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This an extremely old thread to bump, but I saw they are ripping up the parking lot in the red outline below. This is a big chunk of land so hopefully we'll see a midrise with GFR. 🤞🤞🤞

La Calle has opened. Hefty crowd there tonight. Lots of misting fans.

I can't take my eyes off 700 Louisiana.

I mean, a 18 rail wide super commuter line would be very interesting.

As @samagon said, their actual stated mission is freeway and road development, and, as @H-Town Man man said, they used to be called the Texas Highway Department. The only reason they are called the department of transportation now is because the Texas Mass Transportation Commission, Department of Aviation, and the Texas Motor Vehicle Commission were combined into it. They do "oversee" aviation, rail, and public transportation, but that's all they do: oversee. They are the jacka-s that looks over all the other jacka-ses to tell them what they are doing wrong. They don't build airports, cities and airport authorities do (Houston's airports are owned, operated, and built by the city itself, not the state). They don't build public transport, transit authorities or cities do. They don't build rail, private companies and transit authorities do. And honestly, that's probably for the best. Its better that local authorities handle these things because they will better understand the needs of the region. Hell, judging by how much you guys hate the job TxDOT is doing with this project, do you really want them handling rail too?

I like your train of thought, but feel it ought to be at least double that size or else it’s a 7 floor building with 45, 46 and 34floor buildings on 3-sides. But yes, something that allows a little more human scale to the neighborhood so Market Square isn’t surrounded by shade inducing towers…though in August that’s not a terrible thing.

That property was owned by Consolidated Graphics Properties, a subsidiary of R R Donnely, the printing company that owned the block to the West, across Jackson. Both properties were sold in a transaction recorded on July 23, 2021 to 1702 McGowen, llc. The officer of the llc is Aspen Grey Homes from Austin. I refuse to pay the Secretary of State to search records, so I have no idea who actually runs things. I expect the printing building on the West side of Jackson will be demolished at some point.

Beautiful!

Demolition equipment on site. Looks like this one is coming down any day now.

Anyone know what is being done to it? It is surrounded by scaffolding covering the sidewalk on all sides.

All wrapped up.

I'm not sure if it's really in our culture to light up the buildings with a lot of flash. We do have a sign ordinance Downtown that doesn't allow company logos to adorn our skyscrapers. Or if the companies that reside in our buildings are conservative and don't flock to the well-lit ones vs the dark ones. Maybe a bit of both. Unless the city or renters in the towers ask for more nighttime features, it's unlikely to happen. The reason it's so dark now is the freeze. Everyone complained about Downtown "being lit up like Christmas" while people in the surrounding neighborhoods froze to death. Ever since then they haven't turned everything back on again. Also being asked to reduce power during the hot summer months have probably prompted them to stay off. We're just not a very "commercial" city. We'd prefer art to cover the blank walls of parking garages and the Wedge International Tower. Other cities would likely have a huge advertisement there. It's kind of cool not having advertisements in your face all the time. If only we could bury all the telephone poles we'd have a mighty fine city. Driving in LA or Dallas, you'll see a ton more adverts. They're really plugged in, so to speak.

Imagine what Houston would have looked like if the oil market hadn't crashed in the 80s.

While I find these nice sentiments, nobody buys a large lot like that, with the almost certain astronomical price tag is demanded, to build something like that. This is downtown Houston: big trophy towers are the name of the game and the only reason you even look to build down there. Otherwise, you could literally build that building in the picture anywhere else in the city, where its cheaper. Everything is big in Texas, and in Houston, the biggest city of them all, you go big or you go home. There will be a landmark tower on that lot, mark my words.

I was hoping someone with an inside scoop could answer this, and I know it's been asked before. I saw someone had posted this question on another forum but there didn't appear to be much knowledge on the subject. But what is the problem with downtown Houston at night? It seems very dark, bland, and underwhelming to be the State's largest city's largest skyline. It seems that the new lights installed on the Allen Tower buildings and 601 Jefferson have all joined to start the bland monotone scheme that dominated Houston's skyline during most of the aughts. The problem too is in Uptown/Galleria and Medical Center (Even Minus the Spires 😔 all are better lit). But downtown literally looks like it's lit up with candles compared to everywhere else? What's with that? And what happened to the Wells Fargo tower's lighting on it's downtown? Did it just decide to go dark altogether?

I think at one time the Axiom used to be a Askew's Drug store and the upstairs was a hotel. It later became a brothel then a liquor warehouse. I used to go to Axiom when it was open. Some up and coming bands played there including some band named Nirvana, Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo, Social Distortion and many others. https://www.houstonpress.com/music/almost-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-the-axiom-6491690 https://www.houstonpress.com/music/the-axiom-6574860

There is a medical advertisement for Trulicity (I think) that features the TMC skyline as viewed from Rice. I just noticed this while watching the Olympics on NBC (not on the other network channels), so I am not sure how long this has been on the air? [edit: it may not be trulicity? But definitely TMC skyline.]

I haven't yet.

12 rail lines for local stops and 4 rail lines for express stops.

It’s architecture like this that makes me wonder if the Menil folks hurriedly lock the doors at closing while casting a distrusting glance to the East. I imagine a haughty “humph” and a clear look of contempt is included when they spin on their heels towards their parking lot, which -mind you- is actually better design than any of the new buildings on St Thomas’ campus.

I mean TxDOT already does a bunch of tests and surveys over the course of a project along with community input, etc. They're def smart enough to find a much less intrusive route for a single commuter line. I see where the project would free up tons of land and connect downtown and midtown. A cap park would be great and that would merge Eado in with downtown. BUT I still don't believe it outweighs the cost on businesses, homes, religious buildings, etc. I always heard growing up that the Pierce Elevated was a mistake that needed to be fixed. But at this point in the city's growth and development, I think rebuilding comes with even more risk.

This is a rare time capsule Midcentury Modern over in Lazybrook. No info on the architect. But almost everything looks to be original. https://www.har.com/homedetail/2442-brooktree-dr-houston-tx-77008/7911476

Agreed. That is what Midtown, Montrose, East End, and all of the peripheral downtown neighborhoods are supposed to look like. Cut it out with the townhouses and build some real density.

https://time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2021/6079250/houston/ good stuff!

AWESOME!!!!! This is a massive historical save for this city and a true tourist attraction. Once Emancipation is rebuilt, 3rd Ward could become Houston's Harlem. The investment in 3rd Ward the past few years has been remarkable and well past due.

I wonder if it would ever be too much to hope the city would close either Preston and Congress just at the block bordering Market Square? I know it’s absurd to ponder closing a street to vehicular traffic in Houston, but it would allow Market Square to really become more connected to the surrounding blocks by eliminating thru-vehicles.

Agree with the points above. These days a huge "trophy" building wouldn't do as much as something residential/hotel to bring in foot traffic that has nice lower floors to make the street level atmosphere more appealing.

The T in TxDoT stands for Tollways.

Asbestos abatement in progress at the small building on the corner. My guess is it will be down in a couple weeks.

The Howard Hughes house will be razed. Nice. Can we raze the Menil and Rothko Chapel while we are at it? I think we need more Canes and parking lots in the area.

Here's a great silhouette of the launch site. The tall object on the far right is the Launch Integration Tower and the tall object in the center is the third test booster. Orbital Launch Mount stacking (from Elon's Twitter page).

Swimming pool permit.

Common Bond Update

Nice try Taco Bell CEO.

Exterior trim going on.

Great photo. Brochure worthy. Texas Tower shines out like Houston's signature tower.

Zuma Fun Centers is being dismantled and demolished. HCAD lists the current owner as Whiteco Industries. Same company as Whiteco Residential that develops luxury housing? What exactly is going on here?

Maybe they're shutting down central that's pretty close.

Central Automotive Group owns it. They also own Central Houston Cadillac's current location on Main.

So the parking is for the HMNS employees only.

Looks like roof is done.

The Chronicle has predicted about 25 the last 2 slowdowns; and it's always a nightmare, a disaster, a major bust.