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From the past week...

From the past few days...

Website up for Midtown Park: https://midtownhouston.com/midtown-park/

https://houston-texas-us.blogspot.com/2017/01/retarded-destruction-end-of-mental.html

The darker brick speaks to the nearby buildings, and tops out about where they do. The lighter brick gives it a bit of a break, speaks to the taller buildings from the 20s - 40s, and makes it feel less massive over Market Square. YMMV, but I like it.

Now we just in 9 more of these scattered around downtown.

Added another floor.

Steady progress on Catalyst and Alexan.

Exterior almost complete.

This area is going to be a boom for all empty lots surrounding MMP. This is very bold, but I think Houston could have the best ballpark neighborhood at the end of all this.

Overall, the entire system will have added capacity. Specifically, the realignment of 45 through downtown will not. What changes that are made to make the system run smoother (no left exits/entries) could be done within the existing ROW. There are no additional lanes. Furthermore, have you ever taken the turn from the existing gulf freeway NB to 59 NB? That radius, that curve, is about what the new one will be. 90% of drivers slow down to 35mph on that curve. I don't look for it because I don't drive a rig, but I believe there are signs that state the maximum for high load vehicles is 35mph. The new radius appears to only slightly be more open. cars will slow down. the same is true as 45 turns from being aligned with 59 to being aligned with 10. cars will slow down immensely for this curve. is there any elevation change while these are curving? Due to the tight nature of things, I can't see there not being elevation change during the turns, this will further complicate the corner for drivers making them want to slow down even more. Next time you're going north through downtown on 45, take the route on the freeway as it is currently. Imagine taking those same corners, only slightly more open, but with 2 lanes of hundreds of cars and trucks and 18 wheelers trying to not to drift into each other. So yeah, specifically, the realignment of 45 from the pierce elevated to follow 59 and 10 does absolutely nothing for the greater whole. This is all so some developers can snatch some land, and a very small minority of residents can feel better that for the distance of about 1 mile, there isn't a freeway anymore. The overall project is ok, the realignment of 45 is very bad.

From today, though not the best.

Well when the STL Cardinals built their new stadium, they built half of it next to the old stadium, then when the season was over they tore down the old stadium and built the other half of the stadium, it lessened the time the cardinals had to play in a different ballpark if I remember correctly. If they ever have to replace MMP, I hope thats the route they go, they could use the empty lots to the north (? I'm directionally challenged) if they aren't developed by then. But MMP is a nice park, it can last a long long time, as long as they keep up with tech refreshes and what not, and power wash the roof every once in awhile. No need to replace it after 20 years like globe life park

I'll probably bike around the area next weekend. not gonna be around there SB weekend. as far as ESPN going where they are rather than on the other side of downtown, well, they are in the action over here, not on the other side of town. they aren't on disco green, but they're within very short walking distance.

Nice pic man! I always enjoy new angles I haven't seen before.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Tree-of-Life-mural-helps-dress-up-center-of-city-10870724.php#photo-12223695

From the past few days...

Business is about to pickup. The Patriots And Falcons logos will be all over the GRB now. Welcome to HTX! It's SHOWTIME folks.

Liking the final outcome of the building.

or the Fens in Boston or South Beach in San Fran or downtown San Diego or downtown Denver or Camden Yards on the waterfront in Baltimore It's getting there but no need for hyperbole.

Define "neighborhood". If you mean that houston will have several brand new, dense, residential structures within 3 blocks of the stadium, ok. but, if you are speaking more broadly about a "neighborhood", have you walked around wrigley field -- into the neighborhood a couple blocks back? If you have, I would be curious as to how you think this small section of downtown Houston might improve on that large area of Chicago.

Harvest Lofts at Farmers Market, taken 12/27/16, via Andres Construction: Project Location

Hard to beat wrigleyville

Downtown garage ready to start construction.

A small boutique hotel that serves the Village and University would do well. There's a reason all of the Greenway and TMC hotels offer free shuttle service to the Village and that's because those areas don't offer their guests (especially long term ones at the TMC) with what they need.

Victory Parkside, via Walsh Group: Project Location

The painted plywood surrounds this site on three sides (the west side is open), maybe related to the Super Bowl effort to put some lipstick on an empty lot. Just a guess.... Regarding a hotel for this area, the owners of the majority of the block bounded by Kirby/Rice Blvd/Bolsover/Kelvin in Rice Village should tear down the antiquated and under performing one-story strip center and the CVS and partner with a hotel in the 3-4* range. Build a 5-story parking structure with the hotel tower on top and ground floor commercial space. You would be hard-pressed to find a shopping district anywhere in the world with the shopping and restaurants found in Rice Village without a hotel. This is the most walkable outdoor area in the Houston metropolitan area and visitors to the Med Center/Galleria/Greenway/Upper Kirby would flock to a decent hotel where they can walk to eat/drink/shop. Not to mention that this would alleviate the parking problem for Rice Village. I spoke with someone in the hotel industry two years ago and asked why they have not considered a hotel for Rice Village. They claimed the area wouldn't support a 4-5* hotel, which seems utterly ridiculous. You might be able to tell that I LOVE spending other people's money!

http://x.lnimg.com/attachments/93A869B0-2D2A-478C-9C2B-060F30CA7E61.pdf future mini storage will be added

Hotel flag announced for $500M Buffalo Bayou mixed-use

From the past few days...

wow...that was even back in the ugly days of GRB my how you have grown up GRB (and Discovery Green)!!! #soproud !!!

So they moved the set from the site of Camden McGowen Station to the what would be the site of Camden Conte? Coincidental or did Campo figure into this decision? IMO that's a terrible site for ESPN. They went from a marina (last year) to a parking lot. Why not Market Square, Fish Plaza, Bagby Park? If the needed a parking lot close to festivities, the parking lot north of Marriott Marquis (in front of GHP Building) would've been closer and better. FWIW: ESPN's set location for SB38 was what became Discovery Green.

I'd be surprised if they did, considering the NFL owner's tendencies to scam cities out of hundreds of millions of dollars for stadiums

I got there right as the demo guys were leaving. They said they have until Friday to get the building down or they have to wait until after the Superbowl... but didn't elaborate as to why.