Le Meridien Hotel At 1121 Walker St.

[Avossos]

https://www.bidclerk.com/project/3167062.html

Work to begin late August!

Very happy. I like this building a lot. Great 50s vibe Edited July 27, 2015 by Avossos

[bobruss]

Is this just east of Stowers bldg.?

[Alec]

Is this just east of Stowers bldg.?

Yes.

[Nole23]

Sweet! Can't wait to see the renderings.

[UtterlyUrban]

https://www.bidclerk.com/project/3167062.html

Work to begin late August!

I wonder if this will be ready in time for the Super Bowl?

Probably not?

[houstontexasjack]

How long did the JW Marriott renovation take? With the existing structure up, I'd think a turn time by the Super Bowl would not be completely out of the question.

[houstontexasjack]

Edit: Duplicate Post.

Edited July 28, 2015 by houstontexasjack

[Texasota]

This building, unlike the Marriott, shouldn't involve taking off the entire facade and then putting up EIFS in its place, so maybe it will be faster? Depends on how much work needs to be done to the interior, especially since it's a conversion from office to hotel.

[UtterlyUrban]

I will be curious to see.

I imagine that there is a ton of work to do. Going from office to hotel will involve gutting the entire interior and adding new interior spaces and bathrooms (plumbing), electric, and HVAC. It will also involve adding any "behind the scenes" spaces for laundry, kitchen, employee spaces, etc. I wonder if building codes call for differ types of fire exits or fire suppression between an office building and a hotel? Are the distances from rooms to fire exists more strict?

Glad to see this project moving forward and I hope to learn something regarding how long and "interior only" (assuming that is true) conversion like this might take.....

[rechlin]

They definitely need to do some exterior work. They've removed some of the black panels covering the original turquoise panels below them, but neither seem to be in very good shape. I wonder if they will keep the exposed fire escape (like they did with the Great Southwest building) or if they will completely enclose it (like they did with the Club Quarters and the JW Marriott) or if they do something in between (like they seem to be doing with the Central Square building). Also, I'm sure the windows will end up getting replaced, too, as those are surely quite old and inefficient.

It will be interesting to see what it ends up looking like when it's done.

[Nate99]

How long did the JW Marriott renovation take? With the existing structure up, I'd think a turn time by the Super Bowl would not be completely out of the question.

 

They started taking off the façade in September of 2012 (apart from the test strip which was removed earlier) and finished around October 1 of 2014, so ~ 24 months.

[rechlin]

This is almost as big of a project as the JW Marriott (255 rooms vs 270 rooms, and 206,000 square feet vs 221,000 square feet). The only advantage is the exterior doesn't need as much work. We're 18 months from the Super Bowl, so while it's possible it will be done in time, it seems that they are cutting it tight. Remember that the JW Marriott wasn't even done when it opened; they took a couple more months to build out the top few floors.

[houstontexasjack]

Le Meridien is a premium brand with Starwood. I am not sure the hotel would pay the extra dollars to make a big push to be open by the Super Bowl given their marketing edge in being affiliated with a large, known hotel chain. Getting open by the Super Bowl would be far more important for something like the Alessandra, methinks, where a lesser known brand might really want the chance to highlight its amenities.

[Nate99]

Before:

 

[jmitch94]

I have never noticed that building until now. 

[Nate99]

I have never noticed that building until now. 

 

Easy to miss, unless you walk past it. They actually placed a pot-a-potty on the sidewalk in front of it to cut down on folks using it as a urinal (or worse).

Edited August 3, 2015 by Nate99

[Timoric]

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Edited July 9, 2019 by Timoric

[Texasota]

Re-exposing the turquoise will  make it stand out better too.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 9, 2019 by Timoric

[H-Town Man]

If pee was the only thing this smelled like, it would be a blessing. This place smells like despair.

 

[monarch]

^^^ although i am loving the fact that LE MERIDIEN is venturing forth back into the houston cbd, i cannot help but wonder why they chose this particular edifice to renovate / expand?  starwood hotels, could have very easily just torn down this building and reconstructed from ground up....

[Timoric]

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Edited July 9, 2019 by Timoric

[H-Town Man]

^^^ although i am loving the fact that LE MERIDIEN is venturing forth back into the houston cbd, i cannot help but wonder why they chose this particular edifice to renovate / expand?  starwood hotels, could have very easily just torn down this building and reconstructed from ground up....

 

Mid-century modern is kind of an in thing right now, and a lot of out-of-town people like the authenticity of using an actual period building rather than new construction. Not a lot of Houstonians, perhaps, but a lot of out-of-town people value this.

[Montrose1100]

Mid-century modern is kind of an in thing right now, and a lot of out-of-town people like the authenticity of using an actual period building rather than new construction. Not a lot of Houstonians, perhaps, but a lot of out-of-town people value this.

Even if someone didn't like the style, hopefully they can appreciate it over Embassy Suites.

[Nate99]

If 6 Houston Center and the big tower portion of the Texaco renovation actually got built, this little guy would have been surrounded by big towers. As it is, once/if HSPVA and the Alexan project get built, there will be fewer angles available where you will be able to see it at all.  It’s not a big deal of a building either way to me visually (as always, I’m not picky), but I am amazed that it is getting a refurb after being a blight for so long.

 

Poor ol’ Sheraton Lincoln just didn’t make the cut.

[H-Town Man]

If only they could flip it around to the opposite corner of the block. 2 Houston Center just doesn't care.

 

[monarch]

^^^ heck, maybe this edifice was just very cheap to purchase, and they couldn't pass up such a profound bargain.....

[Nate99]

If only they could flip it around to the opposite corner of the block. 2 Houston Center just doesn't care.

 

Having the hotel entrance across the street from the Texaco residential/GFR would have added value to both projects, I would think.

 

As it is, I'm interested to see what it's like around there once this is up and running along with the Aloft. If something were done with the parking lot on the other half of the block, you would have something quite nice where it was extremely sketchy pre-BG Place, though that was due as much to the Montagu as it was the abandoned buildings.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 9, 2019 by Timoric

[H-Town Man]

Having the hotel entrance across the street from the Texaco residential/GFR would have added value to both projects, I would think.

 

As it is, I'm interested to see what it's like around there once this is up and running along with the Aloft. If something were done with the parking lot on the other half of the block, you would have something quite nice where it was extremely sketchy pre-BG Place, though that was due as much to the Montagu as it was the abandoned buildings.

 

I was thinking that would probably get built over by a parking garage for the hotel, but maybe that lot is too big for just a hotel parking garage, I haven't been there in awhile. If such a parking garage had GFR, it would really tie the room together for that little neighborhood.