brian0123

Technically, they can buy land with the intent to build low income housing later. Just as a developer buys land to build on eventually, our TIRZ can buy land to build low income housing on eventually. So basically, we know now that they are required by law to devote 1/3 of the money for low income housing. Also, the Redev Authority has purchased low income land (and housing) in 3rd ward. So here's my question to those on here... Since our TIRZ has to spend 1/3 of our money on low income housing, would you rather them be buying up land in 3rd ward for low income housing, or within Midtown? My vote is for outside of Midtown.

I thought the same thing. However, I was wondering if they could claim that by purchasing the land, they are keeping housing cheap in all areas surrounding the lot.

I looked up info about TIRZ's and found this on the city website... State law requires that zones created by petition within counties of more than 3.3 million in population setaside one third of the increment generated during the term of the zone to provide low-income housing. This housing can occur anywhere within the city limits, and is not restrictive to the zone. Midtown was created by petition, and my guess (I repeat GUESS) is that they are able to buy that land because of state law. Here is the link From what I can tell about the clinic, it appears they serve working families that cannot afford healthcare. Also, their hours of operation are from 8am to 4:30pm. Are you suggesting that the clinic will lead to an increase in crime during the day? Please elaborate as to what it will do to the neighborhood, because I don't believe that people are going to go to San Jose, rob a nearby home or business while waiting to see a doctor, and then bring the loot back to the doc's office. Just because someone is poor, does not mean they are a criminal.

I'm curious, though. What can anyone do to stop any particular business from moving in? Even if our TIRZ wanted to prevent the clinic from moving in... what can they legally do? Without zoning, aren't we pretty much powerless?

I think another problem is that by distributing food and clothing in the same specific areas, it only further keeps people in an environment that almost nurtures their homelessness and hurts them. For example, under Pierce there is an almost daily routine of churches showing up and distributing donations. The message this sends to the homeless is that they need to live nearby in order to receive those services. So what happens? They live in nearby abandoned buildings/empty lots/etc. amidst a plethora of other homeless that can drink themselves to sleep...and when hungry, walk over to Pierce and get more food from the vans. Sadly, this is the norm for many of the people I routinely see in the area. Also, by concentrating the homeless in specific areas, it creates a dense area of people that (when after you leave) are in an environment where they are raped, robbed, and taken advantage of by criminals. However, they have to put up with it because if they want food and clothing, they need to be where it's distributed. I believe one BIG thing that is not being done enough is to provide mental health screenings or medication to the ones that need it. It pains me to see people talking to themselves and shouting to imaginary attackers to get away... when they should be receiving health care that could really improve their lives.

What older building is being remodeled? Is it in fact a Crosspoint property? If so, that's exciting news.

Amen to that. I went to college @ SFA (awesome college) in rural Nacogdoches. Once I moved back to Houston, I bought a place in Midtown and have loved every second of it. Downtown/Midtown/Montrose/Museum District are some of my favorite places in this state (and I've even lived in Austin).

She has an awesome restaurant (T'Afia) in Midtown.

I know plenty of fellow Midtown residents that would love for the bars to move to Washington for this very reason.

I live nearby and haven't seen those characters, although I did chase down and get a guy arrested the other day for attempting to steal my neighbor's plants! However, if you do see anything/anyone suspicious, CALL OUR CONSTABLES IMMEDIATELY @ 713-643-6602 (for emergencies, call 911). As Midtown residents, we pay them to check out the exact things you mentioned above. Remember, they can only check out the things you report to them... not to an online forum. Please, store that number above in your cell (and give it out to your neighbors). For the times I've called them, they normally arrive in about 4 minutes after calling. If you see anyone suspicious, call them and they will send an officer over to talk to the person. Even if the person hasn't broken a law, they at least know that there is a strong police presence in the neighborhood and they will move along. Oh, and I have a live camera feed from my house that I can check from work. Don't worry, no shady characters are walking by right now... just a cat looking at a fence... although that cat looks like he's up to no good!

Not sure what you are talking about. The San Jose Clinic turning an empty lot into a multi-million dollar building seems like progress to me. The build out of a new upscale restaurant under 24 Hour fitness seems like progress too. How about Camden starting the process of building out the center of Midtown? Also, who are the people you are referring to on the board (please send PM)?

I guess so. The only thing I could find online was this... http://www.kabukirestaurants.com/home.asp

Yes they did! I just walked by and saw two notices posted on the glass for code enforcement. The purpose is for "Restaurant build out" and the tenant is Kabuki!

Drove by today and they have actually torn off all of the glass on the side of the building for that corner. The wooden framework is to keep people from walking into the building. Any ideas as to what is going on?

My hunch is that Camden is saving $$$ for the superblock across the street and that this development is just a stepping stone.

Not sure if something is going on... but just drove by during lunch and there were two workers inside the bottom corner space (along Elgin) looking at the walls. First time I've seen anyone inside in a long time.

Just curious, but after walking around the Pavilions the other day, I was wondering if it would be possible for them to open HP to the streets a little more (like along Polk where the windows are) at least on the first floor. It would mean that some first floor locations would have two entrances... but it might help draw some more foot traffic into the place. Does anyone think that this might be a viable solution for HP later down the road?

HP just happened to come online at the wrong time. If we were in a positive economic environment, impatience would have been a genius move.

I was showing a coworker my hood today using Streetview and noticed something interesting on an old picture of the superblock. Link First, what year do you think this was taken? Reef down the block doesn't exist yet (the bldg hadn't been renovated). Second, on the sign on the superblock, there appears to be a rendering of some big building "Coming Soon". Was this just a rendering for something across the street, or were there plans for the superblock awhile back that failed to materialize?

I do believe that these places provide a great service and should be around... but yes, I wonder how the volunteers would feel having these establishments in their neighborhoods (bet they wouldn't be too happy!). I also feel that these places should be more spread out around the city and into the burbs so that everyone deals with the homeless on a daily basis. However, my problem isn't with Search, etc... but with the $9 dollar a night slumlord places that pile a bunch of homeless into a room, and lets them drink themselves into oblivion every day.

Sorry, didn't mean that I never look (I just look left and right then go). I meant that I don't have to look left, then right, then left, then crap here comes a car... then right, then left (you get my point). I've actually seen a vagrant hit by a car pulling out because the driver failed to look for him driving the wrong way. I lived at Memorial Heights Dr. and Washington (near the CVS)... so I was out of the zone that you mentioned. I agree that it's hard to compare Washington Ave to Midtown. And yes, I agree with you that Washington Ave will probably end up being like Rice Village (although a little more stretched out). Some places will be walkable, but your car will still be required. The only problem that they will have later on is that unlike Rice Village (which is a grid, with major roads nearby)... Washington Ave will have just Washington Ave (hence my 1960 comparison). As for Midtown, I wouldn't say that growth has slowed at all. Yes, townhouse development has stopped because land values have shot up. However, apartment and condo construction continues. Also, they are building more bars/clubs as we speak (even on the east side). The San Jose Medical Clinic has started construction on their new big building too. Also, keep in mind that Midtown has not been "Midtown" for very long. It has come a very long way in a short amount of time. Midtown is at a point in it's development where construction projects are requiring a lot more $$$ and financing than just redoing an old building along Washington. For example, here is one example of a project that will happen once banks start lending again.

I love the one-way streets in Midtown. It is a lot easier not having to look left and right everywhere you go (when driving or walking). I sure hope they never make it two-ways.

They are building a Petsmart in the parking lot across from the Target. I know it's off of I-10, but I still consider it part of the Washington corridor (just like all those people in town homes north of the tracks consider themselves part of the corridor too). As for apartments and clubs, I don't know how you can compare Washington with Midtown. Yes, there isn't much along Main St. yet, but Midtown goes a lot further out than Main Street. At night, it is jam packed with people walking from club to club and back to their apartments. When I lived along Washington... it was impossible for me to walk from my apartment to a club/store/etc. This thread is about Washington vs Midtown in terms of which place is/will be more "urban". I listed earlier why my wife and I didn't like Washington Avenue. I still view Washington Avenue as an inner loop early version of a mini FM 1960. Instead of neighborhoods of houses along it... you have mini neighborhoods of townhouses. Instead of large strip malls facing it, you have smaller strip malls. Then, everything dumps out onto one long road. Walking along it (or biking) is next to impossible. Getting around requires getting in the car. Yes, Washington might have the appearance of being busy because it forces everyone to cram along one very long road (and businesses do like that)... but that doesn't make it urban. The model works right now because there isn't a ton of people living along Washington. The more Washington grows, the more congested it will become. Midtown, on the other hand, has the capacity and layout to handle future growth and provide for a truly urban, walkable neighborhood in the future.

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I didn't realize you were saying that Midtown had small blocks. I was arguing that Midtown has large lots (aren't the blocks in Midtown the same size as those that house skyscrapers downtown?) Washington does have some larger chunks of land... but those are leading to a more suburban type of development (i.e. Target, Pet's Mart, Chili's, etc.) and this thread is about which is more urban. As for Metro Rail and the businesses failing along it... the problem right now is that Midtown has not yet filled in (Midtown is still fairly young). However, the infrastructure is now in place, but it will just take some time. For example, Camden Travis is being built close to the McGowen station. More and more clubs are starting to occupy the middle part of Midtown too. Slowly, but surely, Midtown will fill in. Also, we have the superblock at the McGowen stop (next to Camden Travis) that Camden and the city are supposedly planning something big for.

I'm not saying it will be like 1960 exactly in terms of retail centers, etc. However, as more development occurs, the more crowded Washington Avenue will become. There is no other major way to really get around the area. To the north, you have I-10 and an incomplete feeder road because of the bayou. To the south, you have Memorial Drive and only certain roads that will let you get access to it for certain directions you wish to travel. Washington Avenue is setup so that everything pretty much gets dumped out onto it... just like 1960. When my wife and I lived there, we couldn't walk anywhere other than a couple blocks. Most of the time we were forced to drive out onto Washington to get where we needed to go...just like 1960. Also, Midtown's grid is tied into downtown's...allowing for the easy flow of traffic between areas. The layout in and of itself will allow for it to develop (over time) to be more than Washington Avenue can ever hope to be (where there are only TWO major ways to access downtown... Washington and Memorial). As for parcel sizes, I believe that's one of Midtown's strengths in terms of allowing for the eventual development of a truly urban center. The size of Midtown's blocks will allow for very dense residential and retail centers... all in close proximity.