Headlines

• High-End Hotel Eyed for Spot Next to McDonald’s at Seawall Blvd. and Broadway [Galveston County Daily News]
• Louis Dreyfus To Take Imperial Sugar Private in $78M Deal [Reuters]
• Free CNG Downtown Bus Service To Launch in June [Prime Property]
• Houston-Area Cities Hire Consultants To Examine METRO Tax Agreement [Houston Tomorrow]
• New Apple Store, Four Other Businesses Fired At on Westheimer [Click2Houston]
• Marijuana Grow Houses on the Rise in Fort Bend [KHOU]
• Reasons To Be Skeptical of High-Speed Rail Between Houston, Dallas, and Austin [Houston Strategies]
• FM 518-Hwy. 35 Intersection Down to Single Lane This Weekend [Pearland Journal]

Photo of Med Center parking lot: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• More Details About Alliance Residential’s Plans for New 272-Unit Apartments at Lakes on Post Oak [River Oaks Examiner]
• Sales of Astrodome Scrap and Memorabilia Might Lower Demolition Cost [Ultimate Astros]
• Sharpstown Poised for Revival, But Still Suffers from Image Problems [Houston Chronicle]
• League City Council Considering Ways To Slow Growth [Galveston County Daily News]
• FM 646 Expanding to 4 Lanes by Next Summer [Galveston County Daily News]
• Houston Ranks Low on List Measuring Level of Public Transportation [Houston Business Journal]
• Noise Violation Citations Down Citywide During First 3 Months of New Ordinance, but Not at Avant Garden [KUHF]
• Galveston Planning Commission To Review Proposed Noise Ordinance [Galveston County Daily News]
• First Season of New Braunfels’s New Tubing Can Ban Underway [KHOU; previously on Swamplot]
• What Did Uchi Do with the Felix Mexican Restaurant Sign? [Culturemap]
• The 5 Oddest AstroWorld Items on eBay Right Now [Hair Balls]

Photo of light rail construction near Live Oak and Texas: lc_db via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Half-Sold Highland Tower Condo Gets 4 New Model Units [Houston Business Journal]
• Marketing Firm Moves into Houston Fire Station No. 6 on Washington Ave. [KUHF]
• New Green Molzan Restaurant in Former Brownstone Space Could Be a Ruggles Revival [Culturemap]
• Real Estate Search Site Estately Launches in Houston, Austin [Texas TechPulse]
• Houston Museum of Natural Science Putting Finishing Touches on New Hall of Paleontology [abc13; previously on Swamplot]
• Mayor Says Hobby Expansion Would Be Good for Houston [Houston Politics]
• Galveston Council Votes To Limit Parking in Neighborhoods Nearest Pleasure Pier [Galveston County Daily News]
• Woodlands Removing Up To 100 Dead Trees a Day [abc13]
• Cops Warn of Teens Partying at East End Park ‘Beach’ [Kingwood Observer]
• Forecasters Predict Quiet Hurricane Season This Year [Click2Houston]
• Short Film Exploring 30 Years of Change in Houston Screens Tonight at Discovery Green [Culturemap]
• Sixth Pink Ribbon House in Hunter’s Creek Village Open for Tours This Weekend [Culturemap]
• 12-ft. Pet Python Goes Missing at Esplanade Apartments near Hermann Park [abc13]

Photo of AXIOM offices, Fire Station 6, 1702 Washington Ave.: KUHF

• All 6,000 Seats Sold for Sugar Land Skeeters’ Opening Tonight at New $37M Stadium [Houston Chronicle]
• New Developer To Begin Construction on Stalled Pearl Brook Estates in Texas City [Galveston County Daily News]
• Opening of Galveston’s Pleasure Pier Slips to After Memorial Day [abc13]
• Average Houston Apartment Rent Down 1.1 Percent Over Past Year, TransUnion Survey Finds [Houston Business Journal]
• League City, Glen Cove Residents Reach Deal in Bridge Lawsuit [Galveston County Daily News]
• Incorporation Could Increase Rates for Most Woodlands MUDs [Woodlands Villager]
• Cova Wine Bar Closes Both Locations [Houston Business Journal]
• Cop’s Car Hit By Falling Concrete Under Highway 59 at Rusk [The Isiah Factor]
• Houston Air Quality Improves Slightly, Though City Still Eighth-Worst for Ozone Pollution in U.S. [Hair Balls]
• Residents Butt Heads with Company over Proposed Waller County Landfill [Cypress Creek Mirror; previously on Swamplot]
• Occupancy Doubles at Houston’s Wildlife Center Following Heavy Rains, High Winds, Hail [Houston Chronicle]
• Houston One of the Buggiest Cities in the U.S. [Huffington Post]
• Houston-Area Real Estate To Star on 2 Reality TV Shows [Tubular; previously on Swamplot]

Photo of Montrose bridge over US-59: Candace Garcia

• 11 Developer Groups Submit Credentials To Build New Hotel Near Convention Center [Houston Business Journal]
• Weyerhaeuser’s Profit on $125M Sale of 3,200-Acre Cross Creek Ranch in Fulshear [Wall Street Journal]
• Wood Partners Will Build 4-Story Apartment Building at Washington Ave and Heights Blvd. [Houston Business Journal]
• Owners of Galveston’s Diamond Beach, Sapphire South Padre Resorts File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy [Galveston County Daily News]
• Slideshow of Progress on 2311 Dunlavy Makeover [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot]
• Inner Loop Townhomes and Patio Homes for Beginners [Houston Chronicle]
• Strong Lease Market in Kingwood [Houston Chronicle]
• Some Council Members Concerned Festivals Turning Tomball into a ‘Party City’ [Tomball Potpourri]
• Recycling Up 200 Percent During First 4 Months of Sugar Land’s New Solid Waste Program [Sugar Land Sun]
• 7 Vintage Houston Police Cars [Hair Balls]

Photo of 610 and Fannin gas station: Gonzvales via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Inside the New Dynamo Stadium’s Locker Room, Suites [Culturemap]
• Houston Top City on EPA’s Green-Powered Organizations List [Houston Business Journal]
• West U City Council Supports Alcohol Permits for City Events [InstantNewsWestU.com]
• South Union, Scott Terrace Residents Tired of Illegal Dumping [abc13]
• U.S. Postal Service Suspends Delivery in Lazy Spring Acres after Dog Attacks [KHOU]
• Video Tour of New Bellfort Early Childhood Center [HISD]
• Local PBS Documentary Provides Introduction to Houston Architecture [Culturemap]

Photo of Dynamo Stadium: Jeromy Murphy

• UTMB Breaks Ground on New $438M Hospital [Galveston Daily News]
• H&M and the Other Retailers Opening in Houston Malls This Summer [Houston Business Journal]
• Montrose Management District Hires Lawyer in Lawsuit Calling for Its Dissolution [River Oaks Examiner; previously on Swamplot]
• League City—Galveston Park-and-Ride Service Starts April 30; First Month Free [Galveston County Daily News]
• Annual Houston Survey Finds More People Wanting To Walk to Work [Houston Chronicle]
• Downtown Bike Share Pilot Program Launches May 2 [CitizensNet; previously on Swamplot]
• Texas Would Save $7 Billion Under New Fuel Efficiency Standards, Finds Report [Transportation Nation]
• Memorial Park Drought Damage Will Be Felt for Several Years [Click2Houston]
• Third of Galveston’s Fire Hydrants Still Need Repairs [Galveston Daily News]
• Sinkhole Closes Brazoria County Bridge [abc13]
• Police Taking Up Public Parking Near Downtown Headquarters with Personal Cars [KHOU]
• Houston Could Surpass Dallas as Distribution Hub, Says Trade Industry Consultant [Houston Business Journal]
• Video: Kayaking Father, Son Reel in Shark off Galveston Island [abc13]

Photo of Jennie Sealy Hospital Site: Candace Garcia

• Average Price of a Texas Acre Rose 3 Percent Last Year [Houston Chronicle]
• The View from the Galleria’s Still-Under-Construction BBVA Compass Plaza [Culturemap]
• ‘Stop Ashby Highrise’ Task Force Not Stopping Yet, Will Discuss Next Steps at Tuesday Meeting [River Oaks Examiner; previously on Swamplot]
• Signage Installed at Sugar Land’s New Constellation Field [Sugar Land Sun]
• Latest Sign of Montrose Yuppification: Fancy French Restaurant in Former X-Rated Video Store [MyFox Houston]
• City Falling Short on Collections of Unpaid Red-Light Fines [abc13]
• Violent Crime on the Rise Again in Houston [Houston Chronicle]
• Slideshow: Bastrop State Park Shows Signs of Rebirth [Texas Tribune]
• Stars of Design Awards Ceremony Honors Houston Architects, Designers, Photographers [Culturemap]
• Sneak Peek at Sunday’s Garden Oaks Home and Garden Tour [Houston Business Journal]

Photo of Sugar Land signage installation: Sugar Land Sun

• Dow Chemical Building New Ethylene Plant in Freeport [Fuel Fix]
• Exiting Galveston After 100 Years, Del Papa Ships First Brews from Texas City Hub [Galveston Daily News]
• Dozens Camp Out for Today’s Opening of Taylor St. Chick-Fil-A [Eating Our Words; previously on Swamplot]
• Post Midtown Phase III Construction Update [InnerLooped; previously on Swamplot]
• Discovery Green Updates Irrigation System, Switches to Hybrid Turf Grass [Art Attack]
• Mayor’s ‘Love Your Block’ Program Handing Out $500 Home Depot Gift Cards [abc13]
• Glen Cove Residents Go to Court over Demolished Bridge [Galveston Daily News]
• Texas Lawmakers Look at Ways To Expand Community Gardens, Urban Farming [Houston Chronicle]
• CREW Houston To Honor 15 Women in Commercial Real Estate [Houston Business Journal]

Photo: Jackson Myers via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Houston Home Sales Rise for 10th Straight Month [Houston Chronicle]
• Late Nite Pie Owner Charged with Arson [abc13; previously on Swamplot]
• Slideshow: First Look Inside Galveston’s Pleasure Pier [Houston Business Journal]
• Marine Arts Group Receives $3.46M To Buy 364-Plus Acres of Galveston Island Land [Galveston County Daily News; previously on Swamplot]
• Federal Funds for Project Brays Slow to a Trickle [Bellaire Examiner]
• Clear Lake Water Authority Taxpayers Will Be Exempt from Houston Drainage Fee [Bay Area Citizen]
• Texas Ave. Lane Closures Through Next Week for Metro Rail Construction [Newswatch]
• Missouri City Signs Off on Contract for Improvements to Lexington Blvd. [Houston Chronicle]
• Hwy. 105 South Bypass Opening Slated for Early June [Cleveland Advocate]
• Landmark Steam Hammers from Galveston’s Cotton History Demolished [Galveston County Daily News]
• Space Shuttle Mockup Leaves Houston [abc13; previously on Swamplot]
• New Study Likely To Challenge $78M Price Tag To Demolish Astrodome [Ultimate Astros]
• Tailgating at Dynamo Stadium First Come, First Served [The Paper Magazine]

Photo of Hwy. 105 south bypass: Jason Fochtman/Cleveland Advocate

• Moody National Pays $12M for Homewood Suites Near New ExxonMobil Campus [GlobeSt.com]
• Most of Houston’s Foreclosure Sales Happened Outside Beltway 8 Last Year [Houston Chronicle]
• Long-Delayed Grand Cay Harbour Development in Texas City To Begin Construction Soon [Galveston County Daily News]
• Developer Scraps Low-Incoming Housing Project in Copperfield Following Community Opposition [abc13]
• City Council Sets Vote on Hobby Expansion for May 16 [Houston Chronicle]
• West Houston High School Turns Library Center into Homage to the Bushes [KUHF]
• Braeswood Place Church Closing Sanctuary for 4 Months To Fix Unstable Foundation [abc13]

Photo of Bayou Lofts: James Ray via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Asia Society Center Uses Japanese Concept of ‘Borrowed Scenery’ in Not-So-Urban, Not-So-Rural Space [Houston Chronicle]
• Owners of 2 Dilapidated East End Apartments Sue City of Galveston for ‘Land Grab’ [Galveston County Daily News]
• Houston Single-Family Home Values Fell by 2.3% Last Year; Database [Houston Chronicle]
• Home Sellers Struggle Outside the Beltway, Find Hiccups Inside the Beltway and Strong Market Inside the Loop [Houston Chronicle]
• There’s a Real Seller’s Market in Some Parts of Houston [Houston Chronicle]
• ‘Bidding Wars’ Show Lack of Office Space in Houston, Say Brokers [Houston Business Journal]
• A Sneak Peek at Galveston’s New Pleasure Pier [Statesman.com]
• Sugar Land Skeeters Putting Finishing Touches on New Stadium [abc13]
• Supreme Court’s Open Beaches Ruling Supported by ‘Nothing,’ Says Texas AG [Houston Chronicle]
• Alligator Sitings Increasing Because of Mating Season [Houston Chronicle]
• Texas Still Biggest Producer of Wind Energy by Far [Houston Business Journal]
• Houston a Model in Green Initiatives [Guardian]

Photo of Asia Society Texas Center: Brinn Miracle

• Galveston City Council Approves Beachfront Construction Prohibitions [Galveston County Daily News]
• Sienna Plantation Developer Adds Cross Creek Ranch to Master-Planned Community Domain [Prime Property]
• Nearby Construction Hurt Business, 2 Restaurant Owners Say [Houston Business Journal]
• Giant Presidential Head Sculptor David Adickes Turning Former Huntsville High School into Museum for His Work [Houston Chronicle]
• Bastrop State Park Reopens 80 Percent of Trails Damaged from September Wildfires [abc13]
• $7.6M Plan To Reforest Memorial Park’s Golf Course and Running Trails, Add Irrigation Systems [abc13]
• Map Lets You Track Texas Reservoir Levels [Texas Tribune]
• Is This the Ugliest Food Truck in Houston? [Eating Our Words]
• Slideshow of Houses from the Heights Home and Garden Tour [Houston Business Journal]
• Houston in 1940 from the Perspective of Two Blocks [Hair Balls]
• Parade of Rockin’ Astrodome Sky Boxes from 1966 [Hair Balls]

Photo of Med Center and Downtown: Jackson Myers via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• 20-Story Spec Office Tower Planned for I-10 at Eldridge [Houston Chronicle]
• Toronto-Based Direct Energy Moving HQ to Houston [Houston Politics]
• H-E-B Planning New Store along Grand Parkway in Spring near Spring Trails, Bender’s Landing [Prime Property]
• Plans Revealed for $4M Hike-and-Bike Trail from Westchase to Art Storey Park [Memorial Examiner]
• Houston Sales Tax Revenues Up 14 Percent From Last Year [KUHF]
• New Vendors, Contracts for Galveston Beaches This Season [Galveston County Daily News]
• Four-Foot Hole in North Loop Grabs at Least 6 Cars [KHOU]
• Red Light UFOs in Texas City Still a Mystery [Galveston County Daily News]
• Casino the Most-Common Request Harris County Judge Hears for the Astrodome [KUHF via Culturemap]
• Slideshow: Inside and Outside the Dynamo’s New Stadium [Houston Chronicle]

Photo of Rice University sculpture: lc_db via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Proposal To Add Toll Lanes to U.S. 290, Texas 288 Approved [KHOU]
• Exact Size of New ExxonMobil North Houston Campus Still a Secret, Apparently [Houston Business Journal]
• Bunch of Restaurants and Cafes Coming to Hanover Development Going Up in Rice Village [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
• Restaurants Moving into Old Brautigam Family Buildings Near Downtown Tomball Railroad Depot [Tomball Potpourri]
• 8,200 Houston Structures Earmarked for Demolition Stuck in Pipeline [KHOU; previously on Swamplot]
• US-59 Southbound Lanes Between I-10 and I-45 Closed This Weekend for Bridge Repairs [Memorial Examiner]
• Video of Alligator Capture on Katy Fwy. Service Road [abc13]
• Bald Eagles Move into Pearland’s Cypress Village II [Bay Area Citizen]
• The Las Vegas Star Trek Attraction That Almost Was [Goddard Group]
• Animated Map Shows America’s Wind Resources in Real Time [TPM Idea Lab]

Photo of Flower Man House at 2305 Francis St.: Candace Garcia via Swamplot Flickr Pool