Tag Archives: Houston

Are they finally building something on the Robinson Warehouse site?

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the Robinson Warehouse? It’s been more than three years now since the old building at Montrose and Allen Parkway was demolished, and the site has been fallow ever since. But in the last week or so, some signs of … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Sports Authority to become Dynamo Stadium landlord

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One of the items on the to-do list after the city and county struck a deal on Dynamo Stadium was for the team to negotiate a lease for the stadium. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority was proposed as the landlord, … Continue reading →

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Weingarten update

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot keeps digging to find out more about what’s going on with the Alabama Theater. Basically, though Weingarten is being weaselly about it (I know, I’m shocked too), it seems clear they are planning to demolish the interior of the … Continue reading →

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Get those Census forms in

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

C’mon people. We can do better than this. A week after most Americans received their 2010 Census forms, return rates in many urban areas such as Houston and Harris County are lagging behind those in rural communities, the Census Bureau … Continue reading →

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Selling Lakewood

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve known for awhile that one way the city will try to bridge its revenue gap is by selling some properties. Among those in the For Sale pile is the building formerly known as the Summit, now occupied by Lakewood … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Where the population is moving to

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Call it the Sunbelt Slowdown. Census estimates released Tuesday capture the impact of the housing downturn and economic recession, including the critical period after the financial meltdown in late 2008, on the nation’s counties and metropolitan areas. The population figures … Continue reading →

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Dynamo Stadium deal finally struck

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Took ’em long enough. The city of Houston and Harris County have struck a potential deal on a new stadium for the Houston Dynamo and Texas Southern University’s football team, agreeing to jointly pay for $20 million in infrastructure upgrades … Continue reading →

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The tasks before the new Metro board

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The new Metro board has its work cut out for it. Gilbert Garcia, the financial analyst nominated by Mayor Annise Parker Thursday as Metro’s new board chairman, said the controversies won’t prevent him and his colleagues from proceeding diligently with … Continue reading →

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It’s the “I am rubber, you are glue” election

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron notes that some of the charges that the two gubernatorial campaigns will lob at each other could easily be lobbed right back at themselves. Perry slammed White for not ruling out new taxes, pointing to 2003, when state … Continue reading →

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The Alabama Staples?

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot brings an update on the Alabama Theater, where the now-closed BookStop was. It looks like the former Alabama Theater — known since the early eighties as the Alabama Bookstop, and since last fall as that big vacant space for … Continue reading →

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HISD disciplinary data

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I noted some differences of fact between HISD Superintendent Terry Grier and HFT President Gayle Fallon over the cost and use of alternate school CEP, which Grier wants to dump. Fallon left a comment in that post, and … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The bridge formerly known as Tolerance

Posted on March 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Remember Tolerance Bridge? That was the bridge that was supposed to connect pedestrian and bike trails along Allen Parkway with those on Memorial Drive near Montrose Boulevard. Unfortunately, no one liked the name, so the Houston Arts Alliance was sent … Continue reading →

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Metro approves study of Fort Bend commuter rail line

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In the last act for several Metro board members, we get a step forward on another commuter rail line. Moving to extend Metro’s reach into Fort Bend County, the agency’s board agreed Thursday to spend up to $500,000 on environmental … Continue reading →

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The Wizard of Pawz

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Wizard of Pawz Houston Humane Society’s 29th Annual K-9 Fun Run & Walk HOUSTON, TX (March 10, 2010) – The 29th Annual Houston Humane Society K-9 Fun Run & Walk will take place Sunday, March 28 at Sam Houston Park, 100 … Continue reading →

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The transition team report on Metro

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to naming new Metro board members, today was the day for Mayor Parker’s transition team to give its report on Metro. Here’s the Chron story about their report. I’m going to focus on one piece of it: [James] … Continue reading →

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Blog Stars

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Press surveyed the local blog scene and picked out ten “Blog Stars” to highlight and profile. I’m pleased to say that they did me the honor of including me and my blog on that list. I always find … Continue reading →

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Parker names new Metro board

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. [Mayor Annise Parker’s] choices, which require City Council approval, include Gilbert Garcia, an investment banker and Parker transition team co-chair; Christof Spieler, a blogger and transportation analyst on the board of the Citizens’ Transportation Coalition; lawyers Dwight E. Jefferson … Continue reading →

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The Montrose Land Defense Coalition

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the name of the group that’s not so much fighting against the proposed HEB on the old Wilshire Village location as they are (in their own words) “concerned with the degree to which communities have a say in the … Continue reading →

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Parker reaffirms commitment to light rail

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is what I want to see. [Mayor Annise] Parker’s letter regarding this week’s Metro board meeting was sent on the eve of her trip to Washington, where she said she would reassure U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that her … Continue reading →

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Got Census?

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Have you gotten your Census form yet? Forms, asking for your household’s basic demographic data, should begin arriving in mailboxes across Houston this week. Completed questionnaires should be mailed back to the government by April 1. Sound easy? It is, … Continue reading →

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Metro asks consultant to investigate Wilson allegations

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if there’s anything to the hype. A consultant with expertise in identifying business fraud will investigate allegations that Metro’s chief executive used public funds in an inappropriate relationship with his assistant, the agency announced today. David Wolff, the … Continue reading →

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The Hempstead line

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another story about progress on a proposed commuter rail line, this one out US 290. A study to determine ridership on the line, which would go as far west as Hempstead, will be done. The Houston-based engineering firm Klotz … Continue reading →

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More on Metro’s finances

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a closer look at Metro’s finances and the recently expressed doubts about their ability to pay for the University and Uptown lines. Mayor Annise Parker said last week that she wasn’t convinced the Metropolitan Transit Authority would … Continue reading →

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Food stamp application backlog to be cleared by April

Posted on March 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a little bit of good news. Texas’ food stamp application backlog is now expected to be cleared by the end of April, Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Tom Suehs told lawmakers today. […] The commission had projected it … Continue reading →

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Montgomery County gets in the minor league act

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We know about Sugar Land’s plan to build a stadium for a minor league baseball team. They’ve now been joined by a neighbor to the north in that pursuit. The East Montgomery County Improvement District signed a memorandum of understanding … Continue reading →

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Sneak peek at new light rail stations

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

With all the allegations of naughty emails and debates over whether or not the two U lines will get built, it may be hard to remember that we do have three light rail lines in the works. We’re still a … Continue reading →

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“Drop by drop”

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve talked a lot about flooding and drainage issues, and about the possibility of water rate increases in Houston, but something that has not gotten a lot of attention is water conservation. I want to call your attention to a … Continue reading →

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Got evidence?

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If you saw Wednesday night’s rather sensational coverage of the allegations that Metro CEO Frank Wilson had an “improper” relationship with an employee, you would have come away with the impression that things were about to go all Chuck Rosenthal … Continue reading →

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The city’s budget gap widens

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Everywhere you look, it’s bad budget news. Mayor Annise Parker raised the possibility of furloughs and layoffs for city employees for the first time Wednesday, saying the city’s dire budget outlook will require City Council to consider all available options … Continue reading →

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Galveston County transportation district

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least somebody is moving forward with rail plans. The creation of a Galveston County urban and rural transit district would potentially pull together all 13 municipalities in the county, providing a single voice to negotiate with Houston Metro, … Continue reading →

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Parker expresses doubt about University and Uptown lines

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is not the sort of thing I want to see. Mayor Annise Parker cast doubt Wednesday on whether the Metropolitan Transit Authority has the money to pay for two planned light-rail lines that proponents say are critical to the … Continue reading →

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HISD Radio

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This, from the inbox, sounds very cool: K12RADIOHOUSTON: HISD’s NEW SCHOOL OF THOUGHT The nation’s first custom radio station created for a major school district (Houston, Texas) No radio tower or transmitter necessary! The Houston Independent School District (HISD) begins … Continue reading →

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Metro CEO accused of inappropriate relationship with employee

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least we now have some idea of what Lloyd Kelley has been looking for. The president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority was accused in open court Wednesday of having an improper relationship with a female employee … Continue reading →

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2010 Opera Vista tickets on sale

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve mentioned Opera Vista in this space before. If it sounded interesting to you, now is a good time to check it out. From the inbox: Tickets for 2010 Opera Vista Festival On Sale Now! Opera Vista, winner of the … Continue reading →

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