Ion District In Midtown

[hindesky]

[por favor gracias]

This is my favorite project in Houston right now.

[HoustonIsHome]

I think I'm more excited about the potential for this area that the collective project may bring than this particular building itself. Yes the Sears building may have stood crumbling for the next 30 years so I'm glad that it is being made use of but personally I think the Reno is underwelming. It is quite different but to me not all that great.

 

For me Texas Tower, the Preston and a handful of other projects around town are my favorite.

 

With over a dozen blocks flanking a transit center WITH a rail way stop this project should be grand. Hopefully it doesn't go the way off Regency Square, Hardy Yards, Downtown Post Office site, Houston Pavilions or the granddaddy of them all- Houston Center.

 

Crossing my fingers that we get a few residential towers built from this project. 

[por favor gracias]

Renderings are rarely spot on, but with Rice University owning the land, I think it's safe to say this area won't get the Hotel Alessandra treatment.

 

I don't really care if residential towers come out of this project as much as the area turning into a destination. It'll take years, no doubt, but this part of town has so much potential and I'm not sure there are any better hands to be in than Rice's.

[HNathoo]

https://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/The-Ion-on-track-to-open-in-Q1-in-former-Sears-15382356.php

 

The redevelopment of the former Sears department store in Midtown into a center for innovation is set to open by the end of March 2021, possibly with a full tenant roster, a developer of the project said in a recent interview.

"If all negotiations we are in right now end positively, we will have a full building," said Ryan LeVasseur, managing director of direct real estate with Rice Management Co., which is leading and financing the $100 million project called The Ion. The company, which manages Rice University’s $6.3 billion endowment, launched the redevelopment last summer.

[X.R.]

Well, tech and startups are faring better than other companies during this time so I guess I shouldn't too surprised that they would have a full house but...I'm still pretty surprised that they may indeed be full upon open. That would be incredible and definitely exceeds my expectations for Houston's appetite for this development. 

 

Also, from the article it seems that these commitments have been there for a little bit, thus sort of confirming our thoughts that the CEO stepped down because she had gotten them to a positive place and wanted to take on some other challenge. Hats off to Rice, the Ion is on schedule and packed!

[JBTX]

Woah, did we make it from Monday until mid afternoon on Thursday for a new comment on this? That's gotta be a new record for "longest time without an update."

 

All jokes aside, that's a good update, thanks for sharing. I really do hope this becomes the bastion of development that Rice and the City plan for it to be.

[nate4l1f3]

Take that Amazon!!

[ZRFkris]

I can’t wait until the the highway project correlates with this project. Next level, plus a double whammy for the Museum Park neighborhood. 

[Highrise Tower]

[monarch]

 

^^^ this development is well on it's way to becoming a SHOWPLACE.  happy 4th of july everyone!

[hindesky]

Mock up in progress.

[CREguy13]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:29 PM, HNathoo said:

https://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/The-Ion-on-track-to-open-in-Q1-in-former-Sears-15382356.php

 

The redevelopment of the former Sears department store in Midtown into a center for innovation is set to open by the end of March 2021, possibly with a full tenant roster, a developer of the project said in a recent interview.

"If all negotiations we are in right now end positively, we will have a full building," said Ryan LeVasseur, managing director of direct real estate with Rice Management Co., which is leading and financing the $100 million project called The Ion. The company, which manages Rice University’s $6.3 billion endowment, launched the redevelopment last summer.

I wonder if the demand exceeded Rice's expectations? Are they revising their timeline for the next phase to break ground sooner than anticipated and will the project be larger in scale than originally planned?  

[Moore713]

31 minutes ago, CREguy13 said:

I wonder if the demand exceeded Rice's expectations? Are they revising their timeline for the next phase to break ground sooner than anticipated and will the project be larger in scale than originally planned?  

If this is true, this could be a even bigger  boom for the area.  How long before  other businesses  start to pop up to support. Stores, restaurants  etc etc.... If all hold stead ... in 5 to 7 years this could be a booming  corridor 

[X.R.]

@hindesky is that the mockup for the garage? If so, I guess this and that garage by Hermann park where they put that vine wall facing the park will be the two "green" garages near the city core. 

 

@CREguy13 Would not be surprised if demand exceeded expectation, given the comments. People within the tech industry in Houston on this forum had initial doubts re: occupancy, with good reason, to me, given Houston's relative lack of tech startup dollars when compared to Dallas/Austin. But, anecdotally, I've had friends come to Houston to interview at the medical/medical device incubator and say that those are pretty competitive as space was limited back in early 2019. So, maybe? @Moore713 yeah, was thinking the same thing this morning as I went by since this place sticks out like a sore thumb when compared to the stores in front of and behind it. You'd need a whole ecosystem there (small gyms, to go food, CVS 😝, etc) to support and they have alot of space to work with. I used to go to the barber shop pre-covid, hope Spot sees business from this. 

Edited July 6, 2020 by X.R.

[hindesky]

2 hours ago, X.R. said:

@hindesky is that the mockup for the garage? If so, I guess this and that garage by Hermann park where they put that vine wall facing the park will be the two "green" garages near the city core. 

 

@CREguy13 Would not be surprised if demand exceeded expectation, given the comments. People within the tech industry in Houston on this forum had initial doubts re: occupancy, with good reason, to me, given Houston's relative lack of tech startup dollars when compared to Dallas/Austin. But, anecdotally, I've had friends come to Houston to interview at the medical/medical device incubator and say that those are pretty competitive as space was limited back in early 2019. So, maybe? @Moore713 yeah, was thinking the same thing this morning as I went by since this place sticks out like a sore thumb when compared to the stores in front of and behind it. You'd need a whole ecosystem there (small gyms, to go food, CVS 😝, etc) to support and they have alot of space to work with. I used to go to the barber shop pre-covid, hope Spot sees business from this. 

I'm just guessing but I think the parking garage, I don't see where it could fit in with the old Sears building.

[hindesky]

Went down a rabbit hole looking for renderings of the parking garage, found these. Not sure if they've been posted before.

https://www.virtualbx.com/construction-preview/houston-rice-universitys-ion-campus-revealed-as-16-block-build-out/

https://www.virtualbx.com/construction-preview/houston-rice-university-proceeds-with-parking-garage-retail-building-for-the-ion-project/

 

First pic looks kind of like the mock up with all the plants.

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by hindesky

[BeerNut]

Someone on Nextdoor just posted that Fiesta will close Friday.

[midtowndweller]

7 hours ago, BeerNut said:

Someone on Nextdoor just posted that Fiesta will close Friday.

Best news all year!

[clutchcity94]

8 hours ago, BeerNut said:

Someone on Nextdoor just posted that Fiesta will close Friday.

Take Jack in the Box with it!

[Houston19514]

Why is the closing of a grocery store good news?

 

[Moore713]

7 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

Why is the closing of a grocery store good news?

 

So they can get some pretentious overly priced  store in there...duh.

[X.R.]

10 hours ago, BeerNut said:

Someone on Nextdoor just posted that Fiesta will close Friday.

 

Damn. Their meat outside of their shredded taco meat sucks, and their bakery goods sometimes are moldy within two days of purchasing, but they have great produce and seafood. During COVID they have provided a fairly stress-free shopping experience, not a lot of people and they have great selection for ethnics foods. Good beer selection too (arguably better than that overpriced Randall's).

 

 Also, when you go there and hear people who clearly know each other for years call out to each other and inquire about their families you realize that the Fiesta means alot to the people who have been in this area for a while. That churches offers gross chicken (popeyes is miles better) but its cheap, and the line on Saturdays for the cashing checks/issuing money orders is robust. Whatever Rice does, I hope the figure out a way to open a small grocer or something with decently priced food. I know based on interviews its unclear where they stand on bringing another grocer in, but there is clearly a community need that this Fiesta met.

 

But yeah, that Jack in the Box sucks. That needs to go. 

[Avossos]

1 minute ago, X.R. said:

 

Damn. Their meat outside of their shredded taco meat sucks, and their bakery goods sometimes are moldy within two days of purchasing, but they have great produce and seafood. During COVID they have provided a fairly stress-free shopping experience, not a lot of people and they have great selection for ethnics foods. Good beer selection too (arguably better than that overpriced Randall's).

 

 Also, when you go there and hear people who clearly know each other for years call out to each other and inquire about their families you realize that the Fiesta means alot to the people who have been in this area for a while. That churches offers gross chicken (popeyes is miles better) but its cheap, and the line on Saturdays for the cashing checks/issuing money orders is robust. Whatever Rice does, I hope the figure out a way to open a small grocer or something with decently priced food. I know based on interviews its unclear where they stand on bringing another grocer in, but there is clearly a community need that this Fiesta met.

 

But yeah, that Jack in the Box sucks. That needs to go. 

 

They absolutely need a grocer here. We need Aldi's or Trader Joe's to be incorporated into these developments. Why aren't urban Aldi's a thing?

[clutchcity94]

1 minute ago, Avossos said:

 

They absolutely need a grocer here. We need Aldi's or Trader Joe's to be incorporated into these developments. Why aren't urban Aldi's a thing?

Given where land values are going with this development, you’re far more likely to see a Central Market here than an Aldi’s.

[clutchcity94]

With this development turning a dilapidated area into what many hope it will become, are there other examples in Houston where something similar happened? For example, was Rice Village or Highland Village ever considered a seedy part of town? We’ve seen the inverse before (Sharpstown in the 80s), but I can’t think of any other revitalization examples.

[Avossos]

1 minute ago, clutchcity94 said:

With this development turning a dilapidated area into what many hope it will become, are there other examples in Houston where something similar happened? For example, was Rice Village or Highland Village ever considered a seedy part of town? We’ve seen the inverse before (Sharpstown in the 80s), but I can’t think of any other revitalization examples.

 

good question...

 

Montrose was definitely considered seedy... So was the Heights. Both of which are on their way to be very 'high end'.

[clutchcity94]

7 minutes ago, Avossos said:

 

good question...

 

Montrose was definitely considered seedy... So was the Heights. Both of which are on their way to be very 'high end'.

Good point. The area around The Ion, though, seems more extreme. It was literally one of, if not THE MOST, unattractive corners of the city up until last year. It was essentially Houston’s very own version of E. Hastings Street (Vancouver) or Hamsterdam (The Wire reference).

Edited July 7, 2020 by clutchcity94

[Texasota]

No it wasn't. At least not in the last 20 years. Compared to how completely bombed out Lyons in Fifth Ward, or Dowling in Third Ward were after having been bustling, successful commercial corridors, at the least the south side of Midtown had a functioning grocery store. 

 

I do think this part of town was a huge waste of potential, but that was true of most of midtown and downtown. Honestly it still is. 

[Amlaham]

I think people are happy fiesta is closing because of how it looks. It's an eyesore driving down 59, its a building on half the block and surface parking on the other half, this structure literally belongs in the suburbs. It has nothing to do with the fact that its a "fiesta" and everything to do with how it looks. The closing of the store is "good news" because 1. It's shows that this major development is moving forward 2. The area itself will look a lot more appealing once everything is done.  How are you going to be annoyed that this is closing but want this project 😂 fiesta isn't a small mom and pop store, if they wanted to downsize and stay in the area, they could. 

Edited July 7, 2020 by Amlaham
Grammer