Sunstar

What's your source on this?

There are the two new medical towers on tap for this year. http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...p?showtopic=288 And then there's Camden's Point Center Midtown: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...p?showtopic=659 I'm not sure if they're going to break ground on the new Firefighter's Museum this year. There's a big sign with a rendering of the building on the empty block next to the Cadillac dealership. http://www.houstonfiremuseum.org/InviteFin...20building'

I had thought the same thing. There are numerous projects on tap for this year and if they all go off without a hitch this could be a big year for Midtown.

One thing about all of these infamous titles given to Houston such as fatest city is that they sure make things happen. Personally, I hope the national media keeps calling us a lot of nasty names if progress is the result.

I wonder if any sort of structures will be built on Market Square for the vendors, or if everything will just be laid out on sheets?

By L.M. SIXEL Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Houston celebrated with fireworks when it kicked off the expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center and construction of the attached 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston hotel four years ago. The 700,000-square-foot addition, which nearly doubled the center's exhibit space, would finally make Houston a player in the lucrative convention industry. That, in turn, would create jobs and generate other economic benefits, city leaders promised at the groundbreaking. But was the city's investment in the center really worth it

Can you give us a little more background? Not sure what lot you're talking about. Thanks.

I know it's still kind of early, but it would really help the case for light rail if some significant project would break ground. I think this year will be a good one for development, but at this point light rail proponents need something to point to as a success for rail-centered development.

Check out Houston Mod's Website about attepmts to save the building.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/h...inment/2981242# New building stands out amidst the Texas Medical Center's sterile architecture By CLIFFORD PUGH Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle UT Nursing School Hester + Hardaway / Bnim Architects Quick: Name a stunning work of architecture in the Texas Medical Center. Don't be surprised if nothing much comes to mind. The Medical Center has a history of tearing down significant buildings, such as the Shamrock Hotel, and putting up a hodgepodge of oversized institutional structures devoid of personality. Of course, one might argue that the primary purpose of the renowned medical complex of hospitals, research and education institutions located about five miles south of downtown Houston is to save lives, not to create innovative, striking buildings. Is it possible to do both? Bruce Webb, professor at the University of Houston's Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, believes so -- although it's not easy. "Most people's complaint about going to medical facilities is that they lack feeling," he said. "They seem to be facilities without compassion. "(But) it's a hard thing (to push for good design) when everyone is angling for money and someone is using the argument that a particular material should be used because it's easy to clean germs off of." The tug-of-war between good architecture and the bottom line makes the new University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing and Student Community Center special. In a sea of bland and downright inhospitable buildings, the $58 million structure, which opened to classes in August, is a jewel. It's visually appealing and friendly to the environment and the students who use it. It's no wonder the building is winning design awards and attracting university administrators from across the country and around the world who are curious about its energy-saving features and starkly modern design. At last, it seems a Texas Medical Center building has gotten it right, architecturally. It all began with an idea From the building's conception in the mid-1990s, UTHSC administrators John Poretto and Brian Yeoman, with the support of former president M. David Low, touted a novel idea: Since the university is in the business of promoting good health, shouldn't the building be healthy, too? In 1996, UT officials sponsored an international design competition. The winner, Patkau Architects of Vancouver, British Columbia, came up with a design that met the high standards of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Four years later, the project, stalled on the drawing board, was nearly scuttled after the Canadian architects and UT parted ways over costs and design changes. Two firms were brought in to redesign the building. Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects of Kansas City is a pioneer in sustainable design; its Deramus Education Pavilion at that city's zoo won an Earth Day award from the American Institute of Architects. San Antonio's Lake/Flato Architects won the prestigious AIA Firm of the Year award in 2003. Its trademark, reflected in several Texas Hill Country residences and such commercial structures as the SBC Center in San Antonio, is designing buildings that blend in with the Texas landscape. After winning the commission, the new design team, led by BNIM principal architect Steve McDowell and Lake/Flato co-founder David Lake, met for a brainstorming session. The project site -- a sliver of land between the UT School of Public Health and tiny Grant Fay Park, at the intersection of Holcombe and Bertner -- presented the first challenge. Putting a large building on such a small site was "like threading a needle," said former UTHSC campus architect Rives Taylor. To maximize space, the design team came up with the idea of a "stacked" community center, with six floors of offices, classrooms and research laboratories above two floors of student-friendly facilities, including a large lounge, cafeteria, auditorium and bookstore. The eight-story building takes up most of the lot but doesn't overwhelm the surroundings, unlike the Taj Mahal-like new M.D. Anderson Ambulatory Clinical Building across the street. Ingenious and sustainable materials Lake/Flato took the lead in designing the exterior, composed almost entirely of recycled materials. Bricks from a 19th-century warehouse in San Antonio, wood siding made of sinker cypress hauled from the bottom of the Mississippi River, panels of recycled aluminum and columns made of Flyash (a recycled byproduct of coal-burning) fit together on the Holcombe Avenue side of the building like a giant Erector set. The Bertner facade is wrapped in perforated, corrugated metal, with window cutouts peeking through like sleepy eyes. It faces west, so in the afternoon, the sun casts the silver metal facade with a golden hue. Inverted L-shaped steel rods on the roof, which are intended to one day hold a photovoltaic system providing solar energy, lend a sculptural feeling to the building and add a playful note to the neighborhood. The team from BNIM concentrated on interior design, and here the building shines. Most stairways, elevators and toilets are on the west side of the building, leaving the east side open to Grant Fay Park. Nearly the entire back of the building is windowed, allowing a view of the trees in the small park

Man, the Pig. I haven't thought of that place in years. That was cool establishment. The building on Richmond is still vacant.

Can anyone name a government building in Houston (City, County or Federal) that's worth a damn? Really, I'm asking. I think the US Customs House on San Jacinto is a nice old building.

There certainly are no shortages of proposals for downtown. Whether any of them ever get built is anyone's guess. Frankly, this one sounds like it will die on the vine. Another downtown hotel? C'mon, get real. And there have been numerous residential proposals before this one, none of which has gotten off the ground. It's good to know that people are still trying though.

Check it out: Video

It looked pretty cool outside MM park during the division series and NLCS (on TV that is). At the end of the game during the player interviews the camera is turned towards it.

I'm glad to see that we're entering a new phase of development downtown. After the build up to the light rail and the superbowl ended it seemed like things went into a latent period, with no clear direction on what the vision for downtown would be.

God I hope so. Even if they don't go any further after that, at least they'll get their first playoff series victory.

You sure changed your tune in a hurry Houstonsemipro! Good win for the Texans. Great day for Houston sports yesterday.

This will be going up a few blocks down from the Holocaust Museum on Caroline From the Asia Society of Texas Website: Discover Asia without leaving the region. Asia Society Texas is your passport to Asia. Asia Society Texas is in the early phases of a campaign to realize the dream of building the Asia House in Houston. Asia House, to be located in the museum district, will provide a focal point for Asia Society Texas and a place to showcase the Asian American community. Asia House will include gallery spaces for permanent and visiting exhibitions, public space for performances and lectures, a library, garden and more.

That pretty much sums it up. It's all just a bunch of spin. The thing is, we don't need to make such grandiose claims for our theater district to be taken seriously. I think it's pretty much accepted that Houston's resident theater, ballet, opera and symphony are among the finest around. And yet, everything must appear to be bigger in Texas...

One of the oldest in the largest G&S Societies in the US. Link

A lot of turnovers does make it a lot harder on your defense. We'll see how things progress. If nothing else I'd like to see them at least put two consecutive wins together this year.

It was a dissapointing start to the year. The Texans defensive line needs to do a lot better if they want to be competitive this year. Brees had all day to throw the ball.

So what's going to open there after this place closes down?

Please see duplicate topic under Midtown section. Thank you.