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Luminare

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Everything posted by Luminare

  1. Luminare
    For me its always driving 610 through the Galleria/Uptown. It really paints a picture of change. Going to try to make it out here next year from this past April, and I'm sure I'll still be surprised at the changes.
  2. Luminare
    Whenever I hear the 2-3 months thrown around I'm sure that was the case 10 years ago when not much was being built. Its been 5-6 months for awhile now, even back when I was still in Houston, and in some cases 5-6 months (sometimes 4) was the best you could hope for with an EXPEDITOR! The permit office simply doesn't have the staff for the volume they get. Its crazy.
  3. Luminare
    me skimming this thread page...
  4. Luminare
    Wow, now that is one beefy set of girders... EDIT: I was just fantasizing about the coordination meeting when architecture presented this to structure. Arch: We want this large column free space, and want this nice and open, oh and there is also a space above this. Structure: Well if you want to do that then more than likely we will need to manufacture a custom steel girder with a depth of 6'... Arch: Yeah we want one of those. Is that a problem? Structure: Not a problem, its just expensive. Arch: I've been told money is not an issue. Structure: Okay, if you say so...
  5. Luminare
    because new space with up-to-date amenities in prime locations will always trump older facilities and older amenities or no amenities. I don't expect the work at home trend to last much longer once companies downsize due to the likelihood of a recession, and the first people that will be cut are people that refuse to work at the office. Its a fantasy to think work from home in all cases in a bloated economy, and a workforce at full employment that work from home would be the "normal". You only get away with that during good times when no matter what you do even if you are a zombie company you still make money. When times get tough, and they will soon, the most expendable will lose out and those are people who make the most demands while at the same time not making the most tangible contribution to a company. Same even with office space. There is a lot of spec office stock, but once you really look at location, age, and amenities most of that freed up space isn't real, and the actual number is more in line with where the actual need is.
  6. Luminare
    From architectural designers perspective, on the road to licensure, if the architect allows it then yes. This is because even with large development companies the "instruments of service" are the sole property of the Architect. If the development company knows they are going to do a project of similar type they could certainly ask the architect for permission to use materials from another project that they have done. At the office I work at now we have been using a template from one project for another the last few projects but that is only possible because we own the IP. I'm sure that's also in this case. If they took down the photo that might mean either the project is canceled, or they have signed a new contract with the Architect to actually develop the real project, and the architect wishes to have the prior images taken down as their original purpose is no longer required.
  7. Luminare
    Incredible the projects rolling out right now. I've never seen such activity. Project drop after project drop. Insane.
  8. Luminare
    With what has been shown materials-wise in the renders, the views, and amenities, I wouldn't be shocked to see base case for one would be $1mil per unit. For an entire floor? maybe $8-10mil?
  9. Luminare
    You sound like a person that imagines a world as it "should" be. I see a world for what it is. There are many things we can do to better it. My thinking on matters like this is, if you have an opportunity to change the rules of the game then change it. If you can't change then rules master them, bend them when you can and play to win. I'm a pragmatist. Not an idealist. I have to work within constraints to get what I want in my field. Only those without constraints can afford to be idealist (the very young, and the very wealthy). If you aren't any of those then the most effective approach to a world that doesn't make sense is to be a pragmatist. Read what I said again. I say "One can like it or not, but this is just how the game is played and how things work." is very different from me promoting this practice or supporting this. I don't know if you know this but a poor person has never approached me to build anything. My discipline plays by a clients terms (typically they are wealthy or have money to build something). Not mine. You are also free to call out nonsense and hypocrisy, as I do all the time on this forum and real life, but don't forget that these organizations don't care about hypocrisy or nonsense either. They care about their social position and money. Once you have that in mind you can approach these matters in a way where you aren't motivated by emotion (because an abstract organization isn't a human being with emotion), but by reason. Reason that maybe can push organizations to change. You sound like someone who wants change. Maybe actually look at what brings change. Know how the game is played, then master it, then change it.
  10. Luminare
    Its called corporate speak and yes even non-profits do this. This is a clear case of what happens when you don't remember this and try to place your own expectations on what they are saying or have been saying. This was never supposed to be a community center. The original RFP specifically stated that this was supposed to be their HQ and for their use only....and of course their "stakeholders" which is basically the same as a shareholder except not only does the non-profit function like a corporation, but is tax exempt, but also the funds that go to the non-profit count as donations and are also tax-exempt. When they say "the neighborhood" they mean what "they" think the neighborhood should or will be. When they say "the bayou" its what "they" think the bayou should or will be. When they talk about their mission they are talking about their mission "now" not "Jesse Jones vision". When they use any kind of environmentalist or progressive jargon....what they really mean is...please give us money because we are one of you (meaning people with money). This is the nature of mission companies, corporations, and non-profits. One can like it or not, but this is just how the game is played and how things work. In this current day and age they aren't doing anything out of the ordinary than what every one else is doing which is finding what narrative and position will give them the best chance to succeed, and most importantly give them the most money (although its tough to know with how warped social media interpretations of what is popular or not, or manipulated, but that's a discussion for another thread). If you don't like the direction this organization is heading then make it known, and not just with your voice, but with your wallet. These groups are not as ideologically adherent to one thing as people might think. A non-profit needs two things to exist, a crisis or situation that is never resolved or finished, and your money.
  11. Luminare
    If this does fail at the very least what we got out of it is a court precedent where you don't have to have rail to be a "railroad". That fight alone pushed this project back by 3-4 years. Not going to get away with it the next time. So at least there is that.
  12. Luminare
    I've been torn as well, but I think its wise to leave it and reinvent it. I like cities that tell stories of their past. The Pierce Elevated should stand as a monument to what was seen as trial blazing for a time, and an achievement, to the next generation who look upon it with disgust, but then reinvent it to what they perceive as the next best way, and I'm sure in 20-30 years we will be doing the same thing again, but with something else. When something is completely scrubbed then we lose that piece of our history, and unfortunately it might mean it gets repeated again. I really enjoyed Berlin in Germany for the same thing. Its really interesting just how many different interventions and interpretations of the Berlin Wall there are. Some areas only mark it with one line of bricks, other sections remain as it were, but have been converted to art pieces, and one section is exactly as it was before the wall fell to show the scale and it lends perspective of those from that time, and a reminder to those in the future of what not to do. I'm really curious about our interpretation of Pierce. At the end of the day its about execution. Will the city pick a firm that knows what its doing and make this definitively Houston. Remains to be seen.
  13. Luminare
    I don't see the issue. If some see it as an issue its only like this on high profile, large projects. I'd say keep it how it is.
  14. Luminare
    Absolutely. Bullish on that whole area going forward. Not optimistic as a whole on real estate next few years, but long term, if I have money on the sidelines I would definitely throw some into East End.
  15. Luminare
    Much needed too. I've hiked that trail to at least Marron Park. It gets so spotty in a few areas. Would definitely be a lasting transformation if implemented.
  16. Luminare
    For better or for worse. This is what happens when cultures are integrated into mainstream culture. Their are tradeoffs. In the effort to be treated like everyone else, which I believe to be the right course, it does mean that something will be sacrificed and that is the homogenous culture built to shelter those within that culture from those who didn't want them. Gays no longer have only Montrose to go. They can go and feel comfortable anywhere they want. That will lead to what has been happening in Montrose now. People like to talk about how they want progress, but forget that the only way we know how to make progress is by leaving something behind. In this case what used to be Montrose will not be Montrose in the future. Just how I've observed everything from the outside looking in.
  17. Luminare
    Like I've done with my edit. I'll say in response to this. It is what it is. If someone wants to waste time implying intent then thats their business. I can't control that. We've had our differences in other threads. To me that doesn't matter. Each discussion is a new discussion. Same applies to who my meme was aimed at.
  18. Luminare
    It is what it is. If the conversation changes then I'm open to listening.
  19. Luminare
    Exactly this. If this was a thread on the theoretical, I'm all game to have fun spit-balling ideas, even far reaching that could only be achieved with top-down control (play Cities Skylines maybe?), but its just that a thought experiment. Implementation and execution is another story, and in this thread we are talking about a project that requires actual execution. Not to mention anytime I see anyone talk about these types of ideas in the theoretical, one seems to always forget that at the end of the day the execution is going to be done by a human being. We are fallible, we can be easily corrupted, and easily lose control over ideas and systems we propose, construct, or run. Any time I see this play out I remember in my teens and 20's when I thought I knew everything, and my response in my head would be "well you failed because its you, but when I get power I'll know better." Talk about a recipe for disaster. From living in Germany then coming back to Houston, and then now living in Salt Lake City and revisiting Houston recently our highway system is actually really great. The problem isn't organization, its just the load its subjected too, as you pointed, in peak hours. Banning, replacing, or taking away isn't the answer. The answer is multiplicity. Each transport has its use, right? Can Houston become more flexible, and precise in its transportation structure? I think so, but we need to move away from these two radial "do or die" factions. I guess you can call one MassTransitstan, and Autostan? haha. There is a compromise in the middle, and we can get there without thinking the world is a zero-sum game.
  20. Luminare
    Well this certainly wouldn't classify as a Rehabilitation. If anyone wants to know what I mean: https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/treatment-guidelines-2017.pdf Its the Secratary of the Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. I don't think this house is listed as a "historic" building, but these standards can be applied to ones not listed Federal, State, or local. What shocks me is the the elimination of windows on the front facade. One can understand eliminating windows on a secondary or rear facade for the sake of whatever new use you are incorporating, but whether one is redoing anything historical or not, to do what they are doing on the front facade is straight up dumb. Look I don't have the as-builts, or whatever drawings they had to create during field measurements, but there is no way this was the best and only option.
  21. Luminare
    Is that portal up top Jesus's personal entry haha. Who needs the sports car in the rendering when you can go through the portal via god rays.
  22. Luminare
    I work in this industry and trust me I don't like how long things take either. I think I posted in another thread about a job I know about where the punch list items, basically the wrapping up of the project, has taken around 1-2 years! Not a complicated job either. This is also currently a contractors market, many are slammed or fully booked. Sometimes windows to squeeze a project in no matter how small or easy it might seem, and when that time window shuts it drag things for awhile. This project might have been done 3 years ago, but the testing of the BRT was only done 1-2 years ago, and probably any punch list items with that project I'd imagine have only been recently completed with the past year or so. I certainly missed the rings when I was driving do the Boulevard in April when I revisited Houston. Hopefully they can get them done. Maybe call some people related to this for an update? Make yourself vocal? You'd be surprised what happens when you are thorn in someone's side.
  23. Luminare
    If I had to guess, maybe some coordination issues? Its a private installation over a public right-of-way and now over public transit infrastructure, so it might be a discussion regarding that. I have no clue btw. Just a hunch.
  24. Luminare
    Thanks my friend. Help me bring in more meme's haha. I've been trying to invest in more meme's and bringing them to the forum for a couple years now. I need help! Simple ways of communicating are often the best, right?
  25. Luminare
    This is actually even better news, because its the really really big lot south of where you think it is. "But wait, there's more!"
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