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Geoff8201

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Everything posted by Geoff8201

  1. Geoff8201
    The fields and track are taking shape
  2. Geoff8201
    If the building had a chiller system they would have to have a staff to operate and maintain such system. I am a stationary engineer and this is what I do. Some buildings meter their chilled water and this is ideal for billing for cooling and paying for a plant and operators, chiller mechanics etc. also handy for identifying leaks that can affect the entire system. Heat pumps are just reversible split systems where you can swap the refrigerant flow and make the inside coil the condenser (hot) and the outdoor coil the evaporator (cold). Each unit would still have its own compressor and electrical expenses. This is an ideal system for Houston, however when the outdoor temp goes lower than 40 or so a supplement Boiler has to be added. In cases like 2727 Kirby and the River Oaks, both coils are inside and a water condenser system is used with a cooling tower outside to make it work building wide without a hundred plus outdoor coils. Personally I think residents will start demanding a chilled water central system after they start racking up repair costs for heat pumps but we will see what happens many years from now. I’m more surprised one plant was not built for the Hanover building and they didn’t just sell chilled water to the Giorgetti. Not sure what system they use but if I had to guess it would be a heat pump with a cooling tower as well. 🤔
  3. Geoff8201
    I don’t remember it being anything like that. The buildings at times felt their age (20, 30 years) with the Natatorium being the newest, but not run down. The school was in pretty decent shape at the turn of the millennium, but I was just a student then, with no idea what was going on behind the scenes, or the eye for details that I have now. Certainly weren't any rats running around the halls. I remember someone did do a bad senior prank and lured a bunch of pigeons into the North building either in 2000 or 01. The blocked North building door from the courtyard with dozens of Christmas trees in 1999 was way better. Today the East building is almost gone. Guess the cafeteria canopy will get pulled down last. They are adding drainage to the new open space and the baseball field, as well as pouring concrete in some dividing wall off the north building.
  4. Geoff8201
    So the RO is still in design phase? Thought designs were just being finalized? Makes sense I guess as to why the groundbreaking hasn’t begun. The grass was starting to get a little tall, but yesterday groundskeepers were there with riding mowers keeping it from being an eyesore. Mid 2020 was the scoop I heard before, but that’s 7 month old information. It is just days from March so seems like a more realistic time frame now. Will see.
  5. Geoff8201
    Almost time for the outside cafeteria awning to come down. Man, I went here starting in the fall of 1997 and graduated 2001 and was very active in the Drafting Department when Mr. Sheppard taught it. That classroom will soon fall. Lot of memories.
  6. Geoff8201
    As promised in my previous post.....
  7. Geoff8201
    They just started tearing into the old East building today. It’ll be the last to come down. I’ll post pics tomorrow.
  8. Geoff8201
    I’ve been wondering because a January ground breaking did not happen. However there hasn’t been a day when there wasn’t at least one vehicle at the trailer. And there have been people walking the site several days this past month. Plus a another fence has gone up separating the trailer section. Nothing earth shattering, but it’s something. Attached is a shot of what will be the main first two parcels taken on January 30th.
  9. Geoff8201
    Having brunch at FM Kitchen and looked this one up. There is activity. Cat is out there digging for foundation in the light rain.
  10. Geoff8201
    Yes, you are correct, but that’s why I used the term *considered*, and used it loosely. Not by any city planning entity, but just by people whom may or may not occupy the area. Makes this area complicated to classify, (hence our posts on the subject) but like you said they will probably be referred to by all three. Upper Kirby does have a defined boundary you can physically see in the signage, Greenway and River Oaks not so much (at least none I have ever noticed). This is a gray area, where if you walk one block north, you’re in River Oaks, one block south, Greenway, and just cross the street east, boom you’re in UK. I’ve been in this area a long time and have heard places not in the boundaries use “A River Oaks Address” and the always popular hyphenated “River Oaks - Greenway“. Upper Kirby is the newest and physically the closest but still catching on. Upper Kirby Plans to redo West Alabama from Buffalo Speedway on eastward and make the area more walkable, which will be some benefit to the RO. Speaking of which, All one has to do is look at the project name to know which neighborhood they plan to say they are in. I don’t foresee that changing.
  11. Geoff8201
    If you really want to get technical, it is *considered* Greenway and River Oaks, but those are just lose terms since they really aren’t in either one proper. It’s not Upper Kirby because a representative with UK giving a talk was clear this project was outside their vision for UK. The border runs on the west edge of Buffalo speedway. As soon as you walk off of Buffalo onto the sidewalk by the RO site you just left Upper Kirby. Added a photo just because these man made borders are interesting.... UK red sign on traffic lights, regular COH green sign on sidewalk intersection (far left in photo) On an unrelated note, saw a yellow crane (also in photo) getting set up in that direction and got excited. But it was on a small property just west of the RO site. Need to look up what that is. Lots going up in this area.
  12. Geoff8201
    I noticed one very minor change to the site.... a construction trailer.... hopefully means something might happen soon. 2020 is right upon us.
  13. Geoff8201
    Are they putting that much wear and tear on the new building or is it straight up vandalism??
  14. Geoff8201
    More demo from my angle... Wish I had a better zoom lens than an iPhone but will make due. So if I’m understanding right, the BBT building will remain? Unfortunate they won’t have the entire plot of land in that case. Hope their design incorporates acquiring it later on.
  15. Geoff8201
  16. Geoff8201
    This past week they tore down the old gym and as of today the West Building is starting to come down.
  17. Geoff8201
  18. Geoff8201
    A couple things I heard through the grapevine... Every Plan and rendering we have seen, is now outdated, but plans are being finalized There will not be an Icehouse on the site Projected start for Phase 1 will be mid 2020. (No longer 2019) Parcel 1 at the corner of Buffalo and Alabama will be a 37 story luxury residential building for rent. Parcel 2 at the corner of Alabama and Mercer will be a 30 story office tower.
  19. Geoff8201
    Great find Urbannizer! Took this shot back in May but not much has changed. Took it from the top of The Lamar Tower, so I’ll have a great vantage point to watch it come up. Will post more as we see progress.
  20. Geoff8201
    I don't know why this is even up for debate, the height of a building is from the ground level to the highest structural point (i.e. the roof). Now if you're talking about total levels within a building, that is a different story since all levels, mechanical and underground must be counted in the total number of floors for a variety of reasons. It looks like this is almost ready to get topped out. All the actual occupiable floors are done. This level they're working on now will probably be a mechanical area? No question the last bit of it where rebar cages are sticking up will be the very top and housing for the elevator equipment.
  21. Geoff8201
    North crane is slowly coming down today... so I suppose they will finish the last 5 floors with just one?
  22. Geoff8201
    I drove by the other day, and you are right, it is a protective covering. I do hope the glass with retain most of that blue tone for the reasons I stated above. I've seen new buildings, both residential and in the med center with this deep blue look and I hope to see more of them.
  23. Geoff8201
    I love this deep blue color of the glass, especially when mixed with the green of the finish landscaping when all is said and done. Beautiful. On a side note, does anyone know the floor to ceiling height of this building? Both deck to deck and finished floor to finished ceiling?
  24. Geoff8201
    The north crane got a boost in height yesterday.
  25. Geoff8201
    I hope in 30 years or more the people who live in this building and others like it appreciate all the photography of its construction we are providing, as documentation of the urban growth and ever changing skyline.
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