Houston Downtown Alliance

Brennan's of Houston to Re-emerge This Fall One Year After Hurricane Ike

noemail@downtownhouston.org — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Eighty Percent of Original John Staub Structure to be Restored; Brings 125 Jobs to Midtown

HOUSTON (March 3, 2009) – Houston Mayor Bill White and restaurateur Alex Brennan Martin announced at a press conference today that the esteemed Brennan’s of Houston would re-emerge at its long-standing Smith Street address this fall, just 13 months after having been damaged by fire as a result of Hurricane Ike. Slated to open in October 2009, the restored Brennan’s is expected to bring an additional 125 jobs back to Midtown.

“Adding jobs and welcoming back a Houston institution like Brennan’s to Midtown is all great for Houston,” said Mayor White. “Rebuilding this historic structure in the process is like extra sugar on our Banana’s Foster.”

Particularly in a downturn economy, the Houston community looks forward to the creation of 125 new jobs that range from service employees to managerial positions.

Eighty percent of the historic building, designed by the great Houston architect John Staub in 1930, will be restored. Houston-based Linbeck Construction – whose portfolio includes the Omni and St. Regis hotels in Houston – will oversee the project alongside Pin Oak Interests and Studio Red Architects whose architects have participated in such notable projects as Moody Gardens, Wortham Theater Center, and Texas Heart Institute.

“We didn’t burn down, we burned up,” said Brennan Martin. “We are honored and humbled by the outpouring of support we have received over the past year and are looking forward to opening our doors this fall and welcoming back our guests.”

Long before the Brennan’s put their name on the building in 1967, it was a Houston landmark. Designed by architect John F. Staub to house the Houston Junior League, the building’s façade was intended to evoke an image of the Vieux Carré. Today, the building is recognized as one of Houston’s most beautiful structures, having inspired the neighboring development of an area that is often touted as Houston’s French Quarter.

Additionally, Brennan-Martin is in dialogue with the City of Houston and Houston Parks and Recreation Department to relocate a mature tree from the Museum of Natural Science at Hermann Park. The tree will replace the historic Oak that shaded Brennan’s courtyard for over 40 years, which was lost in Hurricane Ike.

Forty-two years ago, the Brennan’s family of New Orleans opened the doors of Brennan’s of Houston, one of America’s most beloved dining destinations and the forerunner in serving Texas Creole cuisine. Led by Commander’s Palace Family of Restaurants co-owners Alex Brennan-Martin, his sister, Ti Adelaide Martin, and their cousin, Lally Brennan, Brennan’s remained on top by constantly innovating while remaining connected to its Creole roots and maintaining a familial level of warmth and hospitality. The Brennan family’s restaurants also include Commander’s Palace and Café Adelaide & the Swizzle Stick Bar in New Orleans and Commander’s Palace in Destin, Fla.

ABOUT BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON

The Brennan’s kitchen has explored the vast spectrum of Creole’s evolution in the “Bayou City.” Cultural influences in South Texas and an abundance of fresh produce unique to the region have provided more than a few opportunities for delicious Texas variations on time-honored Louisiana themes. Along the way, the passionate Brennan’s team has received accolades establishing the restaurant as one of the finest in the city. Awards such as Exxon Mobil’s Four-Star designation beginning in 2000 and a nod from restaurant critic John Mariani in 1997 to former Executive Chef and General Manager, Carl Walker, as “one of America’s most influential chefs” are just a few of the accomplishments Brennan’s counts on its list of accolades. Brennan’s has also been regularly rated among Houston’s “Best” and “Most Popular” restaurants in the Zagat Survey.

XXX

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

WAGSTAFF WORLDWIDE AT (312) 943-6900

3-Mar-09 11:00 AM

Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners Raising Funds to Expand and Restore Historic 1926 Building

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:45:00 GMT

HOUSTON, TX – (January 6, 2009) Nestled in the shadows of towering contemporary skyscrapers, the landmark Spanish Renaissance-style Julia Ideson building, part of the Houston Public Library system, will soon undergo an ambitious, comprehensive restoration and expansion project, providing Houstonians with a greatly enhanced community resource. The result of this project will be an architecturally compelling venue that, while remaining true to its traditional style, will boast state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive archival storage and work areas. In addition to drawing people interested in its Houston Metropolitan Research Center and its extraordinary collection of books, maps and images, the Ideson will provide a historic venue for exhibits, meetings and special events. Besides its inspiring indoor research and reading areas, the Ideson will also boast landscape upgrades and a unique outdoor reading room that will further secure its place as one of Houston’s historic architectural treasures.

Houston Philanthropists Fund Non-Profit to Realize Ideson’s Original Plans

Fourteen months ago, the non-profit Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners (JILPP) launched a $38 million capital campaign, which has now reached more than 50% of its fundraising goal; groundbreaking for the building’s new archival wing is scheduled for January 12, 2009. JILPP expects substantial completion of the new wing by the end of 2009 and the restoration will begin in 2010.

Located at 500 McKinney Street in downtown Houston, the three-story building is named after Houston’s first professional librarian and was designed by noted Boston architect Ralph Adams Cram who also created the design for Rice University’s original campus. Working with local architects William Ward Watkin and Louis Glover, Cram, one of the 20^th century’s premier practitioners of various revival styles, chose the Spanish Renaissance style for the Ideson as he deemed it appropriate to Houston’s heritage and cultural context. Brick, stone and stucco comprise the building’s materials along with a tile roof that is characteristic of the building’s style. Although the economic difficulties of the Great Depression thwarted the original plans for the Ideson’s envisioned south wing and rear garden, the building will now witness the full realization of its original, complete architectural plan. “The Ideson is truly one of Houston’s historic gems,” said Phoebe Tudor, Chairman of the Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners. “In addition to a new purpose-built wing for the archival collection, we want to provide a welcoming environment for Houstonians and visitors by creating new gardens and restoring the public spaces to their original grandeur.”

Environmentally Conscious, Progressive Design

In addition to fulfilling its conceived role as an enhanced community resource, the Ideson is among the first Texas Historic Landmark projects on track for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in the state; the JILPP also hopes to receive a Silver designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. An efficient air conditioning system and the use of indigenous plant materials along with recycled and low-emitting materials during construction are just a few of the key components that will help the project achieve LEED certification. Spearheading this progressive project are the architectural firm Gensler, led by Houston architect and historian Barry Moore, and the landscape architecture firm TBG Partners, which was responsible for restoring the grounds of the Texas State Capitol and Austin’s Laguna Gloria art museum. The construction manager for both the new wing and the restoration is SpawMaxwell. Gensler and TBG Partners have collaborated to develop a plan that reflects the Ideson’s Spanish Renaissance style and open spaces while preserving the architectural integrity of the building. “The distinctive smell of old books, the touch of rare documents, set amongst the Ideson’s ornate tiles and carvings, evokes an overwhelming sensation of historic significance,” said Barry Moore, senior associate at Gensler.

New Plans for Key Holdings

The Ideson’s Houston Metropolitan Research Center boasts many invaluable holdings, including some 7,000 rare children’s books, a 1615 edition of Don Quijote and first editions of Moby Dick and Alice in Wonderland; 125,000 architectural drawings; four million photographic images of life in Houston and the area dating back to the mid-1800s; and more than 300 extraordinary maps, including the first map of Houston. These archival holdings and attendant facilities for researchers will move to high-density shelving areas in the new wing – opening up the inspiring grand rooms of the original building for exhibits meetings and special events.

Summary and Major Donors

A Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, a City of Houston Protected Landmark, a Texas State Archaeological Landmark, and a site listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Ideson displays distinctive architecture and decoration that has been preserved throughout the years, but is in critical need of the expansion, refurbishment and restoration that this project envisions. This is a true public/private partnership, as the City of Houston has pledged $10 million in support, and its General Services and Library departments are working hand-in-hand with the Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners. In addition to the city’s support, major gifts for the project received to date include donations from Phoebe and Bobby Tudor and Joseph D. Jamail, Jr. and grants from The Brown Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment Inc. and the Cullen Foundation.

About The Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners

The Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners (JILPP) is a 501c3 organization founded in 2006 to raise funds for the expansion and restoration of the historic 1926 Juila Ideson Building in downtown Houston. Led by chairman Phoebe Tudor, JILPP launched a $38 million capital campaign in October 2007, which in only one year reached more than 50% of its fundraising goal. For more information, visit www.ideson.org.

About the Houston Public Library

The Houston Public Library (HPL) operates 36 neighborhood libraries, two HPL Express Libraries, a Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the Parent Resource Library located in the Children's Museum of Houston, and the Clayton Library, Center for Genealogical Research. Serving more than 4 million customers per year, HPL is committed to excellent customer service and equitable access to information and programs by providing library patrons with free use of a diverse collection of printed materials and electronic resources, Internet, laptop and computer use, and a variety of database and reference resources with live assistance online 24/7. For further information, visit the Houston Public Library at www.houstonlibrary.org or call 832-393-1313.

# # #

6-Jan-09 12:45 PM

Volunteer for the Texas Bowl

noemail@downtownhouston.org — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Hello Friends,

Monica Rhodes is working with Heather Houston of the Texas Bowl to stock and staff the Houston Hospitality Booths at the two team hotels for this year's Texas Bowl. She needs your help! read on...

The purpose of the Houston Hospitality Booths is to have a central place where the teams & coaches & families can get information about events the Texas Bowl is hosting, learn about other options available to them and gather general information on Houston, things to do, places to eat, etc.

The booth will be stocked with materials like the Official Visitors Guide magazine, a list of things to do in Houston and various brochures/materials from some of Houston's top attraction and destinations.

One of the booths will be at the JW Marriott (on Westheimer across the street from the Galleria). Rice University will be at the JW Marriott. The other booth will be at the Hyatt in downtown Houston (1200 Louisiana). The Hyatt is where the Western Michigan team will be headquartered.

Here's how you can help...

1. Take a look at the schedule (/attachments/wysiwyg/1/TexasBowl08HospitalityBoothSchedule.xls)and let me know if you are interested/available to staff the table during one or more of the available shifts.

2. Help me get the word out about this opportunity by forwarding this message on to all your contacts. Please keep in mind - we are looking for volunteers who are knowledgable about Houston and things to do around town.

Please be in touch ASAP if you can help man the booth....send me an email, give me a call, Also, let me know if you have any questions.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks for considering this volunteer opportunity!

Happy Holidays,

Monica Rhodes

(formerly of the Houston Museum District; now with Elmore PR)

munum308@gmail.com

979.285.8512 cell

24-Dec-08 11:00 AM

Houston Young People for the Arts plays it cool with a HOT event

noemail@downtownhouston.org — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT

The HYPA Fire + Ice Gala

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Houston Young People for the Arts plays it cool with a HOT event…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 15, 2008

Contact: Lauren Lovell, PR Representative

713-828-6123, lauren.b.lovell@gmail.com

Heather Pray, Event Coordinator

713-658-8938, heather@downtownhouston.org

HOUSTON, TX… Houston Young People for the Arts (HYPA) announces their largest fundraiser of the year, the 3rd annual HYPA Gala: Fire & Ice on Saturday, January 24, 2009 from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight at one of the hottest new venues in downtown, Houston Pavilions. The Fire and Ice Gala will take place on the third level in and around the sky ring and feature performances by musical guest Glasnost, fire dancers from Luminosity, ice sculptures and more! True to form, the HYPA Fire + Ice Gala is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated parties of the year. It’s a HOT ticket…excuse the pun.

The entertainment choices, from local fire dancers to ice sculptures, speak to the passion and purpose of HYPA and spotlight the artistry present here in Houston. Musical highlights of the evening include DJ Ceeplus Bad Knives and the local indie electronic band Glasnost, known for their unique sound and multi-layer live performances. Featuring both electronic and live instrumentation, buoyant dance beats, layered vocals and the influence of bands such New Order, Glasnost proves a great example of the local talent offered by Houston.

“We’re fortunate to live in such a culturally rich city and the synergy between the arts scene and the business community is amazing. I am happy to be part of an organization where we can showcase and support all that is happening in the Houston arts scene and ensure that it continues for many years to come, “says HYPA co-founder Heather Pray. Dedicated to their mission of connecting young professionals to the wealth of local art and artists in Houston, HYPA presents their largest fundraiser of the year with the sponsorship of Houston Pavilions, Houston magazine, McCormick & Schmick's - Houston Pavilions, Stockholm Krystal Vodka, LD Systems, Reprogram Music, Courtesy Valet, Avanti Transportation, Fit Athletic Club, Bikram Yoga Houston, GABE, Robeks Juice, Ice Designs, St. Arnold Brewing Company, Continental Airlines and Advantage BMW. “It's an honor to be working with HYPA on one of the freshest events of the year, a great start for 2009,” Says Kim Castillo of Reprogram Music. Karen Mulville, General Manager of Houston Pavilions says “As a new venue, we’ve been very well received by Houston. We’re glad to be able to give back by supporting organizations like HYPA.”

Tickets for Houston Downtown Alliance and Houston Young People for the Arts members are $50, $75 for non-members. Each year HYPA also offers an additional ticket package to encourage new participants; for $100 young professionals receive a ticket to the gala and a one year membership to Houston Young People for the Arts. Visit http://www.downtownhouston.org/ or call 713.658.8938 to purchase your tickets.

Houston Young People for the Arts (HYPA) is a committee of Houston Downtown Improvement, a 501(c)(3) organization of Houston Downtown Alliance that promotes living, working and playing in Downtown Houston through established programs including the Houston Theater District, Live Downtown Initiative, Emerging Leaders and Houston Young People for the Arts. Houston Young People for the Arts aims to promote the visual and performance arts; to advance awareness of current events in the Houston art scene, particularly among young people; and to collaborate with governmental and not-for-profit organizations to achieve these goals.

For more information visit http://www.downtownhouston.org or HYPA’s blog at http://www.houstonarts.org.

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16-Dec-08 4:00 PM

Save up to 50% for 12/19 Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings

noemail@downtownhouston.org — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Bring Your Friends Friday, December 19

Houston Rockets vs. Sacramento Kings

Houston Toyota Center

Special offer for Friends & Family of our Houston Rockets Season Ticket Holders and Group Leaders!

Save up to 50% on select sections!

Call: Stephen Jones @ 713-758-7293

Email: stephenj@rocketball.com

Lower Bowl

$75 ($110)

$60 ($75)

$45 ($63)

Upper Bowl

$21 ($42)

$16 ($32)

$12 ($15)

*All tickets subject to availability and price changes. *Special pricing only available through the Houston Rockets Front office.

11-Dec-08 12:00 PM

Street Closures for 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Closures include: Clay between Austin and La Branch from 7:00 a.m. Sunday, November 9, to 12:00 noon Friday,

November 14; Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on Monday, November 10;

Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Tuesday, November 11; La Branch

between Polk and Bell from 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 11, to 12:00 noon Friday, November 14; Bell between

Jackson and La Branch from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, November 12; Bell between Jackson and

La Branch from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Thursday, November 13; Bell between Hamilton and San Jacinto / Polk at

Avenida de las Americas / La Branch between Lamar and Leeland / Clay between San Jacinto and La Branch /

Jackson, Austin and Chenevert at Leeland / Caroline between Lamar and Bell / Dallas at San Jacinto from 12:00

noon to 12:00 midnight Thursday, November 13; and, La Branch at Polk from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 noon Firday,

November 14, 2008.

Closures include:

Clay between Austin and La Branch from 7:00 a.m. Sunday, November 9 to 12:00 noon Friday, November 14

Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on Monday, November 10

Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Tuesday, November 11

La Branch Between Polk and Bell from 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 11 to 12:00 noon Friday, November 14

Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, November 12

Bell between Jackson and La Branch from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Thursday, November 13

Bell between Hamilton and San Jacinto / Polk at Avenida de las Americas / La Branch between Lamar and Leeland / Clay between San Jacinto and La Branch / Jackson, Austin and Chenevert at Leeland / Caroline between Lamar and Bell / Dallas at San Jacinto from 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight Thursday, November 13

La Branch at Polk from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 noon Friday, November 14, 2008.

12-Nov-08 12:00 PM

Downtown Holiday Spectacular

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:00:00 GMT

DOWNTOWN DISTRICT DECKS THE HALLS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

WITH NEW FAMILY TRADITIONS

_____________________

Downtown District’s First Annual Holiday Spectacular

Kicks off Thanksgiving Day

HOUSTON – Traditions give a sense of importance to the holidays, and in most cases, they are never outgrown. Many seasonal family traditions focus on community events – a holiday parade, letters to Santa, ice skating or a magical night at the Nutcracker ballet. With the help of various downtown organizations including Discovery Green, the Mayor's Office of Special Events, the City of Houston Entertainment and Facilities Department and others, Downtown District is excited to take these existing traditions and package them with new ones to create the ultimate Holiday Spectacular – one that draws families time and time again during the season, and year after year.

Downtown District’s Holiday Spectacular will kick off with the H-E-B Holiday Parade Thanksgiving Day and continue through December with the Theater District’s merry medley of shows from the Nutcracker to A Christmas Carol; Downtown Aquarium’s Winter Wonderland and Breakfast with Santa; holiday programming at the newly renovated Central Library; and City Hall’s fabulous Holiday Tree. The festive five-week celebration is the first of many to come as this new holiday tradition begins in downtown Houston.

“Traditionally, Downtown Houston has been the main stage for many major city celebrations, and we promise Downtown District’s Holiday Spectacular will be one of the city’s biggest and brightest,” said Bob Eury, executive director, Houston Downtown Management District.

Downtown District’s Holiday Spectacular will bring life to the streets of downtown with two new holiday components located at Main Street Square, downtown’s pedestrian plaza and retail core featuring Macy’s, The Shops at Houston Center and the new Houston Pavilions; and the new urban park, Discovery Green. New holiday décor featuring peppermint sticks, snowflakes and 25 foot festive trees with jeweled red, green and white LED lights will illuminate Main Street Square, as the area bustles with holiday shopping activity while Discovery Green will be transformed into an outdoor wonderland, featuring a 7,200-sq. ft. outdoor ice skating rink on a portion of Kinder Lake with a variety of family-friendly programming including a Christmas Market.

Wrapping all of the holiday happenings into one holiday package, these destinations and others will be connected by two Holiday Trolleys, making it simple for visitors to park once and experience multiple downtown destinations during their visit. Trolley stops will be conveniently located close to parking and marked with holiday-centric signage positioned at the approximately 10 pick up and drop off stops. The trolley service will be FREE to the public and will operate on Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday beginning the day after Thanksgiving and through the end of December.

“We are excited to bring new faces to downtown to experience the existing and new holiday destinations and events,” said Angie Bertinot, director of marketing and communications, Houston Downtown Management District.

What makes Downtown District’s Holiday Spectacular spectacular, is the partnering between the Downtown District and all the downtown destinations in order to make a more dynamic and festive experience for the public—there is truly something for everyone. “Each year, the experience will grow with new concepts and events, becoming the premier annual tradition for Houstonians,” said Bertinot.

Downtown District’s Holiday Spectacular Guide & Trolley Map will be available to the public (in November) and Information on downtown events and happenings throughout the holiday season will be located at www.houstondowntown.com.

About the Houston Downtown Management District

The Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) was formed by an act of the Texas Legislature in 1995 and has been in operation since 1996. During this time, downtown has experienced an exciting renaissance and a remarkable economic rebound. Today more Houston residents as well as visitors see downtown as a place to do far more than work—downtown is now a place to live, dine, visit, play, enjoy the arts, worship and learn.

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3-Nov-08 3:00 PM

After Ike Along Buffalo Bayou

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Dear Bayou Friends:

All of us at Buffalo Bayou Partnership hope you made it through Hurricane Ike safe and well! Our hearts go out to all those affected by this devastating storm.

We want to update you on how Ike affected life along BuffaloBayou:

We appreciate the support of our board members, volunteers, and donors during this time and look forward to seeing you enjoying Buffalo Bayou soon!

We Are All Connected
Buffalo Bayou is a tidal system linked to Galveston Bay. While there was significant flooding due to the tremendous storm surge caused by Hurricane Ike, we are pleased to report Buffalo Bayou performed extremely well during the storm! Our most recent project, Sabine Promenade, showcases BBP’s efforts to improve and redevelop Buffalo Bayou. While there is evidence of Ike’s presence, such as downed trees and debris marking the peak water line, the recent improvements to Buffalo Bayou were designed to handle increased amounts of stormwater. This is evident in before and after pictures, especially in locations like the Hobby Center amphitheater. The water was stored and has been slowly draining into Galveston Bay.

(L) Ruellia plants located along the water’s edge were selected to tolerate substantial floods (R) An image of banks graded back behind the Hobby Center

(L) Downtown view (R) Sabine Street Bridge between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive

(L) Downtown’s Sabine Street Promenade (R) Sesquicentennial Park in the Theater District

Mighty Tidy
We also want to report that the docked Mighty Tidy skimmer boat capsized during the storm and floated down Buffalo Bayou. The skimmer boat was seen near the Port of Houston and has been retrieved. Because of the extensive water damage, this vessel may have to replaced.

Thank you Mighty Tidy for five years of cleaning efforts along Houston ’s historic waterway.

Clean Up and Volunteer Opportunities
With rain…floatable trash follows. Any trash not disposed of properly makes its way through our streets, storm drains, and eventually dumps into the outfalls located in the 52-mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou, through the Port of Houston, and finally onto the beaches of Galveston.

Please make sure the Houston streets are litter-free for cleaner bayous.

For those who would like to help in our cleanup efforts to ensure litter does not find its way to the beaches of Galveston, the following volunteer opportunities are available:

September 27
October 11, 18, 25
November 8, 22
December 6

All volunteer activities take place on Saturdays. We’ll provide all supplies.
To join us on one of these days and for volunteer information, please contact Jessalyn Ballard, our Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, at jballard@buffalobayou.org or 713.752.0314 ext. 4.

And speaking of cleaning up Houston , here are a few tips for handling Ike’s aftermath:

While the City of Houston resumes regular and heavy trash pick-up today, much of the storm debris removal will be carried out by DRC and other contractors, says Marina Joseph, public information officer for the City of Houston’s Solid Waste Department .

Stack broken tree limbs (8- to 12-foot-long bundles on the curb away from storm drains, which can block drains and contribute to flooding. Do not mix trash with other vegetative debris.

Houston residents can also haul their own vegetative and other storm debris to any of the neighborhood trash depositories from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., seven days a week. You’ll need to show a current utility bill plus your drivers license or a photo I.D. to leave trash. Centers are at:

• Northeast: 5565 Kirkpatrick, 713-675-3208
• Northwest: 6023 Windfern, 713-895-1003
• Southeast: 2240 Central, 713-837-0311
• South: 5100 Sunbeam, 713-738-1936

22-Sep-08 10:00 AM

House of Blues rolls out big-name Houston opening schedule

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Several big-name musicians are scheduled to christen the stage at Houston's House of Blues, which will officially open on Oct. 18.

Los Angeles, Calif.-based Live Nation Inc. (NYSE: LYV), parent company of House of Blues, released a performance line-up Monday that includes concerts by B.B. King, Willie Nelson and The Black Crowes during November.

The grand opening celebration on Oct. 18 will feature The Blues Brothers, with Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi. The VIP event, which includes dinner, hors d’oeuvres and a poster signed by Dan Aykroyd, will be sold through a Ticketmaster auction from Aug. 8 through Aug. 15.

Once the Blues Brothers have broken in the multilevel music hall, All Time Low, TV on the Radio and Los Lonely Boys will be among other acts in October.

House of Blues expects to produce more than 200 live music events each year at the venue, which is located in the Houston Pavilions development downtown, at the corner of Caroline and Dallas streets.

Anthony Nicolaidis, who currently books HOB Dallas, will be heading up the venue’s talent department. Mason Jambon is general manager of the new facility.

5-Aug-08 3:00 PM

Houston: No. 1 to Live, Work and Play

Fri, 30 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT

No. 1: Houston, Texas

By Jane Bennett Clark, Senior Associate Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

July 2008

COMEBACK KID

Population: 5,542,048
Population Growth Since 2000: 14.9%
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 31.3%
Cost-of-Living Index: 88.1 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $50,250
Income Growth Since 2000: 13.1%

It's the city of big plans and no rules, beat-the-heat tunnels and loop-the-loop highways, world-class museums and wiry cowboys, humidity that demands an ice-cold martini and the biggest damn liquor store on the planet. How could you not love Houston?

VIDEO EXTRA:
	Take Our Walking Tour Through Houston

You can hardly afford not to. Back with a roar after the oil bust of the 1980s, Houston has reclaimed its title as energy capital of the U.S. and added aerospace, technology and medical companies to the mix, generating more than 100,000 jobs in 2007. Not only does the Houston metro area lead the nation in job growth, but also its cost of living stands well below the national average. Housing prices run half those of other metro areas its size.

Houston's comeback didn't happen by accident. "Before the energy business returned, the city made the wise decision to invest in its downtown," says Guy Hagstette, who directs Discovery Green, a new 12-acre park in central Houston. Upgrades include an expanded convention center, a new stadium, a spiffed-up Main Street and a light-rail system.

Those improvements attracted couples and empty nesters, as well as Fortune 500 companies. Laura Van Ness, business director of Central Houston Inc., exchanged her 4,400-square-foot suburban house a few years ago for a condo within shouting distance of Houston's museums, theaters, sports venues and restaurants (and Spec's, the world's largest liquor store). She walks to work -- ducking into the pedestrian tunnels on steamy days -- and comes home to a building with a rooftop pool and spectacular views of the skyline. She could cook, but she doesn't. "When I have a party, I take my platter to the Four Seasons Hotel and have them put appetizers on it."

If dinner on a skewer isn't your style, you could settle in Sugar Land, a fast-growing, family-friendly suburb 20 miles southwest of the city. Sugar Land's penchant for planning borders on the prissy compared with Houston's chaotic energy. But for many, that's the appeal. Attractions include solid schools, a strong local economy and an affluent population (average household income is $133,354, more than twice the national average).

As for housing, Sugar Land defines itself by its master-planned communities, each of which mixes homes, retail and recreation. Houses are affordable: $350,000 will buy you a four-bedroom, two-bath home in the attractive Commonwealth development. Socializing revolves around each community's tennis courts, golf course, pool and clubhouse. "Sugar Land is exactly as it sounds," says Theresa Worsham, who lives in the Sugar Creek community with her husband and two sons. "It's a sweet lifestyle."

30-May-08 11:00 AM

St. Joseph Building Gets New Owners

Fri, 09 May 2008 17:00:00 GMT

A joint venture between Mission Equities GP LLC and Alex Brown Realty Inc. has purchased the St. Joseph Professional Building, located next to the St. Joseph's Medical Center in downtown Houston.

The buyers picked up the 139,000-square-foot building in March from ORIX Capital Markets LLC. Terms of the deal, which was announced this week, were not disclosed.

The 18-story medical office building at 2000 Crawford was built in 1964. St. Joseph's Medical Center was acquired in 2006 by Hospital Partners of America, which has spent more than $10 million to improve the urban hospital.

Houston-based Mission and Baltimore-based Alex Brown Realty plan to spend $7.8 million to renovate and reposition the medical office building, which is only 54 percent leased. The joint venture will replace the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system; install a sprinkler system; upgrade elevators; and renovate the façade and common areas.

ORIX was represented in the sale by Tim Gregory of Transwestern, which also is the firm that handles leasing for the building. Mission Equities will oversee building management going forward.

Others involved in the deal include Robert LaRue of Live Oak Capital Ltd., which arranged the equity and debt financing; and Whitney National Bank in Houston, which provided the acquisition and redevelopment loan for the project.

9-May-08 12:00 PM

Waste Management and Houston Astros Team Up on Recycling

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Waste Management Inc. and the Houston Astros are teaming up again this summer to promote recycling at Minute Maid Park.

The Houston waste collector is placing eight automatic recycling machines at the park for 20 games beginning April 22 through June 11.

When fans drop in plastic and aluminum beverage containers, the machines will randomly distribute coupons good for prizes including discounts at the Astros store, offers for half-price Astros tickets and other Astros items.

The new recycling option complements the existing 125 recycling containers at the park. So far, fans have recycled 129 tons of aluminum and plastic bottles.

21-Apr-08 2:00 PM

Lone Star Rising

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:00:00 GMT

In 1995, during his senior year at Texas Southern University, a predominantly black school in Houston, accounting major Al Colbert and his cousin, Ja Ja Ball, a TSU senior studying business, hatched a plan to make some money during the January-to-mid-April tax season. They rented an inexpensive storefront in a low-income neighborhood and offered tax-preparation services, specializing in electronic filing and quick refunds for clients. The Colbert/Ball Tax Service handled 270 tax returns the first year. The two natives of Beaumont, Texas, sensed an opportunity and kept the fledgling company going after graduation.

“Our goal,” recalls Colbert, now in his early 30s, was to become “the black H&R Block. We knew that market and felt it would be the right one for us to serve.” The business quickly took off, doubling the returns it prepared the next year and increasing to 1,800 in 1997. By then the company’s main office was in the Astrodome area, with two satellite offices in the city, still catering to a largely black clientele.

“It’s easier to start with people you know,” says Colbert, the company’s chief executive. “These are people who stuck with you in the beginning—they are the base.”

But Colbert and Ball soon realized that Houston’s large Hispanic population might also be a reservoir of unmet demand. The company began targeting Hispanics and indeed found a receptive market of working-class people, often self-employed, making $35,000 to $50,000 a year—just the sort of clients Colbert/ Ball sought.

Today, Hispanics account for more than 30 percent of Colbert/Ball’s business, which has spread far beyond Houston. The company began franchising its operation in 2000 and has since grown to 200 affiliates in 23 states, preparing more than 35,000 returns annually.

“Who would have thought of a black business growing in the Hispanic market?” Colbert says. “But in free enterprise you don’t worry about the color of your customers—you take advantage of opportunities.”

The Opportunity City

An opportunity city with only modest links overseas can certainly grow rapidly, but only an urban center with powerful ties to global commerce is likely to achieve greatness.

Al Colbert’s emphasis on the importance of seizing opportunity would have warmed the hearts of the city’s founders. In an era when many other cities try to position themselves with trendier distinctions (as “smart growth” exemplars or as magnets for high-income households, for instance), Mayor Bill White, a Democrat, is happy for Houston to be known simply as an “opportunity city,” which is a pretty good description of what the place has been since its inception: a venue where people who work hard can get ahead.

That was certainly the attitude of Augustus and John Allen, New York real estate speculators, when they arrived in Texas in the early 1830s and began looking for investment opportunities. In 1836, a few months after the Mexican army was defeated at the battle of San Jacinto and the establishment of the Republic of Texas was assured, the Allens purchased 6,000 acres along the barely populated Buffalo Bayou several miles from the battleground. The brothers resolved to build a city there, and named it after the conflict’s Texan hero, Sam Houston. They drew up a map of the planned city, laying out broad streets with only a very vague notion of who would live there. Then the Allen brothers started selling plots of land in what they billed as the future “great interior commercial emporium of Texas.”

“Interior” was the word that critics might have seized on. The site that the Allens had chosen was 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, spread out on a flat, humid, almost featureless expanse of heavily wooded and soggy ground. The Buffalo Bayou might indeed provide a passageway to the developing Texas midsection, but what was that compared with the assets of trading cities like Laredo and San Antonio—which had commercial histories extending back into the 18th century—or to the already established port of New Orleans farther along the coast? Even Galveston, down the Bayou but on the Gulf, seemed a better candidate for greatness.

It took a certain type of settler to look at a sun-blasted, mosquito-infested flatland far from any major river or port and think: ‘Here is where I’ll make my success.’

First appearances—then and even now—often didn’t help. Early visitors were struck by the settlement’s largely shack-like housing. And in those days, long before air conditioning, there was the Houston weather, which often combined scalding temperatures with soupy humidity. “Heat is so severe during the middle of the day that most of us lie in the shade and pant,” wrote a doctor, Ashbel Smith, in 1838. Yet the Allen brothers had not really chosen so badly. Houston possessed powerful assets. It sat on an enormous fresh-water aquifer, which today guarantees a water supply in a way that other growing cities, such as Phoenix and Las Vegas, can only dream about. The area also abounded in natural resources such as timber and rich soil that was ideal for growing cotton. And when oil drillers hit a gusher in Spindletop, about 90 miles from Houston in East Texas, in 1901, Houston suddenly found itself positioned as the nearest city to some of North America’s richest oil and gas reserves.

None of this, however, adequately explains Houston’s ascendancy. Other cities enjoy better locations for shipping, richer agricultural resources, or similar proximity to oil fields. The answer, I have come to understand as I have worked in Houston as a reporter and consultant, echoes something that the late Soichiro Honda once told me: “More important than gold and diamonds are people.” This critical resource, more than anything, accounts for Houston’s headlong drive toward becoming not only the leading city of Texas and the South, but also a player on the global scene: it is emerging as one of the world’s great cities.

It took a certain type of settler, back in the 1830s, to look at a sun-blasted, humidity-drenched, mosquito-infested flatland far from any major river or port and think: “Here is where I’ll make my success.” That tradition of hopefulness and determination can readily be found in the city to this day. As Rice University sociologist Stephen Klineberg notes, roughly 80 percent of Houstonians, according to his annual local surveys, consistently agree with the proposition that “if they work hard, they can succeed here.”

A major figure in Houston’s civic folklore of hard-charging business leaders is Jesse H. Jones (1874–1956), a towering bull of a man who made his fortune in lumber, real estate, and banking, and whose manner led some—including, reportedly, Franklin Roosevelt, who named him secretary of commerce during World War II—to refer to the big Texan as “Jesus H. Jones.” Believing that determined, even ruthless leadership made the difference between great cities and also-rans, Jones used his political connections to win federal dollars to expand the city’s infrastructure and wartime industries.

‘Heat is so severe during the middle of the day that most of us lie in the shade and pant,’ wrote a doctor in 1838.

Like Chicago’s early leaders, who used influence in Washington (including with Illinois native son Abraham Lincoln) and on Wall Street to steer public works, investment, and vital rail lines through their city, Houston’s patriarchs worked assiduously to create competitive advantages. In the aftermath of the hurricane that devastated Galveston in 1900, for example, Houston’s business elite secured local and federal funds to develop a 50-mile-long ship channel to the Gulf of Mexico. The channel would allow Houston eventually to become the nation’s second-largest port.

Bold opportunism also enabled the city, as America’s space program was getting underway, to snag NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, beating out more natural candidates such as Los Angeles, with its then-dominant technology base, or Florida, home of Cape Canaveral. The political connections of Senator Lyndon Johnson, the Senate majority leader at the time (and for whom the center would later be renamed), and House Speaker Sam Rayburn played a crucial role winning the terrestrial space race, as did the city’s willingness to ease construction costs for the project, which was completed in 1961.

Most important, Houstonians worked desperately to ensure that their city emerged from the early-1980s oil bust as the undisputed center of the energy industry. Many observers saw the oil bust as a harbinger of Houston’s inevitable decline. And indeed office construction nosedived along with rents, housing prices, and the job market. Yet, looking back, it is clear that Houston turned the oil bust to its advantage.

Using the lure of its relatively inexpensive office space and housing stock, as well as its ties to energy executives and leading engineers, the city attracted firms to locate there. In 1960, Houston was the home of hardly any major energy companies, ranking behind New York, Los Angeles, and even Tulsa; today, 16 large companies make their headquarters there, more than all those cities combined.

Rather than lapsing into a tailspin in the 1980s, Houston continued its rapid growth. A place with fewer than 300,000 people in 1930 is now a mega-region with a population nearing five million. The population of the metropolitan area itself, which did not even rank in the U.S. top 20 in 1940, is today the fourth largest in the country. The 2006 census estimate pegged Houston’s population at 2,144,491, only 700,000 behind third-place Chicago. In 1960, Houston was the home of just one Fortune 500 company; as of 2007, the area has 23. And the city is well positioned to benefit from its important place in the energy industry, a sector of the global economy that is only going to grow in strategic importance in the early 21st century.

What Makes a City Great?

Lauding Houston to urban planners is not much different than extolling red meat at a convention of vegans.

Despite an impressive growth record and positive signs for the future, Houston is hardly regarded by most journalists, academics, and urbanists as anything close to a model for a successful city. Many seem to share the impression expressed by journalist John Gunther in Inside U.S.A. in 1947 when he described Houston as a place “where few people think about anything but money.” Its other negative attributes included being “the nosiest city” in the country, Gunther said, “with a residential section mostly ugly and barren—a city without a single good restaurant.”

Opinions do not seem to have changed much even as Houston has developed a high-tech infrastructure and a spectacular skyline. The New Urbanist guru Andres Duany, whose city planning emphasizes cozy, walkable neighborhoods, seems horrified that Houstonians—driving SUVs across the sprawling distances of the city and its suburbs—appear to regard the galleria shopping center as Houston’s social center. Lauding Houston to urban planners is not much different than extolling red meat at a convention of vegans.

Ultimately, it’s a question of defining what makes a city great. Many city planners today focus largely on aesthetics, the arts, and the perception of being “cool.” Academics and many economic-development experts link urban success to cities’ appeal to the “creative class” of college-educated young people. In this calculus, the traditional practice of gauging a city’s success by studying patterns of population or employment growth, or noting the opportunities available for working-class or middle-class families to flourish, rarely registers as important. One prominent academic, Rutgers University’s Paul Gottlieb, has even offered an elegant formula for what he calls “growth without growth”—focusing on increasing per-capita incomes without expanding either population or employment. Indeed, Gottlieb suggests that successful post-industrial cities might well do best if they actually “minimize” the influx of new people and jobs.

Such an approach may work, at least superficially, in an attractive older city such as Chicago, New York, or Boston, but it’s an unlikely model for most cities in a country where the population is expected to reach 420 million by 2050. Growth-without-growth cities might be great to visit, and they might prove exciting homes for the restless young or the rich, but it is doubtful that they can create the jobs or the housing for more than a small portion of our future urban population. For these and other reasons, the Houston model of the opportunity city—welcoming new jobs and new families—may prove far more relevant to the American future.

‘Growth-without-growth’ cities might be great places to visit, but it is doubtful that they can create jobs or housing for more than a small portion of our future urban population.

Chicago, the great growth city of the late 19th century, whose trajectory most resembles Houston’s, left many early visitors unimpressed. A settlement of barely 350 people in 1835, Chicago mushroomed to a population of 100,000 by 1860. Aesthetically pleasing the city was not; Chicago, a Swedish visitor commented in 1850, was “one of the most miserable and ugly cities” in the United States. But Chicago’s economy barreled ahead, while that of St. Louis, its midwestern rival, stalled. The more genteel St. Louis business establishment, noted the Chicago Tribune in 1868, “wore their pantaloons out sitting and waiting for trade to come to them,” while Chicago’s “wore their shoes out running after it.”

An updated version of that story has been playing out in several cities across the country over the past half-century. The years since World War II have seen the emergence of a new roster of opportunity cities, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Charlotte, San Jose, Las Vegas, and, of course, Houston.

Like New York in the 19th century and the midwestern boomtowns of the early 20th, these cities have been led by aggressive entrepreneurs. They have appealed to newcomers, whether arriving from elsewhere in the country or from abroad, seeking a new start and a better life. Some of the cities have grown by nurturing new industries—Los Angeles with entertainment and aerospace, Las Vegas with gambling, and San Jose with electronics. Others, such as Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte, took advantage of their growth to challenge established cities in property development, banking, manufacturing, and other industries.

These cities have redrawn the country’s demographic and corporate maps. In 1950, St. Louis, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh ranked among the nation’s ten largest metropolitan areas; today they have been replaced by Houston, Dallas, and Miami. Equally significant has been the shift in the location of the nation’s largest companies away from the traditional centers of commerce. In 1960, greater New York dominated the corporate world with 140 of the top 500 companies, followed by Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. New York remains first among equals but now the region is home to barely 60 of the largest firms. In addition to Houston, cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, and Dallas have also carved out a powerful presence in American business.

In 1950, St. Louis, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh ranked among the nation’s ten largest metropolitan areas. Today they have been replaced by Houston, Dallas, and Miami.

These cities have achieved their success not through “growth without growth” but through the prodigious expansion of both employment and population. Over the past decade, Houston, Phoenix, and Dallas each have matched the employment growth of New York, Boston, San Francisco, and the Silicon Valley area combined. One of the most powerful weapons of opportunity cities in this contest is the growing divergence in costs between them and “superstar” cities. The latter clearly provide somewhat higher wages to professional, financial, and engineering workers. Yet for most people, the vast differences in the cost of living and real estate prices allows professionals working in Phoenix, Charlotte, or Houston to enjoy a considerably higher standard of living.

Over time, these cost differences, as well as the associated continuing shift in employment opportunities, has begun to alter one of the most critical indicators of future economic growth: the flow of educated labor. Indeed, since the late 1990s there has been a rising outflow of workers with postsecondary education from increasingly expensive cities like Boston, New York, and San Francisco and a parallel shift toward more family-friendly, modestly priced metropolitan areas.

The Next Great World City?

Given these trends, it seems likely that the next great American city will emerge from the ranks of the opportunity cities. The ultimate winner will come from those that keep up with the infrastructure needed to accommodate their growth. They also will have to deal with issues of education, crime, and creating a skilled workforce— issues that are important anywhere, of course, but can be particularly challenging in a rapidly growing metropolis.

Perhaps the key factor that will influence the rise of the next great American city is the ability to fit into the global economy. An opportunity city with only modest links overseas can certainly grow rapidly, but only an urban center with powerful ties to global commerce is likely to achieve greatness.

This may be where the case for Houston’s emergence is strongest. From its inception, Houston has been oriented to markets outside the country, first through its exports of timber and cotton and later as a major oil port. Trade and the global connections of the energy industry have also paced the development of internationally minded banks, business-service firms, hotels, and specialized shopping areas. An indicator of Houston’s international reach: it now ranks third among U.S. cities, behind Los Angeles and New York, in the number of consulates located there.

Another of Houston’s advantages is its history of tolerance. In the antebellum period, Houston was home to a large proportion of Texas’s “free people of color.” For decades after the Civil War, blacks certainly suffered the indignities of segregation, but Houston largely avoided the ugly desegregation battles of the 1950s and ’60s (for one reason, business elites realized that such conflict would be bad for economic growth). Perhaps nothing better reflects Houston’s openness to minorities than its willingness to accommodate upwards of 150,000 poor, predominately African-American evacuees from the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina. The massive humanitarian undertaking was largely a joint effort of the city’s African-American churches and its largely white evangelical congregations.

In the future, Houston’s culture of tolerance will no doubt be tested by the challenge of assimilating immigrants. Houston’s traditional racial mix of blacks, whites, and a much smaller Hispanic population has been upended by an immigrant wave that began in earnest after the oil bust of the 1980s. Attracted by low housing prices and economic opportunities, large numbers of immigrants from Mexico, Vietnam, China, India, Nigeria, Venezuela, and other countries swarmed into the city. In the 1990s, Houston’s foreign-born population soared by 94 percent—the biggest increase of any major city. Today the newcomers account for over 21 percent of the population.

To be sure, an entrepreneur like Al Colbert enjoys the city’s diversity—and the staggering array of restaurants, cultural offerings, and shops that it has produced—but above all he sees one thing: more customers. They are people like him, seeking their futures in a city of promise. “The key to success is finding an underserved market, and if you look beyond your own, you will see plenty of people in need of service,” Colbert observes. “You don’t care if the client is black or white, you just go to the people who can get you the revenues. And I don’t think there’s any place better than this place to do it.”

Joel Kotkin is the author of “The City: A Global History” (Modern Library). He is currently writing a book on the American future.

1-Mar-08 11:00 AM