Ion District In Midtown

[BeerNut]

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

 

Other than the extortionists, I suspect that most of those in the adjacent neighborhood will indeed be happy with this.

 

Neartown has been quiet but Midtown seems supportive.

[Andrew Ewert]

22 hours ago, Toopicky said:

 

"Optics" doesn't mean a thing in this case, unless you mean the homeless population will have fewer places to hang around.

 

You act like no one actually shops at that Fiesta...

[dbigtex56]

23 hours ago, Toopicky said:

 

"Optics" doesn't mean a thing in this case, unless you mean the homeless population will have fewer places to hang around. If Fiesta doesn't pay rent I would fence the building off as there is no sane reason to keep it open

I frequent this Fiesta, and the homeless population doesn't hang around on their property, nor do they shop there. The fact that they hang out on the periphery is coincidental.
The people who shop there are (and there are many) are attracted by the lower prices on some items, a wider selection of ethnic and imported foods than are usually found in the larger chain grocery stores, and  the store's proximity to the #25 bus and the Wheeler Station stop on the Red Line. 
Another, less tangible, asset this Fiesta offers is its lack of pretense. To put it bluntly, not everyone feels comfortable around a bunch of snobbish, pretentious, judgmental yuppies.
Sounds like some people don't recognize its value because, after all, only the poor shop there - and who the hell cares about them? 
It's this sort of attitude that may have prompted concerned residents of the Third Ward to demand that their voices be heard. If there's an opportunity to make this a win-win situation, by all means let's do so.

[j_cuevas713]

7 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

I frequent this Fiesta, and the homeless population doesn't hang around on their property, nor do they shop there. The fact that they hang out on the periphery is coincidental.
The people who shop there are (and there are many) are attracted by the lower prices on some items, a wider selection of ethnic and imported foods than are usually found in the larger chain grocery stores, and  the store's proximity to the #25 bus and the Wheeler Station stop on the Red Line. 
Another, less tangible, asset this Fiesta offers is its lack of pretense. To put it bluntly, not everyone feels comfortable around a bunch of snobbish, pretentious, judgmental yuppies.
Sounds like some people don't recognize its value because, after all, only the poor shop there - and who the hell cares about them? 
It's this sort of attitude that may have prompted concerned residents of the Third Ward to demand that their voices be heard. If there's an opportunity to make this a win-win situation, by all means let's do so.

I agree 100%! I use to live on Jack and walked there to grab groceries from time to time. Hell I even stood in line after Harvey. It was actually a decent Fiesta and had everything I needed. 

[midtowndweller]

I'm going to have to disagree. I live two blocks from the Fiesta and I shop there about 2-3 times a week. Every time I walk there I see a bunch of homeless and drug dealers on the side of the building near San Jac. and when I drive there and take the Caroline route, they are just posted along the store. Very unpleasant. They are even in there shopping. There's been more times than a few where I've been approached for money while shopping, and of course there's the frequent homeless in line asking for you to pay for their beer. I only shop there for convenience...and i DO mean convenience. I'm extremely excited to see how this project will clean this part of town up. I speak with a lot of people that live near me and we all agree that we'd appreciate a walking our dogs without having to walk over the homeless and being followed and harassed.

[Texasota]

Man you people need to visit other cities. That Fiesta is fine, and the homeless population around it is neither particularly large or bothersome. Not saying there are never problems or that it shouldn't improve, but I blame the 59 overpass primarily for those problems, not the grocery store.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

1 hour ago, Texasota said:

Man you people need to visit other cities. That Fiesta is fine, and the homeless population around it is neither particularly large or bothersome. Not saying there are never problems or that it shouldn't improve, but I blame the 59 overpass primarily for those problems, not the grocery store.

 

yep. most of the bums have been chased back to the downtown area.

[Highrise Tower]

Chipping away.

 

 

[phillip_white]

Wowwww! There's no way a safety supervisor signed off on this...

 

2 hours ago, ekdrm2d1 said:

Chipping away.

 

 

 

[jmitch94]

That is some straight up third world demo right there. 

[EllenOlenska]

It reminds me of movies where the machines of sentient and they use other machines. 

[Ross]

10 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

That is some straight up third world demo right there. 

No, that's second world. Third world would have the second machine holding up another machine, which would sit on top of some sketch bamboo scaffolding.

[mollusk]

It's more stable than it looks...

 

[hindesky]

The jackhammer is on top now. At least the guys are tied off.

[danielsonr]

Why didn’t they just tear the damn thing down and start over? What, if any, of the architectural elements of the building remain?

[mkultra25]

10 hours ago, Ross said:

No, that's second world. Third world would have the second machine holding up another machine, which would sit on top of some sketch bamboo scaffolding.

 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

21 hours ago, danielsonr said:

Why didn’t they just tear the damn thing down and start over? What, if any, of the architectural elements of the building remain?

 

Tell me about it! I REALLY dislike the hybrid plan they have for this project. Either restore and repurpose the building as it was, or build something totally new. 

[hindesky]

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

I'm still wondering why they didn't level this building and start over from scratch because it looks like they would be farther along if they did.

[bobruss]

The most interesting and original structure is still in tact on the north end and the south end that has been demo'd had been reworked in a previous time. Once they get a little farther along 

you'll see more of the original architectural detailing. besides its so great that they are leaving 60% of the original building and repurposing it. Just be patient. I think everyone will be pleased when the whole thing is done.

[Urbannizer]

Updated website:

 

https://ionhouston.com/south-main/

 

 

 

 

[por favor gracias]

Thanks for the update, Urbannizer...looks great.

 

I wonder if there's anything substantive (yet) to that taller building in the background of the 3rd picture?

[mls1202]

That second picture looks as if it is a library (pretty sure it's not), but it made me think that a library would do better here than its location on the north-east side of Downtown.  I see more pedestrian traffic with residential nearby, and it's location off the light rail would make it ideal.

[EllenOlenska]

44 minutes ago, por favor gracias said:

Thanks for the update, Urbannizer...looks great.

 

I wonder if there's anything substantive (yet) to that taller building in the background of the 3rd picture?

Yeah. Classic Ghost Tower. 

[Luminare]

Interesting mix going on. Modernist in terms of structure. 60's chic in terms of interiors. Contemporary design in terms of landscape and ideas. Build it!

[mollusk]

20 minutes ago, Luminare said:

60's chic in terms of interiors.

 

More like 30s deco with the plants someone stole from a Chotchkie's - but it does have flair.

[X.R.]

What is the time frame on all of this? 10 years? Thats almost impossible to imagine with the way that area is now. I finally know how some of the older members on the forum feel!

 

I like the synergy of this with the montrose collective building. Both incorporating impressive, by Houston standards, amounts of green in and around the buildings. The modernity of these designs almost feel like they are somehow even more modern than the stuff going up in TMC3. 

[Luminare]

44 minutes ago, X.R. said:

What is the time frame on all of this? 10 years? Thats almost impossible to imagine with the way that area is now. I finally know how some of the older members on the forum feel!

 

I like the synergy of this with the montrose collective building. Both incorporating impressive, by Houston standards, amounts of green in and around the buildings. The modernity of these designs almost feel like they are somehow even more modern than the stuff going up in TMC3. 

 

I think part of it is that the new TMC stuff is so large in scale that the details are going to be a bit low-res for now. I'm looking forward to getting more indepth detail info like we now are getting with The Ion.

[Urbannizer]

4 hours ago, X.R. said:

What is the time frame on all of this? 10 years? Thats almost impossible to imagine with the way that area is now. I finally know how some of the older members on the forum feel!

 

I like the synergy of this with the montrose collective building. Both incorporating impressive, by Houston standards, amounts of green in and around the buildings. The modernity of these designs almost feel like they are somehow even more modern than the stuff going up in TMC3. 

 

https://ionhouston.com/vision/#timeline

 

The Ion - 2021 Opening 

South Main Innovation District Phase One - 2023 Completion

South Main Innovation District Master Plan - 2030 Completion

[por favor gracias]

10 hours ago, EllenOlenska said:

Yeah. Classic Ghost Tower. 

I'll take it.

[por favor gracias]

8 hours ago, X.R. said:

What is the time frame on all of this? 10 years? Thats almost impossible to imagine with the way that area is now. I finally know how some of the older members on the forum feel!

 

I like the synergy of this with the montrose collective building. Both incorporating impressive, by Houston standards, amounts of green in and around the buildings. The modernity of these designs almost feel like they are somehow even more modern than the stuff going up in TMC3. 

Also noticed that with the Medistar Tower that's planned next to the new Intercontinental/Latitude development. 

[Urbannizer]

@midtowndweller All posts regarding a gas station/7-11 moved here:

 

 

[lockmat]

On 1/6/2020 at 4:43 AM, Urbannizer said:

Updated website:

 

https://ionhouston.com/south-main/

 

 

 

The architecture and design for Houston is actually becoming consistently good, imo. At least it's trending in the right direction.

 

This looks very good.

 

On 1/6/2020 at 4:43 AM, Urbannizer said:

 

 

[Highrise Tower]

 

 

[BeerNut]

Rice University Students to President David Leebron and Board of Trustees: Not In Our Name

[Moore713]

24 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

Rice University Students to President David Leebron and Board of Trustees: Not In Our Name

I find this annoying. This project displaces nothing. It has almost no effect on third ward as a whole. We are talking about a area that all but sat abandoned the last 25 years and now all of a sudden  , they choose to raise the banner? I drive thu that area daily  ? What are you displaying? The vacant lots? The  rampant homeless ( many of whom are not even homeless  but drug dealers who hide among the homeless! ) what exactly are we preserving or seeking to preserve?

[mkultra25]

34 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

Rice University Students to President David Leebron and Board of Trustees: Not In Our Name

 

[Moore713]

Rappers Chamillionaire and E-40 plan to line a lucky entrepreneur's pockets with $100,000 to fund their start-up. On Instagram, the pair announced a competition that'll benefit a "minority or woman founded startup," calling for video submissions that details promising pitches.

 

 

This is what we should be expending our energy on.   I would be trying to figure out how to get them to partner with Rice   so that there already a place for young black start ups .For those who dont know they are very into Tech startups  having already invested millions overs thr years

Edited January 22, 2020 by Moore713

[Highrise Tower]

 

[hindesky]

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by hindesky

[X.R.]

They had 4 of those rotating concrete trucks parked there early this morning. It seems like they were sending concrete up onto the top of the building since they had one of those daddy long legs-concrete mover that I've seen in pics of other construction sites. They've been moving super quick, rain or shine. They really want to meet that deadline.

[Highrise Tower]

[BeerNut]

City to negotiate community benefits agreement for anticipated innovation district

 

Quote

Mayor Sylvester Turner has pledged the city will strike a deal ensuring that Rice University’s planned innovation district in Midtown provides benefits to the outskirts too, a victory for students and community groups who’d banded together over fears the venture would negatively affect the Third Ward.

 

[Moore713]

13 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

City to negotiate community benefits agreement for anticipated innovation district

 

 

Smh ... Stupidity 

[Luminare]

12 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

City to negotiate community benefits agreement for anticipated innovation district

 

 

 

Ugh. Makes me want to vomit...

 

This quote tells you everything you need to know right here:
 

Quote

Wickerson called the fact young people were able to meaningfully challenge existing systems “empowering.”

 

These kids have officially become cultists.

[houstontexasjack]

13 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

City to negotiate community benefits agreement for anticipated innovation district

 

 

“Icken said the city has twice previously orchestrated community benefits agreements, both related to the city’s tax abatement. The plan to negotiate an agreement with the Rice Management Co. is unique in that the school has not asked for public assistance with the development of the Ion, Icken said. The hope is that residents in surrounding under-served communities, like the Third Ward, will benefit in some way“

I hardly see this as a cave by Rice. An agreement that is “to be negotiated” is a playground. At a minimum, there’s a healthy opportunity to extract nondisparagement provisions.  I also think, from the quote above, Rice could negotiate support for items it might want, such as abandonment of right-of-way on which the public would get a say, as part of any agreement. Support for the TOD ordinance—all that’s in play.

 

This gives Rice a chance to get some good faith PR. 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

On 1/21/2020 at 8:36 PM, Moore713 said:

This project displaces nothing. 

 

I beg to differ! It displaces the free parking lot where I used to park and then take the train into Downtown! 😁

[Moore713]

Half a block up the road are apts that 99.9 of residents of third ward cant afford... but this is the line in the sand they want to draw? A project that would transform a dead, abandoned  area that become nothing more than a camp site for the homeless and drug dealers?!

[TheSirDingle]

Lets be honest how much is actually gonna come from the community benefits agreements? 

[thatguysly]

Such agreements are negotiated to ensure that a developer delivers community benefits, like hiring, inclusion of affordable housing or funding for community programs, in exchange for residents’ support of the project and developments in or near their community, according to the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Third Ward Policy and Program Landscape Report.

 

This main thing I could see helping is the hiring part. If this project displaced houses or other community centers then I get it but this is taking away Sears and surface lots. The benefit is pushing out drug dealers. Though who knows where they will chill now. Fiesta would have been seen as a loss but the new HEB in the Third Ward should help offset that for residents.