IronTiger

One thing I noticed that I haven't read about on this thread (but no, I didn't read every single page of it) was the demolition of the Heights Plaza apartments on Heights Blvd. when they extend Koehler to 2nd Street. What happens there?

Permit me to ask a seemingly-stupid question, but how exactly will the proposed Wal-Mart force the local Heights businesses out of business? If you want to support your local businesses, go to them and not at Wal-Mart. You're not going to flock like lemmings to the Wal-Mart and abandon your local stores...you're smarter than that. If you convince your neighbors to do the same, the Wal-Mart will not be getting your money, the local businesses stay open, and who knows--it just might close from lack of business.

But wouldn't that also be a bit, you know, extreme?

Nope, don't live in the Heights, sorry. I was doing a college paper that involved Wal-Mart, and one of my sources was a Lisa Falkenberg column about how the Wal-Mart will be good for the area. In it, she points out that although it's controversial, and jokingly(?) mentioned she might get banned from her favorites Heights coffeehouse, but the residents of West End are much poorer than the Heights, don't really go to the same shops as the Heights, and technically isn't even in the Heights. Doesn't the Heights end at I-10?

Does anyone have a PDF of the plan? Also, it's technically in West End, not the Heights.

I'm totally stuck. Is there any Texas governor candidate that doesn't rhyme with "blight" or "scary", yet still has a really good chance of winning? (Answer: Probably not)

What is it with relatively-modern structures in Houston getting big remodels? I mean, IKEA was only about five years old...

http://www.kbtx.com/.../104418224.html The guy must have been 20 when it happened. Thoughts?

Hello! A nanobrewery is opening in College Station, and I wanted to know if nano/microbreweries can sell beer directly to the public in Texas. I know St. Arnold's didn't, but was that a Texas law or a Houston ordinance?

Yeah, WaterWorld was already closed by today five years ago and was beginning demolition. One of the stories I heard (on HAIF) involved teenaged thugs with baseball bats (among other things). The riff-raff was quelled by the 2000s, but it was too little, too late. By the 2000s, a lot of the big-ticket rides were often closed for repairs.

Dang! You are indeed correct...but at this point five years ago, Astroworld WAS doomed, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Light a candle tomorrow evening, for it was that day that Astroworld closed forever. Five years ago. I regret to say I never went into the park, but I can probably think that if the park had continued past 2005 and had been spared the ill-thought maneuvers of then-Six Flags CEO Kieran Burke, its untimely death would be delayed. The recession probably could've killed it, as well as any damage caused by Ike. I can also imagine that the Dungeon Drop would've been heavily avoided after the "severed cable cutting off feet" incident (it was the same model and ride type). Anyway... Do you want to share some thoughts, memories, etc.?

I was just dropping by the HAIF but accidentally typed in http://www.haif.com. It seems to be mostly an Israeli ad placeholder site, but hey! The site says that the domain is for sale. I think that haif.com would broaden the spectrum for HAIF-usage. What do you think?

On that corner, where the Wal-Mart was gonna be? That's cool, I guess. I wonder if they'll rename Old Rock Prairie Road, or at least repave it.

I'm a bit curious as to what Montrose looked like back in the "day". Part of me imagines Times Square, circa 1980, a decidedly-run-down area with porn shops and adult theaters occupying most of the block. Then again, I was awfully fond of downtown Bryan before its "revitalization" in the early 2000s...they turned a fairly authentic main street (complete with stoplights on posts!) to a drivable parking lot. At least the Queen Theater is still standing, before they "revitalize" that too.

Everything was overpriced? --- Seriously, though, today Montrose reminds me a bit of a yuppie neighborhood. It includes: - Liberal and gay-friendly - Whole Foods Market (of course) - Independent coffee shops (also of course) - Expensive yet modest-looking homes - Art galleries and museums (Menil Collection being one of them, very nice) - Well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing (mostly) - Nice "inner-city feeling" without skyscrapers

I read on a blog somewhere (SouthernRetail.blogspot.com) that the Toys R Us on FM 1960 is closing due to an underpass at FM 1960 and the railroad. If this were true, this would mean major disturbances to all nearby businesses, including possibly cutting off Breton Ridge access. It's totally unconfirmed, and the only Google result shows that they were still considering other options.

Can't be worse than the local channels (at least around here) that air city-going-ons, facts, and news bits 24 hours a day with the same easy listening loop. Except when they have a city council meeting, which is occasional.

Well, recently, one of my cousins who lived in Houston moved out, giving me one less reason to like Houston as a city. (hopefully I can get that point back, though) In other news, though, I will say that during that period where I made a bunch of, shall we say, lackluster posts*, it didn't continue with a thread talking about what a terrible member I was. Or a total ban where PMs are ignored. You guys aren't jerks, and jerks who deserve their forum to be imploded, and I thank you for that. * understatement

Apparently, there was yet another logo right before Foley's perished...some sort of weird triangle has been added in lieu of the apostrophe. http://www.alconnelly.com/photos/Austin-2005/Foleys

A Wienerschnitzel was in College Station up until around 2003 (dunno when it opened, but I'm guessing early 1990s). Better yet, an "A-frame" design (in the photo above) still exists in Bryan.

Recently I had the opportunity to go out to the San Marcos area. I was surprised to find on Highway 80 (between FM 1977 and Fentress, TX), they are building a four lane highway on either side. What is it? Does anyone know?

When did Battelstein's close down? How many locations did it have (besides downtown, River Oaks, and Sharpstown)?

Eh, you're probably right. It was a "flagship drink" though. The fact that nearly every mall had 'em until they started closing en masse in the early 1990s makes it a bit disheartening.

I'm frankly surprised that there is no longer any Orange Julius stores in Houston anymore, it being the large city it is. Dairy Queen International seems to have closed the DQ/Orange Julius in West Oaks Mall, but, looking at other places, DQ seems to pick the worst places for DQ/Orange Julius stands. Were you aware of this closing?