River Oaks to fight Hines to build a highrise (Houston: apartments, condos)

[Schumacher713]

I saw this one coming. I think it is weird they are building a commercial highrise next in a residential area. There are not food places in the area. Obviously, there is demand though. Would not surprise me if it is people that live in River Oaks that want to office close. lol. That would be ironic. If you have ever lived in a residential highrise you will realize there is very little traffic coming out of them. Most people that live there are retired. In the year I lived in one I never saw more than one car go in the garage when I did. I don't buy the traffic argument. It is an excuse because they don't want a big highrise looking down on their back yards. I will say one thing. Houston should have put in zoning 30 years ago.

Asbhy redux? Neighborhood battles developer over San Felipe high rise - CultureMap Houston

[DejaBlue]

No zoning is one thing but come on developers!

The rendering in that link looks ridiculous. That would look so freaking stupid towering over homes like that. It's like a building in the boonies. The lone scraper in a field of houses.

I was thinking this was residential and RO would just object to something other than houses. Any townhouse or highrise in that zip won't house anyone other than rich so the "riff raff" but an office building? Either way it's too freaking big and looks stupid.

7th ugliest city? Yep.

[theSUBlime]

No zoning at it's best. Honestly, seeing what happened with West U, River Oaks probably doesn't have a case. This is a town where if you have the money to build it you can. You can't cherrypick just because its in your backyard. Too bad.

[houstonfan]

I was going to say the same. Don't these people learn that it's a lost cause? How much time and $ did West U spend to fight the inevitable? Granted River Oaks folks have more money and probably deep political entrenchment, but doubt they can do anything about it unless Hines had a change of heart. That's why zoning is needed, we can change what's existing, but as buildings gets razed, the new ones must follow zoning laws.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I remember all the hoopla over the Wal-Mart on Yale, not even in the Heights. Heck, I even remember that renderings were "offered" on how the developer should/could develop the property with apartments and some stores. If they own the land, they can do what they wish with it. Funny thing is, I know a few people in the Heights who admit shopping there, and for every one I know, there are probably ten more. It turned out to be a nice shopping area nonetheless.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

I remember all the hoopla over the Wal-Mart on Yale, not even in the Heights. Heck, I even remember that renderings were "offered" on how the developer should/could develop the property with apartments and some stores. If they own the land, they can do what they wish with it. Funny thing is, I know a few people in the Heights who admit shopping there, and for every one I know, there are probably ten more. It turned out to be a nice shopping area nonetheless.

Exactly. I feel most people end up using it anyway in an auto-centric town. And it's true, I was always looking for that Walmart when I came back, and I realized it wasn't even in The Heights. I'm not anti-Walmart or anything, I just don't care to shop there, at least not often, since I don't enjoy their store or their products, but I wouldn't protest one. I think it's important to have community input, but the NIMBY policing (and resulting lawsuits) needs to stop, or there needs to be zoning put in place. You can't have it both ways. Not to mention, this is a commercial building, so you could make the argument that it will generate both money and jobs for the city, don't matter where it is -- I think it's going to weaken their case.

[Bad Haggis]

If I lived in River Oaks I'd be complaining about this too. Once you get outside of that neighborhood the traffic is impossible. Anymore "densifying" and accessibility will be even worse. That's the excuse anyway.

I will say Houston did screw the pooch on 2 things: zoning and public transportation.

[nilkn]

Meh, I'd fight against it if I lived there, but on the other hand, if you choose to live that close to the city center in a city with no zoning, you have to be realistic about what to expect. Houston is going to become increasingly urban, and inner city neighborhoods like River Oaks or West U will increasingly seem anachronistic.

At the very least, I do not believe River Oaks should get any sort of exception just because its residents make more money. They either have a case regardless of their money or they don't.

[14Bricks]

I thinks is dumb to build a office building in river oaks, but don't they already have a couple of high rise condos in river oaks? I'm not seeing the difference between a office building and high rise condos. But the people in river oaks have the money and the political connections to stop it, or drag it out it in court.

[Schumacher713]

Yea, there is the Huntingdon which is about 40 stories and there is a 10 story bank next to it. The "tower of terror" has been dragging out for years. I doubt this one will though.