20thStDad

'Round and 'round this goes... is there an official definition of "McMansion" here somewhere or on the wiki? Heck, maybe I own one! Doubtful, if there are size requirements. Is it more about the quality or the style? I know of many small groups of development where the houses look very similar, but it looks good and was done well. I wouldn't call those McMansions. I just want to make sure I know what I'm arguing about before I throw my thoughts out there.

What do you people do to lawnmowers? I used the same one to cut my family's grass, both my grandparents, and a few neighbors yards for years, before I even knew what an oil change was. Then again, my mom has broken (or they just broke) at least 3 mowers that I know of. The old simple snapper was my favorite. Then we got a craftsman that was supposedly self propelled, but I worked twice as hard to move that thing than I did the non-propelled snapper.

I agree, you don't kill over property. If someone is actually IN my house, that's a different story though. I don't know their intentions, and I don't intend to find out with my wife and baby under the same roof. But I don't even own a gun so that's not the point. I do have a big stick ready... Anyway, I just wish that people had reason to be scared enough not to do stupid things like steal from other people. Clearly they aren't deterred by the moral issue, so bring on fear. Right now their chances of being caught (or hurt/killed) are so ridiculously low that there is no fear. This is one case out of tens of thousands of burglaries in Houston where the thieves got the short end of it. Statistically they are still winning by a wide margin. This is Texas, be an idiot at your own risk. No, I'm not saying they "deserved" what they got, but with the number of homeowners who are also gun owners in this state, you take your own chances going into someone else's house to steal something.

I'm digging it! Thanks, I only hope I can remember to check it before I leave every day.

I never did get down there to check it out, but I will try next time. It's either been raining, wet from just raining, or I've been out doing other things on the weekend. My wife did say she saw someone pop up from there, so that makes me think there's something still. Helmet cam sounds like a bad idea to me. It's like demolition derby, no one is going to want to see that nice trail you stuck perfectly, that is boring. They want to see the tree getting closer...closer...closer...then BAM! Spinning, falling, girlish screams. I like to keep those moments as private as possible.

Maybe he was talking about the homeless people that are already there? That has to count for something.

I agree that tearing down a historic old house to replace it with this one is a horrible thing. I probably posted my sentiment in the wrong thread, it should have gone in that other McMansion thread I guess. I'm all for preservation when there is something worth preserving. I just don't mind at all when an empty lot or a run-down place of no style or historical significance gets dozed for something newer. This is clearly a sad exception. As for its looks, I still love it TONS better than the new builds in LA that I referred to. I haven't driven by and checked it out since the faux stone went on though, might change my mind.

Any updates? I couldn't get to lockmat's link. Would love to see something happen in this huge waste of space. I biked through there last week and just got that ick feeling wishing something more useful was in such a nearby space to good things.

I'm not really a mod guy, but that does look bad. It's like a bad botox job, should never even have thought about it.

Hilary has $22 million in campaign debt. How wasteful and messed up is that? The fact that they spend so much in the first place makes me mad, but to be dumb enough to spend that much more than they have? Idiots. And now more money will be donated to cover the debt, and the media will treat those donations like they are kind charity, when $22 million to any real charity could actually make a huge difference in this world. Makes me sick.

in honor of the new rail line...how about...Brown Town? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Coal-less = less emissions from combustion of fossil fuel Coalesce = get together, gel

Oh, so Taco Cabana is ok but I can't get some red meat? No way TC beats BK, not in my book. Haha, what a useless argument anyway. If only I had the power to summon restaurants at my whim...or destroy them. Back on topic (sort of), that was a lot of banks they plan to put right there. I think that's good. the 2 retail spots open on the north part look medium sized...perhaps perfect for our mandatory mattress store, cell phone store, or check cashing place.

My in-laws thing Cracker Barrel is the greatest thing in the world. Definitely country food. I don't mind it, it's reasonably priced and they have good biscuits. I could do without the junk store at the front of them. They need a Wings 'n' Things...I'm generally anti-chain, but of course I'm addicted to the worst possible chain out there. That and Burger King. Yeah, I have issues.

I think there's a 3 story across the street on the triangle shaped lot White Oak @ Oxford. I forgot why this might matter though.

I agree. I'll take townhomes or McMansions any day over the cookie cutter garage-fronted stucco/brick boringness that is all they build now in Baton Rouge where I'm from. Houston has it way better.

I'm definitely not an architect or even much of a student of building style, but damn, you people can be hard on some building designs. I'm not saying you're wrong, everyone has an opinion, and I'm not saying I love this place. But compared to the crap they build and have built forever in Baton Rouge, Houston has a very diverse style, even for what you call out as McMansions. I'll take a Houston McMansion any day over the crap that all the new neighborhoods in Baton Rouge look like. Garage in the front to the side, stucco around the front door, brick around other areas, fake gas lamps on each side of the door. I can't stand it. I love to see the new, weird, different things going up around Houston. Whether they build 3 or 5 in a row that look similar, I could care less. I think I got off of my original thought there. Right. So, I have no architectural knowledge and very little capacity for design or style, I just like what I like. And if I ever decide to and am able to build a house, I'd be hesitant to post any pictures or details as it would most assuredly get torn apart with criticism of how it is bad or wrong. People buy/build what they 1) like and 2) can afford. If we could all have our dream homes in our 20s then they wouldn't be called dream homes.

So, I did ride my bike over to that area. It's not very big. Alexan already backs all the way to 4 1/2 St. Riding down the RR ROW, there are a few trails off to the south, but you don't go far until you get to a pretty huge tributary/washout that I'm guessing would have to be filled or covered, or at least redone in some way. As far as access, maybe at the end of 5th, otherwise they would have to use the ROW or cut through the back part of the Alexan. The old map I have shows 1st and 2nd each going a block out on each side of Heights, and 3rd was slightly longer to the east. Definitely none were very long. EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention that someone was definitely smokin it up in the woods off those trails somewhere. I didn't see anyone, but the odor was clear. HAIFers by chance? Hmm...

Yeah we checked out Bally's and the employees were so used car salesmen that we just left because they turned us off. And it wasn't very new or nice at all. I love sitting there and staring at the sales people, saying nothing. Just let them dig deeper and deeper. Then make some stupid cheap offer, and when they say they'll have to talk to their manager blah blah blah, very amusing when you know you aren't going to buy anything from them. The Y on 34th is very small. We're doing a 2 week guest thingy. I went yesterday after work and didn't have much trouble getting on weights when I wanted, but damn is it cramped. The entire weights section is literally as big as my living room dining room, and my house isn't that big (open floor plan though). I do like that it's kid oriented. My wife can go during the day when it's not that crowded, and the pool seems nice enough. I think what we might do is get a city-wide membership, and just go to 34th when it's convenient, but when we have a little time take advantage of some of the bigger ones like Augusta or Stella Link.

Based on the map on their site it looks like you would only have access to this from E 5th St or E 4 1/2 St. If there were access directly from I-10 right along the bayou that might lessen any added traffic. It's only a couple blocks off I-10, but people who live on those blocks probably have more to say about this than I do. I'm going to ride my bike down there today, I just can't get a handle on the location and potential layout in my head right now. I know the old rail ROW is right there in the pictures they show on the site, but I thought that was planned for the hike and bike trail. I don't know where else there is space to stick something besides that wooded looking area west of the ROW, sort of between e 5th and e 4 1/2 st. I have to go check it out.

Actually it was, but I think one can say it no longer is. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd streets did used to exist (a very small part of 2nd still does I think, just south of the bridge off Heights), and those used to be part of the Heights before the freeway took them out. At least that's what an old map tells me, maybe it was a plan that never came to be. I don't know about current historic district boundaries though.

If you like the exact same thing as Chili's, Applebee's, or TGI Friday's, then yes. Are they just running down a checklist of generic chain places in order to set some record that they have them all in one place?

Has anyone been to Danton's on Montrose at 59? I've passed by but never gone. That's pretty close to the district.

Count me about a dozen times. It's good fun!

I hate Phil Collins so much...this thread was great until that popped up