Kumar Arya, a City of Houston engineer, was summoned to his department's downtown offices last summer to defend his rejection of a Metro site plan. He didn't think the design would work.Leaving the meeting, Arya decided to ride the Metro rail back to his office at 3300 Main St. He says he stepped off the train, was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground, then the assailant ripped off some jewelry Arya was wearing. He was injured - a broken nose and cut-up face, with lacerations severe enou
Bikers, the city of Houston wants to hear from you. Some of us only want to hear how you're going to get out of our way during rush hour, but city officials would rather hear about what you think is needed here to help you bike better, or whatever it is you do.An online survey is being conducted in connection with an overhaul of the 1993 Comprehensive Bikeway Plan."The new plan will be used to help guide us through improving our existing network, connecting into Harris County trails as well as e
From Chelsea Hotel No. 2Swamplot reports two fascinating bits of news: 1) Tenants of that funky old apartment complex at West Alabama and Dunlavy are getting eviction notices; and 2) There are still tenants to give eviction notices to in that funky old apartment complex at West Alabama and Dunlavy.The Wilshire Village apartments, as they're formally called, are an intriguing bit of 1940s construction notable mainly for its distinctive windows, courtyards and great location in the heart of Montro
Photo by howiesboxThe Code Enforcement Department of the City of Houston had to do a little code-enforcing on its ownself last week.Here's how one a-mailer described things at 3300 Main: "they have been redtagged for violations and have created havoc with some departments. on friday 4-17 a man in a wheelchair was unable to navigate the cluttered area where workers are furiously trying to make a deadline, and have blocked one of the emergency exits to the building."Ouch.Alvin Wright, Public
Photo by Blake Whitaker​ We always knew it -- even with the closing of the Bookstop, the corner of Alabama and Shepherd is the center of the world. Or the "Center of the World Center," as the city's public works department might put it.We can only be glad that the Amboy Dukes didn't hire the DPW to art-design the cover of what would have become Journey to the Center of the Mind Center. DPW spokesperson Alvin Wright tells Hair Balls he wasn't aware of any possible mis-wording on the sign, but w
