Ion District In Midtown

[BeerNut]

31 minutes ago, iah77 said:

This is clearly just a shake down bc this group didn't seem to care at all about what happened there when it was a Sears and open air homeless center. This area clearly needs mental health assistance and not affordable housing as no one has been priced out of parking lots.

This group doesn't care what MRA does with all their properties in Third Ward.  They said as much when they spent several minutes in one meeting praising all the work Coleman through MRA.

[X.R.]

You know how wild it is to get more than 1 or 2 spots on a committee like that, much less 4, just by asking for it and with limited leverage/negotiating power? Even if 4 isn't enough to be a majority or to be most of a majority, it at least lets you have multiple voices when putting together plans of action. 

The response letter from the Third Ward group, HCEDD is well written. However, the justifications for their request makes sense if Rice was the City, but they aren't and shouldn't be treated as this malevolent entity here to right any perceived wrong in relation to the direction of development in the area. Also, thinking the CBA agreement should primarily be with them and not the city isn't the best idea since Rice says its up to the contracted entity to keep them bound to the promises. I don't think the HCEDD has the pockets to employ the types of attorneys needed to keep Rice honest. Just getting any attorney wouldn't work on Rice, the letterhead matters. 

"RMC's focus on "minority and women-owned businesses,” for instance, is misaligned with HCEDD's goals. Our coalition, which extends far beyond the Black people of Third Ward, unanimously centers the Black community in our priority areas because we know that Black communities will be most impacted by the development of the Innovation District. Our coalition believes that this “umbrella term” will in fact make more probable the displacement of Black businesses surrounding South Main."

Dunno my guys, I think the boat sailed on saying this development will hurt anyone's business like 20-25 years ago, and specifically this part of midtown hasn't been part of anybody's community for a while. 

Edited May 24, 2021 by X.R.

[JLWM8609]

21 hours ago, iah77 said:

This area clearly needs mental health assistance and not affordable housing as no one has been priced out of parking lots.

Why not both? 

[Highrise Tower]

VC Studio, Prototyping Lab, & District Showroom.

[Highrise Tower]

Office buildout permits.

[hindesky]

They took off the planters boxes on the parking garage mock up. Cordua has applied for a liquor permit. Still zero progress on the parking structure.

[midtowndweller]

[Texasota]

It somehow looks slightly ...nefarious.

[adr]

I have definitely had to fight monsters made by a sketchy corporation with a name like that in a building like that in a video game.  

[j_cuevas713]

I noticed this from 59. It looks better

Edited July 22, 2021 by j_cuevas713

[X.R.]

its cool that greentown labs is trying to put together a fortress of vines, saw people working on the little planters at the base of those...skinny fences (lol)?

Its going to be wild to go from all that was there before to this largely green building and the type of trees that are planted on the north side of the Ion, which I assume will be used for most of these developments. Maybe they got rid of the planters and are opting for vine fences that we see on greentown and the Skyhouse developments downtown. 🤷‍♂️

[clutchcity94]

The homeless situation across the feeder from the former Shipley Donuts is out of control. When is Rice going to clean that up?

[Naviguessor]

Clutch, comments like that will just derail the thread. They always do.  Not suggesting it isn’t a significant issue, or worthy of conversation. I’ll just suggest that maybe you can start a new topic at an appropriate place in f you want to address the issue.  The topic generally just spirals into a chaos. 

[midtowndweller]

Haven’t taken a picture yet, but the name is on the sides of the building as well as the center. They also are lit up at night. (Was concerned they wouldn’t be). I think if they could do something to the perimeter of the parking lot, this wouldnt be too bad. 

[Highrise Tower]

VC Studio and Phototyping Lab buildout permits.

[Brooklyn173]

[midtowndweller]

The old Shipleys/Future Stuff’d Wings has another fence up and have blocked the view of the inside of the building by putting paper on the windows. And I drive past this every day, so I know there’s been a fence up for months, but there’s a ‘different’ fence. Nothing dramatic. It’s just the small detail I noticed. 

[clutchcity94]

11 hours ago, midtowndweller said:

The old Shipleys/Future Stuff’d Wings has another fence up and have blocked the view of the inside of the building by putting paper on the windows. And I drive past this every day, so I know there’s been a fence up for months, but there’s a ‘different’ fence. Nothing dramatic. It’s just the small detail I noticed. 

Stuff’d Wings is somehow “verified” on Instagram, so they must be a big deal. I haven’t personally tried their food truck location yet.

[midtowndweller]

 

[corbs315]

alcohol application for another tenant - kinda surprised more than one establishment will be serving booze in our Innovation Hub. Whatever spurs innovation!!

 

[hindesky]

The old Shipley's.

Tenants signs.

Greentown Labs.

Edited August 15, 2021 by hindesky

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

Greentown Labs sounds like a weed manufacturer.

[houstontexasjack]

23 hours ago, corbs315 said:

alcohol application for another tenant - kinda surprised more than one establishment will be serving booze in our Innovation Hub. Whatever spurs innovation!!

 

Looks like that is for Chef Williams’ “Late August” concept.

[mkultra25]

37 minutes ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

Greentown Labs sounds like a weed manufacturer.

ITYM "high-volume delta-8 extraction facility". At least until the Lege tries to outlaw delta-8 again.

Maybe they should've called it "H-town Labs", where "H" = "herb".

Edited August 15, 2021 by mkultra25

[Highrise Tower]

5 hours ago, houstontexasjack said:

Looks like that is for Chef Williams’ “Late August” concept.

[BeerNut]

[j_cuevas713]

2 hours ago, BeerNut said:

This makes so much sense. AWESOME!

[BEES?!]

Midtown TIRZ OKs infrastructure deal with Rice around ION campus

An economic development deal struck between the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and Rice Management Corp., representing The Ion, would allow for Rice to lead a series of improvements such as sidewalk and street repairs, the construction of public plazas and a new parking garage. The Midtown TIRZ, which collects funds through a portion of area property taxes, agreed to reimburse Rice for a portion of the projects, providing $65 million toward the effort. 

[Highrise Tower]

Second Draught, Suite 130.

[houstontexasjack]

21 minutes ago, Highrise Tower said:

Second Draught, Suite 130.

It’s a first draft for Second Draught?

[X.R.]

On 9/3/2021 at 8:13 PM, BEES?! said:

Midtown TIRZ OKs infrastructure deal with Rice around ION campus

An economic development deal struck between the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and Rice Management Corp., representing The Ion, would allow for Rice to lead a series of improvements such as sidewalk and street repairs, the construction of public plazas and a new parking garage. The Midtown TIRZ, which collects funds through a portion of area property taxes, agreed to reimburse Rice for a portion of the projects, providing $65 million toward the effort. 

Reading the article, this seems huge? If they are contributing 65 mil to the effort, that means Rice is contributing its own portion to it so I wonder how much that will be. If you called me and were like "XR, your neighborhood is getting infrastructure improvement to the tune of 65 mil+" your boy would be pretty jazzed about it. I know this thread and others have argued about various issues Midtown may have, but you can't really argue with activated spaces, plazas, and general pedestrian experience improvement.

A parking garage will help businesses in the area so they don't have to rely on street parking so much, and if they want to, can take advantage of the reduced parking mins around the red line. Pretty smart. Feel like its a win-win-win, other than for the HCEDD who still want their community benefits agreement. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by X.R.

[Highrise Tower]

Coffee Shop Build-Out.

[BeerNut]

Fast-growing software co. Liongard opens Ion office, adds employees during pandemic

Quote

Liongard, which develops an automated software platform for managed IT service providers, started out the pandemic with around 30 employees, said co-founder and CEO Joe Alapat. Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, Liongard has grown its headcount to 115 employees.

 

[hindesky]

Guys were working on adding the planters back on the parking garage mock up. Asked them why they were taken off and they didn't know. They also don't know when they will start working on the garage.

[toxtethogrady]

On 8/15/2021 at 3:04 PM, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

Greentown Labs sounds like a weed manufacturer.

Or a place to adopt green dogs...

[Luminare]

On 9/24/2021 at 2:46 PM, hindesky said:

Guys were working on adding the planters back on the parking garage mock up. Asked them why they were taken off and they didn't know. They also don't know when they will start working on the garage.

Looks like they are doing color selections to me. Seeing how each color works in the daylight.

[hindesky]

[Amlaham]

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2021/10/12/410697/shut-out-of-a-contract-a-third-ward-community-coalition-continues-to-fight-for-equitable-development-of-houstons-ion-district/

Im confused? I mean this in no disrespect but why should they care about 3rd ward if they're.....not in 3rd ward? 2nd ward residents seem to be more welcoming of all the projects going on in 2nd ward (EADO for example) 

[wilcal]

36 minutes ago, Amlaham said:

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2021/10/12/410697/shut-out-of-a-contract-a-third-ward-community-coalition-continues-to-fight-for-equitable-development-of-houstons-ion-district/

Im confused? I mean this in no disrespect but why should they care about 3rd ward if they're.....not in 3rd ward? 2nd ward residents seem to be more welcoming of all the projects going on in 2nd ward (EADO for example) 

It is. Green is Third Ward. 

 

 

Before TXDOT built highways that cut the Third Ward into pieces, the boundaries were Main St in Midtown and Harrisburg in the East End. Even if you don't consider anything west of 59 as being Third Ward, the effects of the development has the potential to affect the historical community in the area. 

[txhadley]

All that protest is moot at this point.  Gentrification has been happening in this area for awhile that the neighborhood that I reside in has been rebranded from Binz to Museum Park.   

[iah77]

15 hours ago, Amlaham said:

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2021/10/12/410697/shut-out-of-a-contract-a-third-ward-community-coalition-continues-to-fight-for-equitable-development-of-houstons-ion-district/

Im confused? I mean this in no disrespect but why should they care about 3rd ward if they're.....not in 3rd ward? 2nd ward residents seem to be more welcoming of all the projects going on in 2nd ward (EADO for example) 

This literally the way it is stated is extortion. Disgusting 

They make it sound like Rice which is a non-profit is some sort of Fortune 500 company. 

[Amlaham]

16 hours ago, wilcal said:

It is. Green is Third Ward. 

 

 

Before TXDOT built highways that cut the Third Ward into pieces, the boundaries were Main St in Midtown and Harrisburg in the East End. Even if you don't consider anything west of 59 as being Third Ward, the effects of the development has the potential to affect the historical community in the area. 

I had no idea! I didn't even know the museum district, downtown, and EADO were all considered 3rd ward! Thanks for the explanation!

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

Main Street is the divider, so the Museum District is split between the third and fourth wards. One thing to remember is that when the Ward system was made, the boundaries of Kirby and Holcombe Blvd was waaaay out in the country.

[tigereye]

18 hours ago, Amlaham said:

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/business/2021/10/12/410697/shut-out-of-a-contract-a-third-ward-community-coalition-continues-to-fight-for-equitable-development-of-houstons-ion-district/

Im confused? I mean this in no disrespect but why should they care about 3rd ward if they're.....not in 3rd ward? 2nd ward residents seem to be more welcoming of all the projects going on in 2nd ward (EADO for example) 

This infuriates me. As a nearby resident who’s live in the area for the last decade, Rice’s involvement has cleaned up a once seedy part of town. Where was the “The Houston Coalition for Equitable Development Without Displacement” when this area was a shantytown? This isn't about gentrification. This is a shakedown for free benefits when they haven’t done shit previously. 

[iah77]

Just now, tigereye said:

This infuriates me. As a nearby resident who’s live in the area for the last decade, Rice’s involvement has cleaned up a once seedy part of town. Where was the “The Houston Coalition for Equitable Development Without Displacement” when this area was a shantytown? This isn't about gentrification. This is a shakedown for free benefits when they haven’t done shit previously. 

Totally agree with this.

[Houston19514]

1 hour ago, tigereye said:

This infuriates me. As a nearby resident who’s live in the area for the last decade, Rice’s involvement has cleaned up a once seedy part of town. Where was the “The Houston Coalition for Equitable Development Without Displacement” when this area was a shantytown? This isn't about gentrification. This is a shakedown for free benefits when they haven’t done shit previously. 

Especially when the very premise is a complete falsehood.  Rice's project is causing exactly zero displacement.

[HouTXRanger]

It's not really Rice's project itself. It's the fact that they expect land prices across 288 to skyrocket due to the Ion, displacing people there.

Imho Rice is doing a standup job, assuming they follow through. This coalition is based on the assumption that unless an agreement is made with them and them specifically, Rice can disregard whatever agreement they made with the city and not be penalized. How that's different than Rice theoretically disregarding whatever agreement they might make with this coalition, when the city is probably going to be the one they call to enforce their agreement . . . I'm not sure really.

[hindesky]

[samagon]

On 10/12/2021 at 6:16 PM, wilcal said:

It is. Green is Third Ward. 

 

 

Before TXDOT built highways that cut the Third Ward into pieces, the boundaries were Main St in Midtown and Harrisburg in the East End. Even if you don't consider anything west of 59 as being Third Ward, the effects of the development has the potential to affect the historical community in the area. 

3rd ward, the ward doesn't exist, wards were done more than a century ago in Houston. they live on as a history of the areas, but there are areas that were part of the original 3rd ward that no one would consider to be part of 3rd ward (from a historic standpoint). I mean, Lawndale and Wayside, would anyone consider this 3rd ward? Polk and Lockwood? I don't think anyone would say "yeah, that's 3rd ward". if someone asks where the soccer stadium is, is the first answer "3rd ward" and would that make any sense to anyone?

but because it fits in a narrative today, some still claim certain areas that are outside of the super neighborhood named greater 3rd ward as being part of 3rd ward, and it just doesn't fit.

the western boundary of the super neighborhood greater 3rd ward is 288, except for a small portion along Almeda south of 59. 

https://www.houstontx.gov/health/chs/Greater Third Ward.pdf

Heights is another neighborhood cut by a freeway, south of I10 isn't considered to be the Heights (well, I'm sure developers are quick to latch on for marketing purposes, but not many normal people consider south of I10 as part of the heights) but the historic start of the heights was south of I10.

anyway, this innovation thingy is part of the current Midtown Super Neighborhood. 

and the main crux, @tigereye hit above, these so called community leaders don't care about the area until there is a potential benefit.

Edited October 14, 2021 by samagon

[wilcal]

16 hours ago, HouTXRanger said:

How that's different than Rice theoretically disregarding whatever agreement they might make with this coalition, when the city is probably going to be the one they call to enforce their agreement . . . I'm not sure really.

The reason for doing it with the community is so the city isn't involved with enforcement. Breach of contract would be handled by a court. If the CBA is with the city, the city does what the mayor wants, so he/she can choose not to enforce it. CBAs are traditionally made bypassing the city because of this.

16 hours ago, hindesky said:

$6.6 million for parking garage vegetation?

$6.4 million for two "public plazas" that will be on private property?

IDK about all that. The TIRZ could do so much more with that money.

1 hour ago, samagon said:

3rd ward, the ward doesn't exist, wards were done more than a century ago in Houston. they live on as a history of the areas, but there are areas that were part of the original 3rd ward that no one would consider to be part of 3rd ward (from a historic standpoint). I mean, Lawndale and Wayside, would anyone consider this 3rd ward? Polk and Lockwood? I don't think anyone would say "yeah, that's 3rd ward". if someone asks where the soccer stadium is, is the first answer "3rd ward" and would that make any sense to anyone?

but because it fits in a narrative today, some still claim certain areas that are outside of the super neighborhood named greater 3rd ward as being part of 3rd ward, and it just doesn't fit.

the western boundary of the super neighborhood greater 3rd ward is 288, except for a small portion along Almeda south of 59. 

https://www.houstontx.gov/health/chs/Greater Third Ward.pdf

Heights is another neighborhood cut by a freeway, south of I10 isn't considered to be the Heights (well, I'm sure developers are quick to latch on for marketing purposes, but not many normal people consider south of I10 as part of the heights) but the historic start of the heights was south of I10.

anyway, this innovation thingy is part of the current Midtown Super Neighborhood. 

and the main crux, @tigereye hit above, these so called community leaders don't care about the area until there is a potential benefit.

I think the bolded statement is completely disingenuous, and really doesn't even make sense. The Fiesta was by far the most convenient grocery store for a large portion of the Third Ward (with some portions having car ownership rates in the 60%s), so it isn't just about "potential benefits". 

Some of the leaders aren't even directly affected by this, but are trying to help support voices that are typically squashed. As has been talked about earlier in the thread, Rice's interaction with the black community in Houston isn't exactly a positive history. Several of the members are Rice students that want to see more equity from their university. So yes, it is expected that there hasn't been a continuous push by some of the members in this one specific area. Sears had also been sitting on a what, 50 year lease? And that is something that did help serve needs in the community whereas the Ion might not. 

And in terms of Third Ward, yes, the highways have re-edged the borders of neighborhoods, but you have to also see that there are areas of strong black culture and residents, like along Almeda, still exist in those parts that are outside the "modern" boundaries. 

The Kwik Kopy building is up for sale at like 7-10X its appraised value. There will be ramifications felt by local residents because Rice decided to make such a significant change.

CBAs are definitely a new thing for Houston, but to claim that a grassroots org is just demanding handouts when they see their neighborhood continuing to change, and not to benefit long-term residents is not a great take imho.