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Eight-story Apartment project (293 units) plan to break ground in 6-8 months. Ground floor retail. HBJ Article: A nearly 2-acre plot of land where an old elementary school once stood could soon be the site of a new eight-story apartment building with a floor of retail below. Illinois-based Marquette Cos. is under contract on the tract near the corner of Navigation Boulevard and Canal Street, east of the Houston Maritime Museum, said Darren Sloniger, president and CIO. Marquette is asking the city planning commission for reduced building lines on both Canal and Navigation to “create a more interesting pedestrian experience,” the Feb. 14 agenda stated. Sloniger plans to break ground within the next six to eight months, pending city approval. He anticipates an 18-month construction timeline. Marquette’s Catalyst project downtown near Minute Maid Park officially opened in April. Sloniger said the company wanted to develop on Navigation Boulevard for some time. “I think with its proximity to downtown, it’s a really attractive place for people to live,” Sloniger said. “Navigation Boulevard is a very romantic, walkable neighborhood. We really love the area.” Along with 293 apartment units, the project will likely have an anchor restaurant and a sidewalk cafe on the ground floor from local restaurateurs, Sloniger said. Average unit size will be about 890 square feet, with mostly one-bedroom options along with some two-bedroom floorplans. Interiors will feature a lot of wood, and plumbing fixtures will be matte black. Exteriors will have more of a rusted panel look. “It’ll be unique to Houston,” Sloniger said of the project. He compared the look to its Fulton Station development in downtown Chicago that has an urban yet vintage aesthetic. Marquette selected Chicago-based Brininstool + Lynch as its design firm but has not yet selected a contractor. Sloniger said the company is still finalizing a construction loan.

Did NRG Park give up on the idea of auto racing? I've always thought that they should build a grandstand and pits on the Astro World site then have the track go over the freeway and through NRG park circling the Astrodome.

Additional renderings to add to the thread.

I like the way they've staggered the trees right, left, right...that's gonna make a nice shady walk as they mature.

This might be old news, but I was walking along the Braes Bayou trail next to the UH campus and discovered they have built a separate lane for golf carts along a section that connects the main campus with the UH research park on the other side of the railyard.

They were playing audio on NPR 88.7, yesterday of some rapper and the mayor at some event. The rapper must have some songs about astroworld or an amusement park, but at one point mayor Turner alluded to some talks of an amusement park for Houston. Sorry but that's all I got. It was on NPR yesterday afternoon. I'll try and find out more about said talks.

Another point: private inter-city rail is being built in the US - the Brightline in Florida https://www.gobrightline.com/ It goes from Miami to West Palm beach, and is being expanded towards Orlando. Virgin Trains (a private rail company in England) bought a minority share, and they bought out a company that is going to from LA to Vegas. I think we need to make it so that these companies that want to try to make new trains have the opportunity to; if a company thinks they can get investors and make a business plan for a high speed train from New York to LA, let them - just don't spend $2.2 trillion of public money on it.

I am a conservative but I support this rail project. Our major railroads were built by investors in the 1800s. This same concept is being used for this project which is better than a government built bureaucracy. California is showing the country how not to build a line by using taxpayer money in a massive boondoggle. The Texas high-speed rail line is closer to being built than the government funded one in California. I am fine with companies who are willing to invest and build high-speed rail lines in this country. There are places where high-speed rail can beneficial while not going with the crackpot ideas of that wackjob AOC in New York. No, we do not need to replace all of our rail lines with high-speed rail and especially at the taxpayer expense as the only source of transportation. The airline industry is still much needed. Rail should be used to compliment airline travel where it is financially feasible. Oh, and we still need that interstate highway system as well for both commerce and yes the military. Once this rail line in Texas gets built maybe other private companies will want to step up with privately built lines of their own. We will have a rail building boom as we had in our past history, and just like in the past we will let capitalism and investors fit the bill for the building boom.

It's privately funded https://www.texascentral.com/facts/

it may also free up federal money that was tied up in that project to be spread around to other mass transit projects that have been under funded thanks to certain lawmakers.

Agreed, this is a great sign for this neighborhood. I think a big reason there has been a bit of lull in development over there, is that so many big projects are on the cusp of happening and people want a clearer view of what's to come. Between East River construction beginning presumably within in the year, the Freeway Project being finalized soon, Buffalo Bayou finalizing the master plan for the East Sector in the next few months, and projects like this one; this area is going to be much easier to project in the next year or so. I think we'll see a lot of developers rush to get ahead of it. There is already see some movement here with Ancorian coming close to finishing up a development just about block from this project at 2339 Commerce, but no tenants announced at this time.

Found it. Houston rapper Travis Scott packed the Toyota Center for a home-town performance Wednesday night and it came with the surprise announcement that the city could get a new amusement park. Brandi Smith's here with the moments people are talking about. Heres the link from KHOU TV https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/mayor-turner-says-houston-will-get-another-amusement-park-at-travis-scott-concert/285-d0fd0e41-cd88-4cfa-a7ae-9d7294bb93a8

Agree 100%!!! I lived in Dallas for 4 years and the light rail system is almost non existent. I mean it's there but it's like nobody really believes it's there or notices. And people from Dallas easily admit that anyone from the northside of the city wouldn't be caught dead taking it anywhere. They have such a different mindset when it comes to having an urban city. Houston definitely feels more urban on many levels compared to there.

Great angle for skyline shots. I can't wait to see the med center to Downtown shot, with that long range lens.

This is looking great. The sidewalks are nice and wide.

I think it's been there for a while. A relative works in the petroleum engineering office in the new building, tucked back in the middle of the campus. . She told me about the trail maybe 1-2 years ago. They shuffle engineering personnel and staff back and forth. The Schlumberger campus has provided the U. of H., a tract of land relatively close to the main campus, with plenty of room to develop a research center and an incubator for all related fields of energy exploration, solar, wind, and eventually hydropower. Consider the opportunities in Houston, energy capitol of the world. It's really a no brainer. When they finished construction on the school, I installed art and helped acquire and install a large model of an off shore rig, donated to the Pet. Eng. school, by one of the local energy companies here. An interesting fact. The MFAH had been using some of the warehouses for art storage. I can see the connection: Schlumberger - Menil - MFAH. I'm glad they saved this 17 building site.

Reported this to 311. They forwarded to code enforcement. Doubt anything comes of it but hey what was ever wrong with complaining?

This is what I expected but his comments really blew up online and people took it as if he had something in the works. Come on Turner! On on a related note, in my mind I’m saying screw Six Flags, we need Disney to come on in.... Think big! I’m sure there are some incentives the Mayor would throw at them. A space themed park could go really far with rides and themes. BTW I have no clue what I’m talking about.

before everyone gets all excited the mayors office already came out and said there are no current plans for the city to help bring an amusement park to town, only that the mayor would welcome a private developer to do so.

https://abc13.com/traffic/new-ramps-and-southmore-bridge-opening-this-spring/5136050/ CONNECTOR RAMPS:SH-288 SOUTHBOUND TO 610 EASTBOUND- Construction crews plan to open this ramp before the Rodeo Cookoff.SH-288 NORTHBOUND TO 610 WESTBOUND- This ramp is scheduled to open by mid-March.THE SOUTHMORE BRIDGE- The roadway bridge is expected to open in April, and the pedestrian bridge should open next year.THE SOUTH LOOP AT SH-288- You'll soon see more lanes available. Right now, it's just two lanes in each direction, but by mid-to-late April, 610 will have three lanes each way.

A light rail/commuter rail project is WAAAAAY different from the $77 billion fiasco that was the California high speed rail

Mayor Turner has been talking about (and, one presumes, working on) this for a couple years, at least. This just came out this morning: http://www.fox26houston.com/news/mayor-proposing-creation-of-permanent-amusement-park-in-houston

With nearly 300 units, this is the type of major development in this area that will help stimulate quicker development of the many empty lots up and down Navigation, Canal, and Commerce. Many of these (like the lot at Canal and N Live Oak, for example) have been listed for sale for years now. And idk, I kind of like the phrase “interesting pedestrian experience” much better than “activated pedestrian realm” or other goofy terms/phrases used to describe GFR with minimum set-backs, built right to the sidewalks. Houston could definitely use more “interesting pedestrian experiences” that don’t involve tripping on cracks in the broken sidewalks or almost getting run over while trying to cross a street.

I like the "view" from an 8 story building and the high rise life and high rise view hashtags

elnina999 has added a photo to the pool: Throughout the lobby, hallways, and even inside some guest rooms, the original iron support beams have been uncovered and made a central design feature as a nod to the hotel’s history. Made by the same workers who built the Brooklyn Bridge, the workers’ original stamp is still visible on some of the supports. JW Marriott, Houston Downtown View the full article

Any updated construction in the past few weeks by chance?

Dallas may have a "more complete rail transit system" by number of miles and number of stations, but last I checked, Houston still had a higher percentage of people using transit.

Hmmm that garage has great potential...I'll have to make a visit once it's done.

I'm not getting my hopes up considering this thread started in 2008... 😁

Awesome, reminds me of an urban Public Storage.

From this weeks planning agenda: Site Plan Section Elevation Looks like they will have ground floor retail on both canal and Navigation.

No more rebar poking out of the eastern side, probably topped out there.

Found this on ABC 13's Youtube. Coverage of the "blue bandit" parachute jump from multiple angles on the ground and in the air from 1983.