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Purdueenginerd

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Everything posted by Purdueenginerd

  1. Purdueenginerd
    There is still an older 1930's era post office at the site. Go back to my comments in May 2018 and you'll see the aerial shots of it.
  2. Purdueenginerd
    One thing Intown does well is their combination of Brick Veneers/Eifs/Stucco. I'd still be skittish of purchasing a stucco facade home, but I do think that combo is attractive. These houses are similar to the ones being built on the west side of Cottage Grove, Also an in-town development.
  3. Purdueenginerd
    Yeah, I've been pretty impressed by this development. Little structural engineering tidbit here. The original building is a pre-fab metal building. These buildings are common for warehouses and small factories. Now what makes them kind of interesting is that companies that manufacture these pre-fab metal buildings design them right up to the limits of the code: At the time of construction. This is important, because if a metal building was put up in 1980, the entire wind resisting system would have (likely) been designed right up to 99 percent utilization, in accordance to the code at the time. Fast forward to 2019. The Engineer would have been changing the wind profile of the building and changin the occupancy category. Two items that trigger and update of the wind resisting system of the building. For a building like this: That is expensive! I've had a few projects with these metal buildings that never got off the ground once the real costs started to dawn on owners. I think my favorite story with metal was when owners purchased a prefab metal building in 2002, but didnt build it. Then in 2018, tried to build it. CoH didnt allow the permit with drawings signed in sealed over a decade ago until it was validated under modern code provisions. I remember our fee to upgrade the building was sufficiently high that the owners elected to sell the old metal building to someone under less restrictive wind-code and just buy a brand new one. Anyway, long story short, neat and likely difficult project.
  4. Purdueenginerd
    I reside about 5 minutes from this development, I know the developers were on the local neighborhood facebook group scheduling and discussing a hard-hat tour a few days ago. If I see any photos online I'll bring them over.
  5. Purdueenginerd
    Looks like theyre doing a little bit of green streets/water retention system at the front there. Thats nice.
  6. Purdueenginerd
    Ive had design projects that were broken into Phase I and Phase II... and by the time drawings got issued for both, the owner/contractor elected to start with Phase II. Though in this case, I think @urbannizer is correct.
  7. Purdueenginerd
    @LuminareGreat map. Do you need help with this? Theres a bunch of smaller projects in Midtown/heights, etc forums that arent necessarily in the "going up" forum.
  8. Purdueenginerd
    I dont believe its as simple as consumer preferences. Though that dynamic does play into some peoples decisions--- I think the more real reason is merely economics. Single Family homes inside the city are still relatively cheap compared to cities of similar size. In my opinion, that depresses demand for condominium housing.
  9. Purdueenginerd
    I love it - Great photo! I have all those P200 Series pencils as well. However I dont use them as often, more of my field pencils. I'll have to check out the Pentel graph 1000.
  10. Purdueenginerd
    Yep, Ive definitely ridden by you on Strava in the past @hindesky . I'm too chicken to reveal my name here... but if I see you on strava i'll shoot you a message and say hello.
  11. Purdueenginerd
    My preferred pencil for Calcs and hand sketches. https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-GraphGear-Automatic-Drafting-PG525A/dp/B0006HXQXA/ref=pd_nav_hcs_rp_3/132-6079608-3184022?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0006HXQXA&pd_rd_r=5911a193-1dc9-4a8e-a9ed-f011b52fcb4f&pd_rd_w=zk5q2&pd_rd_wg=JorHd&pf_rd_p=e2b07937-4c65-432e-8b25-e6411ed7f503&pf_rd_r=AR9E0YTJ07MKC91FFTM0&psc=1&refRID=AR9E0YTJ07MKC91FFTM0 I have a 0.5, 0.3, 0.7 mm, 0.9mm pencils. For pens I use the Pilot Precise V5s, I have multiple colors. I have a weird process that I have to exhaust all the ink in a pen before starting on the next pen. My pens get beat up as a result, but my system works haha.
  12. Purdueenginerd
    "I Put a building within a building! TV's on all the walls!"
  13. Purdueenginerd
    Houston Wouldnt let me upload New Orleans screen shot, but their blocks vary in size. I found a sort of consistent area that had perimeter of 1426 ft
  14. Purdueenginerd
    Crock, Theyre messing with you precisely because you take the bait and take things way too seriously. Next time just post a sarcastic reply like, "You better be praying phillip!" and it'll come off a lot better. Your response has validated their humor at your expense. Roll with the punches dude. /unsolicited advice.
  15. Purdueenginerd
    Award winning Sushi restaurants are so 2008!
  16. Purdueenginerd
    Odd. Maybe a procedure they have in place for temporary foundations/Helical Piles.
  17. Purdueenginerd
    That actually looks like a deep foundation tensile load test to me. (pdf of ASTM test : http://www.centurionfondation.com/fr/pdf/ASTM-D3689_07.pdf )Next to the machinery are helical piles. So they might installing helical piles for the crane, and then subsequently load testing it? Either way, its a little odd to me. Normally I see those tests done if 1) theres a problem with the foundation you just placed. or 2: you're reusing the "deep foundation" of a previous or existing building. Code requires a load test. I'm skeptical the old chase bank had deep foundation thats useable for a much taller building. Maybe they want to load test their helical piles... I dont know. Curious images.
  18. Purdueenginerd
    Since then theres been another small office building 3-4 story put up adjacent to the lot. Dont think theres a thread for the other building.
  19. Purdueenginerd
    Eh, I hate to get into blanket critique of architecture firms as some of them have hired me in the past. Craftsmen homes, while nice when renovated, are not that unique I'm not of the opinion that Architecture of the buildings in Heights is that particularly unique either. Some of it is elegant, sure. That being said, the move away from the "Craftsmen" style of 1920's architecture started in 1930. The critique that architecture in the heights must or attempt to comply with the appearance of single family homes is one that hasnt been followed in decades. Even within that area, we have Houston Heights Tower, We have Heights House down the road, St Josephs Hospital, and heights lasik center (the black office building behind the hospital and nearly on the same block). All of those buildings appear to be 1950's to 1970's and typical construction /architecture of the era. My opinion is that all those multi-story buildings in the area are 'bland', but in my opinion dont really detract from the area. Densification(not sure thats real word) is occuring in Houston, and developments like this are part of this. This new building isnt going to make any magazines, but its certainly an improvement from a 1970's era 1 story retail bank and surface parking lot.
  20. Purdueenginerd
    Those outlines might be the grade beams for the (formerly) existing parking garage.
  21. Purdueenginerd
    I'm sure they'll find a place. I frequent that place a decent amount. Will miss it, if it finally goes.
  22. Purdueenginerd
    I know the Google Maps 3D models of Houston are pretty far behind, dont know who handles or if its done by an army of volunteers...
  23. Purdueenginerd
    Rode by it on my bike ride on Sunday Morning, Figured I'd contribute my rare cycling photo. Must have missed you @hindesky
  24. Purdueenginerd
    I feel bad for those guys. I had a project a few months ago on several older water towers where the city(not in houston) had lost the original drawings and wanted to analyze the towers. I was on a 100' lift for about 2 weeks. Photo below is @ about 70'. Anyway long story short, anytime we moved that sucker it felt like it bounced around 1'-2'. Made my knees shake every-time.
  25. Purdueenginerd
    On my leisure bike rides I routinely will photograph and report potholes and busted signs on the 311 app. The city actually does a decent job executing fixes (if its within their jurisdiction). Report that pothole if you can, it'll get filled relatively quickly.
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