The Great Hizzy!

Houston's native style: glass and more glass. It's HOT out there!

Actually, I really do think colorful glass, although not unique to Houston, seems to be a more prevalent design element with regard to DT's highrises--at least, where the newest towers are concerned.

I just really hope that the bottom floor of this new tower has retail to help compliment the the specialty grocer going in on the bottom floor of One Park Place.

While I understand where you're coming from, you don't want to oversaturate the market with retail just as you don't want to overbuild on commercial spec. Of course, if the area around Discovery Green is to become everything that everyone envisions, the market should eventually be there.

Yeah, I didn't think 50 stories were very likely given the info from the original HBJ article. Sounds like a spec project, and given the wide range of office space proposed, it didn't sound like it would be any more ambitious than 35-40 stories. The building will probably top out at around 435 feet or so if we use our old estimate formula from the Turnberry thread.

However, we're all in agreement that $600K is just bonkers.

Those crayon drawings flashed on the home page are hilarious. I felt like singing a Sesame Street song.

Nevertheless, the scope of the project certainly isn't small.

"Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough." -

Chinatown

Amen!

Can you imagine some foreign speaking person making a similar slip up with an english slang?

Like, what if they took "Hot mama" and accidentally/unknowingly dropped the second a? She'd be a hot mam, which would really get him/her into trouble.

Personally, I have always preferred the Kohn Pedersen Fox proposal over the competition victor, designed by Jahn; it looks too similar to the Liberty Place towers in Philadelphia, also done by Jahn.

Yes, but BOTSW would've predated the Philly Towers.

It would be great to see Camden follow through with the Super Block, and hopefully it would be a catalyst for development between San Jacinto and Travis, but either way, this section of Midtown serves as a grave reminder of all the work that still needs to be done in filling this section of town out.

The far east and far west ends have historically gotten all the attention, but the central third remains scattered, gutted and blighted, for the most part. Still not the worst area in the world overall but far below the standards that we all have set.

LOL.

That's actually a hell of a post, Mister X. I mean that.

The DT Los Angeles location didn't/doesn't open until 5:00 either.

Yeah, Austin is way out ahead on urban development compared to Houston, Also, this is north of Austin outside the main DT. I believe it is part of Austin's plan to have pockets of dense development along the commuter rail they are planning to build there.

Plus, this is just phase one of the project.

Ooooh, gee, you know, I think I disagree with this one.

You know what would be cool? If they'd adopt the old giant roach from Jack Roach Ford as sort of a mascot for the Pavillions--a mix of the old Houston with the new.

"The New Houston: We're back, b****!"

I kid, I kid... sort of.

The location would seem to be a winner, although, like with anything, it also depends on the list of retailers, build design (is it convenient to residents and patrons alike?), that sort of thing.

If we're talking 80 stories, we're likely talking another thousand footer, which seems a very remote possibility at best given economic concerns and general preferences by large firms these days in lieu of the 9-11 tragedy. 80 stories also would equate to somewhere around 2.0 - 2.2 million square feet, I suppose, depending on how much of it is dedicated to office space and how much of it to parking, retail and/or residential. Again, seems unlikely but not impossible.

What seems more likely is a couple of new towers in the 40-50 story range. A good 50-story building could get you in the 700-foot range, which would certainly have a significant impact on the skyline.

But this all seems a ways off. The key is to maintain the current vacancy rate that we have (or improve upon it) over the next 12-24 months. That would almost guarantee significant new construction starting before the next decade.

It's really weird. With both links, the negative comments cover a three week span and then absolutely nothing for ten or so months. Then the last three comments are positve.

Very weird.

Seems like the residents (however many) really had a problem with the management at the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006. I wonder if it's the same management company today.

Oh, my!

I'd imagine the DT employee population is greater than 50K.

I'd add my two pennies to this little quibble by saying I personally perfer entertainment district, which seems most accurate in this case.

I've long since figured that the original plans to rehabilitate that house were pre-empted for whatever reason. I've not seen any work done on it in over a year.

I dunno, those bars might already like their locations at its stands. The B.U.S. by MMP does great business on game nights, especially on weekends.

Well, aren't we filled with double-naught spies lately.

As for the project that Ricco is talking about... it seems that lot is awful small and cramped, given its potential position against the existing highrises and potential issues with parking and so forth.

But then again, it's really hard to gauge such things without seeing at least a computer image of the building at completion.

It seems the lionshare of the early work on the Pavillions will take place on the eastern lot, as I too saw cars parked on the middle and western lot. Makes sense. No need to forego parking revenue so soon if you don't need to actually be on site at the beginning.

Nothing wrong with competition, bub!

huh? If you're referring to "youth," I didn't spell it "yout." It says youth.

Unfortunately, you didn't get the joke. It's from a movie.