Category Archives: Elsewhere in Houston

Still going nowhere fast. University of Houston System regents Friday decided to wait for more suggestions before choosing a new moniker for UH-Downtown, concerned that “South Texas” made no reference to the city and overlaps with South Texas College of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Normally, another story about another old and rundown apartment complex in Houston being set for demolition isn’t that noteworthy, at least for me, but this Swamplot post about the Wilshire Village Apartments struck a chord with me because I used … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Very cool. Friday was a beautiful place to be in Memorial Park. But the mayor was there for a different reason: the start of construction on a new bridge, funded by the Memorial Park Conservancy, that will be open later … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Things are going well on the new brewery construction front. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. is leaving its 30,000-square-foot, leased facility at 2522 Fairway Park Drive in the Heights and moving to a three-story, 90,000-square-foot brick building at 2000 Lyons Ave., … Continue reading → Continue reading →

So last year I got to serve as an on-the-spot blogger for KUHF’s production of Houston Have Your Say, which was about immigration. I blogged some of it at Kuff’s World and some of it at a blog that was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The battle between Weingarten and its neighbors over the changes to the new River Oaks Shopping Center, which reached a resolution two weeks ago, may end up as having been over nothing. Houston restaurateur Tony Vallone said he’s canceled plans … Continue reading → Continue reading →

This article about a panel of experts coming together in Houston to assess the city’s readiness to deal with disasters is moderately interesting – I look forward to reading their conclusions, that’s for sure – but what really caught my … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Remember Tolerance Bridge? When it was first announced, a lot of people expressed ambivalence (at best) about the name. Now the city has joined in on that. “It has too many hints of negativity,” said Councilman Jarvis Johnson. “It’s like … Continue reading → Continue reading →

They still don’t know what they want to be called, however. School leaders are going ahead with plans to rename the University of Houston-Downtown, despite opposition from students, alumni and some faculty members. “If it has its own distinctive name, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

A little late notice, but just in case you can do this: The Harris County Tejano Democrats, Greater Heights Democratic Club & Keep Houston Beautiful Day Of Service – Call for Action President -elect Barack Obama has called all Americans … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The battle between Weingarten and its neighbors over the changes to the new River Oaks Shopping Center has been resolved. Weingarten’s plans for a two-story Italian restaurant and wine bar, to be operated by Jeff and Tony Vallone, required encroachment … Continue reading → Continue reading →

While most of the country has been experiencing the full brunt of the economic downturn for months, Houston has been fairly well insulated from the worst of it. That won’t be so this year. After spending most of 2008 as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Missed this last week. [Bobby Orr] was planning a mixed-use project on Heights Boulevard, but his prospective residential partner couldn’t get financing. Now he’s put the 5-acre tract on the market. “The timing wasn’t right,” he said. That project, called … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Lisa Gray gives the latest Weingarten controversy a look. Up until now, the building had angered people. But neighbors now say Weingarten is violating a city ordinance. They say the company not only crossed the line, it crossed the line … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Glad to hear it. It may have cost $8.5 million, but the city now can safely say that the Water Wall near the Galleria is safe from being razed and potentially turned into another high-rise or shopping center. Within the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Swamplot is doing a bunch of year-end awards, and I think my favorite may be the Best Project Cancellation or Delay, which includes four different projects that I’ve been following. I think Sonoma, the infamous Hippie Bohemian Attorney project, is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The construction has been going on for awhile at the River Oaks Shopping Center – you can really see the shape of the structure that will eventually be there. Problem is, it’s not what property owner Weingarten Realty had gotten … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Good. Houston is moving ahead with a plan to replace the light bulbs at all 2,381 of its traffic stops with energy-efficient bulbs that could save more than $4 million a year in electricity costs. City Council approved a $16.4 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Financial crunch may stall effort on Astrodome hotel. Boy, nobody could have seen that one coming. Before the financial markets tightened, Astrodome Redevelopment Co. was prepared to put up $150 million in equity — much coming in the form of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I love the design concept of this thing. Mayor Bill White on Wednesday unveiled plans for the “Tolerance Bridge,” a $7 million project built with public and private funds that will connect pedestrian and bike trails along Allen Parkway with … Continue reading → Continue reading →