City Centre Developments

[sheeats]

This place is really nice. I drove by it Saturday on a way to a party. I don't know why people think it won't be a success.

I fully agree with you that it will be a success; I just don't care for the aesthetics of it.

[banking214]

Drove by this weekend and noticed that there is a temporary building in the parking lot of the post office. Looks like work is going to begin soon.

[tanith27]

Sweeeeet. I just noticed a Yard House is going up here. Texas' first. This will ensure I leave the loop on a regular basis.

http://www.yardhouse.com/coming_to.asp

[lockmat]

Sweeeeet. I just noticed a Yard House is going up here. Texas' first. This will ensure I leave the loop on a regular basis.

http://www.yardhouse.com/coming_to.asp

yeah, HBJ had an article on them and a couple other new tenants today.

[hldjhn987]

Not the best pictures but they show the overall size of this project.

The pictures are from this wekend not 2/12/2006.

[sheeats]

More pictures, taken this weekend:

The front of the development along the Beltway 8 feeder road.

Buildings along Queensbury, across from the newly finished parking garage and bank. My husband noted that it appeared to be "1970s leisure center brick," which isn't a good thing.

Looking into the development from Queensbury. It's going up VERY fast now.

Inside the indoor pool area at Lifetime Fitness, on the "Luby's" side of the development.

The outdoor pool and spa at Lifetime Fitness. The gym itself pretty much finished except for a few interior bits. The view from the lovely outdoor pool should be stunning: the side of a parking garage and Luby's (including parking lot!). Here's to hoping they put in a lot of landscaping.

More construction next to the brownstones, which I love so much!

I have tons more photos over at Flickr, if interested.

[Pumapayam]

Inside the indoor pool area at Lifetime Fitness, on the "Luby's" side of the development.

Nice sized pool, too bad. Maybe 24 will buy them out one day, like they did the Q.

[Vaughan]

I think you missed the point....We arent talking about demographics...of course the area is great.

I was referring simply to access. You have 2 huge freeways surrounding it and currently the only 2 feeders into the development are the little post office curved road (t&c ln) and the one leading to escalante's (t&c blvd).

So my main point was the bw8 feeder going N to 10. IF construction doesnt change before cc opens, this is not a viable access point. Just sucks they could not acquire all the land to 10. Once the roads are finished (yes i believe they will be one day, but not before this centER is ready), it would be ultimate to have I10 and BW8 feeders pull DIRECTLY in , as well as the aforementioned back roads.

The Katy Freeway construction is ahead of schedule and is supposed to be substantially completed by fall 2008, including the intersection of I-10 at the Beltway. Much of City Centre probably will not open until mid-2009 at the earliest. The addition of another lane to the northbound side of the Beltway leading up to the Kimberly/Memorial exit should help as well.

Nonetheless, once all the road and City Centre construction is done, it will probably be similar to driving in the Galleria area: congested at lunchtime, on weekends and during the holiday shopping season, relatively easier to navigate the rest of the time.

Does anybody know what the plans are for the large plots of land on the northwest and southwest quandrants of the intersection of I-10 at the Beltway? The Katy Freeway plans suggest this land will remain vacant, but it seems like rather valuable real estate.

Drove by this weekend and noticed that there is a temporary building in the parking lot of the post office. Looks like work is going to begin soon.

They're in the process of refurbishing the inside of the post office, which previously looked something like a prison. In any event, the part of the post office across the street from the back of the brownstones is a loading dock, so there's not much they can do to the outside to make it look better.

[Trae]

Aren't the plans for the Northwest and Southwest quadrants of the Katy Freeway and Beltway 8 interchange suppose to be two different retention ponds?

[GrandLakes]

Yep. The NW and SW corners are both going to be exactly what you see now: huge retention ponds. When you lay that much concrete the water has to go somewhere...

[dmoneybangbang]

Yep. The NW and SW corners are both going to be exactly what you see now: huge retention ponds. When you lay that much concrete the water has to go somewhere...

I'm sure they will plant something there along the sides. It will probably look sktechy until whatever they plant matures.

[kjb434]

The overall Katy Freeway/West Loop project will plant 75,000 trees.

If you want to know what the detention facilities by the Beltway/Katy interchange will look like, just drive the West Loop/Katy one.

Under all the ramps are the detention facilities. It isn't as large because the increase in impervious area was as much.

You probably won't even notice the facilities by the Beltway because of the plantings. It will essentially become a forest.

[Pumapayam]

It will essentially become a forest.

Better than the old bazaar and warehouse structure that existed previous.

Good decision aesthetically and environmentally.

[rsb320]

The overall Katy Freeway/West Loop project will plant 75,000 trees.

If you want to know what the detention facilities by the Beltway/Katy interchange will look like, just drive the West Loop/Katy one.

Under all the ramps are the detention facilities. It isn't as large because the increase in impervious area was as much.

You probably won't even notice the facilities by the Beltway because of the plantings. It will essentially become a forest.

Is this where you are sent when you've been bad? I think you mean retention, as in a retention pond which "retains" excess flood water until finally and slowly running off.

LOL

[sheeats]

Better than the old bazaar and warehouse structure that existed previous.

OMG. I had totally forgotten about that craptastic old bazaar! How could I forget it?!?

[ChannelTwoNews]

Is this where you are sent when you've been bad? I think you mean retention, as in a retention pond which "retains" excess flood water until finally and slowly running off.

LOL

Nope, that'd be a detention pond.

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/eng99/eng99219.htm

[kjb434]

Is this where you are sent when you've been bad? I think you mean retention, as in a retention pond which "retains" excess flood water until finally and slowly running off.

tongue.gif LOL

No, they are technically detention basins. Not retention. Retention basins are a different design than these. I design both of these regularly for private and public projects including highways.

Quick definitions:

Detention basins limit storm water runoff to the pre-developed or existing conditions.

Retention basins limit storm water runoff to zero until the point of discharge recovers to the existing condition. Essentially the storm water would be released after the flood or when the receiving goes back to normal flows.

[rsb320]

WTF - My bad.

I have learned something new here on HAIF today.

Thanks for the clarification.

[kjb434]

No prob.

I have to give that explanation (and usually break it down to even simpler terms) all the time at public meetings and at civic club gatherings.

You can sound a little fancier and use: Storm Water Mitigation Basins. It'll cover both types and even underground detention/retention concepts.

[The Great Hizzy!]

rsb320 owns himself!

LOL!

j/k

I actually didn't realize the relationship between the two terms either--at least, as far as construction goes.

[kjb434]

The relationship has to do a lot with the outfall.

Retention ponds generally have to use some sort of pump mechanism to draw its water down. The pump station located near this interchange is to pump water from the low lying intersection into the detention facilities. The outfall is a simple pipe outfall sized for the allowable outflow rate.

You can look for the mass planting of trees to begin with the interchange is substantially complete. If these basins are anything like the ones at the I-610/Katy interchange, you'll end up seeing loads of birds nesting and using the facility.

How about that, a massive freeway expansion being good for area wildlife!

[The Great Hizzy!]

So essentially it can serve as a park, although it would be off limits to people.

[kjb434]

They often do. Many suburban developers are turning the detention basins into functional recreational spots. It's cheap parkland.

If it is large enough, they'll put soccer fields and baseball fields in them. At minimum trails around them are usually created. Many are build with lakes at the bottom.

The detention basins along I-10 will most likely be fenced in at some level thanks to lawyers. Just like detention basin that are build on school sites.

For the innerloopers. Just drive E TC Jester heading north from 11th street or south from 18th street and you'll see a baseball field in a detention basin.

If you ever jog along Buffalo Bayou (shepherd to downtown, or Terry Hershey park past the beltway) much of those areas are not in any natural configuration. Much of those areas have been re-sloped to create storage for storm water and they are now dual use.

Brays Bayou is getting the same treatment. Just check out Art Story Park. Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) has been implementing much of this with cooperation with the city and county.

Sims Bayou has a massive park just finished with this concept also.

What's weird is that much of this land doesn't always get classified at parks even though they are. This is why park land numbers are always skewed like we don't have much.

[The Great Hizzy!]

For the innerloopers. Just drive E TC Jester heading north from 11th street or south from 18th street and you'll see a baseball field in a detention basin.

I'm not an Inner-looper but I've seen the baseball field on several occasions. Would this be the same case for TC Jester Park outside the loop and just south of W. 43rd?

[KatieDidIt]

Tenants have moved into a completed building of CC. Most are facing the Beltway Feeder.

[Chamo]

They often do. Many suburban developers are turning the detention basins into functional recreational spots. It's cheap parkland.

If it is large enough, they'll put soccer fields and baseball fields in them. At minimum trails around them are usually created. Many are build with lakes at the bottom.

Well, I learned something new today too...... No wonder every time we have big rains where I live (Shadow Creek Ranch in Pearland), most of the Baseball and Soccer fields become Swimming/Waterpolo facilities for a couple of days.

[kjb434]

The Great Hizzy,

The baseball field along TC jester just outside the loop on TC Jester park isn't an example of this. It's built at natural ground. If the field was sunken several feet below natural ground, then it would be a good example. Actually, that would be a great idea to suggest to community groups and to the Parks Board.

HCFCD might as well be on board.

[Trae]

Soccer fields would be a better idea for things like that. Baseball fields are to hard to maintain with the dirt and stuff I'm thinking. Have them above ground instead of sunken below.

[kjb434]

Not really, it is done quite often. I wouldn't put critical baseball fields needed for league play in this situation, but for neighborhood, being sunken isn't a problem.

[Vaughan]

Tenants have moved into a completed building of CC. Most are facing the Beltway Feeder.

You mean the recently completed building with AT&T in it? I don't think that's part of City Centre. It's a redevelopment of part of the existing Town & Country strip malls. City Centre is only to the north of Queensbury.

[Pumapayam]

The CityCentre website was updated since the last time I looked, new renderings that are actually useful and not so sketchy. They also posted a series of construction photos too.

[Pumapayam]

This is how you do it, puts PTC to shame.

I don't see a grocery store thought, was there supposed to be one. At least a Randalls is close, but not exactly walking distance.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Pumapayam

[KatieDidIt]

I like how they are going more vertical than a lot of these town center thingie majiggies.

[Pumapayam]

I like how they are going more vertical than a lot of these town center thingie majiggies.

Just say PTC, we all know that is what you mean!

I know it stinks compared to this beauty huh.

[Pumapayam]

CC - Surface lots minimized(reuse of garages), walkabilty to entire site functional

PTC - Isolated inside surface lots, walkability only within the central area, walking to satellite pad sites discourage, more car-centric.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Pumapayam

[crunchtastic]

This is how you do it, puts PTC to shame.

I don't see a grocery store thought, was there supposed to be one. At least a Randalls is close, but not exactly walking distance.

Bingo! There has always been something that struck me as odd about the whole town centre concept but I could never pinpoint it. The whole idea is to mimic a town--a self contained residential/work space/retail/entertainment unit, right?

With no grocery store, the concept is fundamentally flawed. Do the Woodlands and Sugarland have grocery stores in their TCs?

[Pumapayam]

With no grocery store, the concept is fundamentally flawed. Do the Woodlands and Sugarland have grocery stores in their TCs?

Woodlands Market Street (is that part of the Town Center) does, an HEB. Sugar Land has Whole Foods that is technically in walking distance, but you have to cross under the freeway underpass. Not much fun if you ask me.

[KatieDidIt]

Bingo! There has always been something that struck me as odd about the whole town centre concept but I could never pinpoint it. The whole idea is to mimic a town--a self contained residential/work space/retail/entertainment unit, right?

With no grocery store, the concept is fundamentally flawed. Do the Woodlands and Sugarland have grocery stores in their TCs?

The Woodlands has a HEB Market......but it's not exactly close to the brownstone area. It would be one hell of a walk carrying gorceries.

I think CityCentre is going to have a specialties market.

[sheeats]

This rendering is missing the lovely, upscale chain-link fence that actually divides the Beltway feeder (top) from the Beltway itself (bottom). Hate that nasty thing.

The Randall's isn't too bad of a walk from CityCentre, honestly. There are shaded sidewalks the whole way, no major streets or thoroughfares to cross, and the shortcut around the back of Pines Presbyterian cuts the walk time considerably.

[KatieDidIt]

This rendering is missing the lovely, upscale chain-link fence that actually divides the Beltway feeder (top) from the Beltway itself (bottom). Hate that nasty thing.

The Randall's isn't too bad of a walk from CityCentre, honestly. There are shaded sidewalks the whole way, no major streets or thoroughfares to cross, and the shortcut around the back of Pines Presbyterian cuts the walk time considerably.

Yeah and that Randall's has a few 6 seater courtesy golf cart shuttles that I bet will be going back and forth quite a bit into CityCentre. My guess is that they will add more.

[ricco67]

Yeah and that Randall's has a few 6 seater courtesy golf cart shuttles that I bet will be going back and forth quite a bit into CityCentre. My guess is that they will add more.

Speaking of golf cart shuttles, what's up with those things in downtown and midtown? I happen to see one of those things parked over at the Front porch a few weeks back.

[swtsig]

the largest office building will not break ground until they have at least 50% of it leased... just an fyi. everything else is vertical, though. i've toured it city centre a few times and really like what they're doing. i would like to see a few more local retailers/restaurants/bars come in, so let's hope that happens.

[rsb320]

Speaking of golf cart shuttles, what's up with those things in downtown and midtown? I happen to see one of those things parked over at the Front porch a few weeks back.

They're electric taxis and they're free for now. I think they have two or three in operation, but will add more. If you are at a business that has a sticker on the window with a code number on it, all you do is text them with that code and they'll come and pick you up. I think it's an awesome concept, but have yet to ride one.

[desirous]

The electric taxis run on tips. Metro is still cheaper where applicable.

PTC isn't a town center, it's an outdoor mall.

[Pumapayam]

PTC isn't a town center, it's an outdoor mall.

I whole heartedly agree with you on this, but the developers were compelled to name it as such, Pearland Town Center.

Glorified strip mall indeed.

City Centre is a nice start of an edge city in the likes of Uptown. With Memorial City District expanding, the distance between them will be blurred as developers redo that area between Beltway 8 and Gessner.

Edited July 30, 2008 by Pumapayam

[memebag]

PTC isn't a town center, it's an outdoor mall.

They're all outdoor malls. Real town centers surround private property with public space. Real town centers have cops instead of security guards. Real town centers scare people.

Edited July 30, 2008 by memebag

[crunchtastic]

Real town centers scare people.

Damn right. They have all those bus stops. Have you seen the people on the bus? Do you have any idea what goes on at those bus stops? My property value has gone down because of them.

[desirous]

They're all outdoor malls. Real town centers surround private property with public space. Real town centers have cops instead of security guards. Real town centers scare people.

The same people that make right turns from the left lane and change colors with a bum two furlongs away. I, DT resident, know full well.

[dmoneybangbang]

I whole heartedly agree with you on this, but the developers were compelled to name it as such, Pearland Town Center.

Glorified strip mall indeed.

City Centre is a nice start of an edge city in the likes of Uptown. With Memorial City District expanding, the distance between them will be blurred as developers redo that area between Beltway 8 and Gessner.

Personally I think these TC concepts in the burbs are great because as Pearland grows, it can replace those surface parking lots with retail, offices, or residential. I don't think it would make much sense to build vertical in Pearland as it currently is. I really do like how Sugarland and The Woodlands have evolved their "city centers." Having those malls in close proximity doesn't hurt. What I would like to see next, hopefully in the near future, is Park&Ride service added.

Edited August 10, 2008 by dmoneybangbang

[Pumapayam]

CityCentre Lifetime Fitness opens September 12th, ribbon cutting ceromony on the 10th.

LTM, , ) today announced that the Grand Opening of its newest exclusive and luxurious Life Time Athletic club in Houston's CityCentre development, will occur Friday, September 12, 2008, at 5:00 a.m. This is the Company's first three-story center to open in the country and the fourth Life Time Fitness location in the Houston area, joining the Willowbrook, Cinco Ranch and Sugarland locations.

CityCentre Life Time Athletic members, area residents and special guests are invited to take part in a VIP preview celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, beginning at 6:45 p.m. The event will offer tours of the distinctive, large new three-story facility and feature opportunities to experience program demonstrations and activities.