HOUSTON | Development Thread II - Page 212

AviationGuy · #**4221** Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 3:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oscarinhouston

I move here to Houston 6 yrs ago and it amazes me how fast and high the city is growing. I just hope a hurricane won't hit us anytime soon, 'cause I feel the the city (infrastructure) is not ready to handle a Cat 3 or higher.

I don't recall what category Alecia (1983) and Ike (2008) were, but they did substantial although mostly superficial damage in Houston itself. I recall all the glass all over the streets downtown, and tons of tree damage everywhere. Seems like the winds were in the 70-80 mph range in the city. A hurricane with winds over 100 mph would devastate the city. It's just a matter of time...

JoninATX · #**4222** Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 5:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

I don't recall what category Alecia (1983) and Ike (2008) were, but they did substantial although mostly superficial damage in Houston itself. I recall all the glass all over the streets downtown, and tons of tree damage everywhere. Seems like the winds were in the 70-80 mph range in the city. A hurricane with winds over 100 mph would devastate the city. It's just a matter of time...

That would be devastating and certainly would effect nearly 7 million people between the Houston mertopolitan area and the golden triangle. Traffic would be our carmageddon.

weatherguru18 · #**4223** Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 6:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

I don't recall what category Alecia (1983) and Ike (2008) were, but they did substantial although mostly superficial damage in Houston itself. I recall all the glass all over the streets downtown, and tons of tree damage everywhere. Seems like the winds were in the 70-80 mph range in the city. A hurricane with winds over 100 mph would devastate the city. It's just a matter of time...

Alicia officially (for now) is rated a Cat. 3 with winds of 115 mph. However, on-going is a hurricane reanalysis project dating back to 1850 which will reclassify all storms. It is widely believed Alicia will be downgraded to a weak 2. Hurricane Ike was a strengthening Cat. 2 at landfall. Winds at both airports exceeded hurricane force and the winds in The Woodlands, per a Texas Tech research group, indicated winds sustained between 80 and 90 mph at the peak of the storm.

In a worse case scenario for Houston (Category 5 just north of Freeport) would put winds IN HOUSTON over 125 mph sustained (strong cat. 3) with gusts in the 150 category. Hurricanes lose 1 category after just a few miles inland thanks to friction of the land and buildings.

Even areas like The Woodlands would be devastated in a catastrophic hurricane. Just look at the mess that was left behind after Ike---a Cat. 1 over The Woodlands.

Dale · #**4224** Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 3:47 PM**

Never mind Cat 3, in 2005, Orlando was DEVASTATED by a Cat 1. It literally changed the look of the city vegetation and trees were so denuded, and virtually every roof had to be replaced.

AviationGuy · #**4225** Posted **Dec 1, 2012, 4:14 AM**

I remember seeing vids of the damage to pine forests in southeast and east TX from hurricane Rita (2005?). That's the one that tore up Pt. Arthur and Beaumont, and then went on up into east Texas and did so much damage to the trees. It was on track to hit Austin, then veered to the east and was going to hit Houston, and then veered more to the east and hit Pt. Arthur and Beaumont. That's when a large portion of Houston's population evacuated but in hindsight, didn't need to.

Hope I'm remembering all this correctly.

AviationGuy · #**4226** Posted **Dec 1, 2012, 4:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

Never mind Cat 3, in 2005, Orlando was DEVASTATED by a Cat 1. It literally changed the look of the city vegetation and trees were so denuded, and virtually every roof had to be replaced.

I remember an ice storm in Houston sometime during the 90s that brought down so many tree limbs that it looked like a hurricane had gone through.

oscarinhouston · #**4227** Posted **Dec 4, 2012, 1:01 AM**

I don't know about y'all but I think that a Rail Light along Washington Ave. would be an amazing idea.

MY only question is if it would be possible to build an underground?. I know, I know... it's impossible since we live on a flood zone... I'm just saying, maybe is possible, like the underground lines in NY and Chicago.

Dale · #**4228** Posted **Dec 4, 2012, 1:03 AM**

Anyone old enough to remember the elevated rail line that was planned for Houston ?

I believe it was early to mid 80's.

photoLith · #**4229** Posted **Dec 4, 2012, 1:30 AM**

I walked by the Ben Milam hotel Saturday and they have it pretty well gutted for demolition

JManc · #**4230** Posted **Dec 5, 2012, 1:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

Anyone old enough to remember the elevated rail line that was planned for Houston ?

I believe it was early to mid 80's.

i remember that. would'a been kinda cool.

Illithid Dude · #**4231** Posted **Dec 5, 2012, 3:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I walked by the Ben Milam hotel Saturday and they have it pretty well gutted for demolition

So sad. I'm surprised this demolition wasn't fought harder.

Double L · #**4232** Posted **Dec 5, 2012, 7:24 AM**

What is going to replace the Ben Milam Hotel?

mfastx · #**4233** Posted **Dec 5, 2012, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double L

What is going to replace the Ben Milam Hotel?

8 story apartments spanned over two blocks developed by Finger.

Bailey · #**4234** Posted **Dec 6, 2012, 12:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oscarinhouston

I don't know about y'all but I think that a Rail Light along Washington Ave. would be an amazing idea.

MY only question is if it would be possible to build an underground?. I know, I know... it's impossible since we live on a flood zone... I'm just saying, maybe is possible, like the underground lines in NY and Chicago.

They "hope" for rail on Washington also but I believe their "Phase 3" Ligth rail plan is a bit ambitious.

http://vimeo.com/53427629

We need to get the University and Post Oak Lines built!

natenate · #**4235** Posted **Dec 6, 2012, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey

They "hope" for rail on Washington also but I believe their "Phase 3" Ligth rail plan is a bit ambitious.

http://vimeo.com/53427629

We need to get the University and Post Oak Lines built!

Isn't any light rail expansion out if the question, since voters turned down proper funding???

oscarinhouston · #**4236** Posted **Dec 7, 2012, 12:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by natenate

Isn't any light rail expansion out if the question, since voters turned down proper funding???

That looks amazing! I really hope it ends up looking like that

BrandonJXN · #**4237** Posted **Dec 7, 2012, 3:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfastx

8 story apartments spanned over two blocks developed by Finger.

Why couldn't they rehab the hotel? Looks fine to me.

photoLith · #**4238** Posted **Dec 8, 2012, 9:50 PM**

^
Because we need to destroy as much of this cities history as possible.

They have taken off half the old shitty 60s cladding on the soon to be Marriott on main street and will soon start the historic restoration of the building to its previous early 20th century look.

They have also started the intersections of the light rail lines on main street and shut the main street line down.

Post midtown square is done, which is part of the post mid town loft development.

photoLith · #**4239** Posted **Dec 9, 2012, 6:45 PM**

Houston First to sell downtown property next to convention hotel site

Quote:

Houston First Corp. said Wednesday it is selling a piece of property downtown for residential and retail development.
Holliday Fenoglio Fowler will market the 110,000-square-foot tract bounded by Capitol, Rusk and Crawford streets and Avenida de las Americas, Houston First said in its Wednesday statement.
The property qualifies for the Downtown Living Initiative, which is intended to double the number of residences downtown and spur development throughout the area by 2016. Through the initiative, which the city passed in August, developers can receive a $15,000-per-unit tax rebate for residential developments downtown.
The Downtown Redevelopment Authority on Nov. 13 approved the first project to take part in the program.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/n...-downtown.html

Maybe just maybe with the residential tax incentives we can finally have a lively downtown past 5pm. We have Fingers new huge development across from the ball park, this lot selling for residential, and then another residential scraper going up on Main Street right across from Houston House, which kind of ruins the views from there, but oh well.

YakuzaIce · #**4240** Posted **Dec 9, 2012, 8:13 PM**

Well I went to see the demolition of the Ben Milam Hotel today. Seemed like a pretty light turnout though there were quite a few people Downtown in other places. There appeared to be several other things going on Downtown though. It's a shame we can't seem to find a use for a lot of these pre-WWII buildings.

• Video Link