University Place News Winter 2001 University Place – City’s First Recognized Super
Neighborhood!
On March 6, 2000, University Place become one of Houston’s first four officially
recognized super neighborhoods. Leaders from Southampton, Boulevard
Oaks and other University Place (UP) neighborhoods gathered at City Hall
along with Mayor Brown in celebration of the event.
In 1999, the Brown Administration divided
the city into 88 geographically defined super neighborhoods based on physical
characteristics, identity, and infrastructure. These “super neighborhoods”
were to serve as the cornerstone of his neighborhood oriented government
program. One such area is University Place, bounded by Kirby, Main, US59
and N. Braeswood. For over a decade University Place Association,
a coalition of neighborhood groups, business and institutions, had been
working together for common goals including zoning and major infrastructure
improvements. Due to its unusual ability to build consensus and act
as a team, the City used University Place as a model for super neighborhoods
throughout Houston. After the Mayor’s program was initiated, UP worked
to satisfy the many requirements and qualifications set forth to establish
itself as a super neighborhood. The requirements include community
building, holding public input sessions, and developing an action plan
for the area.
University Place operates through a
council comprised of representatives from area organizations. The
council works to identify, prioritize and address the needs and concerns
of the broader community. This creates a manageable framework for
community action and allows the city to provide services more efficiently.
City staff is assigned to each super neighborhood to help with implementation
of projects desired by the community. University Place projects for
2000-2001 include: the Gateway US59 Scenic District, a proposed decal parking
ordinance to help control overflow parking from Rice and Medical Center
institutions, sidewalks and wheelchair access ramps throughout the area,
and the reconstruction of Greenbriar from Rice Blvd. to Main Street.
Most of these projects are underway or have been completed thanks to the
support from University Place organizations, Mayor Brown, District C Councilman
Mark Goldberg, and Council Member Annise Parker. University Place
also serves as a collective voice for the area in matters where consensus
has been established, and is represented on the Main Street Coalition Board
of Directors and other organizations.
For more information on super neighborhoods
visit www.houstonplanning.com.
Houston’s Newest Scenic
District
University Place is now part of Houston’s newest scenic district,
the Gateway US59/Midtown Scenic District. Scenic districts are areas
designated by city ordinance that prohibit new billboards and oversized
business signs. Other scenic districts include, Greenway Plaza,
the Galleria/Uptown, Allen Parkway, and Tangelwood.
The effort to protect US59 from relocated
billboards began in 1998 when it was learned that 165 billboards would
be relocated from the I-10 corridor as part of the freeway expansion project.
Over the next few months University Place assembled stakeholders along
the US59 corridor, and the Gateway Houston Coalition was formed.
A large-scale petition process was initiated in the summer of 1999 and
was submitted to the City two months later. After a yearlong wait,
City Council voted unanimously to approve the district on November 1, 2000.
This achievement is evidence that grass
roots organizations working together can make a difference. Thanks
to University Place neighborhoods and leaders, the Upper Kirby District.,
Rice University, the Main Street Coalition, the South Main Center Association,
Neartown Association, and the many area business owners whose efforts and
dedication brought about the creation of the district.
University
Place Annual Meeting
This year’s annual meeting was held on Tuesday, February 13, 2001
at Rice University's Hamman Hall. Feature speakers were Dr. Richard Wainerdi,
President of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), who spoke about the TMC’s
50-year plan and Ed Wulfe, Chairman of the Main Street Coalition,
who presented the Main Street revitalization strategic plan.
Also speaking was District C Councilman
Mark Goldberg, and Council Member Annise Parker, Chair of the
Neighborhood Protection and Quality of Life Committee. Captain Mark
Aguirre, HPD South Central Division, discussed security matters.
Representatives from Rice University, METRO, the City of Houston Planning
Department, and the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance were also on
hand.
City Accepting Citizen
Requests for Infrastructure Improvements
CIP time is here again! Time to tell city officials what infrastructure
improvements are needed in the University Place area. The CIP process
(Consolidated Improvement Plan) determines which capital improvement
projects receive funding. Forms are available by calling the Planning
Department at 713-837-7862. All varieties of improvement projects
such as street repairs, resurfacing, storm and sanitary sewer replacement,
sidewalks, and traffic control measures may be requested.
In addition, you can write to District C Councilman
Mark Goldberg and the at-large members of city council. Their address is
P.O. Box 1562, Houston, Texas 77251. Email addresses and fax numbers
can be found on the City’s web site at www.ci.houston.tx.us.
Finally, Council Member Goldberg will host
a district wide CIP meeting on Tuesday, February 20, 2001, at the HCC West
Loop Campus, 5601 West Loop South (next door to Home Depot), from 7 - 9
p.m. many of the at-large council members and city department heads
will be present to respond to questions and requests.
SW Freeway bridges to Close
Again
Beginning February 25th the Mandell Street Bridge will be closed
to allow crews to add reinforcing steel between the bridge’s arches for
additional wind stabilization. On March 18th the Mandell Bridge will
reopen and the Dunlavy will close for a three-week period. The Woodhead
and Hazard bridges will follow.
On the main lanes of US59, crews are preparing
the new outer lanes. Concrete pouring will begin the week of February 11th
and paving will last several months. When paving is complete, the
retaining walls will be assembled. This summer, traffic will be shifted
to the outer lanes and work will begin on the center section of the freeway.
Unfortunately the northbound US59 on-ramp
at Shepherd will not reopen until the project is near completion in 2002.
Rice Web Site for Univiversity Place Residents
Log on to www.rice.edu/neighbor for the latest information on Rice
events, campus construction and other information pertinent to University
Place residents. Also of interest on this site is the soon- to- be
posted Rice parking and traffic study.
HPD addresses Panhandling,
etc.
The DNA Unit (Divisional Nuisance Abatement) from HPD’s South Central Division
is at your service to respond to nuisance crimes such as panhandling, illegal
dumping, and graffiti. Call 713-222-3131 or our local station at
713-651-8100 to report these crimes. Many people do not realize that
panhandling with a sign, and other methods, is illegal. On a disturbing
note, HPD’s recent clean up of panhandlers in Midtown resulted in the apprehension
and arrest of many on-the-run felons.
University Place Announces Its Second Annual Neighborhood Festival April 21, 2001 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., Saturday at Rice Stadium