DUTCH MUSEUM EMBRACED BY ITS SWAMPY SURROUNDINGS Meanwhile, in Werkendam: The Biesbosch Museum in the Netherlands now appears to have merged with the extensive wetlands of the surrounding national park, following renovations this summer that blanketed the building’s sloping exterior with grass and herbs. The new vegetation flows directly into the landscape of the Museum’s created island (developed as part of the extensive “Room for the River” initiative, meant to address severe flooding in areas of the low-lying nation). The Museum’s new exterior creates the illusion that sections of the landscape have been peeled up to form the building’s wedge-shaped exhibition spaces. [Dezeen]
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SIMON SAYS: SHAKE SHACK IS DEFINITELY COMING TO THE GALLERIA 
It’s confirmed: A Shake Shack will be coming to the Galleria’s west end (currently undergoing extensive cosmetic procedures that will relocate Saks 5th Avenue and open up new retail space). A description of the project included in a marketing document from mall owner Simon Property Group mentions Shake Shack as one of 35 “luxury retailers and feature restaurants” coming to the reconfigured space. Speculation that the burger chain would make its Houston debut at the Galleria intensified last month following Simon’s publication of a rendering showing the restaurant in place among the mall’s updates. [Simon Property Group] Image: Simon Property Group
What’s Cooking in Uptown?
COMMENT OF THE DAY: DO YOU SELL YOUR CAR, OR TAKE THE TRAIN? 
“If I had a car, then I probably wouldn’t be riding Metro. Unless I was riding Metro wondering what to do with my car. But then, if I had a car, I probably wouldn’t be riding Metro or find myself driving on Main St. in downtown Houston. But then — if I had a car and was riding Metro — then I might be pondering what to do with my car. Sigh . . . I think I’ll just check Facebook and think about this later.” [Toby, commenting on Down on Main St., Where an Auto Billboard Has Moved In Next to the Home of Easy Credit] Illustration: Lulu
INTERNATIONAL FANFARE MARKS GRAND OPENING OF NEW GAS STATION NEAR HOBBY 
Mexico’s nationally-owned Pemex has chosen the corner of Park Place Blvd. and Dover Ave., 1 block southwest of I-45, as the location of its first gas station outside of Mexico. Yesterday’s grand opening included a visit from the governor of the state of Campeche, one of Mexico’s most prominent oil-producing regions, as well as a performance by a mariachi band. Jordan Blum writes: “The new station includes what Pemex calls a ‘taco shack’, but other items in its convenience store are typical of such shops in the United States, and the gasoline is U.S.-produced. The fuel on Thursday was among Houston’s cheapest, at $1.55 cash per gallon of regular and $1.59 for credit card purchases.” [Houston Chronicle] Photo: Univision
THE TIPLINE IS STANDING BY New combination auto-shop-and-pancake-house popping up in Westbury? If you’ve got the scoop, or even just a hint of one, Swamplot wants to hear about it! Send your tips and photos to Swamplot’s special email address, found here. And while you’re at it, be sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and sign up for our email list.
DOWNTOWN ACREAGE SECURED FOR AUSTIN’S TALLEST AND WEIRDEST TOWER Meanwhile, in Austin: Land has been purchased for the construction of the proposed 58-story Independent highrise, also nicknamed “the Jenga Tower” for its unsettling offsets and angles. The Independent is planned to be the the tallest residential building in Austin, not to mention west of the Mississippi. You can take an animated tour through the structure’s floorplans and amenities in a dizzying video released by the developers. [Austin-American Statesman; Independent Austin]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: THE SUBTLETIES OF PARKING LOT COMMUNICATION 
“The wide open parking lot does seem to say, ‘We’re more than ready to receive you’ from retailers that want to have an image as ‘convenient.’ In other situations, the tighter parking supply seems to communicate, ‘This is a popular place where many people like you find happenings worth attending.‘ CityCentre and Rice Village seem to be examples of the second category.” [slugline, commenting on Comment of the Day: Why It’s Still Blacktop Friday] Illustration: Lulu
CLASSIC SIGNS OF AUSTIN Meanwhile, in Austin: Programmer Reagan Ray is creating digital paintings of his favorite iconic signs around town, and documenting the historical importance of each sign’s establishment. His blog now serves as a memorial for some of the locales he has captured, as many of the featured venues are now closed. [The Signs of Austin via CityLab]
MAYOR PARKER CLEARS UP RICHMOND AVE SHELL STATION SELF STORAGE TREE REMOVAL MYSTERY 
Stumped by the sudden disappearance of 4 or 5 large oak trees in the city easement fronting a vacant lot adjacent to the recently demolished Shell station at 1810 Richmond Ave, between Hazard and Woodhead? They were chopped down last week, in advance of a new Montrose Big Tex Self Storage facility soon to begin construction on the site. Mayor Parker is on the case, reassuring concerned street-tree watchers: The trees “were in bad health & posed safety threat,” she tweeted earlier today. “Fully permitted removal granted with plan to plant new trees.” [HAIF] Photo of Richmond Ave stump: Kyle Nielsen
HOUSTON’S NEXT MAYOR CARES ABOUT YOUR MESSED-UP SIDEWALK 
Sylvester Turner likes TxDOT’s plan to reroute I-45 around the east side of Downtown. Bill King has given up on riding his bike in the city because he feels it’s too dangerous. But both runoff candidates for mayor agree: Water quality is Houston’s most pressing environmental issue, and the city should shoulder more responsibility for fixing sidewalks. At least that’s what they wrote in response to a series of questions about the city’s built and natural environment submitted to them by the Rice Design Alliance’s Cite magazine. [OffCite] Photo: Flickr user bpawlik
COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHY IT’S STILL BLACKTOP FRIDAY 
” . . . It’s quite obvious [anti-parking activists] are against the massive amounts of concrete used in most suburban developments that are sitting empty and unused — dying and mediocre shopping strips being the main culprits. Point being, if these outlets can’t fill these huge parking lots to the brim on what is considered the busiest shopping day of the year, then what use are all of these parking lots for? They are ugly and a waste of space. For example, the parking lot at the new Buc-ee’s in Texas City is atrociously too big and wasteful, as I never see it used to capacity. But I guess Texans would rather look at seas of empty, littered concrete slabs than what could be left as natural or landscaped.” [Eddie, commenting on Second Life for Downtown’s Melrose Building; Where the Most Expensive Homes in Houston Are] Illustration: Lulu
BRUTALISM IS READY FOR ITS MAKEOVER Meanwhile, in Boston: 3 architects have written a new book as part of an effort to rebrand Brutalism. The style’s new name? Heroic architecture: “Obviously, ‘Brutal’ is not a good brand,” says Chris Grimley. “‘Brutal’ is fundamentally a negative, whereas with ‘Heroic’, some people take it as a rah-rah but we see it as a much more nuanced phrase that complicates the project in a number of ways.” [CityLab]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LIMB 
“. . . Reading that story about the person complaining that someone is cutting a tree in their yard makes me hot under the collar. I almost wish someone had told me I couldn’t cut down the tree in my backyard because it provided lower energy bills for them. I would love the opportunity to laugh at someone in their face. Honestly, I’d be fair and civil. I’d offer, if they want me to keep the tree, they can pay me a maintenance fee. This fee would include the water, pruning, time, money I have to spend on vegetables that I can’t grow in my backyard because this tree is blocking all the sunlight. So yeah, that’d go over like a lead balloon. Guess I’m back to laughing in the person’s face and cutting the tree down.” [toasty, commenting on UH Basketball Arena Renovation Moves Forward; Inside Ashlar Commons in Montrose] Illustration: Lulu
REMEMBER THAT MIND-BLOWING TIP YOU’VE BEEN MEANING TO SEND TO SWAMPLOT? 
Swamplot is fueled by the hot tidbits picked up by curious and intrepid readers all across the city. If you’ve got a tip, now’s the time to shoot it our way through the Swamplot tipline. Our promise to you, as always: all tipsters remain anonymous (unless they ask to be credited). And info is great, but photos are even better. Photo of strip center at 13326 Westheimer: Swamplot inbox
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SWAMPLOT WANTS TO HIRE YOU (OR SOMEBODY YOU KNOW) 
Are you a sharp reporter, an engaging writer, and someone who gets a kick out of delving into this city’s many peculiarities? Swamplot, we announced earlier this week, is looking to hire an editor. Here are the details. (What?? That’s not you? Then go ahead and forward this to that perfect candidate.) Photo: Flickr user DrPantzo [license]
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