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Colorado Group Plans $80M Mixed-Use, Infill Project By Jennifer D. Duell Last updated: July 19, 2005 08:23am HOUSTON-Within three years, a mixed-use project is expected to rise on Block 98, a piece of vacant land adjacent to the new city park and the George R. Brown Convention Center. Two companies from Colorado Springs, LandCo Properties LLC and Equity Edge LLC, have formed a partnership to transform the 1.5-acre tract into two residential high-rises with ground-floor retail space. Block 98 is bordered by Rusk, Crawford, Walker and LaBranch streets near Toyota Center. Each tower will contain 150 units that will be priced "for the young, single professional," says Michael Raider, LandCo's COO. He tells GlobeSt.com that construction will begin in about three years. "That's when the market will be ready," he says, explaining one tower will have rental housing and the other will be condos. "I am not sure that we'll break ground on both towers at the same time." Raider, a Houston native, was eyeing Block 98 about a year before he closed the deal with Crescent Real Estate Equities Co. for $6.5 million. "We see Houston as Denver about seven years ago with the new light rail, entertainment and park creation. Denver is just a huge residential market right now," he says, "and we think Houston is following right behind it." Raider's not yet selected the project architect, but says he's hoping to use a local firm. The partnership, Block 98 Partners Ltd., obtained a $4.9-million loan from Southern National Bank of Texas to acquire the land. Tucker Knight, a director with Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP's local office, arranged a three-year bridge loan with an adjustable interest rate. The Block 98 development will be the second project that LandCo has tackled in Houston's CBD. The company recently acquired the former Days Inn Hotel at 801 St. Joseph Parkway for redevelopment into 251 luxury apartments and retail space. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2006, with units delivering in early 2007.

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

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Houston-s-apartment-boom-focuses-on-urban-scene-4619878.php?t=445cfc44ffb05374ef Hines is planning to build a high rise across the street from Market Square Park at Preston and Travis

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

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

Proposed 21-story high-rise development at Bunker Hill Rd & I-10. There's also an office building shown but it's unlikely to be built anytime soon. Site is currently being used as a staging area for Hotel Zaza.

Camden Property Trust will build on two blocks in downtown. Phase one begins in Spring 2015 which will include a 12-story high-rise. Phase two begins in Spring 2017. Total of 518 units. #31 on the new development map. http://downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-12-19/131218_Current_Projects_11x17.pdf

I noticed a few public notice signs at the apartments at Washington and Waugh announcing an application to redevelop. Anyone have any idea what's up with that?

signs up around the Triumph Hospital along Albany, Drew, Helena, and Dennis

Pearl is really banking on Midtown. I think this brings the total count to 4 possible Pearl complexes in the area.

Major development announcement for The Woodlands. New mixed-use plan is on the northern east shore of Lake Woodlands on Lake Woodlands Drive. The development will be across the street (Lake Front Circle) from The Woodlands United Methodist Church. http://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=48249 Sounds like the Hughes Corporation is cashing in, infrastructure be damned. Can we get timed lights in Town Center already? Widen Grogan's Mill?

Downtown residential highrise's being planned by Marquette Cos. Totaling more the 350 units. But they don't stop there... http://www.bisnow.com/commercial-real-estate/houston/what-do-downtown-and-galveston-have-in-common/ Renderings and info as of 4/2014: http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2014/04/future-office-construction-inspiration-for-new.html

Looks like a residential high-rise is (well, more likely was) planned for 3030 Travis St. Sometime between Jan. 2015 and Aug. 2015 the owners removed all leasing information from the strip center that sits on the site. I was going to dump this in the Houston: Potential thread but there appears to be some intent to build here, just may happen later rather than sooner. http://www.estudioarchitecture.com/# Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/place/3030+travis+st+houston+tx/@29.7429346,-95.3773422,3a,75y,323.82h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m4!1s0XnkosqAYDeJkmiJkWPijg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xc2661e4e68979a77!6m1!1e1

Proposed high-rise to be planted on 2 acres of the former Post Oak Park Townhomes site. This is being developed by Interfin, the group behind Avant Buffalo Bayou. Martin Fein purchased the remaining 3.4 acres and is currently construction a mid-rise.

gene posted this in the BLVD Place thread in January... http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...st&p=225944 Now we have this... http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...html?ana=e_ph#1 Hopefully it's not premature to post this in the Going Up! section.

swamplot.com/hines-plans-a-shiny-new-18-story-office-building-across-san-felipe-from-river-oaks/2013-05-16/

Well..I was browsing..and I ran into a new rendering for the Kirby Condos: Cool, eh?

Wow, this is impressive what is going on. When is 1717 going to break ground?! http://swamplot.com/...ing/2013-01-11/ Map location: https://www.google.c...06bfc34b5bf012f Does anyone have a copy of that newsletter?

http://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/MetroNational-to-break-ground-on-luxury-10988992.php#photo-12517654

Ziegler Cooper Architects Went to check out the new office space that Ziegler Cooper did for us. We're leasing first and 2nd floor suites at Loop Central One.

http://westchasedistrict.com/index.php/developers/market-updates/

Saw this posted on SSP, didn't find it here. http://www.gid.com/d...nt/horizon.aspx

Jennifer Dawson Houston Business Journal From the February 18, 2005 print edition An upscale inner-city sports landmark is about to become a high-end complex for apartment dwellers. Gables Residential Trust has gained control of the old River Oaks Tennis Center and will replace the courts with a multifamily complex in one of the firm's favorite Houston neighborhoods. Gables purchased two acres and executed a long-term ground lease for another four acres on the west side of Kirby between Kipling and Westheimer. The Hanover Co. was set to acquire one of the tracts at one point, but the apartment developer decided not to pursue the project. The estate of William Dickey sold the smaller tract holding the tennis courts that stretches west to Virginia Avenue. Members of the prominent Dickey family wanted to retain ownership of the property fronting Kirby, so they leased land occupied by the tennis center and a Jalapeno's restaurant. The family of William Dickey, who died in 1999, has owned the River Oaks Tennis Center since 1890. The club has been located at this site for more than 25 years, but was closed in 2000. The Houston family has controlled most of the land along Kirby between Westheimer and West Alabama for more than a century. During his lifetime, Dickey constructed many of the homes in the Avalon residential neighborhood, shopping centers on both northern corners of Kirby and Westheimer and the Regency House high-rise. The recent transactions involving Dickey land closed Jan. 31, but both parties are keeping a tight lid on the financial details. Representatives from the Dickey family and Gables were unavailable for comment. Ed Wulfe of Wulfe & Co. represented the Dickey family, but would not comment on the land values due to a confidentiality agreement. But given the River Oaks location, Gables more than likely paid a premium price for the site. Industry speculation suggests that Gables may erect at least one high-rise, high-end apartment building, and the entire project could eventually have more than 700 units. Long-term perspective The Kirby area is definitely an attraction for the publicly traded real estate investment trust based in Boca Raton, Fla. Gables is building a 144-unit complex at on Revere near Kirby called Gables River Oaks that is scheduled to open soon. The firm is also planning to build a smaller complex, with only 27 units, at 2620 Kipling near Kirby. The firm's existing complexes in the area include Gables Cityscape at 3720 West Alabama near Timmons and Gables Citywalk/Waterford Square at 2828 Greenbriar near West Alabama. Richard Zigler, director of research for O'Connor & Associates, says it is interesting that Gables would concentrate several projects in one area, but points out that it's a tremendous area. "There's not a lot of undeveloped land in that area," says Zigler, referring to the Dickey site. "You're right on the edge of River Oaks there. It's a prime location." David Wylie, a broker with Apartment Realty Advisors who specializes in selling apartment complexes, says the latest projects by Gables confirm the REIT's commitment to Houston, despite a soft rental market. "I know that Gables has a very long-term perspective on the market," he says. "They buy great long-term locations." Vacancy rates in apartments will continue to rise in Houston as developers build between 12,000 and 15,000 new units annually. In the past year, occupancy levels have dropped from 90.10 percent to 87.57 percent, according to O'Connor & Associates. Third-quarter 2004 data from the firm shows overall monthly rental rates were 79 cents per square foot. Rental rates for Class A properties specifically were $1.04 per square foot. Pat O'Connor, speaking at a recent event, predicted the downturn in the apartment market won't hit bottom until late 2005 or mid-2006. It will take five to eight years to recover after that, he added. "We're certainly not lacking for new apartments," notes Zigler. "Having said that, a lot of these new projects are doing quite well." As of last July, Gables owned 85 complexes with close to 24,000 units nationwide. At that time, the firm had nine communities under development, representing another 2,388 apartments across the country. Gables has at least 18 properties in Houston, not including the ones under development. jdawson@bizjournals.com -- 713-960-5935

In June 23rds Planning Commission Agenda by Knudson Services and The Gables (not sure if that's the same Gables we're used to hearing about)