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OkieEric

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  1. OkieEric
    Hmm... I'm starting to see a common theme here: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/12/lawmaker-asks-coordinating-board-to-stop-uts-expansion-into-houston.html/ Carol Alvarado: UH graduate http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/12/texas-senator-objects-to-ut-systems-houston-expansion.html/ John Whitmire: UH graduate The article posted earlier today had 19 signatures including Sylvester Turner (UH grad) and Alvarado. Granted, a lot of the others are not from UH, but the grumblings from some of these folks makes me wonder whether they are more interested in what's best for the city of Houston or their alma mater. From what I've read it doesn't seem that the purchase can actually be blocked, but I don't like the fact that Turner signed
  2. OkieEric
    More whining... Are any Rice or other non-UH graduates against UT's plans? Just curious http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/education/campus-chronicles/article/State-reps-ask-UT-to-step-back-from-Houston-6692292.php So is there any way (through public records or other) to verify when/if UT closes on the land? I've tried some online searching on the County Clerk's office but no luck
  3. OkieEric
    Not much to report on this, but took some pics today. They've been up to this few a few weeks now - I really haven't seen any activity during the day but they were working into the night the other night A "shoring-earth retention" permit was issued recently that listed "GS TMC JV, LLC" as the buyer with an address associated with Greystar. So at least they do appear to be behind this
  4. OkieEric
    Some more activity today
  5. OkieEric
    Drum roll........ They're digging a hole in the street at the corner of Travis and Old Main under the existing power lines, so I assume this is utilities-related. That said, Medistar, TRC Capital Partners, and Greystar are all apparently involved in this development and none of them list this as an active project on their website at present. I would like to think that they wouldn't bother with this step unless it was moving forward but who knows
  6. OkieEric
    Nothing for a couple of days, but the road is closed off now (though somehow there were still cars parked on it). I saw a dump truck and a backhoe out there this morning on the street but there wasn't any activity yet I will try to get a better look later today to try to figure out what is going on. No permitting activity, so while it sure seems this has to be related to the hotel/apartments I'm not 100% sure. I just recall during the discussion with the planning commission there was a mention of working with CenterPoint to bury utilities
  7. OkieEric
    It's been quiet, but ran by today and noticed there was a new sign on the lot saying that Old Main would be closed 11/16 - 12/2. I'll take that as a positive sign, hopefully they are starting on the utilities?
  8. OkieEric
    I sure hope so, but I'm guessing this would be on a reasonably long timeframe. I don't know much about those apartments along Westridge, but man there are a lot of them Just imagine with this, a potentially re-purposed astrodome (?), the new TMC3 campus, the various other expansions ongoing in the med center, and things are really looking up for this part of town
  9. OkieEric
    Saw a few news articles on this today... http://www.chron.com/news/education/article/UT-to-open-research-center-in-SW-Houston-6612665.php http://www.texastribune.org/2015/11/05/ut-system-plans-open-new-campus-houston/ A copy of the presentation with some conceptual renderings is @ http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/university-of-texas-is-coming-to-houston/
  10. OkieEric
    This has been fenced off for a week or so, building permit just issued Project No: 15083796 Date : 2015/11/04 00:00:00 USE : (EPR)HI-RISE HOSPITAL REMODEL/CORE ADDIT Owner/Occupant : *TEXAS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL Job Address : 6651 MAIN ST 77030 Valuation : $ 158,517,000 Permit Type : 13 FCC Group : Non-Residential Alteration Buyer : KUBIN DAVID Address : 1906 AFTON ST 77055 Phone : (713) 680-2132
  11. OkieEric
    Agreed. To be honest, the more I look at it the more this seems like kind of an odd, isolated spot for something like this - yes, I realize this will change in the coming years but there are other denser, more walkable areas that already exist. If you work downtown it's not impossible to walk, but it's not particularly convenient or safe. It's also not near the rail line. This is just an assumption on my part but I would think people willing to live in smaller units would do so in order to be right in the middle of the action (downtown or maybe midtown). Or maybe there is just a segment of the population out there that really want to live in a condo for some reason but that can't afford the new ones going up in downtown and uptown That said, I did see that they are sponsoring Houston Whatever Fest: http://houstonwhateverfest.com/sponsorship and given the Facebook, Instagram, and website are now all up and running hopefully we will find out some more soon
  12. OkieEric
    I'm a bit skeptical of this one, so I've tried doing some research without much success The owner per the plat and HCAD is Novel Creative Development LLC The given address per HCAD is 5713 160TH STFRESH MEADOWS NY 11365-1443 and per the plat it is3711 Southmore Blvd #408Houston, TX 77004 which is a unit in the Nubia Square apartments unless I am mistaken. I can't really find anything associated with the addresses above If you check google street view there was a for sale sign on the property back in September 2014 but it appears Novel has owned it since November 2014 Obviously this is a decent parcel of land so there is money behind this somewhere. EaDo is a hot area but when you hear about first floor retail and then see that drone footage something just doesn't click - there's still a lot of vacant land/industrial/etc. I guess in general that area is lacking retail so the townhouse development + however many people would be in this "mirco unit" tower could support something. To me it just seems a bit early for something like this to pop up Anyway, whatever the case I seriously doubt groundbreaking will be in a "few weeks". Would be happy to come back and eat crow on this one, though, as I'd love to see towers on the east side of downtown
  13. OkieEric
    Another permit for "plan review fee", but this time it lists the buyer as Greystar along with a Greystar-associated address. Hopefully getting closer to making this one official Project No: 15091823 Date : 2015/10/08 00:00:00 USE : FOUNDATION ONLY W/UNDERGROUND UTILITY 20 Owner/Occupant : *GREYSTAR-TMC Job Address : 1850 OLD MAIN ST 77030 Valuation : $ 0 Permit Type : PX FCC Group : Structures Other than Buildings Buyer : *GREYSTAR Address : 750 BERING 200 77057 Phone : (713) 479-8962
  14. OkieEric
    I drove by yesterday and this particular corner is already fenced off
  15. OkieEric
    Checked to see if there was any new detail and there are new entries for Points H1 through H5 showing 196' and 244' - must be for the hotel component https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=267260219&row=54 https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=267260225&row=46
  16. OkieEric
    Yeah, that's kinda weird. There are several entries on the FAA site, with all either 385' or 423' which are all labelled "Point M1" through "Point M4". Looking at the rendering and these heights it looks like these may correspond to just the four corners at the top of the apartment tower (only part of it reaches the 423). I haven't used that site much but from my short experience with it typically there is a building height and a crane height - can't say I've seen corners of a building referenced but it looks like that's what this is
  17. OkieEric
    385' and 423' on FAA site. Very little info but they just showed up... Not quite sure how to link this but hopefully it works- https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=266937198&row=272 https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=266937197&row=279
  18. OkieEric
    They are supposed to start the channel modifications (widening) of that stretch of the bayou under Project Brays next year, I believe. During the Memorial Day flooding the areas further west were impacted more as there was no flooding within the TMC (though water got very high in the bayou). So hopefully the additional widening helps with the flooding risk I hate to say it because I live somewhat nearby and like this project, but I have to wonder how successful the retail component is going to be. It's not near the rail, and will be across the bayou from the vast majority of TMC workers. I don't work in the TMC but I would assume it's not easy to just hop in your car and go shopping somewhere over lunch. Regardess, hopefully this will help kick-start something over at 7200 Main as well
  19. OkieEric
    FWIW, the other morning I was coming up Travis and noticed a worker or someone walking around the base - that entrance was open as well, I believe. It didn't seem like that big of a deal at the time (considering we have seen "workers" there before) but maybe something really is happening. No idea what the guy was doing, though
  20. OkieEric
    http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2015/09/texas-medical-center-to-move-forward-on-new-30.html It sounds as if this is happening, though things are moving a bit slower with the actual research component:
  21. OkieEric
    Nope, just a dork that does Houston online permit searches in his zip code every few days. I just like knowing what's being torn down and built around me for some reason
  22. OkieEric
    A permit came through. It's just for "sitework" but glad to see this is still moving roject Details Project No: 15083597 Date : 2015/08/31 00:00:00 USE : SITEWORK-UTILITIES-PAVING FOR FUTURE APT Owner/Occupant : *GREYSTAR-TMC Job Address : 1850 1/2 OLD MAIN ST 77030 Valuation : $ 0 Permit Type : PX FCC Group : Structures Other than Buildings Buyer : *PERMITS PLUS * Address : 5380 W 34TH ST 240 77092 Phone : (713) 686-1728
  23. OkieEric
    Maybe? The hole was pretty big, though. I thought perhaps it was related to burying the power lines (which was mentioned in the planning commission meeting) but apparently not
  24. OkieEric
    I noticed that they filled back in the hole the other day, and today saw that they had paved it back over (actually poured concrete). Equipment is gone as well. Maybe not a sure thing just yet?
  25. OkieEric
    It was listed on the Medistar website as an Intercontinental at one point under developments - it's no longer on their main site but you can google it and still find it elsewhere. I think that's the only solid piece of info out there Not completely sure what they are doing here as they dug a square hole (maybe 4' deep?). A lot of workers there yesterday, not that many this morning but they were still digging or doing something with that excavator Still no permits or any sort of announcement that I've seen
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