Tag Archives: construction

RIP, Arabia Shrine Center

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot noted that a demolition permit had been pulled for the Arabia Shrine Center on Braeswood near Kirby. Nancy Sarnoff tells us what is to come once the buildings have been razed. Three years after an apartment developer bought the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on RIP, Arabia Shrine Center

Yet another new microbrewery to open

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Not far from my house, as it happens. Startup Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. will be located much closer to I-10 than to its namesake waterway, but founder Rassul Zarinfar says that’s by design. […] The company has leased a 7,800 … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Midtown arts deal

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A nonprofit group plans to build a community arts complex in Midtown with the help of up to $6 million in reimbursements from the city. The Houston City Council this week approved … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Midtown arts deal

Studewood highrise update

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot and Prime Property give us a look at what is to come for that six-story mixed-use building that’s currently under construction on Studewood just north of 11th. Well, what may come, as Swamplot’s choose-your-own-adventure photo spread indicates. I figured … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Studewood highrise update

The abandoned buildings of downtown

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I thought this Chron story about the vacant buildings downtown and the nuisances they cause was useful, but it left me with one question: What, if anything, can the city do to force the issue? The city has the occasional … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The abandoned buildings of downtown

New development planned for West Gray

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Prime Property: West Gray may soon get a lot busier. Developers are proposing multi-story apartment complexes on two sites just a short distance apart along the largely retail roadway, which runs from River Oaks to downtown. Both developers are … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on New development planned for West Gray

Hanover at Rice Village

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot: In 2007, Houston’s city council sold a block of Bolsover St. in the Rice Village to the developers of Randall Davis’s Sonomaproject so that it could be used as a private drive and restaurant plaza linking two phases of the development. Davis and … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hanover at Rice Village

I-10 service road update

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Ultimate Heights: Two of six planned detention ponds are under construction near Interstate 10 east of Patterson Street, along with new feeder roads between Shepherd and Taylor. Work on the project began in October, with the first two detention … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on I-10 service road update

Does this make an inner Loop location more likely?

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One of the two Alamo Drafthouse theaters way out west will be closing down soon. The arrival of an Edwards multiplex at West Oaks Mall will mean the closure of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at the regional shopping center, leaving … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Does this make an inner Loop location more likely?

Sugar Land seeks someone to develop prison land

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I hope they get their wish. Sugar Land city officials hope to convert a 330-acre state prison property into a light industrial business park and are looking for private partners for the development. The tract, which sits adjacent to the … Continue reading →

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

You should now be avoiding Buffalo Speedway

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. Road work designed to solve traffic jams at Buffalo Speedway and U.S. 59 is scheduled to get under way Tuesday, Feb. 15. Work will begin on the east side of Buffalo Speedway between Bissonnet Drive and U.S. 59, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on You should now be avoiding Buffalo Speedway

The Studemont Kroger

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot: Kroger has bought 8.5 acres of former industrial land on Studemont, just south of I-10, the Chronicle‘s Purva Patel reports. The land, which was once part of Houston’s Sixth Ward, sits just north of Arne’s Warehouse and Party Store … Continue reading →

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

The Wayside Wal-Mart

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For what it’s worth, I don’t have an opinion about the new Wal-Mart at I-45 and Wayside, whether it’s a Super Center or not. Other than a few comments at Swamplot and on the Stop Heights Wal-Mart Facebook page, I … Continue reading →

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

TxDOT to take on primacy for Grand Parkway

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: “There are potential opportunities to help advance [the Grand Parkway] in its entirety over the short term,” according to John Barton, assistant executive director for the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) engineering operations, told the Transportation Policy … Continue reading →

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

Dynamo Stadium groundbreaking today

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I presume things will be sufficiently de-iced for the ceremony today at 2 PM at the stadium site in the East End. The stadium will have 22,000 seats, and the expansion capacity will be 30,000 over 340,000 square feet. Populous, … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council gives final approval to Dynamo Stadium deal

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The last hurdle has officially been cleared. With two unanimous votes at City Council on Wednesday, the Dynamo cleared the last public hurdles they need to build their new stadium on the East End. “I think it’s a very important … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Council gives final approval to Dynamo Stadium deal

The Dynamo Stadium rebate plan

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. The city is poised to strike a 30-year deal giving back $3 million in projected sales tax to the Houston Dynamo as they prepare to construct their $60 million stadium. City officials say the tax rebate … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coming soon to an empty lot near me

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Some neighborhood news from Swamplot. Details on the 6-story mixed-use building being planned for the corner of Studewood and 11th 1/2 St. in the Heights will be announced “very soon,” a representative of the new property owner promises Swamplot. […] … Continue reading →

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

Dynamo Stadium groundbreaking delayed

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Groundbreaking for Dynamo Stadium was originally scheduled for this Saturday the 29th, but due to a delay with City Council it has been put off till next week. Because the city council has not yet voted on the Tax Increment … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dynamo Stadium groundbreaking delayed

The pothole patrol

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Haven’t seen this yet, but I’m sure I will sooner or later. As the operators of the city’s Street Surface Assessment Vehicle — a van equipped with lasers that scan streets for rough patches, potholes and cracks — Bruno Rodriguez … Continue reading →

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

Metro restarts some light rail construction

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As if to punctuate Gilbert Garcia’s op-ed, the news for Metro at the start of 2011 is good. Last month, the Federal Transit Administration sent the first $50 million of the grant money for use on the North and Southeast … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro restarts some light rail construction

Where hippie bohemian attorney dreams go to die

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Via Swamplot, I see that the site of the never-was Sonoma development in the Rice Village has been sold to someone that plans to actually build something. Hanover’s project, called Plaza View, is scheduled to include 385 “high-end” apartments, 14,000 … Continue reading →

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

The Skeeters have a stadium name

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We now know the name of the stadium that will someday house the Sugar Land Skeeters. Fun at the ol’ ballpark will now officially take place at….StarTex Power Field. It’s named, as you already know if you work for this … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Will their first fan giveaway be flyswatters?

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Sugar Land Skeeters? For serious? Sugar Land’s minor league baseball team has yet to be formed, but planners have begun selling tickets for its 2012 inaugural season Wednesday after unveiling the team’s name, the Skeeters. Hair Balls has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Will their first fan giveaway be flyswatters?

Dynamo Stadium lease deal reached

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We didn’t get the World Cup, but soccer fans here had something to celebrate this week. The Dynamo have agreed to pay $76 million to build a professional soccer stadium in downtown Houston and then lease it from the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dynamo Stadium lease deal reached

An early peek at the Sugar Land baseball stadium

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the city’s web page: Sugar Land recently began the process to select a final design-build contractor for the construction of a minor league baseball stadium northeast of State Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 90A. A final decision is expected … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What if they built it someplace else?

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For better or worse, the argument against the Washington Heights Wal-Mart mostly boils down to the fact that it’s an inappropriate location for a suburban-style big-box store. There are also concerns about traffic, and about the nature of Wal-Mart, both … Continue reading →

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

Metro’s cash crunch

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From last week, a story about how times are tough at Metro. Facing a $49 million budget shortfall this fiscal year, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has begun to slow construction on two light rail lines and may embrace more drastic … Continue reading →

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

Public meeting regarding Koehler Street Development

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Public Meeting Regarding Koehler Street Development Mayor Annise Parker Cordially invites you to attend A public meeting regarding the Koehler Street Development Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. George R. Brown Convention Center 1001 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Public meeting regarding Koehler Street Development

CultureMap previews the Wal-Mart

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some interesting stuff here. Restaurants and stores on Heights Boulevard, along with new pathways and landscaping on the boulevard’s esplanade, will be part of Ainbinder Company’s Walmart-anchored retail development in the Inner Loop of Houston, the developer of the project … Continue reading →

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

Regent Square update

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I drive down Allen Parkway several times a week, and I’ve been wondering when the Regent Square site, which has been vacant since the old Allen House was demolished in October of 2007, will begin construction. Ralph Bivins provides an … Continue reading →

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

Market Square reopening next week

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Market Square Park downtown, which began a renovation in February, will reopen next weekend. The Market Square Park downtown will officially reopen on Aug. 28, with performances by the John Evans Band and singer-songwriter Andrew Karnavas. The renovated park — … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Market Square reopening next week

Dynamo Stadium coming along

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

A very brief update from the Chron: Tim Leiweke, the president of Dynamo co-owner AEG, told the Chronicle that the Dynamo’s negotiations for a new stadium are completed for the most part and that he expects to break ground at … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ready or not, here comes Wal-Mart

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a done deal. Wal-Mart has placed 16 acres of land in the Washington Avenue corridor under contract, company spokeswoman Kellie Duhr confirmed Thursday. The deal comes two days after concerned Heights-area residents voiced their opposition to the project to … Continue reading →

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