COMMENT OF THE DAY: BOOKSTOP FULL STOP “A few comments from a reliable source who actually knows a few things about River Oaks SC and Alabama Theater. 1. Barnes and Noble owns Bookstop. They are closing it to move to the new location at ROSC. 2. Weingarten has no intent of demolishing the Alabama Theater. They have been marketing the space for re-use. They intend to restore the facade when a new tenant signs on. 3. The new portion of ROSC was designed by Altoon + Porter (of the Fashion Show flying saucer mall in Vegas fame) out of Los Angeles. Weingarten did not want the usual EIFS crap that the Houston architects do. 4. Weingarten’s long term interest in ROSC is to achieve the highest and best use for this property. They want to bring a higher density to the center that they feel is appropriate for its location. 5. Before the crash last fall they were working on a plan to improve the walk-a-bility of the ROSC through landscaping and art. I believe the project is on hold right now. Its interesting how everyone is in favor of density (less driving and more walking) except when it affects something in your backyard. If you don’t like the scale of the building or the lack of protection of historic structures in the city, call the mayor and the planning department. Disclosure: I do not work for Weingarten and don’t always agree with their decisions, but thought that this info would be useful. Flame on everyone!” [mt, commenting on Coming Soon to the River Oaks Shopping Center]
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So here’s the riff:
Either keep the current Art Deco shopping center?
or
Build a new urban pedestrian friends shopping center?
Preservationist and urban density types: FIGHT!
And before someone says the new urban place can have Art Deco, if it did, wouldn’t it be faux Art Deco just like the faux (enter name of style)?
You know if Weingarten had just painted the damned building white,I could live with that stone.
Weingarten wanted to increase the walkability of the River Oaks Shopping Center through art and lanscaping but those changes had to be cut because of the economic crash?
LOL.
Since when do massive parking garages combined with the old surface spaces, porte-cocheres, and pod sites equal walkability?
I can go along with that JT. A black and white motif would have paid some homage to the Art Deco.
Doofus,
A parking garage means you park once and then you can walk the entire shopping center.
Walkability does not equal no parking in front.
Call me crazy, but what would make ROSC more wakable is to build a pedestrian bridge across West Gray on the both sides — that way, I don’t have to deal with W#$%$% traffic.
Sorry, but a massive parking garage does nothing more than force people to walk from a garage to a store.
You know what does create walkability? Wide sidewalks. Shade trees. Local businesses. Affordable eateries.
You know what doesn’t? A drive-thru Stabucks, replacing an eatery that used to have an outdoor seating patio that faced the street with ANOTHER bank branch, and forced valet parking!
Hey!! How about, LEAVE THINGS ALONE!!
There is nothing wrong with that lot! It has plenty of parking, and since we are the fattest city, maybe people should take a walk every once in a while!!!
AND!!! You live in a major metropolis!! Traffic will ALWAYS be an issue!!!
If you feel that a crosswalk should be everywhere…maybe you should just go ahead and move to Waller, LAZY!!
they’re just using buzzwords folks. they care about money as they should, they’re a business. if they can make more money claiming urban density then they’ll go that direction but i don’t see this happening and there’s certainly no plans.
i’m just surprised that river oaks needs a new oversized bookstore. don’t people know these places are being phased out thanks to the internet
Sorry, but a massive parking garage does nothing more than force people to walk from a garage to a store.
I’d rather walk from the garage than from my house that’s 5 miles away.
jgriff’s point makes the most sense.
The reality is that most of the people that are going to shop here are not in walking distance. Even if the place has dense apartments with great walking access.
Just like as the post midtown. Most of the people going to restaurants don’t live there and have to drive.
Same thing goes for the retail that is going to open at the West Ave project.
mt says “If you don’t like the scale of the building or the lack of protection of historic structures in the city, call the mayor and the planning department.”
Right. And then what?
Pretty much all Houston politicians take great wads of $ from builders. Furthermore, it is the admitted goal of this mayor to get as much high dollar residential as possible in the city which has the added benefit of pushing the lower income folks out into the ‘burbs. This is simply good fiscal policy ‘cuz the rich folks pay more in taxes. Calling, writing letters, protests – and we have seen many – will do nothing to steer Houston towards a city that actually plans.
“Pretty much all Houston politicians take great wads of $ from builders.”
I’m guessing this is your opinion since you aren’t providing any facts.
I don’t understand what is “unwalkable” with the center the way it was.
Pretty much all Houston politicians take great wads of $ from builders.
I guess it didn’t work for the ones who were trying to build the Ashby highrise.
I’m with you EMME on that one. Every time I’ve been to ROSC, I park somewhere and walk to all my destinations. And a lot of people did that.
I think what mt was referring to was that if/when the ROSC is expanded and enlarged (going up), the potential for many more people in the area will absolutely required more focus on pedestrian patterns. This is why the large parking garage in back is critical. They park their car, forget about it and spend there time walking to where they want to go. The larger shopping center with more selection encourages the shopper to stay longer.
Rice Village is a great example of a walkable area. Parking is a nightmare. Once you find a spot, you don’t give it up. You park and walk to all your places even if it’s two or three blocks away.
Rice Village is a great example of a walkable area. Parking is a nightmare. Once you find a spot, you don’t give it up. You park and walk to all your places even if it’s two or three blocks away.
I was thinking the same thing. The parking garage at Rice Village makes it a walkable area. You don’t need massive surface lots so you can put a lot of shops close together. Without the garage most of your walking would be through parking lots.
I hate parking garages. I get dizzy driving up and down the floors.
jgiff re: Ashby Highrise. I am not sure that battle is really over. I suspect Bill White just want to stall till he is out of office. To many people with too much money are on both sides and he has other offices to run for.
Yeah,
Mayor White doesn’t care about Houston anymore. He’s too busy covering up is bad record to look good for the rest of the state.