- Hines Apartments Going into Cafe Adobe Spot and Parking Lot on Westheimer [Culturemap]
- Construction of 29-Story Hanover Tower at BLVD Place Now Scheduled To Begin Early Next Year [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
- Onion Creek Owner, Neighbors Upset Over Revived Condo Development on Dead End Heights Street [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
- Crews Begin Construction of $33.1M Public Safety Building in League City [Galveston County Daily News]
- Ruggles Green Now Open in Sugar Land [Houston Business Journal]
- Falling Vacancies, Rising Rents Likely at Port of Houston, Finds Study [KUHF]
- Annual ‘Barkitecture’ Fundraiser To Showcase Architects’ Doghouse Designs [Ultimate Bellaire News]
Photo of Cafe Adobe at 2111 Westheimer: Candace Garcia
I like how the conveniently left off that the development on 5th street would be next to a large multi-family apartment complex and a lumber yard. Onion Creek Owner is just a nimby, living in Newer Construction and complaining about new construction.
Wait wait wait.. WHAT???????!@??
Adobe is being blown up for a big apt in that area? Crap. That sucks.
Adobe is going to relocate.
The sale benefited the dual ownership of the property and restaurant. It should be around for another year at that location and they will find a new location in the area move into.
I just doubt any new location will have the uniqueness of the existing.
From the aerial view of Adobe, you do see their large parking lot with three street sides. That is highly valued open real estate. It would be need if the new development could at least put Adobe on the ground floor facing Westheimer.
No Adobe? Truly the end of an era. Then again, the Randalls center was once a car lot, and Carabbas on Kirby was once a decidedly st-icky ‘adult bookstore.’
Things change.
That definitely sucks about Cafe Adobe. It’s always been a nice option for us, and relatively kid-friendly at certain times
Bring on more bland apartments!
The condo development in the Heights had an approved plat with a cul de sac. The economy crashed and the permit expired. The latest attempt to develop the property wants to go from @60 units to 84 units. The larger development does not leave enough room for a cul de sac. They want a private road with a 28′ wide bridge over the drainage ditch with no sidewalks. The building will probably be 7-9 stories. The apartment complex on Oxford is only 4 stories with a 5 story garage. The apartments on Oxford have cul de sacs and created some extra on-street parking for visitors. The variance application has been tabled for two weeks by the planning commission for further study. Had the developer gone with the old plan and a smaller development, there would be very little opponents could do to stop it. But, they are overreaching and may not get a variance.
I have a hard time sympathizing with the Heights NIMBY when there is already a huge apartment complex just one block south of the proposed condo development. The heights needs more apartment-style developments in my opinion, more places for the younger folk who hate the Washington Ave scene to move to.
Damn. Another Houston institution bites the dust. I love redevelopment and all, but this one hits close to home. My friends and I enjoyed many a cold margarita or cerveza on the upstairs patio over the years. New locations are never quite the same. RIP, old friend.
@ Lars – Sure, let’s make White Oak Drive every bit as douchetastic as Washington (it’s getting there already).
(dang kids)
Does anyone else see a bubble occurring for “upscale inner loop luxury apartments”? The Houston economy is always a bit of a roller coaster. But hey, if you build it today and sell off the property to a REIT before the bust, you’re golden!
The new construction on the Adobe site should pay homage to the restaurant by having a melted Velveeta fountain in front.
What’s up with the Ruggles Green location at the site of the old 11th St Cafe location in the Heights? I’m amused that it takes less time to build a building full of loft condos across the street than to spruce up a tiny restaurant.
Hopefully Hines will put up something better than their apartment project on the WaterWall Park. That thing is a generic, bland, box. Will a developer finally put up something unique? How about going modern and use lots of glass to reflect off St Anne’s Church?
@ShadyHeightster- you are exactly right, BIG bubble brewing in overpriced “luxury” apts inside loop. It’ll pop soon
It is ironic that the owner of Onion Creek is complaining when there is specific mention that the success of businesses on White Oak is driving LSR to now come down his very own street for access.
There will be only one way in and one way out via a private bridge for the proposed Emes Place condo units. I sure wouldn’t want to be in that building during a flood or fire event. Private is City of Houston Code for we’re not building it and we’re not maintaining it. The Frasier Street residents cleaned up that site after Tropical Storm Allison because the City was inundated with clean-up projects and the mattresses and debris that floated onto the property via White Oak Bayou were causing quite a stench. Now that shoddy private alleys and illegal parking pads are slowly destroying the Heights drainage system, must we endure development that will cause even more flooding?
Here’s where the new development southwest of the Freeland HD/east of Oxford/south of White Oak is going to be (the map is centered on the house mentioned in the article).
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I remember seeing the old approved plan (we were thinking about buying in Freeland and, for that reason only, decided not to) with the cul-de-sac.
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Where’s this new plan? I’m intrigued by this bridge idea and what it might look like and where it might go… Anyone?
I don’t get the argument about the condos (other than typical Heights NIMBYism). A 28 foot private bridge is plenty wide enough. It is a private entrance, not a public street. And the public street in front of the bridge is only 30 feet itself. And sidewalks? Really? There will be a gate across the entrance. No sidewalks are needed. Besides, no sidewalks would be in keeping with that street since it also has NO sidewalks.
The only reason a variance is needed at all is because of the silly rule that driveways cannot extend from a deadend street.
The proposed condo actually shares a property line with the large apartment complex. It will not change a thing. This is simply one hypocritical bar owner who changed his argument from 10 years ago when development is proposed next door to HIM. His bar causes much more traffic congestion than the proposed condo. In fact, the condo will cause no congestion at all.
“In fact, the condo will cause no congestion at all??????”
Yeah, right – ’cause I guess 100+ people living in 84 units and their guests (where there is nothing but wildlife now) will all just put on their magic wings and flutter to and fro off the balconies like oversized hummingbirds.
There is a reason this project needs variances out the wazoo in order to go forward – it can’t comply with access and siting restrictions otherwise.
I heard that Hines may build a 22 story building there. Has anyone else heard that rumor? I hope they buy that part of Peckham then, so it will work.
Speaking of Stude Second Edition, does anyone know the history of the “parking pad” and “parallel parking” issues in this neighborhood?