@Duce630 Please believe me I had every intention to jump into this thread before your post because I wanted to support @T-Moar ideas with my own. I don’t intend or want to derail this discussion because I truly feel this topic (UH becoming a residential campus and Third Ward beautification/gentrification) is a crucial and critical up taking. Someone mentioned that UH is running out of room and I agree. I also think there needs to be a more urgent and imminent acquisition of parcels/properties surrounding the campus for future residential student/campus centric opportunities by UH. I also am very concerned with keeping the historical fabric of the Third Ward and its history, both African American and Jewish.
To add to my uneasiness is, UT has NOT SOLD THE LAND. I drive by that water tower at least twice a week. I am not sure of the boundaries but the UT land and it’s surrounding area is a blank canvas. It can/will be a developer(s) dream and can be a detriment to UH.
However, @Duce630, the above statements to @thebottoms seems to come off as chastising.
African Americans were not immigrants nor ran out of other countries. They were sold as property; less than human. African Americans were enslaved, lynched, and disenfranchised for better than 250 years and like today’s immigrants continue to face discrimination. I am sure you did not mean to be pretentious in your retort. It may be that you have oversimplified the “accepted” immigrant experience and the enslaved African experience.
Just a thought
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Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
263
It was absolutely not my intent to minimize the plight of African Americans at all. You are right to call me out, I appreciate the respect you gave me in doing so. Sometimes with these sprawling conversations, it is easy to get focused on one thing and unintentionally disrespect the others. Certainly African Americans were immigrants to the land, they were forced immigrants in a way unlike any other immigrant community we have discussed. Not only were they not handed anything when they arrived, they had everything taken away from them. The effects of it are still felt today.
What I was intending to convey was that Jews did not choose to leave their homes, they were forced out of many countries. While they may have chosen to come to the US over other options, they did not have the choice to stay in what had been their homes. They also were discriminated against in employment (as were just about all ethnic immigrants at different tines), which led to Jews working in the industries that did not exclude them.While many of them were fortunate in that those new industries of film and records became very lucrative, they did not magically find capital and get handed anything as thebottoms suggested. They, like the other immigrant groups discussed, worked for it. I would say that the Jewish immigrant experience very likely had a lot of similarities to the Italians, Irish, and Chinese (among others) at different times.
The African American slavery forced immigration is in a category of its own. Do take my apology as I did not mean to diminish that at all.
I am also irritated that UT still has that land, I also feel like there was more to the land deal and who all benefitted than was ever reported but thats just a feeling.
@kwuh97 I do believe that you and I agree completely. I just could have been much more eloquent than I was. Thank you for contributing.
Kwuh97 and Duce630 two excellent posts. It comes back to wanting to improve its own neighborhood. I will go further that it is key for its own future. Neighborhoods have evolved, changed all over the country. It is not about being right or wrong. Money will dictate the third ward future like every other neighborhood. If a home owner/business owner/land owner is offered an XYZ amount of money there is a high likely hood the offer will be accepted. It is humane nature and it is neither right or wrong.
@Duce630 I feel that we do agree and am more than willing to move on. Also I really want to contribute to this thread so @T-Moar about the parking lot across from the Towers. I was at a UH football watch party some years back at a bar on Richmond Ave, I think called the “Revielle… something”. Not sure if it’s still there or not. While there I overheard a conversation between a couple of UH fans discussing that very lot and the possibility of repurposing it, The discussion was a multi-use concept of a grocery store and restaurant(s) with student housing above or a parking garage above. I’m not sure which as I was ease dropping and did not want to intrude plus it has been years ago. Memory escapes me as I age.
The one fan seemed be in that type of profession and was able to deliver but there was hesitation. However, ideas such as that could create the campus we desire without any political push back.
At one point or the other it has to happen. We are indeed “land locked”. This might be the solution by purchasing parcels after parcels with an intent to create our own “campus world” This the quickest way it seems to do our own gentrification.
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Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
270
I think it would be much easier to redevelop that lot if it was privately owned. Who knows though, maybe just have to make Dr. Khator an offer she can’t refuse.
Really though, a grocery store or anything else there in a retail section of a dorm or whatever will have to be able to make a profit or it will close much like Whole Foods did in midtown, for example. Unless UH is planning on financially supporting it as some sort of a business lab or service, it will need the right model and margins to last.
Could have an Aldi type store with a smaller selection and cheap overhead unlike a huge Heb type.
Then 2 or so restaurant bars open on weekends only maybe student run or hippie co op where kids get work exp for resumes or something tied to the business or hospitality programs.
Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
272
An Aldi concept sounds like a better fit for sure. A bar or restaurant only open on weekends, it would have to really rake it in or have really low overhead to work.
@TOP25 I emailed Dr. Khator and/or her staff regarding the Green Lot’s potential many years ago. I made the suggestion of developing it into our own Greek village, at the time North Carolina State University was establishing a Greek Village as well. The village consists of individual homes (not townhouses) controlled by the university that leases to the chapters. I think UH was against that idea if I recall correctly. However, I’m not sure how impactful (positive, negative, or neutral) NC State’s village has been for campus life.
I chosed the area for Greek housing because the University Oaks community and its aesthetics, MacGregor Drive and its view of the bayou, and the Cullen entrance to the campus. All three are perfect for college campus Greek housing.
I must say, the Cameron Building is awful! It should be an embarrassment to all and should be replaced with something more profound or of a presence. Sorry little kiddos but you deserve better.
If Greek life for the green lot is a not an option then how about Cambridge Oaks?
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Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
274
I can’t see them making a change to the Greek housing anytime soon.
Thank you for chiming in. We all know about the $35M’s improvement plan. What I would like to know if what are the universities plan for around our campus? This thread and others are great because everyone brings their ideas. Are they feasible or not? No one knows outside our board of regents. Wanting to improve in house students life or wanting to have freshman living on campus is at the core of what is needed. It has always been missing. We would all like to know what plans are being considered.
It is a discussion that I feel is almost “tabooed” and no one wants to talk about except here on Coogfans. Cost is obviously the main obstacle and what local politicians want to see happening.
I was in the Greek system in the late 90s/early 2000s. There were a number of large chapter houses around.
Is it safe to say that the Greek system has gotten worse under Dr. Khator’s tenure.
She’s done a number of amazing things at UH but it feels as if the Greek system is dying on the vibe right now
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Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
277
I was as well. I don’t have a clue what it’s like currently. I just see them at tailgates. Though if it is dying on the vine, I don’t think anyone will invest in new housing for them. They may need different type of support.
Except for his hotel/building on Post Oak or the Pleasure Pier or Aquarium that he built from scratch.
The Aquarium was actually a very risky move when he planned it
Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
281
Aquarium downtown or the Kemah Boardwalk? I would say that most of those were pretty risky moves - including the Pleasure Pier. The hotel, probably less risk (since he was going to provide the retail/restaurant tennants himself), other than the unpredictability of the pandemic.