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


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Welcome to Market Street River Oaks District. All kidding aside, it's a step in the right direction from a strip mall. The office building in the first picture looks interesting, the cinema does too. Looks a LOT better than the previous ones that were released when the economy tanked and all the towers were scrapped.

 

I agree with you. It is better than a strip mall.

 

However, this isn't replacing a strip mall. It's replacing apartments. The net result of the demolition is an actual decline in the number of residential units on that plot. 

 

Also, it will be interesting to see if the retail that isn't fronting Westheimer can flourish. Other than the movie theatre, there's nothing else to make folks venture back into the development. It's West Ave. with fewer apartments and less visibility. I wouldn't be betting on this one...

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Well, they screwed something up big time today, not too long after 5 PM, and a third of Westcreek Ln. is now shut down. It smells like natural gas. There's a hazmat truck out there, a fire truck, a few ambulances, several HPD response pickup trucks blocking the road off, etc.

Problem should be fixed by now.

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I agree with you. It is better than a strip mall.

 

However, this isn't replacing a strip mall. It's replacing apartments. The net result of the demolition is an actual decline in the number of residential units on that plot. 

 

Also, it will be interesting to see if the retail that isn't fronting Westheimer can flourish. Other than the movie theatre, there's nothing else to make folks venture back into the development. It's West Ave. with fewer apartments and less visibility. I wouldn't be betting on this one...

 

I concur that it will be interesting to see how the other retail does. It would be great to get some different restaurant choices, and I will probably frequent the theater. A few new cocktail/wine bars would be great, Prohibition is a little crowded. And of course, I hope some high end stores open up so I can window shop and pretend I could afford it.

 

The concern over the number of residents versus what will be built is an understanding of Houston in the next decade or two. Most of the larger lot garden style apartments will bite the dust, as well as the older hole in the wall places (Also what's left of the industrial spaces). Town Houses and 4-8 story apartment blocks is the future of the West Inner Loop. Of course, don't forget your cute little office buildings and random high-rises.

 

Pretty soon all the affordable places will be gone, and what's left of them will be the bottom of the barrel. Some newer Middle Class options would be nice.

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I think this place will do fine. West Ave to me is a dark place. There is no sunlight in the inner parts of it. I think West Ave would be a good spot for clubs and bars. I think the River Oaks District could steal a lot of stores from the Galleria and BLVD Place.

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  • 3 weeks later...

i'm sure i will walk over to the iPic Theatre and spend $12 or more for a ticket, perhaps plus more for a couple of drinks or a snack.  After the show is over, I will have the opportunity to walk around and sneer at those folks showing off the $500 purses they just bought.  Snobs snubbing bigger snobs, how much better can it get for those of us who are into enjoying that?

 

Seriously, yes this will initially be a magnet for people who are into the snoot factor.  After that subsides, I think a much bigger circle of people will enjoy it and it will be a plus for the neighborhood. 

 

Feel free to disagree.  But, in my opinion, it will be a plus in that it will offer more choices to people.  Not just people who you enjoy ridiculing because (you think) they make more money than you do.

Edited by ArchFan
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It was reported that another apartment complex have their residents 60 days to vacate, to be demolished for the river oaks district, too? I didn't realize any more demo would take place after the last complex came down.

 

I think that's for this project...

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/28120-westcreek-mixed-use-san-felipe610/

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I know it's already been said, but this is a real disappointment for such a high profile property. I'm not even considering the initial plan or the second plan.

 

The initial plan to me is ok, but the second plan I would agree is a disappointment. The value of the properties in the area are too good for more of Oliver Mcmillan's midrise mix-use buildings, but then again density is density.

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