Tag Archives: construction

The Heights Wal-Mart is now open

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

On the plus side, the world did not come to an end. On the minus side, it’s still a lousy location for a Wal-Mart and a giant missed opportunity for better, more urban-oriented development. For nearly 2½ years, Heights-area residents … Continue reading →

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But was it worth it?

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

No doubt that traffic on the Katy Freeway moves a lot more smoothly now than it used to. But there’s a lot more to the question of whether the $2.8 billion that was spent to widen it was a good … Continue reading →

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Why not a university?

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Tory Gattis has an interesting suggestion for that 136 acre tract of land east of downtown. This parcel of land could be the last opportunity for Houston to add a major college campus to the city.  We should consider something … Continue reading →

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TxDOT finally publishes comments from last year’s public forum on I-45

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Hello I-45 Coalition folks – There are finally some updates regarding I-45! As you may recall, back in mid-November 2011, TxDOT held 2 public meetings to get the public’s input on their thoughts on what should be … Continue reading →

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Et tu, Leo?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At least one person living near the Ashby Highrise is looking forward to its construction. Linbeck Group, a general contractor whose top executive lives in the neighborhood adjacent to the building site, is expected to start construction at the beginning … Continue reading →

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White Oak Bayou Bike Trail closed at 610 until 2014

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. It is with regret that we inform you that project delays (utility relocation) has negatively impacted the schedule for the IH-610 at TC Jester improvement project, causing the trail closure to be extended into Spring 2014. TxDOT is as … Continue reading →

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Regent Square gets off the ground

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This has been a long time coming. More than five years after announcing plans for the 24-acre Regent Square project off Allen Parkway, GID Development Group has begun construction on the first building, a 21-story apartment tower called The Sovereign. … Continue reading →

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FTA writes another check for light rail construction

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Keep ’em coming. The expansion of Houston Metro got another boost from the federal government with the allocation of $188 million in additional construction funding for the North and Southeast light rail lines. Congressman Gene Green, the Houston Democrat who … Continue reading →

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Ashby set to rise

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here it comes. Construction on the 21-story luxury apartment building at 1717 Bissonnet is scheduled to begin by the fourth quarter of this year and is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete. Kevin Kirton … Continue reading →

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HCC board approves its bond package

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

More bonds for your consideration this fall. Houston Community College trustees voted Thursday to placea $425 million bond referendum on the November ballot. If approved by voters on Nov. 6, the bond would help update classroom technology, build a new … Continue reading →

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Funding to rebuild Yale Street Bridge acquired

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Calling the Yale Street bridge “functionally obsolete” after a recent engineering study, the Texas Department of Transportation has secured “out of cycle funding” to replace the bridge, Councilwoman Ellen Cohen announced late Monday. Cohen said that means the … Continue reading →

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Up or down, more or less

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Metro has chosen its referendum. A sharply divided Metro board approved a plan Friday that would give the city of Houston tens of millions of dollars more for road projects under a ballot referendum to be put before voters in … Continue reading →

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Southwest prepares for expansion

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Coming soon. Southwest Airlines will begin construction next year on Hobby Airport international flight facilities, which the city approved in May over vehement opposition from United Airlines. “I’m extremely pleased and thrilled that the Houston City Council cleared the way … Continue reading →

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Trudi Smith: What’s going on with Buffalo Bayou

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I have been presenting over the past few weeks. Transformation of Buffalo Bayou Park, one of Houston’s most iconic green spaces, is well underway. With an historic $30 million catalyst … Continue reading →

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Joshua Sanders: Required Referendum Does Not Need To Be A Bump In The Road For A New Metro

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. The METRO Board should not risk its newfound goodwill by raiding its member entities’ General Mobility Program (GMP) funds after the … Continue reading →

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Buffalo Bayou begins its makeover

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to be great. The jogging and biking trails that wind through Buffalo Bayou Park west of downtown are about to get a bit more circuitous as a $55 million effort to transform the area into an iconic … Continue reading →

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UH prof writes letter in support of resolution with Metro

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

After I published about UH holding up construction on the Southeast Line over concerns about the route, I was forwarded a letter sent by UH English professor Irving Rothman to UH President Renu Khator asking her to get this issue … Continue reading →

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HISD planning bond election

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The fall ballot gets a little longer. The Houston Independent School District is preparing to ask voters to fund up to $1.8 billion in bonds to replace and upgrade aging campuses. Superintendent Terry Grier has said the bond referendum – … Continue reading →

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UH versus Metro over Southeast Line route

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what’s up with this. Half a year after receiving a long-delayed $450 million federal funding grant for its Southeast line, Metro appears to have run into almost as big an obstacle to progress on that light-rail alignment much … Continue reading →

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Here comes Trader Joe’s

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They’re opening the first Houston-area store in the Woodlands, which doesn’t count as far as I’m concerned. But it’s all right, the one I am interested in will follow behind shortly. The 13,500-square-foot store at 10868 Kuykendahl has a fraction … Continue reading →

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Alamo Drafthouse coming inside the Loop

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Woo hoo! I am so thrilled to announce that we’re getting two new Alamo Drafthouse locations in Houston! I love living in Houston and I love the Alamo theaters here, and the expansion of the company in this wonderful city … Continue reading →

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A good year for real estate

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Area housing prices will rise this year amid a strong local economy and a limited supply, economist Ted C. Jones said Tuesday at an annual symposium on real estate and the economy. Apartment rents could go up as … Continue reading →

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Signs of life at Regent Square?

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: HERE’S A LATE addition to the demolition of the Allen House Apartments, the first portions of which went down in 2007, in anticipation of the giant Regent Square mixed-use developmentin North Montrose that never happened — or rather, hasn’t yet.The smashing of one Allen … Continue reading →

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Tomorrow’s traffic jams are being planned today

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Projects to widen U.S. 290 and Texas 288 with a mix of free and toll lanes in an attempt to ease congestion in the traffic-choked corridors would get a jump-start under a … Continue reading →

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When will Ashby rise?

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Real Soon Now, developers promise. After more than four years in the works, the so-called Ashby high-rise is expected to break ground by year-end. A lawsuit keeping the project from being built was settled last week. The proposed building pitted … Continue reading →

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City to settle Ashby lawsuit

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Another saga draws to a close. Mayor Annise Parker has sent a letter to residents of the Southampton area saying the city has no legal basis to stop developers from building the controversial Ashby high-rise as outlined in their 2009 … Continue reading →

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Bonds, school bonds

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing that may be on your ballot this year. Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier said Thursday it was time to start discussing a possible bond referendum to update the district’s aging campuses. In his annual state of the schools … Continue reading →

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Wayside Wal-Mart update

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Nancy Sarnoff: The East End of Houston has been called a “food desert” for its lack of grocery stores. But come next year, the area will be a little less dry. Wal-Mart Stores said it will open a store … Continue reading →

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Doing business downtown

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Despite public and private attempts to revive a shopping scene downtown, the retail market has struggled. Some stores like Forever 21 and Books-A-Million have opened, but most of the activity in recent … Continue reading →

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Leland Woods

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been banging the drum lately about encouraging growth inside the city’s boundaries as a long-term financial management strategy, so I’m glad to see this. Eight years ago, city of Houston officials decided to incentivize the conversion of 80 wooded … Continue reading →

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About that “solution” for bike trail obstruction

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Me, last month: Meanwhile, two weeks ago there was a story about TxDOT closing the White Oak Bayou Hike and Bike Trail between Ella and 34th streets while there is construction on the service road for 610 North at East TC Jester. … Continue reading →

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New bike trail into downtown nearing completion

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: It looks like large portions of the 2.8-mile-long Heritage West Bikeway connecting Stude Park to UH-Downtown are close to completion, but the path along portions of the former UP railway won’t open until summer, according to the city. … Continue reading →

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Here comes the Convention District

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see what this turns into. The newest vision for the eastern edge of downtown includes hotels and residential buildings in place of what are now parking lots. Officials also picture a bustling pedestrian scene where shops and restaurants line … Continue reading →

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Council approves B-Cycle, and other bike news

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One other item that Council approved on its last day of business for the year was to clear the way for the city to start up bike sharing with B-cycle. As you know, I’ve been following this along, and am … Continue reading →

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