Headlines

• ‘Good Portion’ of the 7B Gallons of Water Used Annually by Woodlands Residents Is Wasted, Says Agency [Courier of Montgomery County]
• Bomb-Like Object Spotted in Water That Prompted Closure of the Kemah Boardwalk Marina Yesterday Was a ‘Military Training Device’ [Houston Chronicle]
• Galveston To Enact Drought Plans Limiting Water Use Starting Friday [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Led By TxDOT, Composting Practice Gains Steam in Houston [Houston Chronicle ($)]

Photo of Market Square Clock: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Christmas Day Storm Knocks Out Power to Tens of Thousands in Houston Area [Houston Chronicle]
• High Winds Topple Trees Killed in Drought [KHOU]
• Equitas Commercial Real Estate Holdings Purchases 2 Office Buildings Close to River Oaks [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Igloo Will Have Nearly 2M SF of Space in Katy Once New Giant Warehouse To Store Coolers for Summer Is Complete [Houston Business Journal]
• River Oaks’ Briar Club Planning 42-Month, $22.5M Renovation Project [Houston Business Journal]
• Valentine’s Day Opening for Vintage Park’s Alamo Drafthouse [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot]
• Midtown’s Historic Bermac Building To Be Converted into Artists Studios, Offices [Glasstire]
• Brooklyn Athletic Club Set To Open Today at Zimm’s Little Deck Space on Richmond, Offering 2 Dining Concepts in 1 [29-95.com]
• OKRA’s Charity-Funding Bar in Former Red Cat Jazz Café’s Downtown Location Now Open for Reals [Eating Our Words]
• Metro Exploring Potential Corporate Partnerships, Advertising That Could Brand Routes, Lines, Stops [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Some Bikers Ignore an Ordinance That Banishes Bikes from a Stretch of Memorial Dr. [StateImpact Texas]
• 12-Foot Cross in Tomball’s Spring Creek Park Draws Criticism [Houston Chronicle]
• Sugar Land Town Square — A Downtown Planted on 32 Acres of Suburban Land — A Finalist for Urban Land Institute Award [Houston Chronicle]
• Midtown’s Mongoose Versus Cobra To Be Recognized for Its ‘Interesting Interpretation of Preservation’ [Houston Chronicle ($)]

Photo of Pennington storm damage: KHOU

• M.D. Anderson Purchases 35 Acres Along I-10 Between Eldridge, Texas 6 for ‘Comprehensive Campus’ [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• UTMB Preparing $90M Expansion of Its Victory Lakes Facilities [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• November Building Contracts Up More than 30% from Same Time Last Year, Finds McGraw-Hill Report [KUHF]
• Blacksmith Coffee Bar Shooting for New Year’s Day Opening in Former Mary’s Spot on Westheimer [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
• Calliope’s Po-Boy Renamed the Cajun Stop, Expanding Next Door to East Downtown Restaurant for Party Space [Eating Our Words]
• UPDATE: The Davenport in Shepherd Plaza Not Closed, Just Incommunicado for a While [Eating Our Words]
• Traffic Montrose Area’s Biggest Concern for 2013, Thanks to New Apartments, Buffalo Bayou Developments, New Yale St. Walmart, Says Neartown Association [Ultimate Heights News]
• Metro Senior VP Tom Lambert Filling in as Interim CEO [KUHF]
• Texas Top State for Relocation 8 Times Running, Finds Allied Van Lines Magnet States Study [Houston Business Journal]
• Houston, Texas On Pace for Warmest Years On Record [SciGuy]
• NASA Fielding Hundreds of Calls from People Worried About the End of the World [Houston Chronicle]

Photo of Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• ‘Grand Opening’ for Long-Promised Middle-Income Housing Development in Galveston’s West End [Galveston County Daily News]
• Month-Long Demolition of Blighted Inwood Oaks Apartments Begins [Houston Chronicle]
• GHCVB’s Latest Print Advertising Campaign Says ‘Houston Is Hip’ [Culturemap]
• BikeScore.com Tells You How Bike Friendly Your Address Is [The Highwayman]
• Chevron Houston Marathon Running Though West U on Jan. 13 [InstantNewsWestU.com]
• 10 New Art Pieces Installed in Hobby Airport ‘Lobby’ [Hair Balls]
• Apple Breaks Ground on New 1M SF Austin Campus; Will Be More ‘Terrestrial’ Than Cupertino Headquarters [Wired]

Photo: Justin Cozart [license]

• Single-Family Sales Up 27.3% Over Last Year, Housing Inventory at Lowest Levels in 12 Years, Says HAR Report [Prime Property]
• Not Just on Allen Pkwy.: 500 New AIG Logos Going Back Up Nationwide [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot]
• Empty for Months, New Steak ’n Shake at I-45, Magnolia Opening on January 31 [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• $600K to $800K Windfall for Galveston Public Beach Projects Thanks to Open Beach Ruling [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• 20-Foot Inflatable Santa Stolen from Outside Pasadena Salon [abc13]
• Slideshow: The 10 Texas License Plates Up for Auction Next Month [Houston Business Journal]
• 5 Homes in River Oaks, 1 in Glenbrook Valley Named Historic Landmarks [Memorial Examiner]
• Glenbrook Valley Home Restored to its 1950s Mod Glory, from Lighting Fixtures and Hardware to Flooring and Cabinetry [Culturemap]

Photo of Mini mount, yesterday at Kirby at Richton: Loves Swamplot

• Hotel Derek’s $4.5M Renovation Project To Incorporate Materials That Reflect Its ‘Indigenous Surroundings’ [Houston Business Journal]
• Rush To Build Far-Flung Master-Planned Communities Around Houston Qualifies the City as a Hot Residential Market [Houston Business Journal ($)]
• Construction Begins on $5M Navigation Blvd. Beautification Project; To Include Pedestrian Promenade, Esplanade, Possible Revived Streetcar [KUHF]
• Johnson Space Center’s Take on ‘Gangnam Style’ Video Not as Embarrassing as Other Parodies [Culturemap]
• Metro CEO George Greanias Stepping Down Before End of Year [The Highwayman]
• Rice’s ‘Twilight Epiphany’ Included in List of ‘Most Talked About’ Buildings of 2012 [Atlantic Cities; previously on Swamplot]

Photo of Ben Milam Hotel demo aftermath: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• California-Based REIT Buys West Loop I, II Office Complex in Bellaire for Undisclosed Amount [Houston Chronicle]
• City Still Looking To Expand ‘Urban Development’ Rules Beyond the Loop; Council Committee To Discuss Changes Next Month [Houston Chronicle ($); previously on Swamplot]
• TxDOT To Explore Extending 249 to Navasota for Houston-to-College Station Highway [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Galveston Could Get $13.5M in Federal Money To Expand Beaches in Front of Seawall [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Former TGI Friday’s on 290 near Pinemont Gutted, Outfitted with More Than 90 Hi-Def TVs for New Twin Peaks [Eater Houston]
• More Than 1 Year After Ordinance, 33 Restaurants Now Have Dog-Friendly Patios [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
• Modern Home Tour Stops in Houston on January 26 [PRWeb]

Photo of Allen Pkwy.: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Mission Cos. Acquires Office Building at Gulf Fwy. and Beltway 8 from Capital Commercial Investments for Undisclosed Amount [Houston Business Journal]
• Scott Gertner’s Newest Sky Bar Now Open on Top of Houston Pavilions; No Polo Boots Allowed [Eating Our Words; previously on Swamplot]
• Eatsie Boys Cafe in Old Kraftsmen Space on Montrose Now Open [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
• Council Approves Contract with 2 Vendors for Paid Seawall Parking Plan [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Toll Prices Set for Segments of Grand Pkwy.: Katy to Cypress Will Start at $7.19. [The Highwayman]
• Driver’s License Mega Center in Former Albertson’s in Spring Opens Today, Along with One in Rosenberg [KHOU]
• ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Budget Cuts Would Cost Houston More Than 5,000 NASA Jobs, Claims Report [Houston Business Journal]
• CityCentre’s Hotel Sorella Ranks as Second-Best Place To Stay in Texas [Condé Nast Traveler via Houston Business Journal]
• Four Glenbrook Valley Homes Open for ‘Mod of the Month’ Tour Sunday [HAIF]

Photo of Med Center: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Developer Wins $138M in Incentives To Build 1,000-Room Downtown Marriott Marquis Hotel [Houston Chronicle]
• Council Approves Pilot Washington Ave ‘Parking Benefit District’ with Meters for 350 Spaces, Expanded Residential Permits [Houston Chronicle]
• Houston Light Rail Efforts, Grand Parkway Make Sierra Club’s List of Best, Worst Transportation Projects Nationwide [The Highwayman]
• Noise Mitigation a Concern in US-290 Expansion, Say Jersey Village Residents [Cypress Creek Mirror]
• Slideshow: A Tour of the Light Rail Expansion’s Progress [Hair Balls]
• Privately Owned RV Park Approved for Seawolf Park [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Shocking: Security Camera Catches Copper Thief’s Big Jolt During Robbery Attempt at Village of Harvest Bend Church [abc13]
• Tony Vallone Consulting on Vallone’s, a Steakhouse Opening in Gateway Memorial City Next Fall [Houston Business Journal]
• Texas Expecting Continued Big Growth in Restaurant Sales Next Year [Houston Business Journal]

Photo of Midtown Spec’s: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Visitors View Houston as Culinary, Arts Capital of Texas, Finds GHCVB Survey [Houston Chronicle]
• City Council To Vote on $138M in Incentives for Downtown Marriott Marquis Project [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Catastrophic Theatre To Take Over Diverseworks’ Old Space North of Downtown [Culturemap; previously on Swamplot]
• Pilot Program Growing Beach Grass To Stop Erosion, Create Green Space [Galveston County Daily News]
• Not Just ‘HOUSTON’: State Auctioning Off Right To ‘DYNAMO’ Vanity License Plate Next Month [Hair Balls]
• Deadline for Comments on Inner Loop Mobility Plan Extended a Week [Houston Tomorrow]
• Landowner in Douglass, 160 mi. North of Houston, Wins Restraining Order Temporarily Halting Keystone XL Pipeline [AP; previously on Swamplot]
• Montrose Home on Avondale Near Westheimer an ‘Architectural Mess’ [Curbed National; previously on Swamplot]

Photo of Momentum Audi, 59 at Greenbriar (previously on Swamplot): Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• 8-Week Robertson Stadium Demolition To Be Captured on Time-Lapse Webcam [EarthCam via KHOU]
• Houston Area’s Nonresidential Contract Values Up 44 Percent from October 2011 [Houston Business Journal]
• Apffel Park Pavilion Destroyed By Ike To Reopen in January After $1.6M Project [Galveston County Daily News]
• Schlitterbahn in Talks to Purchase Galveston Health and Racquet Club Land for ‘Waterpark Activities’ [Galveston County Daily News]
• League City Considering Moratorium on Amendments to Historic District [Galveston County Daily News]
• TxDOT Holding Public Meetings on 290 Toll Lanes in Houston, Cypress This Week [Cypress Creek Mirror]
• Hip Hop Artist Reveals Modular’s Joshua Martinez Opening 2 Downtown Restaurants [Eater Houston]
• Houston Restaurant Forecast for 2013 [Eating Our Words]
• Giant Vuvuzela Sculpture Planned for Art League Houston Sometime Next Year [The Great God Pan Is Dead]
• Bellaire Town Square Great Lawn Design To Feature New Performance Pavilion [Bellaire Examiner]
• Slideshow: Architecture Center of Houston’s Annual Gingerbread Build-Off [Houston Press]

Photo of Robertson Stadium demo: KHOU

• Heights Hospital Reopens as St. Joseph Hospital, Brings Back Emergency Services [KUHF]
• Houston Airport System To Bid Out Design for Terminal D Overhaul Early Next Year [Houston Chronicle]
• Katy Area Economic Development Council CEO: ‘There’s Dirt Flying Everywhere’ [Houston Business Journal]
• Disney Magic Leaving Port of Galveston in 2013 [KHOU]
• Dickinson Now Ready To Make Additional Round of Street Repairs in Ike Disaster Recovery Efforts [Galveston County Daily News]
• B-Cycle Expansion Behind Schedule; Plans To Offer 175 Bikes at 23 Locations by Mid-2013 [Houston Chronicle ($); previously on Swamplot]
• Galleria Has Had Highest Number of Mall Crimes So Far This Month, Followed by Greenspoint, Willowbrook [abc13]
• Notable Restaurant Closings of 2012 [Eating Our Words]
• The Office Building Is This Season’s Hot Item [Houston Chronicle]
• The Story Behind Discovery Green’s TV Screen Christmas Tree [Houston Chronicle ($)]

Photo of housemoving, W. 24th St.: Loves Swamplot

• Kansas Firm Layne Christensen Getting $1.3M State Incentive To Relocate to The Woodlands [Prime Property]
• Houston’s Smaller-Apartment Boom Powered by People in 20s, 30s Finally Leaving Their Parents’ Homes [New York Times]
• 7-Story Audi Dealership To Open Next Summer on Southwest Fwy. in Inner Loop [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot]
• Maggie Rita’s-Rebranded Mama Ninfa’s at Kirby and Richmond Closed [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot]
• Metro Rail Work To Close Main Street from Prairie to Walker, Stop Rail Service North of Downtown Transit Center This Weekend [The Highwayman]
• Census’s American Community Survey Provides New Data For Houston Metro Area by ZIP Code [KUHF]
• Despite Heat, Bad Smell, Houston One of Most Dynamic Cities in the US [Investment News (registration required) via Culturemap]
• Bible Tracts Slipped into Houston Press Papers with Atheism Cover Story Outside Oak Forest Post Office [Hair Balls]
• NASA Veterans Plan Return Trip to Moon by 2020 with New Private Company Based in Colorado {NASA Spaceflight]

Video: Golden Spike

• Ben Milam Hotel Downtown To Be Dynamited at 12:30 p.m. This Sunday [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot]
• California REIT Buys 1800 West Loop South Office Tower for Undisclosed Amount [Houston Business Journal]
• Fuddruckers May Return to Pre-Ike Location in Galveston [Galveston County Daily News]
• HISD Announces Timeline for 40 Schools Being Built or Renovated After $1.89B Bond Vote [Click2Houston]
• New ExxonMobil Campus Will Put Strain on Area Hotels, Says Woodlands Waterway Marriott Manager [Spring Observer]
• Tiny Germantown, Just East of Woodland Heights, Voted Houston’s Newest Historic District [Culturemap]
• City Council Delays Washington Ave Parking Plan Vote a Week To Get More Public Input [KUHF]
• Transportation the No. 1 Issue Facing The Woodlands Township, Says Local Official [Woodlands Villager]
• Months After Installation Complete, Consumers May Be Able To Opt Out of Smart Meters [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Houston Has More Burglaries Than Any Other City in America, Finds SimpliSafe.com Survey [Hair Balls]
• Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene Buying Ad Space on Public School Buses [Inman News]
• Greater Houston Partnership Campaign To Focus on Improving Houston’s Image Nationally, Globally [Houston Chronicle]
• 18th Century Bordeaux Chateau Demolished ‘In Error’ [French-Property.com]

Photo of Ben Milam Hotel: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Dallas-based Invesco Real Estate Buying Williams Tower for $420M, Reports Real Estate Alert [Prime Property]
• Houston Real Estate Market Likely To Survive Fall from Fiscal Cliff, Finds RealtyPin.com Report [Prime Property]
• A Boom in Houston Is Led by the Energy Industry [New York Times]
• Galleria, Memorial City, Brazos Town Center Rank Among 50 Biggest Shopping Malls in the Country [Houston Business Journal]
• Metro Officials Talk as if University Line Will Happen [The Highwayman]
• Corps of Engineers To Develop Mathematical Model To Tame Galveston’s Shifting Sand [Houston Chronicle]
• Harris County Bans Sale, Use of 2 Types of Common Fireworks as Drought Returns [Houston Chronicle]
• Loose Goat Causes Commotion at Middle School Campus in Kashmere Gardens [Click2Houston]
• New Downtown Houston ‘Cultural Heritage Center’ Would Boost Galveston Tourism, Say Backers [Galveston County Daily News]
• Final Inner West Loop Mobility Study Public Meeting Next Tuesday [HAIF]

Photo of W. Parkwood Ave. gas station, Friendswood: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool