dbigtex56

Since the meeting is being held soon, I thought this thread should be revived. Any ideas for improving Montrose area bikeways or sidewalks? I'd like to see a sidewalk installed on the east side of Taft, between Westheimer and Hawthorne. This portion of Taft is more than sufficiently wide to accomodate sidewalks on both sides of the street, and the existing one on the west side of Taft is impassible (it even has a utility box installed in the middle of what used to be a sidewalk!) Taft best serves residents of Westmoreland and Audubon Place who want to catch the 82 Westheimer bus. We deserve decent sidewalks.

Theology aside, there's questions I have about officially recognized religions: How come liquor licenses can be denied if the applicant is within 1000 feet(? - or is it 1,500 now?) of a church? Most bars aren't even open on Sunday mornings. How does freedom of religion grant the right to interfere with other businesses? Why are churches given tax-exempt status on real estate holdings not directly related to their missions? For example, a few years ago it was reported that the Rev-Dr Ed Young of 2nd Baptist lived tax-free in a $1mil+ house in the Memorial area. I thought Jesus said something about "rendering unto Caesar"... And it's my impression that Rev-Doc Young is well-compensated for his duties. I've also heard that churches have been given special exemptions from local zoning laws, such as exceeding prescribed limits on the size of buildings, and parking requirements or restrictions. This probably isn't as much an issue in Houston as in other communities. Should status as an "official" religion afford the right to intrude on others' property values and quality of life? Seems wrong to me.

A subject dear to my heart! My first apartment was in a nascent preservation district in Rochester, NY. It took a lot of pleading and wheedling to keep the city from tearing down decrepit Victorian brick houses, and it payed off. It's a lovely neighborhood, and the residents were passionate about preserving it. Such things can build a sense of community. Every time someone took on the daunting task of restoring a beloved but decrepit house, she (or he) became a local hero. I've been a resident of the Montrose area since 1981. At that time, Montrose was considered by many to be a decayed and dangerous neighborhood (anyone remember the sarcastic "The crime-free Montrose" tagline from a local radio station?) Property was very affordable. Creative people could afford to buy houses here, and do creative things with them. The existing architecture was sympathetic; why have a normal front lawn when it could become a sculpture garden? People would live in the back of the house, and cut hair, or sell antiques or used clothing in the front. I cannot imagine such activity or engagement in a neighborhood with a sudden influx of new construction. Owning a recently built townhome doesn't engender the same passion as preserving what's already there. There is, of course, a need for infill. I'll try not to resort to cliches, but won't succeed. New construction shouldn't destroy the very thing which made the neighborhood desirable to begin with. It bothers me that people move to Montrose because it's centrally located, or a good investment; that's not the point. The exisiting architecture is a reminder of the history, the culture of a peculiar place and time. How unfortunate if it's wiped out. Edit: This probably belongs in the Montrose thread, but I thought it applied to the question.

Interesting article, Coog. The question about what constitutes a 'housing bubble' goes back to good ol' supply and demand. Thirty years ago Boston (and the New England area) was considered a Rust Belt has-been. Now it's one of the hottest markets in the nation. Some of us might recall the oil bust days of the mid-80s. Houston was the foreclosure capital of the nation. Many people simply loaded their furniture, locked the door and walked away from their houses. Some people might be surprised to know that once their neighborhoods were considered distressed properties. Even Montrose had HUD auction properties. With increasingly creative financing options available, I'm skeptical, leery - hell, worried - that a change in interest rates could have a devastating effect on people who are banking on their property. The assumption that your house is guarenteed to increase in value (let alone retain its current value) seems dangerous. Real estate is usually a good investment. But beware: bubbles burst.

Please refrain from name-calling.

Better that the Shamrock was never built than another Tremont Tower debaucle.

From what I've read of Ed Wulfe's developments, I think his name deserves mention. Randall Davis has also been influential with his his projects.

Now there's some biodiversity for you. Oaks...and more oaks. I'll bet the squirrels are happy. Sorry if you felt my post was preachy. The point I intended to make is that an appreciation of the various native plants is in itself educational and inspiring. For example, hummingbirds and butterflies feed on a variaty of native plants. I'm no expert, but I believe oaks and St. Augustine grass aren't among them. If I'm mistaken, please feel free to correct me.

Coog, This time I have to take exception. Allow me to bore you. I grew up in a semi-rural area. As a boy, my amusements included exploring the local landscape. Luckily, my mother has an appreciation for nature, with which I have likewise been infected. Instead of playing video games or watching TV, I had the advantage of finding more humble amusements. Wandering through tangles of brush, I'd find wild strawberries, blackberries and raspberries (and if you haven't eaten them at their source, you're missing something). Woodchuck holes, bird nests, deer, reptiles and insects were constant sources of wonder to me. Exploring nature was a wonderful part of my childhood. Whenever I'd find an unusual flower or rock or insect, I'd bring it home. If my mom couldn't identify it, she'd direct me to ask our neighbor, who was a science teacher at our local high school. I learned about igneous,sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, monocotyledon vs. dicotyledon plants, the life-cycle of monarch butterflies...you know, utterly useless stuff. This, by the time I was ten years old! Hey fool...what do you know about nature? I suspect not much. Instead of dismissing that about which you appear to be ignorant, perhaps you might find a reason to explore an essential part of life. Like it or not, we are all at the mercy of nature. And if your child brings home an interesting bug...maybe you should show interest, and not automatically pull out the anti-bacterial soap and the Raid.

The singer was Sophie B. Hawkins. ("Damn! I Wish you were my lover...") Seems to me that local media coverage was lacking. The estimate of the crowd was 250,000 people. The parade is one of the cooler events in Houston, IMHO. Does the International Festival get that sort of one-day turnout? Surely it gets more coverage. (I don't know - just asking) The Chronicle opted to run a prominent story about crystal meth and its relation to gay people only a few days prior to the festival. Am I alone in thinking the timing was suspicious? And that the reference was unflattering? And coverage of the Pride Parade was perfunctury? Perhaps you think I'm being just a big ol' pain in the butt. (No jokes, please). I think that it's to Houston's credit that we have a healthy relationship with gay people. It's to our credit that we're a big enough city to contain people of all stripes.

re: back on the (off) topic: God, I miss Ann Richards! She could be colorful without resorting to being, um, sleazy.

You forgot "Where's my glasses?" Also, "Where am I... and who's this guy laying next to me?"

Update: The construction elevator has finally been removed. Last week a crane lifted I-beams onto the roof. It appears that four new penthouse structures are being constructed; each has an arched roof. I don't know how many units they will contain.

As an aside, if you'd like to read an amusing short story about naming houses, try "The Ship Shape" from David Sedaris's Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

My thoughts, too. You can paint a flag on nearly anything, but this relic is unique. Consider leaving it as it is (perhaps a protective coating would be a good idea). I've seen objects at the Menil which IMHO are less appealing.

Perhaps these couples could form a Krewe Of The Very Very Dignified and march in Brooks Brothers suits. And the gay men could wear khakis and Polo shirts. It is, after all, a parade. What's the point of a parade without a bit of color? So far as reenforcing stereotypes, I try to put things like Spring Break and "Girls Gone Wild" videos into perspective vis-a-vis heterosexuals. I trust that others make the same allowances for festive gay-themed events.

I've been in Houston since '81 and for the majority of that time the City Hall clock(s) have not been fully functional. Either the neon is out, or they're wildly inaccurate - or stopped. From what I've read, they operate under some peculiar 1937 miracle of engineering - to set the time, a person on the ground would have to holler up to workmen to set each individual clock-face. I hope they'll modernize the works before re-installing the hands. Of course, the original appearance must be maintained; I'll shriek if they go digital. As an aside, I'm sorry that more buildings don't integrate large public clocks - it used to be quite common. Even at the airports you have to go peer at one of those damn electronic screens to verify the time.

Thanks for the kind words! Members such as yourself make moderator duties a pleasure. I'm impressed by the thoughtfulness, civility and knowledge of the majority of HAIF members. I've found the community has been, for the most part, self-regulating. Only in the most blatant cases of abuse have we had to step in. A confession: I no longer read every post on the Forum. At one time I felt it was my duty; however, due to time restraints (and my antiquated dial-up internet connection) I'm no longer able to do so. A pity, because there's so much good information here. However, I think it's important to have diverse sources of information - and also, to occasionally pry myself off the internet and experience the 'real' world. If someone knows how to cram more than 24 hours into a day, please let me know.

I grew up across the road from a cobblestone house (circa 1837) called Gaywind. Please keep any witty remarks to yourselves. It was named for the gentle breezes which usually waft across the hilltop location. Naming a house makes sense to me only if it (the house) is distinctive. Naming every house in a tract development would be like Mr. Tyson naming each of his chickens.

Long-time Houston residents will recall the siren which was mounted on City Hall. It was sounded every Friday at noon, and the sound was incredible. All conversation in Tranquility Park would come to a stop, and you could hear the reverberations several seconds after it was shut off. I could even hear it clearly at my apartment on Commonwealth. It was removed sometime in the 80s. My brother-in-law refered me to an interesting website about the Chrysler Air Raid Siren, which is the loudest warning device ever built. It was powered by a Chrysler Hemi V-8, and could be clearly heard at a distance of four miles. I'm curious about what kind of siren Houston had, and whatever became of it. The VictorySiren.com site lists only about a third of the systems sold - why shouldn't we take credit for having had one, if indeed we did? Check out the website - they even have .WAV files for those who'd like to hear that unforgettable sound again.

This topic has been covered on an existing thread. duplicate thread closed.

Yes, the two-story apartment building is still there. It's not physically connected to the Executive House; the EH parking expansion was built above the existing apartment parking lot. They've done a lot of work on them - I think all units were stripped down to the studs and redrywalled, new walkways, siding, landscaping and switched to individual metering. The place used to be kind of a dump, but it looks good now. Haven't seen any of the finished units, but maybe I'll pose as an interested renter. I'll also check to see if there's a website listed on the leasing signs. Pak's is going strong. Still has great employees, music and incense.

They're still working on it. In addition to the Executive House, the 50's garden apartment just east of it (220 W. Alabama) is included in the rennovation. This portion of the project seems to be complete, as they have "For Lease" signs posted. The parking lot between the two buildings has been retrofitted with a second story, to be accessed through the Executive House parking garage. The construction elevator is still in place at the EH. The exterior has been painted. Final landscaping hasn't been completed. I have no idea how much more has to be done inside...

Unfortunately, thugs eventually turn up no matter where the location. Or perhaps once an area is known as a 'party spot' it brings out thuggishness in people. A few years ago Shepherd Square was the place to go - until people started misbehaving, and the neighbors applied pressure. Before that, Lower Westheimer - same story. I'd be interested to know if these nightclubs on Richmond simply lost their cachet, or if pressure from surrounding neighborhoods led to stricter law enforcement. I've heard complaints at the public sessions at City Hall about the usual nightclub woes (traffic, loud music, littering, public urination, fights, ad nauseum). This can lead to liquor licences not being renewed, and to less police tolerance of drunk and unruly patrons. I just hope that a sensible balance can be found downtown. The revelry during Super Bowl was great - but the city was on high alert. We can't expect that sort of police presence every weekend. We might be better off having smaller, more manageable party districts than to try to recreate the French Quarter downtown.