Ion District In Midtown

[HNathoo]

Lots of the adjacent sites Rice owns have submitted water/wastewater applications. This is to see if the sites can support the desired development and the cost of the associated impact fees. 

 

[Highrise Tower]

[hindesky]

Was surprised to find a tower crane vertical section and the base installed on the north side of the building.

 

[rechlin]

Hard to see because I photographed this from a moving train, but they've dug a fairly large hole on the "north" side of the building.  I'd guess at least 6-8 feet deep:

 

[TheSirDingle]

29 minutes ago, Toopicky said:

 

Wow, I didn't know the lot that Jack in the Box sits on was owned by Rice .... great find!

Wonder if that Jack sells rice. I know the student dining at rice does, pretty good considering the name of the institution too. Houston does have some world class rice I have to say so myself. 

Edited November 6, 2019 by TheSirDingle

[jmitch94]

Tower crane is going up. 

[hindesky]

[houstontexasjack]

Another shot of the tower crane:

 

[Triton]

Master plan for Ion and Innovation District at former Midtown Sears site revealed

Quote

Documents filed with the city show a proposed site plan for the Ion and 15-acre South Main Innovation District comprising multiple blocks along and east of Main Street. The plan shows 13 proposed structures in addition to the old Sears at 4201 Main, a greenspace and "Central Laneway" stretching in front of the Sears building from Main to Caroline.

 

The proposed garage, 115 feet tall -- or approximately 10 stories -- would serve the Ion building and other future developments in the area, according to the documents filed by consulting firm Vernon G. Henry & Associates on behalf of Rice.

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/prime-property/article/The-Ion-former-Midtown-Sears-and-Innovation-14826265.php#photo-18593395

 

[j_cuevas713]

😮

[X.R.]

What in the world, they're completely redoing the landscaping in the area? I don't think Caroline has esplanades, does it? And is it just me or are they basically shutting down that central laneway area? 

 

They weren't kidding about walkability. With the speed in which Ion is moving now...I'm guessing some of the landscaping and sidewalk stuff will probably start in the new year. 

[j_cuevas713]

Didn't know that lot A was actually owned by Rice. 

[Triton]

4 minutes ago, X.R. said:

What in the world, they're completely redoing the landscaping in the area? I don't think Caroline has esplanades, does it? And is it just me or are they basically shutting down that central laneway area? 

 

They weren't kidding about walkability. With the speed in which Ion is moving now...I'm guessing some of the landscaping and sidewalk stuff will probably start in the new year. 

This section of Caroline does have esplanades.

[Luminare]

3 minutes ago, X.R. said:

What in the world, they're completely redoing the landscaping in the area? I don't think Caroline has esplanades, does it? And is it just me or are they basically shutting down that central laneway area? 

 

They weren't kidding about walkability. With the speed in which Ion is moving now...I'm guessing some of the landscaping and sidewalk stuff will probably start in the new year. 

 

The south part of Caroline from Clebourne to Hermann park does have medians. That road was initially developed like Lovett Blvd/Courtland Pl when it was one of the original suburbs and all the rage was to have a "european" style boulevard as a central street. Obviously we still have a soft spot for boulevards with the redevelopment of Post Oak.

[Houston19514]

44 minutes ago, X.R. said:

What in the world, they're completely redoing the landscaping in the area? I don't think Caroline has esplanades, does it? And is it just me or are they basically shutting down that central laneway area? 

 

 

Yes, Caroline has esplanades south of Cleburne.  And, no, I don't think they are shutting down that central laneway area.  The North-South streets appear to still go through.  The East-West street already does not exist.

[rechlin]

The Chronicle's link to the agenda is broken, because the username and password were dropped from the URL, but the full link is ftp://PlatViewer:Viewer4DRC@edrc.houstontx.gov//2019/2019-23_DraftAgenda.pdf

 

Note that the username is PlatViewer and the password is Viewer4DRC, in case HAIF breaks the URL too.  The information about the Ion is on pages 140 through 160, and there are a bunch of images not in the article.  Here is the full set of images:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[midtowndweller]

Oh wow! This just made my day. I love coming to this page because it always brightens my day with each added bit of good news. I live in Ventana and this area DESPERATELY needs this development. K & H are the lots that will get rid of majority of the riff raff in the area. Those are the areas they tend to congregate the most. 

[Angostura]

15 hours ago, X.R. said:

What in the world, they're completely redoing the landscaping in the area? I don't think Caroline has esplanades, does it? And is it just me or are they basically shutting down that central laneway area? 

 

They weren't kidding about walkability. With the speed in which Ion is moving now...I'm guessing some of the landscaping and sidewalk stuff will probably start in the new year. 

 

 

The "central laneway" is already mid-block, so it's not replacing a thru street, but from the site plan, it looks like they want to pedestrianize Eagle St as well.

[gene]

7 hours ago, midtowndweller said:

Oh wow! This just made my day. I love coming to this page because it always brightens my day with each added bit of good news. I live in Ventana and this area DESPERATELY needs this development. K & H are the lots that will get rid of majority of the riff raff in the area. Those are the areas they tend to congregate the most. 

 

I feel that same way every monday when i come in to see what amazingness @ekdrm2d1 has posted 🥇👍

[BeerNut]

 

[Highrise Tower]

[j_cuevas713]

10 minutes ago, ekdrm2d1 said:

That thing was turned in to a damn dungeon. Very thankful for the renovation. 

[BeerNut]

I wonder how the reception will be at this meeting vs the one on Tuesday.

[Texasota]

My only concern with the full district plan is building D - that's the current location of the International Day School and a genuinely gorgeous house. I would hate to see that lost.

[j_cuevas713]

20 minutes ago, Texasota said:

My only concern with the full district plan is building D - that's the current location of the International Day School and a genuinely gorgeous house. I would hate to see that lost.

I wonder if the developer will consider that. The guy seems to really care about our city. 

[BeerNut]

Third Ward community expresses concerns with The Ion project that's underway

 

Quote

Her presentation included new concerns following the release of the master plan of The Ion, which the Houston Chronicle released earlier this week. The plans included a parking area that will be the next construction project following The Ion. The variance request is headed to the planning commission on Thursday.

 

"That's a two-day turnaround and it's the first opportunity for us to do something," Neal says. The group is intending to at least acquire a delay in the variance request moving forward.

 

[TheSirDingle]

hmm wonder how this is going to affect the variance request. Does the vocal public support this project more than it doesn't? Hoping this doesn't destroy/delay the plan, and we can get this project underway sooner than later.

[BeerNut]

11 minutes ago, TheSirDingle said:

hmm wonder how this is going to affect the variance request. Does the vocal public support this project more than it doesn't? Hoping this doesn't destroy/delay the plan, and we can get this project underway sooner than later.

 

Does the vocal public mean Houston at large or the vocal public that "represents" Third Ward?  Their CBA list is quite extensive...

[TheSirDingle]

5 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

 

Does the vocal public mean Houston at large or the vocal public that "represents" Third Ward?  Their CBA list is quite extensive...

vocal public is whoever goes, and votes at the meetings I suppose. 

[DrLan34]

7 hours ago, TheSirDingle said:

vocal public is whoever goes, and votes at the meetings I suppose. 

 

Those who comment at the meetings can sway the meetings themselves. Sometimes you have a lot of people speaking on one side of the topic, so it seems overwhelmingly clear what public opinion is.

 

Then, you have someone speak up who is in the minority, and you get a lot of others to finally speak up who feel the same way...

 

A lot of times, these meetings have very vocal people who don't want something to happen. So if you personally want this to go through without delay, I would attend and have your voice heard. It will support others to speak up who feel the same way.

 

I'm not saying the people who are concerned about how this development will move forward are wrong in any way, but if you are for this development, it's helpful to go and have your voice heard (just like those who want a delay will likely have a high turnout).