Remembering Houston Planning Director Patrick Walsh

Late last week I was sad to hear of the passing of Patrick Walsh, the City of Houston's Planning and Development Director. Pat, as he was better known, had been on leave since being diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this spring. He died on Friday, November 23rd, reportedly peacefully, and surrounded by his family.

It's been a few months since I left the City of Houston, but I've managed to stay in touch with many colleagues, and never got the impression Pat's diagnosis was terminal, or this quickly terminal. It's all a bit of a shock, especially because of the energy and vitality that Pat brought to the office, and to life in general. Nonetheless, Pat's passing is a tremendous loss for the City of Houston. His leadership helped bring a number of new programs and disciplines to the Planning and Development Department and fostered increasing coordination between departments, especially with the Public Works and Engineering Department. Pat's background in civil engineering made that possible. In a city that has generally shunned more coordinated planning efforts, Pat did a tremendous amount to change that course. Houston's future will be better for all of his efforts.

Pat certainly got more than he probably originally bargained for, originally being hired as an assistant director, when, only a few days later, the Planning and Development Director at the time announced their resignation. Pat was promoted to Interim Director, then appointed by Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council in 2014. I certainly didn't have a close personal relationship with Pat, but as an employee of the Planning and Development Department, his influence was undeniable. I've written a few thoughts to help remember Pat's influence.

Family Atmosphere
Pat's leadership in the department translated into an immediate boost in employee morale. He was steadfast in providing increased department communication and employee appreciation.
Every year, Pat and his wife hosted department employees and their families around the holidays, opening their home for a few hours, and providing a welcomed time for employees to get to enjoy each other outside the workplace. He certainly fostered a family atmosphere, something for which I was continually thankful.

Leadership
One of Pat's first big responsibilities was leading the process of Plan Houston, Houston's first general plan. Pat also led the efforts behind other initiatives like the Houston Bike Plan, the Walkable Places Committee, and other efforts, like those to allow a decrease in parking minimums in certain parts of the city. Pat also provided support for Mayor Turner's memorable speech before the Texas Transportation Commission, calling for a paradigm change in transportation in Texas. Before working for the City of Houston, Pat led the Paws on Patios campaign, which effectively worked to allow dogs in outdoor dining areas within the city.

Break room chats
Without question, the hardest part of Pat's passing is the growing family he left behind. He became a father in early 2017, and it was a joy to see him share that process with colleagues. I was normally in the office just before 8AM, and would regularly run into Pat in the break room while he was getting his coffee. As a recent father myself at the time, it was fun to ask how fatherhood was progressing, and pass along anything I had been learning at the time. His accessibility provided a climate of learning and dialogue, especially for us less-seasoned staff to be able to share ideas, whether about our department, or about development in general.

Complete Communities
Of all my interactions with Pat, the most memorable came through the work of our department in the Complete Communities initiative. This is Mayor Sylvester Turner's hallmark program for neighborhood improvement in Houston. Having provided leadership for one of the neighborhoods in the program's initial round of the program, I was part of a group that regularly met to provide updates on our progress to the mayor. It was fun to see Pat prepare and work his way through the briefings. It was certainly no easy task for him, providing updates and asking for feedback from Mayor Turner. I appreciated Pat's willingness during the process to consult with us as employees, even those with a bit less experience.

My work in Houston's Near Northside neighborhood included a community kick off meeting which was scheduled on November 2, 2017, a day after the Houston Astros won the 2017 World Series. With everyone in Houston (especially in the year of Hurricane Harvey) excited about the big win, Pat wore an Astros hat to do his introduction for our meeting. It's one of the small things I'll remember about Pat, but it's something that was so emblematic of his approach to his job, and his joy for life and his hometown. It's something that made him approachable and relateable, especially as a department director for one of our countries largest cities.

Exit Interview
My last interaction with Pat as an employee in the Planning and Development Department was my exit interview in March of this year. With a busy schedule and a lot of other things to consider, Pat took about an hour of time to meet with me. Instead of sitting in his office or a conference room, Pat insisted on taking a walk through Downtown Houston. That was his style, and is something I greatly appreciated. I enjoyed being able to have that time to talk about my experience in Houston, why I decided to pursue a different opportunity, and where I could see the department grow as an employee. Pat was intent on learning how to continuously improve the department, especially for its employees.
We walked over to the Corner Bakery at Main and McKinney and each got bottle of milk and a huge chocolate cupcake. It will be an experience and exercise that I hope to carry as I continue my career. Pat's influence will certainly live on through many employees, and Houston's future will certainly be affected for the better because of his work.

Alleys in Houston and Elsewhere

I haven't written in a while. A la Celine Dion, it's all coming back to me now. When I blog post like this, and blog post like that, it's all coming back to me now. Okay, enough of that...

Here's a likely unpopular perspective: There aren't enough alleys in Houston. No, not bowling alleys. (Although, I'd agree with that argument too. Bowling is a ton of fun, and coming from Michigan, which has the highest per capita amount of bowling alleys in the country, it seems like Houston is a bowling alley desert. A few years ago Palace Lanes in Bellaire fell in the gutter, so to speak. But, that's another story for another time.) I'm talking about the oft-forgotten neighborhood design element of alleys between two streets. They're a greatly underutilized neighborhood design element today, but something that was once a staple in neighborhood design, especially when neighborhoods were designed in the classic grid pattern. Our country's love for suburban cul-de-sacs and the blocking of any sort of through traffic has eroded the utility of the grid in urban design.

An alley in the Houston Heights

For a bit more about alleys, let's look to Chicago. Chicago is arguably America's alley capital, with over 1,900 miles of alleys throughout the city. WBEZ took a look at what made Chicago America's alley capital. Alleys are noted as being more than utilitarian for garage access or garbage pickup; they're a social amenity too. Alley-facing garages can allow for different social interactions than those on the street, with people working on cars or doing chores in their garages. Alley expert and Iowa State University landscape architecture professor Michael Martin also notes the dark and grimy reputation of alleys, serving as areas to disposed of waste or deliver coal, long before we had more efficient sanitation and energy delivery technologies.

Houston's original plat surprisingly didn't include alleys, even though this was the norm for cities in the middle to late 1800s, including Chicago. Houston's relatively short 250' block lengths were the similar to other cities, but those early Houstonians (much like some of today's) weren't ones to simply emulate what other cities did, even at the inclusion of alleys. (If anyone can point me to why Downtown Houston didn't have alleys, I'd love to know. The Bordens and Moses Lapham must not have been moved to waste any precious real estate space on alleys.)

Other cities around the country are seeing renewed interest in keeping up neighborhood alleys, including Phoenix. (Typical Phoenix alley.) Detroit has seen a growth in revitalized alleys, including many in the last decade. Revitalization efforts have ranged from neighborhood driven, like the case of  The Alley Project, or in partnership with developers, like the case of The Belt, a partnership with Bedrock. (One part of Southwest Detroit includes alleys in an orientation where alleys come to a T at the end of the block, with lots on the short blockface of either end also benefitting from alley access.) Finally, here is a site containing a number of alley photos and diagrams from cities around the country, and the world for that matter, describing what is called "Tight Urbanism". Daniel Toole, provided an interview with CityLab, expanding on his "Tight Urbanism" thoughts, giving his experience with alleys.

In Toronto, The Laneway Project (laneway sounds so much classier than alley, doesn't it?!) is aimed at turning the city's laneways into areas that have the potential to thrive and facilitate community interaction. The project aims to 1) initiate and implement community-driven demonstration projects to improve and activate laneways throughout Toronto, 2) work with the City of Toronto and other stakeholders to create laneway friendly policies and procedures, and 3) develop resources to inspire and support residents, community groups, businesses and other stakeholders in improving and making better use of laneways. The group's "Laneway No-Brainers" document lays out eight benefits of activating laneways, including for infill development access, and for improved sanitation efficiency.

An improved alley in Houston

You don't see them in new subdivisions because of our segregation of land uses and design of front-loading, attached, single family home garages. Canin Associates out of Orlando, Florida lays out some of reasons that led to the demise of alleys as a neighborhood amenity. The segregation of land uses through zoning, and the increased status of the automobile are chief among them. This last point is most compelling though. As the prestige of owning an automobile grew, home design changed to accommodate front-loading garages. This shift in design is evident in so many of our country's suburban areas, with great deals of space being wasted in concrete driveways a large front yards.

Now to Houston. If you head over to the Houston Architecture and Information Forum, you can join the short discussion about whether people think homes with alley access are more likely to be burglarized than others. Interestingly enough, no one seems to think so, and residents with alley access actually boast about the space it saves on their lot (not having a large driveway), and the overall benefit of the amenity. (It's interesting that we now think of alleys as amenities, when they were once commonplace in neighborhood design.)

Here in Houston, there are many areas that would be well-served by alleys, but there isn't much desire to create new alleys, as the city does not maintain most long-existing alleys. Based on documents from Public Works and Engineering, the City of Houston only maintains about six and a half miles of alleys throughout the city. Now, there are far more alleys, just not maintained by the city. To learn a bit more about how the City of Houston considers alleys, check out "The Ins and Outs of Alleys", a presentation from PWE. Other nearby cities have alleys, including La Porte (original plat) and Bellaire (original plat).

Some neighborhoods have embraced alleys, such as Houston's Southampton neighborhood. "Southampton's system of alleys permits more expansive front yards, green space for trees, and more on-street parking for guests." Those are points difficult to disagree with. (Although, there have been some legal challenges to the enforcement of alleyway restrictions within the neighborhood.) Other neighborhoods like Denver Harbor have alleys, but haven't used them for access, although, someone readily could use them if they were to be improved.

An unkept alley in the Denver Harbor subdivision

Riverside Terrace has some alleys, and this Swamplot comment helps communicate the lack of knowledge about who alleys belong to in Houston (the city), and who is responsible for maintaining them (property owners). The robust conversation that follows again points to the benefits of alleys, but some of the difficulties of improving alleys in order to give them into City of Houston maintenance. There are strict construction and drainage requirements for alleys, which makes them more expensive than property owners would like, but something that many agree makes a neighborhood more desirable and effective.

The Houston Heights neighborhood includes alleys (original plat), but not without past dispute. The Heights has a large number of alleys (which were present on the original Houston Heights subdivision plat), but those disputes about alleys began almost immediately. Some people (including those within the City of Houston) once believed that the alleys were private property and could be adversely possessed.

In 1907 Oscar Martin Carter, the founder of the Houston Heights subdivision, sued N.H Jones, an enterprising prospective utility provider. (Read the brief of the case here.) Carter sought to block Jones, and anyone else for that matter, from providing utilities in the easements of the newly created City of Houston Heights. Carter and the Omaha and South Texas Land Company had reserved to themselves all of the streets and alleys as their own private property. In 1905, Jones was awarded a franchise to construct and operate a light plant to supply electric lighting to the new Houston Heights.  Immediately, Carter sued, claiming that Jones couldn’t build the electrical lines because it was on his private property. The Court of Civil Appeals of Texas said "not so fast." The Court essentially said that if Carter were allowed to own all the alleys and streets as private property absolutely (or, without easements), it would effectively create a monopoly for the residents where they could only buy utilities from Carter. And because monopolies are illegal, the Court said that Carter couldn’t do that. So, Jones was allowed to go on with the contract and install electrical infrastructure. It didn’t mean that Carter couldn’t do the same if he wanted to, but that Carter wasn't the only entity that would be able to provide those services to residents of the Houston Heights.

Now, so what? Why care about alleys? As cities grow and densify, or if you're trying to create efficiently designed neighborhoods, alleys can play a role. One of the qualms I have about Houston's development code is the prevalence of garages facing streets. It makes for a fairly hostile street, void of porches and front yards, (although some homes have second story porches), not to mention, taking all street parking away. As a city, we should also consider the overall health and social impacts of our planning and design. (Some of this seems a bit unavoidable though, due to Houston's lack of comprehensive planning, and leaving design and preference to developers.) But, as development occurs at the ends of streets, some developers have been savvy enough to create shared driveways that act like alleys, freeing up space for small front or rear yards, as well as garages.

I'd argue that my preference for infill development in Houston is centered around the 2,500 to 3,000 square foot lot, which is what you see a lot of in the Houston Heights and Sunset Heights (original plat) neighborhoods. Some areas of these subdivisions were originally platted with smaller 3,000sf lots, so building three homes on a formerly 9,000sf building site does not require replatting, making for easy, quick redevelopment. Essentially, these neighborhoods are being built up into their previously envisioned density, albeit likely a bit higher than previously imagined. When paired with alleys (aerial example in the Sunset Heights neighborhood), these lots provide for a little bit of everything, including garage apartments in the rear, and porches in the front.

As Houston continues its growth and densification, utilizing alleys may be a small, and overlooked, way to accommodate more access to properties, without requiring private driveways, especially when we require alleys to be improved at such a high standard. Houston's general lack of density proximate to its alleys, when compared to a city like Chicago, or even Detroit, makes it hard to recommend activating alleys the same way that other cities have. But, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't consider the public amenity that they are, and attempt to bring back this urban design element we've pretty much forgotten about.

Nextdoor and Houston: A Language Barrier, but an Opportunity

I've previously written about my experience on Nextdoor, and how the platform has been turning some of us in to modern day Gladys Kravitzes. It's full of lost pet announcements (which honestly seems to be the primary function in many neighborhoods), those looking for apartment or home rentals, dry cleaning or dining recommendations, people trying to sell things, notices about crime, and any other suspicious activity that might be taking place.

Earlier this week it was announced that the City of Houston would be partnering with the neighborhood communication application, Nextdoor, in an official capacity. Many may ask, "Well, doesn't the city already make announcements on Nextdoor?" I know I did. And, yes, you'd be correct. Many city departments are already making posts on the neighborhood networking site. For instance, the Houston and Community Development Department began posting on Nextdoor in October of 2016. The Office of Emergency Management posts notices on the site, which was instrumental in notifying residents about all of Houston's recent flooding events, especially through Hurricane Harvey. Now, it appears even more City of Houston communication will be forwarded to residents through Nextdoor. What was originally introduced as a way for neighbors to connect has now become an extension of civic infrastructure.

In an age of digital dependence and busyness, coupled with the need for government transparency, this sort of partnership is wise for localities. However, unlike a bus announcement or printed material, Nextdoor isn't readily translated in other languages. This is a huge drawback for civic engagement, especially for a multi-lingual city like Houston.

In the announcement city leaders set goals for engagement on the application, but that brought to mind the barrier of translating announcements in so many different languages. Take Houston's Gulfton neighborhood for example, where a multitude of languages are spoken. This is arguably Houston's most diverse neighborhood, a place where many refugees call home upon their arrival to Houston. Official announcements and the continued opportunity to become aware of events in the community are a great way for people to become woven into the social fabric of a neighborhood.

It may be helpful to learn about people's experiences using Nextdoor in these diverse communities. In our neighborhood, Houston's Near Northside, and specifically the Near Northside South neighborhood on Nextdoor, the application predicts that only 6% of the estimated 2019 households in the boundary are enrolled in Nextdoor. Our neighborhood also happens to be overwhelmingly Hispanic or Latino. Certainly, the political climate surrounding citizenship in many Hispanic and Latino communities may be a factor as well. While there is nothing seemingly preventing residents from posting in other languages, it doesn't seem that posts in other languages are common. (Or allowed? There was nothing in Nextdoor's guidelines.)

If Nextdoor is set on continuing to be a valuable connection for residents, there needs to be an adaptation of its services to reflect the communities it serves. A translation tool is something that would be of great benefit. Nextdoor, if you'd like to beta test some sort of language translation tool for your platform, come to Houston. We'd love to have you. There's no doubt that with the host of innovative talent Nextdoor was conceived from, coupled with the talent and motivation of those in Houston, we can make Nextdoor even more useful for the changing demographics of our cities and neighborhoods.

While technological advancements that better facilitate communication through multiple languages will be a benefit to communities, there won't be a better way to get to know your neighbors than getting to know them through the normal rhythms of life. Our design of cities and neighborhoods, and the services and opportunities they provide, also play a role in giving people ample ways to meet their neighbor. As civic leaders, we can't rely solely on Nextdoor or digital platforms to spread information. We need to know our neighbors aside from interacting with them on a computer or phone screen.

Houston night.jpg, an oft-used skyline photograph of Houston

Calling all photographers: we need an updated skyline night shot here in Houston.

Houston night.jpg

This is likely the most-used skyline photograph of Downtown Houston. And, it needs a bit of updating. Now, I'm sure there are thousands of skyline shots of Houston out there on the internet, but none as popular at this one, "Houston night.jpg".

The photo was taken by Flickr user eflon back in February of 2008 from the top of the Harris County parking structure at 1401 Congress Street, which sits atop the Harris County Federal Credit Union, a block to the east of the Harris County Civil Courthouse.

If you subscribe to email updates from Houston area organizations, or see news articles written about Houston, you've likely see this image before. It is included in the Wikimedia Commons, able to be used without requiring permission for non-commercial uses. This morning, Progrss, a group that tracks the trends and best practices in the transformation of cities all over the world, featured the photograph in an article announcing the network's partnership with the Rice Kinder Institute. The partnership is something to be celebrated, as it will help allow the City of Houston to start using "big data" to assist in solving Houston's biggest problems.

Houston's skyline has changed greatly since 2008. Of course, due to the angle of this photograph, much of the change in the southern portion will be eclipsed. But, we're missing a t least two of the now-iconic buildings that shape Houston's skyline.

For starters, we're missing BG Group Place (It'll probably be called Shell-something after Shell's acquisition of BG Group. BG Group Place was completed in 2011, three years after Houston night.jpg was taken.

We're also missing 609 Main at Texas.

Market Square Tower would have almost certainly been out of view, as just the extreme southern portion of the Lyric Center is captured, but this will be another one of Houston's skyline-shaping buildings.

A quick image search using Google Images shows that this image is everywhere. It's on a recycling website. One for emergency dentists too. And a marketing company, a tutoring company, a website for private security guards, and a recent Advance Auto Parts road trip planner set for those who were coming to Houston to experience Super Bowl LI.

It's odd how pictures and things like tweets and videos "go viral", and are used in such a wide variety of websites. When photographers allow their photos to be used by others, I suppose that will be expected. (Especially when it's a great photograph!). For as great of a photo as it is, we could use a little bit of an update, showing off the many changes in Houston's skyline.

Houston's Most Interesting Google Photo Spheres

In 2012 Google introduced photo spheres for its Android devices. At first users could only upload panoramic photos. In 2014 Google started to allow iOS (Apple) users to contribute to the online mapping program by uploading 360-degree views of sites around the world. So, now we have lists of the best photo spheres from around the world, capturing both urban and rural landscapes, allowing you to be a virtual tourist anywhere around the globe (so long as someone has published a photo sphere!)

As for Google Spheres and their usefulness, they can provide us a look at how a place once looked. They'll be valuable in showing the change that takes place in cities (hopefully for the good.)

So, I set out to find out where some of the more interesting photo spheres are located in Houston.

So, here are some of the best (and worst) Google Spheres in Houston:

Downtown Houston's Houston Chronicle Building
This will be a view preserved digitally, as the former Houston Chronicle Building at 801 Texas in Downtown Houston is set for implosion at some point.




Houston Skyline from the Sawyer Heights Lofts
The view from atop the Sawyer Heights Lofts is a great one, especially with the sun setting and Houston glowing. However, it gives a depiction of the sheer number of air conditioners and parking spaces that occupy Houston.



Beamers
This lot on the south side of the Near Northside, just north of I-10, plays home to a bunch of BMWs. If you've been to St. Arnold in the past year, you've likely seen this.



Fonde Recreation Center
This is a timeless photo of Houston's Fonde Recreation Center.




Eleanor Tinsley Park
Buffalo Bayou after a flood as seen from Eleanor Tinsley Park



Zeke Digital Marketing
If you're looking to film a commercial or need a website created, here's your place. (Not an official endorsement. But, it's ambitious putting this in your home, then throwing a Photo Sphere out there.)



Two-Headed Studying at U of H
If you're studying for a big exam, it's probable that two heads are better than one. Except when you're digitally embedded forever in a Photo Sphere.



Dean's Bar in Downtown Houston





Downtown Houston's Chase Building
Gone are the days of magnificent bank buildings. At least this one is still around.



Downtown Houston Skyline at Night
You won't even recognize this eastern portion of Downtown Houston, as it now is home to the Greater Houston Partnership Building, as well as the Marriott Marquis hotel.



Avenida De Las Americas
As the construction of Avenida De Las Americas finishes up, and the facade of the George R. Brown Convention Center begins to take shape, we can always be reminded of what it looked like during construction. Also in the background is the Marriott Marquis hotel,



Monument Au Fantome
From inside the Monument Au Fantome at Discovery Green




Art at Winter Street Studios



Houston Heights Medspring
Take a look inside the Medspring building as it was being constructed at the northwest corner of Heights Blvd. and 11th Street in the Houston Heights. I'm not sure why this was of interest to anyone to capture as a Photo Sphere, but with all that concrete we can be assured that this is a sturdy building.



Picnic Tables - University of St. Thomas
If you're feeling stressed, digitally hang out at these picnic tables on the campus of the University of St. Thomas. If you're at your desk for lunch, throw this on your monitor, and you'll feel like you're having a picnic instead.





Midtown's Bagby Park 
the distortion of the buildings in the background is the real winner here. But, Midtown's Bagby Park is always ready for a photo.


Anywhere, Houston Strip Mall
There is no shortage of brightly lit strip malls in Houston.




Art Class
A student captured an art class at Lone Star College's Victory Center on Victory Boulevard in the Acres Homes area.




Chase Tower
Now that Houstonians can no longer visit the SkyLobby of Chase Tower in Downtown Houston, it's important that we have this Photo Sphere. This offers one of the best panoramic views of Houston (or, at least about a 270 degree view of Houston's expanses).



Holiday Inn Newscast
These Photo Spheres capture some sort of news broadcast atop the Holiday Inn in Downtown Houston. It involves a creative rearrangement and utilization of patio furniture.








Downtown Parking Lot (Fresh Yellow Paint)
There's nothing finer than a large parking lot in an urban area with a coat of fresh paint.



More parking



Worst:

Women's Restroom at the Lonestar College Victory Center
I'm not sure why anyone is enamored with the women's restroom at Lonestar College's Victory Center, but, it must have impressed someone.



Three-armed girl at Axelrad
If there's one rule about being captured in a Photo Sphere, it is don't move! You'll end up with three arms.

Houston's Gas Stations and Garages Turned Restaurants

Even in gas-guzzling Houston, let's face a fact: with self-driving cars we might not need as many gas stations. So, instead of fueling cars, they can be used for fueling us. (I say that a bit tongue in cheek, because I'm not sold that self-driving cars are going to be the cure for traffic and mobility that many are claiming them to be.) To be fair though, most gas stations aren't going away anytime soon. And, there are a number of other gas stations that still serve to fuel both car and driver. (Come on you BBQ foodies out there, you know you like some BBQ from Rudy's!)

The Texas Department of Transportation Environmental Affairs Division published a "A Field Guide to Gas Stations in Texas" in 2003, highlighting some of the early gas stations in Texas. It is an extensive look at the marketing, use and design of early gas stations in Texas. Even though the Texas landscape is varied and had a great deal of influence on the architecture of a particular area, gas stations didn't always follow, making sure to establish or incorporate a predicable corporate image for those early petroleum companies. As cars became less of a luxury and more commonplace, oil companies staked their claims along the country's streets and highways to refuel America's cars.

America's former drive-through urbanism has actually led to some useful adaptive reuse opportunities. It's long been recognized in San Antonio that gas stations and service garages of the early 20th century can provide for some exciting reuse opportunities. The large canopies that used to provide shelter for cars and fuelers can alternatively be used for providing shelter to those fueling up on food. Open floor plans that allowed cars to move about a property now provide ample variety for seating and restaurant layouts, with minimal site work needed in some instances.

(Here is an extensive collection of classic gas stations around the country.)

Vinsetta Garage in Berkley, Michigan

Houston's Eight Row Flint in a former Citgo station. Now, fuel up on whisky and tacos.

Across Houston there are great examples of gas stations or garages that have been converted to restaurants. Eight Row Flint opened at Yale and 11th Street in the Houston Heights neighborhood last year, fueling Heights residents and visitors with whiskey, beer and tacos. This wasn't a redevelopment of a classic gas station or garage like Berkley, Michigan's Vinsetta Garage, (see what it used to look like) but instead a remodel of a run of the mill, abandoned, Citgo station.

Petrol Station. If you're visiting, get a burger.

Petrol Station in the Garden Oaks / Oak Forest neighborhood is a a popular spot for burgers and beer, replacing a garage with taps and a grill.

Retrospect Coffee Bar at the southern end of Houston's Midtown neighborhood is another former gas station that's gearing up to serve up gallons of fuel, only now in the form of coffee. The former Gulf service station is currently being outfitted to serve Texas coffee, beer, wine and other local foods. They are still receiving their permits (After anticipating a Fall 2015 opening), and have been working to utilize a shipping container as part of their building.



Liberty Station on Houston's Washington Avenue was once a service station, now serving beer and food truck grub.

The Houston Heights lost out on a great restaurant prospect when the old service station at the NW corner of White Oak Drive and Cortlandt was torn down for a large single family home.

The Houston Heights has another old service station that is slated to be utilized as a restaurant located at 11th and Beverly streets. The building has sat vacant for at least the past decade, and was never utilized by the now-closed Zelko Bistro. Thankfully, former Liberty Kitchen chef Travis Lenig has plans to utilize both sites for his future Field and Tides restaurant.

Finally in the Heights, Ritual, the new Texas-inspired restaurant at the corner of Studewood and White Oak Drive, has made a home in what was a former Conoco station. Before Ritual, owners of The El Cantina transformed the Conoco station into an expansive restaurant.

Across the street from Ritual, it looks as if the buildings that house BB's and Little Woodrow's might have been service stations or garages at an earlier time. (Can anyone in Houston with the institutional knowledge about these sites confirm this?)

So, what about other gas station sites that might make the transition from pumping gas to pumping out Houston cuisine?

There are remnants of another old gas station at the corner of Airline and Kern Street between the Woodland Heights and Brooke Smith subdivisions. Now, the property is up for sale, and is even advertised as "ideal for Retail/Bar/Auto shop."

In Houston's First Ward, a building that is currently hosting sporadic weekend garage sales and stores moving trucks, would make an excellent location for a restaurant should the owners ever entertain selling. Unfortunately the building is in a bit of disrepair, including the canopy.

In the Near Northside an old gas station on North Main has a "For Lease" banner posted. You can see that whoever owns the building had a railing installed on top of the building's canopy. This site would probably offer great sunset views of Downtown Houston should a staircase be added.

Fixers Automotive (a great place to get your car worked on, based on Yelp reviews) looks to be an old service station, as well as International Bonding just north of Downtown Houston.

Finally, Empire Cafe (the site of my wife and I's first date, so it has a special place in my heart) in Montrose looks as if it were an old gas station, however, it is actually the former Hollyfield Laundry and Cleaners. Not a gas station, but a remnant of past drive-through urbanism that has benefited fans of (now) walkable urbanism and good food. If there are others around town, please leave a comment and location, and I'll include them!

As an addendum:
(From what I've read, Ekkos Greek American Deli on Richmond is the best (still-functioning) gas station food in Houston.)

Previewing Cafeza in Houston's First Ward

Cafeza, in Houston's First Ward, is finally opening (tomorrow) Saturday, September 10, at 6:00 AM. Now, I'm not sure if there will be any sort of prize for anyone camping out before dawn (a-la-Chick-fil-A), but you'll have the distinction of being one of Cafeza's first customers. Neighbors have (or at least this neighbor has) long been anticipating the opening of the neighborhood coffee shop, which will join the adjacent Cafe Brussels and Stanton's City Bites as the only dining options along Houston Avenue in Houston's First Ward. This is a welcomed addition, especially given the increase in the number of people living in the neighborhood over the past few years.

The owners of Cafeza, Ryan and Keisha Hazen, who live in the First Ward, spent a few years wishing that someone would open a coffee shop in the neighborhood. Since no one else had, they did it themselves, drawing influence from time spent in Barcelona, particularly at La Granja Viader. They hope to bring to Houston the same quality and simplicity of food that they experienced in Barcelona. They hope Cafeza will be a place for locals to gather, listen to local musicians, and support the First Ward's artistic community. Kyle Buthod will act as Cafeza's operations manager.

Ryan and Keisha Hazen

Earlier this week, Cafeza hosted the First Ward community, including neighborhood and civic club leaders, real estate personnel, and many of the artists in the neighborhood. Yesterday my wife and I got a sneak peek of Cafeza during a menu preview party. We joined a number of other neighbors and guests who were excited to finally see the space at 1720 Houston Avenue, and to give their food and drink menus a try. The staff has had a few dry-runs this week, so their service was already very good, something that is usually an issue with new restaurants or shops. Aside from a small cash register issue early in the night, things ran smoothly, as orders came out from the kitchen quickly. Cafeza has drawn from the experience of other local coffee shops, including Boomtown and A 2nd Cup, so coffee service should be great. In general, Cafeza bills itself as a "European-style coffee bar"... featuring "a simple menu influenced by Spanish and Latin American cooking."

Cafeza's menu includes coffee, tacos, churros, cocktails, bocadillos and a number of other options. We had the opportunity to try a few items from the menu, as well as the whole line of breakfast pastries. The chocolate croissant was my favorite among the breakfast pastries, along with the chorizo quiche.

My wife and I sampled the Bernil bocadillo and a chai (we're 3 weeks away from having our first child, so drink options are limited right now!). The food was fresh and flavorful. I was most looking forward to trying the churros. They didn't disappoint. The looped churros were served with both chocolate and guava dipping sauces.

Churros, with chocolate and guava dipping sauces

The interior of the space pays tribute to the First Ward's artist community. A Wiley Robertson piece adorns the wall to your right as you enter. (Here's a condensed video of the painting process) There are a number of other works from local artists throughout the interior of the shop. A majority of the interior work was done by those connected to Cafeza, including the seating and bar counter. Now, Cafeza's space is quite cozy, so posting up there all day may not be as comfortable as somewhere like Boomtown (whose coffee is served at Cafeza), A 2nd Cup, or Paper Co. But, this week a few additional outdoor seating spaces were added to provide a bit more capacity, and there's an open air porch at the rear of the shop that provides a bit more seating. I'm particularly fond of their marquee sign at the corner of Houston Avenue and Crockett Street.

We're really looking forward to Cafeza's addition to the First Ward. It will be a place that offers a presence throughout the day, as hours will be from 6AM-11PM on weeknights, and closing at midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. I hope that residents of the Near Northside will also find Cafeza's location convenient, as it's a short ride or walk along Hogan / Crockett Street.

This is one business that will certainly add to the vibrancy of the Houston Avenue corridor. As an urbanist, I can't help but want the Houston Avenue corridor to develop into a Main Street of sorts, as there are a number of opportunities to incrementally add to the streetscape and character of a community. The Houston Avenue corridor leads into Downtown Houston's western edge, but is relatively void of businesses and attractions, especially those that can be easily and repeatedly accessed by neighbors. It will be nice to have a "third place" in the neighborhood.

The service, food and atmosphere were all wonderful last night. I hope you'll give Cafeza a try. I know we'll certainly be back.

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Market Square Tower

On Tuesday night I had the opportunity to tour the much-anticipated Market Square Tower as a part of Central Houston's CHIME young professionals group. This will be Downtown Houston's tallest residential structure, and will serve as the tallest building on the northern end of Downtown Houston. Designed by hometown architects Jackson & Ryan, the project is being built by Harvey Builders adjacent to Market Square Park.

Philip Schneidau, CEO of Woodbranch Investments Corp. welcomed the CHIME group, updating us on the status of the tower, explaining his desire to build a residential tower in Downtown Houston, and answered a number of questions from those in attendance. He said that Woodbranch had owned the site (a former surface parking lot) for over 20 years, but it was about three and a half years ago when he was convinced building a residential tower was the right move.

Originally, Schnideau suggested a 30-story tower, but was rebuffed by Woodbranch's New York City investors, who suggested a 55-story tower. Everyone involved in the project settled on 40 stories.

After settling its height, Schnideau said each of the parties brainstormed amenities. He noted that there were between 30 and 40, including his and her spas, a golf simulator, and a game room. 

Schnideau noted that the tower is aiming for opening in late October (I believe the leasing agents said October 26). Only about 15 or 16 floors will be ready for the grand opening, as well as all the tower's amenities, with 4 floors being opened each month thereafter. The tower's penthouses on the 39th floor would be the last to be finished.

Paper City featured a story about the tower in June, summing up the number of amenities that Market Square Tower will boast. In that story Schnideau said  “We didn’t feel like there was enough demand." (referring to living units in Downtown Houston.) "Just in the last five years, we’ve seen the demand pick up.” This is no thanks to the Downtown Living Initiative, an economic development program established to spur multifamily and mixed-use development in Downtown Houston. The program aimed at providing this boost to up to 5,000 units. Currently, there are approximately 2,729 units under construction in Downtown Houston, with another 2,458 units planned. 

When asked about the estimated construction cost per square foot, Schnideau answered "It's a lot." He suggested that the project was over budget, but that it was more important to deliver a great quality product.

After finishing with questions, groups of 10 or so made their way up the exterior construction elevators to the building's 39th floor. This floor will host the tower's four penthouses, which will each cost tenants about $16,000 per month. The view from the units (especially the west penthouse) will be unbeatable.

We took the stairs up to the 40th floor amenity deck, but we were unable to take a walk into the tower's glass-bottom cantilevered pool. The amenity deck is nowhere near completed, but will offer a spectacular swimming setting when it's finished. Residents will be able to gaze down upon to Market Square Park, and face the rest of the Downtown Houston skyline to the south.

The ground floor will likely not feature any retail, aside from something like a cafe or coffee shop. Nothing seems to be final with respect to that space at this point. The building's lobby will feature an intricate marble floor and glass ceilings. It was evident to everyone in attendance that the developers had spared no expense in the materials of the building. Market Square Tower will be a great addition to Downtown Houston.

Here are a few renderings from the tower's website: