Jump to content

MarathonMan

Full Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    367

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

 Content Type 

Everything posted by MarathonMan

  1. MarathonMan
    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/31/business/tax-opportunity-zones.html Houston made the N.Y. Times with the Texas Tower project as part of the “Opportunity Zone” tax incentive program the Trump administration instigated. I wonder how many Trump or Kushner developments will benefit from this program?? EDIT: The Preston is part of the Opportunity Zone incentive, not Texas Tower.
  2. MarathonMan
    I thought the developer was going through with the project even though the variance request was denied. There would be design changes, but the project would move forward, yes?
  3. MarathonMan
    I apologize because we’re getting off topic here. But I will add in just this one comment on what is an important side topic. I have traveled to Japan — most recently in late ‘18 — and see a very different picture. I have been all over that city and beyond. All kinds of neighborhoods. Rich, poor, touristy and local. I don’t remember seeing ANY homeless people. The sidewalks are clean. Their streets are safe (so safe, in fact, that people park their bikes on the sidewalk and don’t lock them). I’m guessing that Japan has its share of poor, mentally ill people. What are they doing differently to help these people so that they don’t live in filth on the streets, turn to drugs and resort to petty theft for money? Maybe the answer to the homeless problem at home has already been answered. Maybe we just need to study and adopt best-practices from others. Just a thought.
  4. MarathonMan
    Yes, for all it’s progress, Midtown still has a healthy population of drug dealers that prey on the homeless. However, if our community finds a way to successfully treat the homeless and get them off the street, the drug pushers would likely disappear, too.
  5. MarathonMan
    I don’t even know where to begin with this! They’re worried that the Ion will displace the homeless??? I don’t mean to be callous, but these people are, by definition, homeless. So, they can’t really be displaced. There are a myriad of places (vacant lots, sidewalks) nearby for these people to congregate if the Ion “displaces” them. And, as for it being Rice’s responsibility to house and employ the homeless simply because they currently loiter on their property, that thinking is ridiculous. Homelessness is a serious problem. No doubt. It is definitely something that needs to be addressed. But it is a PUBLIC concern and should be confronted by our community government.
  6. MarathonMan
    I’m hoping that’s the case...
  7. MarathonMan
    I love almost everything about this building, but I still don’t like that the lighting on the north face doesn’t extend all the way down to the pool level. In the rendering on Caydon’s website, it looks like that was the plan. Maybe it was a budget cut?
  8. MarathonMan
    I agree. It looks nice. But I still think the light brick on bottom doesn’t go with the red brick above. A larger, smooth limestone brick would have been better.
  9. MarathonMan
    LOL! I was thinking the same thing. Why, oh why, do trees and poles wind up in the middle of the sidewalk??? Here and elsewhere. First, in this case the sidewalks aren’t wide enough to justify planting a tree right in the middle of the walkway. Second, when these trees grow larger in a few years, you won’t be able to walk in a straight line down the sidewalk. The staggered trees will force single-file lines of people weaving back and forth. Super smart!
  10. MarathonMan
    Between the “Long Term” notation, the developer being TBD and the architect being TBD, I’d guess this one is a looooooong way off, if it ever comes to fruition at all. . .
  11. MarathonMan
    Yes, I thing the 570 and 600 ft towers are next, but I don’t think they start construction until early next year. Prep work is beginning on the sites, though. No renderings on their website, but i’d Imagine they’ll be released shortly before construction begins. They probably want to keep the focus on Drewery Place right now to get it leased as quickly as possible.
  12. MarathonMan
    Plywood fencing going up around the two blocks north of Drewery Place. They’re getting ready for the next phase!
  13. MarathonMan
    I think this is the scaffolding on the MFAH site. Northeast corner along Main St.
  14. MarathonMan
    I assume this will be a mat foundation, so they’ll probably be digging a lot deeper. Yes?
  15. MarathonMan
    I think they’re planning to start the next phase at the first of the year. Maybe they’ll demo the art supply building before that, but I’d guess they want a little time buffer to let Drewery Place grow roots before they start disrupting the neighborhood with new construction.
  16. MarathonMan
    Is there some private entity that has to request that a building be deemed historically significant and, thus, protected? Or, does the Texas Historical Commission move on its own?
  17. MarathonMan
    It baffles me that this warehouse/distribution center is a historic landmark and protected from significant alteration while the Kirby Mansion in Midtown is unprotected and ripe for demolition if it’s new owner sees fit.
  18. MarathonMan
    I saw on Emporis today that they list the construction cost of some, but not all, developments. 3300 Main comes in at $70M, The Driscoll is listed at $150M, and Drewery Place a whopping $200M! Just by looking at it, it is easy to tell that Drewery Place is high-quality, but WOW! Two questions to those who are well-versed on high-rise construction: (1) How reliable are the numbers on Emporis? and (2) Is there really that much of a range in construction cost for similar-sized buildings? If the answer is yes, I’m a little scared at what the final product at 3300 Main will look like!
  19. MarathonMan
    A 20 year build-out seems reasonable if you compare East River to City Center. They’re still expanding City Center, and it has been operational for many years. I’m guessing East River will be similar. It will exist and be functioning well before the 20 year time frame. It will just continue to grow in scale year-by-year. From a business standpoint it makes sense. Grow slowly, invest slowly, and start generating revenue sooner.
  20. MarathonMan
    Market Square Tower looks pretty ghostly, too. I think One Market Square is an inevitability. It’s just a matter of “When?”
  21. MarathonMan
    I don’t disagree. I just think the lighting scheme in the picture looks unfinished. If you’re going to have the light shining into the upper floors, why not the lower?
  22. MarathonMan
    Is it just me, or does it look strange that the lights don’t extend down the length of the tower? Do you think they will, eventually, extend all the way down?
  23. MarathonMan
    I’ve wondered the same thing. To put four towers on the two blocks north of this building will definitely impact the views. . . The question is, how much?
  24. MarathonMan
    LOL! It’s good to dream. 🤣
  25. MarathonMan
    Unlike the Galleria, though, Sawyer yards incorporates both indoor and outdoor space, and the two interact well with each other. The Galleria gives the public zero exterior experience. Sawyer Yards is far beyond the Galleria in terms of overall scope.
×
×
  • Create New...