Wait - what happened to 2009?!?
There are many things that will come to completion in 2010:
The new City Park. Progress is visible from Eagle Drive as you travel past the Park. Structures, lighting for the new ball fields, some landscaping is going in, and even the bridges are visible. Please look from Eagle Drive - the contractors are concerned about safety and security for folks in the working areas of the Park - and watch the progress.
Eagle Brook Apartments. Like them or loath them, they are slated to be finished soon - spring is the latest word I've heard. The Clubhouse/rental office is already finished.
Water Tower: At the end of Perry Road there will be a new water tower. The foundation work is completed and you'll start to notice soon a new feature to our skyline.
There are also many things that will begin in 2010:
Eagle Drive sanitary sewer lines: This project will take almost a year to complete. You won't see much of what happens as it will be tunneled under large portions of the road, but you'll see the pits where they're digging. Due to the numerous pipelines in the area the work will be done by hand (!) which means that there will be people working at the end of the pipe removing dirt from 30' down to the pits where it will be hauled to the top. Amazing stuff, really, but again, you won't see much.
Eagle Drive improvements: Eagle Drive is slated to be expanded to a four-lane section with a nice, wide center median. With the Park finishing up the area will really become the red carpet into the front lawn of the City.
Other projects the City is working on include sewer improvements on the Hill and on the west side of Eagle Drive (to tie in to the new sewer line once it's established), new water line along Perry Road (to connect to the existing water main under Eagle Drive and the new water tower), and other smaller projects. One thing that I am personally quite proud of is the energy retrofits at City Hall and at the fitness center and golf course clubhouse. While it is going to cost the City a little up front, we stand to save almost a quarter of a million dollars per year for the life of the improvements. That means we'll recoup the cost of doing the work in three or four years, and then the improvements save us money and energy.
So that's a brief snapshot of what's going on. Stay tuned! There's a lot going on and it's an exciting time to be here!
5 comments :
OK, so whats the deal with the apartments? I hate to be the guy who keeps kickin this horse but I just don't see the right questions being asked. The way I see it, they're already here whether we like it or not, (believe me, I would definitely rather them not) so we'd better make the best of it. How are we seeing to it that they are to stay well kept and high end so they don't end up like the ones on 146? How are we making positive that they will never be made into government assisted housing? Who or whom are the owners and are they aware of our intentions to keep our property values up? Is the city doing its part to see to it that these issues are addressed and if so, what? In the construction phase, the city is in a position to really make it costly for the owner and make it attractive for them to sell the property or possibly foreclose. This leaves the door open for anyone to become landlord who may not care who live there or what kind of background they may have. What is our city doing to prevent this?
Hello Brandon,
Great questions. I will try to address them for you the best way that I can.
First off, I get it that many people in town are not interested in the apartments - they do NOT want them in town at all. Unfortunately, however much we may or may not personally agree with your standpoint, the City cannot legal forbid apartments in the City. It's been tried and tried and those laws keep getting shot down. That said, our City has a very progressive ratio (I've described it before - it's the whole 6:1 ration thing) that will help ensure the quality and standard of living we currently enjoy. So, on to the questions:
1. The term "high end" is vague. We currently have in place an ordinance that requires the highest and best building practices. If you mean by "high end" gold plumbing fixtures and marble floors, no, we don't require that. But there are architectural, landscaping, parking, and open space requirements that must be met. They're not higher than anywhere else, but they are there. Most developers will tell you that our codes are very strict, while residents and others may feel they don't go far enough. To me, that represents a good compromise between business and community interests...
2. There's no legal way for the City to prohibit an apartment complex from becoming government assisted housing. That's a business decision made by the owners of the apartments. However, if the apartment complex continues to be full and command high rents, it is unlikely that that will happen. The location of the apartments on Eagle Drive should help, as will further business development and infrastructure development on Eagle Drive.
3. The owners of the apartments are a private company out of Houston. If you would like specific information please come in to my office - I don't have permission to give out his contact info on the web. His intentions are clear and have been stated in private and public meetings: no government rent-controlled units. As discussed in a previous entry, folks may apply for government assistance for housing of any kind, but they have to prove that there's no other viable option for them to find housing - a difficult thing to prove.
As the apartments are about a mile away from the nearest private residence, property values should not be affected.
4. As mentioned, the City is taking steps to ensure that the buildings are constructed to the highest and best standards. Our Chief Building official is out there almost daily to ensure compliance with all applicable codes. We are also in the process of drafting an ordinance requiring maintenance and inspections of apartments on a more proactive basis - right now it's all based on tenant complaint.
5. The imposition of any regulation on a developer increases the cost, but ensures the viability and safety of the building. We also have regulations that ensure the aesthetic quality of the building, which protects the investments of businesses in the area. Savvy developers realize that a little money put into the front end of their development will help them command higher rents and property values. Even if the desire is to sell the property, buildings designed and constructed to a higher standard increase the value of the resale. That has been my experience with this developer. He plans to stay involved with the project for the next three years at least. Regardless of who owns the property, the City will hold the developer/owner to the highest standards as put forth in our local ordinance and industry standards.
I hope this helps. If you have had specific experience that would help or ideas for making these apartments more successful, or anything at all, please feel free to come in (City Hall)or call (281) 576-2213 x 233 anytime.
This apartment complex has been in planning phase for many years. The main hold-up were drainage provisions that I required, including detention, cut-and-fill balancing and lateral drainage. It has taken years but the clear pay-off is drainage benefits to the City. And, because of the effort and expense, this developer is more likely to take care of his investment.
Dan Williams
Could someone please update the status and expected completion date for the city park. Also, very interested to know some details about the types of fields being constructed. Are the fields geared more for childrens use ie little league/softball or is this going to be more like an adult softball complex similar to the sports complex in Baytown.
Thank you for your response.
I also would like to know any updates on the park. I am a stay at home mom and I can't wait to have a nice park to take my two children. When is it supposed to be completed?
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