Ion District In Midtown

[j_cuevas713]

26 minutes ago, editor said:

Same color palette they use in prisons and Catholic schools to help keep everyone calm.

Exactly!

[Montrose1100]

18 hours ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

to me, it says that they hired someone's brother's girlfriend who thinks she is an interior/exterior designer, but who has no sense of color.

I lived in an apartment building way out west that was all mustard yellow and coffee stain brown. It hurt the eyes.

Not everyone forgetting how the "Under the Tuscan Sun" design plagued our communities. 1200 Post Oak, Uptown Park, Granduca, Montebello, The Dominion, Villa D'Este, The Mercer, The 610 Sheraton (to an extent), and of course, the Ventana.

[H-Town Man]

15 hours ago, editor said:

Same color palette they use in prisons and Catholic schools to help keep everyone calm.

Strake Jesuit, St. Thomas, etc. don't seem like such bad places, esp. compared to the public schools around them. Clamor of families trying to get in.

 

[toxtethogrady]

2 hours ago, Montrose1100 said:

Not everyone forgetting how the "Under the Tuscan Sun" design plagued our communities. 1200 Post Oak, Uptown Park, Granduca, Montebello, The Dominion, Villa D'Este, The Mercer, The 610 Sheraton (to an extent), and of course, the Ventana.

At least Houston didn't end up with orange buildings, as happened in Irving, Texas, a few years back...

[hindesky]

It looks a lot better.

[JBTX]

Wow, almost looks like a completely different building. Impressive what a bit of paint can do.

So long as they never fix all those broken windows, it will remain the Ventana that I knew in my youth.

[j_cuevas713]

This doesn't even look like the same place! And I love that now you can actually see the bay windows without your eyes throwing up at the sight of that turd yellow. Beautiful. May the power of neutral colors compel you 

Edited May 17, 2022 by j_cuevas713

[dbigtex56]

4 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

This doesn't even look like the same place! And I love that now you can actually see the bay windows without your eyes throwing up at the sight of that turd yellow. Beautiful. May the power of neutral colors compel you 

This is one of the most drastic improvements brought about by covering a dingy yellow paint job since the University of Houston - Downtown (formerly the Merchants and Manufacturers) Building renovation a few years ago.

 

[TX3G4R]

Why do Houstonians love brown?! This is not 2007. This would have looked MUCH better with a white/gray/black color pallete 

[aachor]

In my opinion, the yellow turd building has suffered a lot of what I really hate about EIFS stucco. It's just not long-term durable. It seems prone to moisture issues and staining. It looks great for about 5-8 years, and then after that it just looks cheap and tired.

Also, bold colored paint and stucco will bleach in the Texas sun. Unless you're planning on repainting every five years, neutral colors will go farther before it starts looking dingy.

I'm happy to see new paint on the place. I hope they're using a good sealer undercoat on that, otherwise that moisture staining will just bleed through. 

Edited May 20, 2022 by aachor

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

6 hours ago, TX3G4R said:

Why do Houstonians love brown?! This is not 2007. This would have looked MUCH better with a white/gray/black color pallete 

South Park

Edited May 20, 2022 by Tumbleweed_Tx

[hindesky]

They are trimming or cutting down the trees on Cleburne St. Parking garage sections have arrived but they haven't set any yet. The signage in the remote lot is being used for the construction workers parking.

[jmitch94]

Just what the city could use, less trees and more parking. 

[j_cuevas713]

This is really not that big of a deal. I'm excited about this parking garage. Yeah I said it lol

[Big E]

Well, its either a parking garage or vacant lot. At least the garage is something.

[jmitch94]

Issa joke guys lol 

[hindesky]

They only trimmed the trees because the garage is very close to the street.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[cspwal]

This is noticeably taller than its neighbors from 59

[Amlaham]

12 hours ago, cspwal said:

This is noticeably taller than its neighbors from 59

I noticed that too! It completely blocks the Lucciola apartment building. 

[hindesky]

10 stories.

[hindesky]

[editor]

Is it just me, or is it ironic that a project that's always flogging its environmental/new energy/futurist visions in public is building a parking garage next to a light rail line?

[iah77]

2 hours ago, editor said:

Is it just me, or is it ironic that a project that's always flogging its environmental/new energy/futurist visions in public is building a parking garage next to a light rail line?

I think this garage is expected to serve the several large buildings they want to build around it so it makes sense to me I feel. I don't think  metro rail is extensive enough yet to say the average person who works there can get around on it exclusively.  

[hindesky]

Many more buildings.

https://iondistrict.com/#section-11

[hindesky]

Many, many more buildings.

https://iondistrict.com/files/Ion-District_Presentation-Deck_Compressed.pdf

[hindesky]

 

[hindesky]

6 trailers of garage pieces.

 

[kennyc05]

If everything is built according to this banner and if the Central Cadillac plots are redeveloped this area is gonna be beast!

[monarch]

^^^ "ambition" seems to know no bounds in this projected ION DISTRICT.  wow...

Edited June 26, 2022 by monarch

[hindesky]

57 minutes ago, kennyc05 said:

If everything is built according to this banner and if the Central Cadillac plots are redeveloped this area is gonna be beast!

Speaking of Central Cadillac, I rode by there and talked with a guy. Asked him when they are moving out and what he thought would become of the building and land they own. He said they should move next spring and he thinks the building would likely become a nightclub. Unless and until approaches whoever owns it and decides on something grander.

[kennyc05]

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

Speaking of Central Cadillac, I rode by there and talked with a guy. Asked him when they are moving out and what he thought would become of the building and land they own. He said they should move next spring and he thinks the building would likely become a nightclub. Unless and until approaches whoever owns it and decides on something grander.

I would think someone major would have their eyes on that land. I still don't know where the hell the new Cadillac dealership is at I get my car serviced at Nissan Central and I didn't see anything over there last week.

[texan]

Probably the most exciting thing about this podcast was they said they were looking for development partners to start tackling some of the other blocks.

https://houston.innovationmap.com/what-houston-can-expect-from-its-rising-innovation-district-2657576855.html

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[monarch]

^^^ i simply LOVE the idea that they are constructing such a mammoth parking structure here.  with the amount of PURE AMBITION that this ION development has in store, they are certainly going to need it...

Edited July 9, 2022 by monarch

[HoustonIsHome]

I can't wait to see what sort of amenities this project attracts.  Would be nice if the World Cup hosting would resurrect the university line and we get a grander station at Wheeler. Who owns that Greenspace next to the Station? 

[dbigtex56]

2 hours ago, HoustonIsHome said:

Who owns that Greenspace next to the Station? 

Pretty sure it's owned by METRO.

 

 

 

[hindesky]

[Brooklyn173]

I am probably in the strong minority on this, but I am disappointed to see a development like this with such a large parking structure. The Ion, a block from a light rail stop and once the MetroBus project is complete, probably one of the most transit accessable developments in the area, should have a plan that reflects that opportunity. More parking, more traffic, more delays and environmental issues. I was hoping for something a lot more forward thinking.

[iah77]

5 minutes ago, Brooklyn173 said:

I am probably in the strong minority on this, but I am disappointed to see a development like this with such a large parking structure. The Ion, a block from a light rail stop and once the MetroBus project is complete, probably one of the most transit accessable developments in the area, should have a plan that reflects that opportunity. More parking, more traffic, more delays and environmental issues. I was hoping for something a lot more forward thinking.

It's a very large project and this garage will serve multiple buildings, and keep in mind the project is replacing what were literally 4-5 blocks of asphalted parking previously. Traffic is not bad in this area nor delays so what exactly are you complaining about? Overall Ion will lead to more people using the light rail and once it becomes convenient enough people will take it instead of paying higher fees for parking etc.  

[EllenOlenska]

I get what Brooklyn is saying although it's a little like saying the very end of the tail wags the dog. We live in a climatically reactionary nation, in an oil-money town, with entrenched anti-bus/rail interests. I'm not sure the Ion has room to imagine a world where folks will be coming en masse on bikes. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by EllenOlenska

[monarch]

1 hour ago, Brooklyn173 said:

I am probably in the strong minority on this, but I am disappointed to see a development like this with such a large parking structure. The Ion, a block from a light rail stop and once the MetroBus project is complete, probably one of the most transit accessable developments in the area, should have a plan that reflects that opportunity. More parking, more traffic, more delays and environmental issues. I was hoping for something a lot more forward thinking.

^^^ first off, you are definitely in the "minority" here.  second, i thought that i should venture back and borrow @hindesky concept illustration from his prior post for your re-reference.  CAN YOU NOW REFERENCE THE OVERALL STUNNING SCOPE, SCALE, AND AMBITION IN THE ABOVE RENDERING?  not to mention, a mammoth parking structure, can very easily constitute a mammoth variety of GROUND FLOOR RETAIL for future patrons in the prospective and hugely ambitious future neighborhood.  please trust me, if all goes to plan, THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD THING...

[004n063]

@monarchI appreciate your optimism. There's no point being a total debbie downer about this, and a parking garage won't make or break this project.

But there's also no guarantee that the surface parking lots to the south, west, and southeast will actually be developed into anything.

And while the renders don't preclude pedestrianization or non-death-trap bike lanes, they certainly don't guarantee them.

Again, I don't think a parking garage will ruin what this could be, but Brooklyn is right to say that it's not forward-thinking. 

Parking garages are better than surface parking lots and golf courses, but that only gives them the distinction of being the third worst use of urban land.

Show me a project that shrinks Fannin and San Jacinto down to two car lanes each; show me a plan to make Eagle fully pedestrianized from San Jacinto to Main, show me continuous (i.e. dipless) sidewalks and well-marked two-meter cycle tracks on both sides, pedestrian signal prioritization, protected intersections, etc., and I'll start to get excited.

It seems very likely that this project will improve the livability of the area to some degree. But if you're going to call something an "Innovation District," then that innovation should be apparent in the urban planning/infrastructure side, too.

 

I haven't seen much evidence of that here.

[Naviguessor]

It wouldn't be present thinking, if it did not offer enough parking spaces for the tenants and users of the development. 

 

[iah77]

1 hour ago, 004n063 said:

@monarchI appreciate your optimism. There's no point being a total debbie downer about this, and a parking garage won't make or break this project.

But there's also no guarantee that the surface parking lots to the south, west, and southeast will actually be developed into anything.

And while the renders don't preclude pedestrianization or non-death-trap bike lanes, they certainly don't guarantee them.

Again, I don't think a parking garage will ruin what this could be, but Brooklyn is right to say that it's not forward-thinking. 

Parking garages are better than surface parking lots and golf courses, but that only gives them the distinction of being the third worst use of urban land.

Show me a project that shrinks Fannin and San Jacinto down to two car lanes each; show me a plan to make Eagle fully pedestrianized from San Jacinto to Main, show me continuous (i.e. dipless) sidewalks and well-marked two-meter cycle tracks on both sides, pedestrian signal prioritization, protected intersections, etc., and I'll start to get excited.

It seems very likely that this project will improve the livability of the area to some degree. But if you're going to call something an "Innovation District," then that innovation should be apparent in the urban planning/infrastructure side, too.

 

I haven't seen much evidence of that here.

Investing that much in a garage is actually a very strong indicator that they plan to build everything.

This is a academic innovation district, not an urban planning nightmare experiment as you are describing. I would be much more inclined to support your vision if Houston was building heavy rail but without that I think destroying road capacity is a huge negative. Plus everything you mentioned is the City's responsibility and not Rice's. 

[004n063]

3 hours ago, Naviguessor said:

It wouldn't be present thinking, if it did not offer enough parking spaces for the tenants and users

You are right in that assuming all of the tenants and users will drive is, indeed, "present thinking". Present thinking is exactly why we are in the disasterously car-centric mess we are in. Hence the critique.