COMMENT OF THE DAY: AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FOR CLEANING UP DOWNTOWN’S IMAGE 
 “Well, if the problem is defined as ‘Pierce Elevated drivers see blight’ — then one solution is to get rid of the blight; another is to get rid of the Pierce Elevated. It’s probably obvious by now which is more likely to happen.” [_,  commenting on Downtown’s Preeminent Dilapidated Hotel Tower Now Outfitted To Greet I-45ers with New Nametags, Fewer Window Panes] Photo of former Days Inn: Bob Russell
Sign up for the Newsletter
Why can’t we have both? The blight is largely *because* of Pierce Elevated depressing property values and making the area undesirable. Get rid of it and I suspect you’ll see renewed interest in development and cleaning up the area.
I would rather have a million blighted buildings than a .5 sq. mile downtown comprised of 8 buildings and 700 miles of underground tunnels for moles, I mean office workers.
^ Be careful what you wish for, Onepunchman. A million blighted buildings is a lot.
Now you’re confusing the “thing itself” with the purpose for which it is used. The Pierce Elevated for the purpose of moving (and I use the word “moving” with advisement) vehicular traffic certainly contributes to the adjacent property values. Take the vehicles away and repurpose, design and program the “thing itself” and you have a multi-modal conduit and destination that transcends the City’s grid, enhancing adjacent property values and redefining the boundaries of the city/midtown/eado/nearwest.
It wouldn’t take a lot to get to a million blighted buildings in this town. Not with Westwood, Greenspoint, Sunnyside and Acres Homes leading the charge.
.
If you ask some people in H Town: Blight is a sign of Freedom, and something to be welcomed.
“ZAW It wouldn’t take a lot to get to a million blighted buildings in this town”
.
Hey man, I’m working as hard as I can to get a million blighted buildings in town. But I’m only one person! I can only do so much! :)
Shabby Montrose/Heights chic doesn’t count as blighted. Of course it is subjective…. Correction: Shabby Montrose/Heights chic SHOULDNT count as blighted.
The current owner has invested a little less than ~5 mil since late 2011. Peanuts for 34 storey tower. He’s just gonna wait and see and has another decade long timeline before he will flip it to a developer who will then actually do the renovation work. In the meantime it wouldn’t surprise me if they find some dead bodies up in there. Place gives me the creeps.
Also I do wonder who was outbid by 1.00 dollar at the foreclosure sale…Would they have gotten this place renovated by now.. who knows…
If Houston is thinking to reroute Pierce Elevated, it would be nice to close off that section and turn it into green space like the Highline in NYC.
First, get rid of that piece of crap in the picture. Number one priority.