Swamplot Archives by Tag: Variances

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Treemont Homes: Bad Karma or Just Bad Spelling?

July 15, 2009 – 11:54 am

A reader writes:

A new development sign went up recently in Midtown. It’s a variance notice regarding a lot bounded by Chenevert, Anita, and Hamilton streets adjacent to Baldwin Park.  The developers name on the variance notice (#53 on the July 9th variance meeting) published at Houston P&D is “Treemont Homes”. Interestingly, no such builder seems to exist either in the business directory or with an online presence. Tremont Homes, however, does exist and, I believe, was involved in the Tremont Tower fiasco a few years back in Montrose.  I am currently trying to determine who “Treemont Homes” is and who the principals are and if this could be another mortgage fraud/shoddy building/screw the people type of project.

Any help you could offer is appreciated.

The variance request is for a 5-ft. setback along Hamilton St., the 59 feeder road — which typically requires 25 ft. Hamilton Court would consist of 20 single-family lots on an L-shaped 0.78-acre property. The item was deferred until the July 23rd planning commission meeting, on the request of the planning staff.

Photo of sign at Chenevert and Anita: Swamplot inbox

11:54 am | 21 Comments | Read more about Development Restrictions, Neighborhoods: Midtown, Proposed Developments, Townhomes
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Comment of the Day: 903 and 909 W. Main

May 20, 2009 – 3:50 pm
   

“. . . First Montrose Commons is not ‘ok’ with the plans to replace the homes with townhouses. But the fact remains that the homes were bought by a developer for the express purpose of building townhouses, and so townhouses will be built there no matter how much FMC kicks and screams. The only thing FMC acquiesced to was a variance request. The only effects of that variance will be to save a tree on the property and to preserve what little street parking we have around that corner. Townhouses would be built whether the variance passed or not. Furthermore, the two homes at issue would be outside the boundaries of the proposed historic district because there are too many non-historic, non-contributing properties on that side of the neighborhood to qualify for protection.” [Jason Ginsburg, commenting on Comment of the Day: On the Corner of West Main and Roseland]

3:50 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Comments, Neighborhoods: First Montrose Commons, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Townhomes
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Monday, January 19, 2009

River Oaks Shopping Center Balcony: A Few Loose Ends

January 19, 2009 – 11:50 am

Weingarten’s Planning Commission victory earlier this month doesn’t resolve everything for the westernmost of two replacement retail buildings now under construction at the River Oaks Shopping Center. First, reports Mary Ann Acevedo in the Houston Business Journal, that last-minute compromise left a few neighbors grumbling:

. . . some of the neighbors are not pleased that they didn’t have an opportunity to review the final agreement after Weingarten’s most recent changes prior to the Jan. 8 hearing with the Planning Commission.

According to [neighbor Janet] Moore, Weingarten had told the group it would deliver an advance copy for their review.

“They presented us a signed, unmarked copy at the hearing and had no one available authorized to negotiate changes to the agreement,” Moore says. “Some of the neighbors are disappointed with a few of the changes in the agreement.”

On, Jan. 13, Weingarten presented the neighbors with a revised agreement that Moore says does address some of those concerns, although the parties continue to work out the details.

Next, that Vallone restaurant planned for the building’s second floor and balcony — which at one point was referred to in Weingarten’s marketing materials as Il Tavolo (and is labeled Adagio Vino in the renderings) — may not be a done deal yet:

Continue Reading This Story >

11:50 am | 8 Comments | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Leasing, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, Restaurants, Shopping Centers
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Friday, January 9, 2009

The Great River Oaks Shopping Center Compromise of 2009

January 9, 2009 – 9:59 am

There was no showdown over the River Oaks Shopping Center variance request at yesterday’s Planning Commission hearing. In talks prior to the meeting, Weingarten Realty used its mad skillz to assuage the most vocal neighbors with a few minor changes to the patio-topped porte-cochere facing Shepherd Drive — already under construction — that violated the setback:

. . . reduce the size of the balcony seating and enclose the seating area. That will result in a 30-inch encroachment into the area of the 25-foot setback.

Lower the 10-inch signage on the west side of the building facing Shepherd Drive.

Will remove external LED lights on the west side of the building and turn off flashing security box lights inside the parking garage.

Variance . . . granted! The screencapture above shows the revised, enclosed balcony shown at the hearing, which will be a part of Tony and Jeff Vallone’s new Il Tavolo restaurant and wine bar.

Weingarten knows how to keep more than just a noisy upstairs wine-bar quiet, notes abc13’s Miya Shay:

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9:59 am | 11 Comments | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, Restaurants, Shopping Centers
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The New River Oaks Shopping Center: Did Weingarten Step Over the Line?

December 10, 2008 – 2:48 pm

Weingarten had no problem tearing down the first part of the River Oaks Shopping Center last year. But when it decided to replace the historic curved building at the northeast corner of West Gray and Shepherd with the semi-curved, semi-modern confection shown here, did the company go too far?

According to the GHPA, Weingarten is now seeking a variance to allow it to keep changes it made to the approved plans for the building — which have already been built. From a website referred to in a GHPA email:

The restaurant’s balcony facing Shepherd encroaches into the mandatory setback, violating Houston City Setback Requirements. Once the City was notified of the encroachment, construction of the encroaching porch was stopped—temporarily. . . . Weingarten Realty has requested that the Planning Commission grant a variance to permit this encroaching porch. Without objections from concerned citizens like you, the City will likely grant the variance request.

That restaurant is Jeff and Tony Vallone’s planned new Il Tavolo. After the jump, a portion of the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance’s message:

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2:48 pm | 24 Comments | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Restrictions, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, Restaurants, Shopping Centers
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Monday, August 4, 2008

Southgate Demo: Save the Tree!

August 4, 2008 – 12:14 pm

2202 Addison Rd., Southgate, Houston

Calling it “perhaps the most elegant and beloved in the entire neighborhood,” some saddened neighbors send in a deathbed photo shoot featuring the former Southgate home of retired Rice University architecture professor Elinor Evans. Evans sold the home at 2202 Addison in January.

Lovett Homes plans to build a new house on the property. (HCAD lists the new owner as “5177 Builders Ltd.”) In June, the Planning Commission granted a variance allowing the new garage to maintain the existing 10-ft. setback along Montclair Dr. — in order to preserve a large live oak tree in the back yard. In applying for the variance, Lovett promised to maintain the existing home’s footprint.

After the jump: highlights from the photo shoot, plus a link to the riveting, tree-saving Planning Commission hearing video!

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12:14 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Buying and Selling, Demolitions, Development Regulations, Homebuilders, Neighborhoods: Southgate, New Construction: Residential, Trees
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Friday, July 11, 2008

South Shepherd Apartments: Withdrawn

July 11, 2008 – 1:22 pm

RR Donnelley Building, 1015 S. Shepherd, Houston

A reader forwards us a report indicating Trammell Crow Residential has withdrawn its variance requests for the South Shepherd Apartments, planned for the current site of the RR Donnelley printing company building on the Shepherd Curve, between the themey Renoir and Gotham condo buildings. And it’s not just the variance requests — apparently the entire project has been withdrawn from consideration by the city. Judging from the Planning Commission hearings — and from the comments on Swamplot’s story about the project — there was a fair amount of neighborhood opposition to aspects of the project. Is this simply a strategic retreat or is Trammell Crow backing out?

1:22 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Neighborhoods: Shepherd Curve, Proposed Developments
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Friday, June 13, 2008

Between Gotham and Renoir: Squeezing New Apartments into the Shepherd Curve Theme Park

June 13, 2008 – 1:49 pm

RR Donnelley Building, 1015 S. Shepherd, Houston

Trammell Crow Residential is planning a new apartment building on the current site of the RR Donnelley printing company building on S. Shepherd, some sleuthing neighbors tell us.

The printing company sits between two cartoon condos near W. Dallas: Randall Davis’s Gotham and Renoir. The site for the apartments will include all of the land currently owned by Donnelley, extending from Shepherd through the parking lot east to Gross St. The Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church on Newhouse St. may own a small piece of the parking lot, reports an email making the rounds in the neighborhood.

Trammell Crow, which runs the Alexan apartment chain, is reportedly still in the early stages of planning . . . though apparently far enough along for the company’s planners to request some variances from the city. One variance request

is to not have to widen Newhouse to the now required standard of 50 ft. . . . To do so would adversely impact the church and the one townhouse at the end of Newhouse.

More details and photos after the jump!

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1:49 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Condos, Neighborhoods: Shepherd Curve, Proposed Developments
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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Regent Square Developers: Parking Garages Scared Us Straight

May 22, 2008 – 9:38 am

Axonometric of Proposed Regent Square Development, North Montrose, Houston

Those of you still wondering why Regent Square’s quaint crooked street was axed from the project’s most recent plan — along with a few lush-looking inner courtyards — will be interested to read this explanation unearthed from a variance request submitted to the Planning Commission for today’s hearing:

After careful value engineering, it was determined to eliminate the below grade parking and replace that parking in additional structured garage parking. In addition, the diagonal private street that bi-sected the site has been modified and now runs perpendicular to Dunlavy. This also provided for a more efficient design of the structured parking garages.

After the jump: The new plan. When . . . and what?

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9:38 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Montrose, Neighborhoods: North Montrose, Parking, Proposed Developments, Streets
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Friday, March 14, 2008

Sunset Heights: Will Not Subdivide

March 14, 2008 – 4:00 pm

Former Post Office at 2601 Baylor St., Sunset Heights, Houston

East Sunset Heights Methadone Clinic Ad

This Methadone Clinic graphic was posted today on the Medusa Properties website, and conveys in slightly different fashion the same news we received in our email from a Heights-area reader:

The oh-so-neighborly Mr. Jared Meadors did *not* receive the variance he requested for the Baylor St subdivision.

Photo of 2601 Baylor St. and Methadone Clinic Graphic: Medusa Properties

4:00 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Sunset Heights, Proposed Developments, Renovations
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Med Center Houstonian: No Condo

March 14, 2008 – 10:10 am

Screen Shot from Planning Commission Meeting Showing Proposed Houstonian Hotel in Texas Medical Center from Main St.

Nope, no condos in the planned Houstonian Medical Center hotel — but there will be 100 apartments. Medistar consultant Doug Williams gave a few more details about the planned 40-story Main St. tower at the edge of Southgate in yesterday’s Planning Commission hearing:

  • Parking-structure base will be 12 stories, with a green space on top, and contain 14,000 sq. ft. of meeting and ballroom space.
  • Building will have 303 guest rooms, plus 100 apartments for longer-term stays, 70 of them furnished.
  • This is a Redstone project.
  • The developers are also buying the Baylor Clinic building next door, which Baylor rents from St. Luke’s.
  • The plans include a new skybridge that will connect the new tower to the Baylor Clinic next door, so hotel guests can use the existing Baylor Clinic skybridge to cross Main St. Representatives of Rice have expressed interest in connecting the university’s new Collaborative Research Center one block to the north to the new building by skybridge as well.

The commission approved a revised version of the variance request but attached several conditions having to do with landscaping and parking spaces.

After the jump, the view from Southgate!

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10:10 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Apartments, Highrises, Hotels, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Southgate, Neighborhoods: Texas Medical Center, Proposed Developments
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Thursday, March 13, 2008

A Sunset Heights Lot Size Turf War

March 13, 2008 – 6:23 pm

Former Post Office at 2601 Baylor St., Sunset Heights, Houston

Here’s just one paragraph from a nine-page variance request application submitted for consideration at today’s Planning Commission hearing:

So what message does this whole process send to people like me who are willing to go out and spend their time and their hard earned money and take risks in order to improve the city and improve our neighborhoods? The message is: Only the guys with deep pockets and deep connections—the Perry Homes, the Tricons, the Fingers, the Olmsteads, the Levits, the Weingartens—only those guys get to win at this game. Those guys can build what they want when they want. Everybody else loses. Everybody else gets bad advice and the run around. Everybody else should just stay home and sit quietly on their couches and watch TV.

There’s more to like in Jared Meadors’s request to subdivide the 49-by-120-ft. property he owns at 2601 Baylor St. in Sunset Heights into three separate lots — including an accounting of his annual net adjusted income over the last three years, two HAR.com screen shots, and some occasional heavy leaning on the CAPS LOCK key. But it’s nothing, really, compared to his more wide-ranging complaints about his difficulties with his neighbors and the Prevailing Lot Size ordinance that he has posted on the website of his company, Medusa Properties. It begins:

NEW CONSTRUCTION! SUNSET HEIGHTS - MODERN CRAFTSMAN STYLE - AVAIL SPRING 2008
*** UPDATE *** THE BLUE HAIRED LAWN NAZIS OF EAST SUNSET HEIGHTS STRIKE AGAIN!

More name-calling, after the jump!

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6:23 pm | 11 Comments | Read more about Development Restrictions, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Sunset Heights, Proposed Developments, Renovations
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Houstonian Texas Medical Center: Slow Multimedia Reveal

March 13, 2008 – 10:23 am

View from Main St. of New Houstonian Hotel and Condominiums, Texas Medical Center, Houston

From fuzzy video stills to washed-out photocopies: In the agenda handout for today’s Planning Commission hearing are hazy images that provide even more details about the new 40-story hotel and condo tower Medistar wants to build on Main St. in the Medical Center, at the eastern boundary of Southgate.

The drawing labels identify the hotel as the Houstonian Texas Medical Center, or Houstonian TMC for short. The architect is the Hill Glazier Studio of HKS, out of California. And a section drawing gives an actual height for the tower.

After the jump: It’s very tall!

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10:23 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Highrises, Hotels, Neighborhood Associations, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Southgate, Neighborhoods: Texas Medical Center, Proposed Developments
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Friday, February 29, 2008

Live on TV: New Med Center Hotel-Condo Tower

February 29, 2008 – 3:30 pm

Screen Capture of Planning Commission Discussion of New Medistar 40-Story Condo and Hotel Tower at Dryden and Main St., near Southgate, Texas Medical Center, Houston

Thanks to some intrepid reporting lazy online-video scanning over here at Swamplot, we now have more information about Medistar’s 40-story hotel and condominium tower planned for the corner of Dryden and Main St. in the Medical Center.

Yesterday, the Planning Commission voted to defer any consideration of Medistar’s request for a lot-line variance along Main St. But the president of the Southgate Civic Club voiced his objections to the variance — and other aspects of the project — anyway.

After the jump, more stills from the civic-club president’s presentation to the Planning Commission, plus a few bits of armchair analysis from our crack crew of expert TV watchers.

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3:30 pm | Read more about Condos, Highrises, Hotels, Neighborhood Associations, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Southgate, Neighborhoods: Texas Medical Center, Proposed Developments
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