Tag Archives: demolition

Astrodome referendum officially on the ballot

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been a long, strange trip, but at last you will get to vote on the fate of the Astrodome. The Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously voted to place a bond election for up to $217 million to convert the … Continue reading →

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Astrodome referendum headed for the ballot

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve been waiting for the chance to vote on the fate of the Astrodome, your wait will soon be over. Commissioners Court next Tuesday is expected to approve a measure asking voters to authorize the county to spend as … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves HCSCC Astrodome plan for further review

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I noted this briefly in an update to my interview with Willie Loston, but on Tuesday Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the proposal by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation to redevelop the Astrodome for further study. Commissioners … Continue reading →

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Astrodome-palooza

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In case you aren’t completely full of my opining on the Astrodome and its possible fate, I was the author of a op-ed in the Sunday Chron on the subject. It’s kind of the Reader’s Digest version of the things … Continue reading →

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Big week for the Dome

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This week things start to get real for the Astrodome. Monday is an important deadline for those who are determined to save the historic Astrodome, as private firms turn in renovation proposals to the Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. … Continue reading →

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The fault lies not with Commissioners Court

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Chron columnist Ken Hoffman fired a shot in his Sunday column. What to do with the Astrodome? It’s had its day. Let it go before it becomes even more of an embarrassing money pit. Dump the Dome! M. Meagher, Houston … Continue reading →

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It’s about use, not just sentiment

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

NYT reporter Jere Longman, who hails from Houston, penned a love letter to the Astrodome after hearing about its possible impending demise. So it was despairing to hear that the vacant Astrodome might be torn down and its site paved … Continue reading →

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Does the Super Bowl doom the Dome?

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texican ponders what the announcement about Houston landing Super Bowl LI means for everyone’s favorite unused arena. So what does this mean for our Dome? A parking garage would be an ignoble end for the Dome, though I am … Continue reading →

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So long, Skylane Apartments

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is happening in my neighborhood, and it’s already generated a lot of interest from the locals. The aging Skylane Central apartments, perched near the entrance of the Woodland Heights neighborhood, are headed for demolition as a developer makes plans … Continue reading →

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The emotional Dome decision

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody really wants to tear the Astrodome down. That in a nutshell is why the process to determine what to do with it has taken so long even though there aren’t any viable alternatives to demolition at this time. A … Continue reading →

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Astrodome anti-climax

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That’s it?!?!?!? The Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. board of directors approved a resolution Wednesday calling for staff to collect ideas for what to do with the vacant Reliant Astrodome between now and June 10. The Sports Corp., the … Continue reading →

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A STEM vision for the Astrodome

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Tory Gattis has an idea for what to do with the Astrodome. Where can America’s kids go to be inspired toward careers in our country’s most crucial need: science, technology, engineering and math (aka STEM)? Something far beyond their little … Continue reading →

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Someone will do something sort of soon about the Dome

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t be more specific than that. While Houston’s Super Bowl Host Committee continues its bid to win the vote for Super Bowl LI, the next step in the possible demolition of the Astrodome could be taken next week by … Continue reading →

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The Chron would like someone to do something about the Dome

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Something other than turning it into a parking lot, please. Whatever we do with the former Astrodome location should bolster Reliant Stadium’s capability to host events and make the overall complex a more attractive location during bidding processes. For inspiration, … Continue reading →

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Are we getting close to a Dome decision?

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe by the end of the year. But don’t rush County Judge Ed Emmett, who has a few things to say about that study that claimed it would be cheaper than originally reported to demolish the Astrodome. Harris County Judge … Continue reading →

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County disputes cheaper Dome demolition price tag

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. Harris County officials on Thursday disputed an estimate released this week showing it would cost $29 million to implode the vacant Reliant Astrodome and build a 1,600-space parking lot in two and a half years. The figure, calculated … Continue reading →

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Maybe it wouldn’t be so expensive to demolish the Dome after all

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, look! It’s another What To Do With The Astrodome study! Woo hoo! The Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have commissioned a study showing it would cost $29 million to demolish the 48-year-old stadium and build … Continue reading →

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No Dome referendum yet

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve been waiting for a chance to vote on the fate of the Astrodome, you’ll just have to keep waiting. Harris County officials unveiled options for the future of the long-vacant Astrodome last summer, with some members of Commissioners … Continue reading →

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On the city bonds

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an overview of the city bond issues. The city of Houston is asking voters on Nov. 6 for permission to borrow $410 million to shore up its parks, police stations, libraries, other government buildings and substandard housing. Propositions A, … Continue reading →

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More reactions to the new Astrodome report

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Texans owner Bob McNair says “Sure, that’s nice and all, but don’t you forget about me.” “Our first concern is Reliant Stadium,” McNair said Thursday. “We want to make sure we’ve got adequate funds there for repairs, replacement and improvements, … Continue reading →

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Meet the new “What To Do With The Astrodome” report

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Not that much different than the old “What To Do With The Astrodome” report. The Astrodome, a now-empty showplace that has hosted everyone from Elvis Presley to Hurricane Katrina evacuees, should be turned into a multipurpose facility that could spark … Continue reading →

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Salvaging the Dome

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s one way to keep demolition costs down. Picture a urinal in the basement of the Reliant Astrodome — a block of dusty porcelain, used by Earl Campbell or Nolan Ryan, or any other Oilers or Astros great. How much … Continue reading →

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How much would it really cost to tear down the Astrodome?

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Perhaps not as much as Harris Country officials have been saying. The expected price tag to demolish the Reliant Astrodome that Harris County officials have cited in recent years far exceeds the cost of razing other stadiums across the country, … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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Why demolishing the Dome would be so expensive

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story is primarily about what a bunch of notable people would like to see happen to the Astrodome. That isn’t terribly interesting to me, but it did contain this tidbit, which answers a question I’ve wondered about and … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Do we really want to save the Dome?

Posted on June 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

According to the Department of Anecdotal Evidence, we do. Respondents to an online survey run by Reliant Park’s landlord “overwhelmingly” support saving the Astrodome, according to the official in charge of the survey. Willie Loston, executive director of the Harris … Continue reading →

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More on the three options for the Dome

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As promised last week, we now have more information on the three options for the Dome. The Sports & Convention Corporation hosted a news conference Monday to present the broad outlines of three possible plans for the 45-year-old Astrodome and … Continue reading →

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Three options for the Dome

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve been talking for a long time now about what is to become of the Astrodome. Harris County officials have some possible scenarios to discuss next week as part of a master plan for Reliant Park. Like it or not, … Continue reading →

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Astroworld empty lot update

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we got word that the old Astroworld site, which has been empty since the last of the old rides were auctioned off in January of 2006, has a new owner – it had previously changed hands back in … Continue reading →

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Council may vote today to strengthen preservation ordinance

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we heard that Houston City Council was considering a change to the historic preservation ordinance that would actually prevent structures from being torn down or moved if the Houston Archeological and Historic Commission denied the request to do … Continue reading →

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Demolition Day

Posted on May 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready to say goodbye to a bunch of abandoned buildings. “Demolition Day,” which Mayor Annise Parker announced in her state of the city speech last month, is the culmination of months of effort by the Houston Police Department’s Neighborhood … Continue reading →

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Still trying to save the Dome

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff reports. A new page has sprung up on Facebook called Save the Astrodome. It was created by the Houstonian behind www.AmnesiaHouston.org, a Web site aimed at bringing attention to the city’s disappearing landmarks. The creator compares the Astrodome … Continue reading →

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