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GreenStreet: Mixed-Use Development At 1201 Fannin St.


MontroseNeighborhoodCafe

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I've been to one Virgin Megastore in New Orleans in the French Quarter. It was pretty cool. They had three floors of music of anything you can think of. Before Amazon and other places on the internet, I used to go there for CDs I couldn't get anywhere else. That was just my experience at that particular store.

As for the Pavilons, I just hope it turns out better than Bayou Place. I also hope the project completes itself with the office and residences without stopping at the retail.

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Why a Virgin Megastore? I been to one, and it don't have nothing inside. It's just has a nice flashy sign on the outside. I'd rather a FYE then Virgin.

virgin is more exclusive and when i lived in san fran, it was a million steps up from the suburban mall store fye. may i ask which virgin did you visit? fye can be found anywhere, mostly in the suburbs. virgin is cool because they never fail to locate in an urban location, for the most part, and the designs of the store give true character to the streets at groundlevel. trust me, you wouldn't be disappointed. the ones in miami and chicago are pretty cool too.

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  • 1 month later...

I noticed that the sign advertising these three blocks is still up. I would put this in the wait-and-see column. From our experience with the Shamrock we know that developers can throw out dates and assurances as easy as anyone else can. It doesn't mean they're worth anything.

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That one is called Pavilion at Post oak. This one is called Houston pavilions. Reading the thread would have shed light on this issue.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys...I have a little info to chime in on....

I usually post at Clutchfans.net. Great site, I'm from New York and it has helped me miss my Knicks less and less and now love the Rockets now more and more. Yesterday I chimed in on a rail spurring development debate with a little info I knew. I got called out for it by someone here, I will not mention who out of respect....

So since "spilt" this info, I might as well share it with you guys. Take it how you want it...every one of the 15,000 posters at CF.net knows me as a reliable source who is rarely wrong. I have already one scoop to my name here at HAIF as I found out about the redevelopement plans of Northwest Mall and it tying into a proposed Soccer Stadium for an MLS team, most likely to be owned by Mexico's Televisia, owner of Club America. But I assume few noticed that as it generated few replies...I guess no one likes soccer here. :D

I was planning on holding out with this info BELOW until I got more facts to back up what I say as this "my relative is..." source is shaky at best for most to believe. But with me getting 'called out" yesterday, I decided to hold out no more, here it is....

THE INFO: Virgin is coming to Houston. My Cousin is a top ranking manager at the Times Square Store. Sometimes, they have her and other managers travel to stores under construction to help prep new staff with the day to day operations of the business. She has alerted me that she is coming to Houston soon, no timetable has been set. The facts I need to garner is where in Houston. The location is not %100 official but they have scouted downtown and the Galleria. Of Downtown, she said there location would not be stand alone in downtown, rather be incorporated into a new mixed use development, which is a staple of Virgin stores. This leads me to believe that Virgin is looking to be apart of this Pavillions project, the only mixed us project with space downtown. She said she will provide me with more info as it comes in....

Again, take it for what its worth....if you dont believe me, that's fine. I can understand why. Just know this...when it happens, who know who said it.

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No Probs.

One more thing to add....I was on Main at Grass hopper saturday night. Before I went there, I decided to walk the street. Its has a great atmosphere. I feel within a few years it will rival that of the French Quarter as more and more clubs are coming to Main.

While walking around downtown, I passed by the proposed Shamerock site, which still has activity of some sort. I dont know what's going on but "soil samples" can not take this long. I am convinced the delay for this project is due to the redesign, which was due to its new sight restrictions. Any major overhaul of project will delay it as floor plans, HVAC, Electrical, lighting, plumbing etc would all have to be redrawn. Shamerock was literally sliced in half, juging by the newest rendering. Furthermore, if the 'we've sold %60" thing is ture, this has to be a go because they sold these before the design revision, which probably sliced half of its square footage. With this design revision, that figure is probably at %85-90 percent, beased on the amount of vacant space lost in the revision. ut then again, they might have had to resell the project to those who bought already, as this revision could have reduced the square footages in the dwellings they had bought....which could also lead to a delay.

In any case, "the Sham" to me is not dead by a long shot.....

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I'm totally out of the loop out here. The way y'all are talking about the Houston Pavilions it looks like a GO. Is there any development yet? Have they broken ground? Put up fences? Gotten rid of those damn surface lots? Signs? I'm just anxious about all this as most of y'all are. I just want all this to happen already not just this project but BPII, Sakawitz, the Sham, etc.....

All I can do is wait for y'all to post stuff or read it in the Chronicle... Oh well B)

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There are a few problems with the Houston Pavilions project. From what I've been told there are many retailers including Virgin that have LOI's for the project. The list is pretty amazing, but none of it will happen unless the developer gets his financing. He's apparently gotten the most difficult loan from a bank overseas and will use that to secure the rest of the loans, but so far he has shown nothing to the city or anyone associated with downtown. The developer is a difficult one to read.

The other problem is the design. Much of the Pavilions is inward facing, meaning the loading docks and utilities are all along the outside facing Dallas. This cuts the pedestrian out of the project unless he/she is walking through the center. In that sense, it is designed like an outdoor mall, paying little attention to the surrounding streets. It negates the urban fabric of downtown any tries to become its own little complex.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled this development could possibly happen. There are a number of exciting tenants waiting to hear the good news about the financing. The fact is, the developer needs to tweak the design or else we'll see another potential Park Shops.

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Sounds like Downtown Disney in Orlando. All the stores are facing the main walkway, none face out where the parking lot is, it's the back of all the buildings facing the parking lot, and that's fine for a Disney project in Orlando, but not so much for downtown, you don't want to walk down Dallas St pass the BACKS of all the stores. I still really want this project to happen, just kind of a bummer about the design, I figured there would be stores facing a central area plaze type thing, but then also stores facing the street.

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There are a few problems with the Houston Pavilions project. From what I've been told there are many retailers including Virgin that have LOI's for the project. The list is pretty amazing, but none of it will happen unless the developer gets his financing. He's apparently gotten the most difficult loan from a bank overseas and will use that to secure the rest of the loans, but so far he has shown nothing to the city or anyone associated with downtown. The developer is a difficult one to read.

The other problem is the design. Much of the Pavilions is inward facing, meaning the loading docks and utilities are all along the outside facing Dallas. This cuts the pedestrian out of the project unless he/she is walking through the center. In that sense, it is designed like an outdoor mall, paying little attention to the surrounding streets. It negates the urban fabric of downtown any tries to become its own little complex.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled this development could possibly happen. There are a number of exciting tenants waiting to hear the good news about the financing. The fact is, the developer needs to tweak the design or else we'll see another potential Park Shops.

I don't know. Denver Pavilions is the same way but they still have sidewalk entrance to some stores. Pacific Place in Seattle is another example.

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I wouldn't put too high of expectations on a Virgin Megastore. Based on current trends in downloading music (and movies), these stores are struggling.

From what I have heard, several real estate people expect that the days are numbered for the exisiting Virgin Megastore in Dallas' successful Mockingbird Station development. Some are already planning for its potential replacement (along with the Tower Records on Lemmon).

I am certainly no expert on the subject, but I don't think the future is in "music" stores. Some kind of revolution will have to happen to make these stores really hot again.

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I am certainly no expert on the subject, but I don't think the future is in "music" stores. Some kind of revolution will have to happen to make these stores really hot again.

Very true. Amazon. iPod. Walmart. Demographics. Some large music chains have already filed bankruptcy. There will always be a market for music stores, but it's a shrinking pie.

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Talk about an infill development project. I would worry too much about most of the development facing inward. The streets will crowed with people driving there car to park at the place.

(a little sarcasm)

My biggest hope is that the project is sustained once built. Hopefull the Park Shops would elevate themselves after this project is built. The Park Shops facility would be a great commercial center.

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I know everything there is to know about Juliet Homes, Roosevelt Mortgage and First Texas Residential.  I am ready to go public. 

Toni Villarreal

Going back to that post earlier from Toni, I bets she is refering to the Tremont Towers, I was reading a post in the Crater Houston Alliance Threads and found this.

http://www.hobb.org/hobbv2/index.php?optio...d=25&Itemid=147

------read below--------

Think you can't afford to live here? Juliet Homes/First Texas Residential and Bernie Kane, "creative accounting superstar," will magically make it appear that your income is double to get you in, even if you have a negative net worth of $18,000. Hey what a great guy. He'll pay your first 6 months of mortgage payments, maybe 2 years of association dues, throw in a washer and dryer. He'll do whatever it takes!

---------------------------

I wonder if she is complaining about them, and yes, SPAMing the boards.

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  • The title was changed to Retail District Planned To Be Centered Around Dallas St.
  • The title was changed to GreenStreet And The Laura Hotel, Autograph Collection At 1201 Fannin St.
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