Tag Archives: density

Heights-Northside mobility study

Mostly of interest for folks in my area, here’s the city’s report on mobility for neighborhoods in the upper left quadrant of the Inner Loop. Final Report: Heights-Northside Sub-regional Mobility Study The Planning and Development Department, in partnership with the … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Heights-Northside mobility study

Is this the end of the two-car household?

From Streetsblog: While predicting continued global growth in car sales as countries like India and China become more affluent, KPMG’s recent white paper about trends affecting the car industry [PDF] sees different forces at work in the United States. In … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is this the end of the two-car household?

The rent is too damn high

The Houston area isn’t such a cheap place to live any more. A job boom bringing highly paid energy workers to Houston and a pronounced decline in the percentage of people buying houses have combined to drive up the cost … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

More lot protections

Good luck. A stretch of Riverside Terrace, a rebound neighborhood known for its “large lots, mature trees and a view of the downtown skyline,” will be the first residential pocket in Houston where homeowners can use a new city code … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More lot protections

An outsider’s view of the Ashby Highrise

From Governing.com. It contains the Z word, so you might want to shield the eyes of innocent children and Joel Kotkin. Whatever views one may hold about a city without zoning, it’s hard to deny that Houston has done pretty … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An outsider’s view of the Ashby Highrise

More on San Felipe Highrise Lawsuit II

Here’s the Chron story on the latest adventure in urban planning via the courtroom. The basics are covered here so I’m going to cut to the speculation about effect. Observers have said the Ashby case could have an effect on … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on San Felipe Highrise Lawsuit II

How are those new Chapter 42 regs working?

A little too soon to tell. Planning and Development Director Patrick Walsh said the changes were designed to make the city competitive with its suburbs by creating more housing options, holding down prices and spurring redevelopment outside the Loop. “It’s … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on How are those new Chapter 42 regs working?

Astrodome Park: The population isn’t the problem

Greg Wythe addresses one of the central questions about the proposed Astrodome Park in this comment that I thought was worth highlighting on the front page. As it turns out, there are a number of apartments situated to the east … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

White return flight

Some interesting demographic trends going on. Between 2000 and 2010, [Harris] county, like much of the U.S., saw a sharp decline of its white population, losing about 12 percent of Anglos or about 83,000 people. The drop mirrors demographic shifts … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s not so cheap to live in Houston any more

It’s the downside of a hot job market and an improving national reputation for being a cool place to live. Business and city leaders often tout the Houston region as one of the most affordable markets in the country. But … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s not so cheap to live in Houston any more

Medical Center mobility

The problems they face today pale in comparison to the problems they will face in the future. Already the world’s largest medical complex, the Texas Medical Center is poised to get much bigger, prompting a raft of ideas ranging from … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Everybody wants to help the judge rule on the Ashby lawsuit

I really don’t envy Judge Randy Wilson the task he has. Lawyers aren’t the only ones peppering the judge in the Ashby high-rise case with last-minute paperwork. A former city councilman, a pro-developer interest group and residents who live near … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Everybody wants to help the judge rule on the Ashby lawsuit

The downtown lifestyle

Demand for residences in downtown Houston is up. For Krishnan Iyer, moving downtown meant a lot of things: Not having to use his car in auto-dependent Houston, being able to walk to work, to restaurants, to the movies. The 34-year-old … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No stopping the San Felipe Skyscraper

Not at this time, anyway. A Harris County district court judge has denied an opposition group’s request to immediately halt construction on a 17-story office tower in a River Oaks area neighborhood. The group, which filed suit in February against … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on No stopping the San Felipe Skyscraper

Ashby II: Highrise Boogaloo

The Ashby Highrise lawsuit may be over, but its legacy lives on. A lawsuit seeking to stop a 17-story office tower under development in a River Oaks-area neighborhood blasts the project as “abnormal and out of place” in a grass-roots … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lyft gets set to lift off in Houston

Another option for getting a ride. Prepare to see see pink-mustachioed cars roaming around the city as San Francisco-based car sharing company Lyft launches in Houston on Friday. Lyft is an app-based service that allows anyone to register as a … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lyft gets set to lift off in Houston

How to make the warehouse transition something to look forward to

I have four things to say about this. Houston developers plan to build a mixed-use project, including upscale apartments and retail, on a 15-acre tract close to downtown, replacing a large produce warehouse that’s occupied the space for decades. Capcor … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

North Line opening today

From the inbox: ALL ABOARD FOR SATURDAY RAIL ROLL-OUT METRO is inviting the public to get on board for the Saturday, Dec. 21 grand opening of the new 5.3-mile North/Red Line! Riding the train will be free all day as part of the grand opening celebration taking … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ashby trial update

We’re more than two weeks into the Ashby highrise lawsuit trial, and the defense is now presenting its case. Let’s check in on them, shall we? One of the developers hoping to build a high-rise near Rice University made a … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Ashby Highrise lawsuit gets underway

Better settle in and get comfy, we’re going to be here awhile. The trial that began Tuesday over the Ashby high-rise planned for a neighborhood near Rice University is poised to be a battle of experts. A Harris County jury … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Ashby Highrise lawsuit gets underway

Ashby Highrise trial begins today

This has been a long time coming. The case in state District Judge Randy Wilson’s court will begin Tuesday and is expected to last four weeks. A jury will hear from the parties involved and experts on both sides to … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Ashby Highrise trial begins today

Not pissing off your neighbors is generally a good thing

That’s the message I get from this story about one developer who is trying to not piss off the people who live near his proposed development. Oak trees along the sidewalks? Check. A push to build a dog park? Check. … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Texas cities embracing bicycles

It’s a good thing. In Fort Worth, the mayor hosts occasional bicycle rides called “Rolling Town Halls.” The Dallas City Council could may soon require new businesses to set aside space for bicycle parking. Over in El Paso, officials are … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texas cities embracing bicycles

Ashby everywhere: The San Felipe highrise

Hard to keep track of them all. THESE UNDERSTATED “Stop the San Felipe Skyscraper” signs started going up about knee-high this weekend in River Oaks and Vermont Commons to protest that shiny 17-story office tower that Hines is proposing to build nearby. Though these … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Ashby everywhere: The San Felipe highrise

Parking Panda

Interesting Parking Panda, an online parking reservation system, launches Tuesday in Houston and Dallas. The site’s already up and running, taking reservations for lots around many area venues, including Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and the Toyota Center. The concept … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Parking Panda

Ashbys all over

Here’s that Chron story that I mentioned yesterday, which talks about increasing neighborhood resistance to multi-story residential projects in areas that mostly have single-family houses. Tension mounted as 20 or so Morrison Street residents, armed with city documents and Internet … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

More construction on Yale

It’s Alexan Heights II: Midrise Boogaloo. For residents near Yale and 6th street, Independence Day fireworks were nothing compared to the sparks flying when news of another proposed apartment complex came to light July 5. A heads-up notification from District … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Chron wonders where B-Cycle is going

Last week in an unsigned editorial, the Chron asked a provocative question about B-Cycle. Are bicycle rental programs supposed to be legitimate transportation or merely toys for urban bohemians? New York Times writer Ginia Bellafante revealed Friday that her city’s … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The townhomes are indeed coming

I have three things to say about this Lisa Gray column. “So the bad stuff we’re going to see today,” I asked, “it’ll be a cautionary tale for the suburbs?” I was driving west from downtown on what I thought … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Washington Avenue parking benefit district is now operational

From CultureMap: It took a while, but nearly five months after Houston City Council approved the first citywide Parking Benefit District for the Washington Avenue corridor, the meters started charging at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. The City of Houston’s Administration and Regulatory … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Washington Avenue parking benefit district is now operational

Revamped Chapter 42 ordinance finally passes

Strangely enough, in the end it was not very contentious. Houston City Council on Wednesday voted 14-3 to allow greater single-family home density outside Loop 610, while also strengthening the proposal’s already robust protections for neighborhoods concerned about unwelcome development. … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today is Chapter 42 day

Actually, today is almost certainly the day that the Chapter 42 revisions get tagged by multiple members of Council, thus pushing it back for a week. Nonetheless, this is the beginning of the end of a long, long journey. Here’s … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today is Chapter 42 day

It’s Chapter 42 week

We won’t know for years what the upcoming revisions to Chapter 42, the development and density codes in Houston, will mean to the city and its development and population patterns. There’s certainly a lot of hope that the changes will … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s Chapter 42 week

How will Chapter 42 affect housing in Houston?

Yes, we’re still talking about Chapter 42, the local development and density code. One of the goals of revamping Chapter 42 is to make it easier and more attractive to build mid-range housing in the city limits. How do we … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments