09/24/08 5:22pm

Flooding at Elysian St. and Kelley St. Near Start of Hardy Toll Road, 11 Days after Hurricane Ike, Houston

Fox 26 reporter Isiah Carey finds a lot of water loitering around the intersection of Kelley and Elysian — a full 11 days after the storm:

What I was shocked to see is that 12 feet of water has yet to recede near the beginning of the Hardy Toll Road near 610. . . . The water still looked like a giant swimming pool. It’s a very scary to see. I can’t believe the city’s drainage system hasn’t been able to swallow the water. I think there’s likely a lot of debris at the bottom blocking the sewage system.

More pics below of water . . . standing still!

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02/06/08 3:27pm

Plan of House 99 by Gail Borden

Yes, that’s a hedge of dense kudzu wrapping around this long skinny house . . . and threatening to do the same to its Fifth Ward neighbors. The kudzu, a court of crushed oyster shells, a house-length porch, a cistern, Murphy beds, and a butterfly roof are the major features of House 99, one of five finalists in a local competition to design a “green” house for $99,000 or less.

House 99 was designed by L.A. architect and USC professor Gail Borden. The Rice Design Alliance and Houston’s chapter of the American Institute of Architects want to build the winning design of their $99K house competition at 4015 Jewel St., or on other properties swept up by the city’s Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority.

Below the fold: More drawings! More kudzu! More cost-saving measures! More greenness!

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