Category Archives: Elsewhere in Houston

Town hall meeting on climate change

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from the office of State Sen. Rodney Ellis: Houston Residents to Dialogue with National Experts on Climate Change Impacts Joint Center’s Climate Change Commission Hosts Town Hall Meeting WHO: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (Joint … Continue reading →

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The party corridor

Posted on June 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’d meant to get to this NYT article about the Washington Avenue corridor last week, but never quite got there. I suppose the main thing I’d add is that while the new stuff has replaced unmemorable things, a whole lot … Continue reading →

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More on the urban transit corridors ordinance

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned last week that the city was getting set to do an overhaul of its planning codes. In particular, there’s a proposed transit corridor ordinance that is up for public discussion on Thursday and a City Council vote in … Continue reading →

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Yet another Astrodome plan

Posted on June 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a convention center, it’s a movie studio, it’s a planetarium. Add a planetarium to the myriad ideas for what to do with the Reliant Astrodome, Houston’s iconic stadium whose future has hung in uncertainty as officials and entrepreneurs have … Continue reading →

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600 sq mi: Hidden

Posted on June 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Two years ago, Houstonist sponsored a photography show called 600 sq mi, which was about everything Houston. They’re doing it again this year, with a show called “600 sq mi: Hidden”. Houstonist is proud to announce 600 sq mi: Hidden, our … Continue reading →

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A new Presidential head comes to Pearland

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You all know I’m a big fan of David Adickes and his giant Presidential heads, which were moved to Pearland last year. Well, they are about to be joined by the latest model. A 20-foot-tall bust of Barack Obama made … Continue reading →

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Enabling pedestrians

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how big a deal this is likely to be, but it’s nice to be talking about it. More than five years after inaugurating its light rail system, Houston is taking its first, tentative steps to make it … Continue reading →

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Glass recycling

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting story about recycling glass bottles from restaurants. [Mark] Austin, 54, is the founder of We CAN Recycle, a Houston nonprofit that picks up empty bottles from local businesses and drops them at a glass recycling plant on the South … Continue reading →

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Gallery fire ruled arson

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The massive fire last week that destroyed the warehouse at Gallery Furniture’s main location on the North Freeway was intentionally set, an official said today. Rob Elder, assistant special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and … Continue reading →

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Terra Cotta Warriors

Posted on May 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I got a chance to get a sneak peek of the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit at HMNS last week, and it was awesome. I confess, I knew nothing about this beforehand; Tiffany, who has a vivid childhood memory of a … Continue reading →

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Gallery Furniture fire

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Like most people in Houston, I was shocked and saddened to hear about this. As flames ripped through one of Houston’s most notable retail icons Thursday night, Gallery Furniture founder Jim McIngvale vowed to rebuild. But McIngvale, who earned fame … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Travis Elementary closes for a week

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Travis Elementary is our neighborhood school, where Olivia will be in the fall for kindergarten. They’ve had a lot of kids absent this week, enough to close the school through Memorial Day. The number of Travis Elementary School students diagnosed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Post-mortem on UH-Downtown name change

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s safe to say that UH-Downtown will remain UH-Downtown for at least two more years, since there’s no time to get a name change bill through the Lege at this point. The Chron takes a look at how the attempt … Continue reading →

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“Houston Have Your Say” on the economy

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Tune in to KUHT (Houston PBS channel eight) tonight at 7 PM for another edition of Houston Have Your Say. Tonight’s topic is the economy, about which I think we can all agree there is much to be said. Ree-C … Continue reading →

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Build it here, flood it there

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We can argue and debate all we want about where development should occur, and what responsibilities developers and governments have to protect flood plains and abate flooding and whatnot, but at the end of the day there’s a simple truth … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Build it here, flood it there

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We can argue and debate all we want about where development should occur, and what responsibilities developers and governments have to protect flood plains and abate flooding and whatnot, but at the end of the day there’s a simple truth … Continue reading →

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The Freeland Historic District

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I drive down White Oak every day to take the girls to preschool, so I’ve been going past a bunch of houses that have signs with “save our bungalow” messages on them, but I wasn’t sure what all the fuss … Continue reading →

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The Freeland Historic district

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I drive down White Oak every day to take the girls to preschool, so I’ve been going past a bunch of houses that have signs with “save our bungalow” messages on them, but I wasn’t sure what all the fuss … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The new Hermann Park train

Posted on April 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

All aboard! Hermann Park Conservancy on Saturday will formally unveil $14 million in park improvements, including a new miniature train station, dramatically landscaped grounds and a lakeside plaza featuring a restaurant, gift shop and rest­rooms. Among other project highlights for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The new Hermann Park train

Posted on April 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

All aboard! Hermann Park Conservancy on Saturday will formally unveil $14 million in park improvements, including a new miniature train station, dramatically landscaped grounds and a lakeside plaza featuring a restaurant, gift shop and rest­rooms. Among other project highlights for … Continue reading →

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How about a little salvage?

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can accept that the Wilshire Village Apartments are going to be torn down. If they weren’t going to be maintained by their owner, these things do happen. What I think is an unforgivable sin is for all of the … Continue reading →

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How about a little salvage?

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can accept that the Wilshire Village Apartments are going to be torn down. If they weren’t going to be maintained by their owner, these things do happen. What I think is an unforgivable sin is for all of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

White wins one from EPA

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for the Mayor. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to Mayor Bill White’s request to overhaul its methods for estimating emissions from large refineries and chemical plants, a move that could reveal higher pollution levels. In response … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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White wins one from EPA

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for the Mayor. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to Mayor Bill White’s request to overhaul its methods for estimating emissions from large refineries and chemical plants, a move that could reveal higher pollution levels. In response … Continue reading →

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What next for Wilshire Village?

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff runs an obituary for the Wilshire Village apartments, which are slated for demolition now that they have been officially declared a fire hazard. A historic Inner Loop apartment complex, once slated for a high-rise redevelopment, was shut down … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What next for Wilshire Village?

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff runs an obituary for the Wilshire Village apartments, which are slated for demolition now that they have been officially declared a fire hazard. A historic Inner Loop apartment complex, once slated for a high-rise redevelopment, was shut down … Continue reading →

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Whose TIRZ?

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

My reaction to this story about whether some development projects that didn’t benefit from getting a TIRZ designation might have been better suited for it than some that did get that benefit is that as long as there are those … Continue reading →

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Council OKs TIRZ deal for Regent Square

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The deal to jumpstart Regent Square, the idle development on Allen Parkway, was approved by City Council yesterday. The program, approved unanimously by City Council, will reimburse the developer of Regent Square — a 4-million-square-foot community that will abut Allen … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Council OKs TIRZ deal for Regent Square

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The deal to jumpstart Regent Square, the idle development on Allen Parkway, was approved by City Council yesterday. The program, approved unanimously by City Council, will reimburse the developer of Regent Square — a 4-million-square-foot community that will abut Allen … Continue reading →

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Radack’s Hill

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Who says Harris County is flat? Not County Commissioner Steve Radack, who is building a hill in Hockley for soap box derby enthusiasts. It is a vision seven years in the making for Radack, who predicts the hill will draw … Continue reading →

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Radack’s Hill

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Who says Harris County is flat? Not County Commissioner Steve Radack, who is building a hill in Hockley for soap box derby enthusiasts. It is a vision seven years in the making for Radack, who predicts the hill will draw … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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America’s Least Wasteful Cities

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’re Number 22! Um, out of 25, which is to say out of the 25 largest cities in America. On the plus side, that’s two places higher than Dallas. And we were the best at eating leftovers, for which I … Continue reading →

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America’s Least Wasteful Cities

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’re Number 22! Um, out of 25, which is to say out of the 25 largest cities in America. On the plus side, that’s two places higher than Dallas. And we were the best at eating leftovers, for which I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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City scores another SOB victory

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That makes two, and counting. Houston won a major victory Thursday in its efforts to stamp out sex-related businesses that operate near neighborhoods or turn a blind eye to criminal activity in their facilities. The city won a unanimous verdict … Continue reading →

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