[tmariar]

There hasn't been much recent news regarding the Metro Intermodal Terminal proposed for just north of downtown, but Metro has hinted at the possibility that the facility might be "part of [a] larger development[] that include[s] retail offices, residential, hotel rooms, and entertainment venues." (Metro's slideshow includes photos of Cleveland's Tower City Center, L.A.'s Union Station and Gateway Plaza, and Kansas City, MO's Science City at Union Station.)

I know it's too early to know for sure, but does anyone think this development could become an entertainment, dining, and/or shopping destination independent of its transit function? If so, what kind of entertainment, dining, or shopping options might the project attract, either at the facility or adjacent to it? What kind would be most successful at that location?

[musicman]

tmariar, on Thursday, January 10th, 2008 @ 11:12am, said:

I know it's too early to know for sure, but does anyone think this development could become an entertainment, dining, and/or shopping destination independent of its transit function? If so, what kind of entertainment, dining, or shopping options might the project attract, either at the facility or adjacent to it? What kind would be most successful at that location?

a liquor store, a taco stand and a homeless shelter.

it has been about 6 months since the last meeting i've attended about this project. back then, the way the employees were talking, this was not close to fruition. METRO was concentrating on the new rail lines. with the union pacific words last yr concerning inability to share their tracks for commuter rail, this may be pushed a little farther out timewise....you never know though.

EDIT: whatever ends up there, the available space will most likely be expensive which may limit some possible merchants.

This post has been edited by musicman: Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 2:41 PM

[tmariar]

musicman, on Thursday, January 10th, 2008 @ 1:29pm, said:

a liquor store, a taco stand and a homeless shelter.

Good food, some booze, and a place to crash for the night - sounds like a plan.

I'm also guessing the available space might be expensive, given the proximity to downtown - but I could also see invenstors viewing the site as risky.

[TheNiche]

Think of airport retail with a small hotel component. I envision about the same kinds of offerings.

[tmariar]

That seems logical to me. Businesses aimed at tapping the guaranteed foot traffic generated by the transit. Maybe there aren't any aspirations to do anything beyond that, and I'm reading too much into the pictures of developments in other cities and the slideshow with the pictures of large public food markets elsewhere.

[rapturematt]

Dallas has a place like this called Mockingbird Station. It is a really nice place. Hopefully it will be something like that.

Check out the Mockingbird Station Link HERE

[rapturematt]

This also kind of reminds me of the Jacksonville Landing in Jax, FL. It is a pretty cool place, but they had a lot of turnaround with merchants, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Here is the link: Jacksonville Landing

[tanith27]

Isn't the St Arnolds brew crew moving their facilities to this area? Not on the Intermodal grounds per se, but in that general area? The MKT/SP should hit close to there when its completed too.

[tmariar]

tanith27, on Friday, January 11th, 2008 @ 1:49pm, said:

Isn't the St Arnolds brew crew moving their facilities to this area? Not on the Intermodal grounds per se, but in that general area?

I get their newsletters, but don't remember reading that. Something like that or a large farmers' market (like in the pictures on the site) would be much more what I'd think of as destination attractions - airport-like retail and mall-type entertainment (e.g., a movie theater) would be less interesting to me. It looks like it will be a big chunk of land very near downtown, and so I hope they make good use of it.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Brief notice recently released by METRO regarding three buildings to be demolished on the Terminal site.

http://www.metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/...0509.253022.pdf

[rsb320]

They started demo on the huge warehouse building yesterday. Today, it's completely gone.

[lockmat]

Not to keep anybody's hopes up, but I don't think we've seen this rendering, and it looks pretty stinkin cool to me

[Jax]

Wow that does look pretty awesome. Completely different than the last rendering I saw.

[lockmat]

Jax, on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 12:44pm, said:

Wow that does look pretty awesome. Completely different than the last rendering I saw.

I know, right? If we could have elevated rail like that all over town, I'd be down with it.

[rsb320]

lockmat, on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 12:45pm, said:

I know, right? If we could have elevated rail like that all over town, I'd be down with it.

Elevated would be cool on Richmond and Post Oak.

Where did this rendering come from? What is the timeline?

This excites me because I can see this site from my window. The giant warehouse is gone, but the huge slab remains.

This post has been edited by rsb320: Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 1:01 PM

[lockmat]

rsb320, on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 1:00pm, said:

Elevated would be cool on Richmond and Post Oak.

Where did this rendering come from? What is the timeline?

This excites me because I can see this site from my window. The giant warehouse is gone, but the huge slab remains.

edit, here it is: http://www.eekarchitects.com/portfolio_pro...rojectID=127610

They also designed downtown square of whatever it's called; it's on their site

This post has been edited by lockmat: Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 1:10 PM

[citykid09]

Now that's what I'm talkin bout! Thats a cool curvy building in the background. Defiantly not typical Houston, which is a good thing, looks similar to that building in LA (forgot the name). I can't believe the rails are elevated, and there are more that 2 rail cars on each train! This is how I have always said Houston's light rail development should be! Its not plain and boring, its a place that people would want to check out and experience Houston with out having to have a car. I have one question though, Are the elevated rails in the current plans?

lockmat, on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 11:40am, said:

Not to keep anybody's hopes up, but I don't think we've seen this rendering, and it looks pretty stinkin cool to me

[Deut28Thirteen]

Love the elavated rail! I thought it kind of looked like legion of doom headquarters from Justice Leauge, just without all the doom and darkness. I have been watching a lot of cartoons lately maybe thats why. From the rendering it looks like it would be some thing just to ride on the rail and see whats up. Very Nice.

[Trae]

The elevated rail would only be for the entrance into the intermodal terminal. It won't be an entirely elevated system.

This post has been edited by Trae: Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 4:10 PM

[Jeebus]

citykid09, on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 @ 3:08pm, said:

Now that's what I'm talkin bout! Thats a cool curvy building in the background. Defiantly not typical Houston, which is a good thing, looks similar to that building in LA (forgot the name).

The Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Gehry?

[citykid09]

Jeebus, on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 @ 7:53am, said:

The Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank Gehry?

Yeah, but now that I see a picture of it, not really. But they both have an abstract type of architecture to them. I like it. Its futuristic looking. You already know a lot of movies and music videos will want to have a scene their, especially since it will defiantly be a place that people look at and know its in Houston. Like people recognize Houston now by the Williams Tower , the Water Wall, and the Astrodome.

[citykid09]

Should have known.

Read on Swamplot that this is not happening.
http://swamplot.com/on-the-shelf-that-gran...ter/2009-05-19/

[lockmat]

Just for kicks, but I don't remember this one...


http://www.eekarchit...rmodal-facility