Swamplot Archives by Tag: Katy Freeway

Monday, January 11, 2010

New Rooms To Go on I-10, Just Minutes from Downtown Houston

January 11, 2010 – 3:11 pm

The city’s official new “Welcome to Houston” sign for travelers approaching from the east west was moved further west to Brookshire over the weekend, as the ginormous new Rooms To Go Super Center facing the Katy Freeway opened for business. The distribution center and store stretch a mere 1,600 ft. along the I-10 frontage road, directly across from the Igloo plant and almost 6 miles west of the Katy Mills Mall. The entire facility takes up more than 1,000,000 sq. ft. A quick partial drive-by view:

Photos: Pankaj (top) and JimmyxBoi (bottom)

3:11 pm | 12 Comments | Read more about Brookshire, Furniture, Katy, Openings and Closings, Retail
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Monday, April 13, 2009

Managing the New Katy Freeway Managed Lanes

April 13, 2009 – 1:03 pm
   

Those new center sorta-HOV lanes on the new Katy Freeway will go toll starting this weekend. Here’s a little primer to help you make intelligent purchase decisions at 65 mph or more: “The lanes will now be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Outside of rush hours, they’re a toll road: every car, regardless of how many people are in it, pays $1.10 to go the full length of the lanes. During rush hour, in the rush hour direction, single occupant cars pay between $2.00 and $4.00 and 2+ carpools are free. Those rates will need to be adjusted if the lanes are too popular, because HCTRA (who operates the lanes) has promised METRO (who gave up the HOV lane to make room for them) that buses will keep moving at full speed. Single occupant vehicles and carpools will be sorted out by a three-lane toll plaza: left lane for carpools, right two lanes for SOVs.” [Intermodality; details]

1:03 pm | 14 Comments | Read more about Freeways and Toll Roads, Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Transportation
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Friday, February 6, 2009

Katy Freeway Report

February 6, 2009 – 12:19 pm
   

“Has anyone else noticed that traffic on I-10 is still not great? I have a ‘reverse’ commute on I-10 every day. Before the expansion traffic was fine inside the loop outbound in the morning, slow outside the loop. Inbound in the evening it was slow outside the loop, fine inside, except near the 10-45 interchange. Now things are much smoother outbound, no delay at all. Inbound, however, is a nightmare. Traffic comes to nearly a complete stop approaching the 10-45 interchange, and is usually very slow all the way back to Shepherd / Durham. Observing the ‘regular’ commuters across the median, things are of course worse. In the mornings the backup to get onto the loop or through the 10-45 interchange is insane, it’s bad in the evenings as well.” [NeoHouston]

12:19 pm | 17 Comments | Read more about Freeways and Toll Roads, Quicklink, Traffic
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Monday, March 24, 2008

Sanctioned by the Congregation: The Office Building Next to First Baptist

March 24, 2008 – 11:25 pm

Rendering of Proposed Hines Office Building Adjacent to First Baptist Church, Houston

A reader directs our attention to this proposed 16-story office building facing the south side of the Katy Freeway, just outside the Loop — on the current site of a Houston’s First Baptist Church parking lot.

Hines plans to build the office building and an 11-level, 1,500-car parking garage on the lot, which the developer would lease from the church. The congregation has already voted to authorize church representatives to finalize and sign a 99-year ground lease for the property.

The garage would help solve the church’s chronic parking problems: According to the HFBC website, 300 cars currently park off-site on weekends. With the Hines development, the church would lose the 480 spaces in the lot now available during the week, but gain 1,500 spaces for church use on weekends and after office hours.

Below the fold, lots more images of the proposed office building and garage on HFBC property.

Continue Reading This Story >

11:25 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Houston Architects, Neighborhoods: Bayou Woods, Neighborhoods: Memorial, Office Buildings, Parking, Proposed Developments
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