UPDATE:
Thanks to the hundreds of people who turned our to show their opposition to the Ashby High Rise Project!
What a wonderful united message about our concern.
Visit the “In the Media” page for the latest stories, photos and videos
Some sample photos:
 Great turnout, |
 Motivated residents, |
 Great media coverage! |
5 users commented in " Protest Rally, Oct. 3, 4:45pm "
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I hope whatever comments opponents of this project make manage to make more sense than this website. As it stands, this all comes off as unfocused, paranoid ranting. This site claims that “up to 2,000 cars per day” will be coming from this building, yet you’re also claiming that the unit will house 5 townhomes and either 231 rental units or 187 condo units. Are you seriously claiming that something like 10 cars will be actively driven each day for each unit? Even accounting for staff and so forth, these numbers don’t add up.
Also, none of these arguments that claim significant, unique harm make no sense to me, given that there’s already a high-rise condo building in the neighborhood (albeit closer to Kirby). I’m certainly no developer, and I live in the area, but I am very, very confused by (and now quite suspicious of) all the bluster and anger about this particular project. As another poster alluded in another article, wouldn’t these energies be better spent on more productive civic actions that will benefit the neighborhood, such as a common-sense mass transit policy?
Also, I should point out that much of the concerns regarding Poe Elementary seem to suggest that high-rise residents would either be more dangerous or less careful than the existing neighborhood residents. This just sounds prejudicial and paranoid.
One key difference between this project and the one at Kirby is that Kirby is a much larger road, with much higher traffic capacity. This can’t even come close to comparing to the 2-lane stretch of Bissonnet (at the intersection of another 2-lane street, Ashby). If you live in the area, perhaps you’ve noticed that even much smaller developments have the capacity to slow down traffic on Bissonnet, especially at rush hour.
As someone who lives not only in the area, but within 2 blocks of the proposed tower, I have seen the existing traffic patterns. I have waited 4-5 minutes to turn onto Bissonnet from Ashby. I have had my driveway blocked by people trying to make a street parking space where none exists. And there is simply no way that this project will not significantly impede and worsen the traffic conditions and safety.
I’m not anti-development - this is just the wrong location for this project.
Sorry the issues seem confusing to some folks, but it is rather straight forward–what place does a 23 story high-rise with approximately 200 residences (400 cars) have a a 2-lane street? Additionally there will be a restaurant and a market. Where will these patrons park? How will they get to these establishments? Clearly, on Bissonnet and Ashby and all the surrounding neighborhood streets.
I suppose one can argue about the number of cars; however, it seems reasonable that 400 cars entering and exiting at least twice a day plus the traffic generated by lunch and dinner patrons and market shoppers could generate 2,000 cars per day.
No matter what the final numbers–this is way beyond what these streets can handle.
As for safety, I invite folks to observe the accidents caused NOW when people try to turn against the traffic on Dunlavy or Ashby or those who run the red light at Hazard. It is not that the high-rise drivers will be less cautious, but now the odds of having an accident increase.
This particular battle is part of the overall war on Houston. We can be a multi-dimensional community to focus on many issues and this issue is just one of them.
The Ashby development is not even close to being reasonable. In my mind it’s immoral. A 6 story parking garage in your back yard is a 6 story parking garage. The building will only have one entrance (not exit) on Bissonnet. There’s no way traffic flowing west will reasonable move if one car is trying to make left turn into the building.
People will take other routes and there goes the neighborhood. Developers also say most tenants will be doctors and work odd hours. That’s hilarious. I see plenty of doctors entering and exiting the medical center during rush hour traffic.
If this project were even close to being reasonable, people could live with it. It’s not so we can’t. Houstonians deserve better and our community is going to fight for the greater cause with this issue being a segaway.
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