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Hess Tower: Office Skyscraper At 1501 McKinney St.


Ethanra

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"Trammell Crow Co. is planning to build a tower on the eastern end of downtown" - Discovery Tower

"That's led other developers to plan new buildings as well..."

"Brookfield Properties of New York...is working on plans for a new downtown tower."

"Fort Worth-based Crescent Real Estate Equities Co. also said it will announce a building this year that will be attached to its existing Houston Center complex." - Does someone have an address for this place so I can look it up on mapquest?

"And Hines also is preparing for the development of a downtown building, but it won't announce anything until plans are complete."

"But prospects for the proposed towers aren't unlimited, leaving some to question the amount of space potentially being added at one time..."The thing that remains to be seen is whether we will go too far and overbuild," Robinson said."

Obviously all these different firms know that each one of them is planning a new tower, right? So regardless, it looks like each one of these is speculativly promising, yes? They all seem to think the tenants will be there.

And if these towers go up, it seems like downtown living would be that much more in demand as well, and we could possibly see another residential tower, no?

And how come all these were sort of announced all at once, yet Discovery T. was the only one to get an article in the HBJ? B/c they're further along and it looks more likely to happen?

---

Sorry for all the questions. I must have woke up on the high energy side of the bed this morning.

Edited by lockmat
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Wow!!!! Great news for Houston. I was really hoping that the remaining two lots surrounding the park would be developed into residential towers like One Park Place, but I'll take anything. I just really hope that the bottom floor of this new tower has retail to help compliment the the specialty grocer going in on the bottom floor of One Park Place.

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There are still roughly 3 and a half blocks surrounding the park, including the 1.5 block monster on the northern border. That block could support some monster building, similar to Hilton Americas, or preferably, 2 or 3 more slender buildings. I'm looking forward to what goes there.

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Great news!!

Can't wait for more details like height and renderings

I wish they would announce project like with with a rendering or something for the public to envision.

There are still roughly 3 and a half blocks surrounding the park, including the 1.5 block monster on the northern border. That block could support some monster building, similar to Hilton Americas, or preferably, 2 or 3 more slender buildings. I'm looking forward to what goes there.

So many surface lots just waiting to be developed. East side will definately see a boom in contruction.

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And I see my old Fave HLP glass palace. But that was around right before Toyo.

Does HLP mean Houston Lighting and Power (pre Centerpoint?)

louie7c1.gif

I miss Louie the Lightning Bug!

I sang to all those commercials as a kids, surprisingly, they were not annoying.

Reminded me of School House Rock type material.

Edited by Pumapayam
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What's spec mean?

It's "Speculative". Betting on the come. Meaning they're proceeding with construction without any have firm commitments on leasing out the space yet.

In other words, they feel that the market is going to be strong enough that they'll find people to fill their new building...

I'm sure the Niche or others can explain all the whys and wherefores about whether this is smart, dumb, good news, bad news, interesting, etc.

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I really hope the building goes higher than 31 stories... but even if it doesn't, this is really exciting for Downtown! So let's see... we have Discovery Green, Houston Pavilions and One Park Place all under construction... other retail planned for Main Street... and now more office towers being planned. Exciting times for Downtown!! :wub:

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It's "Speculative". Betting on the come. Meaning they're proceeding with construction without any have firm commitments on leasing out the space yet.

In other words, they feel that the market is going to be strong enough that they'll find people to fill their new building...

I'm sure the Niche or others can explain all the whys and wherefores about whether this is smart, dumb, good news, bad news, interesting, etc.

Perfect, thanks.

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It's "Speculative". Betting on the come. Meaning they're proceeding with construction without any have firm commitments on leasing out the space yet.

In other words, they feel that the market is going to be strong enough that they'll find people to fill their new building...

I'm sure the Niche or others can explain all the whys and wherefores about whether this is smart, dumb, good news, bad news, interesting, etc.

No need. You gave a textbook-quality definition.

The only thing more to take away from it is that there are a lot of folks out there with financial clout that have confidence in the downtown Houston office market. Is it justified? If not, it probably will be by the time any of this space actually hits the market.

...but having said that, don't expect for every proposal to work out. For the moment, it is all nothing more than a bunch of mouths flapping in the strong cool breeze that is $60 oil.

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I've noticed on downtown maps on the street that the west side of DT is called the Skyline district. Do they call it that b/c that's just what it is, or are there some kind of regulations that say if you build in that area, it's gotta be a certain height?

It is what it is.

Another question. Is it more or less expensive to build two 30 story buildings, or one 60 story building? Or is it the same?

Typically, two 30's are less expensive than a 60. I'd prefer to see some 60's, but odds are very strong that we won't go that high in this building cycle.

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I just really hope that the bottom floor of this new tower has retail to help compliment the the specialty grocer going in on the bottom floor of One Park Place.

While I understand where you're coming from, you don't want to oversaturate the market with retail just as you don't want to overbuild on commercial spec. Of course, if the area around Discovery Green is to become everything that everyone envisions, the market should eventually be there.

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While I understand where you're coming from, you don't want to oversaturate the market with retail just as you don't want to overbuild on commercial spec. Of course, if the area around Discovery Green is to become everything that everyone envisions, the market should eventually be there.

I think I know where he might be coming from though. I think he says that b/c it helps the area become more livable when more residents move in.

Edited by lockmat
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You got to start somewhere with retail though. I'm sick of seeing just another pretty structure in downtown that does nothing for the vibrancy of the community. Something that killed our downtown during the building boom and removed dozens of blocks like the block at Preston Station where St Pete's sits. No point in going to that area if all you are going to walk by our walls with an entrance for employees only.

Edited by WesternGulf
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You got to start somewhere with retail though. I'm sick of seeing just another pretty structure in downtown that does nothing for the vibrancy of the community. Something that killed our downtown during the building boom and removed dozens of blocks like the block at Preston Station where St Pete's sits. No point in going to that area if all you are going to walk by our walls with an entrance for employees only.

Many buildings downtown contribute not only to the 'vibrancy' of a few blocks, but to the vibrancy of everything within a 20-mile radius; that is downtown's community. With that in mind, I want a pretty structure.

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Even greater news is the 6 Houston looks like it will be built on spec also, and Hines really is planning a new tower, likely for the "last seedy block of Main".
There are several candidates for that title. I doubt it would be the Stowers-West Bldg-Montague block, because there are numerous parcels that would have to be acquired. Possibly the block where the Shamrock isn't, or anything south of Travis Tower down to the Beaconsfield.
I've noticed on downtown maps on the street that the west side of DT is called the Skyline district. Do they call it that b/c that's just what it is, or are there some kind of regulations that say if you build in that area, it's gotta be a certain height?

That's just a name dreamed up as a marketing gimmick. It has no particular signicance beyond that.

What year was that photo taken, is it recent?
Probably around early-1970s. Two Houston Center is there, but not One Houston Center which was built shortly afterwards.
My only reservation, though, is that our sleek native style will be replaced with imported architecture that tries to recreate styles from other cities.

What "sleek native style"? Since when does downtown have anything that could be considered a "native style"? A bunch of skyscapers that happened to be designed in the late 1970s-early 1980s doesn't constitute a native style, it just indicates a historical coincidence.

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There are several candidates for that title. I doubt it would be the Stowers-West Bldg-Montague block, because there are numerous parcels that would have to be acquired. Possibly the block where the Shamrock isn't, or anything south of Travis Tower down to the Beaconsfield.

That's just a name dreamed up as a marketing gimmick. It has no particular signicance beyond that.

Probably around early-1970s. Two Houston Center is there, but not One Houston Center which was built shortly afterwards.

What "sleek native style"? Since when does downtown have anything that could be considered a "native style"? A bunch of skyscapers that happened to be designed in the late 1970s-early 1980s doesn't constitute a native style, it just indicates a historical coincidence.

Houston's "native style"?!?

Cabeza de Vaca described the Karankawas as tall (6 ft common), well-built, muscular, the men stark naked, with lower lip and nipples pierced, covered in alligator grease (against mosquitos), happy and generous, with amazing physical prowess. "... they go naked in the most burning sun ....- in winter they go out in early dawn to take a bath ... breaking the ice with their body...".

karankaw.jpg

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What "sleek native style"? Since when does downtown have anything that could be considered a "native style"? A bunch of skyscapers that happened to be designed in the late 1970s-early 1980s doesn't constitute a native style, it just indicates a historical coincidence.

The native style is the dominant style; I use the term loosely, but you get the idea. That it is coincidental has nothing to do with it.

Houston's "native style"?!?

Cabeza de Vaca described the Karankawas as tall (6 ft common), well-built, muscular, the men stark naked, with lower lip and nipples pierced, covered in alligator grease (against mosquitos), happy and generous, with amazing physical prowess. "... they go naked in the most burning sun ....- in winter they go out in early dawn to take a bath ... breaking the ice with their body...".

karankaw.jpg

Funny that the description didn't mention cannibalism...

Edited by TheNiche
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Probably around early-1970s. Two Houston Center is there, but not One Houston Center which was built shortly afterwards.

What "sleek native style"? Since when does downtown have anything that could be considered a "native style"? A bunch of skyscapers that happened to be designed in the late 1970s-early 1980s doesn't constitute a native style, it just indicates a historical coincidence.

2 HC was finished in 1974, 1 HC in 1978, so it is likely in that range. Also, further down San Jacinto, it appears that the South Texas College of Law is not there yet. It was built in 1976, so perhaps the photo is between 1974 and 1976.

Oh, and another vote against 'native style'. I don't think Houston has one. It merely had a building boom during the 70s and early 80s. The style of architecture during that period is not native to Houston.

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I want a pretty structure.

[sarcasm]I don't.[/sarcasm]

Of course we do, but it would be nice if developers did not half step the many projects coming to this part of downtown, so we can see it at its full potential. One Park Place, could have had a better design of course, is at its full potential IMO. Although I would have had the small grocery facing the park instead of the opposite side of the building.

I echo the comments about the people who said this park would not have an impact on future development of the area and an "evolving" park would have been better. :closedeyes: Nice to see so much is happening before construction is even finished. That part of downtown already looks totally different and better from a couple of months ago. Exciting stuff.

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Although I would have had the small grocery facing the park instead of the opposite side of the building.
It is? yeah, it does seem like it would be better facing the park, but maybe it will give them a little more privacy, in a way, from the public who's at the park? I dont know.

Maybe someone could shed a little light on why they might do that.

"evolving" park"

What's an evolving park?

Edited by lockmat
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