COMMENT OF THE DAY: MY CENTRAL SQUARE DORM DREAM “When I was at school at UH-D, I would take the rail up to campus everyday and see those two buildings there. To best contribute to the urban fabric, I often would imagine that someone would redevelop them as dorms, and the block that is between it and the rail line could be repurposed as a plaza with a few cafes that would link the building to the rail. The private dorms could serve UH-D, HCC Central, South Texas Law, the medical schools, and even UH and TSU once the University line is complete. Having students commute from the various schools to this central location would add vibrancy to the area and could bring about good academic fellowship. Not sure of the economic feasibility, but it would wildly popular (if the dorm fees were reasonable). Since it’s college kids, renovations need only consist of low cost furnishings, concrete floors, bare ceilings, and maybe a gym and cafeteria. Gotta dream big.” [VMel, commenting on New Owners of Central Square Plaza Want To Make Something of It]
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Or they could turn it into Houston’s largest homeless shelter.
Toasty that’s my plan for the Dome. I had lunch with Ed today. He liked my plan.
Be aware that just 2 blocks over to the east is a Bus Terminal and the adjacent iffy McDonalds. There are also many ppl walking around asking for money and/or taking crazy talk and fighting (personally witnessed this multiple times). I pass by there twice a day on my round trip to/from work, and there would need to be a major reimagination of the whole area before I would consider this a serious place to live (or even for dorms). While living next to the rail line seems charming, this is not a ‘street car’ line (ie New Orleans/San Fran)…its mostly the same ppl that ride the bus, except that its on a rail instead of wheels….and I wouldn’t want to live next to a bus line.
Those of us in the neighborhood have seen many improvements in the past five years — the new fire station, the Co-Cathedral, the Metro building, the light rails. The old Central Bank building was really pretty in its prime — even had the Cork Club on the top floor, with a stunning dcowntown view. Hoping the new owners find uses for it that include ground-floor retail! It’s only three blocks to the new park and develoment in the Super Block, and four blocks from the hot midtown shopping area. I’m optimistic.
it might be that close to the bus station and a dirty mcdonalds, but it’s also 2 blocks away from randalls (with a starbucks), and 1 block away from a starbucks.
As bad as you think the people riding mass transit are, nothing says ‘cozy’ to an outer looper that wants to move to midtown than starbucks.
then there’s a specs 4 blocks away, a plethora of bars. did I mention starbucks?
this would literally redraw the maginot line between the scary people and the starbucks people.