Ion District In Midtown

[kbates2]

On 11/4/2018 at 1:46 PM, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

nope, that area won't be as shady, but now they're going to move to downtown, and in 5 years, downtown will die a slow death and become a seedy area again.

 

I feel like the downtown homeless population is exploding recently.

[rechlin]

Looks like they would be adding a couple floors on top of that building, too, based on the first rendering.  Glad to see the structure can support the extra weight.

[pablog]

1 hour ago, kbates2 said:

 

I feel like the downtown homeless population is exploding recently.

Cities like New York and Atlanta are sending us there homeless people... talked to one downtown that wanted money to get back to Atlanta after they put him on a bus to Houston. 

 

Dont know the validity of the statement but that’s what he told me haha

[Luminare]

26 minutes ago, rechlin said:

Looks like they would be adding a couple floors on top of that building, too, based on the first rendering.  Glad to see the structure can support the extra weight.

 

Actually it won't. What it looks like they are going to do is gut the a large portion of the interior, then brace the existing super structure, and then build a new super structure to house the new additions. You can get a sense of what they are going to do if you look closely at the second render. At the top you will see the some structural beams and columns and it looks like they are going to carry the load of the extended walk that is in the interior of that atrium with tension rods. Neat idea. Its also going to be expensive as hell. Not necessarily the tension rod structure and walks in the atrium, but the windows. If an atrium is more than 2 stories tall then all walls and specifically curtain wall glazing will have to be fire rated (very pricey). I'm not to worried about all of this though sense it looks like Rice wants this to be the crown jewel of this innovation hub, so all the money will be thrown into this.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Luminare

[pablog]

1 hour ago, kbates2 said:

 

I feel like the downtown homeless population is exploding recently.

Cities like New York and Atlanta are sending us there homeless people... talked to one downtown that wanted money to get back to Atlanta after they put him on a bus to Houston. 

 

Dont know the validity of the statement but that’s what he told me haha

[Luminare]

I totally get the conversation about the homeless, however, we have to remember that these renders aren't just about the Innovation Hub (Ion Building, Formerly Sears Building), but for an entirely re-imaged area with a new vision. We have to keep that in mind. To help with this, below is from the recent 59/45 Redo Presentations. This is the Midtown/Museum Park portion:

 

 

Here is the link to the full presentation:

 

http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/nhhip/midtown/public-open-house-midtown.pdf

 

Again. I understand the Homeless Question, but we need to look past that into the future. Imagine when this gets built out. It won't be a place Homeless will want to be in the first place. They will move on.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Luminare

[houstontexasjack]

I think one the big challenges will be managing the transient population during the transition period.  The cap parks in the renders above aren't included in the highway funding, and money will have to be raised separately.  TXDOT hasn't yet provided a timeline on the freeway trenching itself--I think it's pretty likely the Ion will be done well before the trenching is complete.  Rice will still need to make the area around the building presentable if it is to serve the function they hope.

[UtterlyUrban]

500 addicts and mentally ill can really mess up an area while Turner sits.  I wonder what Turner would do if those 500 people were camping and dealing and deficating on his block?  Do we think that he could find “solutions” if they were on his street Rather than yours or mine?

[j_cuevas713]

I lived in some apartments near here for a while. I don’t see as many homeless anymore and last I heard Metro built a parking loft for buses under 59 where a homeless encampment was. 

[Angostura]

13 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

Actually it won't. What it looks like they are going to do is gut the a large portion of the interior, then brace the existing super structure, and then build a new super structure to house the new additions. You can get a sense of what they are going to do if you look closely at the second render. At the top you will see the some structural beams and columns and it looks like they are going to carry the load of the extended walk that is in the interior of that atrium with tension rods. Neat idea. 

 

Noticed the same thing. 

 

Also, they've added a ton of glass to the original facade, and it looks like they've added a very large skylight over the atrium. It'll retain some of the original art-deco elements, but have a lot more natural light than the original. 

 

Also looks like there might be some ground floor retail (?).

Edited January 31, 2019 by Angostura

[Specwriter]

19 hours ago, Urbannizer said:

" . . . the renovated 270,000-square-foot building will be renamed The Ion."

Wouldn't a more "positive" name be "the Cation?"  Let's see how many science types go "ugh."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ArtNsf]

Okay, I'm forced to get up on my soap box here, sorry if this offends you, or maybe not -

 

Well, I and I'm sure many others on this forum, are very PROUD of the work that Mayor Turner has done to improve the image of Houston.  Indeed, all of our mayors in recent decades have gone to great lengths to improve the quality of life. 

 

The only mayor I can remember from my childhood that I learned I could never ever support was Louie Welch.  Now, HE was a complete idiot if there ever was one.  And, trust me, in this day and age, RWNJ's (you can look that one up elsewhere if you need clarification) are all too plentiful in this country. 

 

So, I welcome Houston's many recent forward thinking mayors, including Turner.  In fact the past 2 decades or so have seen the best city mayors of Houston and have left other cities and their mayor "in the dust".  There are many other examples of mayors and policies that were once thought too "progressive" to be acceptable here, too numerous to list.  But, we as Houstonians did the unthinkable and tried these policies and low and behold, they work for the good of all of Houston, not just the upper wealthy elite, or just the homeless population.  As we have seen lately, no one is perfect in public office, and some are downright evil and corrupt beyond belief.  I have seen no such mayor in Houston in many decades of my life in Houston, with the exception as mentioned above.

 

The fact that we have moved so forward as to think of the old Sears store downtown as a new innovation district is more proof at just how progressive and people oriented Houston's brand of capitalism has become.  There is and will always be a profit motive, but the PEOPLE of Houston are demanding more and more bang for their buck in the way of a better quality of life, yet still understand how important the profit motive is to obtain the best.  I would think all of what I've said here is obvious, but comments to the contrary just proves that not everyone that is intelligent enough to participate in the HAIF blogs, are enlightened enough to stop making nonsensical untrue comments about Houston's leadership.  It is simply non-constructive to continually criticize good leadership like ours for the sake of argument and because you disagree with their policies, EVEN though the facts show these policies are working for the vast majority of Houston and it's people.  There's a real reason why Houston maintains the boom that started at least 20 years ago and continues to this day - it's sensible leadership and way of life endorsed by that leadership.

 

I say these things because after reading some of the crap (not too many over all thank goodness) these ideas need to be said in this open forum for all to see and read.  If we can put up with some nasty commenters words on here, we can put up with my more constructive comments.  Period.

 

But, I digest.......

 

 

[por favor gracias]

1 hour ago, ArtNsf said:

Okay, I'm forced to get up on my soap box here, sorry if this offends you, or maybe not -

 

Well, I and I'm sure many others on this forum, are very PROUD of the work that Mayor Turner has done to improve the image of Houston.  Indeed, all of our mayors in recent decades have gone to great lengths to improve the quality of life. 

 

The only mayor I can remember from my childhood that I learned I could never ever support was Louie Welch.  Now, HE was a complete idiot if there ever was one.  And, trust me, in this day and age, RWNJ's (you can look that one up elsewhere if you need clarification) are all too plentiful in this country. 

 

So, I welcome Houston's many recent forward thinking mayors, including Turner.  In fact the past 2 decades or so have seen the best city mayors of Houston and have left other cities and their mayor "in the dust".  There are many other examples of mayors and policies that were once thought too "progressive" to be acceptable here, too numerous to list.  But, we as Houstonians did the unthinkable and tried these policies and low and behold, they work for the good of all of Houston, not just the upper wealthy elite, or just the homeless population.  As we have seen lately, no one is perfect in public office, and some are downright evil and corrupt beyond belief.  I have seen no such mayor in Houston in many decades of my life in Houston, with the exception as mentioned above.

 

The fact that we have moved so forward as to think of the old Sears store downtown as a new innovation district is more proof at just how progressive and people oriented Houston's brand of capitalism has become.  There is and will always be a profit motive, but the PEOPLE of Houston are demanding more and more bang for their buck in the way of a better quality of life, yet still understand how important the profit motive is to obtain the best.  I would think all of what I've said here is obvious, but comments to the contrary just proves that not everyone that is intelligent enough to participate in the HAIF blogs, are enlightened enough to stop making nonsensical untrue comments about Houston's leadership.  It is simply non-constructive to continually criticize good leadership like ours for the sake of argument and because you disagree with their policies, EVEN though the facts show these policies are working for the vast majority of Houston and it's people.  There's a real reason why Houston maintains the boom that started at least 20 years ago and continues to this day - it's sensible leadership and way of life endorsed by that leadership.

 

I say these things because after reading some of the crap (not too many over all thank goodness) these ideas need to be said in this open forum for all to see and read.  If we can put up with some nasty commenters words on here, we can put up with my more constructive comments.  Period.

 

But, I digest.......

 

 

 

Commie....😀

 

The one area Houston needs to improve is transportation. From the way we handle our road "repairs" and construction to mass transit, this is the only thing left standing in the way of that "world class" image some say we're lacking. And I guess after driving down Richmond Ave for 10 seconds, it's hard not to agree with that....but overall, we have made progress even in these areas over the last couple of decades. It's amazing to think we didn't even have light rail here until 2004. SMFH....

Edited January 31, 2019 by por favor gracias

[Urbannizer]

https://ionhouston.com/

[j_cuevas713]

4 hours ago, por favor gracias said:

 

Commie....😀

 

The one area Houston needs to improve is transportation. From the way we handle our road "repairs" and construction to mass transit, this is the only thing left standing in the way of that "world class" image some say we're lacking. And I guess after driving down Richmond Ave for 10 seconds, it's hard not to agree with that....but overall, we have made progress even in these areas over the last couple of decades. It's amazing to think we didn't even have light rail here until 2004. SMFH....

I was just thinking that coming home today from work. Like wow we only had cars and buses! All the more reason to vote yes to Metro’s plan this Fall. 

[DrLan34]

Would be nice to see a more comprehensive sidewalk program.

[j_cuevas713]

23 minutes ago, DrLan34 said:

Would be nice to see a more comprehensive sidewalk program.

This would come with brand new wide sidewalks down all those corridors. It’s transit access on all levels. 

[DrLan34]

16 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

This would come with brand new wide sidewalks down all those corridors. It’s transit access on all levels. 

I meant city wide. Yeah, this development looks great.

[por favor gracias]

2 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I was just thinking that coming home today from work. Like wow we only had cars and buses! All the more reason to vote yes to Metro’s plan this Fall. 

 

LOL just got back home after literally sitting on Franklin St for 25 minutes trying to get to 59 North this evening.

 

Not that I won't vote for Metro's plan, and it will absolutely help considering the lack of alternatives, but I know I'm not the only Houstonian who would like to see a less intrusive, faster service transit system here that can really move people. It would have to be either elevated or submerged to be that efficient, and I'm not sure how feasible a subway network around, say, the inner loop area would work, but we do already have a mini-sized one at IAH, plus lots of other underground development in downtown and of course the Galleria. Is that "as far as we can dig?" I'm all for more light rail, I just hate how much our version of it interferes with street/pedestrian traffic. It creates almost as much automobile traffic as it alleviates. If subways aren't feasible, then elevate it. There's going to be 8 million people here in the next 7-8 years and 10 million by 2040....and I really don't want to imagine what traffic is going to be like if we still don't have these kinds of alternatives by then, much less moving forward.

 

Sorry for staying off topic.

[por favor gracias]

9 minutes ago, DrLan34 said:

I meant city wide. Yeah, this development looks great.

 

Agree 100%.

 

32 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

This would come with brand new wide sidewalks down all those corridors. It’s transit access on all levels. 

 

On a side note, I've always wondered why they place so many pipes directly under our streets, rather than the sidewalks. Any time something goes wrong, we have to tear up the street, and almost every time, the street is in much worse condition than it was before the work. I'm sure there's a good explanation...

[j_cuevas713]

11 hours ago, por favor gracias said:

 

LOL just got back home after literally sitting on Franklin St for 25 minutes trying to get to 59 North this evening.

 

Not that I won't vote for Metro's plan, and it will absolutely help considering the lack of alternatives, but I know I'm not the only Houstonian who would like to see a less intrusive, faster service transit system here that can really move people. It would have to be either elevated or submerged to be that efficient, and I'm not sure how feasible a subway network around, say, the inner loop area would work, but we do already have a mini-sized one at IAH, plus lots of other underground development in downtown and of course the Galleria. Is that "as far as we can dig?" I'm all for more light rail, I just hate how much our version of it interferes with street/pedestrian traffic. It creates almost as much automobile traffic as it alleviates. If subways aren't feasible, then elevate it. There's going to be 8 million people here in the next 7-8 years and 10 million by 2040....and I really don't want to imagine what traffic is going to be like if we still don't have these kinds of alternatives by then, much less moving forward.

 

Sorry for staying off topic.

I think part of what makes Metros plan great is they focused on making it affordable and they made routes that they felt could be permanent and took advantage of having rail run straight to Hobby. And best of all the way they focused on paying for it allows the city to build quickly with no affect to tax payers. That’s a huge deal. The rest of the system is upgradeable. From that point I think Houston will be more accepting for commuter rail to the burbs. What’s interesting is the suburbs, areas that at one time fought public transit, are wanting service. This is a good time to be a Houstonian and see this city develop .

Edited February 1, 2019 by j_cuevas713

[Angostura]

7 hours ago, por favor gracias said:

 

LOL just got back home after literally sitting on Franklin St for 25 minutes trying to get to 59 North this evening.

 

Not that I won't vote for Metro's plan, and it will absolutely help considering the lack of alternatives, but I know I'm not the only Houstonian who would like to see a less intrusive, faster service transit system here that can really move people. It would have to be either elevated or submerged to be that efficient, and I'm not sure how feasible a subway network around, say, the inner loop area would work, but we do already have a mini-sized one at IAH, plus lots of other underground development in downtown and of course the Galleria. Is that "as far as we can dig?" I'm all for more light rail, I just hate how much our version of it interferes with street/pedestrian traffic. It creates almost as much automobile traffic as it alleviates. If subways aren't feasible, then elevate it. There's going to be 8 million people here in the next 7-8 years and 10 million by 2040....and I really don't want to imagine what traffic is going to be like if we still don't have these kinds of alternatives by then, much less moving forward.

 

 

We don't necessarily need grade-separated transit to reduce traffic. Every park-and-ride bus into the CBD represents 40 cars that aren't on the freeway. And having transit is only one piece of the puzzle. People have to actually choose to take it, and this will only happen when alternatives to single-occupany vehicles are either cheaper, faster, or a better experience. Adding MaX lanes on freeways, and more high-comfort buses (with wi-fi, etc.) can help with two of those, but the third (cheaper) needs to come from how we prioritize development in the city. You can't design everything for cars, and then be shocked and dismayed that people use cars to get around. Basically, it needs to be more expensive to park cars (or we need congestion pricing to drive on or inside 610).

 

If we eliminate parking minimums, and encourage an environment in which people EXPECT to pay for parking (which is the case in the areas of the city without mandatory minimums), you get less land area devoted to parking, higher taxable value per square mile and lower vehicle miles traveled per capita (since things are closer together). The higher density will allow some people to live close enough to walk, bike or take local transit (bus, light rail) to work, and pricing parking at the cost it requires to provide it ($200-300/month) encourages transit and carpooling, which in turn reduce the number of vehicles on the freeways.

 

Eventually, you may even get to a level of activity density to justify grade-separated transit.

 

 

 

[kdog08]

BisNow: Coworking Options Headed To Midway's CityCentre And GreenStreet

 

Quote

..The Amsterdam-based company inked a 63K SF lease at GreenStreet in Downtown and 60K SF at CityCentre in West Houston. 

The GreenStreet location will serve as a launchpad for innovative, nimble and collaborative companies seeking to take advantage of Houston's emerging Innovation District, Lionstone Investments Vice President Fernando Urrutia said in a release. Fast-growth companies seek the flexibility and collaborative environment curated at Spaces, he said.   

The Innovation District is a 4-mile district from Downtown to the Texas Medical Center. Last week, Rice University revealed design plans for the former Sears building, dubbed The Ion, which will anchor the district. GreenStreet signed an office lease with MassChallenge, a startup accelerator program...

 

 

Edited February 17, 2019 by kdog08

[bategeler]

Walked by the Sears building this morning, looks like demo work has started on the interior.

[bategeler]

Walked by the Sears building this morning, looks like demo work has started on the interior.

[bategeler]

Walked by the Sears building this morning, looks like demo work has started on the interior.

[bategeler]

Walked by the Sears building this morning, looks like demo work has started on the interior.

Edited March 6, 2019 by bategeler

[Timoric]

-

Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[Luminare]

This upcoming agenda was pretty light. However, we did get a lot of stuff for "The Ion"

 

@Urbannizer The current title is fine, but we should add "The Ion" to the front of the title.

 

Rough Site Plan showing scope of work:

 

 

Rough Sectons in relation to the streets:

 

 

Elevations:

 

 

[cspwal]

So they're keeping the surface lot?  I thought they would replace it with a garage

[Luminare]

2 minutes ago, cspwal said:

So they're keeping the surface lot?  I thought they would replace it with a garage

 

From what it seems like it will be in the next phase. They have enough surface parking to forestall construction of one. My guess is that they want to put another building where the existing parking lot right next to the building.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Luminare

[cspwal]

Ah that make sense

[houstontexasjack]

I've been musing as to whether a "Gateway" style project, as is being discussed over the Metro TMC transit center, could work at the Wheeler Transit Center nearby to this along with the vacant lots to the south of I-69 abutting the lightrail tracks.  I reckon it'll take completion of a number of other structures after the Ion to promote the kind of density needed to justify such a structure.  

[Urbannizer]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/03/28/rice-university-president-on-innovation-corridor.html?iana=hpmvp_hstn_news_headline

[phillip_white]

54 minutes ago, Urbannizer said:

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/03/28/rice-university-president-on-innovation-corridor.html?iana=hpmvp_hstn_news_headline

 

Quote

As part of the university's strategic plan, Rice is converting a former Sears building in Midtown into Houston's innovation hub — dubbed The Ion. Last year, Rice said it would spend up to $100 million on the 270,000-square-foot project at 4201 Main St., where startups, investors and corporate partners alike will gather to collaborate in a high-density space. Leebron said that the project is still on track to begin construction in May.

 

Quote

Houston-based innovation accelerator Station Houston — which recently restructured into a nonprofit — will run The Ion once renovations are completed in late 2020. Gaby Rowe, CEO of Station Houston, also spoke at the conference and said that the emergence of The Ion is one of the most exciting things happening right now in Houston's innovation ecosystem.

 

[Urbannizer]

Calling on @rechlin, @CrockpotandGravel - thank you guys! 🙏

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/04/02/midtown-innovation-district-could-be-about-30.html?iana=hpmvp_hstn_news_headline

[rechlin]

49 minutes ago, Urbannizer said:

Calling on @rechlin, @CrockpotandGravel - thank you guys! 🙏

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/04/02/midtown-innovation-district-could-be-about-30.html?iana=hpmvp_hstn_news_headline

 

Quote

Eventually, residential developments could take up about 30 percent of the highly anticipated Innovation District slated for a 16-acre stretch in Midtown. Speakers at the Urban Land Institute Marketplace event March 27 shared plans for what this new destination could look like.

Instead of looking like a large-scale corporate headquarters, the Innovation District will be more akin to a college campus: somewhere people can live, work and eat, said Allison Thacker, president and chief investment officer for the Rice Management Co.

“These are not new concepts,” Thacker said. “It’s kind of like what you did as a student.”

The Ion, the $100 million Innovation District hub set to start construction in May within the walls of the old Midtown Sears, is just the first phase of the much larger concept, speakers said. Houston-based innovation accelerator Station Houston will run The Ion once renovations wrap in late 2020.

Rice University controls the land, and Rice Management Co., which manages the Rice University endowment, is overseeing the project.

 

Gaby Rowe, CEO of Station Houston, said she wants to make sure programming lets those “curated collisions” happen, where small startups can sit next to tech-focused corporate giants and the general public can find a place to learn. And programming won’t only cater to young tech workers because the reality in Houston is different, Rowe said.

In her time at Station Houston, Rowe discovered the average tech company founder in town is 41 years old.

 

This fall, pilot programs for the public should start inside Station Houston, Rowe said.

A mix of two- and four-year institutions — Rice, the University of Houston, UH-Downtown, the University of St. Thomas, Houston Community College, Texas Southern University, Houston Baptist University, San Jacinto College and the South Texas College of Law — are creating those programs.

 

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

 

[Ross]

3 hours ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

**************

Guys and gals, let's try to not to hotlink images from news sites and other websites. 

Upload them through Imgur or another site or screenshot and upload. I screenshot and upload when I post.

**********************


Back to our regularly scheduled program.
 

Right, because stealing copyrighted material is always fun. 

[houstontexasjack]

According to a Rice representative’s presentation to the Museum Park NA, the Ion is to open 4th quarter 2020. However, that will be followed by “Phase 1 of the Innovation District” in 2023.

 

Unfortunately, I only have the slides to the presentation and couldn’t make the live version to ask questions. 

[Urbannizer]

On 4/8/2019 at 8:21 PM, houstontexasjack said:

According to a Rice representative’s presentation to the Museum Park NA, the Ion is to open 4th quarter 2020. However, that will be followed by “Phase 1 of the Innovation District” in 2023.

 

Unfortunately, I only have the slides to the presentation and couldn’t make the live version to ask questions. 

 

Mind posting the presentation here?

[houstontexasjack]

13 minutes ago, Urbannizer said:

 

Mind posting the presentation here?

https://www.museumparkna.org/resources/Documents/Museum Park Presentation - The Ion Project Overview.pdf

[j_cuevas713]

Based off of that last map, they seem certain that the Metro Next vote will pass with BRT on Richmond. This is extremely exciting for Houston in becoming a tech hub. Now all we need is for TMC3 to take off. 

[CaptainJilliams]

Even though BRT won't be quite as nice as light rail would, any rebuild of Richmond is a win. I can't tell you what a pain it is commuting just 1/2 mile down that road.

[jmitch94]

2 hours ago, CaptainJilliams said:

Even though BRT won't be quite as nice as light rail would, any rebuild of Richmond is a win. I can't tell you what a pain it is commuting just 1/2 mile down that road.

 

I'm pretty sure the fields of Verdun in 1916 had less holes than Richmond. 

[UtterlyUrban]

On 4/2/2019 at 4:08 PM, rechlin said:

 

 

 

 

 

A total flurfhole with amazing potential.

thanks for posting.

[arche_757]

2 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

 

I'm pretty sure the fields of Verdun in 1916 had less holes than Richmond. 

Can confirm!  Been to Verdun (circa 2007).  Routinely travel down Richmond.  Richmond has more holes!  More a**holes too!

 

In all seriousness Verdun, France is really impressive and immensely somber to visit.  Well worth the detour from what might be a more common travel path from Paris to better known provinces.

[arche_757]

4 hours ago, CaptainJilliams said:

Even though BRT won't be quite as nice as light rail would, any rebuild of Richmond is a win. I can't tell you what a pain it is commuting just 1/2 mile down that road.

BRT will be largely automated in the next decade (same with rail), and will be efficient and maneuverable in ways LR isn’t.  If traffic is bad busses will re-route thru designated streets, and avoid crashes/obstacles on the routes where possible.  Don’t get me wrong I think we need more LR, but the busses will do the job.  I do think the rail should serve as a spin with the busses as limbs extending forth..  maybe Station Houston will be the home to the autoBus startup that’ll change things?

Edited April 13, 2019 by arche_757
Substance

[Timoric]

-

Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[Twinsanity02]

1 hour ago, Timoric said:

5G make expensive rail un-necessary with the self-driving vehicles? we already have the pavement

????? Can you explain what you mean?

[Naviguessor]

Will self 5G driving vehicles swerve to avoid our spectacular collection of potholes or navigate Houston’s embarrassingly broken, third world quality roadways?  I mean really...How will this situation and damaged resulting from vehicles be managed? Let alone the occupants.