late last night when I wrote this but I don't think the fences are going away since they are a protective 

barrier to people not paying attention close to the rails and Im sure that the U of H was concerned for the student population. That said I still think that even the area across from the stadium will also be developed. Theres just too much money on the east side of the street and with the future residential growth with the development of more dorms on the southeast side I believe that it will become a more productive and valuable property.

You're right though and its unfortunate but with the hurricane fencing and then again the walls around the softball field it does present a no mans zone in . I don't think it has anything to do with stay on your side though. Just safety from the moving train.

I  was just looking at the rail guideways, the new stadium and the new practice field and I guess for some reason there was something interesting in all of the steel and cables and the rail and stadium.

[samagon]

As you say, the fences have real purpose in life, pedestrian safety (especially drunk fans stumbling over to popeyes for some after game snacks) being tops of the list. The intention surely wasn't to create a feeling of 'stay out', but I was driving north on Scott on Saturday morning and with all that fencing, it sure didn't feel inviting looking to the right.

 

It's interesting for sure the different things people see when they are looking at the same place.

[Urbannizer]

 

 

[ale7x]

New Law School building

http://law.uh.edu/building/

 

Quote

A new, modern facility will accelerate UHLC's ascendance to our goal of a top 40 U.S. News & World Report ranking. An ultramodern learning environment will expand faculty resources, galvanize recruitment and attract students with increased  academic credentials. A new UHLC facility will provide modern research space, new clinical facilities, a new library, practice courtrooms and expanded career services space. It will also provide a forum for exclusive events on campus – in which to invite peers from other academic institutions, prominent judges, lawyers and practitioners from across the country – to legal and policy symposia, conferences and social events reflective of this great institution. To construct this state-of-the-art facility, the Law Center has set a goal of securing $10 million in commitments from private donors, supporters and friends of UHLC, to supplement public and other sources of funding.

 

 

 

[KinkaidAlum]

I'm surprised it has taken this long. I love saving old buildings but the law school is beyond saving. It's dark, damp, and flood prone. It's also just plain ugly. 

[Mab]

 

from cougar pride 

[ale7x]