HTX-HRM: Impact 9/16/2025

West Alabama Street from Spur 527 to Shepherd Drive in the Montrose neighborhood is being prepped to undergo a controversial $28.5 million reconstruction project that will span the next three to four years.

The project aims to improve mobility and drainage while also prioritizing tree preservation and promoting a pedestrian-friendly environment, according to project details from the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which will oversee and fund a portion of the project. However, Montrose residents are frustrated by the lack of bike lanes and multimodal transportation efforts.

About the project: The full concrete roadway reconstruction includes making several enhancements to the roughly 1.6-mile stretch of road.

Muhammad Ali, project engineer from Gauge and HR Green Engineering, said the project’s main goal is to improve the standards of the street to meet today’s safety regulations while also investing in better drainage and stormwater capacity.

Nestled in the heart of Montrose is a restaurant that doesn’t entirely fit into a single genre. While the wood-fired oven and several menu items lean heavily on Italian culture, parts of Rosie Cannonball can be traced back to France, Portugal, Spain and Greece.  Chef and partner Felipe Riccio calls it “Southern European comfort food.” 

What’s on the menu: The restaurant serves a diverse array of food reflecting the many cultures it draws inspiration from, and the menu is categorized by starters and shared plates, roasted vegetables, grilled meats, pizza and pasta.

Meet the chef: Born in Mexico, Riccio grew up in Veracruz before moving to Houston as a teenager. He attended culinary school at Houston Community College and was working in Europe when he decided to partner with Goodnight Hospitality to open Rosie Cannonball.

One more thing: Last year, Rosie Cannonball received a Bib Gourmand, an accolade given to restaurants for offering high-quality food at a fair price, from the internationally acclaimed Michelin Guide.

📍1620 Westheimer Road, Houston

The gist: Single-family home sales rose 11.9% compared to the same time last year in August, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ August 2025 Housing Market Update released Sept. 10. The number of homes available was also reported to be 30.4% above last year’s number. While sales and available homes numbers were higher, home prices didn’t show as much change this August compared to last year. The median sales price remained almost unchanged at $335,000, according to the report.

What they’re saying: “August brought the strongest sales gains we’ve seen so far this year, and that’s encouraging for both sides of the market,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar said. “Buyers have more choices and negotiating power than they’ve had in more than a decade while sellers continue to benefit from solid demand. As mortgage rates continue to ease, I anticipate buyer activity will remain solid in the coming months.”

The big picture: The School of Theatre & Dance at the University of Houston announced its 2025-26 season featuring classical adaptations, musical theatre and student-written premieres, according to a Sept. 9 news release. The season will kick off with "The Circadian Project” on Sept. 25 and end with the 10-Minute Play Festival in May.

What they're saying: “Our 2025-26 season celebrates the power of live performance across a wide spectrum,” Sharon Ott, director of the School of Theatre & Dance, said in the release. “From the haunting beauty of ‘Frankenstein’ to the vibrant energy of student choreography and award-winning new plays, this season offers something for every audience.”  

Cities, counties and school district boards across Texas are required to provide more notice for public meetings under a new state law aimed at increasing public participation in government affairs.

The details: Local government agencies must post meeting notices at least three business days in advance of the meeting, meaning weekends and holidays do not count toward the minimum posting period.

House Bill 1522, which became law Sept. 1, increases the notice requirement from 72 hours.

The law change is part of “an effort to promote government transparency and citizen participation,” Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said during a May 13 legislative hearing.

The local impact: Some city and county governments across Community Impact’s coverage areas are changing their meeting schedules to comply with the new law, including:

• Bastrop City Council
• Conroe City Council
• Fort Bend County Commissioners Court
• Montgomery County Commissioners Court
• The Woodlands Township