Houston19514

Don't ya just hate those judgmental types? They're the WORST, aren't they? ;-)

According to the Google satellite image, the site is currently about 1/2 grass (and a few trees) and about 1/2 surface parking.

Breaking holy ground Incarnate Word Academy will celebrate the 133rd anniversary of the Academy's Foundation Day and break ground for the school's new $8.5 million Fine Arts Center at 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 5. The three-story center for the school, which has been in downtown for more than a century, will be built at the corner of Crawford and Capitol streets.

LOL Good one.

Nice try. It nevertheless remains primarily the role of the private sector to fulfill the country's housing needs. The government has assumed the role of making that easier and in some cases assumes the role of filling in the gaps when the private sector fails to meet a need... NOT the other way around.

Pardon me, but this was a story on the D-FW CBS affiliate. At least in this case it seems to be Dallas that is demonstrating the need for a stronger identity. Here Here!! I totally agree!

When did it become primarily the government's role to meet the need for housing?

According to the Downtown Park website, the "official" (which I presume means final) design is to be released May 9.

That is hands down the best marketing piece I've ever seen for Houston. It's about time! Sunstar, I don't understand your attitude. Why in the world do hot summers make it hard to tout comfortable winters???? That makes no sense at all. (And you'd have more credibility if you tried to be a little more accurate about the summer climate.)

May I suggest also letters to the Chronicle? Both standard letters to the editor supporting rail on Richmond and, perhaps more importantly, letters criticizing their lazy, incompetent and biased coverage of this issue. They are CONSTANTLY repeating the Big Lie about the ballot language without ANY context or balance.

So, by the logic of the Richmond opponents, is route number 1 (the "North Hardy") required to run only on Hardy Street or the Hardy Toll Road Right-of-way? Is route number 3 (the "Harrisburg") required to run only on Harrisburg? Is route number 5 (the "Uptown/West Loop") required to run in the West Loop Right-of-Way? Is route number 6 (the "Inner Katy") required to run on Katy Road or on the Katy Freeway Right-of-Way?

January 2006 passenger volume at Bush IAH: Total: 3,295,043 Domestic: 2,685,638 International: 609,405 If they continue this rate of growth, Bush IAH will serve more than 43 million passengers in 2006, including more than 7 million international passengers.

What map and mode of transportation are you using, man? ;-) Willowbrook is 9.4 miles from Greenspoint (not 20) and it would be crazy out of the way to go from one to the other by way of FM1960. Deerbrook is 15 miles from Greenspoint (not 22). The Woodlands Mall is 16.7 miles, not a 25 minute drive at most times of the day.

Does anyone know what ever became of the old Foley's (previously Sanger-Harris) store in downtown Dallas?

Why don't you just enlighten us? (And by the way, I never said the building was a bad thing or that "they" shold not build it; but it does seem like all this new office construction in Victory and Uptown serves to continue the hollowing out of the downtown core as an office market.) FWIW, I'm a little skeptical that this 45 story building is actually "under construction." Sounds to me like they are just doing a little "site work" to get rid of the standing water and as a PR move to help their leasing efforts. I would be very surprised if they actually start construction before announcing a hotel operator, any office leases, or anything about residential component. Perhaps, as they said in the article, something will be announced soon and construction will truly start... Does anyone know (I mean actually know, not just hope or dream) what the sales figures are for the W, the Starck House and the other residential buildings? Just curious how the market is holding up there.

Now I'm confused. You said I was right about the block but then say that "that block will become the future park" What block are you talking about? Again, the block adjacent to the Shops at Houston Center will NOT be part of the future park.

Year-end 2005 Class A Direct Vacancy Rate for the Dallas CBD: 19.1 % (Direct Vacancy Rate does not include phantom space that is currently available for sublease) Seems like a problem to me...

Oh yes, I remember the Rice-Rittenhouse now. I guess they cleared the block for the cathedral so long ago, it's hard to remember there was anything there ;-)

What did Calpine replace? I thought it was mostly surface lots. The Christ Church expansion on to the adjacent block is indeed replacing mostly surface lots. You can see them in the Google pic. What was on the site of the new Catholic cathedral? I thought that was formerly surface lots as well.

I don't know which building is in that rendering, but, Montrose, you are incorrect as to the block adjacent to the Park Shops. The block adjacent to the Park Shops (which, incidentally changed its name a couple years ago to, I believe, The Shops at Houston Center), is NOT part of the park in front of the GRB. At the time of the construction of 5 Houston Center, and I imagine when 6 Houston Center was being discussed, Crescent Real Estate owned that block adjacent to the Park Shops. I remember that during the construction of 5 Houston Center, Crescent was talking about going ahead with 6 Houston Center; I do not recall exactly what location they were thinking of. If that rendering is of 5 Houston Center, they did a really bad job of placing the building in its actual location.

Nice looking building. Is that already under construction? I cannot find anything online about a ground breaking or construction announcement. The only recent announcements I can find are last year's announcement of a partnership between Hillwood and Hines to construct an 18 story Victory Plaza office building.

Houston will grow and prosper quite nicely with or without a bowl game. But it is another one of those many little things that are nice to have. A bowl game brings thousands of people into town who may otherwise have never thought of visiting Houston. It makes Houston a focal point of interest for many thousands more fans of each team who do not make the trip. The thousands who do make the visit will go back home and tell their friends about their experience in Houston. It seems to me that Houston is perhaps the least well known major city in America (I often called it America's best-kept secret). And more importantly (and sadly) a lot of what people think they know about Houston just isn't true. Houston should jump at a chance to show tens of thousands of out-of-towners (and indirectly, hundreds of thousands) what a great city it is.

What 45 story building is going up?

Yes, because we all know that flying airplanes into buildings is the only tactic that terrorists have ever used or will ever use, so that's the only thing we should defend against...

The numbers posted on Emporis are US Census Bureau numbers. The dates Dominax posted for the various numbers are incorrect. The numbers posted as "July 2004" numbers are actually July 1, 2003 US Census estimates. The numbers posted as "July 2005" are actually the July 1, 2004 Census estimates. And the numbers posted as "April 2006" are the July 1, 2005 estimates. As such, the latest estimates do not include any additions due to Katrina/Rita. Those will not be reflected until the July 1, 2006 estimates, the numbers for which will probably be released in March 2007 or so.