joshuajbp

You can't judge a book by its cover. Shouldn't we wait until after it is built to critique? That would be fair.

there's a model of the building located in the Galleria in front of Dior & Houston Trunk Co... so you kinda can critique how boring it is...

yuk! keep those faux "centers" in the burbs (midtown is a burb). While I love the idea they usually always come across as plastic, fake, too DisneyLand-ish... Like the Woodlands "town center" or Post Midtown.

I know the Forum generally detests full blocks being swallowed up by a convenience store, but if you had to drive ten minutes to buy deodorant, you'd be singing a different tune.

oh god, not ten minutes!

This sculpture, which is arguably Houston's most controversial and artistically important outdoor expression, was dedicated to MLK and its defacement was a crude political act and not an ordinary 'tagging' if that word can be used at all.

i just need to say that dedicating that sculpture to MLK was a joke! Could we commision a sculpture specifically for him & not just rename an old one. Seems kinda disrespectful 2 me.

Can we all just get over the THUG comment?! No one is going to change anyone elses opinions of what exactly constitutes a "thug". Some of us are Republican. Some of us are Democrats. Some of us are racists. Some of us are not. Some of us are conservative. Some of us are liberal. Some of us are homophobic. Some of us are not. What does it matter at the end of the day? We're here to talk architecture. If u feel threatened or offended by someones comments debate it in PM.

I don't go to the Marquee frequently b/c there's not much there. Besides Edwards and Jillians what's at the Marquee that you can't find anywhere else? The times I have been there are often weekend nights and it's become just a "hang-out". You'd think the large security force they use would more actively enforce the curfew and attempt to maintain the rowdiness. Businesses close b/c no one is shopping, no one is shopping b/c it's got nothing unique that's worth the hassle of parking and the construction on the Katy Fwy. I would say that it's deffinately not family friendly weekend nights, unfortunately. I second the hope that Pavilions does not turn the way of the Marquee.

So are the Pavilions open yet?

I hope this "new concept" Books-A-Million actually organizes and straightens their book where you can actually find what you're looking for. The Books-A-Million at Katy Mills is an absolute nightmare to actually find a book you're looking for. Children books in the sports section, sex books in the Religious section, Music books in the gardening section, fiction books in the true crime section... The ones I've been to in Louisiana aren't much better either... <fingers crossed>

Any dress code people in Downtown or Midtown (or any urban area) follow is NOTHING like the dress code they follow in the suburbs! I think the point of the dress code at this bowling alley is to keep things looking more urban, and LESS suburban.

i never said they were the same. my point was that in mid-town (at places with dress codes) everyone dresses the same. as in the way everyone in the suburbs dresses like each other.The suburbs have an "unwritten" dress code. The whole reason for any kind of dress code comes out of fear of losing control over their clientele which shows insecurity in a product. Thats only my opinion, i hate places with dress codes. I'm not a sheep and don't need to be "herded".

Lock,

Go to http://www.bowlluckystrike.com/ ;pick a location then choose "Bowling Rates"

I didn't see anything that costs $100.

its got a fricking dress code?! lol! move that crap to pretentious mid-town or the suburbs where everyone dresses the same anyway. it's a BOWLING ALLEY no matter how you dress it up.

So DUO just moved or maybe it was a second location already opened before the Galleria location shut down? I work at the Galleria and saw the notice posted on DUO glass door stating that the locks had been changed and they had 10 working days to pay $80,000 in back rent or the merch would be seized. I find it hard to believe they'd just open up a new store if they got kicked out of the Galleria. Seems like there'd be some sort of legal repercussion going on... <shrug>

[/quote

...when did you notice the lock-out ????

dont remember the exact date... late jan - early feb. I thought it was really awesome that the galleria just plastered their business on the inside of a glass door for the whole mall to see. lol How exactly do you miss 80,000 in rent?? Im sure they were sent noticed beforehand. anyway. this has gotten off topic.

They are now located at dunlavy and Westheimer across the street from Cafe Brasil right next door to American Apparel. It's the building where Mid Centtury Modern Furniture use to be.

It's more Main at Dallas across the street from Macy's on Main.

So DUO just moved or maybe it was a second location already opened before the Galleria location shut down? I work at the Galleria and saw the notice posted on DUO glass door stating that the locks had been changed and they had 10 working days to pay $80,000 in back rent or the merch would be seized. I find it hard to believe they'd just open up a new store if they got kicked out of the Galleria. Seems like there'd be some sort of legal repercussion going on... <shrug>

i believe that your "urban crate and barrel" is already in the works based off of previous articles. i think that the company that owns the clothing boutique wish is supposed to open a lifestyle store in the sakowitz building - as to when that will happen, who knows, but i believe that is supposed to have more of your plates/ glasses/ furniture type retail. don't remember where the article was that had that, but i remember seeing that before.

The heard that the company that owns WISH also owns American Apparel and used to own DUO at the Galleria. Is that company doing ok?? The store at the Galleria closed b/c of back rent in excess of $80,000 was not paid. The galleria changed the locks and seized all the merch inside.

I keep reading posts that suggest Pavillions is somehow going to magically change the interest in living in DT Houston, even though it has no residential component. However, when I think of the project, there is nothing about it that compels me to think "oohh, I just have to move DT to be closer to that." It's OK to have hopes for DT, but lets be real. A bowling alley, some restaurants, and a clothing store for 18-24 year old women is not going to make anyone want to move DT. Build some more units, put some support retail in place (e.g. dry cleaners, urban market, Crate & Barrel, etc.) add some more parks, and bring those tunnel shops above ground, then DT will be cooking.

LOL! Crate & Barrel is a support retail? Who knew life could not exist without one of those. Downtown will / should never become a suburb. Suburbanites left the city and created their own "world" outside of it, they shouldn't return and expect "suburban" life.

I am looking forward to Lucky Strike Bowling... I think that will be a fun places to go to. I am really looking forward to being able to shop at HP, but I am waiting for more retail places to be announced... so far nothing has really excited me. I would like to see something along the lines of H&M, Gap, A&F, Banana Republic or Express Men... places like these.

Well Lucky Strike will be awesome as long as the mgmt has a good maint. policy unlike Jillians (and the whole marquee for that matter).

I wouldn't be expecting ANY Gap Inc stores to be announced considering Gap has started closing houston stores due to poor sales (Highland Village, West Oaks Mall etc,.) and with their latest concept Forth & Towne getting the axe. Limited Inc stores are a possibility but that's nothing too exciting. A&F Inc stores are doubtful also. They've stopped building A&F, started converting abercrombie kids to Hollisters, building a Ruehl in the Galleria and have a new brand, Gilly Hicks that gets debuted next year. H&M would be awesome and it may be lip service but I contacted them about a Houston location and they said they were presently "looking for the perfect Houston location for Texas' 1st Store"... so maybe??

That would definitely make sense since it's going to be so close to the stadiums... particularly the Toyota Center. I am looking forward to hearing what other tenants will be coming to HP... and what other developments will be going up downtown. All along we kept hearing that to get people downtown you need retail... but to get retail you need people... one had to come first (chicken or the egg).... well, we got our chicken! ha ha

Why don't you contact the sport bars you'd like to see at the Pavilions and suggest they open a location and give them your reasonings. They may not be aware of the upcoming Pavilions and it's location in relation to the arenas / stadiums.

Here goes a couple of large pic i found from Denver Pavilions web site to give an idea what downtown Houston will be looking like real soon. If Denver's looking like this with only 2 blocks, just imagine what Houston's 3 will be!

Oh how i wish we could have (United Artist)

Those pics do llok great but where's the people??? That kinda worries me.

Hey, don't knock forever XXI, mark my words, the joint will be crawling with good looking women.

AND my wife can spend her time there while i knock'em back with my buddies at whichever happy hour location strikes my fancy that evening.

Good times are coming..

Not to be rude but is your wife 16? I dont know any Women who shop there for clothes, just teenage girls.

Forever 21 has a concept called XXI, which, from what I gather from their website is larger and more "anchor-like" and seems to go in the more upscale malls (eg Memorial City, Northpark). Is it perhaps a XXI store, and not just a run-of-the-mill Forever 21?

XXI is Forever 21. Just a new logo. No difference, maybe just a lil bigger. Same cheap clothes that will last maybe 2 months.

with the way the record industry is selling cds and the downtown population, it really surprises me that virgin megastore is on the list for houston at that location.

True but keep in mind the New Orleans Megastore never reopned after Katrina. This could be like a "replacement" location. I figure it won't be any bigger than the old NOLA location if it does indeed get built in Houston.

Anyone know why there are 2 cranes on top of Chase Tower downtown?

Am I the only one who finds the renderings above of HOB kinda underwhelming? I'm curious as to the cladding material shown as gray rectangles. It is supposed to be stone, or *gasp* vinyl siding from Sears (or some other type of similar material). They are obviously going for the industrial loft style with the exposed girders and what I suppose is cement.

*gasps* I guess u havn't seen the one in Chicago? It's complete metal siding...

Being a downtown resident I'm not going to cry b/c M Bar is closing. It is a huge pain in the ass to get to your home with all those "suburbanites" unfamiliar with how to drive on a one way street. (Seems simple right?! You'd be suprised!) Houston's downtown scene is hilarious, what's with the unbottoned dress shirts and sunglasses at night fellas? LOL The club goers downtown take themselves too serious!

Don't know if this has been pointed out before... But I found a page at House of Blues devoted to the Houston location. Link below.

House of Blues - Houston

I was just abbout to post this but you beat me to it Plastic.

http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stor...html?from_rss=1

Dallas is about to open theres this spring: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Blues

Someone needs to add Houston to that list now.

According to that website the Philadelphia HOB is opening in Spring 2006, not Dallas.

2. Am I the only one who thinks that it's incredibly ugly? I mean...I think that it's just absolutely boring and not in the least big pretty or exciting. It's a bunch of white blocks and rectangles. It doesn't look the least bit imaginative.

It's not going to stay white, that was just for purposes of showing the shape of the buildings.