Tag Archives: Heights

Enabling bike parking at restaurants

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see this effort is making progress. It has taken some time, but a community effort to add bike racks in the Heights is seeing results. Heights resident Mitch Cohen has placed two racks along 19th Street this year … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Enabling bike parking at restaurants

First Sunday Streets seemed like a success

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The weather was kinda lousy but there were plenty of people out on White Oak Street on Sunday. The city of Houston closed a 2.5 mile stretch of Quitman and White Oak to motor vehicles for four hours on Sunday, … Continue reading →

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

Street closings ahead

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Three busy Houston streets will shut down to vehicular traffic on selected Sunday afternoons in an effort to see if car-bound residents will walk, bike and explore each block rather than simply drive through. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Street closings ahead

HISD gets more diverse

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Which in this case means it’s getting a little whiter. After decades of free fall, Houston ISD’s white enrollment is inching upward, suggesting that more families with the resources to choose are selecting Houston public schools. Enrollment of non-Hispanic white … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Center Street recycling facility is closed

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So says Swamplot. Multiple emails to a couple of Heights neighorhood mailing lists sounded the alarm as well. This has been a long time coming. Originally, it was supposed to have been closed at the end of 2012, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How to make the warehouse transition something to look forward to

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. Houston developers plan to build a mixed-use project, including upscale apartments and retail, on a 15-acre tract close to downtown, replacing a large produce warehouse that’s occupied the space for decades. Capcor … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The dry Heights

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

What’s a guy got to do to get a drink around here? Eighty years after the repeal of Prohibition – the anniversary of which came and went with hardly a toast last week – there is a sliver of Houston … Continue reading →

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

Not pissing off your neighbors is generally a good thing

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the message I get from this story about one developer who is trying to not piss off the people who live near his proposed development. Oak trees along the sidewalks? Check. A push to build a dog park? Check. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Heights-area bike trails to be linked

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent news. Houston’s expanding trail system will soon gain a new leg in the greater Heights area. The addition will be part of Bayou Greenways 2020, a $215 million project aimed at creating a continuous network of hike-and-bike trails and … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

City reaches settlement with developer over Woodland Park damage

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Mayor Annise Parker, the City of Houston Legal Department and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) announced the City has recovered $300,000 to restore recent damage to Woodland Park by a private developer. Woodland Park, located at … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on City reaches settlement with developer over Woodland Park damage

Parking Panda

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting Parking Panda, an online parking reservation system, launches Tuesday in Houston and Dallas. The site’s already up and running, taking reservations for lots around many area venues, including Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and the Toyota Center. The concept … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Parking Panda

Ashbys all over

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that Chron story that I mentioned yesterday, which talks about increasing neighborhood resistance to multi-story residential projects in areas that mostly have single-family houses. Tension mounted as 20 or so Morrison Street residents, armed with city documents and Internet … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

More construction on Yale

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Alexan Heights II: Midrise Boogaloo. For residents near Yale and 6th street, Independence Day fireworks were nothing compared to the sparks flying when news of another proposed apartment complex came to light July 5. A heads-up notification from District … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Heights yarn bomb lives again

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This makes me happy: See here for the background. According to Marty Hajovsky, the new installation will be up through July 14th, so go check it out while you can. And if you see anyone approaching it with a sharp … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Heights yarn bomb lives again

What do you have against yarn?

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is such a shame. An International Yarn Bombing Day installation on a park trellis in the Heights was partially torn down Saturday after it was only up for a week, since June 8. The project was headed by Heights … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on What do you have against yarn?

They name the development after whatever they bulldozed in order to build it

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The title of this post is an old joke, but what happened recently at Woodland Park is not. Nonsequiteuse explains. I was alerted to an egregious clear-cutting along Woodland Park, a City of Houston public park at the edge of … Continue reading →

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

Alexan Heights gets approved

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Leader News updates us on the latest news regarding the proposed development on Yale at 7th. Houston’s Planning Commission has approved Trammell Crow Residential’s replat application without variance for the site of its 360-unit Alexan Heights mid-rise luxury apartment … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Alexan Heights gets approved

The townhomes are indeed coming

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this Lisa Gray column. “So the bad stuff we’re going to see today,” I asked, “it’ll be a cautionary tale for the suburbs?” I was driving west from downtown on what I thought … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Alexan Heights trying again

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Leader News reports that the proposed mid-rise apartment complex for Yale at 7th Street has been reworked in a way that would avoid the need for a variance. The deed restrictions involved single-family homes within the proposed complex — … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Alexan Heights trying again

So long, Skylane Apartments

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is happening in my neighborhood, and it’s already generated a lot of interest from the locals. The aging Skylane Central apartments, perched near the entrance of the Woodland Heights neighborhood, are headed for demolition as a developer makes plans … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Don’t expect B-Cycle in the Heights anytime soon

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I know there are a lot of people in the Heights that would like to see some bike share kiosks here, but as The Leader News reports, it will be awhile before that happens. Although running through arguably the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why we need flexibility in our parking regulations

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the story of Coltivare. As many of you know, we are in the process of opening Coltivare, our interpretation of an Italian-inspired, American, neighborhood restaurant, at the corner of White Oak and Arlington Streets. Undoubtedly, one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Heights-Northside Mobility Study

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You might want to put this on your calendar. The area defined as the Heights-Northside study area bounded on the east by US 59, on the south by IH 10, and on the north and west by IH 610. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Heights-Northside Mobility Study

Alexan Heights update

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The developers of the Alexan Heights project on Yale will go before the Planning Commission tomorrow to get a variance that would remove a single-family restriction on part of the property. Some folks in the neighborhood have been petitioning against … Continue reading →

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

Yale Street Bridge work set to begin

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. Work to rehabilitate the Yale Street Bridge south of Interstate 10 is scheduled to begin in April. According to the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering, the process will involve installation of external carbon-strip reinforcement along … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Yale Street Bridge work set to begin

Alexan Heights on Yale

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you live in my neck of the woods you’re probably interested in the news (via Swamplot) of the new apartment complex being planned for the empty lot on Yale between 6th and 7th. The RUDH January newsletter has details. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More bike racks

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron notes that Houston is on the verge of becoming an actual bike-friendly city, and that we ought to recognize that and do something to help facilitate it. Notably, many downtown buildings lack accessible and visible bike racks. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More bike racks

More on Ashby Heights

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not this project‘s name, but it’s how I think of it. Canadian developers of a condominium project on a wooded 1.4-acre plot near the Heights Bike Trail and White Oak Bayou late have dropped their request for a variance … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ashby Heights

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the next frontier in unwanted development. A residential development proposal that’s been on and off in the Heights since 2004 is back on, reviving neighborhood opposition to the project and catching the attention of the mayor. Canadian developer Group … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ashby Heights

Yale Street Bridge load limit reduced again

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, via CitizensNet: Yale Street Bridge Load Limit Further Reduced by TxDOT City of Houston Takes Proactive Steps to Monitor Bridge Usage The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has reduced the load limit on the Yale Street Bridge … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Yale Street Bridge load limit reduced again

Bike racks at restaurants

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I wholeheartedly approve of this. On nice days, a 20-station bicycle rack stays mostly full outside Hay Merchant, a food-and-beer establishment located among a cramped string of restaurants on Westheimer near Montrose. When the rack is full, it means 20 … Continue reading →

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

Petition for safer walking and biking

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Marty Hajovsky: Stephanie Riceman with the Heights Kids Group, a 900-strong (at least) group of families in and around the greater Houston Heights, has put together an interesting online petition that says as much about how many new families there are in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on New bike trail into downtown nearing completion