This photo shows 6th St. between Allston and Yale, the street that would more than likely be pressed into service for the 2 Alexan-brand apartment midrises that Trammell Crow has said it plans to build here. Alexan Heights, the first of the 5-story, 300-odd-unit complexes to be announced, would take up much of the lot to the north to the hike and bike trail near 7th; Alexan Yale, the second, which neighbors seem to have found out about just last week, would take up much of the lot to the south to 5th. The photos below walk you around the lots in question:
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That’s the northeast corner of Allston and 6th. You can see one of the surveying stakes still standing.
The view below looks north on narrow Allston:
Below: A row of homes facing Allston, at least one of which looks ready to be demolished:
North of that home and south of the hike and bike stands an empty lot scattered with trees:
The northern boundary is the hike and bike trail . . .
. . . that stretches east across Yale:
Turning to head south on Yale, you can see what appears to be an overflow parking lot for Pappas delivery trucks:
The “sidewalk” along Yale:
Continuing south on Yale and crossing 6th, you can see Fixtures International, which the Leader reports would be demolished to make room for Alexan Yale:
That storefront is fairly hidden by these trees:
That view shows the rear of Fixtures International at 5th.
Heading west on 5th, you bump into this little hidden house . . .
. . . and this sign at the dead end of Allston:
Heading north again on Allston you can see another row of homes backing up to Fixtures International buildings:
This shows the southeast corner of Allston and 6th:
- More luxury high rise apartments planned for Heights [abc13]
- Growing Pains: Heights Residents Concerned About Second Proposed Apartment Complex [Hair Balls]
- Previously on Swamplot: A Second Midrise Alexan Planned Right Beside the First One on Yale, A Land Use Counterattack from the Yale St. Alexan Heights, Stealing a Glance at Proposed Alexan Heights on Yale, Heights Lot Prepared for Midrise Apartments
Photos: Allyn West
They’d better not even think about taking those oaks down on Yale.
The oaks are definitely coming down sooner or later… if they’re on private property they’d have to be cut down to improve sidewalks and drainage, if they’re in the city ROW then the city will have to update the street very soon anyway and the trees are in the way.
I think it’s kinda funny that five years ago, people in the older homes were against the townhomes being built in the Heights. Now the people in the townhomes are upset about the apartments being built in the Heights. I live in the area too, and since I can’t afford to buy the lot, I can’t complain about what’s being built there. We are a city without zoning regulation and a track record of tearing down the old to make way for new. THAT’S our tradition.
I do believe that the yellowish bungalow is the hold out and will not be demolished. Also, the sign at the end of Allston is a notice that TC is going to ask the JRC to sell that stretch of Allston to TC. I suspect that they want the road to dead end into their garage or build apartments across Allston by 5th. They really need to do the opposite and connect Allston to 5th street to take pressure off traffic on 6th street, which will get jammed with left turn traffic.
One more thing, I do believe there are plans for a town home cluster thingy a la Shady Acres at the SE corner of Allston and 6th St. (last two pictures). Pretty sure I saw plans for a replat go to the planning commission last time around. Lots of junk going in this corner of the Heights.
Of the top 10 metro areas in the country, I can’t think of 1 that would have this level of antiquated streets and sidewalks within 4 miles of downtown. Well, maybe South Dallas…
Even the majority of South Dallas has curbs and gutters.
I also think Allston should be connected to 5th, not abandoned by the City.
Not exactly sure what happens if it is abandoned, but I think they can tear it up and build on it (if they own it).
I know the residents in this neighborhood would invest in it if given the opportunity but some stuff does not list on LoopNet or MLS. I heard just today of a resident who made over a full price as-is offer on a property with two historic homes on Yale, two blocks from that site, and the offer was rejected because the owner wants to sell to a developer. So sad for our neighborhood.
Hate the idea of BOTH apartments but there is nothing to do about it. BUT could we please have decent timing on the North/South lights on both Yale and Heights. With all the additional traffic getting past I10 is ridiculous. The intesections are HORRIBLE. I’ve called 311 and hope others do also.
$70k a year in taxes, ey? Just start your own religious cult which involves strippers and have monthly “meetings” in the pool, tax problem solved.
Dang, wrong tab was open, don’t you hate when that happens.
Bend over, Yale…
Only silver lining here is this will adversely affect the values of the shitty townhouse clusters currently being built or planned on Allston and Rutland. Couldn’t happen to a worse person/developer.
Thanks for a peak into your soul, common sense.
Looking at the photos, I cannot begin to fathom why someone might be against large-scale development here. It’s ugly, very-low-density, post-industrial, and in a very strategic location within the context of the city without being unwieldy to the neighborhood.
Maybe it’s because this developmemt isn’t going to be built on an island and will effect the surrounding area beyond thst photographed.
Mel, I understand your frustration. I can understand wanting to preserve the historic nature of the Heights. But you can’t build a wall around it. I agree with Niche, if there is any spot in that general area that makes sense for multi-family development, this is it.
Yeah Mel, so I agree with you that there will be an impact, but I cannot fathom any consequential adverse impact. This is probably, literally, the least adverse place within the Greater Heights for dense development to be sited.
It’s very frustrating.
But, rather than complain about it here or troll HAIF, I am trying to do something about it.
No the Heights isn’t dense enough already, oh please build more lousy towering apartments — which is just what they need more density. Can’t wait for the roads to be parking lots on the weekends, that sounds lovely.
The Heights is the only walkable area in Houston, so I suggest walking or getting on a bike during the weekend and enjoying the retail/restaurants that density provides. Apartments provide enough density for walkable streets – 2,600sf townhomes with 2-car garages do not.
This IS Houston: unless YOU have a pile of money to buy up vacant tracts of land, the players with the deep pockets win. The traffic sucks but not as bad as NYC,LA or Mexico City. Those locales make Houston traffic seem like a breeze.Of course, our f’d up City COULD time the lights correctly.But that is way too much to ask of “Let’s Do it Half-Ass,Which Is Better Than Not At All” City of Houston government. The COH is beholden to the ABCDE’s: Architects,Builders,Contractors,Developers& Engineers. That’s who makes the HUGE campaign “contributions” . City administrations always bend over for the big bucks fat cats. Not us the VOTING citizens. And that IS Houston, people. As disgusting as it is,that IS the reality. It stinks to high heaven.But until something better comes along,deal with it. Either effect change or get involved and try to improve situations that are sucky!!!
So says afl, who has never been to Montrose, Mid-Town, downtown, greenway plaza…
@ afl
The Heights is the *only* walkable area in Houston? Head on down to Montrose & the Museum District on your bike some weekend. . .
Going to be great for business at Dry Creek!
Apartments provide enough density for walkable streets – 2,600sf townhomes with 2-car garages do not.
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Why can’t one walk down a street with houses?
Yikes! Yale traffic will be a nightmare. I will have to go back to cutting through the Kroger strip center to access I- 10 west.
You must embrace density! Best way to manage it and maintain character of a neighborhood, is… unfortunately… zoning! I know a scary word to native Houstonians, but by focusing this pent-up demand for housing/business to specific growth corridors you can build a city that allows for density, build better transportation infrastructure along these corridors (e.g. Metrorail), but also maintains neighborhood character. I know it’s almost a moot point to argue for zoning in this city, but I would see Yale as a great place for a “growth corridor” in the Heights. So IMO, this development is in a good spot, but we just need to pressure the city to ensure transportation options are reviewed and improved in the area to handle the development.
Anyone know what power or ability we have as Houstonians to pressure to city to do transportation studies around new developments? Or is this already a requirement by the builder?
Traffic impact studies are already required by the City.
Regardless, traffic and parking impacts should not be a reason to deny someone the right to develop, especially in the urban core where you’ve got a decent street grid (despite assertions by others to the contrary).
Any traffic on Yale today, and any additional due to the Trammell Crow project (which won’t be that much, multifamily just doesn’t generate that much site-specific traffic), is still far less bad that what is suffered on many or most of Houston’s busy suburban thoroughfares. I don’t see why Heights folks think they should get to limit development within and adjacent to the area as if to preserve the district as a low-density suburb, even though that may be its heritage. It’s no more special than anywhere else in Houston.
Those trees were planted by Trees for Houston over 20 years ago on the city right of way with the hopes that Yale would one day be as shaded as the streets of West U…..unfortunately the Walmart development took down every one of them in their way :-/ We don’t want to lose any more, thank you! BTW TC wants the city to abandon the lower half of Allston that connects to 5th, leaving those that live on the rest of the block only one way off their street…and causing such a traffic cluster f**k that Yale will be downright impossible!
Plenty of room for some high end single family homes. Why not?
Maureen – Allston does not connect to 5th Street. It dead ends at a culvert.
Living a few blocks away, I just walked my dogs around this whole area. There are already some hi-end town-homes on a few lots in this areas, so I am not sure how this apartment ‘block’ will fit around them. It is a real shame that one of the last big green spaces along the bike-path will become concrete. I do agree that of all the areas in the Heights, this is pretty much a hodge-podge, and tasteful development with lots of TREES, green spaces would be an improvement. Much of this land is in the Flood zone anyway…just look at the flood zone maps. This is Houston but is is NOT what “WE” do…this area used to be more laid back and not the vehicle of enrichment for big rich developers who often lie about what they are going to provide. Just look at Wallmart…they promised in that big meeting that the architecture of Wallmart was going to fit into the Heights,(LOL) and the extension of the Boulevard was going to be a lovey green space with trees etc. What BS!! Now we have the same old everywhere in America strip centers, and huge apartment blocks. And the traffic is truly a nightmare. Who is mandating that we need more density and less green spaces, like gardens where children can play? Follow the money trail.
So Maureen, the eight to ten homes on that block will create a monumental jam by having to drive a maximum of 250 feet to 6th Street? How is that so different from any cul-de-sac in Houston? Plus trees grow fairly fast here. Remember all that drama about the oaks lost on Kirby and now there are a ton of trees in its place. That whole section of The Heights is a blight–if Bissonnet can support the Ashby high rise, Yale can support some apartment complex.
I don’t know why this is even being discussed. Nothing we say happens anyway, its all about money. No one wanted the crappola Walmart to be built, but behold it was and look at the traffic mess it brought, not to mention the clientele.
#31, #33:
While it IS possible to drive South on Allston and get to 5th and eventually Yale, strictly speaking, 5th and Allston are not connected. You have to cut through the driveway of the warehouse on the western block face of Allston.
Presumably, if TC buys that land, they can block that access. The functional result of the city “abandoning” that half-block of Allston will be that 5th St dead-ends not quite a block West of Yale, and Allston dead-ends before reaching 5th, which is exactly what the situation will be if the city DOESN’T cede that portion of Allston.
The only reason to oppose the abondonment of that portion of the street is to limit the potential size of whatever TC wants to build there.
They cut down all the trees along the right of way were fixtures international was… Was that ok??