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I visited Houston for the first time since Thanksgiving 2019, and managed to snap a few picks of the building as I was coming down I-45. Got to say, its one handsome building, and you can really see how wide it looks compared to the JP Morgan Chase Building:

Here's what the facility will look like The Houston Spaceport is really becoming a hub of activity, another major tenant will be announced this month and will build a 125,000 sf facility to support 250 jobs. In addition, a new EDGE center is being planned. With the unnamed development, Axiom, and Collins, 1500 jobs will be created at the spaceport. https://communityimpact.com/houston/bay-area/development/2021/06/02/houston-spaceport-to-one-day-house-new-larger-training-facility/

A new chain link fence is being installed around the currently unfenced - and homeless encampment - at this location.

Via Arch Aerial

I think it does have its own lighting system, yes. Its why its see through glass and not something else. In other news, my trip to Houston ended and I caught some more pics on the way out: Despite how imposing the building is from the northern approach, its prominence is rather miniscule from the southern TX-288/I-69 approach. It seems JP Morgan is just enough to hide it in most angles:

You'd think, right? I'm a 39-year reservoir engineer working for a small O&G company. This current price helps, but it doesn't cause us to celebrate yet. My personal opinion is that 80 to 85 $/STB will be the break-through price. But even then, the big question is, will it hold or fold? Unfortunately, too many of the necessary rigs and service equipment have been stacked and sat unmaintained to corrode beyond use. Service personnel have mostly gone on to other careers or retired and new bodies can't be hired and trained fast enough to do anything for years. Even the operating companies laid off too many folks and now aren't staffed to support a substantial and increased capital program. Plus, with the oil price being so volatile over recent history and many companies having been burned too many times by unstable prices, these companies may be reluctant now to spend tons of capital to ramp up facilities for long-term growth opportunities because these intensive capital projects may not pay out before the next price plummet. Kids too are reluctant to pursue petroleum engineering and geoscience majors now because of job and hiring risk. I didn't steer either of my kids into the industry, and thankfully, they pursued other interests as they've both enjoyed steady employment.

All these boxes are glass waiting to be installed.

Windows have been installed.

Underground parking is still available.

Demolition day 2.

webcam https://app.oxblue.com/open/houstonfirst/lynnwyattsq

Does anyone know if there's ever been any discussion of getting lighting on the Columbia Tap Trail? At this point, with the traffic it receives, it seems like a no-brainer. Jogging or riding it after dark still feels a little touch-and-go. Who would even be the agency responsible for getting it done?

Those curbs would be so much better used for bike lanes.

Hopefully it's better than 609 Main.

https://abc13.com/science/120k-square-foot-campus-breaking-ground-at-houston-spaceport/10756941/

They haven't blocked the bicycle lane on Lamar so far but they closed off the lane for cars on Crawford but left the bike lane there. Entire area has the construction fencing.

Okey-dokey, oil is pushing $70 a barrel. Is it party time again?

WOW!

Very unfortunate time to being doing dirt work - no real opportunity to dry out the site.

I know someone that has pushed on this quite a bit and y'all are going to love the response. It is considered park space (like the Bayou Greenway trails as well) and they are technically closed from dusk until dawn and adding lights would only encourage their use outside of park hours. Yes, I do think that something might be done eventually, specifically with Columbia Tap, but it is going to take a policy change. I believe local politicians/etc are on board, but it isn't funded and still technically against the rules. I was asking once about the Bayou Greenway trails and whose rules even apply (wanted to ride my electric scooter yet the signs say no motor vehicles, blah blah blah) and when I asked about the hours they said that no one is enforcing so go right ahead. I'm white, but that is the perfect situation where POC get hassled over stupid BS. If you want it to be legal, then make it legal.

East End Management District would be a good option I would think. Not for the whole trail, but at least their portion.

man, I read that and think whoever wrote that was an a-hole! ha, that wasn't at all how I intended it to sound, 12 years later. thanks for bumping this, I am very unsure on who would be the right person/group to handle lighting. that path has become very high use, and could do with some lighting, for sure. overall, the city is doing well with the East End and alternative transportation options. the Polk, Leeland, and Cullen improvements are awesome! looking at the overall bike plan, there is more to come as well.

Paging @wilcal, I feel like he'd know best. The part through TSU (I know its only a bit) does have lights, so theres that. I thought they used some federal money to help complete it, but I'm not sure if its the houston parks and rec or the City that would be responsible.

in order to pay for something, you do need cash in hand. so yes, there is a bond that is sold, which for the purposes of this discussion, it is the same as a loan (the difference between a loan and a bond is that the bond can be traded). so yes, they are both borrowing money that need to be paid back. the thing is, the government pays for their loan by collecting taxes, where this company will pay back their loan the same way any other company does, which is by selling products.

Will the crown light up?

Outta sight! It's like a taller, brighter, flatter, reversed outward Pennzoil Tower. Nice work, Hines.

Notice the tire booties on the extended boom forklift, this keeps it from leaving tire marks all over the concrete floor. https://www.tirebooties.com

I was thinking the same thing! Finally some attention to pedestrians

Hopefully, the finished product will change my opinion on this, but to say I don't like the current configuration of the 610 southbound to 59 would be a massive understatement. As it is now, there is one lane to exit 59 northbound. I really hope we will end up with two lanes exiting there (one exit only) and another two lanes exiting for 59 southbound (one exit only). Otherwise, this is going to be a fiasco. Also, I just don't get how they get away with having 6 years to work on a project as intrusive on our daily lives as this. This is the busiest intersection in the Southwestern United States, and one of the busiest intersections in North America. The entire 23 mile stretch of the Katy Freeway (the world's widest freeway) took 6 years to build, including ramps at 610, Beltway 8 and the Grand Pkwy...plus adding toll lanes and stations. Yet, not only is this taking 6 years to build, they pretty much tore up every part of the intersection one day one. Why not work on one ramp at a time...tear up that area, put like 200 guys out there...get it done in a week or two and then move on to tear up/redo the next one? Same goes for how we "manage" our road projects in general. Right now, parts of the West Loop, SW Fwy, South Loop, South Fwy, Gulf Fwy and parts of the Beltway are all simultaneously under construction. Why not put all of those resources on one project at a time...finish that project in a fraction of that time...and then move on to the next project before tearing anything up, much less all of these areas at the same time and for years at a time?

Garage almost done.

I finally talked with the sign twirlers near Sandman St, I asked how long he was there and how much they paid him. He said he is there for 7 hrs and makes $20 per hour. Said it's a good job for a young guy and a great work out. This is the guy near Shepherd and Memorial. Sandman guy says they switch halfway thru their sift and this one is has way more traffic and more of a workout.