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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 MAY 1 JUNE 5, 2022
ONLINE AT
Sounding the alarms
We have nurses that live over here. …They can't work a day shift because they can't sleep at night.
MARK FAIRCHILD, PRESIDENT OF THE RICE MILITARY CIVIC CLUB
Elected o cials in Houston are looking into ways to bolster the city’s noise ordinances. Meanwhile, citations for noise ordinance violations have spiked for venues along Washington Avenue.
IMPACTS
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Total citations on Washington Avenue
In 2021, Houston issued 903 total noise citations. Washington
2018 2019 2020 2021
15
alone made up 8.6% of those.
21
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TO DO LIST
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SOURCE: HOUSTON MUNICIPAL COURTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Mark Fairchild, president of the RiceMilitary Civic Club, said some residents have changed work schedules to avoid the bar noise during weekends. Houston studies noise rules as complaints pile up
NewMemorial Park tunnel lanes open
BY SOFIA GONZALEZ
considered the No. 1 problem area when it comes to violations of the city’s noise ordinance, according to Sgt. Clay- ton Graham with the Houston Police Department’s Di erential Response
a public information o cer with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Some of these establishments are bars that have put Rice Military neighbor- hood residents on edge. In fact, Washington Avenue is
The Washington Avenue corridor—a roughly 4.5-mile strip connecting downtown Houston to Memorial Park— contains about 70 establishments that sell alcohol, according to Chris Porter,
TRANSPORTATION
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CONTINUED ON 14
ON THE RISE Opioids Both heroin and opioid incidents have been on the rise for the Houston Fire Department, though opioid incidents have been rising faster.
Coronavirus pandemic, fentanyl exacerbate opioid crisis inHouston
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ, ALLY BOLENDER & JISHNU NAIR
from a combined 40-60 per month in early 2019 to more than 100 per month in late 2021 and early 2022, said Dr. Chris Sounders, HFD’s asso- ciate medical director. Statewide, data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows reported opioid overdose deaths are rising. The 12-month total CONTINUED ON 16
MURAL GUIDE
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Heroin incidents
Opioid incidents*
Opioid overdose rates have risen in Houston and across Texas since the pan- demic began in 2020, and local entities are working to prevent addiction. The number of calls for servicemade to theHouston Fire Department for opioid and heroin incidents grew
1,000 800
From 2019:
Heroin +48.1% Opioids +69.5%
200 0 400 600
2019
2020
2021
SOURCE: HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER *INCLUDES CODEINE, FENTANYL, VICODIN, OXYCODONE AND MORPHINE
BUSINESS FEATURE
18
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
THIS ISSUE
ABOUT US
Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and P ugerville, Texas. We have expanded our operations to include hundreds of employees, our own printing operation and over 30 hyperlocal editions across three states. Our circulation is over 2 million residential mailboxes, and it grows each month with new residents and developments.
HIGHLIGHTS FROMTHISMONTH
FROM JAY: Over the years, artists from around the world have added their creative works in mural form to the landscape of the Houston area. On Pages 12-13, we take a look at a few of the many great examples that can be seen in our local community. Since spring is here, please check them out in person!
Community Impact Newspaper teams include general managers, editors, reporters, graphic designers, sales account executives and sales support, all immersed and invested in the communities they serve. Our mission is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our core values are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.
Jay McMahon, GENERALMANAGER
FROMSHAWN: As our editorial team has attended community meetings and spoken with residents across our coverage area these past few years, challenges with noise violations have been a common theme. This month in one of our front-page stories, we look at e orts to update Houston’s noise ordinances as residents continue to call for xes to the current system. Shawn Arrajj, SENIOR EDITOR
Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other.
WHATWE COVER
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MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Jay McMahon SENIOR EDITOR Shawn Arrajj CITY HALL REPORTER So a Gonzalez SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Anya Gallant ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dimitri Skoumpourdis METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kristina Shackelford MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Scha er ART PRODUCTIONMANAGER Kaitlin Schmidt CORPORATE LEADERSHIP GROUP PUBLISHER Traci Rodriguez EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Warner CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Sullivan SALES &MARKETING DIRECTOR Tess Coverman CONTACT US
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened, are coming soon or closed
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Patterson Park Patio Bar
COURTESY MICHAEL ANTHONY
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imported beers, Italian aperitifs and craft cocktails. 832-626-3400. www.marmoitalian.com 3 The Australia-based Grace Loves Lace opened its second Texas showroom March 24 in the M-K-T Heights develop- ment at 600 N. Shepherd Drive, Ste. 136, Houston. The company has over 20 bridal showroom locations around the world. Each appointment at any location is per- sonalized for the bride, catering to their own style. The M-K-T Heights location has modern features, such as polished concrete, oating white curtains, and accents of raw woods and natural fabrics. 713-485-0616. www.graceloveslace. com/showrooms/houston 4 As of press time, o cials with Petbar Boutique said they were hop- ing to open by the end of April at 3120 White Oak Drive, Houston. The locally owned business o ers a self-service wash station with stainless steel tubs, brushes, colognes, ear cleaners and a professional dryer. Petbar will also o er full-service washes, full-service grooming and a taxi for patrons’ pets to get to and from the boutique. www.petbarinc.com 5 FLO Dentistry opened April 22 at 1111 Shepherd Drive, Ste. 200, Hous- ton. The dental o ce provides services such as preventive care, cosmetic care, restorative care, implants, Invisalign, oral surgery, pediatric care, veneers and TMJ care. Along with its services, the o ce has amenities for guests, including a beverage and co ee bar, noise-canceling headphones, plush blankets, neck pil- lows, scented towels and ceiling-mount- ed televisions. 832-966-3439. www. odentistry.com
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MAP NOT TO SCALE N TM; © 2022 COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER CO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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NOWOPEN 1 Patterson Park Patio Bar opened April 13 at 2205 Patterson St., Hous- ton, o ering food, beer and cocktails on a 5,000-square-foot outdoor deck adjacent to the White Oak Bayou trail. The multilevel concept is run by Lonnie and Candice Schiller and their daughter and son-in-law, Caroline and Brendan Murphy.
Guests can play from a selection of arcade and board games or stop by for sporting events, which will be broadcast live on more than 40 televisions. Food is available from Houston food trucks on rotation, and drinks include two dozen beers on tap and a selection of cocktails. 832-804-6912. www.pattersonparkhouston.com 2 Modern Italian chophouse Marmo opened April 6 in the Montrose Collective
development at 888 Westheimer Road, Houston. The eatery features a 10-seat lounge area with a U-shaped marble bar that seats 19 people. Local musicians pro- vide live music nightly and during lunch on weekends on a grand piano. A food menu includes dry-aged steaks with some vari- eties hand-cut on-site. Other menu items include hand-rolled pastas, chicken and eggplant parmigiana, and fresh seafood. The eatery o ers a wine list, local and
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & SOFIA GONZALEZ
2
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Trees for Houston
Marmo
COURTESY KIRSTEN GILLIAM
COURTESY DAVID ORTIZ
COMING SOON 6 Upside Pub will open this summer in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area at 3402 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston. The neighborhood pub will be owned by Paige and Andy Lujan. Guests will be able to sip on a selection of craft beers while playing games, watching sporting events or sitting down for brunch on an all-weather patio space. A small food menu will be served for lunch and dinner as well as late-night options, and weekend brunch service will come later. www.upsidepub.com 7 Dior is expected to open its brick- and-mortar store in the winter at 5050 W. Alabama St., Houston, in the Galleria mall. The store will be on level one between Galleria Financial Center and Neiman Marcus. The two designers craft their pieces for contemporary mod- ern women and men with ready-to-wear styles, according to the Galleria website. Houstonians can shop Dior in Saks Fifth Avenue. www.dior.com 8 Another famous Austin eatery is mak- ing its way to Houston. Chi’Lantro BBQ is expected to open in late summer at 1324 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston. However, a ghost kitchen is available for Houstonians to get a taste of what Chi’Lantro BBQ o ers at 2616 Blodgett St., a spokesperson for the restaurant said. Menu items include kimchi fries, Ko- rean fried chicken wings, Korean wraps, and rice and noodle bowls with fresh vegetables, according to a news release. 512-800-9098. www.chilantrobbq.com 9 O cials with McNair Interests, a Houston-based developer and investment rm, announced March 29 plans to partner with Cockrell Interests on a newmultifam-
ily project in the Timbergrove area. The 400-unit project will be located at the southeast corner of West 11th and Maxroy streets. The 6-acre site has been cleared in preparation for construction, but details on a construction timeline are being nalized. The development will feature “signi cant outdoor green space” and “an amenity-rich housing option,” according to McNair. www.mcnair.com NEWOWNERSHIP 10 A tract of land at 2829 West Loop 610 S., Houston, where Enterprise Rent- A-Car formerly operated, was purchased by Zeus Equity Group in April and could be converted to medical o ce space. The site boasts 40 parking spaces and a 1,334-square-foot o ce building. Zeus Equity Group is a local developer with a mixed-use portfolio, including land, mul- tifamily, o ce and retail, according to its website. 713-275-7801. www.zeusequitygroup.com IN THE NEWS 11 The nonpro t Trees For Houston broke ground April 13 on a planned 1.5- acre campus that o cials said will greatly expand its ability to distribute and plant trees throughout Houston. The new headquarters—dubbed the Kinder Campus due to a $3 million gift from the Kinder Foundation—will be located in the Oak Forest area at 2001 W. 34th St., Houston. The site will also feature an administrative o ce building, an on-site tree nursery, and an education center where programs will be hosted for both children and adults. www.treesforhouston.org
Miller Outdoor Theatre will celebrate its 99-year anniversary in May. The outdoor venue o ers a season of free events through November at its Hermann Park location. FEATURED IMPACT ANNIVERSARY Miller Outdoor Theatre is celebrating 99 years of being open in May. music; “River to the Sea” produced by The San Jacinto Community College Steel Band; two nights of Houston COURTESY MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE
Ballet performances; “Romeo and Juliet” performed by the Houston Grand Opera; and “The Motown and More Show’s Funky Good Time” produced by Bacement Foundation for the Arts. 832-487-7102 www.milleroutdoortheatre.com
Located at 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, the outdoor theater has been entertaining Houstonians for free since 1923. When visiting the theater, guests can choose hillside or covered seating. Covered seating requires a free ticket that can be obtained online. Hillside seating does not require a ticket, and guests can bring blankets or chairs. In May, the theater will present the following shows: “The Little Mermaid”; “OKI: Music of the Ainu” presented by the Japanese-American Society Houston; “Jarabe Mexicano,” a Cinco de Mayo celebration with Mexican folk CLOSINGS 12 Fegen’s , located at 1050 Studewood St., Houston, closed April 12. The restau- rant bid farewell in an Instagram post. The restaurant, run by Chef Lance Fegen, opened in spring 2021, providing classic American and Italian-leaning cuisine for its patrons as well as cocktails on the in- house Fegen’s Bar. www.fegens.com
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13 Pierogi Queen closed its Railway Heights location April 1. Located inside the market at 8200 Washington Ave., Houston, the establishment o ered Polish dishes. In a Facebook post, the restaurant said the decision comes after economic hardship. www.pierogiqueentx.com
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
TO DO LIST
May events
COMPILED BY CYNTHIA ZELAYA
MAY 03 TRY SAMPLES FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS Menu of Menus returns to Silver Street Studios with food and drink samples from a variety of restaurants from around Houston. General admission includes unlimited food samples, beer, wine, cocktails and live music. Proceeds bene t Kids’ Meals Inc. 7-10 p.m. $45. Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards St., Houston. 214-757-8428. www.menuofmenus.com 06 TAKE PART IN MOTHER’S DAY FUN In celebration of Mother’s Day, Majic 102.1’s Kandi Eastman and Everette Metoyer will host a painting event featuring model Ebon Metoyer. The event will feature a guided paint and sip with a large bottle selection, and mommy makeovers will be available. The event will also be held virtually. 7-11 p.m. $25-$100. Whitney Oaks, 816 E. Whitney St., Houston. 713- 621-1021. www.myhoustonmajic.com 14 WALK TO SUPPORT ARTHRITIS RESEARCH The Rock the Walk event hosted by the Arthritis Foundation is in person once again after two years of running virtually. Funds raised go to research e orts to nd a cure for arthritis as well as
MAY 07
DO YOGAWITH GOATS IN THE HEIGHTS NETTBAR
MAY 28
TRY NEWFOODS MIDTOWN PARK
The NettBar will host Goat Yoga Houston for a goat yoga class. Goats roam during the class and interact with guests. The event is suitable for age 10 and up. 10-11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. $35-$40. NettBar, 4504 Nett St., Houston. 713-578-0068. www.nettbarhouston.com
The Houston Food Fest will feature food from over 70 di erent vendors with options ranging from dessert, vegan food and Texas barbecue. The event also includes live music, dancing and family-friendly activities. 2-10 p.m. $9. Midtown Park, 2811 Travis St., Houston. www.houstonfoodfest.com
COURTESY GOAT YOGA HOUSTON
COURTESY HOUSTON FOOD FEST
21 EXPLOREMARGARITAS The ninth annual Margarita Festival will take place at Water Works Park. It will feature over 17 di erent margarita avors to sample. Food and live music will be available. Noon-10 p.m. $10-$100. Water Works Park, 105 Sabine St., Houston. www.houstonmargaritafest.com
featuring rapper and DJ Paul Wall at Discovery Green. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy as they watch the show. Glass containers are not allowed. 7-9:30 p.m. Free. Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St.,
programming and resources. 7-11 a.m. Free (donations encouraged). Fish Plaza—Bu alo Bayou Trail, 501 Texas Ave., Houston. 713-557-2506. www.walktocurearthritis.org/houston 19 DANCE ON THE GREEN The University of Houston- Downtown will host a free concert
Houston. 713-400-7336. www.discoverygreen.com
Find more or submit Heights-River Oaks-Montrose events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT A CRIME In partnership with The Harris Center and law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office ensured 4,000+ mentally ill, non-violent offenders received mental health treatment instead of going to jail.
If someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call Harris Center for Mental Health at 1-713-970-7000
8
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES Houston City Council approves newMidtown parking proposals Houston City Council voted to approve an ordinance April 6 that creates a Parking Bene t District and desig- nates Midtown as a Community Parking Program area, both e orts to address parking concerns while also raising funds for other improvements in the area. Under the Community Parking Program, the Houston Administration and Regulatory A airs Department will ensure Midtown residents will receive authorized permits that exempt them from on-street parking restrictions, such as metered parking and time limits for parking that occurs after 6 p.m. According to the ordinance, the CPP will be used in areas that rely on the curb space, such as residen- tial, commercial, small businesses and museum districts. With the creation of the Parking Bene t District, the city will split net revenue that is made through city parking meters after 6 p.m. as well as CPP permit revenue. The ordinance speci es that 60% of net revenue will go into a PBD fund, and 40% will go to the city’s ParkHouston special revenue fund. Shared revenue must be used for other infrastructure
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & SOFIA GONZALEZ
COMPLETED PROJECTS
District map
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SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER raise funds for improvements in the area. A new Parking Bene t District will be applied to meters throughout Midtown to
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Westheimer Road at Bagby Street improvements Improvements for the intersection where Westheimer Road and Elgin Street meet at Bagby Street were completed April 6. The project added curb extensions, took away an extra turning space, and restriped the road- ways to improve bicycle and pedestri- an safety as part of a quick action plan that aligns with Houston’s Vision Zero. Timeline: March 24-April 6 Cost: $25,000 Funding source: Houston City Council District C service funds
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Management District will manage the PBD. The CPP and PBD were discussed at multiple town hall meetings with the management district and super neigh- borhood stakeholders. Over the course of a 30-day public comment period, 62% of respondents supported the PBD while 60% supported the CPP. As previously reported by Community Impact News- paper , data from seven surveys that were conducted in Midtown in early 2021 by the city of Houston showed that parked cars take up roughly 85% of free parking on more than 40% of streets in the study. According to the ordinance, the permit will be e ective on June 5, 60 days from its adoption.
COMMONWEALTH ST.
improvement projects within the district, which is bordered by Hwy. 59, Spur 527 and I-45. The Midtown EastboundMemorial Drive tunnel lanes are nowopen to cars
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF APRIL 27. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT HRMNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. punchlist items remaining. The project also involved widening bike lanes and sidewalks. Timeline: April 2021-April 2022 Cost: $3.3 million Funding sources: Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, Harris County Precinct 1 Waugh Drive and Commonwealth Street reconstruction A project that involved milling and overlaying work on portions of Waugh Drive and Commonwealth Street was mostly nished in March with
The eastbound lanes of the new Memorial Drive tunnels opened March 28, allowing for one-way tra c to travel through. The westbound lanes were not open as of press time April 27, but o cials with Memorial Park Conservancy estimated they would open around late April or early May. Stopping and pedestrian travel are prohibited in the tunnels, but in the future, a multimodal commuter trail
is expected to be implemented. The bridge, once complete, will create a full land crossing of Memorial Drive, which o cials said presents an opportunity to connect habitats from the south side of the park to the north side, facilitating drainage and accommodating wildlife movement. The tunnel design includes light wells, which let daylight in at certain intervals. Memorial Drive will feature three
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lanes in each direction once fully opened. The Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie project will be completed late this year, according to the release.
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
CITY& SCHOOLS
News from Houston ISD & the city of Houston
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS HOUSTON During a March 30 meeting, Houston City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning the use of electronic smoking devices in places where cigarette smoking is already prohibited, including in enclosed public places and within 25 feet of a building’s entrance or exit doors. HOUSTON ISD At an April 14 meeting, the Houston ISD board of trustees approved a motion to begin the process of redrawing the boundary lines for its nine trustee districts based on 2020 Census data. As required by state law, districts must be reconfigured so they are relatively equal in terms of population. New boundaries must be approved in time for the board’s next election in November 2023. HOUSTON Members of the Houston City Council are hosting redistricting town hall meetings within their districts throughout May. Learn more at www.letstalk houston.org/redistricting. HOUSTON Officials with the Emancipation Park Conservancy Board and the city of Houston will commemorate the park’s 150-year anniversary with a June 18-19 Juneteenth celebration. The free event will include performances from musical artists such as Earnest Pugh, Zacardi Cortez, Pastor Mike Jr., The Isley Brothers, Kool and the Gang, Frankie Beverly and Maze. Houston City Council will meet at 1:30 p.m. May 3 for public comment and 9 a.m. May 4 for regular business at 901 Bagby St., Houston. Meetings are streamed at www.houstontx.gov/htv. Houston ISD board of trustees will next meet for its regular meeting at 5 p.m. May 12 at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th St., Houston. Meetings are streamed live at www.houstonisd.org/livetv. MEETINGSWE COVER
Houston approves paid parental leave
HISDdrops proposed ‘hybrid’ funding model following board pushback
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ
BY SOFIA GONZALEZ
counselor or social worker, and a nurse or nurse assistant. Additional funding will be distributed to campuses using the existing per unit allocation formula. formula based on student attendance, demographics • More equitable distribution of Title I funds and coronavirus relief money • Required baseline positions decreased to three total SOURCE: HOUSTON ISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER UPDATEDPLAN MA R C H P RO P O S A L • All schools required to staff 12+ baseline positions • Certain materials and services funded from the central office • Principals fill remaining holes using discretionary funds A P R I L C OMP ROM I S E • Allocations made using existing
HOUSTON ISD In ongoing discussions over how Houston ISD will fund schools for the 2022-23 school year, Superintendent Mil- lard House II walked back an earlier proposal following pushback from some members of the district’s board of trustees April 7. As part of a proposed strategic plan, House previously pushed for a shift from the district’s decentralized funding model to a model in which each school would have been required to staff specific positions; certain materials and services would have been funded from the central office; and prin- cipals would have filled remaining holes using discretionary funds. In a compromise offered April 7, the number of required baseline positions was lowered to three—a librarian or media specialist, a
HOUSTON In what Mayor Sylvester Turner called a historic vote April 13, Houston City Council unanimously passed an ordinance allowing paid parental leave for city employees. Pregnant city workers will be allowed paid prenatal leave for prena- tal wellness appointments or other absences; paid parental leave for both genders for care of a child after birth; bonding with a child in placement of a city employee for adoption or foster care within the first year after child birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care; and infant wellness leave for examinations, physicals or other checkups. The prenatal leave is a maximum of 160 hours over a 12-month period, while parental leave is 320 hours. The ordinance begins May 14 for full-time city employees with six months or more of continuous service.
Security cameras, lighting now required for some businesses
Affected business types
• nightclubs • sexually oriented businesses
• bars • game rooms • convenience stores
SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
BY SOFIA GONZALEZ
HOUSTON Houston City Council approved an ordinance in a 15-1 vote April 20 that requires certain businesses to have extra security measures in place. The ordinance is tied to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s One Safe Houston initiative, which features a batch of concepts meant to lower crime rates in the city. “I think it’s important for us to send a clear message to people out there,” Turner said. “If you’re hellbent on committing crimes, we are going to be out here shining a
light on you to get you off the street so you’re not victimiz- ing people out here.” Businesses have 90 days to install the cameras—which must cover from the exterior of a business to its prop- erty line—and the lights, which must be bright enough to illuminate a 6-square-foot surface. Once installed, operators must keep video for 30 days and turn it over to the Houston Police Department within 72 hours if HPD has a warrant.
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
GUIDE
A guide to murals in Houston in 2022
The uno cial local
COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & SOFIA GONZALEZ DESIGNED BY ANYA GALLANT
The Heights, River Oaks and Montrose area is known to be a gathering place for artists from around Houston. Over the years, muralists have added their creations throughout local neighborhoods from the shopping districts of 19th Street in the Heights to the Art Alley at Sawyer Yards to the many murals of Westheimer Road in Montrose. This list is not comprehensive, and more murals can be found at www.houstonmuralmap.com.
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ARTIST: DANIEL ANGUILU The mural by painter, gra ti artist and muralist Daniel Anguilu can be found in the Heights on the side of the Gelazzi building on White Oak Drive. Each letter in Houston captures a di erent element of the city, including a space shuttle and a music tape, which Anguilu said represents screw music, a genre developed in Houston’s hip-hop scene. Anguilu said he wanted to paint a mural “for the people I grew up with around the city.”
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SHAWN ARRAJJ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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ARTIST: SHELBI NICOLE Featured in the Heights on the side of Harold’s is “#ILoveYouWall” by artist, muralist and designer Shelbi Nicole. The mural was originally created for a marriage proposal, but Nicole said she wanted to create something for everyone in the Houston area to enjoy long after. Now, the mural is used for Instagram sel es, photoshoots, Valentine’s Day pictures and other proposals. The typography mural displays “I love you” in di erent languages, catering to the diversity of the city.
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ARTIST: SEBASTIEN BOILEAU “Montrose Paint Wall,” originally “Biscuit Paint Wall,” was painted by Sebastien Boileau, a Houston muralist, gra ti artist and street artist. The mural was created in 2014 and quickly became a popular photo opportunity, Boileau said. The owner of Out of the Closet, the store the mural is painted on, wanted something edgy and modern that did not represent what Boileau called a “typical Texas mural.” Although the mural was simple and easy to do, Boileau said he is told it makes people happy, and that is what is important to him.
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ARTIST: RENE FERNANDEZ The muralist, sculptor and artist Rene Fernandez contributed one of Houston’s more recognizable murals to Numbers Night Club, featuring portraits of iconic ‘80s and ‘90s alternative music artists. The mural is a perfect t for Numbers, which has been hosting judgment- free dance parties and concerts on Westheimer Road since the 1970s. Artists featured on the mural, which went up in 2014, include David Bowie, Robert Smith and Billy Idol.
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SHAWN ARRAJJ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Murals and other public art displays can be found throughout Arts District Houston, an area along the Washington Avenue corridor that features more than 300 studio spaces for artists and designers. The Art Alley at Sawyer Yards hosts murals by multiple artists.
SOFIA GONZALEZ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Dixie Friend Gay is the artist behind “Wild Wonder- land,” a mural in Midtown Park. She said she found inspiration from her own garden to create the mural. Gay was commissioned to paint the piece after winning a submission process among local artists. HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEAS BEHIND YOUR ARTWORK? I work in a series of ideas, which makes it easy to latch onto an idea. Once I’m excited about it, I’m researching it. I read all the time. I listen to recorded books, and they all tie into whatever it is that I’m doing in my work. I guess my work has been about the inner interconnectedness between the ora and the fauna, and that’s certainly what Midtown is about. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE ‘WILD WONDERLAND’ MURAL? The inspiration for the mural was about the native plants of our area and the butter ies that feed on those plants that are host to them. I really work in my own garden to make it a place that the birds, the caterpillars and the bees can feel comfortable. So it was just celebrating that and putting that together. I know that people respond to a mural that has oversized creatures in it; they relate to them as a one to one and seeing them eye to eye, which is nice. WHAT WAS THE MAIN MESSAGE YOU WANTED THE MURAL TO CONVEY? It’s really important to have our native plants that are hosts for the ecosystem here and get rid of the invasive things. So it’s a celebration of our plants, and it raises the awareness that even a garden ... can create an environment for our pollinators.
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A Friendswood-area gra ti artist known as Pilot FX added a towering owl mural to the mix.
A large piece that reads “Art is in the Making” by David Maldinado can be found on the side of Winter Street Studios.
A large bat head by a Houston artist known as Eyesore can be found on a brick wall alongside other murals.
Painter and artist Vincent Fink contributed a series of surrealist characters with geometric heads.
PHOTOS BY SHAWN ARRAJJ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • MAY 2022
NOISE CITATIONS PER YEAR
Citations pertaining to:
Citations for noise violations to the Houston Police Department have been on the rise on Washington Avenue, though some bars saw fewer citations in 2021 than in years past. Data relates to addresses associated with the following bars. The noise problem
Sound disturbing peace No permit for amplifying equipment
Noise vibrations
Disorderly conduct
Ampli ed sound from motorized vehicle
NOTE: 2022 CITATIONS AS OF MARCH 31, 2022
WASHINGTON AVENUE LOUD NOISE UNIT The Houston Police Department has a loud noise unit speci cally to patrol Washington Avenue.
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
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2 patrol cars with overlapping shifts
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CLUTCH BAR 1
STANDARD BAR 2
HEART 3
CENTER ST.
3
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2
TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE
More than 100 service calls since the start of 2022
93 31 29 20 7
3 25 50 158 81
11 10 80 82 24
L I L I A N
SOURCES: HOUSTON MUNICIPAL COURTS, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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avoid being home while the commo- tion of the bars occurs. “We have nurses that live over here,” Fairchild said. “They can’t work a day shift because they can’t sleep at night.” Fairchild said residents have become so desperate to combat the noise, they have replaced windows, torn out sheet rock to put sound insulating foam in their walls and changed the room they sleep in. Despite the personal mea- sures taken, he said residents tell him they can still feel the bass from the bars’ music in their homes. According to public records obtained by Community Impact Newspaper , HPD hadbeen calledout toWashingtonAve- nuemore than 100 times since the start of the year as of March 22, including for noise complaints as well as other issues such as burglary frommotor vehicles. HPD has a loud-noise unit to patrol Washington, Graham said. Shifts are staggered with one evening shift and one night shift. The units are each a two-person job and have about four to ve hours of overlap. When responding to a service call for noise, o cers use a sound meter to measure the decibels from the res- idential line and physically stand at the property to feel the bass. A citation is only issued if a formal complaint is made and the bar is found to be in vio- lation of the noise ordinance. However, some of the bars make about $10,000 to $20,000 an hour, so even when a bar is issued a citation of $1,000—the current maximum citation fee—it does not serve as an e ective deterrent, Graham said. “If we go out and write four tickets a
establishments within 300 feet of a residential property playing ampli ed sound, which can be heard outdoors during certain hours; a revision requir- ing permits be given to establishments instead of individuals; and revisions to the administrative hearing process for suspension or revocation. Alcorn said she also took bar owners’ feedback into account when crafting the ordinance. In an email, she said under the current noise ordinance, establishments can have permits revoked or suspended if they receive two ormore convictions or enter two or more guilty pleas in a 36-month span. Alcorn said with the newly proposed amendments, the hearing process would allow the a ected business to present a soundmitigationplan 10days before an administrative hearing. If the plan is approved by a hearing o cer, the establishment would be allowed 90 days to implement the plan. The administrative hearing process would be complaint driven, but com- plaints would not be the sole reason for a suspension or revocation of a permit, said Randy Zamora, rst assis- tant city attorney of Houston’s legal department. Kamin and Alcorn said they are also working closelywithHPD, the Houston Fire Department, ParkHouston, the TABC and other agencies. “This has not been an easy task,” Alcorn said at the April 12 meeting. “That is no understatement. We want to protect the right of every Housto- nian to enjoy the peace and comfort of their own home. We also want a robust Houston nightlife.”
day, that’s $4,000,” Graham said. “It’s a drop in the bucket to them. They’ve told us it’s the cost of doing business.” Community Impact Newspaper reached out to several bars identi ed by residents as especially problematic during a March 17 Super Neighborhood No. 22 meeting—including Standard Bar, Clutch Bar and Heart—but did not hear back as of press time. Revisions inprogress Kamin and Alcorn began looking into the noise ordinance in 2020. “We have to do something to ensure the burden is not falling unfairly on neighborhoods and law enforcement,” Kamin said. Under the current ordinance, noise from residential properties from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. should not exceed 65 decibels. From 10:01 p.m.-7:59 a.m., the limit drops down to 58 decibels. The three permits for loud noise that can be purchased from the city are a daily permit that can be used from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; an extended daily per- mit that can be used for multiple dates from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; and an annual permit that is valid throughout the year for Sundays through Thursdays from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Fridays and Satur- days from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. During those times, decibels can measure up to 75, according to the ordinance. During an April 12 meeting of Hous- ton’s Regulatory and Neighborhood A airs Committee, the following pro- posed amendments were announced: an increase in the maximum ne from $1,000 to $2,000; the requirement of a new permit for all commercial
CONTINUED FROM 1
Team’s Heights unit. “Our calls for service regarding Washington Avenue for loud noise is just a constant issue out here,” Graham said in an interview. “I know the citi- zens are beyond fed up with it because I get all their emails.” In response, two members of the Houston City Council, Abbie Kamin and Sallie Alcorn, are proposing amendments to the city’s noise ordi- nance they said they hope will work for residents and businesses alike. The Council is set to vote on the amend- ments at a May 4 meeting. Kamin, who represents District C, which covers the area, said her o ce hears repeated complaints from res- idents as well. At the same time, she said she believes most bars along Washington are following the rules. “District C is home to some of our city’s favorite bars and nightlife spots,” Kamin said in an email. “In addition to being important economic drivers, a vast majority are outstanding com- munity partners and great neighbors. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for a few bad-actor bars.” Thebar issue Residents of Rice Military said they have to deal with the noise fromWash- ington Avenue bars every week start- ing onWednesday nights. In an interview, Mark Fairchild, president of the Rice Military Civic Club, said the noise issue has become so terrible for some of his residents, they have changed their work hours to
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT
Original: $1,000
Now: $2,000
Out with the old, inwith the new
MAXIMUM CITATION FEE
Original: None existed before
Now: New noise restrictions would be set for establishments that play ampli ed music within 300 feet of a residence based on time of day. On Fridays and Saturdays, the 75-decibel limit would run until 11 p.m.
A noise permit may be suspended based on an owner’s convictions.
PERMIT SUSPENSIONS
WHAT CHANGES TO EXPECT
Proposed amendments would allow: A ected commercial establishments can present plans for sound mitigation 10 days prior to an administrative hearing.
Hours extended until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
Maximum decibels allowed
The proposed noise ordinance revisions are meant to alleviate problems Houston residents have complained about for years. Houston City Council is set to consider them at its May 4 meeting.
75 decibels
75 decibels
<68 decibels*
The hearing o cer can grant the commercial establishment permitholder 90 days to perform work needed for its proposed sound impact plan.
No music allowed
SOURCES: ABBIE KAMIN’S OFFICE, SALLIE ALCORN’S OFFICE, CHAPTER 30 REDLINE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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The hearing o cer can also suspend the permit for a period of time not to exceed 180 days.
p.m.
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*FROM PROPERTY LINE, 58 DECIBELS FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
Commercial establishment permits Among the proposals at the April 12 meeting is the creation of a new com- mercial enterprises permit that would be required for a “commercial estab- lishment within 300 feet of a residence if playing outdoor ampli ed sound or sound that can be appreciated out- side,” according to Kathryn Bruning, assistant director with Houston’s Administration and Regulatory A airs Department. With the new permit, Sundays through Thursdays from 10 p.m.-2 a.m., sound must not exceed 68 deci- bels if measured from the establish- ment’s property line and 58 decibels
if measured from the property line of a residential home. On Fridays and Saturdays, the time period for this is 11 p.m.-2 a.m. From 2-8 a.m., ampli ed sound is not allowed. Only bars, nightclubs and restau- rants that will be playing music that can be appreciated outside until 2 a.m. will have to apply for this permit. The 68-decibel limit is nothing new; however, the language was xed as housekeeping to help HPD when they are out in the eld, Alcorn’s Chief of Sta Jordan Frazier said in an interview. After approval, the commercial establishments would have 120 days
to acquire the permit. The adminis- tration o ce would work to educate businesses on the new proposed changes. However, the fee for the permit had not been determined as of April 12. If a commercial business already has an annual permit, it would convert to a commercial establishment permit after the 120 days. Residents from Washington Avenue as well as Midtown, the Museum Dis- trict and the Heights spoke in favor of the proposed changes at an April 26 public comment meeting of Houston City Council. Kyle Berg, who owns McIntyre’s in the Heights, said he
supported them as well. “I think the changes will help give the city andHPDbetter tools to enforce noise ordinance violations as they per- tain to commercial establishments playing ampli ed music,” he said. Fairchild said, if the changes pass, that gives hope to Rice Military residents. “There is some hope that some of these people might, over the course of time, get a portion of their lives back,” he said.
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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