- Astrodome’s Future Likely To Be Decided at Ballot Box, Says Judge Emmett [KUHF]
- $350 Million Project Would Divert More Drinking Water from Trinity River to Lake Houston [abc13]
- Construction of Osteria Mazzantini in Galleria’s BBVA Compass Plaza Coming Along; Hugo’s Owner Plans Concept There, Too [Houston Business Journal]
- No Rail Service This Weekend Between UHD Station and Downtown Transit Center [abc13]
- Houston Area Saw 106 “Flash” Home Sales Last Month [Prime Property]
- IAH Ranks As Third Most Expensive Airport in U.S. at End of 2012, Finds Report [Houston Business Journal]
- UH Community Design Resource Center Imagines Better Uses for Transit Centers, Utility Easements, Ditches [OffCite]
- DIY Craft Studio and Shop Opens on Main St. in Midtown [Culturemap]
- 1919 Steam Train Donated to Planned Nau Center for Texas Cultural Heritage Downtown [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot]
- Zsa Zsa Gabor’s 1955 L.A. Home, On the Market for 2 Years, Finally Sells [Curbed L.A.]
Photo of construction work at Savoy Hotel Downtown: Swamplot inbox
“If you’re gonna play in Texas you better have a fiddle in the band”
“If you’re gonna build in Texas you better have retail on the first floor land”
Poor Savoy didnt stand a chance without luxury apts and first floor retail. Downtown of all places!!
Benny – I bet we could save the dome if we added first floor retail to it.
Benny — No. The Houston Club building proves you wrong. Please stop propagandizing this site. It has enough trolls as it is.
@ Walt, Excellent idea, we should convert Astrodome to a super wal-mart/fiesta hybrid on the first floor and the upper deck build out as luxury Class A apartments. Calling Ed Emmitt right now with our proposal. How many pounds/tons of crack you guys think was smoked on the roof of that Savoy ??? lol
Re: Downtown Metrorail shut down for the holiday weekend: And they wonder why people don’t frequent downtown.
Now here’s where we disagree Benny. The first floor retail in the dome needs to appeal to those who already frequent Reliant park. Otherwise, the Texans and the Rodeo won’t sign off on it. So I propose the following combination of first floor retail for the dome; A Spec’s that has a special permit to open at 7am on Sundays (Texan’s crowd); A Ford dealership – trucks only(rodeo crowd); a tattoo parlor (monster truck & motocross crowd); and a gun shop (for all the previously mentioned crowds)…with class A luxury rentals above.
I like the trash chute into the dumpster, it’ll be good to see this and Central Square get renovated.
@ Pffft – the reason the rail is shut down this weekend is because of work to tie the Red Line into the two East End lines. This isn’t the first shut down and won’t be the last, but we can’t just wave a wand and have it appear out of nowhere. It would be nice if we could – my parking garage at work has its only access on Rusk, on the side where the tracks will be. I’m just taking solace from the likelihood that once that work is done, the deep dip at the curb will be eliminated and I won’t have to do a slow pirouette to get in and out without scraping off the front of my car.
All excellent ideas Walt, you’re going to kill it!! Problem is that is too easy, monopoly would run into Sherman anti trust act or something.lol.