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Houston Pavilions, Now Green Street


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Just got back from the Pavilions and was blown away by how much space NRG now occupies. They are not just in the tower, but are also on the ground floor and a big chunk of the second floor. You can literally walk up to their offices and be creepy by staring at employees working at their desks... or stand in at their board room. Just added pics of it on InnerLooped. The offices are really cool looking btw.

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Just got back from the Pavilions and was blown away by how much space NRG now occupies. They are not just in the tower, but are also on the ground floor and a big chunk of the second floor. You can literally walk up to their offices and be creepy by staring at employees working at their desks... or stand in at their board room. Just added pics of it on InnerLooped. The offices are really cool looking btw.

yeah... NRG has the entire 9 floor office building, and three floors of what was going to be retail space.

I checked out the construction every day as I walked from the parking garage to (in the day) and stumbled back after work at night

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Just got back from the Pavilions and was blown away by how much space NRG now occupies. They are not just in the tower, but are also on the ground floor and a big chunk of the second floor. You can literally walk up to their offices and be creepy by staring at employees working at their desks... or stand in at their board room. Just added pics of it on InnerLooped. The offices are really cool looking btw.

Like your site. Thanks for the pics.

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Just got back from the Pavilions and was blown away by how much space NRG now occupies. They are not just in the tower, but are also on the ground floor and a big chunk of the second floor. You can literally walk up to their offices and be creepy by staring at employees working at their desks... or stand in at their board room. Just added pics of it on InnerLooped. The offices are really cool looking btw.

NRG saved the project.

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  • 2 weeks later...

NRG bought Reliant. When did that happen?

NRG purchased Reliant in March of 2009:

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3080606

Our department moved into HP last Monday. 85% of Reliant retail employees will be in this building along with NRG Texas employees. Customer Service is located in the Travis Tower (across the street). All 11 floors will be occupied by the end of February.

I love working in this area, but I can't afford $15 lunches at III Forks, McCormicks or Yao's, so I usually walk a few blocks over to the Park Shops or across the street to the Luby's express (no tunnel access from HP). Happy that Books-a-Million is staying, but wasn't impressed with their selection or employees.

From what I've seen, unless its lunch time or a big concert is playing at the HOB, HP is dead as a door nail. Of course this is with only about 35% of the office building occupied right now. I'm guessing that will change once we are fully moved in next month.

I'm disappointed with the layout. The corridors/walkways are narrow, dark and uninviting - it would have been cool to have smaller restaurants with cafe outdoor seating ala Washington Ave in Miami. It might also benefit from other outdoor events, performances, shows, acts - something to get a crowd gathering.

We'll see - hoping things improve.

Oh and catch a glimpse while you can - pretty sure we are getting privacy blinds soon :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

man, what a botched project this became... three blocks of prime CBD land all for an outdoor mall and an office building. the developers had a chance to make this a very solid contribution to downtown but really dropped the ball here. if it wasn't for NRG this project would've traded hands already or would've gone back to the lender by now. to think they had all that perimeter sidewalk space and willingly chose to not take advantage of it.

:blink:

Edited by swtsig
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man, what a botched project this became... three blocks of prime CBD land all for an outdoor mall and an office building. the developers had a chance to make this a very solid contribution to downtown but really dropped the ball here. if it wasn't for NRG this project would've traded hands already or would've gone back to the lender by now. to think they had all that perimeter sidewalk space and willingly chose to not take advantage of it.

:blink:

Yes, the 3 empty surface lots that were there for 75 years were much nicer. I miss them so much. The citizens of Houston were much better off before HP ruined downtown forever.

Edited by Mister X
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man, what a botched project this became... three blocks of prime CBD land all for an outdoor mall and an office building. the developers had a chance to make this a very solid contribution to downtown but really dropped the ball here. if it wasn't for NRG this project would've traded hands already or would've gone back to the lender by now. to think they had all that perimeter sidewalk space and willingly chose to not take advantage of it.

:blink:

I do wonder if any folks involved in the project questioned the idea of designing an uninviting and well-hidden narrow alleyway as the main storefront. Maybe they were afraid to speak up, the way folks involved in the production of the first couple Star Wars prequels were too afraid to tell George Lucas how terrible some of his ideas were. Who knows. Bad ideas are followed through all the time.

I agree it is a missed opportunity for downtown, even though it did at least eat up a few surface lots. But I've been to HP two times, and unfortunately could never find a reason to go back. Actually, I forget it's even there most of the time.

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  • 1 month later...

from an e-mail i got

"VIP MEMBERSHIPS

SCOTT GERTNER’S AT HOUSTON PAVILIONS

Of course, you are all VIPs to me, but if you really want to slip by the velvet rope, get your 2011 VIP Diamond Membership to Scott Gertner’s at Houston Pavilions. You get a $200 discount from the yearly $1,000 fee if you purchase one before April 15th. As a VIP Diamond Member, you will never wait in line, you will get VIP table reservations and VIP rooftop cabana reservations. You also get access to the VIP Lounge and Balcony. And, there’s more...advance notice of all upcoming specials and events and a VIP invitation to the grand opening party! Scott Gertner’s at Houston Pavilions opens this spring/summer!

THE 411: Scott Gertner’s at Houston Pavilions is located on the third floor above center court. 713.303.4839. For VIP memberships, contact Cindy Gertner at cgertner@aol.com. scottgertner.com"

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  • 1 month later...

The board of the Downtown Redevelopment Authority has agreed to release, in the form of a loan, the last of $3.3 million in funds promised to developers of the Houston Pavilions.

Other covenants to be worked into the modified agreement include requiring that developers enhance the exterior of the project with streetscapes, awnings and outdoor eating areas and that a Houston Police Department special operations storefront be placed in the complex.

The city believes additional amenities and streetscape improvements would make the site more attractive and “help entice more customers to explore the development’s shopping and entertainment options,” city spokeswoman Janice Evans said.

The city also believes the Pavilions is a convenient location for a police storefront and more visible than the former one on Preston, she said.

Naveen Jaggi, a local retail broker with CB Richard Ellis, noted that amenities to encourage outdoor eating and gathering are critical to creating a sense of space.

“For retail success you need personality and a sense of energy,” he said. “The city, it appears, feels as if The Pavilions is a bit sterile and needs to promote more outside and invigorating environment. The request for an HPD storefront is certainly not desirable from a landlord perspective but the city wants to promote downtown retail as a safe environment for families and tourists, so the request is logical.”

http://blog.chron.co...ance-from-city/

Anyone been to HP lately? Haven't been since winter.

Funny how they describe it as a bit stale, haha.

Edited by lockmat
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JUMBOTRONS! That would give it more synergy. It wouldn't kill downtown if there was a little more flash, sparkle and glamour. HP would get more attention if it emitted light.

I wonder why that got scrapped in the first place. You're right, it's in need of some bling.

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I've been to HP a couple of times during the last few months to go to concerts at the House of Blues and I agree that it's pretty stale. It's never reached a high enough occupancy rate to really become a destination. The first floor is ok, and the eastern end of the third floor has some good places, but the second floor is a ghost town.

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These were taken two weeks ago, but never got around to posting them:

This is where I'm guessing where Scot Gertner's bar will be.

th_P1010558.jpg

For a little context, this was taken at about 8ish? So it was still fairly early on a Saturday night.

th_P1010560.jpg

th_P1010561.jpg

th_P1010562.jpg

th_P1010565.jpg

th_P1010567.jpg

The inside of Forever 21. It wasn't packed, but there were people inside and saw more than a few people with bags walking around town.

th_P1010569.jpg

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pavilions isn't a shopping destination because all the stores here can be found at the mall around the corner from where you live. The only unique things are the HoB and Lucky Strike

You also seem to forget, not everyone lives in the 'burbs.

This would be better marketed to the people coming in for business or conventions, not to mention the occasional Midtowner.

Just a pity we couldn't get a hotel in there, I think it would have been more successful. :(

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You also seem to forget, not everyone lives in the 'burbs.

This would be better marketed to the people coming in for business or conventions, not to mention the occasional Midtowner.

Just a pity we couldn't get a hotel in there, I think it would have been more successful. :(

I agree on the hotel. I think the longer HP sites idle like it has been, the longer and more difficult it is to eventually persuade Houstonians this is a place to be.

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  • The title was changed to Houston Pavilions, Now Green Street

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