Hardy Yards Developments

[gto250us]

The thread still exists.

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...mp;#entry194533

As for my thoughts, my thoughts are that Hardy Yards is no more dead today than it was the last time you posted this in July. The land is still there. It is still remediated. It has not reached its expiration date. You are confusing the fact that no one has yet decided to pay the price to acquire the property with dead. When someone comes up with both a plan and the financing, this project will magically come to life.

My other thought is to wonder why this couldn't go in the Hardy Yards thread.

Too lazy to find the old thread. No big deal.

Actually, the discussion that I wanted to start concerns the removal of the HPD-HFD garages and not actually Hardy Yards. The area around the garages is currently being developed and it seems to me that the city has a prime piece of property in that area which may be sold for a price that would go along way to paying to relocate the garages and warehouses. I don't actually think that the city would do that, but I am interested in the discussion.

Edited October 11, 2007 by gto250us

[RedScare]

It doesn't make sense to me why the City would sell prime real estate, only to turn around and purchase prime real estate. And, yes, Hardy Yards is prime real estate. It abuts and overlooks Downtown. The reason it has not been developed is because the asking price is so high.

Additionally, the HPD garage may not be as prime as you claim. There are talks about relocating the I-45 approach to downtown to the west, improving redevelopment possibilities around Buffalo Bayou and the Arts District. This could include razing the garage and the old jail to run the freeway through there. The City probably would not be advised to sell potential ROW, only to have to purchase it back for a new freeway allignment.

Finally, remediation costs to clean up the garage property, plus the cost of building of a new garage on an expensive piece of land in Hardy Yards makes no fiscal sense whatsoever. I, for one, would question the sanity of any city official who even suggested such a thing.

[gto250us]

Yeah, you may be right. Relocating I45? I guess they could put I-45 & the Pierce Elevated underground, a la Boston. In fact I am surprised that Culberson has not appropriated a bizillion dollars to do just that.

On a similar tangent. What about the relocation of the downtown PO? Is that pie in sky or realistic? The Buffalo Bayou folks have a master plan with the site as a festival site. That must be wishful thinking.

[RedScare]

Culberson isn't going to get us anything for highways, since he is no longer on Transportation. The I-45 rebuild is on hold now anyway, so it will be a long time before any of this becomes more than a pipe dream. By then, we will have a whole new set of congressmen to be pissed at.

There has been talk of moving the post office for years. Certainly that is a valuable piece of land that would help offset building a new post office in a less valuable location. Who knows if or when that may ever happen, as well. A lot of this stuff gets discussed in the day to day operation of government, but we never hear of it until somethings happens. Relocating the post office is certainly a possibility. It is not required downtown. For instance, the Dallas bulk mail facility is a few miles away from downtown. So, this COULD, and I believe someday would happen. I would not place bets on when.

EDIT: Now, that I think about it, I believe one of the I-45 pipe dreams DOES include going underground from the I-10 interchange, under the bayou, and coming up somewhere in the south side of downtown, probably before the US 59 interchange.

Edited October 11, 2007 by RedScare

[Subdude]

Merged Hardy Yard topics.

[GovernorAggie]

EDIT: Now, that I think about it, I believe one of the I-45 pipe dreams DOES include going underground from the I-10 interchange, under the bayou, and coming up somewhere in the south side of downtown, probably before the US 59 interchange.

I think 45 was supposed to come back up and go over the Bayou. There was supposed to be a grand, signature bridge (cable stayed) to go over the Bayou.

[RedScare]

That sounds about right. Maybe we can get Calatrava to design one for $100 million.

[Subdude]

I think 45 was supposed to come back up and go over the Bayou. There was supposed to be a grand, signature bridge (cable stayed) to go over the Bayou.

I don't think that was ever a plan, just an idea and a rendering that someone came up with. Besides, why get Calatrava, when we can save money with anonymous concrete bridges?

[timedrifter]

I don't think that was ever a plan, just an idea and a rendering that someone came up with. Besides, why get Calatrava, when we can save money with anonymous concrete bridges?

They have to go with a Calatrava design so they can spend as much of our hard-earned money as possible. Besides, a Calatrava design is more architecturally pleasing than an anonymous concrete bridge.

[ricco67]

Well, I know that it's still in the works.

They're thinking about 3-5 years down the line.

[shasta]

Well, I know that it's still in the works.

They're thinking about 3-5 years down the line.

Ricco,

Can you give me an update on this project? I heard about it a while back but I haven't heard anything else about its status.

-Does the owner still own this property and is it progressing or is it dead?

-Have they cleared the land or are there buildings on the site?

-Have they hired a prject architect to handle the design development or is it still in the conceptual stage? Idf so -who?

-Is there a definitive time frame for this project?

Any verified details taht you or anyone else could add would be appreciated. This seems like a great project for that location (especially with the planned rail extension) but I haven't seen it in the press as much as the other mixed use urban projects.

Thanks

[ricco67]

As much as I would love to add to that, the only info I have is known to a handful of people and I don't want to burn that source. The time line that I added was generally well known enough that I knew it couldn't be traced back to my source.

As things trickle out, I'll let people know, but the only thing I can say so far is the time frame.

[lockmat]

Ricco, are you talking about the Hardy project or that bridge project? And what is Calvatra? Somewhere in the past ten or so posts, I got lost.

[TheNiche]

Well, I know that it's still in the works.

They're thinking about 3-5 years down the line.

Who is they? Cypress is long gone.

[Dobiestud]

Any updates on this project. I drove by this week and it appears a bit more cleared than before, but not much going on. This project will definitely move forward sooner or later, the many factors (economic, regulatory, and financial) have to fall in line for such a large and speculative project to come on stream, but simply put, you simply cant replace a location like this! I look forward to seeing some significant development in the Near North Side. Please update anything new on this site

[TheNiche]

Any updates on this project. I drove by this week and it appears a bit more cleared than before, but not much going on. This project will definitely move forward sooner or later, the many factors (economic, regulatory, and financial) have to fall in line for such a large and speculative project to come on stream, but simply put, you simply cant replace a location like this! I look forward to seeing some significant development in the Near North Side. Please update anything new on this site

Aside from METRO's terminal, there is no project. The non-project is unencumbered by economic, regulatory, or financial factors.

[Dobiestud]

I found some information on CBRE's website, its from 2006, but worth taking a look at anyway:

http://www.cbre.com/USA/US/TX/Houston+Gall...ds.htm?pageid=1

http://www.cbre.com/USA/US/TX/Houston+Gall...erty/hardyyards

http://www.cbre.com/USA/US/TX/Houston+Gall...anredevelopment

I haven't verified whether its still on the market, but there are some contacts on the links if anyone feels like digging for more info.

[C2H]

So coming up on 2 years since the most recent update, i guess its safe to assume this project's dead. Anyone with any other info?

[The Great Hizzy!]

The problem is that people think of Hardy Yard as a single development with one focus. What is and has always been is an amalgamation of projects and concepts. Yes, there was an attempt at a unifying force but the various stages of development did (and still does) require the processes of several groups. For example, the University of Houston-Downtown expanded its campus on part of the yards. Other groups planned on building mixed-use residential/retail to the east of UH-D. And so forth.

Think of it as a smaller version of the long range Buffalo Bayou Redevelopment Plan.

The Yards are still being considered for redevelopment by handful of people but don't look at it as another Atlantic Station, for example.

Edited February 1, 2008 by The Great Hizzy!

[lockmat]

So coming up on 2 years since the most recent update, i guess its safe to assume this project's dead. Anyone with any other info?

niche mentioned in another thread that he seems to think it will be done, but not necessarily like the drawings we've seen in the past or necessarily like the plan we've seen too or any time soon.

And CBRE just gets their information form public sources just like we can as far as I know (at least in their reports), but in their 2008 Outlook report, they had a couple small renderings of it, but the subtitle that went w/ it just said something like 'proposed project.' So I don't know what their intention was in including it in the report. They could have included other confirmed projects like West Ave or even Oaks District, but they didn't.

I kind of think the renderings were just decoration to the report.

[gto250us]

So coming up on 2 years since the most recent update, i guess its safe to assume this project's dead. Anyone with any other info?

the last of the railyard building is coming down as I type. Something must be happening.

[CALMSP]

this would be the greatest thing in the world.............(except for light rail to IAH!!)...........a cleanup on the east side of town is certainly in need!!

[LTAWACS]

Looks good.

[TheNiche]

this would be the greatest thing in the world.............(except for light rail to IAH!!)...........a cleanup on the east side of town is certainly in need!!

This is north.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Exactly north, in fact.

[CALMSP]

to me............i keep thinking that is East..........not north!!!

[Vertigo58]

This is exactly what the Near North Side needs!

Long, long overdue!

Maybe someone can take pics of the groundbreaking and progress?

[tierwestah]

Well i don't care if its north, east, south, or west. The damn thing needs to just get built already! Something Victory Park like style

[swtsig]

wait, so what exactly is getting built here?

[lockmat]

wait, so what exactly is getting built here?

nothing now.

Where you at niche, to re-explain yo'self?

niche thinks it won't be for a while, years. i tend to agree.

Edited February 5, 2008 by lockmat

[musicman]

nothing now.

Where you at niche, to re-explain yo'self?

give him a few, he's solving the global warming crisis.

[LTAWACS]

This is exactly what the Near North Side needs!

Long, long overdue!

Maybe someone can take pics of the groundbreaking and progress?

I can go by there today.

[RedScare]

nothing now.

Where you at niche, to re-explain yo'self?

niche thinks it won't be for a while, years. i tend to agree.

If you google the Victory Park development, a similar sized former industrial site, you'll see that it took years to get it moving. They started remediation in 1996. They broke ground for the arena in 1999. They did not announce any residential or office components until 2003, 7 years later. Even now, 12 years later, only 7 or 8 buildings are built or under construction.

It takes awhile to do projects this big, and only a few developers can even attempt it.

[Jax]

If you google the Victory Park development, a similar sized former industrial site, you'll see that it took years to get it moving. They started remediation in 1996. They broke ground for the arena in 1999. They did not announce any residential or office components until 2003, 7 years later. Even now, 12 years later, only 7 or 8 buildings are built or under construction.

It takes awhile to do projects this big, and only a few developers can even attempt it.

So how long in comparison has the Hardy Rail Yard project been in progress? Have they been working on remediation or is that only starting now?

[RedScare]

So how long in comparison has the Hardy Rail Yard project been in progress? Have they been working on remediation or is that only starting now?

The property was purchased over 2 years ago from the railroad, and remediation is largely completed. It is now a matter of a developer coming up with a marketable project for the site, securing financing, and starting to build. In the current climate, in spite of Houston's relatively insulated state, developers and lenders are likely being very careful.

[tierwestah]

^^^ So how does this tie in to the planned intermodal station that Metro is planning on? Is there remediation work being done on the portion of land that's slated for that project?

[musicman]

^^^ So how does this tie in to the planned intermodal station that Metro is planning on? Is there remediation work being done on the portion of land that's slated for that project?

METRO is still working to overcome union pacific's statement that their tracks can't be used for commuter rail. seems METRO developed the proposal with the assumption that the use of the tracks was a given.

[RedScare]

METRO is still working to overcome union pacific's statement that their tracks can't be used for commuter rail. seems METRO developed the proposal with the assumption that the use of the tracks was a given.

It is important to realize that this is merely musicman's opinion. UP's comments sounded much more like politics than fact. MY opinion is that UP made the remarks to ding METRO, at the request of Harris County politicos, who also are talking of cranking up commuter rail in that same corridor.

[musicman]

It is important to realize that this is merely musicman's opinion.

just paraphrasing the chron and KTRK story, not my opinion. Edited February 6, 2008 by musicman

[RedScare]

just paraphrasing the chron and KTRK story, not my opinion.

Your 2nd sentence was. That's fine. I just wanted to put my opinion up there in response to yours.

[musicman]

Your 2nd sentence was. That's fine. I just wanted to put my opinion up there in response to yours.

that was the UP version according to the story. i do agree that politicos will ultimately decide its fate. IMO it is longer term project vs the new rail lines METRO is concentrating on.

[heights_yankee]

Does anyone know anything else about this development? (I didn't want to hijack the thread below so I started a new one)

This is from a listing on HAR.com

http://search.har.com/engine/disphrpic.cfm...Houston%2077009

[TheNiche]

Does anyone know anything else about this development? (I didn't want to hijack the thread below so I started a new one)

This is from a listing on HAR.com

http://search.har.com/engine/disphrpic.cfm...Houston%2077009

The Musicman is using outdated marketing materials for a project that was entirely comprised of marketing hype in the first place to try and market a plot of land nearby that would hypothetically benefit from the development of Hardy Yards, which isn't happening in the forseeable future.

[heights_yankee]

wow! what an ___ it says in the listing that development "will" start in 2008. how do we go about checking on these things (besides posting here, that is)?

[TheNiche]

wow! what an ___ it says in the listing that development "will" start in 2008. how do we go about checking on these things (besides posting here, that is)?

CBRE was trying to sell this in November 2006 as raw land. They provide conceptual renderings, but that's all they are. There are no restrictions upon what a prospective buyer could use the land for.

There is no Hardy Yards project.

[tierwestah]

I'm thinking this project is scrapped. I drove north of downtown over by UHD at the site and all the developer signs that said: Cushman and Wakefield and Urban Village were taken down. Oh well.

[PuroAztlan]

I'm thinking this project is scrapped.

Big surprise.

[lockmat]

I know niche and others are saying nothing is going on. I know this presentation is old, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

http://www.uli-houston.org/PDF/060328HardyYards.ppt

It says January '09 for groundbreaking and that it would start after the san jacinto bridge was completed. Has that been done?

Anyway, just thought it was interesting. Wanted to see if anyone has heard something new concerning that land.

Edited July 22, 2008 by lockmat

[wernicke]

Ya... too bad this is never gonna happen. Maybe something similar and/or better will happen in the next decade though.

[tanith27]

In this St Arnolds article, they do make mention of the Hardy Yards project briefly, with that being one reason St Arnolds chose the location to build. Hmmm. Maybe its not as dead as we think? Just in hibernation?

http://www.globest.com/news/1212_1212/houston/172776-1.html