Tag Archives: construction

Metro to break ground on North and Southeast lines

Posted on July 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Woo hoo! The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will be breaking ground July 13 on the next phase of the MetroRail. Metro will begin construction on the North rail corridor which will connect to the Red Line at the … Continue reading →

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Midtown not feeling the recession

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good to know some parts of town are still thriving. The recession seems to have forgotten about Midtown. A drive around the neighborhood reveals forgotten buildings undergoing restoration and new apartments being framed. This area between the Central Business District … Continue reading →

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Get ready to say good-bye to Wilshire Village

Posted on June 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot brings the sad but totally expected news. As noted in today’s Daily Demolition Report below, 20 structures of the Wilshire Village garden apartments at the corner of Alabama and Dunlavy received demolition permits yesterday. Aren’t there only 17 buildings … Continue reading →

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Intermodal Transit Center update

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot has a spiffy picture of the proposed Intermodal Transit Center on North Main, which last we checked may or may not actually get built. But we’ll always have the pretty pictures, whatever else may happen. Check it out.

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The squiggle

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So now we know that the new soccer stadium is likely to happen, even though Commissioners Court continues to take its sweet time about it. We know that the new light rail lines, including the Southeast and Harrisburg lines, are … Continue reading →

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More on Metro’s costs

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The West U Examiner ran a similar story to the one about Metro’s costs and critics last week, in which the same questions about the cost estimates were raised by the same critic. The basic points are identical, so there’s … Continue reading →

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Metro’s costs and critics

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this story regarding different cost estimates for the construction of the four remaining light rail lines. The price tag for the city’s four new light rail lines will be: A) $1.46 billion; B) … Continue reading →

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Dynamo moving forward

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Dynamo Stadium has been in the works for a long time, but depending on how things go this month, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel. [T]he Dynamo view this month as pivotal in their quest … 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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From the “Silver Linings” department

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The economic downturn plus the housing market crash means there’s never been a better time for local governments to bid out construction projects, with more contractors than usual getting involved and competing on price. The increased competition has cut costs … 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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Dynamo Stadium funding almost secured

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Another step forward for Dynamo Stadium. Dynamo ownership has all but secured all of the financing needed for the construction of an $80-million soccer stadium just east of downtown and plans to break ground on the project as early as … Continue reading →

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A better idea for the Grand Parkway

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If we must build the Grand Parkway Segment E, then this would be a far more preferable way to do it. Probably less expensive, too.

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For the money, I sure hope so

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

News flash: Travel times on the newly-expanded Katy Freeway have improved. The expansion of 23 miles of roadway along the Katy was completed in October. The $2.8 billion project took five years to complete and added 18 lanes between the … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court OKs Grand Parkway Segment E work

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved an agreement to build and maintain a segment of the Grand Parkway connecting the Katy Freeway and U.S. 290, but questions over what would happen if the county ultimately decided the … Continue reading →

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Crosstown (rail) traffic

Posted on March 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Approving the construction contract with Parsons is a big step forward for the long-awaited light rail expansion in Houston. But there’s still a lot more to be done. The Metropolitan Transit Authority will look to the Federal Transit Administration for … Continue reading →

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Activists tell TxDOT to slow down and be open

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The following is a press release from a coalition of activists, including the Sierra Club, Environment Texas, Independent Texans, Houston Tomorrow, and the CTC: Representatives of a broad coalition of quality of life, political reform, and environmental groups and citizens … Continue reading →

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Metro approves contract with Parsons

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board of directors on Wednesday unanimously approved a $1.46 billion contract for four new light rail lines, which would add 20 miles to its lone seven-mile line along Main Street. Under the contract, which came … Continue reading →

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Metro to vote on rail contract

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The good news: Metro is set to vote on the contract to build the next light rail lines. The bad news is that they’re doing is amid headlines like Metro refuses to discuss rail contract details before vote. The Metropolitan … Continue reading →

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Is there an Ashby highrise lawsuit coming?

Posted on March 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Politics makes an observation. As noted previously, the flap over the proposed Ashby high-rise and all the land-use questions stirred up by that controversy have subsided recently as the recession and credit crunch slowed or stopped many high-profile development … Continue reading →

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Grand Parkway Segment E gets a go-ahead

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved an agreement to build and maintain a segment of the Grand Parkway connecting the Katy Freeway and U.S. 290, but questions over what would happen if the county ultimately decided the … Continue reading →

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Metro vote on light rail contract delayed

Posted on February 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rats. Metro’s board Chairman David Wolff has called off [today]’s vote on a contract with the agency’s rail builder in favor of a special board meeting next month. The Metropolitan Transit Authority has been in negotiations with Parsons Transportation Group … Continue reading →

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Some action on the rail construction front

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Finally. After two years of negotiations with two firms, the Metropolitan Transit Authority may be close to reaching a deal with a contractor to build and operate its next four light rail lines. “We’re in final negotiations,” said George Smalley, … Continue reading →

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Time for a Saint Arnold update

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

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 →

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