lockmat Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I'll miss this building.Why?I'm assuming they're recycling the materials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Why?I'm assuming they're recycling the materials?With the way they're doing the demo, I wouldn't be surprised if they are. Most of the exterior windows would probably have to be melted down, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Why?In studying the history of politics or religion, we emphasize the shepherd rather than the sheep. The effects are studied relative to the causes. This is not so in architectural history, where in too many cases, we ascribe the property of "historical" to something that isn't. An old but otherwise run-of-the-mill bungalow or a brick warehouse are perceived by many as important and as worthy of historical preservation even if there was absolutely nothing unique about them in the context of their times. I posit that a "historical" structure is not designated as such merely on account of age, but primarily on the basis of occurrences there.For instance, the Texas School Book Depository Building in Dallas, from which Oswald shot JFK...that's historic. Not because it is old, but because it was there and was elemental in the assassination. ...even if accidentally so. It should be preserved.I stated that I will miss this building, not that I want it preserved. The reason is personal. It always seemed to crop up somehow in a project that I was working on, was frequently in the background (and a few times in the foreground) of my skyline photos, and was a dull contrast to an otherwise shiny and clean cityscape. It seemed an exception to most every rule and always had to be explained around. It's an oddball. I've driven past it daily for the better part of eight years, and I'm just a little sentimental is all. It seems like there will be a hole there, in the skyline, for a long time. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 With the way they're doing the demo, I wouldn't be surprised if they are. Most of the exterior windows would probably have to be melted down, though.Is recycling the material like scrap metal, where there's a profit in it, or is simply for "green" reasons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Is recycling the material like scrap metal, where there's a profit in it, or is simply for "green" reasons?Every little bit the recycle is that much less they have to pay to haul off to the landfillis is basically money in their pockets. metal, steel, glass, and concrete can not only be recycled, but can give a decent amount of cash for it.People or companies aren't green unless there is something to be gained by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I'll miss this building.I will too. Bland boxes that were once considered modern are semi-historic and early minimalism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I'll miss this building. Yeah, me too. This has always been one of favorite buildings downtown, to the point of being obsessional about it. More than just the mid-century style, the proportions are fantastic. It must have seemed so elegant and futuristic when it was new. When it was boarded up, but before it was gutted, I was even able to break in a couple of times to do some urban exploring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 The windows are almost all taken out now, exposing the safety orange columns. A huge hole is now where the black tar paper was exposed in the above photos. I'll upload my pics at a later date. Too bad they couldn't have built a pkg garage across the street to abut the firewall of the Wedge tower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This site will most likely be the site of another skyscraper someday. They're putting in a underground parking garage, we know. But if this is going to be a high rise again some day, what is the most likely scenario to play out?:1. Build the garage with no plans for the future. In the future, destroy the garage and build a skyscraper.2. Build the garage with the necessary elements that a future skyscraper would need underground. In the future, build they scraper.If the second is true, what elements would have to be included in the design of the garage? Would we be able to notice from aerial photos others might take from neighboring buildings?related article:http://culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-10-11-the-wrecking-ball-sets-up-downtown-houstons-future-and-the-top-ranked-real-estate-investment-you-never-thought-of/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 This site will most likely be the site of another skyscraper someday. They're putting in a underground parking garage, we know. But if this is going to be a high rise again some day, what is the most likely scenario to play out?:1. Build the garage with no plans for the future. In the future, destroy the garage and build a skyscraper.2. Build the garage with the necessary elements that a future skyscraper would need underground. In the future, build they scraper.If the second is true, what elements would have to be included in the design of the garage? Would we be able to notice from aerial photos others might take from neighboring buildings?related article:http://culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-10-11-the-wrecking-ball-sets-up-downtown-houstons-future-and-the-top-ranked-real-estate-investment-you-never-thought-of/I'd be willing to bet that no skyscraper is built here for decades, so there would be no point in designing a garage around a potential future building design. Given the dominance of parking, both surface lot and in garages, in the southern part of downtown, I think that the city should designate the area as the "Parking District". Then they could disseminate lots of bogus statistics, like "This is the largest designated parking district in the United States," or "The Parking District has more parking places than any other American city except Los Angeles." They could even erect special Parking District street signs with illustrations of local car parks, so tourists would know where they were. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) I'd be willing to bet that no skyscraper is built here for decades, so there would be no point in designing a garage around a potential future building design. EDIT: nm, I thought they were building an underground parking garage, but I just found out there already is one and they're preserving it. my bad Edited January 15, 2011 by lockmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrnavid Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I'd be willing to bet that no skyscraper is built here for decades, so there would be no point in designing a garage around a potential future building design. Given the dominance of parking, both surface lot and in garages, in the southern part of downtown, I think that the city should designate the area as the "Parking District". Then they could disseminate lots of bogus statistics, like "This is the largest designated parking district in the United States," or "The Parking District has more parking places than any other American city except Los Angeles." They could even erect special Parking District street signs with illustrations of local car parks, so tourists would know where they were.Hahahahaha The Parking District idea, even though its ridiculous, I can actually see. But I beg to differ on the idea that no skyscrapers would be built here for decades. If the right types of development are orchestrated around the city, enough to shift population and business to Houston, more companies would be willing to lease office space in the CBD. But it will take some years, but decades, as in 40+ years, I dont think so. Not if the right people step up to change the way the city if perceived across the country and the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hahahahaha The Parking District idea, even though its ridiculous, I can actually see. But I beg to differ on the idea that no skyscrapers would be built here for decades. If the right types of development are orchestrated around the city, enough to shift population and business to Houston, more companies would be willing to lease office space in the CBD. But it will take some years, but decades, as in 40+ years, I dont think so. Not if the right people step up to change the way the city if perceived across the country and the world.I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with the way that Houston is perceived across the country, but I do think that decades is the right time span to look for development of a lot of space downtown. Many blocks used for street parking have already been vacant for decades. The Sheraton itself has been empty for almost a quarter century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto250us Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 She's coming down. They started knocking big holes in her this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyTree Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Williams Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 those big holes look like they're spaced for a deconstruction crane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Maybe we should start identifying downtown eye sores and START SPECULATING!!! "We can now raise rents there because 1201 Louisiana has a view now," Paul Layne, an executive with Brookfield, told an industry group earlier this week. He also said Brookfield is working with the city on getting incentives to tear down and redevelop other abandoned eyesores downtown. He was light on specifics, but in a follow up interview he said that financial assistance from the city would be welcome. "We're hoping this will part of the first of a number of opportunities that the city would have to rid itself of derelict properties," he said. While the city hasn't made any commitments yet, the discussions are ongoing, said Andy Icken, the city's chief development officer. "We're exploring ideas of what's been done in other cities, but we don't have a plan yet," Icken said. http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/01/demolition_of_downtown_eyesore.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyTree Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwcre8tive Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Was this building ever considered for residential conversion? It seems the narrow floorplates and operable windows would have made it a good apartment/condo tower (especially if there was attached parking). Edited February 1, 2011 by dfwcre8tive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbaker Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Was this building ever considered for residential conversion? It seems the narrow floorplates and operable windows would have made it a good apartment/condo tower (especially if there was attached parking).I believe the vast majority of the building had low ceilings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 The building was re-planned as a hotel on a few occasions, but never as condos as far as I'm aware. The lower ceilings were in the hotel section on the upper floors. The lower floors were offices and had higher ceilings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwcre8tive Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 The building was re-planned as a hotel on a few occasions, but never as condos as far as I'm aware. The lower ceilings were in the hotel section on the upper floors. The lower floors were offices and had higher ceilings.Interesting. I didn't know about the different ceiling heights, but now looking at the photo the difference is clear. Low ceiling heights are one issue with converting the Dallas Statler-Hilton into apartments/condos.But not everyone wants/needs a very high ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 They have a crane up now and most all of the windows are out. The lower concrete floors are exposed through the hole they punched in it to install the tower crane. It will be interesting to see how fast it comes down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniepwils Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 They have a crane up now and most all of the windows are out. The lower concrete floors are exposed through the hole they punched in it to install the tower crane. It will be interesting to see how fast it comes down.I hope very fast... it is causing a nightmare on Louisiana street (one of the main roads in downtown) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 a dull contrast to an otherwise shiny and clean cityscape. cheer up, the days inn is still there (for now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Apologies for the size, here are a couple of shots from an hour or so ago. Looks like all of the glass is out. Edited March 1, 2011 by Nate99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 looks like they have removed the top two floors and the swimming pool area in the last two weeks.I'll snap a few pics when I go in to work tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 3.16.11 looks like 2 floors plus pool level removed in 2 weeks 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 3.16.11 looks like 2 floors plus pool level removed in 2 weeks Nice shot. Thanks for the update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I think I'll post a picture every two weeks.... This one is from 3.31.11... They have cut off everything above where the safety nets were- I think that's five floors in a month's time. So, it 3 or 4 months, no more Sheraton Lincoln. ( j need to get a flikr acct... the people I'm using is more of a photoblag, so they kill hotlinks after a while...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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