iah77

There's literally a 6 story free garage that's is literally a 3 min walk max from any store in the entire complex. Is reserving 3-5 spots for big anchors really a dumb idea considering most people go there for a specific store? Someone going to Brasserie 19 is most likely not going to Gap or the gym equipment store under Americas. So many people here like to call big developers dumb but don't exactly seem to be successful developers. Market forces don't always match our ideals

This technically is not even a publicly funded park and a majority of inhabitants of the surrounding zip codes are not even traditional nuclear "families" so sound a bit entitled. A lot of people don't enjoy being around a bunch of people's screaming children so shouldn't there be amenities that address their interest?

It's insider but it's TIRZ 17 has a few of the reports on their website. This is the project:

http://www.houstontirz17.org/files/9214/3075/1677/TC_TRC_Presentation_06-02-2014.pdf

and this is a blog that summarizes it nicely:

http://www.microscopehouston.com/west-houston-gets-a-roundabout/

There's a huge amount of corruption involved in building that traffic circle in that image that is going to commence soon involving the local TIRZ that is paying 30 million dollars to build it for Midway and teardown a portion of the garage they already have an easement for... Like how did Midway even build on it in the first place. Once those works are complete phase 3 can start. Love the project but they should all be in jail:D!

On 2/10/2017 at 10:14 AM, KinkaidAlum said:

There have been rumors they've signed a possible lead tenant. The bad news is it's a firm relocating from another downtown tower is what I am hearing. Would love to bring one of those Energy Corridor/Woodlands companies back to downtown. 

Bank of America:D

Ignoring market situations and pretending demand will fix them creates big messes like the 4th ward and south midtown where people build houses in fortress like clusters instead of being open and welcoming. The way they are building now will be extremely hard to fix in the future not facing anything and with small cracked sidewalks and little foliage. Unsafe cities with growing demand and population lead to the urban structures that your see you in central Sao Paulo or Guatemala City which is not exactly what I think people would want for Midtown. There is a serious  public health crisis in the area and these little centers are not the solution, they are more like insurance lope hole scams. [ work in healthcare here:) ]. The city needs to help these people and get them off the streets in a more serous manner. 

There is a huge difference between sprinkling these across a city versus concentrating them in one single area creating an LA style skid row. A housing complex is not the same thing as a clinic like this and housing project in those cities serve a wide range of people versus the one's in midtown that for some reason seem to be filled with mentally ill, addictions, and people with terminally illnesses  You can't argue that Cuney Homes just across 288 serves this same demographic. Mixed-use is not a synonym for mixed-income. Villa Victoria is not safe and has serious gang issues so really should not be mentioned as a model. The problem with the U.S is we have come to accept this crap when the city centre should be a Utopia to enjoy in peace like central  London, Paris, or Moscow and not overtaken by people who make one feel unsafe.

12 minutes ago, TowerSpotter said:

What is the development in front of Hine's residential tower on the far right?

The new MFAH addition *

One of the strips on one of the bridges already is out/not working, believe woodhead but otherwise looks "ok". 

Drove by this last night, they were still working and had all the light fixtures on in Kirby whatever and it looked amazing! 

9 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

 

That's how I felt about the Astoria when it was announced. It can be surprising how much can fit on a plot of land. 

Maybe he's referencing the fact it's a small plot sandwiched between a federal fortress and a very ugly low rise public housing project wasting away on prime land lol   The view from the lower floors is going to suck.

4 hours ago, Avossos said:

 

No residential?

That statement only covers the first phase of the project, the footprint of the current building is small in relation to the site so imagine it at the core of a much larger development perhaps like something you'd see at porta nuova. 

OR how about we hold our clown of a mayor and police accountable?:) 

Don't act like this is an isolated event, crime is getting really out of control in Houston. Seems no day goes by without seeing a car with broken glass from a break-in or a house nearby getting robbed. I  even had plants stolen from my garden lol...

Totally shocked but De Boulle was basically totally destroyed today and the store looted. Houston never seems to surprise these days... Stuff like this doesn't even happen in places like Mexico City or Sao Paulo anymore. Really hope does not harm future investment in the project or Houston.

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city-life/09-14-16-with-guns-hammers-theives-empty-river-oaks-district-jewelry-store-in-broad-daylight-video/#slide=0

The comments on here are a bit shocking, it seems no one knows how important and prestigious the Aga Khan foundation is....

Most of their projects are done by Pitzker Prize winners, including their huge project in Toronto by Fumihiko Maki and the water gardens are by an amazing guy based out of Beirut. People should google but their collections rotate among museums such as The Hermitage in St.Petersburg and the like of the Louvre and it would be amazing for Houston. 

It would be a MAJOR gift to have a project of theirs here and the monkeys who probably went to HCC at HCAD probably don't understand that but whatever : ) We'll see what mess this new administration gets us into anyways.

2 hours ago, monarch said:

^^^ my good pal, i can see that you have done your homework in regards to the BLOOMIES / DUBAI.  they really are a bit more higher end than their normal statewide edifices.... unless it's the new york store which is still quite fabulous.  the store is so high end in dubai, that it reminds me a bit of our houston neiman marcus.  however, my most favorite department store in dubai, shall be none other than the HARVEY NICHOLS store... located at the MALL OF THE EMIRATES - DUBAI, UAE... this powerhouse of high-end retail totally rocks!  wow!  nonetheless, getting back to the decrepit DILLARDS post oak store.... this place reminds me of the house of HERMAN THE MONSTER and his family.  (this store simply reeks!)  it looks as though it is ready to crumble to the ground.  every time that i have entered this shocking place... i expected to see spider webs all over the ceilings... the store is just old and quite creepy.  its time has indeed passed..... 

No homework was needed as this is common knowledge, and fyi Chalhoub Group ALSO owns Harvey Nicols in Dubai so I recommend you like their Facebook page since you seem to be a huge fan of theirs lol. They are a sweet family from Damascus operating out of UAE. 

And I'm not a troll, but if you all would like to call me that for having a working knowledge of the retail and development sectors, then more that welcome. I honestly felt I needed to contribute because the request were getting a little crazy, next it was going to be that Chanel should relocate their global headquarters to ROE lol.

Lol, "Galleria officials" as in Simon Malls which does not own that site?:D That Dillards is a really beautiful modernist piece and will not be touched as it's one of the highest performing stores in their portfolio.

Bloomingdales is owned by Federated Department store  out of cough Ohio [The same owners as Macy's] so basically it's an upscale Macy's with Macy's service lol. Can you imagine that after they bought Folley's, they though Houston was so ruinous that they would rather have 2 full line redundant Macy's than just have one as a Bloomingdales? [And those were during the good years...]. They only reason the one in Dubai is nicer than the others is because its franchised by Chalhoub Group who own about half the luxury stores in the gulf; and everything is always overt he top. A second Bloomingdales will be opening in Abu Dhabi soon also under their ownership. Neither would survive here and it's not because of lack of money, its simply because in Houston there is not a reason to spend so much to look good with so many options. What are you going to do, wear couture to go to Kirby or the slew on nonexistent luxury bars and hotels lol? There is not enough social infastructure to need to be so competitive here yet, maybe in the future

Just now, iah77 said:

Barneys did not even survive in Dallas a few years after making a huge investment  and it is very unrealistic for such a progressive store to open in a city known for dressing conservatively and badly. Even Forty Five Ten which is from Texas itself is being super conservative with a minuscule store of 5000 sqft when their Dallas store is over 35,000. If Barneys opened here it would suffer the fate you described where lots of people would go "live" there to occupy space and not actually buy anything which is what people here love to do causing the business to be bad and send the real clientele to Beverly Hills and NYC aka squatter free stores. 

Barneys did not even survive in Dallas a few years after making a huge investment  and it is very unrealistic for such a progressive store to open in a city known for dressing conservatively and badly. Even Forty Five Ten which is from Texas itself is being super conservative with a minuscule store of 5000 sqft when their Dallas store is over 35,000. If Barneys opened here it would suffer the fate you described where lots of people would go "live" there to occupy space and not actually buy anything which is what people here love to do causing the business to be bad and send the real clientele to Beverly Hills and NYC aka squatter free stores. [Will happen, just not in next 5 years lol]

Barneys did not even survive in Dallas a few years after making a huge investment  and it is very unrealistic for such a progressive store to open in a city known for dressing conservatively and badly. Even Forty Five Ten which is from Texas itself is being super conservative with a minuscule store of 5000 sqft when their Dallas store is over 35,000. If Barneys opened here it would suffer the fate you described where lots of people would go "live" there to occupy space and not actually buy anything which is what people here love to do causing the business to be bad and send the real clientele to Beverly Hills and NYC aka squatter free stores. 

I don't see the excitement, many of these stores are barely larger than the existing shop-in-shops in the galleria lol. I'm sure if you ask the manager this Van Cleef has to be the smallest store in the USA period. You all should see the one they just opened in Miami. That's a real store, Houston was totally shorted on this project.I feel many of these are doing the bare minimum to have a brand presence but to each their own. It's not like its fun to buy nice things in you own city anyways lol. 

What about the old days inn building? Wasnt there a story a few months back that it was being 'gutted'

This is my first post here but the old holiday inn building is going to renovated and turned into a W hotel although I haven't heard from my friend if the current economic forecast could impact that decision and delay the project.