Time to visit Waco

[Post Oak 20,208]

At Southern Roots for the first time.  Beer is good.  Pizza and garlic knots are good. 

Will come back

[Trey3216 15,343]

48 minutes ago, Post Oak said:

At Southern Roots for the first time.  Beer is good.  Pizza and garlic knots are good. 

Will come back

It’s a pretty cool little spot.   Glad we have it 

[Post Oak 20,208]

56 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

It’s a pretty cool little spot.   Glad we have it 

Yep. We need more like this 

[Trey3216 15,343]

4 minutes ago, Post Oak said:

Yep. We need more like this 

It's pretty fun bouncing back and forth between there and Waco Ale.  Short stroll and good beer.  Now we just need Waco/TX to allow us to walk from one to the other with a beer  

[honolulu horn 6,158]

1 hour ago, Trey3216 said:

It's pretty fun bouncing back and forth between there and Waco Ale.  Short stroll and good beer.  Now we just need Waco/TX to allow us to walk from one to the other with a beer  

But think of the children

[El Diablo 4,232]

15 minutes ago, honolulu horn said:

But think of the children

They already see enough of that foolishness on that damned idoit box! And DANCING!! DANCING!!!!

[Post Oak 20,208]

Eating at Wacool Tacos in Union Hall.  It's really good.  Got the the Wacool taco and Korean taco. Both good.  Loaded queso is worth it.

Dr. Pepper is average.  

 

Edited December 24, 2019 by Post Oak

[BradInATX 9,208]

Any of you Wacoans know any bars open tonight? Preferably with a decent bourbon selection, but I know that's a stretch goal.

[Trey3216 15,343]

36 minutes ago, BradInATX said:

Any of you Wacoans know any bars open tonight? Preferably with a decent bourbon selection, but I know that's a stretch goal.

Barnett’s Public House has the largest whiskey selection in Texas.  
 

420 Franklin Ave 

Edited December 24, 2019 by Trey3216

[BradInATX 9,208]

Barnett’s Public House has the largest whiskey selection in Texas.  
 
420 Franklin Ave 

I've actually been there. Love it. Open tonight though?

[BradInATX 9,208]

Just contacted them.. closed

[Trey3216 15,343]

Just now, BradInATX said:

Just contacted them.. closed

Well crap.  Didn’t think they’d be closed tonight 

[Trey3216 15,343]

Maybe the bar at Indigo.   Its actually a nice little bar and they have a solid bourbon selection 

Edited December 24, 2019 by Trey3216

[Post Oak 20,208]

We actually tried to go to Balcones last night about 7 and they were closed.  

I was shocked how much stuff was closed last night.

[Post Oak 20,208]

48 minutes ago, BradInATX said:

Any of you Wacoans know any bars open tonight? Preferably with a decent bourbon selection, but I know that's a stretch goal.

I don't know man.  I wouldn't get my hopes up for much of anything unfortunately.

Maybe like Trey said a hotel bar. 

[Trey3216 15,343]

That or Hemingway’s right near Moroso 

[BradInATX 9,208]

I don't know man.  I wouldn't get my hopes up for much of anything unfortunately.
Maybe like Trey said a hotel bar. 

Yeah, we're staying in the spring hill suites, so right now our plan is to just hang at their bar. But hoping to find some better options. I'll check with the other bars mentioned. Appreciate it.

[El Diablo 4,232]

I-35 traffic to suck even more for the foreseeable future. Starts at 7 tonight and runs thru middle of the year.

https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Big-change-coming-Tuesday-to-5-mile-stretch-of-Interstate-35-566780381.html

[Post Oak 20,208]

I'm expecting it to be Christmas 2021.  Although it does seem like they are making pretty good progress so far.

[El Diablo 4,232]

Shaquandra's baby girl will be driving the Christmas lights tour bus before they finish work on I-35.

[Trey3216 15,343]

Big Doris Miller news.  The USNavy has confirmed that they will announce this Monday on MLK Day that Doris will have an aircraft carrier named in his honor.  Absolutely phenomenal. 
 

https://www.stripes.com/news/us/navy-to-name-aircraft-carrier-for-pearl-harbor-hero-doris-miller-1.615275

[Chopper 17,230]

3 hours ago, Trey3216 said:

Big Doris Miller news.  The USNavy has confirmed that they will announce this Monday on MLK Day that Doris will have an aircraft carrier named in his honor.  Absolutely phenomenal. 
 

https://www.stripes.com/news/us/navy-to-name-aircraft-carrier-for-pearl-harbor-hero-doris-miller-1.615275

Just saw this online at Task and Purpose. I know someone who's been working for many years to get that young man the public federal recognition he deserves so I feel doubly great about it. Ceremony on Monday in Honolulu.

Quote

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly is expected to announce the naming of CVN-81 during a ceremony on Monday in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, according to USNI. Two of Miller's nieces are expected to be there, according to the Star-Advertiser.

 

 

[Trey3216 15,343]

23 minutes ago, Chopper said:

Just saw this online at Task and Purpose. I know someone who's been working for many years to get that young man the public federal recognition he deserves so I feel doubly great about it. Ceremony on Monday in Honolulu.

 

It’s really phenomenal.  Incredible story.  His memorial here in Waco is a beautiful spot. 

[Guest Lobo]

that's awesome.  I plan to go visit the memorial when I'm in Waco in a couple of weeks.  And hence my question...Feb 6-8th.  Can somebody tell me why in the fuck all the hotel rooms are $300/night in downtown Waco those two weeknights?  Can't be a football game.  I'm not paying that much to stay in downtown Waco, market forces be dammed.  We've got stuff at three different venues around downtown and I need to be there to just hoof it to everything so staying way the hell up or down 35 is not gonna be good.  Anybody know something near downtown for 150-200/night?    Thanks.  

[El Diablo 4,232]

On ‎1‎/‎18‎/‎2020 at 4:58 PM, Lobo said:

that's awesome.  I plan to go visit the memorial when I'm in Waco in a couple of weeks.  And hence my question...Feb 6-8th.  Can somebody tell me why in the fuck all the hotel rooms are $300/night in downtown Waco those two weeknights?  Can't be a football game.  I'm not paying that much to stay in downtown Waco, market forces be dammed.  We've got stuff at three different venues around downtown and I need to be there to just hoof it to everything so staying way the hell up or down 35 is not gonna be good.  Anybody know something near downtown for 150-200/night?    Thanks.  

Even with all the construction on I-35 you can get to most anywhere from anywhere in 10 minutes. This ain't Austin.

In other news, Union Hall is having their grand opening this Saturday. Chow time!

[Post Oak 20,208]

Yep.  Listen to El Diablo.  Stay out in Legends Crossing if you haven't looked there. You can hop on Bagby and be in the middle of everything in 10 mins or so.  There's even a Holiday Inn Express in Bellmead behind Home Depot thats maybe 10 minutes from downtown depending on traffic.  Lake Shore to Old Dallas Hwy to Elm then right across the bridge. 

There won't be any problem with parking so don't feel any stress about that.  

What venues are you going to be at?

 

We went to Union Hall before Christmas and had the Wacool Tacos.  Pretty good.  Not as good as Torchys but good.  

[Al_4_ISU 12,451]

On 6/29/2019 at 5:57 PM, Bullneck said:

I looked up the old stadium on Google Maps.  Kinda forlorn.

That place was forlorn when it was in use.

I went to the 2008 ISU/Baylor game at Floyd Casey, and it was the eeriest feeling of my life.  It felt like we were on some cursed Indian burial ground, or something like that.  There were more ISU fans than Baylor fans in the parking lot, there were loose chickens running around from the neighboring residential area, and when I went to take a leak, I spotted some kybos far away from anyone.  All of them have the "green" symbol.  I walk up, open the door, and almost have a heart attack when I find a 90 year old woman in a dress, mid-shit, staring me directly in the eyes.  I actually screamed, slammed the door, and ran away.

Strange damn place, Waco.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Al_4_ISU

[Guest Lobo]

1 hour ago, El Diablo said:

Even with all the construction on I-35 you can get to most anywhere from anywhere in 10 minutes. This ain't Austin.

In other news, Union Hall is having their grand opening this Saturday. Chow time!

I want to be within walking distance from these venues, not driving distance.  We'll be at County Courthouse, Cultivate 7twelve, and the Palladium.  I guess I'm gonna pull the trigger on that La Quinta Inn between downtown and IH-35. Looks decent enough, but my other question to y'all would be is what kind of a walk would that be late at night on a Thursday and Friday?  I don't mind sketchy, but I also don't want to get picked up for having been overserved in public.  This group we're going with is known for having a penchant for boozing.  I assume I can get Uber easily but problem with our group is there's no assigned hotel this year so everybody is staying all around Waco (though mainly downtown and Baylor areas).  I'd rather just leave at 11:00p and walk to my hotel.  Anyway, I know this is a specific scenario.  So unless that La Quinta is just in some shitfuck area, I'll go with that.  And I look forward to trying this Union Hall out on Thursday night since we have dinner open that night and this place looks cool and is a 15 minute walk from hotel 

[Post Oak 20,208]

anytime we are downtown I'm always shocked how empty it feels.  Never once felt unsafe or watched.

[El Diablo 4,232]

21 minutes ago, Post Oak said:

anytime we are downtown I'm always shocked how empty it feels.  Never once felt unsafe or watched.

Yep, it's pretty much a ghost town at night and the area that has nightlife attractions has always seemed safe to me.

As far as walking and possible PI? Well, it's Waco...

[Trey3216 15,343]

2 hours ago, Lobo said:

I want to be within walking distance from these venues, not driving distance.  We'll be at County Courthouse, Cultivate 7twelve, and the Palladium.  I guess I'm gonna pull the trigger on that La Quinta Inn between downtown and IH-35. Looks decent enough, but my other question to y'all would be is what kind of a walk would that be late at night on a Thursday and Friday?  I don't mind sketchy, but I also don't want to get picked up for having been overserved in public.  This group we're going with is known for having a penchant for boozing.  I assume I can get Uber easily but problem with our group is there's no assigned hotel this year so everybody is staying all around Waco (though mainly downtown and Baylor areas).  I'd rather just leave at 11:00p and walk to my hotel.  Anyway, I know this is a specific scenario.  So unless that La Quinta is just in some shitfuck area, I'll go with that.  And I look forward to trying this Union Hall out on Thursday night since we have dinner open that night and this place looks cool and is a 15 minute walk from hotel 

Uber is pretty easy and consistent.   Have you checked AirBnB?  Lots of them right near downtown.  Lots of good spots within walking distance of Cultivate/Palladium.   Check out Southern Roots, Waco Ale Co, Balcone’s is about 4 blocks, Barnett’s Public House (3 blocks, largest whiskey selection in TX) 

[DCA_HORN 725]

Not scrolling through the whole thread but really gonna be disappointed if never and only to get your roll on weren't replies.

[Trey3216 15,343]

46 minutes ago, DCA_HORN said:

Not scrolling through the whole thread but really gonna be disappointed if never and only to get your roll on weren't replies.

CSB

[Newdoc 3,439]

54 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

AirBnB

Hopefully this. Should be a decent amount of AirBNB or VRBO downtown. There are some condos that rent out.

Waco is about 12 months from launching a lot more capacity in hotel rooms (it's been in Texas top 2 in % of rooms filled for a while). Of course, Chip and Jo will be launching the network 10/2020 and other wave of Magnolians is bound to come back for whatever it is here that attracts them. Right now, the tour buses are running as much as ever and it's the middle of freakin January.

The Salvation Army is at 5th and Webster so that's always an option.  There are a couple of seedy motels just north of downtown with readily available heroin and assorted controlled substances if you are looking for more "amenities".

[Post Oak 20,208]

1 hour ago, Newdoc said:

Hopefully this. Should be a decent amount of AirBNB or VRBO downtown. There are some condos that rent out.

Waco is about 12 months from launching a lot more capacity in hotel rooms (it's been in Texas top 2 in % of rooms filled for a while). Of course, Chip and Jo will be launching the network 10/2020 and other wave of Magnolians is bound to come back for whatever it is here that attracts them. Right now, the tour buses are running as much as ever and it's the middle of freakin January.

The Salvation Army is at 5th and Webster so that's always an option.  There are a couple of seedy motels just north of downtown with readily available heroin and assorted controlled substances if you are looking for more "amenities".

They're gonna make millions and millions of dollars off that network.

I'm thinking after the hotels off Mary and Elm are completed they should stop handing out money to hotel developers for a while.  

I did read that the fairground construction is coming along on time and they could stand to have excess money once that's done.  (From hotel and car rental taxes.)

That thing won't get the pub that Magnolia gets buy they say they can have it full every weekend with multiple events.  It should bring in a shit ton of people too.

 

[Kyrie Eleison 9,312]

what’s the word on the riverfront development off U Parks where the farmer’s market is going? haven’t seen any action there yet, and it’s what i’m looking forward to the most.

[Post Oak 20,208]

Here's an a post from the trib recently.

Don't know how to spoiler so here goes

The Bull Durham building at 401 Elm Ave., smack in the middle of economic development on the east side of Lake Brazos, is being offered for lease by owner Austin Meek.

Meek owns the local Pokey O’s, part of a Dallas-based cookies-and-ice-cream business with a presence in eight Texas cities. Meek’s Pokey O’s food trucks regularly can be seen at downtown locales. He bought the Bull Durham property in December 2018 and later announced he would use it for a Pokey O’s brick-and-mortar location and a development called Mammoth Culture Club to include a patio with an outdoor stage, beer-garden-style seating and a full bar.

Meek said he has not abandoned that vision by putting the 3,500-square-foot Bull Durham building on the market. But he said a lot of soul-searching and consulting with local real estate agents and developers convinced him he needed a second party involved. He chose to list the site for lease at $20 per square foot annually with Gregg Glime, a local commercial real estate agent. Meek and Glime were scheduled to meet with a prospect to tour the building one afternoon last week.

 

Meek said the presence of an “anchor” should defray costs associated with rehabilitating the building built in 1925. It needs a new roof, and passersby will notice metal supports wedged against the brick-covered walls.

Should a lessee be secured, he might consider placing a shipping container next door, he said. Eventually, he could see an “outdoor shopping mall” materializing on that site to showcase 10 mobile retailers, including probably his own permanent Pokey-O’s location, leaving a second food truck he acquired late last year to cruise around and park at hot downtown locations, Meek said.

“They might sell everything from candles to headbands,” he joked.

Soon, probably by March, Meek said he hopes to complete light landscaping at the address, and may by then have opened a taqueria.

Demonstrating his desire to start with a clean slate, Meek said he has relinquished a $273,000 Tax Increment Financing grant he was awarded on his estimated $1.375 million redo of Bull Durham and its environs. His reworked numbers reflect a $1.08 million contribution on his part.

He said he will take another run at securing TIF-related assistance.

Promenade building permit

The much-ballyhooed, $100 million Brazos Promenade development along the west banks of Lake Brazos is now showing more than potential.

A building permit valued at $20.2 million has been secured by Catalyst Urban Development to place Brazos Promenade Apartments, a parking garage, a retail building and two Dumpster enclosures at 414 S. University Parks Drive, near the heart of the mixed-use development that backers have said would include a full-service hotel, restaurants, shopping venues and housing.

On the drawing board for years, Brazos Promenade has received a pledge of a more than $20 million Tax Increment Financing grant from Waco.

Information provided by the local office of the Associated General Contractors of America shows Catalyst Urban Development secured permits Jan. 14 to build on land at 407, 414 and 500 S. University Parks Drive, and at 90 and 121 Webster Ave. This stretch of property includes the vacant Waco Fire Department training station to be demolished for Brazos Promenade.

No word yet on when construction will start. The most recent start date officials provided passed months ago

I wish they'd get on with it because I miss the farmers market under those old oak trees

[Kyrie Eleison 9,312]

i do, too...would spend a good Saturday morning out there buying the kids' breakfast, snacking around and buying shit to cook that night.  just not the same in the courthouse parking lot.

[Trey3216 15,343]

15 hours ago, Post Oak said:

They're gonna make millions and millions of dollars off that network.

I'm thinking after the hotels off Mary and Elm are completed they should stop handing out money to hotel developers for a while.  

I did read that the fairground construction is coming along on time and they could stand to have excess money once that's done.  (From hotel and car rental taxes.)

That thing won't get the pub that Magnolia gets buy they say they can have it full every weekend with multiple events.  It should bring in a shit ton of people too.

 

The Fairground area is a huge boon to business that gets overlooked by a great many people.  The new buildings over there will absolutely help weekend events, and I wish there would've been a hotel put on location to help alleviate some of the overcrowding of the other areas of town.  

[El Diablo 4,232]

On ‎1‎/‎24‎/‎2020 at 11:18 AM, Trey3216 said:

The Fairground area is a huge boon to business that gets overlooked by a great many people.  The new buildings over there will absolutely help weekend events, and I wish there would've been a hotel put on location to help alleviate some of the overcrowding of the other areas of town.  

I was at the fairgrounds this past weekend and the new Expo building is coming along. It seems like there's an event every single weekend of the year of some sort at the fair complex, either in the actual coliseum, the exhibit building or the horse arenas.

In other news I saw that TopGolf announced that they'll be opening in Waco. Oh, and also saw in the last month that a building permit was issued for the complex along the river that's been discussed for decades. We'll see how that one goes.

[Trey3216 15,343]

48 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

I was at the fairgrounds this past weekend and the new Expo building is coming along. It seems like there's an event every single weekend of the year of some sort at the fair complex, either in the actual coliseum, the exhibit building or the horse arenas.

In other news I saw that TopGolf announced that they'll be opening in Waco. Oh, and also saw in the last month that a building permit was issued for the complex along the river that's been discussed for decades. We'll see how that one goes.

Yep.  Also a lot of word going around that the new basketball arena may actually be put on the west side of the highway off UParks, right near/next to Robinson Tower.  Some of the restaurants and other items that have been discussed for the river project will be either connected to or on site of the new arena if it is put over there.  Will be a great spot aesthetically, but not traffic-wise.  

[El Diablo 4,232]

1 hour ago, Trey3216 said:

Yep.  Also a lot of word going around that the new basketball arena may actually be put on the west side of the highway off UParks, right near/next to Robinson Tower.  Some of the restaurants and other items that have been discussed for the river project will be either connected to or on site of the new arena if it is put over there.  Will be a great spot aesthetically, but not traffic-wise.  

Would be great to have the arena on that side of I-35 though students will bitch about the hike. The interstate was still under construction when I was a little kid and I don't think anyone really thought much then about how it would isolate the campus from the city. Anything that csn pull the two entities together will be good for both long term.

Edited February 5, 2020 by El Diablo

[bolverk 29,654]

Are 'Fixer Upper' stars Chip and Joanna Gaines saving Waco — or destroying it?
Chip and Joanna Gaines have been credited with turning Waco around. But that's led to higher home prices and property taxes.
Monday, February 10, 2020
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/fixer-upper-waco-chip-joanna-gaines-hgtv-15044655 

In early 2018, Buck and Jane Morrow were driving home from visiting family in Texas when they spotted Baylor University from the highway. The sight of the school alerted them that they were in Waco, TX, home to HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, of the megahit home design series "Fixer Upper."  And so they made a split-second, life-altering decision to pull off the exit and check out the small city popularized by the show.

"We drove around a little bit and thought this is a really nice place," says Buck, 74, a semiretired mining engineer. They shopped at the Gaineses' home goods store Magnolia Market at the Silos. "It looked really pleasant."

Once the Morrows returned home to their cattle ranch in Castle Rock, CO, Buck promptly forgot about the small, Texas city. But Jane, 64, didn't. A few months later, she showed him an online listing for a five-bedroom, four-bathroom, Tuscan-style house she liked just outside of Waco. She persuaded her husband to travel there to see the home, in McGregor, TX, and they wound up buying the place and moving to the Waco metro area.

The Morrows certainly aren't alone. Waco was a sleepy, struggling, small city before the Gaineses exploded onto HGTV in 2013. When Waco crossed the minds of most folks, if it ever did, it was for the deadly government standoff with the cult leader David Koresh and the Branch Davidians in 1993. Before that it was mostly just a rest stop between Austin and Dallas, with lots of boarded-up storefronts downtown.

Spoiler

 

With the success of "Fixer Upper," the Gaineses have successfully turned their home renovation brand, rustic aesthetic and the city itself into household names. By just about any measurable standard, the place is now booming. And the city has changed in both good ways and in bad for locals. It begs the question: Are the Gaineses Waco's savior—or its destroyer?

Certainly not everyone in Waco is a fan of their hometown's newfound fame. The Gaines phenomenon has led to swarms of tourists descending on the city. And out-of-towners with seemingly unlimited budgets are driving up real estate prices to new heights, leading to higher property taxes for longtime Waco dwellers.

And the hoopla likely hasn't even come close to its peak. "Fixer Upper" may have ended its HGTV run in 2018 after five seasons, but the pair are slated to debut their own Chip and Jo network this year. The Gaineses are in heavy expansion mode, and the Waco economy is going along for the ride.

New restaurants, bars, and stores are opening in previously empty buildings. The Silos, the Gaineses' mini empire featuring their home goods store, gardening shop, and bakery, are bringing folks into the community to spend their money. Folks queue up out the door of the couple's restaurant, Magnolia Table, or head to their newly opened coffee shop near the Silos; a Magnolia boutique hotel is set to open in 2021. And there are other changes, too, including the expansion of SpaceX's rocket-making plant as well as a new Sherwin-Williams distribution center.

But there's a literal cost to all this growth: average home prices shot up nearly 52.1% from 2015 through 2019 in McLennan County, which includes Waco, according to local broker Camille Johnson, who runs Camille Johnson Realtors. That's a tough pill for many longtime residents to swallow, particularly if they're making area wages.

Home prices are still low, though, compared with the rest of the country, making it an attractive destination for out-of-towners. The median home list price in the metro is just $225,050 in December—compared with $300,000 nationally, according to realtor.com®'s December data.

The show "is what got us to stop, but it's not why we bought in Waco," says Buck Morrow, who was hoping to escape the cold weather. "We could not afford this house in Colorado. This house would be at least double or two-and-a-half-times more.”

Another Gaines effect: More buyers, many finding inspiration from the show, are seeking their own fixer-uppers, says Johnson. In the process, they're revitalizing many of the city's older neighborhoods particularly in the central area.

"This couple has transformed this city, almost single-handedly," Johnson says. "We used to struggle to get people to come [here]. ... The show has changed the whole way the country looks at Waco."

Not everyone is keen on the 'Fixer Upper' effect
The harsh truth is that with prices shooting up so rapidly, it's harder for locals — first-time home buyers as well as repeat buyers — to find properties they can afford. These days they're competing with outsiders selling their expensive homes in places like California and New York and then bidding up whatever's on the market.

"Prices are up all over town," says local real estate agent Amanda Nesbitt of Kelly Realtors. In some areas, they've spiked 25% to 30% in the past three years alone. And properties priced at $500,000 have gone from rare to fairly common.

About 25% to 30% of her clients are now hailing from out of state, largely from cities in Colorado, California, and Oregon, seeking a slower pace of life and more affordable housing. Investors have also descended.

"A lot of homeowners, especially retirees, are not happy about the Chip and Joanna effect. They're on a fixed income," says Charles Delaney, a real estate professor at Baylor University. He's lived in the city for more than 30 years. "It is a financial burden [just] to meet the additional property taxes."

The average taxable amount of property values in the city of Waco rose from $129,349 in 2017, $141,982 in 2018, and $154,974 in 2019, according to county tax records. That's a nearly 9.8% rise from 2017 to 2018 and almost 9.2% from 2018 to 2019. Meanwhile, home list prices rose only 7.8% and 6.1% nationally over the same period, according to realtor.com data.

Some folks blame the homes the Gaineses have fixed up for the show, which have gone back on the market for very high prices, for the boost in taxes. They can be listed for well over $1 million, although homes priced that high in Waco tend to sit on the market for a while, undergo price cuts, and have a hard time attracting buyers.

"There's a very large outcry over those homes increasing people's taxes," says associate real estate broker Matthew McLeod of Synergy Realtors in Waco. He's represented some of these "Fixer Upper" homes, including at least one that was ultimately taken off the market.

Waco didn't have much to brag about, besides Baylor University and its Big 12 football team, before the Gaineses. There was a tornado in 1953 that tore through the downtown, killing 114 people, injuring hundreds, and destroying scores of businesses. Then there was the contract killer who mistakenly murdered the wrong teenager and her two friends by Lake Waco in 1982. Most recently, an epic 2015 biker brawl resulted in nine deaths, 20 wounded, and nearly 200 arrests.

But the city is still, perhaps, best known for one thing: the tragic 51-day standoff in 1993 between federal agents and the Branch Davidians, a religious cult. It would culminate in nearly 80 deaths, when the group's 77-acre compound on the outskirts of the city was engulfed in flames. Many of the dead were children.

"The Branch Davidians were the face of Waco in the '90s and probably after that," says Baylor professor Delaney.

The siege tarnished Waco's image and became synonymous with the city itself. It took its toll on the local housing market. Homes took longer to sell and prices were lower, says real estate broker Johnson.

"We were the Wild West for a very long time ... well into the 20th century," says Delaney. "Things have really calmed down."

In some ways, modern-day Waco seems to strike a balance between its twin legacies—the darkness of David Koresh and the boundless optimism of Chip and Joanna Gaines. And, strangely enough, some tourists are drawn to both.

"The women want to eat at Magnolia and see the silos. The men strike a deal with their wives and say [yes], if we can go to Mount Carmel," says David Thibodeau, 50, of Bangor, ME, referring to the site of the Branch Davidian compound. He was one of the only survivors of the siege, and is the author of "A Place Called Waco: A Survivor's Story." It was turned into a six-part TV series.

"It's like it's been reborn," Thibodeau says of the city.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by bolverk
spoilered for length

[El Diablo 4,232]

My cousin owns a home in a neighborhood where some Magnolians have a house. The neighbors are all pissed that their tax valuations went up, lol.

[PorscheGuy 127]

Here's an a post from the trib recently.

Don't know how to spoiler so here goes

The Bull Durham building at 401 Elm Ave., smack in the middle of economic development on the east side of Lake Brazos, is being offered for lease by owner Austin Meek.

Meek owns the local Pokey O’s, part of a Dallas-based cookies-and-ice-cream business with a presence in eight Texas cities. Meek’s Pokey O’s food trucks regularly can be seen at downtown locales. He bought the Bull Durham property in December 2018 and later announced he would use it for a Pokey O’s brick-and-mortar location and a development called Mammoth Culture Club to include a patio with an outdoor stage, beer-garden-style seating and a full bar.

Meek said he has not abandoned that vision by putting the 3,500-square-foot Bull Durham building on the market. But he said a lot of soul-searching and consulting with local real estate agents and developers convinced him he needed a second party involved. He chose to list the site for lease at $20 per square foot annually with Gregg Glime, a local commercial real estate agent. Meek and Glime were scheduled to meet with a prospect to tour the building one afternoon last week.

 

Meek said the presence of an “anchor” should defray costs associated with rehabilitating the building built in 1925. It needs a new roof, and passersby will notice metal supports wedged against the brick-covered walls.

Should a lessee be secured, he might consider placing a shipping container next door, he said. Eventually, he could see an “outdoor shopping mall” materializing on that site to showcase 10 mobile retailers, including probably his own permanent Pokey-O’s location, leaving a second food truck he acquired late last year to cruise around and park at hot downtown locations, Meek said.

“They might sell everything from candles to headbands,” he joked.

Soon, probably by March, Meek said he hopes to complete light landscaping at the address, and may by then have opened a taqueria.

Demonstrating his desire to start with a clean slate, Meek said he has relinquished a $273,000 Tax Increment Financing grant he was awarded on his estimated $1.375 million redo of Bull Durham and its environs. His reworked numbers reflect a $1.08 million contribution on his part.

He said he will take another run at securing TIF-related assistance.

Promenade building permit

The much-ballyhooed, $100 million Brazos Promenade development along the west banks of Lake Brazos is now showing more than potential.

A building permit valued at $20.2 million has been secured by Catalyst Urban Development to place Brazos Promenade Apartments, a parking garage, a retail building and two Dumpster enclosures at 414 S. University Parks Drive, near the heart of the mixed-use development that backers have said would include a full-service hotel, restaurants, shopping venues and housing.

On the drawing board for years, Brazos Promenade has received a pledge of a more than $20 million Tax Increment Financing grant from Waco.

Information provided by the local office of the Associated General Contractors of America shows Catalyst Urban Development secured permits Jan. 14 to build on land at 407, 414 and 500 S. University Parks Drive, and at 90 and 121 Webster Ave. This stretch of property includes the vacant Waco Fire Department training station to be demolished for Brazos Promenade.

No word yet on when construction will start. The most recent start date officials provided passed months ago

I wish they'd get on with it because I miss the farmers market under those old oak trees

What really pisses me off about this project, is the developer pulled it from a local GC last second and sent it to an out of town contractor who literally had all the local bids in hand before they started requesting bids from out of town sub contractors. It is currently in its 3rd round of bidding, which means this project will be very low quality and very little of the local tax dollars that funded the majority of the project will go to local business in Waco.

 

City should pull the plug and rethink the entire project.

[El Diablo 4,232]

Come to Waco! Ride a scooter! KWTX says the city will be partnering with Lime on a pilot project to bring "shared mobility" to Waco. 

We're gonna be so grown up, so cool, just like the big cities. No more getting marooned on the Brazos.

[Post Oak 20,208]

On 2/12/2020 at 9:29 PM, PorscheGuy said:

What really pisses me off about this project, is the developer pulled it from a local GC last second and sent it to an out of town contractor who literally had all the local bids in hand before they started requesting bids from out of town subcontractors. It is currently in its 3rd round of bidding, which means this project will be very low quality and very little of the local tax dollars that funded the majority of the project will go to local business in Waco.

 

The city should pull the plug and rethink the entire project.

I always had the feeling when I heard Meek talk about it that his eyes were bigger than his wallet.  

We'll see. It's a cool building and the idea of "Mammoth Culture Club" is unique.

I obviously don't think Waco should be worrying about fucking scooters and focus instead on "dumb" mobility solutions like improved sidewalk conditions and connectivity, better transit shelters and bike lanes.

I always shake my head when I see a group of tourists standing in the sun waiting for a trolley when it's 100 degrees in the summer 

[Post Oak 20,208]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during the COVID-19 emergency preparedness meetings.

There's no doubt that it's already here.  I'm disappointed to not hear any proactive measures (ie. additional facilities set up).

 

[El Diablo 4,232]

7 hours ago, Post Oak said:

I always had the feeling when I heard Meek talk about it that his eyes were bigger than his wallet.  

We'll see. It's a cool building and the idea of "Mammoth Culture Club" is unique.

I obviously don't think Waco should be worrying about fucking scooters and focus instead on "dumb" mobility solutions like improved sidewalk conditions and connectivity, better transit shelters and bike lanes.

I always shake my head when I see a group of tourists standing in the sun waiting for a trolley when it's 100 degrees in the summer 

I was at the bus station in downtown this past weekend, for the first time in forever, and was truly surprised by how many people there were using the bus system. Most if not all appeared to be the sort you might expect, lower on the financial ladder. But the number of riders suggested to me that Waco has a need for better public transportation for the folks who live and work here. Not scooters, lol. The fact that busses don't run later in the day for those who work late shifts kinda sucks. And they don't run at all on Sundays because Sunday! Even Jesus walked on Sunday!

[Post Oak 20,208]

So they have a $20m plan to develop an area rapid transit (I think they should call it WART) that would run from I think downtown to out in Hewitt where the mfg. jobs are.  It will run down Franklin and supposedly sink up with the lights so it could be a 15min trip. 

I believe that was supposed to start this year but my details are a little fuzzy. I'll see if I can find a link.

They need to focus on mobility and urban density now to stay ahead of population growth.  Especially with 35 being under construction for the next few years.

Ok my details were off.

Here's what I found

**************************

Meanwhile, Evilia said creating a bus rapid transit line remains a priority for local transportation leaders. AECOM Technical Services, under a contract with the city of Waco, conducted a $468,000 study that envisioned an east-west trunk line that followed Franklin Avenue. Four express buses would serve this backbone, while circulator buses would feed into it from up to 14 citywide stations. The system would eliminate the need to end and begin all routes at Waco Transit’s downtown hub.

The BRT was included in the 2040 transportation plan and was adopted as a goal last year by the MPO and Waco City Council.

“The consultant has finished the report, and it met all feasibility criteria. They came back with some really impressive numbers on reducing travel times on the system,” said Evilia. “The next phase, which Waco Transit has begun, involves the engineering and design phase, taking steps to get funding for the infrastructure and physical things needed to have such a system. This would be done with input from the Federal Transit Administration.”

 

That process could take another two years, Evilia said.

“Instead of taking an hour or longer to get across town, we might see 20-minute loops,” said Evilia. That time savings becomes critical, said Evilia, considering projections that job creation between now and 2045 will be heavily concentrated along West Loop 340, near Woodway and Hewitt, Texas Central Industrial Park, Providence Health Center, Hillcrest Scott & White Health Center Waco, Richland Mall and Central Texas Marketplace

Meanwhile, Evilia said creating a bus rapid transit line remains a priority for local transportation leaders. AECOM Technical Services, under a contract with the city of Waco, conducted a $468,000 study that envisioned an east-west trunk line that followed Franklin Avenue. Four express buses would serve this backbone, while circulator buses would feed into it from up to 14 citywide stations. The system would eliminate the need to end and begin all routes at Waco Transit’s downtown hub.

The BRT was included in the 2040 transportation plan and was adopted as a goal last year by the MPO and Waco City Council.

“The consultant has finished the report, and it met all feasibility criteria. They came back with some really impressive numbers on reducing travel times on the system,” said Evilia. “The next phase, which Waco Transit has begun, involves the engineering and design phase, taking steps to get funding for the infrastructure and physical things needed to have such a system. This would be done with input from the Federal Transit Administration.”

That process could take another two years, Evilia said.

“Instead of taking an hour or longer to get across town, we might see 20-minute loops,” said Evilia. That time savings becomes critical, said Evilia, considering projections that job creation between now and 2045 will be heavily concentrated along West Loop 340, near Woodway and Hewitt, Texas Central Industrial Park, Providence Health Center, Hillcrest Scott & White Health Center Waco, Richland Mall and Central Texas Marketplace.

.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Post Oak