Comments on: Buffalo Modern: The New H-E-B in West U

By: Allison

Allison — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:50:02 +0000

Hi, I also live in West U right next to the new HEB and never had any problem with construction noise. Even the traffic on the opening day of the store only caused me about a 5 minute delay to get home (the entrance to my house is off Bissonnet as well) which I thought was awesome for Houston! Ive even shopped at the new HEB and loved my experience. I used to shop at the Kroger across the street but the prices were always so high. It has been made clear to me that the ONLY time Kroger really cares about customers is when they have to (ie competition in the neighborhood). I shopped at that Kroger at least once a week for over a year and never found the employees or the selection something to be excited about. Its only in the last couple of weeks (right before HEB opened) that the employees started being overly helpful and the selection/prices have improved. Personally, I wont give my loyalty to a grocery store (Kroger) who only cares about my business if they have to. I love the new HEB and will continue to shop there!

By: Miz Brooke Smith

Miz Brooke Smith — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:42:32 +0000

JT, you’re being rude.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:28:59 +0000

I’m sure the folks at HEB think you are just some old bag/curmudgeon who’d complain about a bruise on your peach and demand a discount.
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Which is probably better than what most think you are at the moment.

I would imagine when she and the others bought their townhomes they didn’t visualize another Galleria being developed across the street from them.

I thought Bill White was so adamant about traffic impact in our city - it seems he is only adamant about it when partners at Vinson & Elkins complain about it.

Good neighbors are good neighbors. And it sounds like HEB in this case is not a good neighbor.

By: JT

JT — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:48:41 +0000

West U Resident:

Oh wow, you and your neighbors pay an average of $700 yearly to Harris County so
that $1.91 you paid ($700 divided by 365)really makes you a heavyweight. God onlyknows what portion of that goes to the Sheriff’s office.

So the City of West U requested the sheriff’s bozos. So shouldn’t you be all up in the West U city manager’s grizizzle?

Your townhouse is all of what? 10 feet from a divided thoroughfare that even in 1970 when those places were built was a busy commercial street.

Again, shop at Kroger, Randall’s, Rice or Sunny Food Store. I’m sure the folks at HEB think you are just some old bag/curmudgeon who’d complain about a bruise on your peach and demand a discount.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:36:47 +0000

Bissonet is a 4 lane boulevard identified as a major thoroughfare by the City of Houston Planning Commission, not like the section near the museum district.
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There are two Bissonnets?

By: kheatherg

kheatherg — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:29:42 +0000

West U Resident: “SpawGlass is the construction company and they had no control over their subcontractors coming in with heavy equipment at 5 AM.”
You were not clear in your first comment about the source of the noise. Jackhammering before 7 am would piss me off too and I would most definitely complain to someone about it. However, I don’t think your reasons to protest H-E-B are valid. It is SpawGlass and their subcontractor’s obligation to follow code. How is that H-E-B’s fault? And the traffic thing? Well, that’s just another part of city life that you will have to accept. That happens every time something new comes around with a bunch of hype. It happened in San Antonio when they opened the first Krispy Kreme there. People went crazy and traffic was horrendous. I’m sure the hype will die down and traffic will die down along with it. I was serious about the earplugs. I use them and get much better sleep now. You should really try it. Maybe you wouldn’t be so cranky after you get a good night of sleep. ;)

By: West U Resident

West U Resident — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:00:41 +0000

I stand corrected about the noise ordinance being from 7 AM. The noise that was produced was not delivery of the equipment or trucks pulling in. It was the concrete hammer removing the existing concrete to install a new driveway.
Even if I live in West U I still pay taxes to Harris county which in turn pays the salaries of the Sheriff’s dept. So yes, it is my tax dollars being spent to muck up traffic. I also confirmed that HEB is not paying nor did they initiate the request for traffic control. It was West U city that requested this.
Living in a big city does come with noise. I have lived in a big city all my life, so I am aware of the noise levels. Also I reserve the right to protest against excessive noise even if I am the lone voice. Just because others do it, doesn’t make it right. For those advising me to move, have you ever stood up for a principle? It is the principle that matters. Take a look at others who have posted here and in the blog about the opening in this website. You will see that others are bothered by the unnecessary traffic jam caused by the Sheriff’s deputies. Right now I am working on having them removed so that Traffic can return to normal.
kheatherg: thanks for clarification of the noise ordinance - I checked too and 7 AM on weekdays.
Before posting a reply to this comment, Please become familiar with the scenario, all the relevant ordinances and then reply. Let me repeat my points of contention so that everyone who reads this is clear about why I am protesting
1. Actual construction (pounding of the concrete hammers and removal of concrete) was the noise problem, not the increased traffic nor the truck deliveries.
2. Sheriff’s deputies mucked up traffic thus causing huge traffic jams. Again Bissonnet and Buffalo Speedway can handle the increased traffic for sure.
3. The onus was on HEB to have thought about these points and thus I wanted them to take action (which by the way they promised to take immediately and for future stores - in limiting the adverse effect on the community).

So point #3 is already taken care of. From what I am given to understand, HEB will take a look at how their store openings (not the ongoing running of the store- just the opening) will affect the surrounding areas and how they can lessen the impact on traffic.

So anyone wishing to post a reply please be familiar with the issues before asking me to move or quit whining or get ear plugs or making some such off hand remarks.

By: kjb434

kjb434 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:50:42 +0000

Matt,

Bissonet is a 4 lane boulevard identified as a major thoroughfare by the City of Houston Planning Commission, not like the section near the museum district.

By: melanie

melanie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:40:51 +0000

West U resident: see above

By: melanie

melanie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:40:22 +0000

So for God’s sake don’t shop there and quit whining about it. In fact, go live your life inside of West U’s boundaries
and lower your blood pressure.

It is no surprise that ANY rent-a-cop never pays attention to the timing sequence of the lights. It is hardly an HEB conspiracy to ruin your day. Have you ever driven anywhere in Houston where this is not an issue?

So if you live in West U and the store is in Houston, how are you paying taxes? Either HEB is footing the bill or the City of Houston taxpayers are. And how is the noise affecting you unless you live directly across Bissonnet in one of the townhomes? And if you do, that’s your problem for choosing to live on a thoroughfare. I guess the needs of 10 townhome residents outweighs the benefit to an an entire community.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:27:11 +0000

Isn’t it a little too late to protest, since the store is already open. Also, Bissonett is basically a major road, not some side road. You should have thought about it before buying a house on a major road.
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Not according to the residents in Southampton and Boulevard Oaks. It’s just a quiet little two-lane street.

By: kjb434

kjb434 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:10:13 +0000

kheatherg,

another point to add is that the noise ordinance is void performing the project outside of the time limits is more beneficial to the community. Also, many actions are not encompassed by the noise ordinance (which is common in many cities).

Road construction on busy roads (especially TxDOT roads) will always occur in overnight hours if possible for busy roads to speed the project up and avoid traffic.

Westheimer asphalt overlays always occur late at night to avoid traffic. This goes for the segments inside and outside the loop.