WesternGulf Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I was looking at the Kirksey website and it looks like there is some sort of library proposal for the superblock in midtown. Here are the renderings: From Main Street http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8931/235w18pc2.jpg http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3900/409fargoym3.jpg Layout of Library. McGowen light rail station at upper right. http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7892/407heightshj3.jpg Anymore info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Looks nice to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I know Houston has libraries, but after living here for 7 years, I couldnt tell you where one was...I think this would be a great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 with the one downtown undergoing a major overhaul, this would seem unlikely, however one never knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 That would be awesome. I love libraries. They bring so much more to the community than just books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 It might make sense to have a second library there if it was to serve HCC as a college library. Maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 with the one downtown undergoing a major overhaul, this would seem unlikely, however one never knows.The problem with the downtown location is that it is not a residential area...Libraries need to be located in residential areas and as already mentioned, near colleges. With the influx of residents to Midtown, a library would be a great addition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolie Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 That would be excellent. I love libraries. I think it's beautiful.here is the link to the pagehttp://www.kirksey.com/ProjectMain.asp?ID_...181&OffSet= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nativehou Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I can't tell -- does the rendering include a parking garage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolie Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 The architect's contact info is listed on the Kirksey site.I searched the Houston City Library website with no results, press releases, etc.I'm not a "people person," but someone more polite than me should email the architect and the library contact people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 The problem with the downtown location is that it is not a residential area...if you're not into history then i'll assume you want it torn down.you have to remember that the downtown library isn't only just a library. it has many historical records in the ideson building which is unique. similar to the clayton library where they have the genealogy branch.EDIT: just checked the cip plan for the libraries through 2010. no library planned.CIP libary funds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Looks really nice, but will the homeless crowd become an issue as in the older library being remodeled? Everytime I would go to that library they were hanging outside the door. Signs were everywhere but to no avail. Sorry goes back to that other Midtown controvercial thread. Peace all! Love that modern look! Honest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 I can't tell -- does the rendering include a parking garage? I believe there is suppose to be two floors of parking below the library. Here is another angle from McGowen and Main. Notice the HCC building in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 if you're not into history then i'll assume you want it torn down.you have to remember that the downtown library isn't only just a library. it has many historical records in the ideson building which is unique. similar to the clayton library where they have the genealogy branch.EDIT: just checked the cip plan for the libraries through 2010. no library planned.CIP libary fundsBad assumption musicman. I think the downtown library is very important, and Im glad to see its going to get renovations done.But it serves a different purpose. If I want to go borrow a DVD or a great thriller novel, Im not going to drive downtown. If however, there is a library 3 blocks away from me, I may do that. If I want to find some historical records for my own research, certainly I would be willing to go downtown to do so.See the difference? Im not sure what other cities you have lived in previous to Houston, but I have lived in other cities that Libraries are all over the place. Sometimes they are very small and only serve as branch libraries for a main facility, but they are easy to get to and are easy to use. Kinda like the Starbucks and Walgreens business model. Dont focus on profit per store, focus on profit per square mile. To get the later, you need saturation. One library downtown isnt going to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Bad assumption musicman. I think the downtown library is very important, and Im glad to see its going to get renovations done.But it serves a different purpose. If I want to go borrow a DVD or a great thriller novel, Im not going to drive downtown. If however, there is a library 3 blocks away from me, I may do that. If I want to find some historical records for my own research, certainly I would be willing to go downtown to do so.See the difference?not sure if this is so believable when earlier in the thread you said "I know Houston has libraries, but after living here for 7 years, I couldnt tell you where one was..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Houston would be on oddity without a downtown library.Maybe the super bloc does need something "civic". The idea of a big block of camden apartments does not impress me.It'll end up like "beautiful southwest Houston". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Is that a residential component to the south of the library in WG's last image? Looks like it to me. In the meantime, I love the building's design. Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I don't like it. I don't like the idea of a big ass library on that block. Am I crazy? I was excited by the proposed mixed use development. Midtown needs more residential and more retail. We already have a big library downtown. Midtown is still far from "critical mass' with people and things to do. A library is wrong for the superblock. What happened to Camden? Are they pulling out of the superblock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 Is that a residential component to the south of the library in WG's last image? Looks like it to me. In the meantime, I love the building's design. Very nice.Think so. 200 units, 500 space parking garage, and 50,000 sq ft of retail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 that would mean they'd tear down that old haunted house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 It's so out of place anyway. Unless the ultimate design of the projects planned for the Super Block were to change asthetically, that old haunted house is completely out of place given the architecture surrounding it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Is the super-block too boxed in to handle a lot of traffic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I just don't see how any library can be out of place. It fits anywhere. It's a library. I would welcome any new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbaker Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Not to rain on anyone's parade, but they also show what are presumably old renderings for the planned conversion of the Texaco building into a hotel. I suspect this is an older rendering as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Displaced Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I clicked on the link for the architects' page, and the pictures in he first message in this thread come up on a page about the CENTRAL DOWNTOWN library renovation. What am I missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I clicked on the link for the architects' page, and the pictures in he first message in this thread come up on a page about the CENTRAL DOWNTOWN library renovation. What am I missing?funding perhaps? a library in midtown is not funded according to the city's own capital improvements plan through 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 This actually does not surprise me. I was wondering what Camden's financial gurus were going to do about this site. I figured that there were two possibilities. They'd either divest it and run away with the cash to a site with better margins, or Ric Campo would put the charm on every public official he ever met until one of them agreed to partner up with him or just give him money outright to develop the property. I was figuring that METRO would be the most likely candidate to be giving away taxpayer dollars to a giant REIT, but HCC came as a surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 The problem with the downtown location is that it is not a residential area...Libraries need to be located in residential areas and as already mentioned, near colleges. With the influx of residents to Midtown, a library would be a great addition. But Downtown is SLOWLY becoming a more residential area... hopefully the pace will pick a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolie Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Is HCC large and "academically deep" enough to sustain a library of that size? It's at least as large as the central UH library.Altogether, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out, with the Camden component and politicowrangling Niche alludes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Is HCC large and "academically deep" enough to sustain a library of that size? It's at least as large as the central UH library.Altogether, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out, with the Camden component and politicowrangling Niche alludes too.They're plenty large enough, but the "academically deep" part of the equation could be difficult to satisfy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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