Tag Archives: urbanism

Carless in Dallas

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Patrick Kennedy, the best-known non-driving person in Dallas. Kennedy moved to Dallas in 2002, after growing up in Pennsylvania and earning a landscape architecture degree at Penn State University. After living in parts of East Dallas and Uptown, he … Continue reading →

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

Streetcars on Washington Avenue?

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some big things may be coming to Washington Avenue. Super Neighborhood 22 — a council of civic clubs in the Washington Ave. corridor — will hold a meeting May 24 to discuss its proposed master plan for transportation in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

UTSA’s growing pains

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This story about UTSA and the issues it faces as it tries to accommodate its mostly non-residential student population as it grows is so reminiscent of Houston I had to keep reminding myself as I read it that it wasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

What’s the deal with parking?

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Andrew Burleson attended the first community meeting to discuss possible changes to the city’s parking requirements, and gives a report on what was discussed. He also has a nice discussion on the economics of parking, which one hopes will have … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on What’s the deal with parking?

Parking review coming

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. The Department of Planning and Development has scheduled three community meetings in April to hear ideas about possible changes in the city’s parking ordinance, which has been modified only slightly since it was adopted in … Continue reading →

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

At long last, the Ashby Highrise Lawsuit

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Ashby Highrise developers have filed suit against the city. The developers of the Ashby high-rise sued the city of Houston today seeking more than $40 million in compensation after repeated denials of their permit application. “The city must learn … Continue reading →

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

Department of Transportation makes it easier to do transit projects

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. In a dramatic change from existing policy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, in addition to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Department of Transportation makes it easier to do transit projects

H-GAC Livable Centers Study of the Ensemble/HCC Station Area in Midtown

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow night at 7 PM at the Trinity Episcopal Church located at 1015 Holman Street at Main (map) is a public meeting for the H-GAC Livable Centers Study of the Ensemble/HCC Station area in Midtown. You can click on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on H-GAC Livable Centers Study of the Ensemble/HCC Station Area in Midtown

Ashby’s developer defends his project

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Let me start by saying that I agree with Kevin Kirton, the CEO of Buckhead Investment Partners, also known as the developers of the infamous Ashby highrise, when he says that the “trip number” justification that the city used to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Christof has a list of ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor, having to do with trains, roads, parking, infrastructure, and other matters, that I hope all of the candidates read. I encourage you to read it as well.

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

More from neoHouston on the new transit corridors ordinance

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Andrew Burleson, also known as neoHouston, was quoted in the Chron story on the new transit corridors ordinance. They only used a few words from him, however, and we all know he had more to say on the topic than … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More from neoHouston on the new transit corridors ordinance

Transit corridors ordinance approved

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not all that it could have been, but it’s a start. Passengers stepping off trains in Houston’s expanding light rail network will be more likely to encounter walkable environments and interesting destinations because of action taken Wednesday by the … Continue reading →

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

The streetscape for the Universities line

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

RichmondRail.org has a suggestion for Metro. For the coming light rail line to be a true asset to our neighborhoods, the streets leading to the transit stations must accommodate pedestrians more safely and comfortably than is typical for Houston streets … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Peter Brown’s traffic plan

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today I want to take a closer look at Peter Brown’s traffic plan, the highlights of which you can see here, with the longer and more detail-filled form here (PDF). My thoughts: – As with Annise Parker’s crimefighting plan, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

At least now we know what he does with his time

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, Orlando Sanchez, our do-nothing County Treasurer, is a closet urbanist. I’ll direct you to Greg for a thorough review of Sanchez’s vision for Washington Avenue, to which there’s not much to add. I will note that Sanchez continues to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on At least now we know what he does with his time

How to do (and not do) urban streets

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

neoHouston says: One of the big problems in development today, in particular in the area of city planning, is distinguishing between good urban infill and mediocre urban infill. At first glance the two may look very similar, but they are … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on How to do (and not do) urban streets

Design guide versus transit corridors ordinance

Posted on July 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what to make of this just yet. Fallout from the long-dormant Ashby high-rise development emerged Wednesday as a potential obstacle to the city’s effort to promote walkable, urban-style development along Metro’s planned light-rail lines. Neighborhood opposition to the … Continue reading →

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

The down side to a good economy

Posted on July 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Traffic congestion hasn’t gotten any better. Rising gasoline prices in the last half of 2007 produced less traffic, according to an annual study by researchers at Texas A&M University’s Texas Transportation Institute. The typical urban commuter spent one less hour … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The down side to a good economy

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 →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Midtown not feeling the recession

Neighborhood concerns about the transit corridors ordinance

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I think most people who choose to live in Houston’s urban core would agree that density is a good thing as a general rule. Density done in a half-assed way, which has been Houston’s trademark, not so much. Density hasn’t … Continue reading →

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

Form-based codes come to Dallas

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good for Dallas. If they can do this, unanimously, even, then there must be hope for Houston and its proponents here. We might get lucky and avoid an Ashby lawsuit, but it sure would be nice to be better prepared … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Form-based codes come to Dallas

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 →

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

ULI Mayoral candidate forum report

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As I am not a member of the Urban Land Institute of Houston, I did not get an invitation to their members-only Mayoral candidate forum on Thursday, which got a brief mention in the Chron on Friday. Fortunately, Andrew Burleson … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on ULI Mayoral candidate forum report

Houston Have Your Say 2.0

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

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 →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston Have Your Say 2.0