- 5304 Michaux St. [HAR]
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If you don’t live close to one of the locations marked with a red ‘X’ in the map above, you shouldn’t feel left out: There have been more than 3,900 documented instances of leaking underground fuel-storage tanks in Harris County, each of which poses “a risk to the nation and County’s drinking water,” according to filings in a new lawsuit. The locations on the map show only 13 of the 34 such leaky tanks belonging to telecom giant AT&T — they’re the ones the company admits have been polluting groundwater “with gasoline and hazardous substances . . . known to cause harm and adverse health effects.” The Harris County Attorney’s office filed suit against the telecom giant for neglecting its leaky-fuel-tank problem yesterday, citing a settlement in a similar case against the same company in California a few years back that netted a $25 million settlement.
- County files suit against AT&T for pollution from leaking underground storage tanks [Atascocita Observer]
The folks charged with blowing up old buildings at UT’s M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have set a January 8th date for the big dynamite surgical event meant to knock down what’s left of the institution’s Houston Main Building. The hulking 18-story tower at 1100 Holcombe Blvd. was built in 1952 for Prudential Life Insurance as part of Houston’s first-ever suburban office campus, designed by architect Kenneth Franzheim. The Med Center institution bought the building in 1975, but began the long demo process early this year.
A reader who goes out dogwalking in Montrose just west of Audubon Place at 5:30 every morning is hoping other Swamplot readers can help figure out out if there’s any particular reason why the lights on top of the Wells Fargo Plaza building at 1000 Louisiana recently began broadcasting in color:
During the drought, that is, all summer, there was a string of lights on top of the tower were always white. Then, [2 weeks ago], they went pink! Or maybe red. It was hard to say.
[One day last week,] they were all white, except for one small red section. [Then 2 days later,] they were red when I first saw them, but then they flashed to the white with a red dot configuration.
According to the Greater Houston Planning Alliance, which heard the news from the Texas Historical Commission — which heard the news from the project’s architect in Dallas — current plans for turning the former Alabama Theater into a Trader Joe’s now call for the terrazzo flooring at the theater’s Shepherd Dr. entrance to be left in place. Building owner Weingarten Realty apparently still has plans to move the front doors 7 or 8 ft. further toward the street, though; according to the GHPA, an accessibility consultant has advised project architect Don Sopranzi that there is no problem with the existing floor’s slope. Weingarten received approval from the city last month to scrape up the swirly patterned flooring outside the entrance and replace it with concrete.
A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research documents how Houston’s vast expanse of paved surfaces allows the city to hold onto locally developed air pollution for longer periods of time, and prevents breezes that would otherwise naturally develop from sending all that nasty smog and stuff to outlying areas. Concrete and asphalt paving helps by soaking up heat during the daytime. This keeps land areas relatively warm overnight, which means there’s a lower contrast between land and sea temperatures during the summer. The result? Much less of those smog-stealing nighttime summer breezes. During the daytime, Houston buildings help to block local winds and keep things more still in the afternoon. Just another way standard development practices allow Houston to be a responsible steward of its own locally produced airborne products.
BLIND ITEM: “POPULAR PUB INSIDE LOOP” FOR SALE — GUESS WHICH Your clues: “This very popular pub boasts great reviews, has been in business for 16 years and is a big hit with the neighborhood crowd as a place for local residents to gather and enjoy adult beverages in a relaxing atmosphere. It is one of the very few places in Houston that has a bocce court (lawn bowling). . . . The median age of their clientele is probably 30-35 and they enjoy playing bocce in their spacious beer garden, watching the world go by from their sidewalk [cafe], relaxing indoors in air conditioned comfort, watching their favorite sports on any of their indoor / outdoor televisions, playing a game of darts, enjoying their favorite music from the internet jukebox or taking advantage of the free Wi/Fi. They are well known for their great beer/wine selection and friendly service.” [BizBuySell, via Twitter user ucalledthewolf]
Vespas welcome. And sure, the Italian spirit goes for a little valet now and then too:
Following a brief construction period beginning early summer, the space occupied by Catalan will reopen as Coppa Ristorante Italiano, a long-awaited concept for owners Charles Clark and Grant Cooper. Coppa will bring you a simple, flavorful American translation of classic Italian cuisine in a welcoming and lighthearted atmosphere that characterizes the Italian spirit.
- Changes Afoot [Catalan]
- Coppa Ristorante Italiano [Facebook]
Rendering: Coppa Ristorante Italiano. Photo: Zagat Buzz (license)
Maybe it was something he couldn’t get, or something he lost. Anyway, it wouldn’t have explained anything… I don’t think any demolition can explain a man’s life.
Note: Story updated below.
How is it possible? Houston’s innovative proposal to park a used space shuttle in the middle of a large triangular garage stuck onto the side of that space-themed amusement center near the JSC (shown above, all decked out) lost out to far less compelling plans put forward by museums in Florida, New York, and California. NASA administrator Charles Bolden announced earlier today that the 3 remaining unparked and unexploded shuttles will be moved next year to permanent homes in the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the California Science Center in L.A.’s Exposition Park. What sort of dull designs did these institutions put together?
Here’s what’s left of the Heights Plaza Apartments on Heights Blvd. south of I-10, which were standing in the way of a couple of those new Washington Heights District strip-center companions to the West End Walmart. “The structures came down in the blink of an eye last week,” comments the photographer, “but as you can see, it will take a while for the dust to settle. How metaphorical!”
Back on the market at a new, slightly higher price: This hulking 1979 single-story mod in Atascocita Shores, spread across 2 acres of Lake Houston’s west bank. For $1,250,000, you get a 7,319-sq.-ft. 5-bedroom, 4-full and 2-half bath lakeside pad; a 4-car attached garage; a guest house; and all the water you can look at or drink:
Nothing new to tear down in today’s report. Sorry. Don’t you have some unfinished finishing business you could keep working on?
What galls jailed billionaire Allen Stanford even more than having to sit through the court-ordered sell-off of his entire hard-earned real estate portfolio? It’s that it’s all happening in a down market! Stanford’s lawyers have been arguing in court that liquidating the accused huckster’s properties while real-estate prices are depressed isn’t such a smart idea. A good $9 million of the $12.2 million the folks behind the Black Forest Cafe are paying to buy the clunkily ornate former Stanford Financial Group headquarters building at 5050 Westheimer across from the Galleria, for example, will go to pay off the property’s mortgage and back interest. What’s the guy gonna have left to live on once he’s acquitted of all those ridiculous Ponzi scheme charges? But an attorney for the receiver managing the sales says he’s just trying to save money for the estate. Next Stanford property on the block: The former Stanford Aviation hangar (above) at 100 Jim Davidson Dr. near Sugar Land Regional Airport, at an auction this week.
- Selling a ‘Fraud’ Portfolio [WSJ]
- Allen Stanford coverage [Swamplot]
- Also previously on Swamplot: The Black Forest Mix
Photo: Loopnet
In a streaming-video event broadcast last night, hip-hop star Chamillionaire tried to explain the circumstances surrounding the foreclosure of his Woodlands mansion. He claims his decision to give the 7,583-sq.-ft. property in Carlton Woods back to the bank was part of an attempt to lower out-of-control expenses in light of 2 recent life-changing events: the birth of his son and learning from his mother that she has cancer:
She’s doing fine . . . and I was like . . . whatever you need, I want you to ask me. And my mom won’t ask me because she sees me with all these expenses, and . . . she doesn’t want to say anything. She wants me to live my life and have fun and buy all these cars and all this stuff and doesn’t want to burden me . . . I wasn’t cool with that. . . .
I know I spend all this money a month. You don’t know what the feeling is, spending $300 thousand . . . quick, just seeing it come out of your account. I don’t care how much money you got — you gonna be like, dang, that’s $300 thousand!
Yes: Dang!
I’m paying all kinds of stuff: multiple businesses, stuff for other people, etc. etc. So I told her, you know what, don’t worry about it. Whatever bills may come, you let me know. I’m gonna keep my bills the same. I’m just gonna cut some slack.
Next: It’s budget-cutting time in Carlton Woods!
