Many Proposed Midtown Mixed-Use & Multifamily Developments

[lockmat]

Maybe at some point in time we should create a thread for each of these projects:

HBL Architects VP Dan Barnum has been involved in Midtown since the ‘80s, primarily with TrinityEpiscopal Church, which has pushed for improvement in the area. He tells us current development plans around the Ensemble/HCC station will dramatically change the neighborhood, making it more urban and walkable. New projects may also fix the lack of affordable housing and parking. For one, RHS Interests’ Bob Schultz is planning a mixed-income multifamily community (perhaps partially student housing) with retail, office, and a 1,000-car garage, and he’s redeveloping the antique store at Main and Berry into a boutique hotel.

Dan says affordable housing makes sense there for residents without cars, and demand is high, but it’s hard to make the numbers work. Trinity is partnering with an affordable housing expert, and its master plan calls for a 100-unit multifamily complex with seniors, low-income, and workforce housing plus parking. He tells us the old Midtown code enforcement site is selling to an apartment developer, and Camden and Midtown are gearing up a three-part development at the Superblock (a multifamily community, park, and retail/ commercial buildings). Lastly, Urban Deal’s Adam Brackman is redeveloping the old Sunnyland Furniture store (empty since 1989's TS Allison) into a mixed-use retail/office/multifamily building.

http://www.bisnow.co...ory.php?p=24377

[mfastx]

Wow, this would be great if it came to fruition. Amazing what a little mass transit will do for a neighborhood.

[woolie]

Ironically enough, I opened this thread and wrote this reply while waiting for the train at this very station.

[lockmat]

Wow, this would be great if it came to fruition. Amazing what a little mass transit will do for a neighborhood.

I'm curious if the arts collaborative building had a lot to do with giving other developers confidence to begin with their plans?

[Nole23]

Awesome!

[rsb320]

Ironically enough, I opened this thread and wrote this reply while waiting for the train at this very station.

That's my station too. I wonder how much longer the surface parking there will be available? I could walk, but I'm too lazy.

Antique Store into a Boutique Hotel - I can't even imagine that.

[woolie]

Yeah, I don't know how that works either. The old antique store is a set of 1-2 story buildings, and not very pretty. I suppose it could end up something like La Colombe d'Or.. but just not seeing it now. Maybe it will be knocked down and rebuilt from scratch.

Also, a 1,000 car parking garage is quite large. Estimating... the roof level of a the 3100 Main St. garage, a large garage covering 1 full city block, contains about 200 spaces, and it has 8 levels of parking. So, that's maybe a 1400-1600 space garage.

[TheNiche]

Wow, this would be great if it came to fruition. Amazing what a little mass transit will do for a neighborhood.

Yeah...sure, that's obviously it. Nothing happened in Midtown before transit. And then transit (you know...the rail-based type, not trollies or buses) arrived and everything changed, pretty much all at once. And when I'm talking about change, I'm talking about Obama-style change. It was truely awe-inspiring. Developers started building stuff all along the Main Street corridor (did you see that amazing project that Camden built on the 'superblock'?) and avoided those pedestrian-unfriendly areas over to the west along Louisiana and Smith. Vagrancy and crime were reduced in the corridor, local businesses have thrived with such an increase in visibility and traffic count, train noise and horns weren't problems at all, METRO never once arranged a screwball deal to exempt would-be developers from paying their property taxes (and why should they, given how much activity there was?), and METRO also kept to its word regarding the development of mixed-use transit centers on land it owns at Wheeler and in the TMC. I even ran into a METRO executive that told me that they're planning a unicorn farm on the vacant block across from the Greyhound bus station. It's still hush-hush, but Shiela Jackson Lee assures him that the funding is in place.

[woolie]

Well, it's neighborhood folklore that Houston's grossly inadequate sewer system severely hurt development in midtown for decades. Downtown was exempted from the moratorium, but midtown was forced to skip out the 70s and 80s booms. Then there was a big recession, followed by little interest in urban living until the 2000s (less crime, changing attitudes, green-consciousness, etc.) By that time, the rail was already coming in. If we're arguing causality, there's a clear case that a number of businesses, particularly around Ensemble/HCC station, are clearly TOD and doing well.

However, there will always be big city agency shenanigans that always grease the wheels of commerce...

Anyway, let's unpack the hypothetical developments in the article:

1. Parking garage for 1000 cars

2. "Mixed-income multifamily community (perhaps partially student housing) with retail, office."

3. Independent Arts Collaborative

4. Boutique hotel in antique store

5. Church-backed "affordable housing development" for 100 units

6. Code enforcement building sold to apartment developer

7. Sunnyland Furniture building into "mixed-use retail/office/multifamily."

8. "Holy Rosary Catholic Church's historic rectory"

Some of these may be combined; the text of the article wasn't totally clear.

Other rumored developments:

1. Camden superblock

2. Superblock park

3. New Crosspoint development at Milam/Tuam

4. Milhaus apartment development

I'm happy to see Studio RED boosting Midtown. After all, their office is barely a few blocks from my house. I almost wish I was an architect -- it'd be an easy walk.

[mfastx]

Yeah...sure, that's obviously it. Nothing happened in Midtown before transit. And then transit (you know...the rail-based type, not trollies or buses) arrived and everything changed, pretty much all at once. And when I'm talking about change, I'm talking about Obama-style change. It was truely awe-inspiring. Developers started building stuff all along the Main Street corridor (did you see that amazing project that Camden built on the 'superblock'?) and avoided those pedestrian-unfriendly areas over to the west along Louisiana and Smith. Vagrancy and crime were reduced in the corridor, local businesses have thrived with such an increase in visibility and traffic count, train noise and horns weren't problems at all, METRO never once arranged a screwball deal to exempt would-be developers from paying their property taxes (and why should they, given how much activity there was?), and METRO also kept to its word regarding the development of mixed-use transit centers on land it owns at Wheeler and in the TMC. I even ran into a METRO executive that told me that they're planning a unicorn farm on the vacant block across from the Greyhound bus station. It's still hush-hush, but Shiela Jackson Lee assures him that the funding is in place.

So you believe that the light rail has absolutely nothing to do with the recent developments in midtown this last decade?

[TheNiche]

So you believe that the light rail has absolutely nothing to do with the recent developments in midtown this last decade?

No, and I actually think that the hype and speculative investment that came with it caused land prices to shoot up to beyond what developers could pay, thus causing the corridor to become hollowed out for the better part of a decade. When developers got priced out, they went into the east downtown warehouse district instead even though that area is not as well located.

I'd imagine that if the Red Line had run between Downtown and Uptown along the Buffalo Bayou corridor, you'd be using it to explain the resurgence of 4th Ward, Washington Avenue, and Rice Military...and would probably be enthusiastically yapping about all that's planned for Uptown and the Regent Square site. Those developments and the scale of revitalization in those neighborhoods are vastly more impressive and fitting with what you'd want and expect around a light rail corridor as compared with the relatively diminuitive projects going on in Midtown. But the Red Line is where it is because it connected Downtown, the TMC, and Houston's aesthetic gems and convention/sporting venues; that was by design. That Midtown was in between was incidental and not beneficially impactful.

Midtown leveraged its development potential because it was exceedingly well-located, highly visible, had a fair number of full blocks and multiple blocks under related ownership, all of which allowed it to capture spillover demand from further west...and also because the City (and, eh...Enron in particular) backed it and promoted it. That's its story. It's story is kinda boring, and that's fine.

[mfastx]

No, and I actually think that the hype and speculative investment that came with it caused land prices to shoot up to beyond what developers could pay, thus causing the corridor to become hollowed out for the better part of a decade. When developers got priced out, they went into the east downtown warehouse district instead even though that area is not as well located.

I'd imagine that if the Red Line had run between Downtown and Uptown along the Buffalo Bayou corridor, you'd be using it to explain the resurgence of 4th Ward, Washington Avenue, and Rice Military...and would probably be enthusiastically yapping about all that's planned for Uptown and the Regent Square site. Those developments and the scale of revitalization in those neighborhoods are vastly more impressive and fitting with what you'd want and expect around a light rail corridor as compared with the relatively diminuitive projects going on in Midtown. But the Red Line is where it is because it connected Downtown, the TMC, and Houston's aesthetic gems and convention/sporting venues; that was by design. That Midtown was in between was incidental and not beneficially impactful.

Midtown leveraged its development potential because it was exceedingly well-located, highly visible, had a fair number of full blocks and multiple blocks under related ownership, all of which allowed it to capture spillover demand from further west...and also because the City (and, eh...Enron in particular) backed it and promoted it. That's its story. It's story is kinda boring, and that's fine.

You make some very good points. However I don't believe that the neighborhoods you described have revitalized in the same way Midtown has. For example, in 4th Ward, there are no mixed use developments, no apartaments with retail, all there really has been is townhomes. The Washington Avenue corridor I would argue just happens to be the nightlife scene at this time, I don't really see a lot of new construction going on there (not on the same scale as Midtown). And as we all know the nightlife scene in Houston just shifts around randomly, next decade there might be a new nightlife scene and area.

In short, I disagree. It is apparent to me that there are a lot of proposed projects in Midtown centered around the METRORail, including the one in the OP.

Can you specifically name as many proposed projects for 4th Ward, Washington Ave., and the area around Regent Square as there are for Midtown currently?

[TheNiche]

The neighborhoods I'm referring to are each considerably larger than Midtown and are wholly transformed in character and scale; perhaps you've been in New England too long. The areas east of the Main Street corridor in Midtown have seen partial redevelopment; the areas west of the Main Street corridor in Midtown have seen a transformation. But the corridor itself is quite a shameful experiment in economic development. Again...if there are a lot of recent proposals nearby, it's only because of a confluence of factors unrelated to the light rail, foremost among them being that the best parcels to the west have already been developed.

But you're also missing the point, which is that you are a light rail apologist.

[mfastx]

The neighborhoods I'm referring to are each considerably larger than Midtown and are wholly transformed in character and scale; perhaps you've been in New England too long. The areas east of the Main Street corridor in Midtown have seen partial redevelopment; the areas west of the Main Street corridor in Midtown have seen a transformation. But the corridor itself is quite a shameful experiment in economic development. Again...if there are a lot of recent proposals nearby, it's only because of a confluence of factors unrelated to the light rail, foremost among them being that the best parcels to the west have already been developed.

But you're also missing the point, which is that you are a light rail apologist.

Many of the neighborhoods you were referring to were already well established long before the light rail was built in midtown. The whole area between midtown and uptown was where development was naturally happening already.

You even said yourself that the light rail caused land values to go up. I'm still waiting for you to list all of the developments happening in 4th Ward or Washington Ave. similar to the ones happening in Midtown.

I am not a light rail apologist, I guess you could say I'm a transportation apologist maybe? I will defend the investment in Houston's infrastructure that I feel benefits the area, because I feel we lack proper investment in our infrastructure (excluding highways, we have plenty of that, but I still support all highway projects that I feel benefit the area).

Say what you will, but I believe that the light rail has helped spurred some of the development in Midtown. It sure wasn't happening before the rail went in. If you ever go searching for a residence in the area, you will find that proximity to the light rail is a major selling point. While the actual Main Street corridor is still not as developed, the blocks surrounding the light rail have seen a resurgance.

Oh, and I am in Houston for the summer not New England at the moment.

[TheNiche]

Many of the neighborhoods you were referring to were already well established long before the light rail was built in midtown. The whole area between midtown and uptown was where development was naturally happening already.

You even said yourself that the light rail caused land values to go up. I'm still waiting for you to list all of the developments happening in 4th Ward or Washington Ave. similar to the ones happening in Midtown.

I am not a light rail apologist, I guess you could say I'm a transportation apologist maybe? I will defend the investment in Houston's infrastructure that I feel benefits the area, because I feel we lack proper investment in our infrastructure (excluding highways, we have plenty of that, but I still support all highway projects that I feel benefit the area).

Say what you will, but I believe that the light rail has helped spurred some of the development in Midtown. It sure wasn't happening before the rail went in. If you ever go searching for a residence in the area, you will find that proximity to the light rail is a major selling point. While the actual Main Street corridor is still not as developed, the blocks surrounding the light rail have seen a resurgance.

Oh, and I am in Houston for the summer not New England at the moment.

You're still missing the point. You may support other forms of infrastructure investment, but you are still a light rail apologist. In very nearly every thread about a highway, you randomly pop in and state in a manner that lacks context and is off topic that you wish as much money were being spent on light rail. You advance bogus positions constantly, look for any opportunity to twist coincidence into causality, and then do something inane like asking an opponent to compile a list or perform hours of primary research to prove the least relevant or hypothetical portion of their argument. It is incredibly frustrating.

I made two basic points: 1) If you look at the development pattern, they're only building neat stuff near the light rail because they're running out of land to the west of the light rail. The existence of light rail has been inconsequential during the period of time that it has existed...except to ward off development due to rail-biased land speculators. 2) You are a light rail apologist. I'd bet that if rail had been laid down a corridor with more activity (for instance anywhere near Regent Square by itself), you'd be attributing that development to light rail and declaring success.

I will not compile a list of new developments along the Buffalo Bayou corridor because they are so numerous, it would be time consuming, and it would not advance the conversation.

[samagon]

It's true that midtown would be expanding as it is now with, or without the light rail.

That a lot of the builders are choosing to build within very close proximity to one of the stops of the light rail does speak well for the light rail.

[TheNiche]

It's true that midtown would be expanding as it is now with, or without the light rail.

That a lot of the builders are choosing to build within very close proximity to one of the stops of the light rail does speak well for the light rail.

If the development is only going in around one of the stops (and likewise, at a few other stops that were more predisposed to development in the first place, such as within the TMC or the core of downtown), does that speak to the success of light rail or of the character of investment opportunities in those locations?

[DrLan34]

Well, it's neighborhood folklore that Houston's grossly inadequate sewer system severely hurt development in midtown for decades. Downtown was exempted from the moratorium, but midtown was forced to skip out the 70s and 80s booms. Then there was a big recession, followed by little interest in urban living until the 2000s (less crime, changing attitudes, green-consciousness, etc.) By that time, the rail was already coming in. If we're arguing causality, there's a clear case that a number of businesses, particularly around Ensemble/HCC station, are clearly TOD and doing well.

However, there will always be big city agency shenanigans that always grease the wheels of commerce...

Anyway, let's unpack the hypothetical developments in the article:

1. Parking garage for 1000 cars

2. "Mixed-income multifamily community (perhaps partially student housing) with retail, office."

3. Independent Arts Collaborative

4. Boutique hotel in antique store

5. Church-backed "affordable housing development" for 100 units

6. Code enforcement building sold to apartment developer

7. Sunnyland Furniture building into "mixed-use retail/office/multifamily."

8. "Holy Rosary Catholic Church's historic rectory"

Some of these may be combined; the text of the article wasn't totally clear.

Other rumored developments:

1. Camden superblock

2. Superblock park

3. New Crosspoint development at Milam/Tuam

4. Milhaus apartment development

I'm happy to see Studio RED boosting Midtown. After all, their office is barely a few blocks from my house. I almost wish I was an architect -- it'd be an easy walk.

I think most of the rumored developments are suppose to be more likely to go in than to be cancelled, but we just don't have an exact timeline. (They are still in the proposed phase on the attached link). I think they said the new superblock park would open in spring 2014. There is also the new apartment complex going in next to The Calais (6 stories).

http://www.smartapar...onstruction.pdf

1. Camden superblock --> Not sure on timing; currently referred to as: CAMDEN MCGOWAN STATION (MID TOWN SITE)

2. Superblock park --> Spring 2014 completion

3. New Crosspoint development at Milam/Tuam --> Not sure of timing; currently referred to as: The Mix @ Midtown

4. Milhaus apartment development --> not sure of the timing; currently referred to as: MILHAUS MIDTOWN (GRAY AND CRAWFORD SITE)

5. Morgan Group apartments --> not sure of timing; currently referred to as: 3101 SMITH SITE

[mfastx]

You're still missing the point. You may support other forms of infrastructure investment, but you are still a light rail apologist. In very nearly every thread about a highway, you randomly pop in and state in a manner that lacks context and is off topic that you wish as much money were being spent on light rail. You advance bogus positions constantly, look for any opportunity to twist coincidence into causality, and then do something inane like asking an opponent to compile a list or perform hours of primary research to prove the least relevant or hypothetical portion of their argument. It is incredibly frustrating.

In the highway thread I clearly stated my support for the highway. I shared my idea about how federal monies are invested in infrastructure because I find it interesting and perplexing where most of the money goes. I want to provoke discussion on this forum, as this is a discussion forum after all. I also gave my 2 cents about the habitat argument in the other thread people were discussing.

And I don't specifically say light rail when I make a comment about infrastructure spending, I just say transit.

I do not consider you my opponent, and it shouldn't take hours to find out about projects going on in 4th Ward and the Washington Ave. corridor, on a construction forum no less. I find it incredibly frustrating that you deny the fact that mass transit has the ability to make a neighborhood a more desirable place to live.

I made two basic points: 1) If you look at the development pattern, they're only building neat stuff near the light rail because they're running out of land to the west of the light rail. The existence of light rail has been inconsequential during the period of time that it has existed...except to ward off development due to rail-biased land speculators.

That's just speculation though. There is plenty of land left in West Houston. There is also plenty of land in east downtown and along the Washington Ave. corridor.

2) You are a light rail apologist. I'd bet that if rail had been laid down a corridor with more activity (for instance anywhere near Regent Square by itself), you'd be attributing that development to light rail and declaring success.

No, if mass transit (not necessarily light rail) were built along an already established corridor (such as Uptown, and Allen Parkway) then I'd be "spouting" that transportation had improved in the area.

I will not compile a list of new developments along the Buffalo Bayou corridor because they are so numerous, it would be time consuming, and it would not advance the conversation.

Fine, suit yourself. But to my knowledge, at this point Midtown has more developments in a small area than any other part of Houston right now, except for Uptown.

If the development is only going in around one of the stops (and likewise, at a few other stops that were more predisposed to development in the first place, such as within the TMC or the core of downtown), does that speak to the success of light rail or of the character of investment opportunities in those locations?

I'd say that if the development is centered around a stop (in this case the HCC stop) then it speaks to the success of the light rail. However, if development is in already well-established areas, then the light rail is inconsequential.

[TheNiche]

I feel tempted to reply, but...I'm sorry. I just don't have the time or patience to educate you in the minutiae. I've made my points, they're good ones. Your rebuttals are weak, lacking sound logic, relevance, or demonstrated knowledge.

Maybe another day.

[mfastx]

I feel tempted to reply, but...I'm sorry. I just don't have the time or patience to educate you in the minutiae. I've made my points, they're good ones. Your rebuttals are weak, lacking sound logic, relevance, or demonstrated knowledge.

Maybe another day.

Well that's not a very nice thing to say!!

C'mon Niche, just because I disagree with you doesn't mean you have to insult me. This is all speculation as to why Midtown is becoming a better place to live.

Oh, and I've demonstrated plenty of knowledge in the area of public transportation. I do plenty of research.

[DrLan34]

I think most of the rumored developments are suppose to be more likely to go in than to be cancelled, but we just don't have an exact timeline. (They are still in the proposed phase on the attached link). I think they said the new superblock park would open in spring 2014. There is also the new apartment complex going in next to The Calais (6 stories).

http://www.smartapar...onstruction.pdf

1. Camden superblock --> Not sure on timing; currently referred to as: CAMDEN MCGOWAN STATION (MID TOWN SITE)

2. Superblock park --> Spring 2014 completion

3. New Crosspoint development at Milam/Tuam --> Not sure of timing; currently referred to as: The Mix @ Midtown

4. Milhaus apartment development --> not sure of the timing; currently referred to as: MILHAUS MIDTOWN (GRAY AND CRAWFORD SITE)

5. Morgan Group apartments --> not sure of timing; currently referred to as: 3101 SMITH SITE

Speaking of which, i just saw them taking soil samples at the 3101 smith site group.

[woolie]

Development creates its own momentum. Hopefully we'll start seeing more 6-8 story apartment blocks in these new rounds. I didn't know about the Morgan Group development; is that the Calais expansion?

Personally, I'm most excited about the Milhaus -- it will be the first high density block East of Main (excepting a few small condo buildings.) Now, personally I think East Midtown is one of the best kept secrets in Houston -- very reasonable values, very high quality street construction and landscaping, quiet, Baldwin park, excellent freeway access, etc. etc. But it's all townhomes, and I think it's well primed for higher density.

[samagon]

very high quality street construction and landscaping.

now that they've recovered crawford, and once they are done fixing la branch I'll be able to agree with you.

not sure how I feel about landscaping though.

it benefits in that there aren't a lot of empty lots, just one or two smaller spaces that are empty.

[totheskies]

You're still missing the point. You may support other forms of infrastructure investment, but you are still a light rail apologist. In very nearly every thread about a highway, you randomly pop in and state in a manner that lacks context and is off topic that you wish as much money were being spent on light rail. You advance bogus positions constantly, look for any opportunity to twist coincidence into causality, and then do something inane like asking an opponent to compile a list or perform hours of primary research to prove the least relevant or hypothetical portion of their argument. It is incredibly frustrating.

I made two basic points: 1) If you look at the development pattern, they're only building neat stuff near the light rail because they're running out of land to the west of the light rail. The existence of light rail has been inconsequential during the period of time that it has existed...except to ward off development due to rail-biased land speculators. 2) You are a light rail apologist. I'd bet that if rail had been laid down a corridor with more activity (for instance anywhere near Regent Square by itself), you'd be attributing that development to light rail and declaring success.

I will not compile a list of new developments along the Buffalo Bayou corridor because they are so numerous, it would be time consuming, and it would not advance the conversation.

FAIL.

The light rail has spurred develpment and improvement. Some of that development may have happened without the rail, but it definitely has NOT been hindered by it. It gives Houstonians another option for transportation, and you better believe that people make use of it. Venue Museum District used to be a block with a Subway and a flower shop on it, but it has yielded a significant investment in the Museum district area. Beyond just residential space, businesses have benefitted substantially from location near the light rail... today more than ever. Ask any Medical Center employee if the light rail was a good investment... they won't waste a second to let you know how much they use it daily to get to work because med center parking is so bad. Gripe all you want, but rail is an important part of Houston's infrastructure and is bringing business and investment to Midtown.

[LTAWACS]

so... where are all these developements?

[htownproud]

fo what it's worth, the new mixed use phase of the Post apartments is technically in 4th Ward (the Post properties stradle the 4th Ward/Midtown boundry).

[mfastx]

so... where are all these developements?

See OP.

[kdog08]

so... where are all these developements?

Look several blocks west of the light rail and you'll see lots of apartment complexes, several townhouses, and retail. Look several blocks east of the light rail and you'll see HCC, some retail, and quite a bit of townhome development. All the larger, cheaper lots are being taken up and now it's time to focus on the larger, becoming scarcer, lots near the light rail.

[TheNiche]

FAIL.

The light rail has spurred develpment and improvement. Some of that development may have happened without the rail, but it definitely has NOT been hindered by it. It gives Houstonians another option for transportation, and you better believe that people make use of it. Venue Museum District used to be a block with a Subway and a flower shop on it, but it has yielded a significant investment in the Museum district area. Beyond just residential space, businesses have benefitted substantially from location near the light rail... today more than ever. Ask any Medical Center employee if the light rail was a good investment... they won't waste a second to let you know how much they use it daily to get to work because med center parking is so bad. Gripe all you want, but rail is an important part of Houston's infrastructure and is bringing business and investment to Midtown.

This is a thread about Midtown, so I'm going to ignore that your interpretation of successful TOD is evidently that a hospital on Fannin builds a new tower along the same block of Fannin, or that an apartment developer used one of the two or three sites large enough to build new apartments on in the Museum District (and not the Wheeler Transit Center site) to build apartments.

The largest structure to be built along light rail in Midtown is the CVS Pharmacy, whose drive-through backs up to light rail while the front entrance points toward Fannin. I declare FAIL on you.

Another datapoint is Camden Property Trust. They have owned the superblock since what, the year 2000. They've developed over 1,300 apartment units on various sites in Midtown during that time period, but not the superblock. Their basis should be low enough in the property that they've got no excuse for waiting if light rail is such a compelling amenity. (Developers didn't wait on Discovery Green, after all. All it took to get an apartment tower going was the City's commitment that it would move forward; not even completion.)

Other than that, I know that there's a ratty old Days Inn from the 60's that got repositioned as subsidized housing for homeless veterans. That's the biggest thing that's happened along light rail in Midtown and I won't deny that light rail has been critical to its success, but it certainly doesn't aid in any kind of urban renaissance for the neighborhood.