Detached Townhomes & What Houston Is Doing RIght - Page 10

bilbao58 · #**181** Posted **May 13, 2021, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

No one is saying Houston and LA are the same or look exactly the same.....

They're referring to a specific poster who likes to "cherry pick" the worst possible examples of Los Angeles. Sort of like what they've done with that glorified River Oaks alley, San Felipe.

bilbao58 · #**182** Posted **May 13, 2021, 12:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

LA folks are surprisingly insecure....

They've never quite recovered from the "plate of mashed yeast" scene in "Annie Hall."

If you haven't seen it, don't worry about it.

TexasPlaya · #**183** Posted **May 13, 2021, 12:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Psssst. It's Shepherd. Shepherd Drive. Sheppard (the spelling in your earlier post) is in Toronto. At least the one I knew.

Haha, I've probably spelled it at least 3 different ways.

Quote:

Looks like Shepherd is in for the Upper Kirby treatment.

$27M Shepherd Drive expansion set to begin this week

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/nei...s-16012835.php

It's about time. Montrose isn't even kicking in anything despite it being on their border.... that management district is perpetually crooked and ineffective.

bilbao58 · #**184** Posted **May 13, 2021, 12:38 AM**

^I'd like to see Lower Kirby given the Upper treatment.

JManc · #**185** Posted **May 13, 2021, 3:14 AM**

Wasn't the Montrose management area disbanded? They used to handle the lighting on the 59 bridges until the city took them over because the bills were stopped being paid. Now there's at least one light burned out on each of the bridges.

LA21st · #**186** Posted **May 13, 2021, 4:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

LA folks are surprisingly insecure.... No one is saying Houston and LA are the same or look exactly the same.....

Just a quarter mile to the west, a good super neighborhood management (Upper Kirby), has updated infrastructure. The difference between Kirby Dr (Upper Kirby) and Shepherd Dr (Montrose) is big.

https://goo.gl/maps/1dW2oYdvUf8wreeG7

It's a knock on a certain poster here in this thread.

LA21st · #**187** Posted **May 13, 2021, 4:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

They've never quite recovered from the "plate of mashed yeast" scene in "Annie Hall."

If you haven't seen it, don't worry about it.

Lol, no. I don't think any in LA cares what Woody Allen thought 50 years ago. Even he's changed his opinion on LA in the last 15 years. Not that it matters...
I doubt people in their 20s here barely know who Woody Allen is tbh.

TexasPlaya · #**188** Posted **May 13, 2021, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Wasn't the Montrose management area disbanded? They used to handle the lighting on the 59 bridges until the city took them over because the bills were stopped being paid. Now there's at least one light burned out on each of the bridges.

From 8/20: After legal resolution, Montrose Management District takes steps toward comeback

Hopefully they can get their act together instead of spending resources on endless plans and consulting.

TexasPlaya · #**189** Posted **May 13, 2021, 4:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

^I'd like to see Lower Kirby given the Upper treatment.

I'm not really sure where Lower Kirby begins. I believe they updated Kirby Dr from Buffalo Bayou to Brays Bayou. Rice Village is a lot nicer with the improved streetscapes.

bilbao58 · #**190** Posted **May 13, 2021, 5:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

I believe they updated Kirby Dr from Buffalo Bayou to Brays Bayou. Rice Village is a lot nicer with the improved streetscapes.

Really? When did that happen? I must have missed it because I avoided it like the plague. What I mean by lower Kirby is anything south of the freeway.

I've also tried to avoid Shepherd between the Whataburger and Westheimer for years.

JManc · #**191** Posted **May 13, 2021, 5:16 PM**

Looks like 'lower' Kirby are West U and Rice Village.

http://www.upperkirbydistrict.org/im...strict-map.gif

bilbao58 · #**192** Posted **May 13, 2021, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Looks like 'lower' Kirby are West U and Rice Village.

http://www.upperkirbydistrict.org/im...strict-map.gif

I didn't realize Upper Kirby District went as far south as Bissonnet. You certainly couldn't tell last time I looked.

bilbao58 · #**193** Posted **May 13, 2021, 5:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

I'm not really sure where Lower Kirby begins. I believe they updated Kirby Dr from Buffalo Bayou to Brays Bayou. Rice Village is a lot nicer with the improved streetscapes.

I don't remember anything changing on the stretch of Kirby through River Oaks from San Felipe to Allen Pkwy.

JManc · #**194** Posted **May 13, 2021, 5:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

I didn't realize Upper Kirby District went as far south as Bissonnet. You certainly couldn't tell last time I looked.

Same here. I assumed it went to 59.

Tom In Chicago · #**195** Posted **May 13, 2021, 7:25 PM**

^Same here. . . my s/o lived over there for a few years and I always thought Upper Kirby was north of 59. . . or anything related to the residential parts north of there. . . lower Kirby was just everything retail related north of the Medical Center. . .

. . .

TexasPlaya · #**196** Posted **May 13, 2021, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Really? When did that happen? I must have missed it because I avoided it like the plague. What I mean by lower Kirby is anything south of the freeway.

I've also tried to avoid Shepherd between the Whataburger and Westheimer for years.

I double checked. It's essentially from Buffalo Bayou to Holcombe (Bellaire). They redid Kirby Dr south of 59 when I still lived in Houston... so several years ago. However, Rice Village in general has much better streetscapes and parking than when I lived there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

I don't remember anything changing on the stretch of Kirby through River Oaks from San Felipe to Allen Pkwy.

I believe that was the first section done, or maybe it was always kept up with since it goes through River Oaks and connects pedestrians to Buffalo Bayou park.

TexasPlaya · #**197** Posted **May 13, 2021, 10:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebucket

Yikes this is one ugly looking tower:

https://goo.gl/maps/rwFwTyhfuac1AU4p7

It really is... I always liked these versions better:

https://goo.gl/maps/Dei9yrRM3uNakboR7

Bach1685dude · #**198** Posted **May 14, 2021, 1:02 AM**

Since Houston has no zoning, what's preventing some of the townhouses from converting to mixed use? You could replace the ground floor garages with retail and it will look better.

benp · #**199** Posted **May 14, 2021, 1:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bach1685dude

Since Houston has no zoning, what's preventing some of the townhouses from converting to mixed use? You could replace the ground floor garages with retail and it will look better.

Houston has many areas with deed restrictions, which are often more powerful than zoning as they cannot be overturned without the approval of 75% of the residents. Some deed restrictions include defining use, occupancy, and things such as liquor sales, approving design changes, having only approved house colors, or not parking in the street or in your driveway overnight (really, some areas are that strict). Houston also has parking ordinances, such as requiring 4 off-street parking places for each 1000 square feet of retail. There are also other restrictions which may affect some areas including drainage, sewer use, water, etc. Fire codes are still effective, depending on the business, which can affect design and occupancy.

No zoning doesn't mean no rules, it just means no centralized planning.

mhays · #**200** Posted **May 14, 2021, 4:35 AM**

Thanks benp, agreed. BIG MISNOMER about "no zoning."

The lack of geographic zones doesn't mean the land use code isn't detailed like in most places. And there are ABSURD parking requirements. That retail requirement is just batsh*t crazy.