Interview With Northgate Developer Who Has Students’ “Best Interests At Heart”
Culpepper Realty Co., the development group behind the demolition of Hurricane Harry’s, claims to have the students’ “best interests at heart.” The Mugdown sat down with Director of Investment & Development John Culpepper to better understand what he has in mind.
There’s been a lot of public backlash after Culpepper Realty Co. tore down historic bar Hurricane Harry’s. What is your response to the criticism?
I don’t own a computer, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. What these kids don’t understand is that no one went to that old hick bar anyway. Our contractors released public census counts for attendance across daytime hours, and it was just employees. Obviously, it was never that popular in the first place.
What are your plans for that area of the Northgate district?
We are very excited to announce that we are planning to build the tallest high-rise apartment in College Station. It will be 45 stories tall with 5 stories of leasing available to businesses. We’ve already signed off on a sauna, a geriatric hospital, a couple of car washes, a vitamin store, an eye doctor and a Radioshack.
Didn’t Radioshack go out of business?
No, I don’t think so.
Will these businesses help lower the cost of rent for students?
The complex will not offer student housing. Our target demographic is small families from California with children under the age of 5 and an annual income of at least $500,000.
You recently told The Battalion that you had students’ “best interests” in mind with this project. Can you elaborate on what you consider those interests to be?
Kids these days don’t know what they want. They think they want to dance with their friends and drink way too much beer. Thing is, they don’t need some fancy-pants historic bar to do all that. What they really want is to experience the modernity of Soviet block-esque gray buildings, expensive restaurants, at least five more car washes within the span of a mile and another drive-through daiquiri place.
We have one more fun question: What’s your favorite thing about A&M?
I actually went to UT.
— 12th Baby
During an A&M home football game, a beautiful baby was born to the most Redass of parents. While the other babies laid in their cribs and slept, this baby stood proudly on top of its bedding. Doctors said it was a scientific enigma: the first known infant born with fully working legs at the time of birth. The baby stood for two hours, refusing to sit or lay down. As the home football game concluded with an Aggie win over TU, the baby laid down and fell asleep. The baby could not stand anymore no matter how hard doctors tried. That was until it was a week later and the Aggies were playing once more at home. The baby stood up again, earning the name as 12th Baby.