Firewall in Old Downtown Richardson

City of Richardson

The rendering above is of the new police and fire department facilities planned for old downtown Richardson. There is little news here. The old facilities were outdated. The 2015 Bond Program funded part of the reconstruction. The 2016-2017 budget funds more. I knew all that, but seeing this rendering triggers the thought that this might turn out to be a huge missed opportunity for Richardson.

POTD: Hare Krishna

From 2016 02 14 Mumbai

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, a temple in Mumbai, India, of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Campbell Road Deterioration Outlined

"Campbell Road Improvements Deterioration Outlined."

There, Richardson, I fixed the headline to your "Week in Review" item. Widening Campbell Rd from US 75 to Collins Blvd is not an "improvement."

Those added lanes will fill up as fast as you can pour the concrete. TxDOT is overhauling Central Expressway (again). Adding lanes to Campbell Rd only encourages the added cars on US 75 to use Campbell Rd. You can't build your way out of traffic congestion. Induced demand is the phenomenon that after supply increases, more of a good is consumed. Road construction is Exhibit A.

Son of Saul (2015)

IMDB

Son of Saul (2015): Holocaust tale of futility. Premise unbelievable without insanity. Characters and acting leave me numb. Passionless. B-

POTD: Dhobi Ghat

From 2016 02 14 Mumbai

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Dhobi Ghat, an open air laundry in Mumbai, India. "The washers, locally known as Dhobis, work in the open to wash the clothes from Mumbai's hotels and hospitals."

A bonus photo is after the jump.

The Frozen Chosen (2014)

Netflix

Frozen Chosen (2014): Spear-fishing on frozen Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. Will leave you cold, but if you grew up there, must see. C-

POTD: James Bond's Hotel

From 2016 02 12 Udaipur

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the City Palace in Udaipur, India. The palace plays the part of a hotel James Bond stays at in the movie Octopussy.

Embrace of the Serpent (2015)

IMDB

Embrace of the Serpent (2015): Amazonia in 1909, with shaman and scientist, false messiah and rubber barons. Heart of Darkness. B-

POTD: Octopussy's Floating Palace

From 2016 02 12 Udaipur

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken from the shore of Lake Picchola in Udaipur, India. It shows the Taj Lake Palace. The hotel was the setting of the island home of James Bond's nemesis, Octopussy. Bond swims up to the palace disguised as a crocodile. Well, OK then.

P.S. It seems like maybe we've been following James Bond around.

Who Got Snookered on Plano Road?

At its July 25 meeting, the Richardson City Council approved a zoning change to accommodate the development of a 43-unit community of apartments and/or townhomes on 2.7 acres on the east side of Plano Road south of Arapaho Road.

Who are these new apartments/condos going to be marketed to? According to the city staff report accompanying the zoning change request, it's senior citizens.

The applicant's intent is to provide a residential project for the City's aging community that is different than the other available types of housing such as patio homes, independent living facilities, and assisted living facilities. The applicant has developed other senior housing in the City including the Twin Rivers independent living facility at Belt Line Road and Glenville Drive and the Twin Rivers assisted living facility on Plano Road, just south of Campbell Road, which is currently under construction. The applicant states that there is a market for seniors who desire to purchase, rather than rent, a low maintenance home without stairs.

Source: City of Richardson.

The developer did the Twin Rivers senior living community. Each planned unit will have only one story, perfect for seniors who no longer want to navigate stairs. So, seniors it is, right?