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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Lennar-s-apartment-division-buys-Galleria-area-13841951.php Conflicting account of where exactly the site is located: The Gables project is SOUTH of the parcel that's on the corner of Westcreek/San Felipe and across from Arabella. Based on HCAD it appears that the lot is in fact on the corner of Westcreek/San Felipe. See Parcel A (BELOW)

I don't have the specifics for the height, floors, architect, etc. but here's what she's going to look like... I believe this is the view of the north side of the building that will face Market Square. This is based on the other renderings of the Chronicle site building. Block 42:

There is a rumor about a new project in uptown, thought I heard some rumblings but thought I would test the waters here to see if I am just hearing things.

http://vimeo.com/8643810

The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects, Houston passed the following Position Statement at its regular meeting on April 10, 2007. The statement will be presented to the Mayor and City Council tomorrow, April 17, by AIA Houston member Peter Boudreaux, AIA, of Curry Boudreaux Architects. AIA Houston POSITION STATEMENT April 10, 2007 RE: The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation Site Lease / Potential Sale The American Institute of Architects, Houston does not support the sale and demolition of the buildings of the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation located at 3550 West Dallas. The Center and the City of Houston are in disagreement over the validity of the site lease, where the Center's architecturally significant facilities are located. Invalidation of the lease may result not only in the destruction of the homes of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities but also the demolition of these historically important works of Houston architecture, which anchor a visible site in heart of the city. The current buildings and prominent site comprise first-class urban design and environmentally propitious use of open land, both concepts AIA Houston supports in general. The Center buildings are important examples of the architectural trend called the New Brutalism. They occupy a significant place in the history of Houston architecture, particularly in the wake of the recent demolition of the Houston Independent School District Headquarters on Richmond Avenue. The New Brutalism was a modernist architectural movement inspired by the work of Le Corbusier that flourished internationally from the 1950s to the 1970s. New Brutalist buildings usually are formed with striking repetitive angular geometries and are often constructed of rough, unadorned poured concrete. Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry designed the Center for the Retarded (1966), as it was originally called. The Cullen Residence Hall (1978) is the work of S.I. Morris & Associates. These architects are significant in Houston's history and these particular buildings are especially important because they represent a high standard of design in service to a community that has been traditionally under served. The buildings are in good condition and will serve their function for a significantly long future. Together Barnstone & Aubry designed several brilliant Houston buildings such as Rothko Chapel (1971); Guinan Hall, Univ. of St. Thomas (1971); Media Center, Rice University (1970); and 3811 Del Monte (1969). Both architects individually are also well-known for their work. S.I. Morris headed a string of firms (including Morris*Aubry), the successor of which is Morris Architects. The full body of Morris work touches almost all of segments of Houston architecture from the Astrodome (1965) to award-winning skyscrapers, to public buildings such as the Central Library (1975) to small houses. Transactional costs for the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation to build a new facility will take away from monies and services that this special needs population urgently requires. The Center for the Retarded, a non-profit organization, invested $7 million (1960's dollars) in the buildings, which probably cannot be recouped (in today's dollars). The $26 million estimated sale price of the land would fund only a portion of the needs for a new facility of comparable size and quality. The cost of comparable new facilities would mirror the inflation rate of the land and construction cost. Loss of this site and its buildings would entail a substantial net loss to the Center and adversely affect its ability to maintain its present level of service. Therefore, because of the outstanding architectural significance of this campus, the Board of Directors of AIA Houston recommends that the City of Houston renew its lease with the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation so that the Center may remain in its current location and continue to provide essential services to the citizens of Harris County. Hanover Square

Surprised I'm the first to post this revelation (at least I think I am), but the Allen House is slated to be re-developed. Notices were on the doors of 3535 and 3505 Dallas and 3601 Allen Pkwy. June 1 closing. Mixed used development planned...kind of explains all of the recent structure torn down in the area. Surely the Chronicle will be on this news. As for me, well its been home for a bunch of years...

It's interesting to note that the surface lot across from this just went on the market. http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/SEC-WESLAYAN-W-ALABAMA-Houston-TX/11813599/

New multifamily building proposed for the NE corner of West Dallas and Shepherd Dr. SubdivisionPlatPDF_ALTA WEST DALLAS.pdf

Chateau Domingue Has Checked Out of Its Euro-Centric W. Alabama Showroom off Edloe http://swamplot.com/chateau-domingue-has-checked-out-of-its-euro-centric-w-alabama-showroom-off-edloe/2018-03-06/

5.50 acres at 4828 N Shepherd Dr. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/4828-N-Shepherd-Dr-Houston-TX/7361727/ https://www.dakotaprop.com/coming-soon Demolition permit issued for one of the industrial buildings.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/La-Colombe-d-Or-to-take-luxury-to-new-heights-9191635.php Site:

Located at 5612 S. Rice near Glenmont. https://thebrownstonegroup.net/developments/ Developments listed below are either complete or under construction. They are listed based on their completion date (or placed in service date) or the date that they are planned for completion.

http://www.houstonisd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=117408&ViewID=7B97F7ED-8E5E-4120-848F-A8B4987D588F&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=181919&PageID=81504

Drewery Place, Phase I: Phase II (now known as Laneways Midtown) : https://skyrisecities.com/database/projects/district

Yesterday about 9:15am I was driving north on the Gulf Freeway and noticed a motor coach parked under the canopy at the Finger's Furniture store. There were several pickup trucks nearby as well but nothing I could identify as belonging to a particular company or municipal entity. The fence is still up around the parking lot. Does anyone have information regarding what may be happening with this building? Talk about potential!

There is a request for a variance pending before the planning commission for Oct 2 for the Freedman's distributor site on Waverly and W 6th down below the bike path. 8.65 acres. Seeking a building line variance from 25 feet to 10 feet. No indication what, if anything, is planned for the property. Freedam's looks to have been bought out by Grocer's Supply. The latter also has been consolidating operations into a new space in the 1st ward. No idea whether they are going to sell, are selling or have sold or whether they will redevelop the property with modern warehouse space.

There are CBRE signs up at the Bethel Church at 1107 Shepherd, or the block bounded by Shepherd, Durham, Center and Nett. This might create difficulty for the restaurant formerly known as Floyd's, since they use the church parking lot for their customers. Flyer at http://looplink.houston.cbre.us/xNet/Looplink/Profile/Profile.aspx?stid=cbre/houston&LID=19808539&LL=true&UOMListing=&UOMMoneyCurrency=&RentPer=PY&SRID=7484074448 The Interpose:

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2014/10/gables-to-build-luxury-high-rise-near-river-oaks-district/ The yet-to-be-named building will have 300 units, averaging 1,400 square feet and priced in the range of $2.60 per square foot. Ziegler Cooper designed the building, which will go up on a 2.5-acre site along Westcreek Lane between Westheimer and San Felipe. Joshua Landry, area vice president of investments for Gables Residential, said the building will target “a sophisticated renter with a higher disposable income.” “We are doing a higher level of service, concierge service and amenities we will offer will be different from other projects,” Landry said. This is the company’s first high-rise in Houston, though it has built tall towers in other markets. the building should open about 20 months after construction starts.

phttp://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2015/12/15/river-oaks-shopping-center-might-add-residential.html

Crescent Communities second multifamily project for Houston. Crescent plans to start 10 new developments this year and 10 more next year for a total of 7,000 units and $1.4B of construction. That includes Crescent Northgate (rendered here), a 300-unit community underway near the Hardy Toll Road and Grand Parkway intersection close to Exxon’s campus. It’ll deliver in late 2016. Crescent also owns a site in the River Oaks District (at Westheimer and Willowick) that it’s holding for future development. Brian tells us about half of the upcoming projects are in Southwestern markets like Phoenix, Denver, Houston and Dallas that weren’t in vogue compared to primary markets when the firm started lining up sites five years ago. Read more at: https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/multifamily/big-change-crescent-communities-delves-into-multifamily-45856

technically, it's at Grand/Alice, but 288 and OST are within walking distance. Possibly called Med Park? That's what it's referred to on the agenda. from the planning commission

I was walking around Rice Village recently (pushing a stroller) and noted how poor some of the streets/curbs and infrastructure appeared. There are numerous areas where the curbs have no ramps and you are literally forced to walk in the street or through parking lots. This is really surprising to me given the number of young families with children in the immediate area, and the proximity to the medical center (and thus likely use by people in wheelchairs.) The village is really one of the major 'public faces' of Houston to the outside world, likely to be visited by out of town families of Rice university students, and out of town medical center patients and families (I see the shuttle buses from the medical center hotels dropping them off frequently.) As such, I really can't understand the lack of investment in the roads and curbs in the village area and I'm really surprised someone hasn't brought an ADA lawsuit. Are sidewalks and curbs in commercial areas the responsibility of the city or the property owner to maintain?

Sits outside the TMC W. Leland Anderson Campus and Levit Green on Dixie road. https://houstontx.gov/housing/publiclegal/notices/2020/07/PGM-MULTIFAMILY_DEVELOPMENTS_JULY_2020_CDBG_DR-E-071720.pdf Loopnet listing: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3232-Dixie-Dr-Houston-TX/8356546/

ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company Technical Training Center Project: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company Technical Training Center, Houston Client ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company Architect: PageSoutherlandPage Contractor: D.E. Harvey Consultants: Shen Milsom Wilke (av/acoustics); ASA Consulting Engineers (structrual); ARCADIS (civil); The Office of James Burnett (landscape); Sunland Engineering (traffic); HBC/Terracon (soils); Bridges International (roofing); Moisture Technology Corp. (curtain wall) Photographer: Tim Griffiths Floor Plan The design of the ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company Technical Training Center, completed in May 2004, blends the old with the new. The two-story 98,000-sf facility responds to the materials and horizontality of the existing Buffalo Speedway campus, but applies a new combination of forms and material relationships. The new building's design becomes more creative as it moves away from its junction with the 1950s-era McKie and Kamrath building, notable for its strips of brick, glass and shading devices. The new facility's facade steps toward the street in a series of layers composed of Central Texas limestone, glass, and brick. Another material - a canted curved metal panel - is introduced to represent ExxonMobil's innovative technology. The facility houses a grand lobby and gallery, classrooms of various sizes, two large areas for breakout sessions, as well as support and office spaces for training staff. The terrazzo floor in the lobby is an abstract pattern representing fluvial systems studied within the training center. Classrooms are equipped for the latest media, and a visualization classroom takes advantage of a large projection screen that can be configured in several ways, including as four sides of a cube. Parking for approximately 458 cars is provided adjacent to the training facility. The project distinguishes itself by covering a wide range of subject matter, from the tactile nature of oil field hardware and geologic material to the virtual world of computer models and simulations. All elements combine to create a training tool which will serve thousands of students annually from around the world who are involved in ExxonMobil's exploration, development, production, and research enterprises. --Courtney Mahaffey Link