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Hess Tower: Office Skyscraper At 1501 McKinney St.


Ethanra

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There is no negative.
I might be new to the english language, but isn't that the general definition of "agreement?"

Nope, some people think there are no downsides. My point is that the downside is the cost of installing the turbines and maintaining them.

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Nope, some people think there are no downsides. My point is that the downside is the cost of installing the turbines and maintaining them.

Coincidently, there was a show about wind turbines (Modern Marvels? They had Jay Leno on...) and how extremely efficient they were, etc,etc,etc..., but I would have to wonder HOW they would be installed. The versions that they showed on the program were vertical and were about 5 feet tall.

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Coincidently, there was a show about wind turbines (Modern Marvels? They had Jay Leno on...) and how extremely efficient they were, etc,etc,etc..., but I would have to wonder HOW they would be installed. The versions that they showed on the program were vertical and were about 5 feet tall.

I'm sure it will be expensive to get those things up there and they will require constant maintinence. This building will sit there for decades though so I wouldn't be surprised if they pay for themselves eventually, especially if energy costs keep rising.

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I'm sure it will be expensive to get those things up there and they will require constant maintinence. This building will sit there for decades though so I wouldn't be surprised if they pay for themselves eventually, especially if energy costs keep rising.

Of course it will be expensive to get those things up there. But it would also be expensive to put a crown, neon lighting, or any other window dressing on top of a building that would otherwise be an indistinctive box. I generally think that, as building trinkets go, this idea is more marketable than most -- so depending on how much more it costs vs. the other options, and what the present value of the future energy savings is, it just might a pretty good idea. If this is the first of its kind (and I have no idea if it is), I bet there are some other green-minded developers out there who are just a little jealous that they didn't think of it first.

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Well, from what I've seen on that show I mentioned, they can be rather discrete in appearance and can be fairly short. I'm sure as energy costs go up, I wouldn't doubt that it would pay for itself quickly. Perhaps even current buildings might place a few on roofs in the future.

Leno's turbine.

EDIT: correcting general stupidity with current stupidity and "woo-hooing" page 9!

Edited by ricco67
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Of course it will be expensive to get those things up there. But it would also be expensive to put a crown, neon lighting, or any other window dressing on top of a building that would otherwise be an indistinctive box. I generally think that, as building trinkets go, this idea is more marketable than most -- so depending on how much more it costs vs. the other options, and what the present value of the future energy savings is, it just might a pretty good idea. If this is the first of its kind (and I have no idea if it is), I bet there are some other green-minded developers out there who are just a little jealous that they didn't think of it first.

I agree. You could consider it a decorative crown that actually has some practical value. I'm sure it will get them quite a bit of free publicity also.

I think there is already a tower in Dubai that has done something smiliar.

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H-Town is gonna be disappointed. Seems as if we're going to get a 350 to 400 foot tall glass box. It's nice. Very safe. Nice infill overall I suppose...

DT_Temp_web_GR2_rev_01.jpg

It's not the great architecture I would hope for, but if this image comes to reality, along with an Embassy Suites on the south side and maybe another convention center hotel in the empty block next to Discovery Tower, I guarantee you H-Town Man will not be disappointed.

Chicago built its downtown texture with glass boxes less exciting than this.

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Yeah, I think this deep sea blue color it has is what keeps it so attractive, despite the 'lack of acrchitectual creativity.'

Although from this angle, it looks like that indentation on the southeast side corner breaks up the blandness of the boxiness.

btw, what's the source of this new picture anyway?

Edited by lockmat
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Let's see...3 spots about to go away....

Yeah. I figure parking downtown is going to go up a few bucks in the next few months.

With some of the new garages being built (for the buildings) what is going to be the net gain of parking spaces? Does anyone hazard a guess on that?

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The first full-page ad was in this week's Business Journal.

DSC02758.jpg

And a closer view of the rendering itself

DTadrendering.jpg

Its funny how the two buildings in that rendering both resemble Anadarko tower in The Woodlands. Its as if the both have half of the design. One has the concrete and glass and the other has the large setbacks at the top.

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The better and more desirable a city is, the more expensive it is to live and work in, plain and simple. If we want downtown improved, prices for everything (office rent, real estate purchase, parking, food, entertainment, etc.) are going to go up. There is a reason it's more expensive to live and work in Manhattan and San Francisco than in Omaha and Fargo.

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Heard a little rumor that the sky bridge connection is off the table....ever heard the story of the "See Through" tower (i.e. Heritage Plaza, or whatever it was called when it was first built)?

I'd always thought the Phoenix Tower was the "See Through" tower.

Anyway, there was also a 31% vacancy rate to contend with when Heritage Plaza was completed. The market was simply overbuilt and there wasn't nearly as much demand for Class-A office space as there is at this point.

The vacancy rate today is nowhere near that number and the demand for that type of office space in the downtown district does necessitate construction.

Edited by ChannelTwoNews
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Heard a little rumor that the sky bridge connection is off the table....ever heard the story of the "See Through" tower (i.e. Heritage Plaza, or whatever it was called when it was first built)?

Never heard of that... Would you please explain?

It's good/bad that there will not be a skybridge connection. Good for the street traffic. Bad for those who actually have to walk. :)

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