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MD Anderson South Campus is located within the UT Research Park Complex. 

 

M.D. Anderson, Health Science Center break ground on research facility

Houston Business Journal - 1:46 PM CDT Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are collaborating on a new imaging research facility.

The organizations broke ground Tuesday at The University of Texas Research Park on what will become the Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging Research, dedicated to developing technologies that will detect heart disease, cancer and other illnesses at their earliest stages.

The facility, scheduled for completion in late 2009, is being built in cooperation with GE Healthcare and the Texas Enterprise Fund.

Link to article.

Wow, not only am I getting a 1.1-million-square-foot teaching hospital within walking distance of my condo and a connection to N. Macgregor via Cambridge, but I'm also getting a 315,000-square-foot facility just down the street! I was hoping for more verticality, but I can live with it.

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I know you just posted the article, and I get annoyed myself when people ask this when news just breaks, but is their a possibility that there is a rendering for this one. Only reason I am asking, I feel I have seen it before. There are just too many renderings for TMC projects that are actually breaking ground, it is hard to keep track of 'em.

edit: nevermind, this sounds like a new one. Methodist has a similar building currently being built for the same purposes.

Edited by WesternGulf
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I know you just posted the article, and I get annoyed myself when people ask this when news just breaks, but is their a possibility that there is a rendering for this one. Only reason I am asking, I feel I have seen it before. There are just too many renderings for TMC projects that are actually breaking ground, it is hard to keep track of 'em.

edit: nevermind, this sounds like a new one. Methodist has a similar building currently being built for the same purposes.

By the way, I've been told that ULI Houston is going to have a luncheon from 11:15AM to 1:30PM on May 1st at the Westin Galleria Hotel in which the President/CEO/COO of the Texas Medical Center, Inc. is going to talk about all the new projects. Walter Mischer, Jr. is also going to discuss how he pulled off Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza.

That sounds pretty awesome, but it's not really right in the medical center though, is it? It will probably be connected by a shuttle bus I guess.

The northwest parts of this area south of OST, which TMC, Inc. is calling the "South Campus" have already been developed. They're still doing street construction and laying huge box culverts in the median of Cambridge for the time being, and the only shuttle service available is for the UT students that live right there. I'll bet that once this thing is off the ground, we'll see more extensive shuttle service...either that or lots of on-site parking.

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Sorry if this is off topic, but why is this forum suddenly only showing one post at a time, and I have to click on the individual posts on the bottom to see them. I didn't read the two replies before I posted because of that.

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The building under construction is at the corner of Bertner and the new, unnamed street which parallels OST and connects the new part of Bertner and Cambridge. It looks similar to the twin Red McCombs Early Cancer Detection buildings (uncertain of the exact name) located where Knight Rd and Fannin merge just south of OST--the only exception is that the new building has six floors and the twin buildings have 4. The Menninger Clinic will probably be located in this part of the Med Center or on El Paseo at Cambridge further south, although that site has been mentioned as a future Harris County Mental Health facility.

The #73 Metro goes up Cambridge and El Paseo and circulates throughout the Med Center. The Smithlands Station is about a 15 minute walk from upper Cambridge. Cambridge itself is completely impassible from Holcombe to OST and the city has spared the 15 year-old live oaks in the Cambridge esplanade just south of OST. The Parkwood apartments are history but the trees are still there for now...

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The northwest parts of this area south of OST, which TMC, Inc. is calling the "South Campus" have already been developed. They're still doing street construction and laying huge box culverts in the median of Cambridge for the time being, and the only shuttle service available is for the UT students that live right there. I'll bet that once this thing is off the ground, we'll see more extensive shuttle service...either that or lots of on-site parking.

So how long before my neighborhood is the "Southeast TMC Campus"?!? :)

We were joking about that with a neighbor the other day...just as the 3rd Ward west of 288 has become the "Museum District", it's just a matter of time until South Union is the "Med Center."

TMC is definitely moving south, though...it's easier (and cheaper) for it to expand south than it is to expand north.

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  • 1 month later...

Variance request notifications were just posted this weekend in South Union at the ends of Nathaniel Brown, Mount Pleasant, and Seabrook streets. These are all dead end streets that terminate at the 11.6-acre Binswanger Glass site on the east side of 288 at Holly Hall. See aerial photo here: Plaza del Oro/Binswanger Glass - Holly Hall at SH 288

The variance notification sign references "Plaza del Oro" as the proposed subdivision name. If I'm not mistaken, Plaza del Oro is also the name of a townhome complex on the west side of 288 at Holly Hall. There will be a variance hearing in a little less than two weeks (June 21, 2:30 pm).

Does anyone have any insight into this development? I live on one of the streets that has a notification sign. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather not make this information public.

I'm assuming this will be some kind of residential development, but we're curious. The existing Binswanger Glass warehouse takes up about 75% of the 11.6-acre tract, leaving about 3 acres of undeveloped land. So...is the entire warehouse site going to be redeveloped? The only two streets that dead end into the undeveloped portion of the 11.6-acre tract are Corder and Nathaniel Brown Streets. If this will only be a new development of the 3-acre portion of the tract, then why the variance signs on Mount Pleasant and Seabrook?

We're not necessarily opposed to development of the site, but we'd like to know what it will be and how it will impact our neighborhood. Hopefully the variance request is to remove the requirement to tie into our public streets. As it is, our streets are tight...probably 20' wide asphalt streets with open ditches, and cars parked along both sides of the street (thanks to single-wide driveways). We can't take any traffic into a major development through our narrow streets.

I'm also curious about drainage. Will the development drain to 288? Certainly it won't drain through our 1'-2' deep roadside ditches...at least we hope not.

I'm sure someone here knows SOMETHING about the site. With some of the recent developments along 288 in the area (Alexan apartments, Urban Lofts, Parkside Point Apartments), I'm assuming this site that fronts on 288 will be more of the same. We're not thrilled to have apartments next door, but the big question is what quality of apartments will these be? Will they resemble the tax-credit Parkside Point apartments (which haven't yet shown themselves to be a problem), or will they bring in the high-rent residents of Alexan or Urban Lofts? I have my assumptions, based on geography and demographics, but I'd like to know the facts.

Edited by Original Timmy Chan's
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Original Timmy--

Plaza del Oro was originally purchased by Shell Oil back in the 1970's. Their thought process was to have a commercial/residential/cultural center at the NW corner of 610 and 288. Basically bounded by Fannin on the west, OST on the north, 288 on the east, and 610 on the south. I can remember a huge billboard between Fannin and Almeda back when they first purchased the area. At Greenbriar and OST is a huge white building which used to be Shell's credit card and IT building. Not sure what it functions as now. If you are traveling south on Fannin at OST and you look behind the shell station there is a sign that says Plaza del Oro bank.

I've looked for history on the area, but can't find anything more than my recollection. So I don't know why Shell bailed on the property. Back in the early 1990's I lived in Scotland Yard apts on Holly Hall.

Good luck on finding out what the plans are for the area by your house.

Variance request notifications were just posted this weekend in South Union at the ends of Nathaniel Brown, Mount Pleasant, and Seabrook streets. These are all dead end streets that terminate at the 11.6-acre Binswanger Glass site on the east side of 288 at Holly Hall. See aerial photo here: Plaza del Oro/Binswanger Glass - Holly Hall at SH 288

The variance notification sign references "Plaza del Oro" as the proposed subdivision name. If I'm not mistaken, Plaza del Oro is also the name of a townhome complex on the west side of 288 at Holly Hall. There will be a variance hearing in a little less than two weeks (June 21, 2:30 pm).

Does anyone have any insight into this development? I live on one of the streets that has a notification sign. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather not make this information public.

I'm assuming this will be some kind of residential development, but we're curious. The existing Binswanger Glass warehouse takes up about 75% of the 11.6-acre tract, leaving about 3 acres of undeveloped land. So...is the entire warehouse site going to be redeveloped? The only two streets that dead end into the undeveloped portion of the 11.6-acre tract are Corder and Nathaniel Brown Streets. If this will only be a new development of the 3-acre portion of the tract, then why the variance signs on Mount Pleasant and Seabrook?

We're not necessarily opposed to development of the site, but we'd like to know what it will be and how it will impact our neighborhood. Hopefully the variance request is to remove the requirement to tie into our public streets. As it is, our streets are tight...probably 20' wide asphalt streets with open ditches, and cars parked along both sides of the street (thanks to single-wide driveways). We can't take any traffic into a major development through our narrow streets.

I'm also curious about drainage. Will the development drain to 288? Certainly it won't drain through our 1'-2' deep roadside ditches...at least we hope not.

I'm sure someone here knows SOMETHING about the site. With some of the recent developments along 288 in the area (Alexan apartments, Urban Lofts, Parkside Point Apartments), I'm assuming this site that fronts on 288 will be more of the same. We're not thrilled to have apartments next door, but the big question is what quality of apartments will these be? Will they resemble the tax-credit Parkside Point apartments (which haven't yet shown themselves to be a problem), or will they bring in the high-rent residents of Alexan or Urban Lofts? I have my assumptions, based on geography and demographics, but I'd like to know the facts.

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Original Timmy--

Plaza del Oro was originally purchased by Shell Oil back in the 1970's. Their thought process was to have a commercial/residential/cultural center at the NW corner of 610 and 288. Basically bounded by Fannin on the west, OST on the north, 288 on the east, and 610 on the south. I can remember a huge billboard between Fannin and Almeda back when they first purchased the area. At Greenbriar and OST is a huge white building which used to be Shell's credit card and IT building. Not sure what it functions as now. If you are traveling south on Fannin at OST and you look behind the shell station there is a sign that says Plaza del Oro bank.

I've looked for history on the area, but can't find anything more than my recollection. So I don't know why Shell bailed on the property. Back in the early 1990's I lived in Scotland Yard apts on Holly Hall.

Good luck on finding out what the plans are for the area by your house.

Yes, I'm aware of the "Plaza del Oro" name around the area. I'd forgotten that it's also attached to some of the buildings around Fannin/OST.

There's also a Plaza del Oro Townhomes on Holly Hall. That's why I found it curious that the same name would be attached to a new development on the east side of 288. Maybe they're trying to tie the east side of 288 to the west side now, instead of keeping it separated/segregated? Maybe not.

Just double-checked the HCAD website again...interesting, I didn't catch this the first time: Binswanger is protesting their property valuation. Their taxable value went from $4.0 million in 2006 to $5.6 million in 2007. Ouch. Sucks for them...then again it sucks for us too. Our market value (per HCAD) has increased 232% in the last 5 years. Nice to know our area is heating up a little...sucks about the taxes.

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Good to see something atleast. Whatever it is. I have some land for sale on Peerless north of this area. More Urban townhomes from the north and this project from the south leaves little old me in the middle! Just where I love to be!

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Contact Suzy Hartgrove with the City of Houston's Planning Department. It may take her a few days, but she can get you an answer.

From the sign, I also have the name and number of the engineer/planner for the subdivision. I'm going to start there, but thanks for the contact name at the City. I may check there just to get the story from both sides. ;)

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OK, I got the story this morning from the planner for the site. Unfortunately (or fortunately, maybe) it's nothing as exciting (or as frightening) as I had envisioned.

The glass company wants to build some overhangs for their garage, but in order to get their permits the City is requiring the site to be platted. The City's platting ordinance requires the public streets that dead end into the glass company's property to either be extended into the glass company site or terminated in a cul-de-sac.

The glass company is requesting a variance so that they don't have to do either one, but just leave our streets status quo. I'm fine with that...I don't see that cul-de-sacs onto the glass company's site are going to do anything positive for our neighborhood. I'm happy with the barricade we've got now.

Funny side story about our dead end street that's only marginally related to the topic...my wife's family has owned our house since it was built in the 40's. She has older step-brothers (triplets) who grew up in the house about 15-20 years before she was born. One of the older neighbors who grew up with her brothers was relating a story to me, since I've never met her step-brothers.

He says the brothers were smart, very smart, but crazy as hell. When they were about 10 years old they made their own go-cart from scratch with a lawn-mower engine. The neighbor says it went fast as hell...but they forgot to put on brakes. So on the test drive, they got the thing going, hauled a$$ down the street towards the dead end. Only thing is, back then there was no wooden barricade...only a barbed wire fence separating the neighborhood from the pasture next door. The crazy brothers hauled a$$ straight into the barbed wire fence!!!

They didn't use the go-cart too much after that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Saw the Planning Meeting where area residences wanted to know what was going on too. They were mad about the noise but didn't get answers on record about what was going on. Too bad for them; they should read HAIF.

Interesting thing was that at the same meeting there was a 'hearing date set' (whatever that means) set for the Fountains at Peerless. Any one have info on this Peerless development? My guess is there are not going to be just doors!

Edited by txland
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  • 2 months later...

Strange how they have a whole windowless storey underneath the mechanical penthouse.

By the way, I'm ecstatic about the research park. Houston has far more in the way of medical progress going on than just about anywhere else, but in terms of labs I haven't been seeing it generating much new work. Maybe this is because Rice and UH academics aren't spinning out that sort of thing like technical schools and the legacy universities in Northern cities are; but this and the Collaborative Research Center (unfortunately on opposite sides of the Med Center, so they'll hardly interact!) are a start.

Edited by strickn
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  • 2 months later...

I'd like to apologize right from the get go. The following info. may have errors. I had on local 2 this evening listening to the news and they had a story about the Texas Medical Center. I heard Bill say that within the next 7 years, the med center will undergo a building boom turning into one of the top 10 largest business districts in the U.S. Has anybody else heard this?

I apologize again if any of this info. is wrong or misinterpreted. Again, I heard the information this evening (Nov. 21) on KPRC Local 2 News.

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Here's the Fox News version of the story.

7 years

30,000 new jobs on top of the 73,000 already there

Doubling the land area

$7 billion investment

Unfortunately, if you check out this ranking of CBDs on p.11, with 103,000, it looks like it would ranked around #13 - similar to Minneapolis or Cleveland. And that's without considering non-central business districts, like Uptown/Galleria, which is still larger.

Still very impressive. Hope the LRT picks up a lot of that, because I'm pretty sure the street grid can't handle it.

Here's a post I did a while back, showing the combined job growth forecast for our core triangle - downtown + uptown + Greenway + TMC - would put us just behind NYC and Chicago if it were considered a single CBD.

Edited by ToryGattis
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Doubling the land area

Doubling the land area is sure mindboggling. We'll have to see what areas/buildings are acquired to make this happen. The land owners will surely make a hefty profit. but i'll bet it doesn't bode well for the old Presidential Bldg on Holcombe

Edited by musicman
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Doubling the land area is sure mindboggling. We'll have to see what areas/buildings are acquired to make this happen. The land owners will surely make a hefty profit. but i'll bet it doesn't bode well for the old Presidential Bldg on Holcombe

Do I smell any highrises in there?

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Here is the AP story on it:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5321166.html

There is more construction going on at the medical center than the rest of Houston combined, with about 60 percent of the construction cranes in the city at the world-renown facility.

It ranks 17th on a list of major downtown business districts nationally, just below Los Angeles, and would shoot up to seventh with all the planned construction, said Richard Wainerdi, the president and chief executive of the medical center.

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I kind of wish the Med Center had a bit more residential. I kind of doubt that will happen though, but I would like to live there if it did. And I'm not talking about the Astrodome area that people call "Medical Center" when they are trying to sell condos and apartments.

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Do I smell any highrises in there?

Personally, I'd like to see them try to outdo the St Luke's Tower. A giant catheter, maybe? :P

I kind of wish the Med Center had a bit more residential. I kind of doubt that will happen though, but I would like to live there if it did. And I'm not talking about the Astrodome area that people call "Medical Center" when they are trying to sell condos and apartments.

Yes, I agree; I love the "unique" energy and vibe the Med Center has. perhaps a mixed use development of some sort would be proper (I've seen some proposals a while back, but they never really took a foothold; one of particular interest was at the intersection of Fannin and Braeswood, if that's close enough to the TMC).

Furthermore, I hope they integrate more retail space into the new buildings, as the options seem to be far and few at the moment; AFAIK, the only real "retail hub" seems to be where the Starbucks, Subway, Chipotle, etc are.

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