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Getting Northgate Right

9,895 Views | 167 Replies | Last: 18 hrs ago by Hornbeck
TAMU1990
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In reply to TyHolden • 9:23p, 7/5/26
AG
TyHolden said:
that pic is making the rounds on X and of course it's quite polarizing.

All I ask is don't piss off the BMAs. I know not everybody on here is an Aggie but the school and sports have been the lifeblood of this area for a long time and those individuals have dumped millions upon millions into it. That's me being selfish though.

No one asked CS residents if we wanted high rises in Northgate. I'm sure there are plenty of BMAs who don't like it either.
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Captn_Ag05
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9:53a, 7/6/26
AG
It would be really cool if the Lyle and REK partnered up on a bar/music venue in NG. I believe the city lot is where their house used to be…
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Hornbeck
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In reply to 1939 • 10:15a, 7/6/26
AG
1939 said:
That actually happens all the time.

All of this talk about needing more expensive restaurants and coffee shops is just dumb. Northgate exists and always has for college kids. College kids don't have a lot of money, and what they do have they spend on alcohol.

If you want a fancy place to hang out at and spend money we have a wonderful development called Century Square right down the road that is aimed at an older demographic.

THEY may not have a lot of money, but The First National Bank of Momma and Daddy sure does.

The days of a poor rural kid being able to go to school here on his own dime (like me) are long gone.
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FlyRod
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10:51a, 7/6/26
Change is really tough for some people.
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Cyp0111
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In reply to TAMU1990 • 12:51p, 7/6/26
[Bypassing word filters is an automatic ban. -Staff]
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 3:42p, 7/6/26
AG
Captn_Ag05 said:
It would be really cool if the Lyle and REK partnered up on a bar/music venue in NG. I believe the city lot is where their house used to be…


Since it is the Monday after a holiday weekend, I'm killing some time to wrap up the day. I asked Chat to create a Lyle Lovett/REK bar for College Station that would fit the style of Northgate. This is what it produced.

This is all AI, but would be cool to see something similar one day.

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Hornbeck
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3:51p, 7/6/26
AG
If "The Money Bar" failed...

What makes you think that a Northgate bar from two guys that are "old Ag" favorites is going to thrive?

I don't see the retired crowd frequenting there.

Serious question.
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Hornbeck • 3:56p, 7/6/26
AG
Did you go to the Money Bar? It was a tiny space with nothing but strobe lights, a money wind tunnel (like at Chuck E Cheese) and $17 cocktails. A live music venue, whether from them or someone else, would do really well in NG.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 4:00p, 7/6/26
AG
The main gist is that the current students probably remember Johnny playing football.

I remember REK playing the Hall, but I'm old.

And no, I don't think k folks over 50 go to Northgate often, let alone visit the Money Bar.
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Hornbeck • 4:02p, 7/6/26
AG
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue. Not the "name" bedind it. Them being part of it is just a neat hook. Hopefully you aren't that dense. Call it Hornbeck's Honky Tonk.

If you ever stepped foot in the Money Bar you would have known it was going to close its doors in 6 months.
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Bob Yancy
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 4:10p, 7/6/26
Captn_Ag05 said:
Captn_Ag05 said:
It would be really cool if the Lyle and REK partnered up on a bar/music venue in NG. I believe the city lot is where their house used to be…


Since it is the Monday after a holiday weekend, I'm killing some time to wrap up the day. I asked Chat to create a Lyle Lovett/REK bar for College Station that would fit the style of Northgate. This is what it produced.

This is all AI, but would be cool to see something similar one day.



"Lovett & Keens" just love that. Somebody get with their managers. :-)
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Bob Yancy • 4:14p, 7/6/26
AG
I thought it was a fun concept.
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TXAG 05
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 4:21p, 7/6/26
AG
Captn_Ag05 said:
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue. Not the "name" bedind it. Them being part of it is just a neat hook. Hopefully you aren't that dense. Call it Hornbeck's Honky Tonk.

If you ever stepped foot in the Money Bar you would have known it was going to close its doors in 6 months.

Are they not going to have live music at the new Harrys? Haven't been in there since it was Shadow Canyon, so don't know if the stage is still there or not.
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to TXAG 05 • 4:23p, 7/6/26
AG
Yes, and they have already had some performances. It is a much smaller space for both music and dancing. Love that they are there and doing what they can with the much smaller footprint.
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Gator92
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In reply to TXAG 05 • 4:34p, 7/6/26
AG
TXAG 05 said:
Captn_Ag05 said:
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue. Not the "name" bedind it. Them being part of it is just a neat hook. Hopefully you aren't that dense. Call it Hornbeck's Honky Tonk.

If you ever stepped foot in the Money Bar you would have known it was going to close its doors in 6 months.

Are they not going to have live music at the new Harrys? Haven't been in there since it was Shadow Canyon, so don't know if the stage is still there or not.

Roger Creager played there a couple of weeks ago.
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ski-man
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 5:57p, 7/6/26
AG
Captn_Ag05 said:



That does look very cool, that old building feel
Let's go ski-man!
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Aggie_Fire
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 10:53p, 7/6/26
AG
Captn_Ag05 said:
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue.

Are you saying that you want to put the ENTERAINMENT into Entertainment District?? Get that nonsense outta here!

Been saying for years, it's a bar district and calling it an entertainment district is laughable
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Aggie_Fire • 11:32p, 7/6/26
AG
Aggie_Fire said:
Captn_Ag05 said:
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue.

Are you saying that you want to put the ENTERAINMENT into Entertainment District?? Get that nonsense outta here!


Momentary lapse on my part.
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PS3D
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In reply to Aggie_Fire • 12:46a, 7/7/26
Aggie_Fire said:
Captn_Ag05 said:
My main point is that there needs to be a live music venue.
Are you saying that you want to put the ENTERAINMENT into Entertainment District?? Get that nonsense outta here!
Been saying for years, it's a bar district and calling it an entertainment district is laughable

If the City of College Station was playing for keeps when it comes to actually selling Northgate as an "entertainment district", they'd zone somewhere for a sexually oriented business.

They're not going to, obviously, all they've done in Northgate is create a situation where legitimate businesses have been driven off then trying to re-sell that as an "entertainment district" and charge money for it as if it was a destination that normal people actually wanted to go.
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EliteElectric
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In reply to PS3D • 7:34a, 7/7/26
Back in the day, my bands played regularly at Equinox, Cow Hop, Shadow Canyon, Fitzwillys and Ozona. We even played on an 18 Wheeler trailer on College Main at he first North by Northgate. Back then it was very much an "entertainment district" and pretty much the only place to take in live music. Lippman still had his shop in NG and it was pretty vibrant from 1992-2004-ish. Those were the days!
www.elitellp.net/

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Buford T. Justice
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7:43a, 7/7/26
AG
After reading the KBTX article this morning, and seeing the numbers, my opinion has solidified. As a tax payer, I have no interest in supporting northgate.

Let private business dictate how it evolves.
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PS3D
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In reply to EliteElectric • 8:10a, 7/7/26
EliteElectric said:
Back in the day, my bands played regularly at Equinox, Cow Hop, Shadow Canyon, Fitzwillys and Ozona. We even played on an 18 Wheeler trailer on College Main at he first North by Northgate. Back then it was very much an "entertainment district" and pretty much the only place to take in live music. Lippman still had his shop in NG and it was pretty vibrant from 1992-2004-ish. Those were the days!

I mentioned this in the other thread but Lippman moved the store to Northgate because in that time Northgate rent was cheaper than what Culpepper Plaza had. (I'm sure that's not the case anymore, one of his reasons for closing was the rent).

I guess you could argue that Northgate has been a bit of an "entertainment district" for years but it's a loose term (also the "Micro District" was a tiny "entertainment district" in the 2010s as well, but that's all gone now) and very different from the sort of "entertainment district" the City wants to pretend it is.
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EliteElectric
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In reply to PS3D • 8:59a, 7/7/26
I'm not arguing any of that just wanted to say it was very much the center of live music in BCS for a couple decades
www.elitellp.net/

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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Buford T. Justice • 9:03a, 7/7/26
AG
Buford T. Justice said:
After reading the KBTX article this morning, and seeing the numbers, my opinion has solidified. As a tax payer, I have no interest in supporting northgate.

Let private business dictate how it evolves.

Assuming this was the article you are talking about?

Quote:
College Station city leaders received their first look at a proposed fiscal year 2027 budget on Monday that would be the largest in city history, totaling $576.35 million, a 21.5% increase over the current year's approved budget of $474.2 million.

The largest factor behind the budget jump is a doubling of capital spending, money set aside for construction and infrastructure projects. The city's capital budget would grow from $84.1 million to $181.6 million under the proposal.

Major projects included in the five-year capital plan include:

  • $55 million New Public Works facility
  • $36 million Midtown development, including roads, water lines, and Phase II of Texas Independence Park
  • $16.2 million Texas Independence Park (Phase II)
  • $12 million Wolf Pen Creek and neighborhood parks
  • $10 million Hensel Park
  • $5 million Northgate improvements

https://www.kbtx.com/2026/07/07/college-station-unveils-proposed-budget-over-half-billion-dollars/
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Sub4
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In reply to Captn_Ag05 • 9:10a, 7/7/26
AG
Do we know what is going on at Hensel Park? That would involve A&M
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Sub4 • 9:45a, 7/7/26
AG
No specificity provided.

There is a budget video that the city put out:



And this is the proposed budget.

I only see Hensel Park listed twice and with zero detail on what it would involve.

https://www.cstx.gov/media/o3xhkrsm/fy27-proposed-budget.pdf
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Captn_Ag05
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In reply to Buford T. Justice • 11:39a, 7/7/26
AG
Buford T. Justice said:
After reading the KBTX article this morning, and seeing the numbers, my opinion has solidified. As a tax payer, I have no interest in supporting northgate.

Let private business dictate how it evolves.

Does that mean selling the parking lot? What about the garage?

I believe most of the Northgate money they plan to spend is on paving the parking lot, updating signage, and improvements in the garage.

The $5 million on maintenance, paving streets, and keeping the area looking nice is not unreasonable to me. I do think there needs to be a safety component but do not see anything about the substation reflected in the proposed budget.

I have other questions about the proper role of government in property ownership, but I don't think the Northgate items in the budget were particularly offensive.
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TAMU1990
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In reply to ski-man • 6:47p, 7/7/26
AG
ski-man said:
Captn_Ag05 said:



That does look very cool, that old building feel


It is a great name. I think a bar with live music and food would go well.
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EBrazosAg
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6:30a, 7/8/26
AG
CoCS is now entering maximum OPM phase of its existence.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to EBrazosAg • 9:02a, 7/8/26
AG
Rusty: the CoCS budget is over a half a billion dollars!


Psssst- it was last year, too.
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