I think we all thought we were getting a "Baseball Village" similar to the ones surrounding the ball park in other MLB cities.

What is taking the Astros so long...hasn't Crane owned the Astros for almost 15 years now?

53 minutes ago, MidCenturyMoldy said:

I don't disagree with you, but I think it should be remembered that much of what is found in the "great urban centers" is geared toward tourists.  

tourist come BECAUSE of the urban environment created by the locals.

there are hundreds of mid size city/town examples throughout Europe or South America.

3 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Aren't you the guy who was hating on Regent Square a while back because they were leasing to a nail spa, a sauna and a Clean Juice?

EXACTLY...nothing screams Urban Synergy more than a sauna and a nail spa.

The juice spot, ice cream shop and workout space, I can live with

Have you ever been to the great urban centers in the world?

They have "casual" food/drink spots that spill over into the street...the square...the piazza...the green space...the plaza, etc. then, from there..you "sprinkle" in select retail, entertainment, fitness then..a few select high end restaurants for those with greater means.

There is a reason why the only tenant doing well is the Flight Club (food + drinks + games).

Why is this soooo hard for Houstonians to understand?

Not Rocket Science...only to us here, apparently. Other cities seem to allow this to happen almost organically...but not us

Hell, or even create a mixed use development with an anchor HEB tenant "supporting" the other live/eat/play elements and you will have a ton of foot traffic.

I'm still hoping a developer/ HEB is eyeing this for a spot on West Gray to overtake the nearby Kroger.

The actual Krogers site, the Post Office site or the shopping center site at West Gray/Dunlavy could be candidates.

11 hours ago, Fortune said:

I believe the goal of this development is to be a high-end mixed-use development. They are catering to the River Oaks crowd, not the crowd that would make up the average "synergistic high traffic urban center". The casual dining options you are seeking aren't willing to pay to lease out these spaces. The type of urban center you are seeking will most likely take place on the east side of downtown. Places like East River and East Blocks.   

..and that is exactly the reason why places like Regent Square will fail.

You don't go from NOTHING to high end without going through the proper tenant steps first.

River Oaks shopping center had plenty of "average tenants" before the MARKET stated they can support high end restaurants...and so they slowly upgraded LITTLE- BY LITTLE bur they STILL have very busy casual options like La Madeline and others

The lawns in both Regent Square and Autry Park are D-E-A-D because they fail to understand that urban synergy leads to high end rent.

City Centre understood this..parts of the river Oaks District understood this, parts didn't

2 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

This development had studios for $2,200 a month and 1 bed 1 baths for $3,300. A $100 a person place is a regular hangout for people like that. 

..and Regent Square is ghost town and Pastore and Georgia James are about to close and Autry Park may face the same challenges with those type of tenants for these type of projects.

1 hour ago, jmitch94 said:

This development had studios for $2,200 a month and 1 bed 1 baths for $3,300. A $100 a person place is a regular hangout for people like that. 

Regardless..it's not creating Urban Synergy.

1 hour ago, AS_ said:

Either this or Georgia James falls in a year or two, I just can't see both of these staying open a block away from each other with Brasserie 19, Perry's, Andiron, Federal, Brenner's, and Laurenzo's also just a hop skip away. (His own B&B Butchers, Flemings, and Doris also in the area).

 

Or maybe there's a regular demand for upscale steakhouses and I'm an idiot?

WHY IN THE WORLD are these mixed use Urban developments, with many 1 bedroom units AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT, leasing out their restaurant spaces to $100 a person places like Georgia James, MF Sushi, or Turner's Cut?

Go to any synergistic high traffic urban center and you find a number of "casual" dining options for the urban loving people that are looking for something they grab and hang out in the adjacent urban space

Grab a slice of pizza, grab a cocktail, grab a taco, etc. and HANG OUT.

Leasing to the like of Georgia James and Turner's Cut and Pastore are going to kill these developments.

There is a reason why The Flight Club is still going strong...it creates Urban Synergy!

The casual Mexican Restaurant going into Regent Square is MUCH better!

So does nearby Piggys Kitchen

I mean, Autry Park leased a space to a high end boot maker fronting their green space.....what?

How are they continuing to get the selection of Urban center retail spaces wrong?

8 hours ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

Pastore closed over the weekend. The Italian restaurant from Underbelly Hospitality was located in Regent Square at 1180 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.

Houston Chronicle reports the restaurant group may consider opening another concept in its place. In the meantime, "the restaurant will be used as an event space for the steakhouse Georgia James, which is located next door in Regent Square."

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture/restaurants-bars/article/pastore-houston-restaurant-closing-19362626.php

good, it was horrible.

Underbelly didn't not invest too much in either of their restaurants here...I hope they both go away.

At least, the Mexican Restaurant is investing in the design of the building

Pastore closed because it was horrible. Georgia James may/may not fail because Under Belly went cheap on the build out (we all saw the balcony space) plus they had little to work with in what they were given (design/layout/aesthetics)

At least Mexican Sugar is trying to invest in the Architectural facade so I'll give them credit for that.
Regent Square will ultimately fail because the DRAMATICALLY turned a Autry Park level high quality development into a poorly planned, poorly executed strip center.

We all saw what was original planned and the attention to detail of the original version of this project.

This version, they went C-H-E-A-P and even rushed through the things that could have been avoided. We can all see the condenser units on the roof. Why not increase the parapet to cover them. Just makes this development pure trash.

Now Autry Park..what is it with these tenants not understanding "Urban Living". I walked into MF Sushi and not only were they not ready for To-Go Orders, I was shocked to find out that a basic Lobster Roll cost $30..for ONE. Hot dog bun size. Those are like $5 at any urban park in New England. No 'To-Go' for a development surrounded by 1 bedroom units in a urban park type of development...really??

I'm thinking the Village is successful because they know what they are and who they serve.

Regent Square is a disaster..especially this project STARTED in 2007!

Well...this means this project isn't happening anytime soon.

When the other Firness tenant closed I thought it could be because there was a demo schedule in place and the landlord was refusing to renew leases.

That doesn't appear to be the case

2 minutes ago, astrohip said:

I'm literally looking down on this now. Nothing. Nada. The only activity is the water slowly receding from the rains last week.

Exactly...not even prep to break ground and I just checked and Transwestern is not ramping up their job listings to work on this project.

Just a little bold for a company to announce that. many of the their workers won't even be there anymore when the move!

46 minutes ago, texan said:

From the RNR Bulletin:

“Occidental Petroleum Corp. is planning to relocate employees into a new office campus that will be constructed on the R.O. development near the northwest corner of Richmond Avenue and Buffalo Speedway, according to people in the real estate community. A few years ago, OXY signed a lease for 972,145 SF in the Five and Three Greenway Plaza buildings until 2031. OXY is expected to move into the new R.O. building in 2027 or 2028. … ”

Not sure of Ralph Bivins’ accuracy or track record but this is huge if true.

....they haven't even broke ground.

They can plan, but nobody seems to be in a rush to get this thing built but good news they will move in to this unbuilt project in 3-4 years IF they break ground before the summer.

I see that EOS is expanding into the old Fitness build-out near Salata, on West gray.

I'm assuming the EOS in the Allen is remaining and they are adding a second location in this area?

2 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Hines does not own the property.

Project Green: Mixed-Use Development On Allen Parkway By Hines

16 hours ago, hindesky said:

It's a funeral home and cemetery company, I wouldn't expect it to be splashy. They specialize in somber.😵☠️🤷‍♂️

I don't care about the company...it's a prominent site ON ALLEN PARKWAY that Hines owns..they can choose to go with another client that fits a design worthy of this location so close to the new Ismaili Center.

Build your coffin company glass box building in a Pearland surface parking lot shopping center next to Texas Roadhouse, Kohls and a Chik-Fil-A.

What a dud of a project for such a prominent site.

Great addition fro Austin  🤣

17 hours ago, monarch said:

i have ALWAYS been a PROUD houstonian ever since i moved here back in the early eighties... right out of high school and into college. 

Wait I thought you went to college in Austin?

2 hours ago, hindesky said:

Plans are starting to solidify

Huh?!?!

Developer?

When are they putting the needles back on?

On 12/21/2023 at 8:53 PM, 004n063 said:

I'll take sides:

Rich Oaky Boulevardiers trying to paint themselves as the victims in their fight against densification in a ridiculously suburban neighborhood two miles from the center of the country's fourth largest city will never not be funny.

They should have put their efforts into establishing zoning or a city plan instead of fighting a single project within the inner city of the most notorious US cities for NOT having too many land use regulations. 

Can't live within walking distance of Rice/Museum District/Herman Park/Kirby and then get mad when YOUR un zoned city develops around where you live.

...and for the record, zoning and a city plan were still NOT on the ballot during the local elections last month

No Movement...A lot of projects are on hold right now.

The University of Houston is a great example of a reverting "district" in Houston.

The Campus was initially designed for the car to get people in and out, its now taken steps to be a more pedestrian campus and even bigger pedestrian friendly improvements are on the way!

I just receive a notification that they plan to release their new master plan in January 2024!

This is just one example of how the hundreds of mini districts in Houston are starting to use the connective tissue to become more pedestrian friendly.

Bumper to bumper traffic on the freeways is not sustainable.