Lyric Center Building & Market

[Texasota]

That's giving a *lot* of credit to parking garages, and it's really only true of a few of them. It's more true really of towers with integrated parking garage bases than of standalone or after-the-fact garages. 

 

And of course, the best street presence downtown is Main Street, largely because it has the largest collection of historic buildings with street-facing storefronts. Even the newer buildings either have integrated garages or, like the Skyhausen, pushed their garages to the back. The only exception I can think of is the standalone garage at Main and Rusk.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Texasota

[H-Town Man]

3 hours ago, Texasota said:

That's giving a *lot* of credit to parking garages, and it's really only true of a few of them. It's more true really of towers with integrated parking garage bases than of standalone or after-the-fact garages. 

 

And of course, the best street presence downtown is Main Street, largely because it has the largest collection of historic buildings with street-facing storefronts. Even the newer buildings either have integrated garages or, like the Skyhausen, pushed their garages to the back. The only exception I can think of is the standalone garage at Main and Rusk.

 

Don't read too much into it, Texasota, the post was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I was actually thinking of some of the integrated garages, as with 609 Main, Hilcorp, or separate-but-integrated garages like 601 Travis. But I don't see why an integrated garage shouldn't count, because the fact remains that the developer didn't want GFR cluttering up their handsome tower, but did not mind putting it in the garage and seeing what rents it could get. I agree that the best pedestrian presence is on Main Street, but is that because of the historic buildings, or because it has so many parking garages with GFR - or both? Bottom line, parking garages are carrying a lot of the weight of downtown's emerging retail scene, and perhaps even have the majority of new construction GFR downtown.

 

(Disclaimer: I actually am one of those who think parking garages are anathema to the urban landscape, hence the irony.)

 

[hindesky]

[Urbannizer]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/bizfeed/article/Work-begins-on-eight-level-parking-garage-for-10629979.php?t=fb6979fd1d438d9cbb&cmpid=twitter-premium

 

Crews have broken ground at the site of a new 810-vehicle parking garage that will connect the Lyric Centre and the Alley Theatre Center in downtown Houston. Upon completion, the 327,315-square-foot parking structure will be eight stories, with ground-level space for restaurants, according to Rhode Island-based Gilbane Building Co., which is working on the project for Houston developer Hines.

 

Plans are to renovate the plaza and sidewalks to add outdoor seating. A tunnel under Prairie Street will connect the Lyric Centre to the basement level of the Alley Theatre.

[j_cuevas713]

I thought GFR was removed from this project

[Nole23]

1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I thought GFR was removed from this project

 

It was removed from the garage going up at Franklin & Milam

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/32685-franklin-milam-10-story-garage/?page=3

[j_cuevas713]

Just now, Nole23 said:

 

It was removed from the garage going up at Franklin & Milam

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/32685-franklin-milam-10-story-garage/?page=3

Ahh ok I barely found out they were building a garage at Franklin and Milam. I got confused. Thanks!

[Urbannizer]

 

Why cut the trees?

 

 

 

[mollusk]

Normally I'd sigh loudly about the trees... but what rocket scientist* thought that sycamores would make good street trees?  Their fall leaves are like catcher's mitts, and they drop pods that are the size and weight of softballs.

 

(*perhaps it was a rocket scientist, since it's more of a horticulturalist's job to know these things)

[Avossos]

13 hours ago, mollusk said:

Normally I'd sigh loudly about the trees... but what rocket scientist* thought that sycamores would make good street trees?  Their fall leaves are like catcher's mitts, and they drop pods that are the size and weight of softballs.

 

(*perhaps it was a rocket scientist, since it's more of a horticulturalist's job to know these things)

 

Sycamores are great street trees

[Urbannizer]

A number of them in the convention district (Disco Green and in front of the Toyota Center) - all in great shape. If I can recall correctly, the ones above were as well, visibly at least. I like the variety of trees Downtown. 

[Urbannizer]

https://houston-texas-us.blogspot.com/2016/12/lyric-centre-renovations-and-adjoining.html?m=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kbates2]

Agreed that sycamores are some of the best street trees.

 

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

13 months to finish 8 stories, I doubt it. 

 

 

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

Talked with a worker today about the garage, he said they finalized the exterior design just a couple weeks ago and it won't look like most parking garages, he said it will be unique and artsy. He also said there will be 2 tower cranes, 2 basement levels and 8 above grade stories high.

[hindesky]

Two tower crane bases are up.

[hindesky]

600 block of Preston will be closed this weekend from 7pm Friday to midnight Sunday for installation of the tower cranes.

[hindesky]

Circle 8 is installing the tower cranes this weekend. 

 

[hindesky]

They are finishing up the tower cranes instillation today.

 

 

 

[hindesky]

When you see Blackmon Mooring trucks on site it can't be a good thing. Asked a worker why they were there and he said the Lyric Center building had 7 floors with water damage. I assume ruptured piping.

 

[hindesky]

[Urbannizer]

fullsizeoutput_12f8 by George Zimzores, on Flickr

[TowerSpotter]

On 2/19/2017 at 2:01 PM, hindesky said:

When you see Blackmon Mooring trucks on site it can't be a good thing. Asked a worker why they were there and he said the Lyric Center building had 7 floors with water damage. I assume ruptured piping.

 

 

Have those palms trees always been there?

[kbates2]

Looks like they have been there since 2007 at the very least.

[TowerSpotter]

14 hours ago, kbates2 said:

Looks like they have been there since 2007 at the very least.

 

I passed by a few times and never noticed. Looks good, would love to see more palm trees around the city. 

[j_cuevas713]

On 3/12/2017 at 0:02 AM, TowerSpotter said:

 

I passed by a few times and never noticed. Looks good, would love to see more palm trees around the city. 

Wow me either. I pass by this all the time. Anyways I'm really happy with how dense Houston is getting. Solid development. 

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[Urbannizer]

 

[kbates2]

Guess this is likely to be a M-F lunchtime only development.  Would be cool if a place like this ends up being open at various times.

[Nate99]

7 minutes ago, kbates2 said:

Guess this is likely to be a M-F lunchtime only development.  Would be cool if a place like this ends up being open at various times.

 

Looked like they had "steakhouse" in the background, which would indicate some desire for a tenant that served the dinner/weekend crowd

[houstontexasjack]

We got an email as a progress report today indicating there would be noise over the next five months on this garage.  It had an updated rendering of the exterior, which I have attached as a JPEG. (Edited after attachment appeared to be successful)

 

 

Edited April 25, 2017 by houstontexasjack

[Urbannizer]

Here's a better look:

 

[hindesky]

On 1/28/2017 at 5:44 PM, hindesky said:

Talked with a worker today about the garage, he said they finalized the exterior design just a couple weeks ago and it won't look like most parking garages, he said it will be unique and artsy. He also said there will be 2 tower cranes, 2 basement levels and 8 above grade stories high.

He was right, this doesn't look anything like a garage. Love it.

[Texasota]

So... this is a food hall.

 

I really hope they do a good job soliciting interesting tenants and keep decent hours.

The fact that they can appeal to theater-goers, office people leaving work, bar-hoppers on Main, AND increasingly downtown (and midtown) residents should make it possible for this to be something cool. The updated rendering also gives me hope that they'll try to make this a destination.

[KinkaidAlum]

Kudos to these guys for going the extra mile, especially in the heart of the theater district. Really wish our city leaders would require basic design guidelines for parking garages in downtown. 

[lockmat]

This is almost like getting a supertall. Do we realize how rare this is?

 

Should get an award for best/most underrated project of the year.

 

On the subject of garages, I'm puzzled that our 80's highrises had more land (maybe more land is bad assumption?) but did a better job with the garages. Now we have less room and developers do a crappier job. Doesn't make sense.

[mollusk]

It's gorgeous.  I hope the food hall can overcome being on the far corner of downtown, and that the Mole People won't get too blinded by sunlight and windows.  Then again, Perbacco has been packed for lunch and theater dinner for something like 25 years or more.

 

Regarding garages, the 80s highrises (actually 70s; those that delivered in the 80s were started before that) didn't necessarily build them - Pennzoil and 700 Louisiana only have three or so levels under the building.  Likewise, most of the garages that were built aren't exactly masterworks, a prime example being the giant beige whale that is Allen Center's garage right up against the freeway.

[Naviguessor]

This looks really exciting and has "after 5PM/Weekend" potential.  With new residents in the neighborhood, major Market Square and Hines (hopefully) mixed-use developments coming, a great strategic position between Market Square Park and a redeveloped Theater District, with it's own added amenities and residents, this could become a real draw.  Markets like these in other cities do great morning, noon and night.  Awesome concept and design. 

[Nole23]

Love it! The design fits in with the Theatre District and I remember reading a while back that they wanted a wine lounge of some sort. The video shows a steakhouse in the corner so I'm sure this will cater to both the lunch time and after 5PM/weekend crowd.

[Subdude]

I wish someone would show a picture of this to whoever designed that monstrosity at Franklin & Milam.  

[Twinsanity02]

Really Subdude don't you think the monstrosity at Franklin and Milam has a sort of Omaha Beach pillbox charm to it? It is a good thing it is some distance from the USS Texas or the Texas might reflexively begin lobbing shells toward it as it did on pillboxes on June 6, 1944.

[kbates2]

Was just reading the discussion of the planning of the White Oak Music Hall in that thread and a few parts of it made me think more of the garage at Franklin and Milam:

 

"That’s where I cultivated a keen interest in design and culture, and, more specifically, the relationship between architecture and the city. More often than not, the most engaging cities we visited were always the ones that had an overt interest in supporting the arts through built projects."

 

Nailed it Powers Brown.

[mollusk]

2 hours ago, Twinsanity02 said:

Really Subdude don't you think the monstrosity at Franklin and Milam has a sort of Omaha Beach pillbox charm to it? It is a good thing it is some distance from the USS Texas or the Texas might reflexively begin lobbing shells toward it as it did on pillboxes on June 6, 1944.

 

yeah... just barely out of range of the 14" guns.  Which is probably good for Market Square.

[lockmat]

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 8:40 AM, mollusk said:

It's gorgeous.  I hope the food hall can overcome being on the far corner of downtown, and that the Mole People won't get too blinded by sunlight and windows.  Then again, Perbacco has been packed for lunch and theater dinner for something like 25 years or more.

 

Regarding garages, the 80s highrises (actually 70s; those that delivered in the 80s were started before that) didn't necessarily build them - Pennzoil and 700 Louisiana only have three or so levels under the building.  Likewise, most of the garages that were built aren't exactly masterworks, a prime example being the giant beige whale that is Allen Center's garage right up against the freeway.

 

I guessed they just didn't build any garages but I didn't know the ones underground were so small. I've seen the old downtown aerial shots with tons of parking lots, so I'm guessing they relied on those? Were there many on the west side of DT because they seemed to be mostly to be everywhere but in that NW quadrant.

 

Which leads to my assumption that today' potential tenants will simply not accept a lease without a garage?

[mollusk]

Since the Parking District continues to shrink in favor of buildings with even more people in them, the only two answers are either to build garages or somehow magically make the transit system more effective.  Developers only have control over one of those options.  It's probably not so much of a demand thing (after all, Pennzoil and 700 Louisiana stay pretty full even without ten story parking podiums), but an amenity to offer.

[Houston19514]

On 4/26/2017 at 8:40 AM, mollusk said:

 Likewise, most of the garages that were built aren't exactly masterworks, a prime example being the giant beige whale that is Allen Center's garage right up against the freeway.

 

But it should be acknowledged that a bunch of the "80s" (and 70s) garages were pretty well-disguised.  Heritage Plaza, 2 Shell Plaza, Texas Commerce Tower, Tenneco come to mind.