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mollusk

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Everything posted by mollusk

  1. mollusk
    I agree with august948's characterization of the different areas. Taking it a step further, The Woodlands Town Center is starting to get a bit semi urbanish, as well. I also agree with arche's point to the effect that the buildings are generally pretty uninspired. To me, many of them look like they might have been designed by the accounting department. Not that everything downtown, on the West Loop/Post Oak, or in the TMC is all that and a box of cookies, either.
  2. mollusk
    htj, I was intentionally not speaking lawyer. An injunction case by definition wouldn't be handled as an expedited action under new Rule 169 because it's not seeking only money damages of less than $100K. However, as I'm sure you know, an order granting a temporary injunction must include a trial setting; since one was denied here I imagine that the plaintiffs were pretty adamant about putting this on a fast track in order to have a prayer of getting anything other than money damages. For what it's worth, defendants often do have some motivation or another to resolve things sooner rather than later for their own business reasons. As another consideration, if the Ashby case takes as long to wind through the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court as often happens, the San Felipe project will be built and occupied long before Ashby is final, which as you point out would render any injunctive relief moot. For example, the Supremes just ruled last week on the fight between the Port of Houston and its GC over the Bayport wharf project - an argument that began almost ten years ago. Disclaimer: I haven't looked through the San Felipe court file. Hines may swing a pretty big crane; however, based on their location I'd submit that The Aggrieved Parties also have a decent amount of influence - likely enough to pretty much zero it out.
  3. mollusk
    Are you sure your proposal isn't being followed?
  4. mollusk
    Hines may have a lot of stroke, but generally judges don't let the parties dictate their dockets. It's part of that whole "you've come to me to sort this out because you can't do so on your own, so why on earth should I let you tell me how to run this" thing. Injunction cases are entitled to jump ahead in line, but on our district clerk's website showing up on the "ready docket" just means that the case is active.
  5. mollusk
    I can't help but wonder where the OP was educated went to school, and what exactly generated his/her excitement. Personally, I don't mind paying school taxes. It should go without saying that I'd like those revenues to be spent wisely. Still, I went to public schools, and I would much rather that upcoming generations get some book learnin' into them. Stated differently: If you think education is expensive, try ignorance on for size.
  6. mollusk
    Fair enough. However, the Tidelands was almost literally next door; Rice's off campus grad student housing is also just a couple blocks from the main campus. That's quite a bit different from taking over a building several miles away that will require a LOT of rehab work.
  7. mollusk
    It probably won't, since this is apparently a regular budget item with a glossy name, just like the Neighborhoods To Standard overlay that was put down in front of my house long enough ago that parts of it further down the way now again resemble an artillery practice range.
  8. mollusk
    The tipoff that this is a suburban project is the rendering of a Fordissan Silveram SR5 1500 crew cab behind the Audi.
  9. mollusk
    I live to serve.
  10. mollusk
    I'd be very surprised if the Rice rumor panned out. One of Rice's attributes is the sense of community created by its residential colleges on campus; if they need more rooms, they still have a pretty fair amount of open land upon which to build.
  11. mollusk
    Yes, it was quite red - fitting with the Rat Pack vibe it had back in the day.
  12. mollusk
    Today's vocabulary word (h/t the Chron via Triton) is vertiginous.
  13. mollusk
    Seems likely, S'dude. 601 Travis's primary street level lobby is along the Capitol side.
  14. mollusk
    It looks like it will be a white stripe downtown, not even armadillos like in other places - which makes sense, what with turning traffic, parking garage entrances/exits, etc. Other cities manage it without massive carnage; shoot, once upon a time, so did we...
  15. mollusk
    It's hoping to grow.
  16. mollusk
    Airlines, too. I was booking a flight today and had my choice of everything from nonstops all the way to three stops, some with a change of planes - not counting the hellish routings that go off in some bizarre direction halfway across the country before heading in the general intended direction. (I'm sure those exist just so they can brag that they have twelve flights from Houston to Zenith or wherever daily)
  17. mollusk
    I wouldn't say that they gutted the office floors - I just don't know about them for sure, but what I've seen looks pretty much as-was except for carpet, etc.; I imagine there was some partition moving and the like. The lobby and ground floor level, however, is getting pretty much a complete makeover.
  18. mollusk
    That's nice. It reminds me of a current commercial featuring some vapid hipster driving a car that's battling it out with his self absorption to see if Darwin's gonna win or not - just as in years past, there were those who apparently thought that buying a Volvo would somehow guarantee their vehicular immortality. One should still drive at the prevailing speed of traffic, one still ought to stay out of other people's blind spots, and one should still turn one's punkin' haid and actually look before changing lanes.
  19. mollusk
    I acknowledge that I'm a bit of a hotshoe when left to my own devices. I've often been tickled by how traffic seems to speed up once one gets to the Houston city limits. I'll also point out that Nate99's avatar is a one year newer version of a car I once had that was considered quite the performance machine in its day (granted, screaming chicken or no, a '76 Trans still had only about as much power as some john boats do now). Nevertheless, to be responsible I'll stick to my pass a few, get passed by a few advice. When left to their own devices, traffic engineers shoot for an 85th percentile speed - i.e., 85% of the traffic is driving that speed or slower. Their studies have shown that, barring unusual circumstances, people aren't suicidal and only about 15% or so will go faster than conditions allow; setting the speed limit at that point is optimal for safety.
  20. mollusk
    Yes. This building ended up in the Federales' hands via foreclosure during the 80s bust. Not only was the building itself never a paragon of structural integrity, the original lobby layout was really, really poorly suited to current concepts of secured access.
  21. mollusk
    It'll be easiest to stay with the flow of traffic - passing a few, getting passed by a few, but generally moving at the consensus speed (which varies throughout the day and from place to place). As a matter of safety, try not to drive immediately beside someone unless you are passing or being passed; likewise, be aware of the blind spots you and everyone else has on their rear quarters. And keep an eye out for motorcycles - it's getting less hot, so there are more of them out there, and they're small and thus hard to spot.
  22. mollusk
    Is it just me, or does it seem like AT&T cornered the market on featureless tan brick buildings?
  23. mollusk
    That is a low lying area. Looking at the renderings, it appears that there are ramps and steps to the building entrances, and what sorta look like basement windows that I'll bet are really associated with some under building detention.
  24. mollusk
    This garage, Wedge, the Hyatt, HPD one way, Allen Center two blocks away the other way, 1100 Louisiana's structure nearby... this is becoming the High Rise Parking District.
  25. mollusk
    Thanks for the clarification, Mr. T.
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