[roadrunner]

Does anybody know what's going on here? It's right on the red line and the block has had some activity recently.

This post has been edited by roadrunner: Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 4:52 PM

[midtownuser]

map of location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...&iwloc=addr

[Houston19514]

How much activity? Are they still parking cars on the lot? (I presume you were speaking of the surface lot across Binz from the MFAH parking garage)

[Jax]

It would be awesome if they built something there besides a parking lot. I will most likely ride my bike by the lot today and check it out. They are also building something further up San Jacinto towards downtown.

[ricco67]

Jax, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 10:16am, said:

It would be awesome if they built something there besides a parking lot. I will most likely ride my bike by the lot today and check it out. They are also building something further up San Jacinto towards downtown.

It will be interesting to see what's going on there. I haven't driven by that stretch in a couple of months.

I DID notice a varience request sign further up on San Jacinto, but I was driving too fast to know what's going on. There seems to be quite a few of them running around as of late. The signs I mean.

[KinkaidAlum]

Is this where the new apartments are going up by the same group building the Belle Meade at River Oaks?

[Houston19514]

KinkaidAlum, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 12:33pm, said:

Is this where the new apartments are going up by the same group building the Belle Meade at River Oaks?

The Grayco website says those apartments (Museum Place) will be in the 5300 block of Fannin. I'm not certain, but I think that would put them a couple blocks to the north of this particular site.

BTW, moderators, would it be possible to move this thread to the Museum District, where it belongs?

[Jax]

There's definitely construction a few blocks north from that intersection (I live in the area and I checked it out today), but there's nothing on Fanin / Binz / San Jacinto. I saw construction near Prospect and San Jacinto. Actually that's where the "Museum Place" is supposed to be so I bet that is what this thread is supposed to be about.

The apartments look nice, and the location is great. I'd love to see lots more of this style of mixed use apartments lining the metro rail.

Here is a photo from my bike ride:  IMG_8286.jpg (68.3K)
Number of downloads: 77

Maybe we should move this to "going up" and change the title to "museum place apartments".

[ricco67]

If it's a substantial build, then I'd be for it. But if it's your typical townhome development, then I would have to disagree with that.

Good pic, though.

[roadrunner]

Jax, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 3:14pm, said:

There's definitely construction a few blocks north from that intersection (I live in the area and I checked it out today), but there's nothing on Fanin / Binz / San Jacinto. I saw construction near Prospect and San Jacinto. Actually that's where the "Museum Place" is supposed to be so I bet that is what this thread is supposed to be about.

The apartments look nice, and the location is great. I'd love to see lots more of this style of mixed use apartments lining the metro rail.

Here is a photo from my bike ride: IMG_8286.jpg

Maybe we should move this to "going up" and change the title to "museum place apartments".

That's the site I'm talking about. I got my streets mixed up. I was riding the light rail when I saw it so I wasn't really aware of what streets I was passing.

I think those apartments look great, though. Any development along the Red Line is good development IMO (even the CVS).

[musicman]

Jax, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 3:14pm, said:

I'd love to see lots more of this style of mixed use apartments lining the metro rail.

what makes it mixed use? the website says 6 stories of apartments on top of a 2 story garage.

[suzerain]

musicman, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 5:25pm, said:

what makes it mixed use? the website says 6 stories of apartments on top of a 2 story garage.

I was at a Midtown Civic Club meeting where the builder discussed the project. He said that they looked at doing a mixed use development, but there was not enough car traffic there to support it. The builder said that retailers would not sign on with that little car traffic. I think it is supposed to be built to condo spec so they can convert it down the line should they be so inclined.

[ricco67]

That's interesting.

I would have thought that the area would have had enough traffic to at least capture some of the people coming out of the hospital on Binz or some lost visitors from the Museum district or commuters that need a cup of java on the way to work. It certainly would have been a bonus for the people that were staying at the B&B down the street as well.

Perhaps if there were other apartments there they might have reconsidered the "no car traffic" thing.

[TheNiche]

ricco67, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 7:30pm, said:

Perhaps if there were other apartments there they might have reconsidered the "no car traffic" thing.

Quite possibly. What's immediately around there can't quite do it, and the location really isn't 'on the way' between a huge concentration of walkable origin/destination pairs.

[ricco67]

Not only you're driving from the Med/Museum district to Downtown or hopping onto the freeway.

Either way, if the developers would only talk to each other, they can plan things appropriately.

[musicman]

suzerain, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 7:18pm, said:

I was at a Midtown Civic Club meeting where the builder discussed the project. He said that they looked at doing a mixed use development, but there was not enough car traffic there to support it. The builder said that retailers would not sign on with that little car traffic.

I can understand. After the LRT went in, the immediate area seems to have become less active because of the blocked street situation.

[ricco67]

I don't think that the blocked roads really have anything to do with it.

It has more to do with the place being a no man's land for damned near two decades BEFORE the rail came through. that section was as much of a dead zone as Midtown was. It will take a developer with some gumption to really make that area work well.

[musicman]

ricco67, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 8:27pm, said:

I don't think that the blocked roads really have anything to do with it.

It has more to do with the place being a no man's land for damned near two decades BEFORE the rail came through. that section was as much of a dead zone as Midtown was. It will take a developer with some gumption to really make that area work well.

i know blocked access is why frankel's moved and a dr's office i used to go to. IMO there was a little more action there than midtown. now it's a little stagnant.

[ricco67]

with your "IMO" is all there really is.

I know florist row is a bit smaller, but one of them was due to them being bought out by ANOTHER developer (on the soutbound side of Fannin at rosedale, I think), Mann's eye clinic is going strong there. In the years that I've been driving past that area, to me it just seems like it's about to grow.

[musicman]

ricco67, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 9:28pm, said:

with your "IMO" is all there really is.

I know florist row is a bit smaller, but one of them was due to them being bought out by ANOTHER developer (on the soutbound side of Fannin at rosedale, I think), Mann's eye clinic is going strong there. In the years that I've been driving past that area, to me it just seems like it's about to grow.

the florist row comment seems to strengthen that opinion. but agree that things should get better.

[Jax]

musicman, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 5:25pm, said:

what makes it mixed use? the website says 6 stories of apartments on top of a 2 story garage.

Sorry. I think what I meant to type was I would like to see more of this style of development, plus mixed use.... or something to that extent. Or maybe I meant to say more of this type of development could help support future mixed use in the area.

I don't think this is going to be mixed.

Interestingly, Mosaic is in an area with no foot traffic, and I am glad they gave mixed use a try. I know I will walk there. I hope it proves that mixed use is doable. It's not even in close to the Metro (maybe 1 mile walking), and somebody obviously believes it will work. Maybe they think the tenants will be enough to support the businesses?

I think the museum district is one of the few areas besides downtown where I see people walking. Can you think of any others? Midtown, maybe, but what else? The streets are never empty, especially close to the museum of fine arts and the metro stations, up to the Children's Museum and Health Science Museum. Most people are walking from parked cars to museums, but also from the apartments in the area to the metro, and to and from the hospital. I think mixed use could have worked here, but it would have been more likely if it was in the parking lot across from fine arts, a bit closer to the station and museum. What the neighborhood really needs is a coffee shop within walking distance of the museums where people can relax. The "Binz MedCorp" place is supposed to have a Starbucks, but who knows if that will happen.

What I don't understand is why people have proposed mixed use for places like Main & OST, or the old Astroworld site, when those areas have even less foot traffic than the museum district. Even Kirby and Westheimer has less foot traffic than the museum district - but I guess it has more visibility to people in cars and maybe that is what they are aiming for. Or maybe they are expecting more foot traffic in the future.

I am still glad they are building this, because it means more density near the museum station and that can only be good for the neighborhood. With this and the new apartment building next to Esplanade and the two mosaic towers and the current apartment buildings (with mixed incomes) and the townhomes and Asia House, and hopefully whatever they build at Ewing and Jackson, and Binz Medcorp, there is going to be a lot more foot traffic in this neighborhood in the future.

This post has been edited by Jax: Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 10:54 PM

[TheNiche]

Jax, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 10:35pm, said:

Sorry. I think what I meant to type was I would like to see more of this style of development, plus mixed use.... or something to that extent. Or maybe I meant to say more of this type of development could help support future mixed use in the area.

I don't think this is going to be mixed.

Interestingly, Mosaic is in an area with no foot traffic, and I am glad they gave mixed use a try. I know I will walk there. I hope it proves that mixed use is doable. It's not even in close to the Metro (maybe 1 mile walking), and somebody obviously believes it will work. Maybe they think the tenants will be enough to support the businesses?

I think the museum district is one of the few areas besides downtown where I see people walking. Can you think of any others? Midtown, maybe, but what else? The streets are never empty, especially close to the museum of fine arts and the metro stations, up to the Children's Museum and Health Science Museum. Most people are walking from parked cars to museums, but also from the apartments in the area to the metro, and to and from the hospital. I think mixed use could have worked here, but it would have been more likely if it was in the parking lot across from fine arts, a bit closer to the station and museum. What the neighborhood really needs is a coffee shop within walking distance of the museums where people can relax. The "Binz MedCorp" place is supposed to have a Starbucks, but who knows if that will happen.

What I don't understand is why people have proposed mixed use for places like Main & OST, or the old Astroworld site, when those areas have even less foot traffic than the museum district. Even Kirby and Westheimer has less foot traffic than the museum district - but I guess it has more visibility to people in cars and maybe that is what they are aiming for. Or maybe they are expecting more foot traffic in the future.

I am still glad they are building this, because it means more density near the museum station and that can only be good for the neighborhood. With this and the new apartment building next to Esplanade and the two mosaic towers and the current apartment buildings (with mixed incomes) and the townhomes and Asia House, and hopefully whatever they build at Ewing and Jackson, and Binz Medcorp, there is going to be a lot more foot traffic in this neighborhood in the future.

Almeda is a better functioning retail corridor than San Jacinto, Fannin, or Main. Mosaic's retail is also topped off by 792 high-end units (a very important differentiating factor!) and is within a short distance of several large new apartment complexes (Esplanade, it's next-door cousin that is under construction, the Parklane, The Plaza, Gates at Hermann Park, and Alta Lofts w/the converted hospital. Almeda is also a better functioning retail corridor than San Jacinto, Fannin, or Main, and retailers like to cluster. But perhaps most important of all, Mosaic's site was deep enough that they could include some surface parking out front. That would not likely have been feasible for San Jac @ Prospect.

I've heard different things about what is propsed at both Main & OST by Simmons Vedder and for the Astroworld site, and I'm not sure whether it'll be more of a mixed-use or a multi-use kind of thing just yet. Visibility and clustering are the important things driving those sites.

This post has been edited by TheNiche: Monday, August 20, 2007 at 12:54 AM

[musicman]

Jax, on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 @ 10:35pm, said:

Interestingly, Mosaic is in an area with no foot traffic, and I am glad they gave mixed use a try. I know I will walk there. I hope it proves that mixed use is doable. It's not even in close to the Metro (maybe 1 mile walking), and somebody obviously believes it will work. Maybe they think the tenants will be enough to support the businesses?

What I don't understand is why people have proposed mixed use for places like Main & OST, or the old Astroworld site, when those areas have even less foot traffic than the museum district. Even Kirby and Westheimer has less foot traffic than the museum district - but I guess it has more visibility to people in cars and maybe that is what they are aiming for. Or maybe they are expecting more foot traffic in the future.

i have to agree which niche's comments. it isn't about the light rail but rather what is around the mosiac itself. the megaplexes along almeda (and in the near vicinity) provide potential customers and those numbers will increase with the opening of the mosiac.

[BuilderGeek]

I was driving by the Museum Place site and they were putting up a sign for "Venue Museum District." Grayco Web site still shows the Museum Place name but now http://www.venuemuseumdistrict.com points to their site. Name change?

I had my camera with me...

Took me a while to find this topic...shouldn't this be in "going up?"

[wernicke]

Does anyone know what is being developed on San Jacinto right off the rail in the museum district? They have fenced off 3 blocks and looks like they are about to get started. Any renderings? This is all I could find:


Grayco is developing a third complex in the Museum District in a separate partnership with Lionstone Group, a Houston-based real estate investment firm.

Bounded by Oakdale, Prospect, San Jacinto and Fannin, the six-story midrise will be just north of the Museum of Fine Arts complex. The light rail line is less than 200 feet from the site.

Rents in Museum Place will be in the $1.75-per-square-foot range.

The project will be more "edgy and contemporary in feel," Gray said, with a lot of floor-to-ceiling glass.

[musicman]

i believe there's already a thread on this here.

[Subdude]

Duplicate topics merged.

Quote

The project will be more "edgy and contemporary in feel, Gray said"

I don't think I could ever use words like "edgy."

[Ethanra]

I saw two cranes in the area this morning. Is it for this project?

[talltexan83]

I rode by this project on the train this morning and noticed a lot of activity. No foundation yet, but a couple of giant holes in the ground. Maybe 20 feet deep?

Anyways, signs of progress like this are always a good way to start my commute.

[ricco67]

Thanks for finding the thread!
Is there a name for this project yet?

I noticed they had done some substantial things with the land itself and was surprised when I looked at how deep the hole is.

It's amazing that we haven't discussed this project as much as some of the others.

[LTAWACS]

So how many floors or how tall will this thing be?

[Jax]

There's a photo above with a big sign that says "Venue Museum District", so that would be my best guess as a name.

http://www.graycopartners.com/currentproje...museumplace.php

[ricco67]

Venue Museum District
The project is a 6-story mid rise epicore (light steel) construction on top of 2-story podium garage.

Project Name: Venue Museum District
Project Location: The project will be located in the 5300 block of Fannin, Houston's affluent Museum District - home to the city's major art institutions.
Number of Units: 219
Net Rentable Area: 287,897 square feet
Average Unit Size: 1,315 square feet
Land Area: 1.296 acres

I think a renaming of the thread is due. Entered onto the great list at towers.com

This post has been edited by ricco67: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 10:02 AM

[TheNiche]

ricco67, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 9:56am, said:

Number of Units: 219
Average Unit Size: 1,315 square feet
Land Area: 1.296 acres

Wow, 169 units per acre and with such large floorplans. That's impressive!

[ricco67]

Truly, plus I'm trying to remember exactly what is in that area (my Alzheimers will pass shortly), but it should had a substantial boost to the area.

[roadrunner]

ricco67, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 10:28am, said:

Truly, plus I'm trying to remember exactly what is in that area (my Alzheimers will pass shortly), but it should had a substantial boost to the area.

MFAH and ZaZa to the south, churches to the west, townhomes to the east, and Floral Row or whatever to the north.

No retail, but it will at least give some more action to the Museum District station on the Red Line, which is just a couple of blocks south.

[ricco67]

Thanks! I was trying to remember that. There are are some old apartments on the east side of the tracks, a new Weather museum(!), plus The Park Plaza Hospital is within easy walking distance as well.

So the north there isn't much, and it might be a retail deadzone for a couple of years. The Nearest grocery store is Disco Kroger, but some good eating is over at the Chelsea street area.

EDIT: For those not familiar with the area: Google Map View

This post has been edited by ricco67: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 11:01 AM

[roadrunner]

ricco67, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 10:58am, said:

Thanks! I was trying to remember that. There are are some old apartments on the east side of the tracks, a new Weather museum(!), plus The Park Plaza Hospital is within easy walking distance as well.

So the north there isn't much, and it might be a retail deadzone for a couple of years. The Nearest grocery store is Disco Kroger, but some good eating is over at the Chelsea street area.

EDIT: For those not familiar with the area: Google Map View

There's that Fiesta at the south edge of Midtown. Although, that is kind of the ratty area of Midtown.

Does the church next door own the parking lot to the south of this project?

[ricco67]

roadrunner, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 10:06am, said:

There's that Fiesta at the south edge of Midtown. Although, that is kind of the ratty area of Midtown.

Does the church next door own the parking lot to the south of this project?

I believe you're correct as far as parking goes. They were so full, they even used a good sized portion of the Museum's lot as well as some street parking along oakdale on both sides of main, prospect, and Calumet.


Totally forgot about the Fiesta, but now that brings to mind the excellent day care/Montessori schools on Wentworth St/Caroline streets. Going along that path, that Sears, Julia's and neighboring businesses should fare quite well once the residents discover these areas.

[roadrunner]

ricco67, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 11:16am, said:

I believe you're correct as far as parking goes. They were so full, they even used a good sized portion of the Museum's lot as well as some street parking along oakdale on both sides of main, prospect, and Calumet.


Totally forgot about the Fiesta, but now that brings to mind the excellent day care/Montessori schools on Wentworth St/Caroline streets. Going along that path, that Sears, Julia's and neighboring businesses should fare quite well once the residents discover these areas.

I would think the residents of this complex would much rather travel a little further to the Randalls or Kroger in Midtown than go into that Fiesta unless they clean up the area around it.

[Jax]

I go to that Midtown Fiesta sometimes and the store itself sucks (not to mention the surrounding blocks). Half of the food I look at in there has already expired. The Fiesta on Dunlavy is much nicer (although smaller), and isn't that much farther to drive.

[Jax]

Anybody want to move this thread to "going up"?

[rsb320]

Jax, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 12:06pm, said:

I go to that Midtown Fiesta sometimes and the store itself sucks (not to mention the surrounding blocks). Half of the food I look at in there has already expired. The Fiesta on Dunlavy is much nicer (although smaller), and isn't that much farther to drive.

Actually, the Fiesta down near Reliant is really a good one and there's a nice Kroger and Super Target near Main and Kirby. All of these are not really that far either.

[Jax]

I think they just put a crane up on this site today! I saw it from a distance (I live a few blocks away) but I don't see why else a crane would be going up in that part of town...

[sarahiki]

rsb320, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 3:44pm, said:

Actually, the Fiesta down near Reliant is really a good one and there's a nice Kroger and Super Target near Main and Kirby. All of these are not really that far either.

I think there's reason to hope for a supermarket on Almeda one of these days. Lots of new residential in the Museum District with nowhere to shop; not to mention the Third Ward with not much more than the neighborhood beer & soda stores.

[Jax]

Almeda has lots of sketchy fried chicken places at least.

And we have the sketchy Fiesta at Wheeler Station!
Actually, I'd rather drive to the Dunlavy Fiesta, there's too much rotten food at the Wheeler one. It's only one mile further than the Wheeler one. Still, I agree, it would be nice to have a new grocery store near by.

This post has been edited by Jax: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 12:45 PM

[Jax]

Here's the new crane!

[woolie]

Jax, on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 @ 12:45pm, said:

And we have the sketchy Fiesta at Wheeler Station!
Actually, I'd rather drive to the Dunlavy Fiesta, there's too much rotten food at the Wheeler one. It's only one mile further than the Wheeler one. Still, I agree, it would be nice to have a new grocery store near by.

This has not been my impression at all. I've found the Wheeler Fiesta to have consistently high quality produce -- better than "Pee On Me" Kroger's, at the very least.

[The Great Hizzy!]

"Pee On Me" Kroger?

LOL! I don't think I even want to know.

[Jax]

Haha.
Seriously. I keep buying stuff at the fiesta in midtown only to find out that one of my items each trip already expired a month before I bought it. Last time it was salami or something like that. I need to read the labels more carefully I guess, but that never happens at the other Fiesta. The fruits and veggies always seem kind of old there too.