Comments on: Time for TIRZ: Regent Square’s Tax Break from the Future http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/ Houston, Texas real estate development, home buying, landscape, and design Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:14:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: kjb434 http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24777 kjb434 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:51:08 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24777 Donna, Local neighborhoods have more sway over TIRZ projects than you think. Super Neighborhood 22 had an issue with a large commercial developer in the TIRZ this blog post was about. The developer wanted to reclaim some open space that is currently city park land along Studemont at Washington. SN 22 made there voice heard at the Planning Commission which forced the TIRZ to have a member of the SN on the board. Now the SN has much more input in the activities of the TIRZ. Oh, and the developer can't have the parkland even though the city was willing to sell it to them. Donna,

Local neighborhoods have more sway over TIRZ projects than you think.

Super Neighborhood 22 had an issue with a large commercial developer in the TIRZ this blog post was about. The developer wanted to reclaim some open space that is currently city park land along Studemont at Washington. SN 22 made there voice heard at the Planning Commission which forced the TIRZ to have a member of the SN on the board. Now the SN has much more input in the activities of the TIRZ.

Oh, and the developer can’t have the parkland even though the city was willing to sell it to them.

]]> By: Donna Freedman http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24758 Donna Freedman Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:08:02 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24758 One important matter that has not been addressed is these TIRZ Board members are not elected. You can not get rid of them. The Mayor approves the Boards recommendation which are always cronies of the developers. Take for instance our Memorial City TIRZ which was formed in 1999 by the company Metro National who owns that ugly Memorial City Mall. Our taxpayers in Spring Branch School District refused to enter into an agreement with this TIRZ because of overwhelming dislike for Metro National. Mayor Mobility White gave them permission to tear down 200 year old Live Oak Trees, one of which is on the Harris County Tree Registry. These wonderful old trees are from the orginial farmland of our earliest German settlers. I hope the City government votes to dissolve this TIRZ soon. One important matter that has not been addressed is these TIRZ Board members are not elected. You can not get rid of them. The Mayor approves the Boards recommendation which are always cronies of the developers. Take for instance our Memorial City TIRZ which was formed in 1999 by the company Metro National who owns that ugly Memorial City Mall. Our taxpayers in Spring Branch School District refused to enter into an agreement with this TIRZ because of overwhelming dislike for Metro National. Mayor Mobility White gave them permission to tear down 200 year old Live Oak Trees, one of which is on the Harris County Tree Registry. These wonderful old trees are from the orginial farmland of our earliest German settlers.
I hope the City government votes to dissolve this TIRZ soon.

]]> By: EMME http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24231 EMME Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:02:37 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24231 Allbrittons was on Waugh. Whole Foods is going in on Waugh at Dallas. Allbrittons was on Waugh. Whole Foods is going in on Waugh at Dallas.

]]> By: GoogleMaster http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24224 GoogleMaster Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:03:24 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24224 My bad, I had this confused with the corner of W. Dallas and Studemontrose, where there is allegedly going to be a Whole Foods someday. Unless the Whole Foods is going into the development planned for the corner of W. Dallas and Wauuuuuggggghhhh!!! which is somewhere near where the Albritton's used to be. My bad, I had this confused with the corner of W. Dallas and Studemontrose, where there is allegedly going to be a Whole Foods someday. Unless the Whole Foods is going into the development planned for the corner of W. Dallas and Wauuuuuggggghhhh!!! which is somewhere near where the Albritton’s used to be.

]]> By: kjb434 http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24134 kjb434 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:53:35 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24134 GoogleMaster, Those lots have not been empty for a long time at all. Maybe a year at most. It's was the former site of much of the Allen House Apartments. Those Apartment (although old) usually kept fairly full occupancy. Also, no part of this money is a giveaway to developers. As usual the Chronicle gets the story wrong or leaves out vital information. Good thing that paper is failing. The money is spent on public infrastructure that yes will allow the development to happen, but it also improves the public infrastructure for all the existing residents and businesses nearby. I don't hear people complaining about having upgraded water and sewer lines at no cost to them. Thats what the current residents in the area get out of this. The businesses in the TIRZ (including the future Regent Square project) will be paying for it over time. Actually, outside of the Regent Square property, the rest of the area is not in the TIRZ district, but they will benefit from the improvements. It's a win-win without taxpayer money going to special interest. And since the money is only from the incremental increase in property value, it is only coming from businesses in the district. Residents don't pay into the TIRZ fund through incremental property value increases. I wish people would actually investigate things versus reading one (very crappy) news article to make a valid opinion of what is happening. GoogleMaster,
Those lots have not been empty for a long time at all. Maybe a year at most. It’s was the former site of much of the Allen House Apartments. Those Apartment (although old) usually kept fairly full occupancy.

Also, no part of this money is a giveaway to developers. As usual the Chronicle gets the story wrong or leaves out vital information. Good thing that paper is failing.

The money is spent on public infrastructure that yes will allow the development to happen, but it also improves the public infrastructure for all the existing residents and businesses nearby. I don’t hear people complaining about having upgraded water and sewer lines at no cost to them. Thats what the current residents in the area get out of this. The businesses in the TIRZ (including the future Regent Square project) will be paying for it over time.

Actually, outside of the Regent Square property, the rest of the area is not in the TIRZ district, but they will benefit from the improvements. It’s a win-win without taxpayer money going to special interest. And since the money is only from the incremental increase in property value, it is only coming from businesses in the district. Residents don’t pay into the TIRZ fund through incremental property value increases.

I wish people would actually investigate things versus reading one (very crappy) news article to make a valid opinion of what is happening.

]]> By: Transom http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24129 Transom Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:05:40 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24129 One of the reasons that public money is used is that there are a lot of beneifts to the surrounding properties and community that the developer does not get any return on. The TIRZ structure is actually quite elegant, in that it taps the future appreciation in surrounding proerty values to chip in today for a project that will create that value (and that wouldn't happen otherwise). It is a self-fulfilling prophesy, in a good way. One of the reasons that public money is used is that there are a lot of beneifts to the surrounding properties and community that the developer does not get any return on. The TIRZ structure is actually quite elegant, in that it taps the future appreciation in surrounding proerty values to chip in today for a project that will create that value (and that wouldn’t happen otherwise). It is a self-fulfilling prophesy, in a good way.

]]> By: markd http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24114 markd Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:18:54 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24114 The space would make a nice park. The space would make a nice park.

]]> By: DMc http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24111 DMc Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:41:40 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24111 I don't see how it's in the "community's interest" to build this project more than any other proposed project. There's already traffic-a-plenty on Shepard. If we have to go back and have a taxpayer give away to expand the roads so developers can build there and make a profit... how is it any different? It's ITL so it's OK? People OTL pay taxes too. Why doesn't BLVD place get a cut too? What about that half-built developement on Westhiemer? [can't remember the name] The problem with 'stimulating' is resulting developments that aren't economically viable without it -by the developers admission in this case. If there is demand, and it is profitable, it will get built without stimulus. No need to waste taxpayer money. If it's viable a smart developer will take advantage of the opportunity. Too many times developers and cities get caught in the 'build it and they will come' mentality. It's easy we love our projects. But... development doesn't drive demand. Reverse that and bad things happen. Houston Pavillions is a great example of development built to fulfill a demand doesn't (as of yet) exist. I don’t see how it’s in the “community’s interest” to build this project more than any other proposed project.

There’s already traffic-a-plenty on Shepard. If we have to go back and have a taxpayer give away to expand the roads so developers can build there and make a profit… how is it any different? It’s ITL so it’s OK? People OTL pay taxes too. Why doesn’t BLVD place get a cut too? What about that half-built developement on Westhiemer? [can't remember the name]

The problem with ’stimulating’ is resulting developments that aren’t economically viable without it -by the developers admission in this case. If there is demand, and it is profitable, it will get built without stimulus. No need to waste taxpayer money. If it’s viable a smart developer will take advantage of the opportunity.

Too many times developers and cities get caught in the ‘build it and they will come’ mentality. It’s easy we love our projects. But… development doesn’t drive demand. Reverse that and bad things happen. Houston Pavillions is a great example of development built to fulfill a demand doesn’t (as of yet) exist.

]]> By: GoogleMaster http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24106 GoogleMaster Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:42:15 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24106 John said, "A big empty lot where Regent Square is planned affects the quality of life of everyone around it..." Well, that might be true, if it weren't for the fact that that big empty lot has been empty for years, and hasn't seemed to affect the quality of life around here too much. John said, “A big empty lot where Regent Square is planned affects the quality of life of everyone around it…”

Well, that might be true, if it weren’t for the fact that that big empty lot has been empty for years, and hasn’t seemed to affect the quality of life around here too much.

]]> By: John http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24099 John Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:45:31 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24099 Frankly, it is in our interest (as a community) to encourage development in prime locations in already-built areas of the city like this. As opposed to flat-out giveaways like building roads to empty land so developers can build there and make a profit thanks to taxpayer subsidized links to the rest of the city. A big empty lot where Regent Square is planned affects the quality of life of everyone around it and it's appropriate for the city government (which is, ultimately, answerable to US) to use tools available to it to encourage this kind of of thing. Frankly, it is in our interest (as a community) to encourage development in prime locations in already-built areas of the city like this. As opposed to flat-out giveaways like building roads to empty land so developers can build there and make a profit thanks to taxpayer subsidized links to the rest of the city.

A big empty lot where Regent Square is planned affects the quality of life of everyone around it and it’s appropriate for the city government (which is, ultimately, answerable to US) to use tools available to it to encourage this kind of of thing.

]]> By: kjb434 http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24081 kjb434 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:15:19 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24081 With all the Dry Cleaning jokes aside, I don't really pass by a dry cleaner that is not doing lots of business. Usually they are all busy. I'm guessing if you see one that isn't, it's because the service isn't that great. I'm not advocating more dry cleaning shops, but it seems there is demand for it. To a busy person, having someone else clean work shirts is a big time savings. With all the Dry Cleaning jokes aside, I don’t really pass by a dry cleaner that is not doing lots of business. Usually they are all busy. I’m guessing if you see one that isn’t, it’s because the service isn’t that great.

I’m not advocating more dry cleaning shops, but it seems there is demand for it. To a busy person, having someone else clean work shirts is a big time savings.

]]> By: Finness http://swamplot.com/time-for-tirz-regent-squares-tax-break-from-the-future/2009-04-01/#comment-24079 Finness Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:10:06 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=7849#comment-24079 I have to agree about the lack of demand. I will take it all back if the canyons on Kirby are immediatley filled. Furthermore, how much "upscale" is there a demand for when Weingartens is hoping to lure in drycleaners to River Oaks? (See story from today on this site) I have to agree about the lack of demand. I will take it all back if the canyons on Kirby are immediatley filled.
Furthermore, how much “upscale” is there a demand for when Weingartens is hoping to lure in drycleaners to River Oaks? (See story from today on this site)

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