Swamplot Archives by Tag: Parking

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

On Heights Blvd.: Jacked Up and Ready To Go

October 27, 2009 – 3:55 pm

Snapped from the porch of Lola at 11th and Yale last week by a Swamplot reader: this photo of the 1903 Perry-Swilley House, formerly known to reside at 1101 Heights Blvd., and headed for 1103.

The city architectural and historical commission gave permission last year for the home to be moved one lot to the north. Swamplot reported on the owner’s plans for the site last November.

Why is the home being raised? So parking for that strip center planned for the corner can fit underneath.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

3:55 pm | 5 Comments | Read more about Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Strip Centers
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Comment of the Day: Houston’s Extensive Park System

October 13, 2009 – 11:49 pm
   

“Look at all of those parking lots! I always get so depressed when I look at views of Houston from above…..” [Merrie, commenting on Four New Houston Metro Rail Routes, As Seen from Above]

11:49 pm | 9 Comments | Read more about Comments, Landscape, Parking, Quicklink
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Friday, August 7, 2009

What H-E-B Got That Kroger Don’t Got: Working All the Angles in the West U Grocery Showdown

August 7, 2009 – 10:10 am
   

Reporting live from the Battle of Buffalo Speedway, Allison Wollam scrutinizes the new Buffalo Market arsenal: “’We are based in Texas so we have certain items that we know Texans eat,’ [H-E-B Houston president] McClelland says. ‘We have an inherent advantage because we know how Texans think better than a grocer based …. anywhere else would know.’ For example, McClelland points out that H-E-B carries a brisket that can be fully cooked in 45 minutes that garnered more than $25 million in revenue for the chain last year. The grocer also offers crawfish sushi as well as Texas-shaped cheese and hamburgers.” Plus, why campus might seem a bit tighter this year: “Because parking is also limited, the grocer has reached an agreement with nearby Rice University to allow its employees and vendors to park on the campus parking lot and be shuttled to the store.” [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot]

10:10 am | 40 Comments | Read more about Neighborhoods: Rice University, Neighborhoods: West University, Parking, Quicklink, Retail
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Centre at Post Oak: Holding Steady

July 8, 2009 – 4:25 pm

A reader sends photos from a recent visit to the Centre at Post Oak shopping center, across Westheimer from the Galleria:

It’s been a while since I’ve been by here, so maybe this is old news, but … are the shopping cneter owners hurting so bad they’ve got to resort to selling ads for overactive bladder medications in the parking lot?

The parking lot sign suggests empathetic readers go to the conveniently named website www.overactivebladder.com. There you can take a brief urination quiz, view bladder illustrations, and read extensive advertorial content from Pfizer, makers of Toviaz — a pill “clinically proven to significantly reduce bothersome symptoms of OAB like strong sudden urges to go, frequent bathroom visits, and accidents.”

The reader continues:

I wonder how many urgent visits from highly suggestible customers this has brought to the stores there. How’s the Mattress Firm holding up?

Continue Reading This Story >

4:25 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Leasing, Neighborhoods: Galleria, Parking, Real Estate Marketing, Shopping Centers
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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Comment of the Day: The 6-Bay Hobby Lobby

July 7, 2009 – 5:08 pm
   

“. . . Anyone who questions the value of having a six car garage does not understand/appreciate man-like hobbies. Where else to keep the boats, motorcycles, trucks, cars, lawn/gardening equipment, wood working equipment, automotive repair bay, and various mechanical tools? . . .” [CK, commenting on Swamplot Price Adjuster: Game Time in Bayou Woods]

5:08 pm | 4 Comments | Read more about Comments, Home Design, Parking, Quicklink
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Monday, June 29, 2009

Ditched off Washington Ave.: Nighttime Off-Roading Adventures

June 29, 2009 – 9:53 am

HAIF poster Htowngirl, who lives near the new Ei8ht nightclub at the corner of Roy St., complains about . . . uh, parking difficulties in her neighborhood. And posts a few photos of an early Sunday morning scene from a few weeks ago:

The parking for Ei8ht in the neighborhood is already horrendous, I can’t even imagine what it will be like when Taps, Busty LaRoue’s, and this new “country” bar open…

Sample of the parking issues… I live a few blocks off Washington, near Ei8ht…the scene outside my house at 3 AM Sunday Morning a few weeks ago. Drunk suburbanite 21-year-old drove into our ditch.

Still there in the morning…

Continue Reading This Story >

9:53 am | 24 Comments | Read more about Hazards, Neighborhoods: Rice Military, Neighborhoods: Washington Corridor, Parking, Streetscapes
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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Solving the Late-Night Parking Problems at Sunset and Morningside

June 9, 2009 – 3:06 pm

From the Village News:

“Johns” may be sad to see the Southampton brothel close, but the neighborhood is glad to see the nuisance gone.

The location of Asian Massage Villa, 2401 Sunset at Morningside, appeared vacant after a notice of eviction was served by the property owner. . . .

“Their little driveway was always full at night and people were parking wherever they could. HPD and the city attorney’s office really did a fabulous job with this,” said [Southampton Extension Civic Association President Ann] Hightower. . . .

[The establishment's] little door was around the side and towards the back on Morningside. There was no sign, just a lighted doorway and some stickers indicating donations to emergency responders.

Photo of 2401 Sunset Blvd.: LoopNet

3:06 pm | 11 Comments | Read more about Crime, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Rice Village, Neighborhoods: Southampton Extension, Nightlife, Parking
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Houston House and Lot Flipping: Conceptual Art Meets Sharpstown Deed Restrictions

May 27, 2009 – 11:27 am

Sure, Mary Ellen Carroll is gonna pick up this Sharpstown lot across from Bayland Park and the house on it and rotate the whole thing 180 degrees. Oh, and then there’s gonna be that hydroponic curtain-wall fencing system and the solar and geothermal systems and the wi-fi cloud and the fancy door hardware and the bees and all. Still gotta meet the local deed restrictions.

Video: Douglas Britt

11:27 am | 23 Comments | Read more about Art, Development Restrictions, Neighborhoods: Sharpstown, Public Art
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Monday, April 27, 2009

Comment of the Day: We Park It for You!

April 27, 2009 – 3:14 pm
   

“Are there any restauranteurs out there who can shed light on their reasoning for forced valet when plenty of easy parking is available? Is it because they want to limit their clientele to those who have enough money not to care?” [Carol, commenting on Houston Valet]

3:14 pm | 7 Comments | Read more about Comments, Parking, Quicklink, Restaurants
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Friday, April 24, 2009

Redo, Rinse, Repeat: Brun Bungalow, Makeover Magnet

April 24, 2009 – 8:46 pm

Some Houston bungalows have to wait years before they can get into rehab, but this dark number on Brun St. has been the recipient of no fewer than 3 makeovers in the last decade.

Carol Isaak Barden bought the house in 2000 “to keep it away from the wrecking ball” — then spent so much “making it perfect,” she says, that she lost money when she sold it the following year.

The buyer, Mark Horn, thought the house was perfect . . . as a new location for his hair salon. So he made a few renovations of his own:

Continue Reading This Story >

8:46 pm | 5 Comments | Read more about Buying and Selling, Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Hillcrest, Parking, Renovations
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Houston Valet

April 24, 2009 – 9:43 am
   

Valet parking makes sense in Downtown and Midtown where spaces are scarce, declares Katharine Shilcutt. But for restaurants with plenty of parking nearby, what’s the point? “Crave Sushi is an excellent case in point of a restaurant whose diners simply got fed up with forced valet parking and threatened to stop patronizing them. The owners had originally instituted valet as a means of thwarting Midtown clubgoers who were parking in their lot and then ambling off to Pub Fiction, leaving their Miata in Crave’s lot until 2 a.m. As honorable as their intentions were, however, guests at Crave didn’t appreciate having to pay extra for their meal (especially when Crave was still allowing the clubgoers to park in their lot, but for an additional $15). This week, however, the owners finally rescinded their forced valet following vociferous complaints. Instead, they’ve hired a parking lot manager who ensures that only Crave customers park in the lot. Not ones to eschew extra income, however, they still allow other Midtown patrons to park there for $10.” [Eating Our Words]

9:43 am | 10 Comments | Read more about Neighborhoods: Midtown, Parking, Quicklink, Restaurants
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Neighborhoods Not Paying for No Front-Yard Parking Notices

April 8, 2009 – 11:48 am
   

Civic clubs won’t have to shell out thousands of dollars for postage if they want to apply for a front-yard parking ban after all, the Chronicle’s Bradley Olson reported last week: “After the neighborhoods balked, the planning department purchased equipment that will allow it — instead of neighborhoods — to send bulk mailings. The department estimates it will pay $15,000 to $20,000 in mailing costs in the first year and $125,000 over five years for the bulk mailing equipment. ‘I’m really excited that the administration listened to the voices of the homeowners and the civic associations,’ said Councilman James Rodriguez, who pushed for city to revise its stance. As of [last] Thursday afternoon, the planning department had received four applications, all from neighborhoods in the Spring Branch area.” [Houston Chronicle, previously in Swamplot]

11:48 am | 8 Comments | Read more about Development Regulations, Landscape, Neighborhood Disputes, Parking, Quicklink
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Friday, March 27, 2009

Problems with the Front-Yard Parking Postage Meter

March 27, 2009 – 8:17 am
   

Houston’s opt-in-only front-yard parking ban, which goes into effect next week, is already proving popular with neighborhood groups — but expensive. “The current application requires civic clubs to pay for first-class mailings to every property owner that would fall under the parking ban. ‘We’re seeing whole neighborhoods come in (to apply), like 5,000 residences,’ said Planning Department spokeswoman Suzy Hartgrove. ‘We underestimated the magnitude of the interest in the program. We weren’t fully budgeted for this, and this was a way for neighborhoods to share the cost.’ . . . Sharpstown, for example, has more than 6,800 homes. Informing all the owners through a first-class mailing would cost at least $3,000. Milton Winebrenner, the Sharpstown Civic Association president, said he is asking the city to allow them to do a bulk-rate mailing. Other neighborhood leaders want to know why they cannot use their regular homeowner association newsletter to inform residents.” Or hey, why not just use Swamplot? We’ll post keep-off-your-lawn notices for free! [Houston Chronicle; previously in Swamplot]

8:17 am | 7 Comments | Read more about Landscape, Neighborhood Disputes, Parking, Quicklink
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

New West U Buffalo Parkway

March 24, 2009 – 9:54 am
   

“West University Place’s Zoning and Planning Commission recommended a proposal Monday night to be sent to City Council, which includes a zoning ordinance amendment that would allow driveway stubs and parking areas in front of homes on Buffalo Speedway. A 2003 amendment allowed such driveways on Kirby, Bellaire/Holcombe and Bissonnet, but not Buffalo Speedway. Upon moving to West University Place from the Champions area, [Belma] de Berardinis immediately forecasted a traffic snarl in front of her home and tore up her front lawn with the intent of building a paved maneuvering area. City officials delivered the news that, under West U. law, this was not permitted. De Berardinis had the lawn replaced and every morning . . . confronted angry motorists as she made the dangerous drive in reverse onto traffic.” [West University Examiner]

9:54 am | 5 Comments | Read more about Development Restrictions, Neighborhoods: West University, Parking, Quicklink
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Friday, February 27, 2009

The AstroLot: Houston’s Newest Transit Hub

February 27, 2009 – 9:27 am
   

Another scene from the active afterlife of the former theme park: “The 150 acre lot formerly known as Astroworld has been empty for a while, but is expected to be packed on Friday when it will be available for rodeo parking. . . . Lighting towers will be brought in and parts of the property not suitable for parking, such as areas with holes in the ground, will be marked off. There will be entrances along the 610 feeder between Kirby and Fannin and exits off of Belfort. After the rodeo, all entrances will be used as exits so all traffic will flow out of the lot. There are only about 12,000 parking spaces on the actual rodeo site. Officials welcome the new 5,000 space parking opportunity. . . . The lot is not paved and is bumpy, two factors that do not bother some rodeo patrons. . . . ‘We think it’s great that people will be able to cross the bridge and it will bring back memories of when Astroworld was here,’ [Andi Devera of the Fazeli Group, owners of the leasing rights] said. The Astrolot opens this Friday.” [abc13; previously]

9:27 am | 2 Comments | Read more about Attractions, Neighborhoods: Reliant Park, Parking, Quicklink, Redevelopment, Tourism, Transportation
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