LEADER LISTING The Leader • Saturday, September 28, 2019 • Page 1B
Local real estate firm sees density and adaptability as important parts of localized climate action By Boulevard Realty For The Leader Flash flooding caused by Tropical Storm Imelda last week provided a stark reminder to Houstonians and residents of the surrounding counties that more frequent and more intense heavy rainfall continues to be a feature of life on the Texas Gulf Coast. The estimated rainfall total for the region throughout Imelda is over 40 inches compared to Harvey’s 52”, making it the seventh most intense local storm in recent history. The storm’s behavior and the conditions when it arrived have so far amounted to less than a thousand damaged structures in the region compared to the over 150,000 after Harvey. This sheer amount of rainfall and the rapid intensity of the flooding is the “new normal” that Bill Baldwin describes in his ongoing series of free trainings for Realtors and neighborhoods on flooding and flood resilience, which he continues even throughout his campaign for City Council. “One of the most common reactions to what I cover in my course is that the stark reality of our situation is ‘depressing’,” explains Baldwin. “But since our city’s very founding well over a century ago, living with flooding is simply one of the innate parts of being a Houstonian and coastal Texan.” Baldwin’s push to give citizens and property owners a sense of historical perspective is meant to empower and encourage them to take action. “Resilience and adaptability are part of our identity, but we must draw on those traits in ways we never have before, as there is no question that the intensity of our rainfall now is tied to climate change.” The City Council candidate and his firm are no strangers to adapting and responding to weather-related
Contributed photo Boulevard Realtors Drew Platt, left, and Marianne Terrell clean one of the firm’s adopted storm sewer drains in advance of heavy expected rainfall. All residents are encouraged to sign up at houstonadoptadrain.org.
disasters. Baldwin, several staff, and agents spent over one hundred days working in relief after he founded the Houston Relief Hub two years ago. “As a business owner, I have to keep an eye on the bigger picture,” Baldwin explains when reflecting on last Thursday. “I decided to close the
office, send everyone home before it got any worse, and, for those of us who could work at home, focus on maintaining a sense of normalcy and calm for our friends and clients.” Meanwhile, Boulevard Realty Office Manager and Realtor Marianne Terrell spent the day cleaning
storm sewer drains up and down her street in Woodland Heights with her husband and real estate teammate Kenny. “Part of our culture here as a company is that we get into action. We focus on where small, yet meaningful steps can be taken at the block-by-block level to keep our
communities strong.” The firm has also adopted the drain closest to their Heights location through the City of Houston’s Adopt-A-Drain program, which they also heavily promote. “We have to internalize that building flood resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change are things we must take some small set of actions on every single day,” Baldwin echoes. He elaborates, “As a candidate for public office, as a citizen, and as a business owner, I have to see everything through the lens of climate change and begin to adjust my behavior and decision-making accordingly, especially when it comes to transportation, design, and urban land use.” The City of Houston recently released its draft Climate Action Plan (CAP), and a revised version is expected to get to City Council by the end of the year based on public comment received throughout the summer. The CAP combines a set of City actions with recommendations that the private sector can undertake, all with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. As Chair of the City of Houston Walkable Places Committee and Planning Commissioner over the last few years, Baldwin has already played a key role in implementing some of the recommendations tied to density and transit-oriented development that will gradually contribute to reducing emissions by situating jobs, housing, and amenities closer together and ensuring they are more connected by multi-modal transportation options. Baldwin points to the Heights as a model neighborhood for these sorts of opportunities. “When I moved here over 20 years ago, we had a good neighborhood feel and relatively dense housing, but we were missSee Drains P. 2B
Braun acquires 34th Street property By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
Contribued photo La Mexicana will not open as scheduled, as they will now occupy the former site of RJ’s Boots.
La Mex changes course, will open at new space By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com When The Leader last checked in with La Mexicana general manager Zulema Gonzales, she said the restaurant was hoping to open La Mex-Ella Oaks, a fast-casual version of the original restaurant, at 1018 Fairview St. by mid to late 2019. Now the time table has been pushed back, but for good reason. Monica Danna with Revive Development said the restaurant will now occupy a freestanding space at the former site of RJ’s Boots. When Revive first signed a lease with La Mex, it did not own the land at 3321 Ella Blvd. Previously, the restaurant was going to occupy a portion of the former Heights Cleaners building located at 3315 Ella Blvd.
Gonzales said the idea of having a freestanding building was one her family couldn’t pass up, namely because it will be a new space. “The cleaners, as wonderful and full of charisma the space is, we knew would pose lots of obstacles once we started gutting and trying to work with the space,” Gonzales said. “The building is very old and from what many others tell me from their experiences, older spaces do tend to come out more expensive in the end.” Not sharing a wall with a neighbor will be a win-win for all, according to Gonzales. “Restaurants are noisy and we generate (more) trash,” Gonzales said. “That might be bothersome to a neighbor.” See La Mex P.2B
The marketing flyer for the complex at 2015 W. 34th St., which currently is home to Mrs. Jackie’s Tax Service and Lavish Linens, states that the “prime Garden Oaks retail and office building” will be renovated. The total size is 6,336 square feet with 21 parking spots available. For additional information, the flyer highlights the “surrounding neighborhood (which) provides a vibrant community comprised of upand-coming restaurants, shopping areas and outdoor walking trails.” The development joins Braun’s nearby new build at 2001 W. 34th St. that is securing new tenants. Sports Clips moves into Ella Oaks Chris Martin of JCM Interests said a location of Sports Clips is signed for Revive’s Ella Oaks center at 3323 Ella Blvd. It will occupy 1,000 square feet of space and house six hair stylists. Martin owns five locations: two in the Heights, two in River Oaks/Montrose and one in the medical center. There are 93 Sport Clips stores serving the Houston area. “We’re very excited to be a part of the continued revitalization of the area,” Martin said. “It’s a great high-traffic intersection with popular local businesses. I live in the Heights, where our Sport Clips have been a part of the neighborhood for 10 years. We’ve been waiting for the right lo-
Contribued photo Heights development staple Braun Enterprises has purchased the property at 2015 W. 34th St., which now is home to Mrs. Jackie’s Tax Service and Lavish Linens.
cation to serve the communities of Oak Forest and Garden Oaks.” Fat Cat Creamery signed for Stomping Grounds Fat Cat Creamery, which already has a location at 1901 N. Shepherd Dr., has signed a lease for a second location at Revive’s Stomping Grounds
at 1225 W. 34th St. in Garden Oaks, according to a notice on Revive’s Facebook page. The ice cream shop joins Threadfare Children’s Boutique and Camerata at Paulie’s at the under-construction development. Have anything for the real estate roundup? E-mail betsy@theleadernews.com.
Beautiful Home For Sale 4 Bed(s) 3 Full & 1 Half Bath(s) 4,073 Sqft. Located in Spring Branch Estates Hardwood Solid Oak Floors, Kitchen Aid Appliances, Marble Countertops, Prewired 9115 Hammerly for Exterior Cameras, Built in Speakers in Houston, TX Kitchen, Living Room Call Virginia Lee and Outdoor Veranda The Reyna Group
Everything you need. Right in Greater Heights. To schedule an appointment or check in online, visit memorialhermann.org/ccc or call 713.222.CARE. 1431 Studemont Street Houston, TX 77007 I-10 at Studemont
Boulevard 77080
713-471-6731