s3mh Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 There is a request for a variance pending before the planning commission for Oct 2 for the Freedman's distributor site on Waverly and W 6th down below the bike path. 8.65 acres. Seeking a building line variance from 25 feet to 10 feet. No indication what, if anything, is planned for the property. Freedam's looks to have been bought out by Grocer's Supply. The latter also has been consolidating operations into a new space in the 1st ward. No idea whether they are going to sell, are selling or have sold or whether they will redevelop the property with modern warehouse space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 It's platted as a single unrestricted reserve. For some reason, HCAD only values that land at $2.50 per s.f. On the part of W. 6th closer to Yale, HCAD believes the dirt is worth 18X as much. At $2.50/s.f., warehouse makes sense. At $45/s.f., multi-family is more likely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 It's platted as a single unrestricted reserve. For some reason, HCAD only values that land at $2.50 per s.f. On the part of W. 6th closer to Yale, HCAD believes the dirt is worth 18X as much. At $2.50/s.f., warehouse makes sense. At $45/s.f., multi-family is more likely. I think the variance is a bit of a tell. If you are going to put in a big warehouse, the 25 ft set back isn't going to be such a big issue. Most of the time, the need for parking/loading around a warehouse will mean that the building line will not be an issue. But with residential, developers always want the extra 15 feet. Given the de-industrialization and residential development replacing it between Lazybrook and 610, I would tend to think that this property might go in the same direction. I could even see a single family development like the Somerset Green that Hines is doing on Old Katy Rd. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaRoCo Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 The Marsh Darcy Partners now own the 8.6 acres of land & it looks like they have hired a company called Waterman Steele according to the www.houstonplanning.com. Judging by Waterman Steele's website it looks like some type of retail. Guess its better than warehouses. http://www.marshdarcypartners.comhttp://www.watermansteele.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 The Marsh Darcy Partners now own the 8.6 acres of land & it looks like they have hired a company called Waterman Steele according to the www.houstonplanning.com. Judging by Waterman Steele's website it looks like some type of retail. Guess its better than warehouses. http://www.marshdarcypartners.comhttp://www.watermansteele.com Marsh Darcy is generally just a consulting firm that developers hire to shepherd their projects through the planning commission. The "applicant" on the variance request does not have to be the owner and is frequently a consultant hired by the owner. Waterman Steele recently got Lance Gilliam from Moody Rambin. Gilliam did the leasing for Washington Heights District. They certainly are set up to help developers fill up retail pads. But, they may also just be getting the property packaged up for sale. I struggle to see the site getting developed as retail due to the poor road access. I just don't see people in the leasing business getting excited about traffic counts that are mostly semis. But, who knows. The retail rental rates in Houston have gone through the roof. Anything is possible these days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Multifamily proposed for this area of The Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 So they want to claim part of the setbacks. How often is that permitted to happen? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 So they want to claim part of the setbacks. How often is that permitted to happen? Pretty often. The issue here is with 6th St between Shepherd and Yale being on the Major Thoroughfare Plan. 6th St wasn't a through street West of Yale, and with the construction of the detention area, making it a through street becomes impossible (well, not impossible, but really improbable). Were 6th St not on the MTFP, 10-ft setbacks would be the norm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 A street that goes nowhere is on the Major Thoroughfare Plan? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) I mean its not even a case of "Just connect it up and you can go from Shepherd to Studewood!" 6th has access to Shepherd but not Durham, its a street that's never going to go anywhere. Edited October 28, 2014 by JJxvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 A street that goes nowhere is on the Major Thoroughfare Plan? During the variance debate for the Alexan at 6th & Yale, there was talk of removing this part of 6th St from the MTFP, while retaining the parts East of Yale. Apparently didn't come to pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andre154 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Looks like this lot was also on the Planning Commission agenda today... Houston Heights Swift Replat. I'd love to see that building used in any design that's going forward. I'm sure it'd add to the value of whatever is built there. Even building around the Swift and Company building, maybe using the exposed brick walls for a courtyard would be neat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Still proposed as multifamily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 Sorry for bumping this, but I was running by and decided to capture its image. I think I only just realized that the plan was to knock this building down and not reformat it. I'm sure people can tell me all about how it wouldn't work as residential, but I've always been very fond of thee building. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 that is absolutely the type of older building that would get converted in other cities. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 13 hours ago, swtsig said: that is absolutely the type of older building that would get converted in other cities. But here, it's just easier and probably cheaper to demolish it and build something newly designed and fit for the intended purpose, as well as designed to fit the available space instead of forcing the design into what's there. That's not a particularly special building - it's a reinforced concrete frame that has little of the old facade remaining. If the original facades were still around, it might be worth saving, but not now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 What typically might happen in another city is that the lowrise portions would be demolished and the more interesting three-story part would be saved and converted to lofts or office/creative space. Then the remaining site built out with new apartments or retail. The three-story portion is a lot more interesting than the typical Houston Wrap or gated townhome community. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 Demo permit issued for this site. Current owners look to be connected to residential housing developers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 On today’s daily demo report: http://swamplot.com/daily-demolition-report-swift-removal/2018-10-22/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 There’s a lot in store for this property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 35 minutes ago, swtsig said: There’s a lot in store for this property. I sure hope the main building doesn’t get torn down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 8 hours ago, Avossos said: I sure hope the main building doesn’t get torn down I agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Developer Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 pretty sure this is going to be half apartments, half mixed use office/retail/restaurant, or at least that's what i heard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 17 hours ago, swtsig said: There’s a lot in store for this property. Such a tease Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Note dupe topics merged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 On 10/22/2018 at 11:02 PM, Avossos said: I sure hope the main building doesn’t get torn down it won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 !!!!! For real?!?! Don't just throw that out there like it's no big deal! That also says a lot about the potential quality of this development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenOlenska Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Haha, just Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 just wait til phase II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 I dig it. Hoping Phase 2 includes lots o' residential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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