marc
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Everything posted by marc
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OK OK, mia culpa, mia culpa. i guess my ultra success with a Sim City 4 region topping 15 million and nothing BUT skyscrapers are going up in my virtual reality world, i got a little carried away. My virtual Houston is booming.........sorry. Back to reality. SIGH. m.
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Ok OK, i fudged a little by putting a tantalizing topic title without a description, BUT now that you are here, i was thinking with the slow down in construction maybe it would be fun to speculate, dream, predict WHEN, WHERE, and BY WHOM our fair city's next 50+ skyscraper will show. Perhaps somewhere in the Medical Center (thinking of that mini-boom over the last couple of years)?? Perhaps UT? Residential? Commercial? Mixed Use? Many of you are more in the know than i am when it comes to trends of construction probilities and so forth. Me, i just LOVE skyscrapers and urban development, so i follow in a sort of "coffee table book way"; i.e., drool over the pix., but don't necessarily read all the fine print, unless i am really in love with a certain scraper. SO, here is my limited take. IF a 50+ is to be built in DT, i think it would be because there was some sort of consolidation of an already existing corp. which has either grown to need the tower OR sold its smaller locations and moved into one. If that size is to be built in UT, i think it would be residential. Something full of glass and steel to contrast with all the beige, tan, brownish towers would be cool. My money would be a 50+ tower built in or near MT.(which i might say is looking spectacular; reminds me of Altanta's gorgeous UT) The only "IF" for that happening is that i am not certain if there are height restrictions due to its proximity to Hobby Airport. Anyway, give me your thoughts, with pix. if you would like.......again, not much going on, so i thought, hey, why not do some late 90's dreaming. m
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Awesome! i thought it looked close to being topped out. This is still my newest favorite in DT (in comparison to Hess, OPP, the Marriot etc.) The only thing is that i wish developers would build larger scrapers on the outer rim of DT so they can be seen better from the freeways and keep the smaller ones around what's left of the core of DT. But alas, i know several factors go into WHERE scrapers are developed.....my wishes are certainly not one of them!
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i know it is posted somewhere, but i am at my desk being lazy. How much higher does it have to go, say in relation to One Shell Plaza? Not so much concerned about floor count, but height left to go 'til completion. Thanks, m
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Whoa. m.
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Maybe......i hope so. Granted i am only going on the photos. Much to my disapointment my schedule didn't allow me to go DT when i was in H-town for the holidays. i wanted to go ice skating as well at DG. IF, the floor plates are about the same size, then, whew! i am relieved. m.
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CityCentre: Mixed-Use Development At 800 Town And Country Blvd.
marc replied to Parrothead's topic in Going Up!
Just amazing what GOOD planning can accomplish. It makes me all the madder when i see cheap crap thrown up around town. Bravo City Centre. Can't wait to visit this summer. m. -
i agree wholeheartedly. An 80 storey would be nice- with a spire! m.
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i thought the exact same thing but was waiting until it was more developed to make the comment. The rendering looks sweet, but i don't see how the asthetics of it will be accomplished in such a miniature looking frame. Any ideas? Also, like several of you, yes i am content with the development of the area, but am not so patiently waiting to see what those two parking lots to the west (top of pix.) will become. Maybe one commercial and one residential tower. Hopefully, both with a class/silver facade. Maybe even a hint of blue or green glass. i think if done right, it would tie in to that side of DT without overproducing the brownstone effect nor overdoing the glass/steel effect. Anyone know anything about what will be there? m.
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Thanks Nate. i love DT from that angle. Doesn't even look like a typical Houston. AND i think it is cool that the tallest DT tower is symetrically in the middle from that angle. Beautiful pix. m.
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Well, i believe Shell Plaza One (One Shell Plaza?) is 50 stories. Granted it is right out front when approaching from the west, but it is pretty visible, so maybe MP will be too. i love MP's design; but like many of you, i really do wish it was at least 10 stories taller. Because of its location, it will be surrounded by taller scrapers, so i am a bit disapointed as well. i do understand that in the past few years many highrises built in DT definately have helped as filler, which i think was desparately needed. BUT, i would love to see a 70+ maybe even and 80+ (1200+ ft) scraper go up. Unfortunately, i don't know if there is a market yet for such a monster. Hopefully, in the next decade H-town's shift from petroleum based income to alternative energy income will allow for this. i know H-town's medical income has fueled all the development in MT and Memorial City, so i would think any 50+ storey highrises would be built in either area. Sorry DT. m.
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Yeah, probably just taking their time because of the economy. No need to rush it, although i think construction costs are supposed to increase beginning second quarter of next year. That's some good news at least. (i am going by what Forbes Mag. says in their Sept. issue) m.
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i think this tower is going to be stunning at night! Does anyone know if the public will be able to go out on the balcony?? m.
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i now see the wisdom of designing One Park Place as a more stone that glass tower. Once the Hess Tower is completed its cladding will definately counter the surrounding buildings. i have changed my opinion and feel it was a good call to design OPP the way they did. Had it been more "glassy" i think asthetically, there would have been too much glass in that one area. i like the balance. Thoughts? m.
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Wow! Thanks. Two things. i have been waiting for this tower with bated breath. It will be my new favorite if it is anything like the rendering. Do you think that the public can go to the upper balcony?? AND how i wish i could get a SimCity to look like that second pix.! m.
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Maybe not the right place for it, BUT, if Obama's economic stimulus package goes through, do you all think the Corps. will be spending that $$$ on new projects or pretty much just doing damage control? i wonder if there is some sort of stipulation regarding the bail out. Thoughts? m.
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Renaissance At Greenspoint: Office Tower
marc replied to KinkaidAlum's topic in Other Houston Neighborhoods
^^^ i was wondering where exactly it was going to be located. They are clearing land on the southwest side of the I45 where it crosses Sam Houston Tollway. Maybe there? i have always wondered what kept that area from becoming another viable business center. i mean, the location is ideal for people who live in the Woodlands and such, as well as for people who live west along the Tollway. i would think the city would work really hard to keep the riffraff population at a minimum. m. -
^^^^ All terrific points in the last 3 posts and i did look at some NY beauties which definately add to the skyline and are obviously older residential highrises. Please, don't misunderstand me, i like the design a great deal. i especially think the crown gives it distinction and salvages what could have been a boring block of stone. i was just surprised because it is so out in the open and hasn't been surrounded (YET) by other scrapers, that a more cutting edge type of design wasn't chosen. i am thinking specifically like Aqua in Chi-twn or some Melbourne and Sydney beauties. Or even London for that matter. Does my question make sense? i am just curious. Give me your thoughts, m.
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i often wonder if the design was approved because it purposely looks like an older building in design. You know to give a more historical look to the area, instead of the OMG two years ago there was nothing here and now, presto, the new DT. i don't know, just a thought. i am hoping that another residential highrise will break ground in the next couple of years that has a more post-modern look (ie. more like Austin's towers, Mosaic or Kirby). i like the design, but am sort of perlexed as to why such a prominent building in such a prime location is not the showcase it could be. Make sense? m.
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Anyone have an idea why the roof is taking so long to get finished? Special material or something????? m.
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That's a bit pessimistic don't you think? 30-40 years? Really? Think about how DT looked in 1970 versus today. Almost totally unrecognizable. m.
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What are they going to do with the empty lot? m.
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In most condos and homes those types of things are upgrades. My sister just bought a home in which the model was ULTRA GORGEOUS, but when she and her husband sat down with the designer, about 15 upgrades and $10K later, it SORT OF looked similar to the model. Personally, i think it a rip off if anything over $500k doesn't look top notch. i do understand one is paying for location, but come on, i can find this type of look in many newer H-town apts. for a lot less $$$. Again, i understand, the price tag is about location. m.
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One can only assume that the Trickle-Up phenomenon, as i like to call it, is going to come into effect. i think developers, corps., banks and such are holding their breath, waiting to see how this market mess plays out. At least, that's what i would do. Look around our country; projects almost completed will be; projects half way completed are stalled; projects which only have some sort of foundation work done are on hold indefinately; and anything proposed probably won't come down the pipeline for AT LEAST a year or so. Keep in mind our economy effects the World economy. We borrowed money from the Chinese, Europe, Japan and parts of the Middle East. Because we can't pay them back due to our own domestic shortfall of $$$$, they aren't likely to help us fund any AMERICAN projects any time soon. i think the only thing they would be interested in is taking advantage of our slumped market and either buy up projects or build new ones for THEIR companies and THEIR purposes. m. What do you all think? Am i off base?