gene

i think alot of the woodlands residents have always just wanted a store but for some reason it hasnt worked out...

i think i remember some petition to bring one in a couple of years back or something

yeah i had those insurance questions myself...maybe because its funded via donations? not sure

and i bet it was the jamail brothers and friends skating this past weekend...supposedly they cant stay away and who would blame them!

its at memorial drive and sabine

it's only one of the largest and coolest world class in ground skateparks in the US!!!

i think its going to be incredible to have this in houston...although it seems to be finished in may the grand opening seems to be june 1st 2008...from pics, it looks to be nearly completed for the most part except landscaping and perhaps some sort of building if they decide to build one for events etc...

skaters from all over the country will come here to skate and hopefully lots of events and competitions will take place here!

Taken from Houston Chronicle Feb 2008:

Feb. 7, 2008, 11:10PM

SITE NEAR DOWNTOWN

Skaters are eager to flip, spin and slide

Still being built, skateboard park has a spot for all experience levels

By ROBERT CROWE

Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Standing near the construction site like a couple of eager 13-year-old boys, Jason Kendall and Richard Sellers could not contain their excitement upon glimpsing the epic skate park developing near downtown.

"It's absolutely incredible; it defies description. It has so many features," Kendall, a 37-year-old Houston native, said Wednesday while his buddy used a cell phone to snap photos of the smooth concrete bowls, ramps and pipes.

These old-school skaters, with a sprinkling of gray hair, stopped by the site Wednesday to sneak a peek after hearing that the 30,000-square-foot park, one of the country's largest, is starting to take shape. Houston already has six public skate parks, but the seventh will be in a league all its own.

"I'll be here opening day," said Sellers, 36. "This is world-class without a doubt. ... This is what Houston needs."

Construction on the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark on Sabine Street near Memorial Drive could be complete by the end of May. A grand opening is set for June 1, weather permitting.

The state-of-the-art park was funded with $2.5 million in private donations.

Construction began in October after attorney Joe Jamail donated $1.5 million to the Houston Parks Board in honor of his wife, Lee, who died last year.

For all experience levels

Three years in the making, the park started as a grass-roots fundraising effort by the nonprofit group Public Use Skateparks of Houston. The Parks Board donated an estimated $4 million worth of land situated along Buffalo Bayou in the shadow of Houston's skyline near jogging trails and a disc golf course.

"We expect this thing to draw people from all over the country," said Trent Rondot, Parks Board project manager.

The lighted park will include five areas with concrete terrain for all experience levels. A street skating area will greet skaters before they approach a series of bowls and half-pipes that become more complex, with some steep drops of 9 and 13 feet.

The 20-foot cradle, a spoon-like structure that extends from the expert bowl area, is the largest in the world, Rondot said.

Outshines the rest

With its bold design, expansive size and skyline views, all other skate parks in the Houston area pale in comparison, Sellers said.

"The thing about a concrete park is it's all about the flow," he said. "You can drop in once and never have to get off your board. You'll be able to surf this concrete."

Nearly half of the construction is finished. While peeking inside the site, Kendall and Sellers noticed scuff marks that some skaters have left on the lips of the bigger bowls.

"That's from the designers," Rondot said. "They get to test out the park."

Sellers said that because he does not have health insurance he rarely skates now. That will change when the park opens this summer.

"My wife won't let me skate so much," he said. "I think she's gonna have to live with this one. I'm gonna have to do something to pacify her because I'm probably gonna live here until next Christmas."

robert.crowe@chron.com

interesting

it MAY be just a rumor

i spoke to someone at whole foods headquarters in austin and they said their "in development" site is 100 percent current

and like someone posted, it is still listed

i was told that the old marquee was torn down due to mold and then the land sold so that makes sense...they did place down a sprinkler system and now grass is covering the lot that is now surrounded by fencing.

worse i hear my building just across the street was just sold this past month for 4 million and i will be asked to move soon

looks like mccue will be high rise central soon enough but finding it hard to believe that all these places will be filled...

yep thats the building...and yeah i said at the corner but its nearly the corner haha

sorry!

2200 post oak blvd the 7 story compass bank building that is sand/beige/tan colored

it is coming down and supposedly a residential highrise may come up in its place and next door on the empty lot may be a new 3 story compass bank building so am i told

we shall see

love the pics and updates!

keep them coming!

ps...they have not renewed leases in the old compass bank building at the corner of westheimer and post oak (2200 post oak blvd) and it seems most of the tenants will be asked to leave by summer or end of year...

bye bye ugly building...you will be missed!

Hi gene, and welcome to HAIF.

thanks so much!

hi everyone

long time reader, first time poster

thanks for all the good information.

i live on mccue and work on post oak so i have been closely following this thread as i will live and work just 3 to 5 minutes walking distance from this new development!

i am really excited about the new BLVD Place project and it has been great to see the work actually begin

although i work in the travel industry i have no idea which hotel will be in BLVD Place but i am hoping for a W Hotel or similar...i think it would be a great fit.

take care

gene