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https://hctra.co The primary purpose of this site right now is an information dump. I put some of my opinons on the front page, but I may remove them. The information about Texas Tag is important though - more proof that HCTRA is being run as if it were a profit seeking entity, rather than in service to the residents of Harris County. I am open to rational debate. I also accept submissions for the site. I am not opposed to the basic idea of toll roads either, but I think HCTRA has been actively abusive to their customers, and privately, I believe that one or more of these documents will reveal malfeasance. They are posted for public review as I don't have the time myself to go through them all. I know that this site is already receiving some traffic from people mistyping "hctra.com", so I have mentioned how an existing EZ TAG holder would need to go to hctra.org to service their account.

HCTRA is planning to replace the Beltway 8 Ship Channel Bridge with two Cable-stayed suspension bridges. Public Notice attached from the Coast Guard is attached. Has this been mentioned already? Couldn't find an ongoing topic. Public notice - bridge application - 091815.pdf

There's a large tract of land between Carilion Plaza and the Beltway, on the south side of Westheimer all the way down to Richmond. IIRC it was at one time a Dresser lab and warehouse complex, which was all removed except for the ~10 story building on the NW side of the property. The Portico apartment complex was built there, but the rest of the land has been vacant for 10+ years, while multiple high rise buildings have been built to the south and on the other side of the Beltway. Does anyone know why no more development has taken place on the site?

One of the more fascinating things I've read on HAIF in recent years is the existence of green neon tubing along the overpasses at Beltway 8 and Interstate 45. While I can visualize it decently, I'm wondering when it went away (when North Belt Road became a full highway?) and if anyone has any pictures?

"ConocoPhillips refining offshoot Phillips 66 will build a new headquarters facility no more than 10 miles away from the company’s current location, “within the I-10 and Beltway 8 corridors,”......" http://swamplot.com/...ton/2012-03-20/ This will probably be a suburban campus-type property like the existing headquarters, but this is still cool to hear.

I was driving down Beltway 8 and saw signs regarding the below development. Anyone know anything about it other than what's in the website? http://www.park8.com/en/index.html

Semi cryptic, but still, from bisnow...

TxDOT looking into ways to ease congestion on the Southwest Freeway from 288 all the way to Beltway 8. I guess there's already been a meeting on this last year in September 2014. Here's the TxDOT sight: www.mysouthwestfreeway.com Outside of the "lipstick on a pig" ideas, here are some thoughts (not 100% original btw) on how traffic can be eased on 59 / 69 without much ROW purchased: 1.) Configure on ramps / off ramps on top of each other like at 59/69 and Kirby between 610 and the beltway. That way merging and exiting traffic isn't fighting one another 2.) Build elevated two-way HOV lanes in current HOV ROW from Spur to past the beltway. (possible?) 3.) Reconfigure Chimney Rock exit (headed south) by exiting before the 610 traffic merges into 59/69 and have those exiting 59/69 to 610 do so before the Chimney Rock entrance to the freeway. Either that or eliminate the Chimney Rock exit / entrances all together. Ideas that might require ROW purchase and most definitely be more expensive even if no ROW: 1.) Extend Westpark tollway (WPT) past 610 and grade separate at 610 interchange. Possibly grade separate at Newcastle and have tollway end between Newcastle and Wesleyan. If not, have just have it end between 610 frontage and Newcastle. 2.) Direct connector from 610 traffic headed north to WPT headed west. 3.) Direct connector from WPT headed east to 610 headed south. (I don't think a WPT east to 610 North can fit) 4.) 2 lane Direct connector from 59/69 north to 610 south. Current one lane config. is big bottle neck. 5.) Direct connector from southbound 610 traffic to westbound WPT. To limit ROW, the direct connector would have to be after the 59/69 exit and tie into the extended WPT. Ideas that might require significant ROW but not quite to the level of the Katy freeway redesign: 1.) If previous #5 option not available, have a direct connector from southbound 610 traffic to westbound WPT on the north side of 59/69. It would be something like that of the new 290 to I10 direct connector. However this leads me to my next idea... 2.) Purchase land between 59/69 and Westpark rd. and WPT. Shift 59/69 slightly south and decrease the sharpness of the 59/69 curve at the WPT intersection. Katy Freeway clear-cutting option: 1.) Turn single HOV lane into 3 HOT lanes with the middle lane being bi-directional (much like what 290 was supposed to have) 2.) Add a full 5th lane to each direction of 59/69. 3.) Let them eat cake. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Found this proposal while skimming through LoopNet today. It would be in the existing Heron Lakes Office Park on North Belt near North Gessner. Was surprised to see it possibly be something as tall as the 16 floor version that seems to be preferred, though alternate 3 and 4 story versions are presented. The existing buildings there range between 2 and 5 floors. Leasing PDF: http://s.lnimg.com/attachments/028B87DE-77B3-46DC-8463-95A4B9F0216A.pdf

Nice Design http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2013/08/22/cyrusone-readies-to-break-ground-on.html?s=image_gallery http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2013/08/22/colocation-provider-cyrusone-keeps-growing-houston-campus-and-in-texas-in-general/ Office Data Center

Looks like there will be more offices built pretty soon. Check it out... www.beltwaylakes.com

I drove by this location today and noticed a building going up. It's southeast of the intersection of the beltway and 249. I might be wrong, but it looked like 5 or 6 floors were built already. Anyone know what it is or how many more floors, if any are going be added?

When going with someone to pick someone else up from the airport, I passed by two hotels, which is of course nothing spectacular but something else piqued my interest: they were connected by an enclosed bridge, with one being Park Inn by Radisson and the other Baymont Inn & Suites. This connection has been intact since the 1980s (the Park Inn was built in the 1970s). It's more than likely that these things have changed names over the years, but is there any story behind as to why these two hotels are connected? Is the bridge still open and they just left it like that? Were they originally one name? There has to be a good story behind this. Does anyone know?

There is a foundation poured in the lot next to my office that has been sitting idle for over 5 years. I assume its a hotel. Over the past few months and especially past few weeks work has started to progress. Here is a picture from earlier today. Any idea which hotel this will be? Southeast corner of Harwin and Rogerdale on the southbound feeder for BW8.

This tower will have 12 stories of office space on top of a 7 floor garrage http://www.marketwatch.com/story/behringer-harvard-reit-i-inc-announces-plans-for-development-of-new-office-tower-at-houstons-briarlake-plaza-2012-09-18

I know I'd come across this one as an ad on Bisnow in the past, but for some reason just didn't post anything about it. Not really exciting per se, but it is a project that I'm reasonably certain hasn't been mentioned before. West side of the beltway, just north and east of the intersection of Clay. Across the Beltway from Westway Park. Lincoln Property's Profile http://www.lpchouston.com/properties/4477-w-sam-houston-pkwy-n/ CoStar Profile http://www.costar.com/costarconnect/MasterPage/Main.aspx?SiteId=28345&CheckSum=763184681 Slideshow http://www.costar.com/CoStarConnect/imageviewer/EnlargeImageCDN.aspx?id=107639&aid=21902652

Clay Beltway Office Complex Developer: Transwestern Location: Northwest corner of W. Sam Houston Parkway and Clay Road Size: Two buildings: 14 stories with 350,000 square feet and 12 stories with 300,000 square feet Architect: Odell Status: Proposed Rendering is fourth one: http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2012/07/the-lowdown-on-the-projects-in-the-energy-corridor/#6207-4

Being built right where Fairbanks N. Houston deadends at the beltway.

http://impactnews.com/articles/improvements-to-hwy.-249-and-beltway-8-interchange-slated-for-2013/ Final designs on an estimated $11.8 million direct connector between Hwy. 249 south and Beltway 8 west is on track to begin in late 2013 or early 2014. The project—part of the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s capital improvement plan—is scheduled to be completed in 2015 and is entirely funded by HCTRA, according to Patti Evans, communications manager. While only about $17,000 of the nearly $500,000 in engineering costs has been provided as of January, the Texas Department of Transportation expects the project to be fully funded by the end of October. “Currently, southbound Hwy. 249 [traffic] wishing to enter the westbound tollway must exit to the Hwy. 249 frontage road, turn at the signaled intersection and enter [beltway 8] via a tolled entrance ramp,” Evans said. “We are in the final design stage of the project, and expect design to be complete this summer.” The direct connector will be tolled to provide direct access between southbound Hwy. 249 and westbound Beltway 8, allowing motorists to bypass tolled entrance ramps, Evans said. Since the project will tie in with the state highway system, TxDOT will be involved with specific design and environmental documentation reviews, according to Raquelle Lewis, TxDOT public information officer.

There was a fairly extensive article written on the potential of four new buildings in the CityWestPlace complex out along the Beltway near Westheimer. It also went into detail about how Westchase in general is really tight in terms of vacancy rates. Here are two scans from today's paper

Anyone heard any rumors of other companies set to develop with Sysco in the new business park located at the SWC of 45 N and Beltway 8? http://www.bizjourna.../27/story1.html

Way back I 2005, I took a trip to Galveston with my family in September that was important in the fact that it was the first time I really I started to really like Houston as my favorite Texas city. Anyway, on a trip back from Galveston, our family took Beltway 8 south, and I'm pretty sure it was the Beltway, that trip: I remember a few of the "stub roads" of the Beltway. And I remember seeing some sort of busted-up sign that was still intact, though no building accompanied, and said something like "World Bazaar" or maybe "Animal Bazaar" on it. As the memories of that trip (or at least that part of the trip) get hazy in my mind (or even if it was that same trip), I'd like to find out what that thing was!

Title says it all, basically what's up @ Beltway 8 & I-10 behind the old Petsmart? There's an new building with a strange round structure in front of it, almost like a stylized deck or something? Anyone know what that new building is going to be?

I think this was a plan that did/will not happen. Looking at google maps, it doesn't look like the land they were planning on using is no longer available. But it's still fun to look at what someone was thinking... More images here: http://www.globaladg.com/architecture16.html http://www.marginbranding.com/case_detail.asp?id=54&type=3

Did any of my pictures post? I thought they would but i can't tell from work. Anyway, I found City West Place 7, too. I am not sure how many of these buildings already exist since I never go here. Can anyone else say? http://showcase.com/...G3mZrnun1gcyiq4 I found building 6, too: http://showcase.com/...qO+s/3qEObk/TiY 8:http://showcase.com/...vDG2gj+0aSX0e+e