Category Archives: Elsewhere in Houston

Ismaili Center construction milestone

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Houston’s new Ismaili Center is set to reach its tallest point in construction in the coming days, marking a milestone celebrated by dignitaries and local officials during a topping-off ceremony Monday at the cultural landmark’s site in the Montrose … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: CityNerd visits Houston

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

An urban planner who has mostly heard negative things about Houston visits our city for a couple of days, and finds quite a bit about it that he likes: Found via Evan Mintz. It’s about 20 minutes (there’s about two … Continue reading →

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Here’s the latest new area code

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hello, 621. Houston, you’re getting a new area code. On Wednesday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas announced they’ve approved the addition of 621 for the Houston area to keep up with the population growth we are seeing here in … Continue reading →

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Confederate statues finally removed from city’s art collection

Posted on October 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. Statues of Christopher Columbus, Confederate officer Dick Dowling and an angel representing the “Spirit of the Confederacy” were officially removed from the city of Houston’s art collection Wednesday. The statues were taken down from public display two to … Continue reading →

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The IAH renewable project

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I like this. Fresh off inking a new lease with the developers of a planned solar farm in Sunnyside, Houston officials hope to produce clean, reliable power on the grounds of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Airport officials are asking … Continue reading →

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Yes, let’s plant more trees

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Some of Houston’s most vulnerable neighborhoods could soon see new shade trees and better parks. Driving the news: The Houston Endowment granted $8 million to Trees for Houston and the Houston Parks Board to help increase access to … Continue reading →

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Connecting Buffalo Bayou Park and Memorial Park

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. Two popular Houston parks may finally be bridged together after Harris County Precinct 4 unveiled a $13.5 million Buffalo Bayou Greenway Connector project to join the recreation areas. Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones announced $170 million … Continue reading →

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Houston “wins” 2028 RNC

Posted on August 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Yippie. Houston will host the 2028 Republican National Convention, landing the high-profile event for the first time in more than 30 years. GOP officials announced the selection Friday during their summer meeting, giving Houston the nod over finalists Nashville and … Continue reading →

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Drought Contingency Plan Stage Two

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The City of Houston will enter Stage Two of the City’s Drought Contingency Plan, effective August 27, 2023. The Drought Contingency Plan calls for Stage Two mandatory water conservation measures when the significant drop in annual rainfall … Continue reading →

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What if Houston gets too hot?

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some cheery thoughts from the Wall Street Journal. Houstonians pride themselves on how they tolerate heat. This summer, the heat has become intolerable. Businesses and residents in America’s fourth-largest city have moved much of life indoors, changing work and spending … Continue reading →

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Yeah, COVID’s on the rise again

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’re in a much better place overall now, but do exercise caution and get your damn shots if you haven’t already. COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere. Infections are rising in Texas and Houston for the fourth summer in a row, with many … Continue reading →

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Houston is a finalist for the 2028 RNC

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Whoopie. Houston is a finalist to host the 2028 Republican National Convention and a decision is expected to be made later this month, officials with Houston First Corp. said Thursday. The local government corporation, which markets and operates the city’s … Continue reading →

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The traffic signal control cabinet mural program is back

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of cool news from the inbox: The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) is proud to announce that its signature Traffic Signal Control Cabinet Mural Program is back in operation after a one-year hiatus. The program, also known … Continue reading →

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HCA Healthcare hacked

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A national breach with Houston connections. HCA Healthcare, which operates more than a dozen hospitals in the Houston area, announced that personal information from as many as 11 million patients nationwide has been stolen in a data breach and could be sold … Continue reading →

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Climate change is bad for mosquitoes

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I think we all can have mixed feelings about this. Houston may be getting too hot even for mosquitoes, whose bites can be both annoying and dangerous, according to a new analysis of daily temperature and humidity in 242 locations … Continue reading →

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The sidewalk situation

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We have a lot of work to do. Growing up in Gulfton, Sandra Rodriguez walked just about everywhere. Her father took the family’s only vehicle to work, so Rodriguez and her four siblings got used to the southwest neighborhood’s patchy … Continue reading →

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Time for another area code

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t know what it will be yet, but it’s coming. The last area code was added for Houston residents just nine years ago, but a new one is already calling in. What does this mean for Houston residents who … Continue reading →

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Watson Grinding explosion “could have been prevented”

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I favor there being fewer unplanned massive explosions. A deadly explosion that rocked northwest Houston in January 2020 could have been prevented with better planning and safety training, the federal agency responsible for investigating chemical … Continue reading →

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The goats are working hard for you

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I love this story. Soon Houston residents may actually celebrate a group of city workers standing around eating lunch or lying down on the job. Houston Public Works is poised to expand its use of goat herds to clear detention … Continue reading →

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Coliving

Posted on June 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m fascinated by this. In one of Montrose’s newest residential projects opening next year, renters will be able to walk into fully furnished spaces stocked with basic supplies, paying rents below market rate in one of Houston’s trendiest neighborhoods. Rent … Continue reading →

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City settles dumping complaint with Justice Department

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston will not face punishment after settling a Justice Department probe into whether the city’s system of responding to illegal dumping calls violated the Civil Rights Act by disregarding Black and Latino neighborhoods. Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration reached a three-year voluntary resolution with … Continue reading →

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Converting empty downtown office space into residences

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Something to think about. Across the country, office-to-housing conversions are being pursued as a potential lifeline for struggling downtown business districts that emptied out during the coronavirus pandemic and may never fully recover. The conversion push is marked by an emphasis on affordability. Multiple … Continue reading →

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River Oaks Theater renovations set to begin

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of good news. The next step in River Oaks Theatre’s comeback starts this week. Construction on renovations to the historic movie theater will begin soon with an eye towards reopening by the end of the year. Movie-loving Houstonians … Continue reading →

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The 2023 Kinder Houston Area Survey

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

One of the great things about Houston. Housing costs and the economy topped Houstonians’ concerns this year in the 42nd annual Kinder Houston Area Survey, which also showed a coalescing desire to close the income gap as residents reported widening … Continue reading →

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Houston still doing well sheltering the homeless

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. As she waited for the results of a yearly census of the Houston area’s homeless population, Ana Rausch clicked open an email detailing the soaring number of eviction filings in Harris County. This March, 6,600 households had evictions filed against … Continue reading →

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How much downtown parking do we need?

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know the answer to that, but this is how much we have. Downtown Houston dedicates more than a quarter of its land to parking spaces, surpassing the percentages in most major U.S. cities, a new report shows. A photo from … Continue reading →

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So yeah, climate change is bad for Houston

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some science for you. As Houston continues to grapple with extreme weather conditions, scientists find record-breaking sea level rises in the U.S. Gulf Coast, which could leave cities such as Houston more vulnerable to severe storms and flooding in the coming decades than previously … Continue reading →

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Ashby 2.0 cleared for groundbreaking

Posted on April 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s actually happening. Along-embattled residential high-rise project in Boulevard Oaks is set to move forward, with one Houston City Council member calling the news “terrible.” The Langley , a new luxury rental community jointly developed by El Paso-based Hunt Companies, … Continue reading →

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On vying for the 2028 RNC

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I get competing for this, but that doesn’t make me enthusiastic about it. As part of Houston’s push to win the Republican National Convention in 2028, the George R. Brown Convention Center could be expanding. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, … Continue reading →

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The benefits of going fine-free

Posted on April 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I love this story. Two months ago, a Houston resident walked into the city’s public library and returned three long-overdue books from the 1990s. The trio of the returned books included “Tenth Dimension” by Jeremy Bernstein on elementary particle physics, … Continue reading →

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“One Clean Houston”

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hope this works. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday unveiled a $17.8 million illegal dumping initiative aimed at expediting cleanups, increasing surveillance and enforcement, and prioritizing areas hardest hit by Houston’s roadside trash problem. Standing beside an illegal dumpsite strewn with … Continue reading →

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Checking in on the Astrodome

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

With the Final Four in town, we have visitors at Reliant Stadium looking over at its unused predecessor and wondering what’s going on with it. The short answer is, not much. The state of the dome and prospects for its … Continue reading →

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A more nuanced look at the finances of hosting the Final Four

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve made fun of articles in the past that breathlessly and credulously repeated claims that various big sporting events like a Super Bowl or a Final Four would yield untold millions in sales and hotel tax revenue for the state … Continue reading →

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“More Space: Main Street” permanently extended

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A good outcome for a good idea. Houston will close down traffic on seven blocks of Main Street permanently to allow businesses to maintain outdoor seating spaces initially established during the COVID-19 pandemic, with plans to expand the concept to other commercial strips in … Continue reading →

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