re: METRO Names New Contractor for METRO Solutions

Peter Wang — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:12:06 GMT

Parsons did a great job with bike racks on the Minneapolis, MN light rail trains.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94699428@N00/1990346508/

re: METRO Names New Contractor for METRO Solutions

Don G — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:26:30 GMT

Elizabeth said: "I don't know that Metro has caused more businesses to go under than construction on, for example, the Katy Freeway that has been going on forever. That's part of doing business in a large city - construction happens."

No comparison Elizabeth.

The I-10 project actually reinvigorated the corridor as I have been watching the businesses and access for the past 26 years (I drive on it at least once a day on average...and most days a lot more!).

Item #1: AllQuip Rentals. They were operatimg out of a rundown OLD building they owned on the North side near Campbell. The ROW took the front parking so they were paid by TXDOT. Now, thanks to that money, they have a BRAND NEW building with great access and it is outrside the city limits so taxes are bound to be far lower.

They went from a high energy loss building to energy efficient and improved their business.

Item #2: Igloo. They had a REALLY OLD building complex at Beltway 8 and TXDOT bought them out to build a huge detention pond. They now are OUT OF THE CITY out in Ft Bend County in another BRAND NEW building that was built specifically for their business and is far nore energy efficient.

Item #3: Home Depot. The strip where Home Depot is now has a large group of brand new retail spaces on land that was vacant and igly before.

Item #4: Massive redevelopment of brown land on North side between Bunker Hill and Gessner.

This land sat vacant since I came here and had all kinds of trash of oil related trash on it. Now it is being built into a really large retail development...aka, massive tax revenue for the city (and Metro gets 1% of that btw).

Item #5: Marqe' Movie Complex. At Silber, this entertainment complex lost a bunch of parking places so TXDOT paid to build them a 4 story parking garage and stipulated that it had to be FREE. \

Not only did this complex get superior access and new wider roads, they now have parking for rainy days and easier access....all for free.

That project, BTW, was purcahsed right after the start of I-10 by Magic Johnson Enterprises as well as a huge piece of land directly behind it.

Item #6: Courtesy Chevrolet. They had a rinkiedink building on the South side and it was torn down. Now a large parking garage is being built and I am not sure what is going in. Courtesy said they were going to rebuild and this could be them.

The point is that the new project is vastly superior to the REALLY OLD builind previously there.

The list could go on and on.

Later I'll revist the facts on Main Street before and after rail. My wifes boss owns a bunch of properties down town and the one on Main in the 800 block has higher taxes by NO takers. Two others in the 100 block are the same. One had a bar and now has another bar but the upper floors remain VACANT and have been for the past 4 years.