Trae Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Is there any way the GRB could expand even more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 The only way it can expand is for it to cross polk and Walker and I don't see that happening because that would cut off the few streets to/from the east side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Those street could dip and go under right? They don't even have to dip. The center can be built over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Those street could dip and go under right? They don't even have to dip. The center can be built over them.I totally agree, they could. But this would present a security risk, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Yeah, I see what you are saying.The GRB just seems undersized to me, with no room to expand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Yeah, I see what you are saying.The GRB just seems undersized to me, with no room to expand.Not bad for someone typing who is seeing little dancing buildings running around the place...hmm...vodka or vicodin? WHY must they make awesome mild altering drugs that start with the letter "V"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 (edited) I see where I went wrong...I saw this article that said the GRB is totaled at 933,000 square feet. A quick look at Wikipedia, and it says 1.8 million square feet. This is really trippin me out. Edited April 25, 2008 by Trae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Is there any way the GRB could expand even more?Have some kinda tunnel under the freeway and finally jump 59. That would be kinda cool to have it on both sides of 59. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 That's how Kansas City's is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I see where I went wrong...I saw this article that said the GRB is totaled at 933,000 square feet. A quick look at Wikipedia, and it says 1.8 million square feet. This is really trippin me out.The first number is probably prior to the expansion that was done a few years back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I see where I went wrong...I saw this article that said the GRB is totaled at 933,000 square feet. A quick look at Wikipedia, and it says 1.8 million square feet. This is really trippin me out. Chill.Take a pill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 The Dallas Convention Center expands over S. Lamar St. and, as has been pointed out already, the KC convention center does something similar. So there's plenty of precedent.If the GRB really needed to expand, I think they'd do one of two things if not both: build another level and/or extend a portion over Polk to the south or I guess Walker/Rusk to the north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 My question would be: Is there any way to make GRB less ugly? The whole ship motif with the red steam vents on top is horrible in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Here's a photo I took of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Here's a photo I took of it...That angle is very forgiving. Everything else is unattractive and kitchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewMND Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 They could re-facade (<---is that the word I'm looking for?) the GRB, and add another level on top, removing the smokestacks. Then it would be less ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 I totally agree, they could. But this would present a security risk, though.I'm not sure I see how it would be a big security risk. Houston Center and the Pavilions both pass over streets. My question would be: Is there any way to make GRB less ugly? The whole ship motif with the red steam vents on top is horrible in my opinion.It practically screams "1986!" at you. I'm not a big fan of it myself, but it is getting dated enough to start coming into its own as a legitimate 1980s period piece. Re-facading buildings seems like a good idea at first, but however it is redone, it is just going to start looking dated again in a few years, and all you have accomplished is to destroy whatever architectural integrity the structure once had. Just think of all the old buildings downtown that were ruined by changing the facades during the "modernization" binge of the 1960s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 The city of Houston has put its downtown convention center hotel, the Hilton Americas-Houston, up for sale, officials announced this morning."We do believe there can be significant interest in this property at a very good price," said Mayor Bill White.An offering memorandum placing the hotel on the market was issued today by CBRE/Concordis Real Estate. Hilton is the operator of the hotel, located across the street from the George R. Brown Convention Center.White told City Council he personally would be involved in sale negotiations and that he had a "reserve price" in mind that he would not share with anyone."If we don't think there is adequate interest, we're not going to sell it," White said.full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasVines Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 (edited) I see where I went wrong...I saw this article that said the GRB is totaled at 933,000 square feet. A quick look at Wikipedia, and it says 1.8 million square feet. This is really trippin me out.I believe the 933,000 sqft is the total available contiguous space on the first floor and the 1.8 million is the total sqft of the building including the second and third floor meeting, ballrooms, check in areas, and convocation areasthere is no reason that GRB should not be able to expand to the north because there would still be two more streets to the north one going in each direction.....I doubt there would be any serious traffic concerns with taking out one more street Edited September 10, 2008 by TexasVines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 i've heard $350M-$375M sale price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hasn't this been up for sale for a few months now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 from channeltwonews... http://docs.newquest.com/brochures/onepark.pdfDid we know before that the potential new convention hotel would be another Hilton? The initial article didn't mention so... link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 from channeltwonews... http://docs.newquest.com/brochures/onepark.pdfDid we know before that the potential new convention hotel would be another Hilton? The initial article didn't mention so... linkI can't get your newquest link to open, but the envisioned new convention center hotel is only in the conceptual stage right now. I doubt that anyone has given much serious attention to what flag it might fly. In any event, I think it is HIGHLY unlikely that it would be another Hilton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I can't get your newquest link to open, but the envisioned new convention center hotel is only in the conceptual stage right now. I doubt that anyone has given much serious attention to what flag it might fly. In any event, I think it is HIGHLY unlikely that it would be another Hilton.It's a brochure from NewQuest advertising the OPP retail space. It gives a couple of aerial shots with labels on places of destination. In one, it has "Hilton" over the proposed convention spot. Just an observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 It's a brochure from NewQuest advertising the OPP retail space. It gives a couple of aerial shots with labels on places of destination. In one, it has "Hilton" over the proposed convention spot. Just an observation.In the interim, I got the link open. I see what you are talking about. I would put zero faith in that. I think the brochure designer just got a little carried away with the Hilton logo. You'll notice on the arial shot later in the brochure, they did not slap the Hilton logo, but just have "proposed 1,100 room hotel" on the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Or, it would be in the Hilton Brand of hotels... there's more than just the Hilton.Embassy Suites is a Hilton brand hotel... so is Doubletree.That said, my guess is the city will try and get a more upscale brand. My money would be on it being a Westin. Westin already has the Galleria market covered and Starwood has ZERO presence downtown (Starwood being Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, aloft, LeMeridien, St Regis, and others...). Westin is also no stranger to large convention hotels. I could also see them trying to market some condos up top for the park views... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 In the interim, I got the link open. I see what you are talking about. I would put zero faith in that. I think the brochure designer just got a little carried away with the Hilton logo. You'll notice on the arial shot later in the brochure, they did not slap the Hilton logo, but just have "proposed 1,100 room hotel" on the site.Yeah, I don't think we should put much faith into it either. And I did notice it's only in one of the pictures. But I would think that at the least it was a semi-legitimate rumor. I'm sure NewQuest has some integrity and wouldn't have put it there unless it was a possibility. But yeah...not holding my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Or, it would be in the Hilton Brand of hotels... there's more than just the Hilton.Embassy Suites is a Hilton brand hotel... so is Doubletree.That said, my guess is the city will try and get a more upscale brand. My money would be on it being a Westin. Westin already has the Galleria market covered and Starwood has ZERO presence downtown (Starwood being Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, aloft, LeMeridien, St Regis, and others...). Westin is also no stranger to large convention hotels. I could also see them trying to market some condos up top for the park views...I don't think they do convention hotels with either the Embassy Suites or the Doubletree brands (and of course, an Embassy Suites is already scheduled to start construction right there by the current Hilton).I would think Starwood would be all over the opportunity. It's amazing to me that they have not downtown presence whatsoever. If it's Starwood, it would be either Sheraton or Westin.Other strong possibilities are Marriott and Omni (especially if their Sheraton re-hab ends up not happening). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 This just happened the other day (Downtown Developer Walking Tour by ULI) and I saw this picture. You can see plans for another convention hotel. (Also, this blog seems like a nice little news source) http://www.bisnow.com/houston_commercial_real_estate_news_story.php?p=7251 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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