“We’ve had a lot of angry calls about that tree,” says an Urban Living rep — calls presumably prompted by the sign posted recently here at 2917 Leeland in East Downtown. Renderings aren’t available, though Urban Living tells Swamplot that the designs for 3 Princeton City townhomes are working around the tree. They’ll also have an interesting neighbor:
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Next door, at 2919 Leeland, is “C.R.I.S.P.,” the ketchup-colored signage reads: “Christians Reaching in Special Places.” The li’l building that used to be an art gallery (and service station before that) is now a resale shop, open on Wednesdays.
- Developments [Princeton City Homes]
- C.R.I.S.P. Resale Shop [Facebook]
Photos: Allyn West
“Reaching in special places.” Just let that sink in for a moment…
The only person who should be concerned about the tree is the land owner. Other than that, it’s nobody elses business. If the complainers want a tree, go plant one. It appears to me that the tree is tearing up the sidewalk and the road.
That’s laughable. I can’t tell you how many projects I’ve seen where the developer promises to work around a tree – even going to the Planning Commission to get a variance “to save the tree” in order to get the neighborhood off their back. As soon as construction is well enough along the tree goes away at 6:00 in the morning before anyone can stop them. Let’s be honest – a tree that size is just a gigantic pain in the ass to work around when you’re building townhomes on a lot that size.
Since that tree is between the sidewalk and the street, I’d be willing to bet that it’s in the city right of way. Which means that the owner is all of us.
Houston is certainly not lacking it’s share of Eco-Terrorists. What are they up in arms about, it’s a f-ing tree not an arm, another one will grow back.
Nice tree, but it doesn’t look well groomed. Good luck working around it and not accidently killing it. Live oaks and small spaces don’t get along.
Given the width of that lot, even if the developer successfully designs around the tree, it will be so stressed by the contruction, that it will likely die within a few years anyway. I would MUCH rather the city allow it to be removed, with the requirement that the developer repair the infrastructure damage the tree has caused. Then plant two ROW-approriate trees where this one was. The city gets someone else to foot the bill for its lack of foresight, and the developer won’t waste resources on a tree that wouldn’t make it.
Not really sure how you can live in Houston and not love trees. They’re just about all the nature we’ve got.
I wonder if, years ago, the New York Times would have declared South Blvd. “perhaps the most magnificent residential street in America” had it been lined with “R.O.W. – appropriate” trees like, say, crepe myrtles and Bradford pears.
I ride by that tree from time to time. It is huge, and is cut in half by the power company to keep it from destroying the power lines.
If the developer keeps it, they’ll just cut the branches on their side of the power line and leave it to fall into the road in the next storm that blows through.
It is sad, cause that area of Leeland there’s actually quite a few really huge old trees. I suspect it’s a matter of time before they’re all cut out.
Not many would call me a crazy tree hugger but I love “our” (Houston) old trees. There are tons of them in Westmoreland and neighboring areas of Montrose. It’s awesome to walk around and have all these huge trees.
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I respect peoples right to do what they want with their own properties but I’m also glad so many have decided to keep this guys around.
LOL leave it to Houston where you actually read comments from people who don’t own the property clamoring to have the tree taken down.
“ROW-approriate” trees? So that sounds like no shade to me. Decorative plants are nice, but what’s the point of planting trees along sidewalks and streets which will never provide shade even at maturity?
In a cooler climate, I might be more focused on aesthetics, but without shaded streets, I probably won’t bother walking outside at all for 6 months of the year. In which case, no need to plant anything at all – just widen the road.