River Oaks update: welcome to anytown, anywhere

We were hoping that the nearly posthumous landmark designation and demolition-delaying rain spells might have given Weingarten Realty that last little bit of time to ruminate over their plans to demolish the River Oaks Shopping Center - unfortunately, according to Cherry Demolition, the bulldozers move in Tuesday to begin the demolition and make way for the big box anchor Barnes and Noble plus a four story parking garage.

We were sad to see places like Three Brothers Bakery and the Black Eyed Pea leave, but we're really worried about the huge chain store entering - this Barnes and Noble erases the need for Bookstop in the Alabama Theater, and judging from Weingarten's behavior, the Alabama will be just as disposable.

Weingarten has been quite reticent about the plans, as well as the respectably large outcry (for Houston, that is) about the demolition. All the bad publicity doesn't seem to matter either - perhaps "any publicity is good publicity" goes over well in the company's public relations department. Barring any collective amnesia of this event, which marks another loss (and potential onset of more losses) of 1930s-era art deco design, this will be another example of Houston's unique-turned-ordinary.