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Texaco Building (now The Star) At 1111 Rusk Street


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Not sure if this will help: http://i.imgur.com/DggJiMm.jpg

Better, thanks. It's clear there is no architectural detail between the windows of the first two columns by the corner. Here's hoping that's how it was before. Guess we will know for sure once they start on the next column or someone finds an old up close photo of the same area.

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  • 3 weeks later...

This project and others will make walking from the red line to Minute Maid Park much more enjoyable. Coming from Main Street and walking east: 806 Main, 1111 Rusk, the US Post Office Building and the upcoming High School for Performing and Visual Arts. If you make a left on Austin, you'll be at the 28-story residential then the Finger apartments then the ballpark.

 

As of February 2:

 

IMG_00101_zps3a89d9f7.jpg

 

IMG_00111_zpsc878ce4a.jpg

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Why are they dismantling this building to build a new one? As if Houston is running out of space. Stupid.

The building is not being dismantled. I highly advise you to read first, before commenting. If you don't have anything to add, or a question, then please don't post. Thanks.

Also, many comments that add nothing to the conversation, or come across as trolling, have been deleted from a number of threads recently. These are mostly comments being made by repeated offenders. We are doing this to prevent others from responding to these types of posts and remove unnecessary thread bumps. So please stop trolling, and have something to add to the topic (note: this warning is to the people who do this often).

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You don't have to be such a jerk about it. If they aren't taking the building down a piece at a time, then what is the purpose of the crane? It certainly looks like the building is shorter than it was originally. Dang, lighten up and stop being so serious and stern about construction. If I made a mere mistake, make a polite comment or correction and keep it moving. Wow.

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^ The plans call for the building to be renovated and converted to apartments, not for it to be taken down. Nate even tells us what the crane is being used for...it's pretty clear that you didn't read. I was being serious because I was giving out a warning.

If you want to discuss things further, please send it via PM.

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Two renovations. One demolition.

 

uxkK9mb.jpg

 

8kq0umn.jpg

 

Do we know when the garage construction will start? Someone on the property today told me a couple of years away and residents would use other parking garages in the mean time. Is that right?

Edited by Triton
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After all of the false starts on renovation plans for this building it practically brings tears to my eyes to see it actually happening.  It is amazing the difference the clean facade makes.  I've always thought this was one of the finest buildings downtown and it should be a real showpiece.

 

 

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Do we know when the garage construction will start? Someone on the property today told me a couple of years away and residents would use other parking garages in the mean time. Is that right?

 

That seems very unlikely, and, if so, a REALLY bad  business plan.

 

I would guess they can start the parking garage construction after they have substantially completed the construction of the addition to the existing structure and still have it completed in time for the apartment openings.

Edited by Houston19514
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This thing has been just sitting and rotting for so long, seeing this particular activity is pretty cool. 

 

More broadly, including this, I just posted in about five different threads with pictures I took of stuff going on around downtown on big projects that I walked by at lunch. 

 

This is a really remarkable time. 

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I sort of worry about that... more in the sense that we could be this centuries Detroit when we find something to kick-start the "post oil" movement.  But then I realize its likely Exxon/Chevron/BP and others will be the leaders behind that movement... down the road 40 or more years.

 

I don't think we'll see a 1980s scale bust again.  We're more diverse (at least we were) now than we used to be.  Just look at the growth of the Texas Medical Center during the down years of the oil/gas industry and the post-Enron debacle that really slowed down the construction business in this town.

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I sort of worry about that... more in the sense that we could be this centuries Detroit when we find something to kick-start the "post oil" movement.  But then I realize its likely Exxon/Chevron/BP and others will be the leaders behind that movement... down the road 40 or more years.

 

Kodak developed the first digital camera, look where they are now.

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Your work is appreciated.

 

It's pretty remarkable when you can walk past hundreds of millions worth of active construction projects in 15-20 minutes.  Very few cities ever have that going on in one small place at a time. If things hold up, DT will look and feel very different in five years. 

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Kodak developed the first digital camera, look where they are now.

A valid point, but Exxon is not Kodak.  Kodak - while big for the film/camera world is no where near the size of an Exxon (which is an older company mind you).  Kodak is also a company that produces a consumer product that is discretionary for one to buy (your home will not heat/car won't stop running if you don't have film) and they failed to change with the times to meet the needs of the current digital age.  Granted digital photography didn't just pop up overnight, so Kodak failed to see the change coming.  They simply rode the wave until the ocean ran out underneath them.  Perhaps you will be right, perhaps Exxon/etc will one day just stop rather than adapt?

 

A likely outcome for the world post-oil is not a world without Exxon/BP/Chevron, but rather a world without Schlumberger/Halliburton/NOV.  I think oil field service companies, marine oil companies etc. face the worst future in a post-petroleum world.

 

Edited by arche_757
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A valid point, but Exxon is not Kodak. Kodak - while big for the film/camera world is no where near the size of an Exxon (which is an older company mind you). Kodak is also a company that produces a consumer product that is discretionary for one to buy (your home will not heat/car won't stop running if you don't have film) and they failed to change with the times to meet the needs of the current digital age. Granted digital photography didn't just pop up overnight, so Kodak failed to see the change coming. They simply rode the wave until the ocean ran out underneath them. Perhaps you will be right, perhaps Exxon/etc will one day just stop rather than adapt?

A likely outcome for the world post-oil is not a world without Exxon/BP/Chevron, but rather a world without Schlumberger/Halliburton/NOV. I think oil field service companies, marine oil companies etc. face the worst future in a post-petroleum world.

People have looked for a post fossil fuel world for over 100 years. The problem everyone gets back to is that no fuel source is nearly as fungible as fossil fuels. I think conservation is far and away the most likely outcome, with a place still for oil and gas.

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