The developers of the Ashby high-rise announced today they will appear before Houston’s General Appeals Board at 5 p.m. Thursday to ask that the original uses designed into 23-story high-rise be allowed.
“Removing these amenities completely contradicts city officials’ statements that they want new development inside the loop to create a ‘walkable Houston,’” said Matthew Morgan, president of Buckhead Investment Partners.
Gotta say, they’ve got a good point. Once you concede that you can’t prevent this thing from being built – and make no mistake, it’s still being built in the wrong location – you may as well allow the mixed-use development, which likely won’t have that big an effect on traffic, and as the developers note is in harmony with the philosophy behind the recent Chapter 42 revisions. Too bad this development isn’t near a rail corridor, or other retail, but these are the ordinances we have.
And as the Chron notes, this is just the beginning.
Morgan said the administrative appeal was necessary before the developers could take any further action, such as a lawsuit.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,” he said.
That’ll be a nice thing for the next Mayor to inherit. Game on, y’all. Prime Property has more.
There’s a slight error in this story: The Ashby High Rise will be near a light rail station, easily within walking distance. I’m sure that was part of the firm’s calculations.
Here’s a map:
http://tinyurl.com/yhsfz36
I guess its a little further than what would be considered prime transit-oriented development, either a quarter mile or half mile from a station, but still its .9 miles which is really close, an 18 minute walk according to google. Also, to note, it looks like there is a pretty frequent bus that will take people right to the rail system.
I doubt anyone that lives in Ashby high-rise is going to walk 18 minutes to get to a light-rail stop, or take a bus to transfer. It needs to be much closer than that.
IMHO some of the light-rail stations around Houston that are being planned now should have nearby public parking, or parking garages, so that you can drive 1 mile and take the train downtown instead of driving 10 miles or so… that will still reduce a lot of traffic.
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