Regent Square: Mixed-Use On Allen Parkway At Dunlavy St.

[hindesky]

Edited November 17, 2021 by hindesky

[Texasota]

Oooh, Rengenct Square. I like the name change. 

[toxtethogrady]

It's distinctive, I'll give it that...

[hindesky]

[Urbannizer]

Regent Square Progress Report

https://memorialheightstirz5.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Construction-Neighborhood-Report-23-December-2021.pdf

[Urbannizer]

The Sterling at Regent Square now open

https://realtynewsreport.com/regent-square-adds-park-and-apartments/

[hindesky]

Working the day after Christmas on Flight Club.

[hindesky]

Southside.

[HoustonMidtown]

 

 

 

 

[j_cuevas713]

All these developments offering high comfort walkability are really changing the landscape of the city. That in combination with local TIRZ improvements and the road overlay packages are drastically changing the aesthetics of the city. 

[wilcal]

1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said:

All these developments offering high comfort walkability are really changing the landscape of the city. That in combination with local TIRZ improvements and the road overlay packages are drastically changing the aesthetics of the city. 

It does hurt that TIRZ are such a key component because of equity issues. Some places that need the most help don't have that support :/

BUT, I'm not trying to be a debbie downer here. This project looks great!

[Luminare]

2 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

All these developments offering high comfort walkability are really changing the landscape of the city. That in combination with local TIRZ improvements and the road overlay packages are drastically changing the aesthetics of the city. 

More impressive is that its private companies doing this themselves rather than specific city planning. Although good city planning helps properly stitch these large developments together in a seamless way (that will be the next step if that could be achieved), its better than what was on offering before.

Now the only thing thats missing is obviously retail, and people. Lets see how this space works once those start up.

[Big E]

On 1/9/2022 at 1:56 PM, Luminare said:

More impressive is that its private companies doing this themselves rather than specific city planning. Although good city planning helps properly stitch these large developments together in a seamless way (that will be the next step if that could be achieved), its better than what was on offering before.

If anything, this shows how much we don't need more extensive city planning. Developers are doing this because there is a demand for these kinds of spaces and this kind of development. The city didn't have to do jack, and its reaping the benefits. And better the city didn't do anything, because it would only mess up and do things to make these kinds of developments (or other kinds of developments that aren't like this) impossible, like in so many other cities.

[editor]

13 minutes ago, Big E said:

If anything, this shows how much we don't need more extensive city planning. Developers are doing this because there is a demand for these kinds of spaces and this kind of development. The city didn't have to do jack, and its reaping the benefits. And better the city didn't do anything, because it would only mess up and do things to make these kinds of developments (or other kinds of developments that aren't like this) impossible, like in so many other cities.

I don't think the fact that one development in a hundred worked out well is an indication of that at all. 

[Luminare]

3 minutes ago, editor said:

I don't think the fact that one development in a hundred worked out well is an indication of that at all. 

17 minutes ago, Big E said:

If anything, this shows how much we don't need more extensive city planning. Developers are doing this because there is a demand for these kinds of spaces and this kind of development. The city didn't have to do jack, and its reaping the benefits. And better the city didn't do anything, because it would only mess up and do things to make these kinds of developments (or other kinds of developments that aren't like this) impossible, like in so many other cities.

I actually agree with both statements here. Both of true in different ways. @editor You are right. We currently don't have enough of a sample size from the pool of developments currently on going/ completed, etc... to really acknowledge that the totality of what @Big E said is correct, but at the same time Big E is correct in that in regards to how Houston functions as a city, if the city were to start step in and muck around and do things to these developments with the lack of experience they have it would only result in problems. Has every development faired greatly from this approach? No, but these companies, developers, architects, and contractors are learning from one another, and whats important is, on average are these developments getting slightly better over time? I would say yes. As long as the mean is improving relative to where things were at before, then I call that a success, and if this is without bloating central government to achieve that incremental improvement, then that is a wild success.

[shasta]

On 1/11/2022 at 4:29 PM, Big E said:

If anything, this shows how much we don't need more extensive city planning. Developers are doing this because there is a demand for these kinds of spaces and this kind of development. The city didn't have to do jack, and its reaping the benefits. And better the city didn't do anything, because it would only mess up and do things to make these kinds of developments (or other kinds of developments that aren't like this) impossible, like in so many other cities.

Uh...No. We have some of the worst infrastructure and planning of any major world city that claims to be "alpha status".

We desperately need some kind of city plan, or vision, or we will continue to have have haphazard developments , some quality, but surrounded by poor sidewalks, no connectivity, even ditches a block or two over. .....quite pathetic

The strategy for Houston, and most of Texas, is to pass on the costs of infrastructure on to the developer. You want this development YOU help pay for the sidewalk upgrades, etc...no coincidence they are doing sidewalk and street upgrades right now around Regent Square and the Hanover project.

I'd love to see the actual breakdown of who paid for that.  The city of Houston sometimes applies for Federal money for improvements...but this is Texas so they do so lightly because those sitting in the Capitol Building in Austin do not like that move.

Texas even rejects federal funds that were GIVEN to us (i.e. Tom DeLay rejecting light rail funding). The joke is on us because THOSE funds just go to competitor cities that gladly take the federal funds that taxpayers ALREADY have paid for...

It will be very interesting to see how Texas handles President Biden's Infrastructure Bill....so do we ACCEPT the federal funds earmarked for improvements in Texas or do we REJECT the funding out of political pride and grandstanding?

Edited January 12, 2022 by shasta

[jmitch94]

6 hours ago, shasta said:

Uh...No. We have some of the worse infrastructure and planning of any major world city that claims to be "alpha status".

We desperately need some kind of city plan, or vision, or we will continue to have have haphazard developments , some quality, but surrounded by poor sidewalks, no connectivity, even ditches a block or two over. .....quite pathetic

The strategy for Houston, and most of Texas, is to pass on the costs of infrastructure on to the developer. You want this development YOU help pay for the sidewalk upgrades, etc...no coincidence they are doing sidewalk and street upgrades right now around Regent Square and the Hanover project.

I'd love to se the actual breakdown of who paid for that.  The city of Houston sometimes applies fro Federal money for improvements...but this is Texas so they do so lightly because those sitting in the Capitol Building in Austin do not like that move.

Texas even rejects federal funds that were GIVEN to us (i.e. Tom DeLay rejecting light rail funding). The joke is on us because THOSE funds just go to competitor cities that gladly take the federal funds that taxpayers ALREADY have paid for...

It will be very interesting to see how Texas handles President Biden's Infrastructure Bill....so we ACCEPT the federal funds earmarked for improvements in Texas or do we REJECT the funding out of political pride and grandstanding?

You know damn well that the major cities in Texas will not see a single cent of that money. All of it will be funneled to rural areas because that is where the state governments voter base is and “big city bad.”

[Big E]

On 1/12/2022 at 4:07 PM, jmitch94 said:

You know damn well that the major cities in Texas will not see a single cent of that money. All of it will be funneled to rural areas because that is where the state governments voter base is and “big city bad.”

Shhhhh....Don't tell him.

 

On 1/12/2022 at 9:49 AM, shasta said:

The strategy for Houston, and most of Texas, is to pass on the costs of infrastructure on to the developer. You want this development YOU help pay for the sidewalk upgrades, etc...no coincidence they are doing sidewalk and street upgrades right now around Regent Square and the Hanover project.

I actually fail to see how that's a bad thing? Part of the reason suburban sprawl is what is, is because the states and federal governments have long been subsidizing its growth. Actually forcing developers to pay for their developments seems like it might actually go a long way to slowing that trend.

 

On 1/12/2022 at 9:49 AM, shasta said:

It will be very interesting to see how Texas handles President Biden's Infrastructure Bill....so do we ACCEPT the federal funds earmarked for improvements in Texas or do we REJECT the funding out of political pride and grandstanding?

The answer is obvious. We'll take the money because it is our tax dollars too, just like Texas has always taken earmarked dollars, just like every other state. People may heehaw about the billions of dollars in spending that will almost certainly be waisted but they'll take the money all the same and heehaw about it later.

 

On 1/12/2022 at 9:49 AM, shasta said:

Uh...No. We have some of the worst infrastructure and planning of any major world city that claims to be "alpha status".

We desperately need some kind of city plan, or vision, or we will continue to have have haphazard developments , some quality, but surrounded by poor sidewalks, no connectivity, even ditches a block or two over. .....quite pathetic

And yet the city still functions as it should and millions still move here, tens of thousands more coming every year. One wonders why if infrastructure was really that bad.

[shasta]

On 1/15/2022 at 2:47 AM, Big E said:

Shhhhh....Don't tell him.

 

I actually fail to see how that's a bad thing? Part of the reason suburban sprawl is what is, is because the states and federal governments have long been subsidizing its growth. Actually forcing developers to pay for their developments seems like it might actually go a long way to slowing that trend.

 

The answer is obvious. We'll take the money because it is our tax dollars too, just like Texas has always taken earmarked dollars, just like every other state. People may heehaw about the billions of dollars in spending that will almost certainly be waisted but they'll take the money all the same and heehaw about it later.

 

And yet the city still functions as it should and millions still move here, tens of thousands more coming every year. One wonders why if infrastructure was really that bad.

This may be the most sort-sided response I've ever seen. Yes we have many people moving into the city of Houston but our infrastructure is lagging ...by a lot. We literally have unpaved ditches a quarter mile outside of downtown Houston, we have streets and side walks that are  in very poor condition, for a metro of 7 million + we basically have very few miles of mass transit. And if you state wide, our energy grid wasn't equipped to handle a major weather even like the one we had last February.

And I don't think you understand how Suburban Sprawl works...a city/region can squash suburban sprawl with regional and city plans leading developers to develop a region per an actual plan.

The City of Houston n=has a rejected a city plan multiple times. The truth is...there was a while when the only "federal funds" we aggressively went after was funding to build new freeways...thus encouraging sprawl for developers looking to develop master plan communities and supporting developments.

Very little in Houston is thought our from a Civic standpoint...they are almost all negotiations with developers/ This is NOT the way to create a forward thinking city that matches the charm of the other Alpha cities it desperately wants to be a member of that group. You get a city of nice "pockets" but you also get a lot of third world type infrastructure.

 

 

[j_cuevas713]

1 hour ago, shasta said:

This may be the most sort-sided response I've ever seen. Yes we have many people moving into the city of Houston but our infrastructure is lagging ...by a lot. We literally have unpaved ditches a quarter mile outside of downtown Houston, we have streets and side walks that are  in very poor condition, for a metro of 7 million + we basically have very few miles of mass transit. And if you state wide, our energy grid wasn't equipped to handle a major weather even like the one we had last February.

And I don't think you understand how Suburban Sprawl works...a city/region can squash suburban sprawl with regional and city plans leading developers to develop a region per an actual plan.

The City of Houston n=has a rejected a city plan multiple times. The truth is...there was a while when the only "federal funds" we aggressively went after was funding to build new freeways...thus encouraging sprawl for developers looking to develop master plan communities and supporting developments.

Very little in Houston is thought our from a Civic standpoint...they are almost all negotiations with developers/ This is NOT the way to create a forward thinking city that matches the charm of the other Alpha cities it desperately wants to be a member of that group. You get a city of nice "pockets" but you also get a lot of third world type infrastructure.

 

 

I agree with a lot of what you said but I also want to give credit where credit is due. The city has done a tremendous job in the past 20 years of providing more connectivity to those pockets of walkability. And let's not forget that cities like Los Angeles also exist with poor transit and walkability. We're an alpha city because we have such a massive impact on the economy for our region and beyond. Houston just grew too fast for it to match the infrastructure dollars. At least now we're rebuilding and correcting the errors we made. I'm excited to see how Shepherd and Durham look after construction. The major thoroughfares in this city should be priority for creating walkability and connectivity to neighborhoods and it looks like we're heading that direction. Houston is a great city and it's only getting better. 

[iah77]

1 hour ago, shasta said:

This may be the most sort-sided response I've ever seen. Yes we have many people moving into the city of Houston but our infrastructure is lagging ...by a lot. We literally have unpaved ditches a quarter mile outside of downtown Houston, we have streets and side walks that are  in very poor condition, for a metro of 7 million + we basically have very few miles of mass transit. And if you state wide, our energy grid wasn't equipped to handle a major weather even like the one we had last February.

And I don't think you understand how Suburban Sprawl works...a city/region can squash suburban sprawl with regional and city plans leading developers to develop a region per an actual plan.

The City of Houston n=has a rejected a city plan multiple times. The truth is...there was a while when the only "federal funds" we aggressively went after was funding to build new freeways...thus encouraging sprawl for developers looking to develop master plan communities and supporting developments.

Very little in Houston is thought our from a Civic standpoint...they are almost all negotiations with developers/ This is NOT the way to create a forward thinking city that matches the charm of the other Alpha cities it desperately wants to be a member of that group. You get a city of nice "pockets" but you also get a lot of third world type infrastructure.

 

 

There is literally nothing wrong with everything you stated lol. If people here do not want to pay for it and are willing to forgo it, what's the problem? Houston is not Boston, New York, or Paris - nor should we attempt to be. Any city you view as a roll model is probably very expensive and unaffordable to most Houston residents. As long as the city is divided into many counties etc, these problems are going to be very hard to address so what is going on is a rational reaction to that. If Harris county funds things that people do not want to pay for, they will go to a county where they can pay less and enjoy the "free" nice things by just driving in. 

[shasta]

3 hours ago, iah77 said:

There is literally nothing wrong with everything you stated lol. If people here do not want to pay for it and are willing to forgo it, what's the problem? Houston is not Boston, New York, or Paris - nor should we attempt to be. Any city you view as a roll model is probably very expensive and unaffordable to most Houston residents. As long as the city is divided into many counties etc, these problems are going to be very hard to address so what is going on is a rational reaction to that. If Harris county funds things that people do not want to pay for, they will go to a county where they can pay less and enjoy the "free" nice things by just driving in. 

You do realize, Texas (including Houston) has some of the highest property Tax rates in the country....right?

Our tax money should be re-invested to assist and protect our property...they are not!

Every significant rain event leads to flooding. We have some of the worst roads in the country. We have limited connectivity with sidewalks, etc.

Yes, we have made MAJOR strides in the last 20 years but we essentially let to inner city rot for the 100 years before that.

[iah77]

45 minutes ago, shasta said:

You do realize, Texas (including Houston) has some of the highest property Tax rates in the country....right?

Our tax money should be re-invested to assist and protect our property...they are not!

Every significant rain event leads to flooding. We have some of the worst roads in the country. We have limited connectivity with sidewalks, etc.

Yes, we have made MAJOR strides in the last 20 years but we essentially let to inner city rot for the 100 years before that.

In a typical property tax bill you can see a huge chuck of it (85%+) goes to Harris Health and HISD alone so I think your main problem is with their severe inefficiency and corruption lol? I agree more money should go to infrastructure 

[Ross]

27 minutes ago, iah77 said:

In a typical property tax bill you can see a huge chuck of it (85%+) goes to Harris Health and HISD alone so I think your main problem is with their severe inefficiency and corruption lol? I agree more money should go to infrastructure 

2021 tax rates in Houston, with no TIRZ or special taxing entity:

HOUSTON ISD                       1.094400     49.96%
HARRIS COUNTY                   0.376930     16.17%
HARRIS CO FLOOD CNTRL    0.033490     1.44%
PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHY  0.008720     0.37%
HARRIS CO HOSP DIST           0.162210     6.96%
HARRIS CO EDUC DEPT         0.004990     0.21%
HOU COMMUNITY COLLEGE 0.099092     4.25%
CITY OF HOUSTON                 0.550830     23.63%

 

HISD and the Hospital District are 57%

The City of Houston rate keeps going down, since the revenue cap prevents general fund revenues from property taxes from increasing more than a certain amount. Sales taxes can't go up because they are at the statutory maximum. The City of Houston has a tough balancing act, since revenue can't really increase, and almost 60% of the General Fund goes to police and fire.

[nate4l1f3]

Ride by last night and seen that Flight Club has opened. Flight Club looks really nice at street level as you can see all the action through the windows. Cool looking spot 👍🏼

[SMU1213]

1 hour ago, nate4l1f3 said:

Ride by last night and seen that Flight Club has opened. Flight Club looks really nice at street level as you can see all the action through the windows. Cool looking spot 👍🏼

I actually walked by it last night also. I feel like they need more dart boards? The place looked empty but 80% of the boards were being used.

[nate4l1f3]

21 hours ago, SMU1213 said:

I actually walked by it last night also. I feel like they need more dart boards? The place looked empty but 80% of the boards were being used.

It definitely looked empty but I was driving so I didn’t see the lack of dart boards. Hoping this sticks around 🤞🏼

[midtowndweller]

[mattyt36]

On 1/17/2022 at 5:41 PM, iah77 said:

In a typical property tax bill you can see a huge chuck of it (85%+) goes to Harris Health and HISD alone so I think your main problem is with their severe inefficiency and corruption lol? I agree more money should go to infrastructure 

I guess Harris Health should just let the bodies pile up on the grass outside the ER instead of being “corrupt” and treating them as required by law.

Even Ed Emmett frequently decried the Perry and Abbott administrations as outright fools for not accepting the additional federal funding under the ACA all in support of the noble goal of “sticking it to the libs.”

Edited February 2, 2022 by mattyt36

[arbpro]

On 2/1/2022 at 10:29 PM, mattyt36 said:

I guess Harris Health should just let the bodies pile up on the grass outside the ER instead of being “corrupt” and treating them as required by law.

Even Ed Emmett frequently decried the Perry and Abbott administrations as outright fools for not accepting the additional federal funding under the ACA all in support of the noble goal of “sticking it to the libs.”

Oh, I wasn't aware that this board is now a repository for political opinion. Just couldn't resist, could you?

Edited February 5, 2022 by arbpro