Houston, Texas real estate development, home buying, landscape, and design

• Vargo’s Restaurant Demolition in Progress To Make Way for Vargo’s Apartments [abc13; previously on Swamplot]
• Tennis Express Doubles Size, Moves into Former Syms Store at Westheimer, Walnut Blend [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• The Woodlands, League City, Pearland Named Among Best Suburbs for Young Families [Houston Chronicle]
• Rise in Competition Might Stabilize Property, Casualty Insurance Rates in Houston [Houston Business Journal]
• Gulf Freeway HOV Lanes Open for Weekend Use Starting Tomorrow [The Highwayman]
• 250,000 Bees, 400 Pounds of Honey, 7 Beehives Removed from Westside Home [Click2Houston]
• Houston Needs More Statues of Famous People [The Texican]

Photo of Downtown: Bill Barfield via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Construction Underway on the Retreat at Vintage Park Apartments [Houston Business Journal]
• 1200 Enclave Pkwy. in Energy Corridor Sold for $48.75M [Houston Business Journal]
• Mayor Says ‘Bilevel Retail,’ With Retail Accessed from Streets and Tunnels, Might Help Downtown Businesses [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Empty Houston Ave. Lot Has 3 Headstones To Keep Vagrants Away [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Slideshow: AIA Houston To Hold First Woodlands Home Tour This Saturday [Houston Business Journal]
• The Problems with The Woodlands Red Light Cameras [Houston Chronicle]
• A Northeast Houston Grow House So Elaborate, It Had Artificial Seasons Built In [Houston Chronicle]
• Wildlife Dispatchers Getting 5 Calls a Day About Alligators in Neighborhoods [Click2Houston]
• More Than 100,000 Houston Residents Could Be Added to City’s Single-Stream Recycling Program This Year [Houston Chronicle]
• Galveston State Park Trails Island’s Best-Kept Secret [Galveston County Daily News ($)]

Photo of the demolition of the Fiesta at Algregg and Studewood: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• East End Shopping Center Tlaquepaque Plaza Evolves with the Times [Houston Chronicle ($); slideshow; previously on Swamplot]
• Clumsy Butcher Ownership Group Bringing 2 New Bars Downtown [Eater Houston]
• $11M Renovation on 12-Story Brookhollow Central I on North Loop Complete [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• League City Red Light Cameras Resulted In 102,000 Citations, $5M in Fees [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Mayor Parker Bemoans ‘Really Goofy Theories’ Surrounding Memorial Park Plan [Houston Chronicle ($); previously on Swamplot]
• Once in Decline, Midtown Population, Development on the Rise [Houston Business Journal ($)]
• Buffalo Bayou Park Plan To Restore Diversity of Landscapes Along Bayou [Houston Chronicle ($); previously on Swamplot]
• Galveston County Cities Prepare for Possible Summer Drought [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• High School Acting Experience Helps Gensler’s Barry Moore Design Buildings [Art Attack]

Photo of District at Washington apartments under construction at T.C. Jester and Schuler: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Slideshow: The 22-Screen Palladium AVX Theater Opening on Grand Parkway in Richmond [Prime Property]
• Galveston’s East Beach to Unveil $1.6M Makeover on Memorial Day, Including New Pavilion, Boardwalk, Stage [Houston Chronicle]
• Ferrari Opening Woodlands Dealership in Waterway Square [Houston Business Journal]
• U.S. 290 HOV Lanes To Open to Solo Drivers for a Fee Starting May 20 [The Highwayman]
• $8M FEMA Grant To Replace Galveston Water Pumping Station Knocked Out by Hurricane Ike [KUHF]
• Reports of Giant African Snails in Houston Unverified [Houston Chronicle]

Photo of Buffalo Bayou Park: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• One Hughes Landing Now 35 Percent Leased, Should Be Completed by September [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot]
• Houston Club Opens Renovated Space at One Shell Plaza [Houston Business Journal]
• Construction Company Getting Plenty of Business in Texas Building and Converting Grocery Stores [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Museum District, Tanglewood Tru Meals To Turn into Snap Kitchens By Early Summer [Houston Business Journal]
• Studio Movie Grill Hasn’t Canceled League City Theater, Just Moving Slowly [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Accidents Increase After Turn Lanes Installed Along Palmer Hwy. To Decrease Accidents [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Houston-Galveston Area Council Studying Growing Traffic Congestion in Fort Bend County [KUHF]
• Giant East African Snails Spotted for First Known Time in Houston [Click2Houston]
• Registration Open for Houston Historic Preservation Fair on May 18 [HAIF]

Photo of Studemont at Hicks: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Craigslist Scammer Steals Spring Real Estate Listing [KHOU]
• Brokerage Firm Colliers International Opens Third Houston Office with Woodlands Location [GlobeSt.com]
• Energy Industry Draining Houston’s Construction Talent [Houston Business Journal ($)]
• U.S. 59 Northbound Connector to West Loop Northbound Closing This Weekend for Repairs [KUHF]
• League City Residents Complain Parties at Butler Longhorn Museum Too Loud [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• No-Swimming Advisory Lifted at Galveston’s Stewart Beach [Houston Chronicle]
• Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Way It Reviews Refinery Emissions [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Why Houston Has Been Attracting Conventions [KUHF]

Photo of Hermann Park: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• City Council To Vote on Midtown Arts and Theater Center Ordinance This Week [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot]
• Nearly 1 in 4 Houston Taxpayers Claimed a Mortgage Break from IRS in 2010 [Prime Property]
• City Sets Up Special 311 Report Category for Ashby Highrise Complaints [Keep Houston Houston; previously on Swamplot]
• Metro Rolling Out Digital Resources To Educate New Riders [The Highwayman; previously on Swamplot]
• La Marque Will Not Institute Quiet Zones at Railroad Crossings [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• State’s $2B Water Plan Fails To Gain Approval in House [StateImpact Texas]
• Endangered Snapping Turtle Found Along Allen Pkwy., Buffalo Bayou [abc13]
• Houston Ballet Cancels Friday Outdoor Show in the Woodlands Because It Might Be Too Cold [Houston Chronicle]

Photo of the new Aldi Food Market at 5930 Fry Rd. in Katy: elnina via Swamplot Flickr Pool

• Water Rescues, Downed Power Lines Follow Heavy Saturday Storms [Houston Chronicle]
• CarShare Program Launches in the Energy Corridor [KUHF]
• Los Angeles-Based Laurus Buys Gateway I and II Complex Near IAH [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• Plastic Domed ‘Luminarium’ Sets Up on Jones Lawn at Discovery Green [Culturemap]
• Galveston Still Healing 5 Years After Hurricane Ike [KUHF]
• Festival Highlights Texas City’s Million-Dollar Push to Revitalize Sixth St. [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Permits for New League City Homes Up 91 Percent over This Time Last Year [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• $3M Texas City Water Park Gearing Up for Memorial Day Weekend Opening [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Galveston Loses Kerrville Bus Company’s Daily Shuttle to Houston [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• La Marque To Consider ‘Quiet Zones’ for Union Pacific Railroad on Hwy. 3 [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
• Mayor’s Westmoreland House Was Once Home to Rice Students [Houston Chronicle]
• 80 Floating Water Lilies Light Up at Hermann Park Reflection Pond [Houston Chronicle ($)]

Photo of Midtown Sears: Pete Molick via Swamplot Flickr Pool