Enjoy the Alabama Bookstop while you can
I am too stingy to buy an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal, but I do read the free RSS feed. Unfortunately the story about Houston wasn't on the free feed today:
In a backlash to the go-go growth that has long persisted in this sprawling city, a fight to preserve three 1930s-era landmarks is gaining support. The latest battle pits preservationists against Houston-based Weingarten Realty Investors Inc., among the nation's largest real-estate-investment trusts.That's the only part I can see for free really. As you might imagine it is about the River Oaks Shopping Center with a twist. That twist reveals plans for Barnes & Noble to close the Alabama Bookstop quotes the Houstonist:
David Deason, vice president for development at Barnes & Noble, said the New York-based company intends to close the Bookstop in favor of a "state of the art" facility. But Mr. Deason said the fate of the landmarks is in the hands of Weingarten.Until then, check here for news:
http://www.ghpa.org/riveroaks.html
3 comments:
Ugh. I wonder how they define "state of the art."
HOUSTON -- In a backlash to the go-go growth that has long persisted in this sprawling city, a fight to preserve three 1930s-era landmarks is gaining support.
The latest battle pits preservationists against Houston-based Weingarten Realty Investors Inc., among the nation's largest real- estate-investment trusts. Tenants at Weingarten's 1937 River Oaks shopping center say company officials have revealed plans to demolish at least some of the mall and the 1939 River Oaks Theater in favor of a Barnes & Noble Inc. bookstore, among other buildings. Preservationists fear a new Barnes & Noble store also would put at risk the nearby 1939 Alabama Theater, a Weingarten property that previously was converted into a Bookstop store, Barnes & Noble's regional chain of smaller, mall-based bookstores.
Patty Bender, director of leasing for Weingarten, said the company doesn't yet have a "definite plan" for the shopping center but that the Alabama Theater could pose a "challenging situation" should Barnes & Noble pull out. Still, Ms. Bender said the company has long sought to be faithful to the architectural style of the three landmarks.
David Deason, vice president for development at Barnes & Noble, said the New York-based company intends to close the Bookstop in favor of a "state of the art" facility. But Mr. Deason said the fate of the landmarks is in the hands of Weingarten.
Although Houston has no zoning ordinance and weak historic- preservation laws, preservationists say public opinion is running in favor of saving the sites.
"It's a developer's town," said David Bush, a spokesman for the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. "But the opposition is out in front on this issue."
While the alliance has listed all three sites as "endangered," residents are rallying around the River Oaks Theater, the city's oldest film venue. A petition to save the theater, which is operated by art-house chain Landmark Theatres, has gained more than 20,000 signatures.
Great saving when I shoped books at Barnes and Noble Promo Codes.......!!
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