4503 Montrose Blvd (Formerly Bridgeview Crossing)

[lockmat 2291]

map: http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...7&encType=1

http://thecampanile.com/home.htm

[Subdude 1592]

Good find. Hasn't this one been floating around for quite a while?

Yuck though.

[20thStDad 255]

A color rendering might get more positive reaction, but yeah kinda boxy. And it looks kinda big for Montrose.

[rgr 5]

this is really big. i guess the main entrace would be facing woodrow st. with the rear of the building overlooking rt 59.

[Urbannizer 44132]

Hmmm...I saw this but, I did'nt make a thread for it, forgot to..There are renderings I have but, not much info on them.

This thing is quite large.

[lockmat 2291]

There are renderings I have but, not much info on them.

put 'em upupup

[Urbannizer 44132]

put 'em upupup

I will, not today though.

[Subdude 1592]

It appears that the entire bottom block is a jumbo parking garage, with some office space dropped on the top like an afterthought. It's just so ugly.

[20thStDad 255]

I drove down Montrose today and I can't figure out where this thing is going to fit. It won't. What's going down for it?

[lockmat 2291]

I drove down Montrose today and I can't figure out where this thing is going to fit. It won't. What's going down for it?

After relooking at the rendering and the map, it looks like they would build over Kyle St. where it dead ends into 59 and convert the two lots into one.

[capnmcbarnacle 100]

After relooking at the rendering and the map, it looks like they would build over Kyle St. where it dead ends into 59 and convert the two lots into one.

Interesting that they'd choose Montrose as the location for the HQ of The Directorate of Interior Security.

[Moonb007 68]

That rendering spans from Montrose to Roseland Street. If you look at the rendering you can see part of the arch of the Montrose bridge in the background.

[trymahjong 548]

That rendering spans from Montrose to Roseland Street. If you look at the rendering you can see part of the arch of the Montrose bridge in the background.

What will happen to the brick house presently on the lot?

[Montrose1100 3720]

If this goes up around the Sky Bar Building (South of Westheimer, before 59), it'll fit in just fine. I kinda like it. a lot...

[lockmat 2291]

Midway is also developing M Fifty Nine (rendered above), a Class A office building in the Museum District. It’ll be 13 floors with 74k SF of office space and 7k SF of ground-level retail. Once construction starts in 1Q11, look for it at the intersection of Montrose and 59 — it'll be easy to spot off the highway. The property is designed by Munoz Albin and will have great views of downtown; a GC hasn't been selected. Midway is working with Stream on preleasing and is ramping up the possibility of building another hotel in the Med Center.

http://www.bisnow.com/houston_commercial_real_estate_news_story.php?p=9684

[rsb320 134]

Cool. My thinking is that it will be in the northeast corner of Montrose Blvd & US 59. If so, that's Montrose, not the Museum District. Not to split hairs, but why do people go out of their way not to use the term Montrose?

[lockmat 2291]

Cool. My thinking is that it will be in the northeast corner of Montrose Blvd & US 59. If so, that's Montrose, not the Museum District. Not to split hairs, but why do people go out of their way not to use the term Montrose?

you think it's Kyle and Woodrow?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=houston,+tx&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&gl=us&ei=sl5gTJnoL8H48AaKz4DCDQ&ved=0CCcQ8gEwAA&ll=29.732432,-95.390012&spn=0.000875,0.001203&t=h&z=20

[KinkaidAlum 2834]

I suspect that house is a goner on the NE corner. That bldg is gonna have fly views!

[Highway6 380]

I've never heard of this firm... I didn't think it would be Houston based with a name like that. I was wrong. Most of their projects are in Europe and are rather nice.

I think y'all are right about the NE corner based on that rendering. There is nothing over 3-4 levels along the submerged stretch of 59.. This is going to really stand out.

Not to split hairs.....

Yeah. It is.

Museum District instead of Montrose sounds more prestigious and if you are marketing class A office space, it makes sense.

[Jax 732]

Nice, street level retail is what is needed right there, and it'll be near other places I can walk to / bike to from my apartment... awesome!

Isn't that tower nearby called "Museum Tower" or something even though it's near Montrose and 59? It's really only 5 or 6 blocks from MFAH so I don't have a problem calling it Museum District...

[roadrunner 44]

Nice design, interesting location....

The freeway access is absolutely terrible/nonexistent at that corner. I would be surprised if this gets built unless they secure a large tenant pre-construction.

[TheNiche 945]

Cool. My thinking is that it will be in the northeast corner of Montrose Blvd & US 59. If so, that's Montrose, not the Museum District. Not to split hairs, but why do people go out of their way not to use the term Montrose?

The application of the term "Museum District" has spread recently to encompass the area up to about W. Alabama, inclusive of the Menil Collection. I don't believe that Montrose proper continues south of W. Alabama except according to the Super Neighborhood boundaries.

[Subdude 1592]

I realize there aren't legally binding boundaries here, but I always considered that Montrose extended south to Richmond or 59. The "Museum District" as originally constituted covered an uneven blob of an area to fit in a number of museums. That said, no doubt usage has spread to other neighborhoods in the name of sounding prestigious, just as happened with River Oaks. I've said it before, but Houstonians seem to be great believers in the concept of fictionalizing neighborhood names for marketing purposes. Just ask anyone in "Uptown" or "Eado".

It would be nice to see something like this, but given the state of the real estate and banking markets I would be stunned to see a spec office building get built.

[Trae 207]

Spec or not, I don't think this office building would have a hard time filling up. Especially at it's location and the size of it (not too big). Not to mention it's a nice looking building that will provide some good views.

[kdog08 260]

I would much rather this sprout up along the Main St. line near the Wheeler station to possibly kickstart something there but infill is infill. You (hopefully) have the University line going in near where this is could possibly be proposed so this project doesn't look too bad. Freeway access is good if you are going 59.

[sidegate 36]

Nice, street level retail is what is needed right there

One would think that wouldn't require a second's thought on the part of the developers but so many highrises round here have passed up the opportunity and continue to do so, and pedestrians are left looking at a stucco wall, the first level of parking, enormous AC vents or a thicket of tired, generic landscaping.

This is only slightly related, but I really like the way the greenery has filled in on that sunken level of 59. Softens the whole view quite a bit.

[cumby 6]

This looks familiar, like something that was being planned over there awhile back. I like its look, but agree about the freeway access. Then again, many of us don't bother to get on the freeway and if my dentist or doc was in an office like that, it wouldn't bother me a bit to take Montrose down to go there. It sure would look nice from the freeway

[Highway6 380]

There are several offices of comparable height near Richmond and Montrose and they do just fine with the freeway access.

No Montrose exit doesn't equate to terrible freeway access. It's 3 min from the Shepherd exit and less from the Spur/Richmond exit.

They'll be fine there.

[Jax 732]

I agree that freeway access is a non-issue. The trade of is that while you may be 30 seconds farther from the highway than if you built the office next to an on-ramp, it's in a nicer area where people can actually occasionally walk to places. It's literally 0.5 miles from the nearest onramp (and 0.5 miles from the nearest metro rail station).

[TheNiche 945]

They'll be fine there.

It's not about whether they'll be just fine. It's that they could do better.

[Highway6 380]

It's not about whether they'll be just fine. It's that they could do better.

You're the expert... Do you actually think that location would be detrimental to leasing?

Say the bldg moved 1 mile west to Shepherd... Better freeway access in exchange for worse freeway visibility and less walkable location. And this isn't I-10 past 8 where 99% of the traffic comes by freeway... its the heart of the city where people can come from every direction.

[KinkaidAlum 2834]

The Campanile collection of office buildings on Montrose near Richmond have been fairly successful. If this gets buit, it will have several things going for it. It'll have great visibility. With only 74,000 square feet but within close proximity to UST, Rice, the museums, Park Plaza Hospital, and the TMC, they could very well just fill the space with smaller local firms. Additionally, within about .5 miles, you can get on the Spur, US 59 at Shepherd or onto 288.

The building is going to be super slender too. If all floors are the same, floor plates will only be around 12,150 sq feet per floor.

[sidegate 36]

Since when was immediate, fall-over-and-you're-there freeway access the be all and end all of development? This is as far from most of the Medical Center to a freeway and that seems to have done reasonably well.

Maybe office workers want a walkable environment just as much. Sooner or later you have to take a breath and start building, y'know, further away from the freeway.

[TheNiche 945]

You're the expert... Do you actually think that location would be detrimental to leasing?

Say the bldg moved 1 mile west to Shepherd... Better freeway access in exchange for worse freeway visibility and less walkable location. And this isn't I-10 past 8 where 99% of the traffic comes by freeway... its the heart of the city where people can come from every direction.

If at Montrose & 59, a driver would exit Main Street or Fannin Street from 59 and then drive nearly a mile via Richmond...with auto traffic interacting awkwardly with light rail the whole way. Alternately, they could traverse neighborhood streets with stop signs and cut down the mileage...and maybe a few seconds. That's a hassle.

I'd argue that the stretch of Shepherd between 59 and Richmond is far more walkable (if not as pretty) than the same section of Montrose. There's much more to do, light rail access will be just the same (and will provide access to Montrose, if someone wants to go walk around there), and more importantly than anything... there's better freeway access and visibility. I know many of us on HAIF don't care, but the out-of-state institutional investors that will likely rubber-stamp the financing of this project will absolutely care.

[sidegate 36]

If at Montrose & 59, a driver would exit Main Street or Fannin Street from 59 and then drive nearly a mile via Richmond...with auto traffic interacting awkwardly with light rail the whole way. Alternately, they could traverse neighborhood streets with stop signs and cut down the mileage...and maybe a few seconds. That's a hassle.

I'd argue that the stretch of Shepherd between 59 and Richmond is far more walkable (if not as pretty) than the same section of Montrose. There's much more to do, light rail access will be just the same (and will provide access to Montrose, if someone wants to go walk around there), and more importantly than anything... there's better freeway access and visibility. I know many of us on HAIF don't care, but the out-of-state institutional investors that will likely rubber-stamp the financing of this project will absolutely care.

It's walkable, sure, but that part of Montrose has more tree cover and more pedestrian-oriented businesses

[rsb320 134]

There used to be a southbound exit at Blodgett & Garrott and a southbound entrance as well, but I don't think they're there anymore. Who knows what the configuration will be when they sink the rest of the 59 to 288.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=houston,+tx&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.626896,112.851562&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ll=29.732621,-95.385484&spn=0.001442,0.003444&t=h&z=19

[JLWM8609 732]

There used to be a southbound exit at Blodgett & Garrott and a southbound entrance as well, but I don't think they're there anymore. Who knows what the configuration will be when they sink the rest of the 59 to 288.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=houston,+tx&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.626896,112.851562&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Houston,+Harris,+Texas&ll=29.732621,-95.385484&spn=0.001442,0.003444&t=h&z=19

I remember the entrance ramp, it's still there but has a barrier blocking access to all except emergency vehicles. I just don't remember the exit ramp at Blodgett.

[capnmcbarnacle 100]

If at Montrose & 59, a driver would exit Main Street or Fannin Street from 59 and then drive nearly a mile via Richmond...with auto traffic interacting awkwardly with light rail the whole way. Alternately, they could traverse neighborhood streets with stop signs and cut down the mileage...and maybe a few seconds. That's a hassle.

I'd argue that the stretch of Shepherd between 59 and Richmond is far more walkable (if not as pretty) than the same section of Montrose. There's much more to do, light rail access will be just the same (and will provide access to Montrose, if someone wants to go walk around there), and more importantly than anything... there's better freeway access and visibility. I know many of us on HAIF don't care, but the out-of-state institutional investors that will likely rubber-stamp the financing of this project will absolutely care.

I think this location has an advanatage over Shepherd because of everything that is also to the south, and every bit as walkable (thanks in no small part to being accessed by a bridge and not walking under the freeway) as what lies to the North. For an office worker, I guess it's about lunch and maybe something after work. But in 3 blocks north, you get Nippon, Kam's, Nelore, Zimms, Thai Sticks, Brasserie Max & Julie, and a CV, bank, optical store, etc.. A a block or two more and you are in Black Lab country. Walk south over the freeway and within a few blocks you have Chelsea Market, Danton's, Ernie's on Banks and that park right there. Walk another few and you hit the Art Museums and Hermann Park.

At the end of the day, I'm not really sure how relevant either location is to the average office worker -- it's not like most of them are going to walk to Soundwaves or Cactus on their lunch break. But if you think about what a 10 minute walk in any direction gets you from 59 and Montrose, it's kind of staggering. Given my choice of working in a building at this spot, or the one that currently resides ant the NE corner of 59 and Shepherd, I think this one offers more appealing reasons to step outside.

[roadrunner 44]

This is Houston. Companies will care much more about freeway access than walkability.

The only tenants that would lease this building are small companies whose CEOs live in that neighborhood. That won't fill up the whole building, so they would need some boutique architecture or advertising firm or something along those lines to take 1-2 floors before this thing is even considered to get off the ground.

I may be skeptical, but I just don't see this thing happening. There is a much better chance of that Galleria building being built, in my opinion.

[Jax 732]

This is Houston. Companies will care much more about freeway access than walkability.

Sometimes doing things differently pays off.

[TheNiche 945]

I think this location has an advanatage over Shepherd because of everything that is also to the south, and every bit as walkable (thanks in no small part to being accessed by a bridge and not walking under the freeway) as what lies to the North. For an office worker, I guess it's about lunch and maybe something after work. But in 3 blocks north, you get Nippon, Kam's, Nelore, Zimms, Thai Sticks, Brasserie Max & Julie, and a CV, bank, optical store, etc.. A a block or two more and you are in Black Lab country. Walk south over the freeway and within a few blocks you have Chelsea Market, Danton's, Ernie's on Banks and that park right there. Walk another few and you hit the Art Museums and Hermann Park.

At the end of the day, I'm not really sure how relevant either location is to the average office worker -- it's not like most of them are going to walk to Soundwaves or Cactus on their lunch break. But if you think about what a 10 minute walk in any direction gets you from 59 and Montrose, it's kind of staggering. Given my choice of working in a building at this spot, or the one that currently resides ant the NE corner of 59 and Shepherd, I think this one offers more appealing reasons to step outside.

Shepherd has more, closer. I shall enumerate the options within a quarter-mile and without even crossing a freeway:

Whataburger, 59 Diner, Lexington Grille, Saffron Moroccan Cuisine, Mia Bella Trattoria, Star Pizza, Le Peep, James Coney Island, Ale House, Doubledave's Pizzaworks, Don Lito's Mexican Restaurant, Starbucks, Freebirds World Burrito, Pot Pie Pizzeria, Bush's Delicatessen, Zoe's Kitchen, Amy's, Azteca's Bar & Grill, Jime's Sports Bar, Mezzanine Lounge, McElroy's Pub, Davenport, FedEx/Kinko's, Frost Bank, Joel's Classical (music) Shop, Academy, Quarter Price Books, and...if I'm not mistaken, plenty of other establishments that Google Earth doesn't pick up.

The sight lines are clearer; the businesses more visible, accessible, and known. And that's important. You have to understand...most people are lazy, unadventurous, and uninquisitive. Other people won't walk, ever. A fair number of the remainder are cheapskates, myself among them. Montrose is not the place for me. Whataburger is far and away superior to anything available there at a fraction of the price.

[TheNiche 945]

Sometimes doing things differently pays off.

Usually not.

[Jax 732]

Usually not.

The would would be a whole lot more boring if you had your way.

[sidegate 36]

Shepherd has more, closer. I shall enumerate the options within a quarter-mile and without even crossing a freeway:

Whataburger, 59 Diner, Lexington Grille, Saffron Moroccan Cuisine, Mia Bella Trattoria, Star Pizza, Le Peep, James Coney Island, Ale House, Doubledave's Pizzaworks, Don Lito's Mexican Restaurant, Starbucks, Freebirds World Burrito, Pot Pie Pizzeria, Bush's Delicatessen, Zoe's Kitchen, Amy's, Azteca's Bar & Grill, Jime's Sports Bar, Mezzanine Lounge, McElroy's Pub, Davenport, FedEx/Kinko's, Frost Bank, Joel's Classical (music) Shop, Academy, Quarter Price Books, and...if I'm not mistaken, plenty of other establishments that Google Earth doesn't pick up.

The sight lines are clearer; the businesses more visible, accessible, and known. And that's important. You have to understand...most people are lazy, unadventurous, and uninquisitive. Other people won't walk, ever. A fair number of the remainder are cheapskates, myself among them. Montrose is not the place for me. Whataburger is far and away superior to anything available there at a fraction of the price.

Personal taste also enters the equation. Montrose has a feel to it that that strip of Shepherd with the hulking, roaring, whining highway towering over everything, will never have. The sinking of 59 was one of the best things to happen to Montrose, I used to cringe walking or biking under the freeway there. Montrose wins - by a street, if you will...;-P

Edited August 12, 2010 by sidegate

[capnmcbarnacle 100]

Personal taste also enters the equation. Montrose has a feel to it that that strip of Shepherd with the hulking, roaring, whining highway towering over everything, will never have. The sinking of 59 was one of the best things to happen to Montrose, I used to cringe walking or biking under the freeway there. Montrose wins - by a street, if you will...;-P

I am with you on this. I have walked all around the Shepherd Plaza Area a million times and there are so many curb cuts in the sidewalk that you have to walk with your head on a swivel to avoid people backing out of the strip centers and pulling into the same. There is already an office building at Shepherd and 59 and when I visualize walking from there to JCI or God Forbid Freebirds, I just think hot, sunny, loud, exhaust, trying not to get hit. Don't forget there is also a Subway, Joel's Classical Shop, a camera store, and a number of modeling spas which make it an ideal area for an office worker who wants to take a walk on his lunch hour and get a hummer while he gets is violin and camera fixed. I don't know, maybe Shepherd has it after all.

[KinkaidAlum 2834]

All they are trying to do is lease 64,000 square feet of office space. The rest of the building will have a restaurant space and an art gallery.

This isn't a huge building. That space could easily be gobbled up just like the series of buildings in the Campanile (about 6 office buildings on both sides of Montrose @ Richmond). A small law firm, doctor's offices, spillover from UST or any number of museums, architectural firms, medical supply firms, etc... might all be attracted to that area.

[ricco67 448]

All they are trying to do is lease 64,000 square feet of office space. The rest of the building will have a restaurant space and an art gallery.

This isn't a huge building. That space could easily be gobbled up just like the series of buildings in the Campanile (about 6 office buildings on both sides of Montrose @ Richmond). A small law firm, doctor's offices, spillover from UST or any number of museums, architectural firms, medical supply firms, etc... might all be attracted to that area.

then again, they might get the same people that might be running away from 3400 Montrose. Scott Gertner isn't the only one that ran out of the building at the first opportunity.

I'm sure there would be a few business in there that might stick it out until this building is finished to move in.

[TheNiche 945]

The would would be a whole lot more boring if you had your way.

You confuse my observations with my ways. And you know nothing of my ways.

[TheNiche 945]

All they are trying to do is lease 64,000 square feet of office space. The rest of the building will have a restaurant space and an art gallery.

This isn't a huge building. That space could easily be gobbled up just like the series of buildings in the Campanile (about 6 office buildings on both sides of Montrose @ Richmond). A small law firm, doctor's offices, spillover from UST or any number of museums, architectural firms, medical supply firms, etc... might all be attracted to that area.

Several years ago, you'd have been absolutely right (except for the medical bent on account of that doctors' offices, which perform poorly when the building is not affiliated with a hospital, and medical supply places tend to like having lower rent and more flex space). Nothing has changed on the medical side, and meanwhile, the number of out-of-work architects is staggering.

The bigger problem, though, is that a willing investor in new office buildings is a rare bird. That person has their pick of some awesome sites. Is this really the best there is? I don't think so. I think Shepherd and 59 beats Montrose handily because it has broader appeal. Why risk a narrower appeal, even if it isn't very large? There are stronger sites to be had. Skanska's was mentioned earlier, but I also think that several investments in smaller office buildings in the urban core would be a better idea than this plan. An idea better still would be picking up new-ish commercial foreclosures. Plenty of those to go around, and at a fraction of the cost of a new-build. This project just seems strategically unsound from a contemporary investment perspective.

[Jax 732]

You confuse my observations with my ways. And you know nothing of my ways.

Not sure if this is worth replying to further, but you know what i mean. Conventionality is boring. I like to see people do things differently. I'd like to see them build an office building with street level retail half a mile from the nearest highway onramp, and I'd like to see it succeed. What Houston needs is more unconventional development like this, not more of the same. They can put another boring box up on an access road somewhere without retail and I'm sure it will do fine, but Montrose needs something like this.

If it was located at Shepherd and 59 it could work as well, but I like the way the street level retail will compliment the retail already on Montrose which is already more pedestrian friendly than Shepherd (ie: less parking lots in front, better shade, more tree cover, better access to the light rail etc). Park of the key to a successful urban neighborhood in my opinion is a critical mass of businesses that people feel comfortable walking between. The businesses don't just need to be close, they need to be planned in a way that makes people want to walk. Tree cover, shade, and a lack of large parking lots all help. Since we don't have planning here, we have to rely on developers to make an effort to do that, which seems to happen so rarely. I like the idea of adding onto what Montrose already has rather than putting it up on Shepheard which is not likely to become as nice of a place to walk around any time soon.

Plus, I live in Montrose!