[DTG]

I was talking to an Otis elevator sales rep. yesterday and he said he was preparing a quote to redo the elevators of the old Days Inn. According to him the developer was going to expand the footprint of the building and turn it into high dollar lofts. Can anyone else confirm this rumor?

[NYcapVest]

bachanon, on Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 @ 9:52pm, said:

welcome to the forum nycapvest. btw, casually mentioning a large project to this forum and not providing details will be considered "cruel and unusual" torture to some who frequent here.

I apologize. We're working with some individuals from Canada that are seeking to develop mixed use (retail/residential) in downtown. I can't name companies yet, but Houston downtown's major hurdle to accelerated development is really the lack of people living there. Once the residential takes hold, the CBD should see accelerated growth much like Downtown Dallas has experienced. If you go to Dallas, you see nothing but cranes everywhere.Don't know if you are aware, but there is an Omni hotel coming into the old Sheraton-Lincoln. There might be a glut of hotels in downtown soon, but it would be nice to see a condo-hotel open to add some more residential in the mix.

DTG, on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 @ 3:08pm, said:

I was talking to an Otis elevator sales rep. yesterday and he said he was preparing a quote to redo the elevators of the old Days Inn. According to him the developer was going to expand the footprint of the building and turn it into high dollar lofts. Can anyone else confirm this rumor?

Now that would be an interesting project. I'd be curious how the developer expands the footprint. Perhaps teardown the garage and build new?

[Jax]

Go Canada!

Can you tell us what part of downtown you are considering, or what the time frame for this project is?

This post has been edited by Jax: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 2:36 PM

[Subdude]

Jax, on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 @ 1:54pm, said:

That's good news then. I thought I read somewhere that the Savoy was in bad structural shape.

The old apartment section is collapsing and would probably need to be torn down. The newer hotel wing looks to be in good shape.

[greystone08(returns)]

NYcapVest, on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 @ 3:22pm, said:

Once the residential takes hold, the CBD should see accelerated growth much like Downtown Dallas has experienced. If you go to Dallas, you see nothing but cranes everywhere.

Last time i checked , Dallas and Houston downtown resident population was about the same. Just because Dallas has more cranes doesn't mean more residents. Alot of what they're doing is overbuilding their office space in the Uptown/Victory areas at the cost of the CBD.

[MadNess]

I've been reading this section today, my interest on a building I've seen several times got the best of me

I've see this building every since I moved to Houston... looks to be vacant (for a LONG time)..

I believe the building was around 45 on the Pierce Elevated... looked to be between 20 t0 30 stories tall, typical tan exterior... in SERIOUS disrepair...

what building is/was that? whats the status on it? I've been trying to find a picture of it via Google maps, so far no luck...

sorry about being so vague...

MadNess

[ChannelTwoNews]

MadNess, on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 @ 4:14pm, said:

I've been reading this section today, my interest on a building I've seen several times got the best of me

I've see this building every since I moved to Houston... looks to be vacant (for a LONG time)..

I believe the building was around 45 on the Pierce Elevated... looked to be between 20 t0 30 stories tall, typical tan exterior... in SERIOUS disrepair...

what building is/was that? whats the status on it? I've been trying to find a picture of it via Google maps, so far no luck...

sorry about being so vague...

MadNess

I think you may be talking about the old Holiday Inn, which later became the Days Inn and most recently the Heaven on Earth Inn.

There's a whole thread on it here.

[MadNess]

thanks CTN, thats the one!!! wow... very very very odd history ROFL...

[NYcapVest]

Another problem with the building is it has 8 foot ceilings which reduces the condo value. Typically you want 9' at least as you can sell small condos that feel more spacious due to higher ceilings. 10' is of course a plus. With 8 ft ceilings as a developer it reduces the per sq ft you can get from potential buyers. There are tricks like giving ceiling to floor windows, etc to try to give the feeling of height

[MadNess]

Holiday/Heaven on Earth Inn actually sold about 3 weeks ago according to David Humphreys who represents the Maharishi!

David told me the new owner planned to reopen it as a hotel!

Maybe a new building or atleast a monster renovation is coming

[Subdude]

Well, I hope you're right, but excuse me if I'm skeptical until I see that new hotel actually open.

[MadNess]

Subdude, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 1:41pm, said:

Well, I hope you're right, but excuse me if I'm skeptical until I see that new hotel actually open.

trust me, I agree with you on the place reopening... however, the sell is a real deal... I was looking into the building for a project when I found that info out

[jayshoota]

Finally! That is great news.

Mad, since the deal you were working on fell through, can you give us a hint as to what type of project you were looking at it for i.e. basically just want to know if it was condo based or hotel based, just curious.

This post has been edited by jayshoota: Monday, June 9, 2008 at 2:30 PM

[dbigtex56]

MadNess, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 1:42pm, said:

trust me, I agree with you on the place reopening... however, the sell is a real deal... I was looking into the building for a project when I found that info out

Any published, reputable sources?

[MadNess]

[sevfiv]

Wow - about time. That might give some hope to other buildings in similar situations (Savoy, Century, Texaco, and so on).

But yeah, I won't truly believe anything about redevelopment until I see it happen.

[lockmat]

MadNess, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 1:37pm, said:

Holiday/Heaven on Earth Inn actually sold about 3 weeks ago according to David Humphreys who represents the Maharishi!

David told me the new owner planned to reopen it as a hotel!

Maybe a new building or atleast a monster renovation is coming

which building is this? the abandoned one in south downtown?

[sevfiv]

lockmat, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 2:33pm, said:

which building is this? the abandoned one in south downtown?

this one:
http://hotels.arch-ive.org/hidt/

[CDeb]

At this point, an implosion would be a positive alternative should the deal fall through.

[lockmat]

sevfiv, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 2:37pm, said:

this one:
http://hotels.arch-ive.org/hidt/

wow, your site is a great source. I'll have to check it out more often.

I always thought it was occupied at once growing up, b/c I had memories of it not looking so bad.

Anyone know if the size of the rooms are up to today's standards and would be worthy of renovating?

[jdbaker]

CDeb, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 2:44pm, said:

At this point, an implosion would be a positive alternative should the deal fall through.

I saw a large red construction dumpster in the parking garage level last week, which would seem to lend some credibility to this thread.

[ricco67]

CDeb, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 2:44pm, said:

At this point, an implosion would be a positive alternative should the deal fall through.

I say that a bunch of us stop and take a few whacks at it when a hammer as we drive by.

[editor]

Can you say "eyesore?"





I knew you could.

[Subdude]

lockmat, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 1:49pm, said:

Anyone know if the size of the rooms are up to today's standards and would be worthy of renovating?

I suppose room sizes can be at least somewhat flexible. Somehow though I had the impression that the ceiling heights were not up to "today's standards". That is why the old William Penn hotel was torn down. Somehow people must have all suddenly grown taller.

[RedScare]

Subdude, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 12:24am, said:

I suppose room sizes can be at least somewhat flexible. Somehow though I had the impression that the ceiling heights were not up to "today's standards". That is why the old William Penn hotel was torn down. Somehow people must have all suddenly grown taller.

Actually, they have.

http://usgovinfo.abo.../tallbutfat.htm

Fatter, too.

[jfre81]

Now if we could find a sucker for the other eyesore on the other side of the Pierce...

[sevfiv]

lockmat, on Monday, June 9th, 2008 @ 2:49pm, said:

wow, your site is a great source. I'll have to check it out more often.

I always thought it was occupied at once growing up, b/c I had memories of it not looking so bad.

Anyone know if the size of the rooms are up to today's standards and would be worthy of renovating?

Thanks - I do what i can
I have a brochure of this hotel from the late seventies/early eighties but I need to locate the scans...

[Jeebus]

To me, it seems like the Central Bank would have more potential for a renovation than the Days Inn would.

[musicman]

BrewsterMcCloud, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 5:43am, said:

Now if we could find a sucker for the other eyesore on the other side of the Pierce...

i guess the eyesore is in the eye of the beholder.

[lockmat]

musicman, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 9:22am, said:

i guess the eyesore is in the eye of the beholder.

the garage looks pretty ugly. but i guess you're not talking about the holiday inn

[sevfiv]

Nope, the Century Building, which is discussed here

[musicman]

sevfiv, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 9:35am, said:

Nope, the Century Building, which is discussed here

yep...way better than anything built new in midtown.

[sevfiv]

sevfiv, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 9:09am, said:

Thanks - I do what i can
I have a brochure of this hotel from the late seventies/early eighties but I need to locate the scans...

Here it is:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=4419

[jfre81]

musicman, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 9:22am, said:

i guess the eyesore is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, it wasn't a bad building when it was new and I like that wall on the south side.

Maybe if that wall faced the freeway it wouldn't look so bad. But....what can you do?

It's just kind of embarrassing to have that kind of highly visible blight right there next to the gleaming CBD but I guess that stuff happens.

[jfre81]

That's got to be from at least the mid-80s because there's Hakeem Olajuwon in a Rockets uniform on the brochure showing different attractions (Hakeem represented the Summit)

sevfiv, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 9:46am, said:

Here it is:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=4419

Hopefully this might be the start of something good on the south side of Downtown.

[jdbaker]

BrewsterMcCloud, on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 @ 11:44pm, said:

That's got to be from at least the mid-80s because there's Hakeem Olajuwon in a Rockets uniform on the brochure showing different attractions (Hakeem represented the Summit)



Hopefully this might be the start of something good on the south side of Downtown.

There was definitely more work going on this afternoon at the Holiday Inn. Has anyone figured who bought it yet?

[Subdude]

jdbaker, on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 @ 9:07pm, said:

There was definitely more work going on this afternoon at the Holiday Inn. Has anyone figured who bought it yet?

What kind of work? If it were anything substantive it seems something would have leaked out.

[sevfiv]

I can't find any permits issued for that address yet (or the surrounding three streets or any address number on those four blocks). So either they are brand brand new, doing work that doesn't require a permit, or doing it without permits.
Is there anything posted on the walls/windows?

The only other ones were from last September when the sidewalk canopy was worked on, and one for demolition of non load-bearing/non fire-rated walls (which would be the ones in the garage).

[jdbaker]

sevfiv, on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 @ 9:00am, said:

I can't find any permits issued for that address yet (or the surrounding three streets or any address number on those four blocks). So either they are brand brand new, doing work that doesn't require a permit, or doing it without permits.
Is there anything posted on the walls/windows?

The only other ones were from last September when the sidewalk canopy was worked on, and one for demolition of non load-bearing/non fire-rated walls (which would be the ones in the garage).

Yesterday, it looked like they were doing something with the electrical service panels on the western most side of the parking garage portion of the building. There were several workers wandering around when I drove by.

[ricco67]

Well, it has been confirmed, now it is just a matter of figuring out who "New Era Hospitality" is. Couldn't find anything on the web.

[Subdude]

I would guess its just a private investment group. The "hospitality" would suggest that it will be a hotel (again).

[Houston19514]

Sarnoff has a bit in today's Chron about the old Days Inn. It seems it has been sold again, to an entity called New Era Hospitality. Sarnoff's column

The name of the entity suggests they are likely aiming for a hotel, rather than a loft redevelopment. Let's hope this one goes somewhere...

[RedScare]

As much as lofts may be the IN thing to wish for in downtown, it seems as if hotel rooms are both more desirable and more profitable. Besides, at this point, is there anyone out there that wouldn't take a 30 story mattress store and cell phone superstore, just to get SOMETHING in there?

[Jax]

Quote

Besides, at this point, is there anyone out there that wouldn't take a 30 story mattress store and cell phone superstore, just to get SOMETHING in there?

Haha so true.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I'm trying to think of the potential clientelle of a hotel at that location. You have the Crown a few blocks to the west on Smith but that's it for the immediate vicinity. OTOH, there's not that much of an attractor in the immediate area--or at least not compared to other areas of DT.

[KinkaidAlum]

Downtown is in desperate need of a lower-priced national brand hotel. The Holiday Inn Express is very isolated and quite small. The Best Western is on the other side of the Pierce Elevated. La Quinta has announced a new project but there is definitely room for another lower type brand.

Could we see a Hampton Inn, Drury Inn, etc... in that space?

I hope so!

[jfre81]

KinkaidAlum, on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 @ 12:36pm, said:

Could we see a Hampton Inn, Drury Inn, etc... in that space?

I hope so!

I'm not a huge fan of the building aesthetically - even spruced up it's just too big and kills a great view of the skyline behind it looking from the SW on the ground - and wouldn't be so hurt to see it come down. But if they can get it in shape (that could actually be cheaper nowadays) and price the rooms right I think this project can succeed. There are some nice views up there and it's still just a block away from the rail while also being accessible to Midtown. It's preservation, FWIW.

Now that it looks like something is happening with this, if it succeeds it gives hope to some other older DT buildings (including hotels) that need a little TLC....what if, say, having a new rail line along Texas spurs interest in bringing the Ben Milam back to life?

[ricco67]

Could we MERGE these conversations?

[Subdude]

ricco67, on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 @ 4:16pm, said:

Could we MERGE these conversations?

Done.

[sevfiv]

Whatever "New Era Hospitality, Inc." is, it is run by this guy at this place:

Syed R. Mohiuddin
2800 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 5800
Houston, TX 77056