Houston19514

Great news!! Love Moxy Hotels!

According to the Downtown TIRZ website (but it seems to clearly be incomplete; the DLI was for a total of 5,000 units): Completed: SkyHouse Houston (336) Block 334 (207) SkyHouse Main (336) The Star (323) Market Square Tower (463) Aris Market Square (287) Planned: Fairfield Residential (286) Presumably, the following were/are also DLI projects: -- 1414 Texas (285) -- 1711 Caroline (220) -- Camden Downtown (271) -- Catalyst (364) -- Eighteen25 (242) -- The Hamilton? (148) Planned: --800 Walker, Block 98 (314) -- Camden Downtown Phase II (279) -- Marquette Jackson & Commerce, Block 114 (304) Those add up to 4,665. I must have missed some. I recall they said they had agreements for all 5,000.

Here is the language from the DLI Design Guidelines: A Streets. Ground floors facing A streets should contain active uses. For sites adjacent to Main Street, Main Street is the priority A street for ground floor uses. While retail is the preferred ground floor use, other acceptable uses include public building spaces such as lobbies, common building amenities, fitness facilities, open office space, live/work space, day care centers, etc. (see Figure 5). Regardless of initial use, all ground floors facing A streets should be configured such that they may accommodate retail in the future.2. B Streets. While ground floors facing B streets should also contain active uses to the greatest extent possible, they may contain other uses, such as residential and office. Uses such as building services, storage, and structured parking should be avoided to the greatest extent possible along B streets. (A Streets are Primary pedestrian streets. B Streets are Secondary pedestrian streets (pedestrian-oriented streets with some potential building services).

There are a lot of question marks on this one. Agree with Rechlin, I would not like it if they tore down Cabochon for this midrise, and it seems pretty unlikely (but of course, stranger things have happened, I suppose). In addition to the renderings showing it on a corner, EDI's description says it is 4 stories on top of 2 stores of parking, but the renderings clearly show 5 stories on top of 2 stories of parking. Also, FWIW, Harris County records do not show the property having changed hands (and the current owner, CR Cabochon Communities LLC) recorded a Deed of Trust last June.

List from prior post revised to add Hyatt Regency Galleria and suburban area buildings (primarily The Woodlands) The count is up to 93, not including Innovation Tower and Tower at Hermann Place: Building Name Height (ft) Floors Completion 609 Main at Texas 755 48 2017 Texas Tower 735 47 2021 BG Group Place 632 46 2011 Capitol Tower 579 34 2019 The Preston 550 46 2022 2929 Weslayan 533 40 2015 Methodist Outpatient Care Center 512 26 2010 Market Square Tower 502 40 2017 The Post Oak 499 36 2018 Hess Tower 490 29 2010 1500 Post Oak Boulevard 477 30 2016 Hanover River Oaks 462 38 2020 Texas Children`s Hospital Expansion 457 25 2018 Vantage Post Oak 453 40 2018 Latitude Med Center 423 35 2018 M.D. Anderson Administrative Support Building 415 25 2012 Hackett Tower (The Woodlands) 408 31 2014 Residences at La Colombe d’Or 400 34 2020 Arabella 399 33 2018 Methodist Inpatient Hospital 395 17 2018 Sarofim Pavilion (Memorial Hermann) 380 15 2019 Hanover BLVD Place 375 30 2019 Aris Market Square 371 32 2017 Marriott Marquis Houston 371 28 2016 Energy Center Four 355 22 2016 Amegy Tower 354 24 2016 3300 Main 351 28 2020 Hilcorp Energy Tower 346 23 2016 The Driscoll at River Oaks 345 29 2021 The Kirby Collection Residential Tower 340 22 2017 Le Meridien Hotel 338 25 2017 Catalyst 334 28 2017 Hanover Post Oak 330 29 2014 2850 Fannin (Caydon) 328 28 2019 Belfiore 328 26 2016 Hanover Montrose 326 30 2016 Millenium Tower II 326 22 2015 The Sterling at Memorial Villages 322 27 2010 Astoria 322 25 2016 Energy Center Three 317 20 2014 Noble Energy Center Two 307 20 2015 Energy Center Five 302 18 2016 Air Liquide Center I 301 20 2015 3737 Buffalo Speedway 290 18 2015 SkyHouse River Oaks 284 25 2015 The Southmore 284 24 2017 BBVA Compass Plaza 280 22 2013 The Sovereign 280 21 2014 Westin Houston Memorial City 278 22 2010 SkyHouse Houston 275 24 2014 M5250 274 22 2013 3009 Post Oak Boulevard 274 20 2013 Phillips 66 South Tower 274 16 2016 Texas Children’s Hospital Pavilion for Women 269 14 2012 Hotel Alessandra 263 21 2017 SkyHouse Main 262 24 2016 Vantage Med Center 260 22 2017 Camden Downtown I 255 21 2020 Marlowe 255 20 2018 6565 MD Anderson Boulevard 253 13 2014 Energy Tower III 252 17 2014 Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute 252 13 2010 Two BriarLake Plaza 251 18 2014 InterContinental Houston Medical Center 244 21 2019 Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown 242 19 2011 Phillips 66 North Tower 242 14 2016 Hotel ZaZa Memorial City 228 17 2017 Houston Methodist Research Institute 226 12 2010 Murphy Exploration Building 225 14 2013 The Carter 224 20 2017 San Felipe Place 223 17 2015 Nexen Center 219 14 2012 Hyatt Place Houston Galleria 218 12 2016 One Grove Street 216 16 2016 Residnce Inn Medical Center 214 16 2019 West Memorial Place II 212 14 2016 The Wilshire 208 17 2017 The Blossom Hotel 203 16 2019 Kirby Collection Office Building 202 13 2017 City Center Five 194 15 2015 Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites Downtown 192 14 2016 Briarpark Green 192 12 2013 West Memorial Place I 190 12 2015 Highland Tower 186 17 2010 Hyatt Regency Galleria 186 14 2015 Southwestern Energy Building 180 10 2014 Gables Westcreek 173 15 2020 Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor 173 14 2015 1725 Hughes Landing Boulevard 171 13 2015 ABS Plaza 167 10 2018 The Westin The Woodlands 163 12 2016 1735 Hughes Landing Boulevard 158 12 2015 Three Hughes Landing 158 12 2015 Research Forest Lakeside IV 158 12 2014 Innovation Tower 638 48 2021 Tower at Hermann Place 559 42 2020 Noble Energy Center Two 307 20 2015

As impressive as that is, Skyscraper Center is frustratingly incomplete. Incorporating information from Emporis, the list looks like this (I count 85, not including Innovation Tower and Tower at Hermann Place, which I think are both still pretty speculative): Edit: Add Hyatt Regency Galleria 186' 14 floors 2015 Building Name Height (ft) Floors Completion 609 Main at Texas 755 48 2017 Texas Tower 735 47 2021 BG Group Place 632 46 2011 Capitol Tower 579 34 2019 The Preston 550 46 2022 2929 Weslayan 533 40 2015 Methodist Outpatient Care Center 512 26 2010 Market Square Tower 502 40 2017 The Post Oak 499 36 2018 Hess Tower 490 29 2010 1500 Post Oak Boulevard 477 30 2016 Hanover River Oaks 462 38 2020 Texas Children`s Hospital Expansion 457 25 2018 Vantage Post Oak 453 40 2018 Latitude Med Center 423 35 2018 M.D. Anderson Administrative Support Building 415 25 2012 Residences at La Colombe d’Or 400 34 2020 Arabella 399 33 2018 Methodist Inpatient Hospital 395 17 2018 Sarofim Pavilion (Memorial Hermann) 380 15 2019 Hanover BLVD Place 375 30 2019 Aris Market Square 371 32 2017 Marriott Marquis Houston 371 28 2016 Energy Center Four 355 22 2016 Amegy Tower 354 24 2016 3300 Main 351 28 2020 Hilcorp Energy Tower 346 23 2016 The Driscoll at River Oaks 345 29 2021 The Kirby Collection Residential Tower 340 22 2017 Le Meridien Hotel 338 25 2017 Catalyst 334 28 2017 Hanover Post Oak 330 29 2014 2850 Fannin (Caydon) 328 28 2019 Belfiore 328 26 2016 Hanover Montrose 326 30 2016 Millenium Tower II 326 22 2015 The Sterling at Memorial Villages 322 27 2010 Astoria 322 25 2016 Energy Center Three 317 20 2014 Noble Energy Center Two 307 20 2015 Energy Center Five 302 18 2016 Air Liquide Center I 301 20 2015 3737 Buffalo Speedway 290 18 2015 SkyHouse River Oaks 284 25 2015 The Southmore 284 24 2017 BBVA Compass Plaza 280 22 2013 The Sovereign 280 21 2014 Westin Houston Memorial City 278 22 2010 SkyHouse Houston 275 24 2014 M5250 274 22 2013 3009 Post Oak Boulevard 274 20 2013 Phillips 66 South Tower 274 16 2016 Texas Children’s Hospital Pavilion for Women 269 14 2012 Hotel Alessandra 263 21 2017 SkyHouse Main 262 24 2016 Vantage Med Center 260 22 2017 Camden Downtown I 255 21 2020 Marlowe 255 20 2018 6565 MD Anderson Boulevard 253 13 2014 Energy Tower III 252 17 2014 Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute 252 13 2010 Two BriarLake Plaza 251 18 2014 InterContinental Houston Medical Center 244 21 2019 Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown 242 19 2011 Phillips 66 North Tower 242 14 2016 Hotel ZaZa Memorial City 228 17 2017 Houston Methodist Research Institute 226 12 2010 Murphy Exploration Building 225 14 2013 The Carter 224 20 2017 San Felipe Place 223 17 2015 Nexen Center 219 14 2012 Hyatt Place Houston Galleria 218 12 2016 One Grove Street 216 16 2016 Residnce Inn Medical Center 214 16 2019 West Memorial Place II 212 14 2016 The Wilshire 208 17 2017 The Blossom Hotel 203 16 2019 Kirby Collection Office Building 202 13 2017 City Center Five 194 15 2015 Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites Downtown 192 14 2016 Briarpark Green 192 12 2013 West Memorial Place I 190 12 2015 Highland Tower 186 17 2010 Gables Westcreek 173 15 2020 Brazos Towers at Bayou Manor 173 14 2015 Innovation Tower 638 48 2021 Tower at Hermann Place 559 42 2020 Noble Energy Center Two 307 20 2015

I cannot imagine why any significant amount of Eastbound I-10 and Southbound I-45 traffic to the MDI site would use the Jensen exit, even with the current arrangement; that traffic will most likely go to Hirsch Rd. Similarly, much of the traffic bound for East River will use the Hirsch exit, especially if there is any amount of congestion using the Jensen exit. Traffic bound for Hardy Yards will almost certainly exit the access road before it reaches McKee, or, presumably there will be a U-turn lane at McKee,and Hardy Yards traffic will take that - either way, Hardy Yards traffic won't be creating a great deal of congestion at Mckee and none at Hardy.

So far, it's looking better than the rendering.

Traffic going to Jensen can survive a couple of traffic signals. The plan shows the access road going underneath railroad bridges for both railroad crossings.

Minimum setbacks are indeed defined by city ordinance. Specifically, Chapter 42, division 3.

Get over it. There will be easy access to Jensen, the East Side, EADO, East River and Ninfa's.

No, they are not eliminating the exit to Jensen. Merely relocating it.

For the record, I didn't say anything about my "feelings". I am very much evidence and fact-based. When someone produces some pre-vote evidence of the toll road "promise", I'll happily reassess. If you have a chance, ask Mayor Turner about Wayne Dolcefino's reporting.

There are indeed many occasions where a myth can take hold among a large group of people. I don't have an explanation for it, but dishonest reports such as that Channel 13 report certainly fed this one. Do we know that it is an HCTRA brochure? You're taking Wayne Dolcefino's word for it because he presented in a way that we can't see for sure. Why would he do that? He could have easily shown the whole thing. Do we know that brochure even says what he claims? No, again, we have to take his word for it. He presented it in a way that we can't even confirm that those words are there, let alone the context. Why would he do that? He could have easily shown where in the brochure the language came from and shown the context. The full quote in context might have been "You may have heard some people claim they were told that when the toll roads combined have covered their costs, the roads will become free public highways. Neither the county nor HCTRA has ever made such a promise." You say the brochure was published "right after the vote." I don't think we have any indication of when it was published, except that it was apparently before construction of the Hardy Toll Road. I understand the online archives only go to 1985. is it really so much to ask a reporter, especially for one whose job is investigative journalism, to go the library and look through some microfiche? You are taking a lot on faith to claim this brochure is evidence of how the toll roads were sold to the public. I do not claim to know for certain, but it strikes me as exceedingly odd that not a shred of pre-vote material showing this claimed promise has been unearthed. If the claims were being widely made, they are right there in the newspaper archives waiting to be found.

We do NOT have evidence and, again, if the claim was as widely-made as you are claiming, evidence should be abundant and pretty easy to find, for any reporter looking for the truth. There were two daily newspapers in Houston at the time. Surely at least one of them ran articles and editorials (likely including guest editorials) about the issue. They probably even had some paid advertising leading up to the vote. A reporter looking for the truth could spend time at the public library poring over newspaper archives, rather than pretending that a post-vote pamphlet proves the voters were promised, prior to the vote, that the tollways would be free when paid off, and pretending that a columnists statement about a Dallas tollway is even relevant.