NEWLY-PROPOSED STATEWIDE FLOODING FUND WOULD BE SPRINKLED WITH $1.2B FROM TEXAS’S RAINY DAY RESERVES 
State Senator Charles Perry filed a trio of bills on Tuesday that aim to create a state-level plan for flood mitigation, to be funded by $1.2 billion drawn from Texas’s $11 billion rainy day fund, reports the Texas Tribune’s Carlos Anchondo. If the House and Senate agree to tap the state’s nest egg by a two-thirds vote — a level of consensus that’s proven difficult to reach in the past, notes Anchondo — the legislation would then divide Texas into regional flood planning groups that trace the outlines not of municipalities, but rather of the state’s watersheds in order to “ensure one community’s plans do not inadvertently negatively impact a neighboring community,” says Perry. (The Texas Water Development Board would oversee the mapping and could choose to deviate from watershed boundaries in exceptional cases.) Within every watershed group, a representative from each county would receive a single vote, which they’d use to hash out a regional flood plan including both physical projects (such as reservoir improvements) and strategies (such as strengthening building codes). Taking a look at each region’s plan, the state would then compile a ranked list of flood mitigation approaches across Texas and kick in portions of the $1.2 billion for them accordingly starting sometime in 2024 . . . at the earliest. [Texas Tribune; press release] Photo of the Texas Senate chamber: Arthur LeBon [license]
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- Stretchy Palestinian Ice Cream Coming to Richmond Ave. in Woodlake [Eater]
- Weingarten Sells Heights Office Building [HBJ ($)]
- 20th St. Hotel Maison Robert To Feature Pool, Bar, and House Florist Neighbor [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
- Restoration of Historic Third Ward Mural Damaged in Harvey Underway as Roof Repairs Near Completion [Houston Chronicle]
- Humble City Council Okays “Prudent†Commercial Development Builds in Flood Plains [Community Impact]
- Pan-Asian Teahouse 7 Leaves Chooses Bellaire Blvd. for First Texas Location [Eater]
- Hanover Plans Mixed-Use Development Possibly Featuring Hotel, Office, Residential Space Downtown [HBJ ($)]
- Rothko Chapel Closing in March for Renovations and New Building for Visitors [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
Photo of Fred Hartman Bridge: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
NEW TEXAS SENATE BILL: IF HOME LIES IN ANY FLOOD ZONE, SELLER MUST SAY SO 
State Senator Joan Huffman filed a bill last Friday that, if passed, would require sellers to tell buyers if their homes are located in a 100- or 500-year floodplain, a reservoir, or a flood pool — the area next to a reservoir that’s expected to fill up with water during major flooding events (but that most were unaware of until reporters blew the lid on their existence in late 2017). The bill, S.B. 339, would also force owners to disclose whether the home they’re listing has flooded before, whether it might flood under “catastrophic circumstances,” and if it’s located less than 5 miles downstream from a reservoir. “If a seller doesn’t disclose the information,” reports the Texas Tribune’s Kiah Collier, “the law would allow buyers to terminate the contract — or sue.” [Texas Tribune] Photo of flooding at Creech Elementary School, Katy, near Barker Reservoir: Breta Gatlin
- Understory Food Hall Adds Fast-Casual Mona Fresh Italian to Roster [Eater]
- White House May Now Redirect Money Intended for Harvey Relief to Border Wall [abc13]
- New 68-Acre “Elevated†Housing Development To Be Built in 500-Year Humble Flood Plain [Houston Chronicle]
- Houston Makes New York Times List of 52 Best Places to Travel in 2019 [New York Times]
- Cost of Downtown Historic Esperson Complex’s Debt “Attractive†to Office Owners [GlobeSt]
- Looking for 3 More Tenants, Asiatown’s Bellaire Food Street Scraps Food Hall Plans Less Than a Month from Opening [Eater]
- TxDOT To Close 288 in Pearland, I-45 in The Woodlands for Bridge Work this Weekend [HBJ]
- Houston Among 17 Cities To Announce Bid To Host 2026 FIFA World Cup [Click2Houston]
Photo of the vault at Hotel ICON: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- Katy Chinese Favorite Tiger Noodle House To Open Third Location in Rice Village [Eater; previously on Swamplot]
- Third Ward Church’s Multimillion-Dollar Expansion on Former Frenchy’s Chicken Site Begins in January [HBJ, previously on Swamplot]
- County To Activate Emergency Operations Center Starting This Afternoon for Expected Floods [Houston Public Media]
- Fort Bend Pkwy., Sam Houston Pkwy. Among Most Expensive Toll Roads in the U.S. [Houston Chronicle]
- Harvey Gas Price Gougers Still Settling Cases with Attorney General’s Office [Texas Monthly]
- New York Times Exposé Prompts Southwest Key To Review Its Own Business Practices [HBJ]
- Burns Original BBQ in Acres Homes Pays Tribute to Anthony Bourdain with New Mural [Eater]
- Richmond’s Opportunity Zone Experience Shows Program May Be Less Promising Than Expected [Bisnow]
- Woodlands Board Approves Name, Map, Logo for New Waterway Arts District [Houston Chronicle]
Photo of Byrne St., Woodland Heights: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- New Topographic and Predictive Rainfall Data Shows More People in Harris County Mapped in Floodplains [Houston Public Media]
- Houston-Based Media Tech Startup The Decathlon Looking To Expand with More Local Hires [HBJ]
- Former Director of Planning and Development Patrick Walsh Succumbs to Cancer [Houston Chronicle]
- Tiger Den Chef’s New Chinatown Japanese Comfort Food Spot Ishin Udon Opens Dec. 4th [Culturemap]
- Tex-Mex Icon Irma’s Opens Downtown Location Inside Catalyst Apartment Tower on Texas Ave. [Eater]
- France-Based Industrial Gas Company To Build $150 Million Liquid Hydrogen Plant in Houston [HBJ]
- Post Oak Construction Nears Finalization, but Bus Lane Roadblocks Threaten To Push Final Route 3 Years Past Original Completion Date [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
- Ethically-Sourced International Jeweler Settles into Upper Kirby Location at 3300 Kirby Dr. [Culturemap]
- New Low-Cost Community Dental Clinic Opening In Southwest Houston on Wilcrest Dr. [Houston Public Media]
- Apartment Developer Planning New Midrise Alexan Lynn Park near Weslayan and Alabama [HBJ ($)]
Photo of 609 Main St.: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- Judge Delays Fort Bend ISD’s Request to Move the 95 Bodies It Dug Up by Accident [Houston Public Media; previously on Swamplot]
- Rice University to Build Faculty House That’ll Double as Student Gathering Space [HBJ ($)]
- Former Uchi Chefs Host Sneak-Peek Pop-Ups of Forthcoming New Sushi Restaurant Handies Douzo [Eater]
- Improved Brays Bayou Bridges Aim for Flood Control with Higher, Wider Spans [Houston Public Media]
- International HVAC Manufacturing Company Heading to Greenspoint [Houston Chronicle]
- Beemac Trucking Opens 2 New Houston-Area Terminals To Serve as Southern Headquarters [AP News]
- Full Restoration of Historic Third Ward John Biggers Mural Delayed as Building’s Leaky Roof Takes Precedence [Houston Chronicle]
- Snooze AM Eatery Galleria Location’s Dec. 12th Opening Is Sooner than Expected [Eater]
- Discount Grocer Joe V’s Smart Shop Slated for Dec. 12th Pasadena Opening [Houston Chronicle]
- Spring ISD Unveils Design for 3 Planned 9th Grade Centers [Patch]
Photo of Rice University at The Medical Center: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- Firm Behind Market Square Park Tapped to Design New Downtown Houston Park [HBJ; previously on Swamplot]
- UH President to Present Board with Two Potential Sites of New Medical School [Houston Chronicle]
- Studies Suggest Downtown Skyscrapers, Metro Land Development Exacerbated Harvey Flooding [News and Tribune]
- Vacation Rental Management Company Partners with Developers and Property Managers to Make Vacant Units Airbnb-Ready [Houston Chronicle]
- Katy Boardwalk District to Break Ground on First of Two Apartment Complexes in Early 2019 [Community Impact]
- Fulshear, West U, Highland Village, Friendswood Among Top 50 Safest Cities in Texas [Houston Chronicle]
- Spicy Wings and Boba Tea Chain Coming to Westchase in April 2019 [Eater]
- Restaurateur Behind Reef, El Real Opening Washington Ave. BYOB Beer and Wine Spot near Timbergrove [Houston Chronicle]
- Green Space, Trees Prioritized in Woodlands Development [Community Impact]
- Orangetheory Fitness Adds 18th Houston Location on Louisiana St. in Midtown [Houston Chronicle]
Photo of Market Square Park: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- Six Weeks After Flood Bond Passage, More Than $1.4B-Worth of Projects Are in the Works Around Houston [Houston Chronicle]
- Pulte Group Planning Gated Townhome Community Near Oak Forest [HBJ ($)]
- Spec Distribution Space Underway in Bayport North Industrial Park [HBJ ($)]
- Lakeside Estate in Fort Bend County Going to Auction Starting at $1.8M [HBJ]
- Design Store Rejuvenation Opening First Houston Location Oct. 18 in Uptown Park [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
- New Springwoods Village Marriott Adds Restaurant Dubbed SwitcHouse Plates & Pours [Eater Houston]
- New Orleans-Based Neyow’s Creole Cafe Sets Its Sights on Former Beaucoup Bar & Grill on Richmond Near Hillcroft [Eater Houston]
- Levy Park Wins International Award from Urban Land Institute [Houston Public Media]
- Two Giant Hives of ‘Killer’ Bees Removed from Braeburn Home in Southwest Houston [Houston Chronicle]
Photo of mural by Ana Marietta on the Dramatika Custom Framing building at 331 W. 19th St., painted as part of the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse program: Bill Barfield via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- In the Year After Harvey, 1 in 5 New Homes Permitted in Houston Is in a Floodplain [Houston Chronicle ($)]
- Developer Allen Harrison Buys 7-Acre Tract Near Timbergrove for Apartments [HBJ ($)]
- Early Redevelopment Plans for the Former Chevron Office Campus in Bellaire [Houston Chronicle]
- Coworking Space Vinegar Hill Houston To Take Over Original Beaver’s on Decatur St. Next Month [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
- Noodle House Mian Planned for Bellaire Blvd. in Asiatown [Eater Houston]
- California-Based Churned Creamery Opening in Sugar Land on Saturday [Eater Houston]
- Sneak Peek at the New Midtown Bars Jack & Ginger’s and 77 Degrees [Culturemap]
- The Historian That Saved Thousands of Historic Houston Photos During Harvey [Click2Houston]
Photo of 1002 Woodland St., Woodland Heights: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- MARS Properties Breaks Ground on High Point West Industrial Distribution Center in Katy [Realty News Report]
- West University Home with Full-Size Gymnasium Hits the Market [Houston Chronicle]
- Danton’s Seafood Trading Longtime Montrose Home for Former Mockingbird Bistro Space [Eater Houston]
- Adair Concepts To Take Over Cafe Space in Evelyn’s Park, Debut New Concept [HBJ]
- DFW-Based Pizzeria Chain i Fratelli Coming to Houston [Eater Houston]
- Why Downtown Houston Has So Many Food Halls [Bisnow]
- Bayou Greenways Unveils Mason Park Bike and Pedestrian Bridge in the East End [Houston Public Media]
- Study Finds 30% of Parking Spots Go Unused During Peak Workday Times [Houston Chronicle]
- PARK(ing) Day To Take Over McKinney Street Downtown Today [Culturemap]
- New Harvey Documentary ‘Changed’ Follows West Houston Families in the Aftermath of the Flooding [Houstonia]
Photo: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- $170M, 1,800-Acre Solar Farm Planned Near Orchard in Fort Bend County [HBJ]
- Kroger To Open Sugar Land Store in The Village at Riverstone [HBJ]
- Uptown Park Getting First Texas Location of Williams-Sonoma’s Rejuvenation This Year [HBJ]
- Original Beaver’s To Close, Reopen in a Couple Months with as Something Different [Houston Chronicle]
- Harris County Commissioners Approve First 14 Flood-Control Projects [abc13]
- Houston’s Tourism Industry a Year After Hurricane Harvey [New York Times ($)]
- How Houston’s Floodplain Ordinance Could Negatively Affect Low-Income Communities [Houston Public Media]
- Texas Congressional Candidates Making Harvey a Key Issue [The Texas Tribune]
- Houston Flood Museum Now Live Online [Houstonia]
- Zillow: Houston Homeowners Have More Than $10,000 in Hidden Costs Per Year [Houston Chronicle]
Photo of The Mondrian: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- Harris County Voters Overwhelmingly Pass $2.5B Bond for Flood-Control Projects [The Texas Tribune]
- An Assessment of Houston’s Restaurant Scene a Year After Hurricane Harvey [Eater Houston]
- Kashmere and Trinity Gardens One Year After Harvey [OffCite]
- Hurricane Harvey Is Houston’s Unending Nightmare [The Atlantic]
- Harvey-Inspired Movie Scheduled To Premiere Sept. 22 [Houston Chronicle]
- New Documentary ‘Harvey’s Heroes’ Captures 5 Weeks of Hurricane’s Wake [Houstonia]
- $2.65M Woodlands Mansion Sells After ‘Unusual’ Listing Period of 15 Days [Houston Chronicle]
- Korean Shaved Ice Shop Sul Bing Su Opens in Katy Asiatown [Eater Houston]
- Montrose Restaurant Vibrant Debuts Today [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot]
- Cherry Pie Hospitality Closes Petite Sweets in H-E-B-Owned Upper Kirby Property [HBJ; previously on Swamplot]
- MFAH Replacing Stickers That Damaged Museum Property, Sculptures with Reusable Tags [Houstonia; previously on Swamplot]
Photo of Braes Heights: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
- One in 5 Apartments Damaged During Harvey Are Still Not Restored, According to ApartmentData.com [HBJ ($)]
- Houston Home of TLC’s ‘Little Couple’ Under Contract To Sell After Multiple Price Cuts [HBJ; previously on Swamplot]
- There’s ‘Incredible’ Interest in Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages’ West University Place Property [HBJ ($)]
- $50M H-E-B-Anchored Mixed-Use Development Planned for Kingwood [Realty News Report]
- Harris County Commissioners Formally Approve 237-Item Project List for Flood Control Bond [Houston Public Media; previously on Swamplot]
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in ‘Early Stages’ of Planning Plan for Former AstroWorld Land [HBJ]
Photo of Carruth Pedestrian Bridge: Marc Longoria via Swamplot Flickr Pool
Headlines
WHAT’S ON THE TABLE IN HARRIS COUNTY’S FLOOD BOND MEGA VOTE, STARTING TOMORROW
Included in the flood control bond package county residents are about to start voting on: $1.2 billion for channel improvements, $401 million for detention basins, $242 million for floodplain land purchases, $184 million (coupled with $500 million in outside funding) for 3,600 home buyouts, $12.5 million for new floodplain mapping, and $1.25 million for a better flood warning system — according to totals the Chronicle’s Zach Despart summed up from the master list of 237 individual projects. Not included: money for a third reservoir, although $750,000 is on the table to help the Army Corps study the possibility of one. Taken together, the $2.5 billion proposal‘s price tag is more than 20 times the Harris County Flood Control District’s annual budget of $120 million. Voting wraps up on Saturday, August 25, the anniversary of Harvey’s arrival in Houston. [Houston Chronicle ($); full list (PDF); previously on Swamplot] Photo of flooding at Creech Elementary School, 4242 S. Mason Rd., Katy:: Breta Gatlin
