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River Oaks District: Mixed-Use Development At 4444 Westheimer Rd. & 4702 Westheimer Rd.


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Good post, Mr. X ! 

 

The point you made that resonates most with me is "Quality costs!".  On one hand, I can understand that people don't want to be taxed for stuff that they think is a waste of money.  OTOH, our collective disagreements on what is worthwhile (or not) seem to prevent us from doing anything.  (Some people think doing nothing is always the best choice.  I disagree.) 

 

During Houston's development, choices were made that led us to being how we are as a city now.  Different choices would have led to us being a different city.  Say, if William Marsh Rice hadn't written his will in such a way as to create Rice Institute (University).  If the Texas Medical Center hadn't been started.  If the Hogg brothers hadn't built River Oaks or done the things they did that led to Memorial Park coming into being.  I've read that early development of Houston (like the oak alley on south main) was influenced by the City Beautiful movement. 

 

Sometimes I despair that we no longer have the caliber of civic leadership that produced so many things that we are proud of.  So, like you, I want to be wrong, too!

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Is there some kind of permit or something they have to obtain before demolishing these buildings? They have literally done nothing for two months except put up a fence with green cloth over it and those big signs. They've been paying for a guard 24/7 to keep out squatters. They have literally done nothing else. The lights are still on and everything. There are still air conditioners on the roofs (I'd think those would have to be removed properly first due to the refrigerant). I haven't seen anyone removing appliances or anything. I think the fitness equipment is still there too.

Is this typical?

For now, I think McMillan is more focused on his development in Atlanta. He recently acquired a huge construction loan from Wells Fargo, and construction has started on another parcel of the development, in addition to the Hermes parcel.

Have construction dates or estimatea been set for the River Oaks project?

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Oliver Mcmillan's Buckead project in Atlanta should really have no bearing on what's going on with Houston's River Oaks District.  His project here in ATL has been a slow go since they acquired the 10% completed property a couple of years ago (the former "Streets of Buckhead" project started in 2008 and sat idle for 4 years with 4-5 cranes just sitting there). FOUR YEARS!

 

Although limited construction has resumed in 2013, they still have not secured a full construction loan from Wells Fargo (or any other bank) and have been financing recent construction with their own capital, however the current progress is minimal at best.

 

 

 

 

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Yes, there is a demo permit required. Water and sewer must be disconnected from the system, as does electrical. Once that is confirmed, permits issue.

 

Electrical is still connected - all of the building lighting still comes on every night. As recently as March, one apartment still had lights on inside (you could see right in at night - someone had stolen the mini-blinds when moving out).

 

The whole thing just seems "on hold" to me. Even the security patrols have been decreased.

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  • 2 weeks later...

While Chicago’s lakefront and its entertainment potential 

are strong attractions, other cities are banking on the rise of 
walkable urbanism to spark new mixed-use developments. 
Take OliverMcMillan’s River Oaks District, a retail-focused 
development now under way in Houston. Covering six city 
blocks in an affluent neighborhood, it will add new housing, 
office space, and 270,000 square feet of luxury and boutique 
retail lining shade-covered streets. “It’s about creating a city 
street–like pedestrian district that’s activated 24/7 by the 
mix, including new offices and some 300 new residences,” 
Gensler’s Duncan Paterson explains. 
 
River Oaks has been significantly recalibrated for a changing 
market, notes Gensler’s Marty Borko. “OliverMcMillan took it 
from a highrise to a ‘city neighborhood’ pattern, with retail at 
the base and office and residential above.” For Houston, some 
retail and restaurant tenants want two-story spaces, often with 
dramatic interiors and roof terraces, while others are looking for 
more intimate spaces, some as small as 600 square feet. “When 
you put them together,” Borko says, “it gives River Oaks a much 

more interesting streetscape.”

 

 

http://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/Mixed_Use_and_the_Reimagined_City_04_26_2013.pdf

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I really like the rendering for that Navy Pier in Chicago...although I can't stand the fact that are proposing that project at that location. It would really cheapen the coastline and views of the lake IMO. I would LOVE to have a development like THAT project going up between Pinto Ranch and Luby's on Post Oak.

Edited by por favor gracias
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Oliver McMillan... plans to begin excavation work on the project in early 2013. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2013, and a grand opening is slated for the fall of 2014.

 

They haven't excavated anything. Do they intend to build on top of the existing buildings? No. Something is holding them up.

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  • 2 weeks later...

River Oaks District announced they signed Roberto Cavalli to a lease.  "An array of other luxury retailers are eyeing the complex, such as Hermès, Christian Dior, Tom Ford and John Lobb, reports Culture Map."   (For the record, the Business Journal referenced Culture Map as its source, which in turn referenced Paper City as its source.)

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2013/06/roberto-cavalli-houston-river-oaks.html

Edited by Houston19514
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River Oaks District announced they signed Roberto Cavalli to a lease. "An array of other luxury retailers are eyeing the complex, such as Hermès, Christian Dior, Tom Ford and John Lobb, reports Culture Map." (For the record, the Business Journal referenced Culture Map as its source, which in turn referenced Paper City as its source.)

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2013/06/roberto-cavalli-houston-river-oaks.html

It's funny how whenever a article is posted concerning this project it always has one of the old renderings instead of the most current in my opinion boring rendering. I keep hoping that the delay in the start of construction on this project is because they have decided to go back closer to the older renderings with highrises. I mean the project should atleast have a hotel since the developer wants it to be such a luxury shopping destination.

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  • 3 weeks later...

HoustonBoy, I'm supprised that the W, Ritz-Carlton, or Mandrin Orental have decided to build a hotel in Houston since its booming. I want to see that 50+ story Ritz-Carlton annonce in Uptown again and open intime for the Superbowl. 

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Well, if one resents people "with too much money", at least this project would provide a mechanism to take some of that money and circulate it through other peoples hands :-)

 

On the subject of high-end hotels, I also find it kinda weird that Houston hasn't gotten any new such hotels for years, even when other cities with less-robust economies have gotten several.  Frankly, I think its presents a real opportunity for people who could build something like that here.  But, as others have noted, the usual crowd of such people that operate here seem to be excessively risk-averse for the last 30 years or so.

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I don't know if too much money is the right terminology...more like, "people with the amount of money I wish I had."

 

 

Well, if one resents people "with too much money", at least this project would provide a mechanism to take some of that money and circulate it through other peoples hands :-)

 

 

 

Apparently I offended a few folks who are insecure about their financial wealth. My point is that retailers like Hermès, Christian Dior, Tom Ford and John Lobb are boutiques catering primarily to a wealthy few trying to impress others. There is no other reason to buy their products, unless perhaps you just happen love high-end fashion. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

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Apparently I offended a few folks who are insecure about their financial wealth. My point is that retailers like Hermès, Christian Dior, Tom Ford and John Lobb are boutiques catering primarily to a wealthy few trying to impress others. There is no other reason to buy their products, unless perhaps you just happen love high-end fashion. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

 

Huh? Offended?

 

There's no doubt the retailers setting up shop here are going to get most of their business from the upper echelon shoppers and those keeping up with the Jones's...plenty of high-end clients in town and there's a sucker born every minute

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Apparently I offended a few folks who are insecure about their financial wealth. My point is that retailers like Hermès, Christian Dior, Tom Ford and John Lobb are boutiques catering primarily to a wealthy few trying to impress others. There is no other reason to buy their products, unless perhaps you just happen love high-end fashion. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

 

Say what? Your post came off as insecure.

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