The Allen: Mixed-Use Development At Allen Parkway & Gillette St.

[Urbannizer]

The property did not flood during Harvey.

[Vy65]

The villages on Allen parkway really create a problem. You remove them and you have a nice corridor going from this project straight into downtown. That corridor would be ideal for similar, mixed-use type projects along these lines, and you'd have a nice green belt across the street. Seems like an ideal way to expand downtown/increase urbanization. I understand that the villages have been designated as a historic neighborhood, but my common sense tells me that, if this project gets off the ground, there would have to be a developer willing to work with the city and the villages to relocate the people there to another site by "buying out" (or whatever the appropriate legal term would be) the historic neighborhood qualifier. But I might be wrong. In any event, seems like a really ideal way to connect montrose with downtown. 

[Urbannizer]

Now listed on DC Partners' website: http://dcpartnersusa.com/properties/the-allen/

[Urbannizer]

See pg 64.

 

https://issuu.com/hoknetwork/docs/2017_design_annual

 

 

[Urbannizer]

http://www.tianqingred.com/htm/201711/23_106.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

[houstontexasjack]

Santa Urby, just slip a start date under the tree, for me...I’ve been an awfully good boy. 

[terra002]

Looks cool, but you're landlocked between the federal reserve building and a housing project...

[Reporter]

...And one the the greatest urban parks in the nation, within walking distance to the CBD and connected via pedestrian bridge. Try to look at the big picture.

 

Screw walkability anyway. This is a car centric city and will continue to be well after you're dead and buried. This is the best project that could ever be built on that spot - in the here and now.  

 

I like that it will expand the downtown skyline to the west. There is already a clump of towers (one 40 stories) at Montrose and Allen Pkwy. This project will go a long way connecting it with the CBD.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Reporter

[thatguysly]

1 hour ago, terra002 said:

Looks cool, but you're landlocked between the federal reserve building and a housing project...

 

I don't have a problem with those apartments. They have been around for decades and in a city that tears everything down, that is rare. They have made them look nice as well. Sure it would be nice to expand downtown forever but with how many other areas can be built on, those apts sure get picked on a lot.

[Twinsanity02]

The renderings certainly convey elegance. Hopefully it won't get "Alessandrized". Any news on groundbreaking?

[Urbannizer]

 

2 hours ago, Twinsanity02 said:

The renderings certainly convey elegance. Hopefully it won't get "Alessandrized". Any news on groundbreaking?

 

Now 1Q 2018 according to this recent brochure.

 

https://issuu.com/dcpartners/docs/dc_partners_brochure__for_print_

[Twinsanity02]

Thank you Urbannizer.  You are an encyclopedia of architectural  information

[bobruss]

So DC Partners is Randall Davis's main investor. I some how missed the relationship. I too hope it doesn't get Alessandrized.

 

[Triton]

16 hours ago, thatguysly said:

 

I don't have a problem with those apartments. They have been around for decades and in a city that tears everything down, that is rare. They have made them look nice as well. Sure it would be nice to expand downtown forever but with how many other areas can be built on, those apts sure get picked on a lot.

 

The housing project can't be torn down for a while because it has a historic designation.

[kbates2]

1 hour ago, Triton said:

 

The housing project can't be torn down for a while because it has a historic designation.

 

So like 30 days?  (Isn’t that the waiting period)

[thatguysly]

A more recent article. I don't have a subscription though.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/01/11/500m-mixed-use-near-buffalo-bayou-wooing-these.html

[roadrunner]

Nothing new.  They're trying to lease the office building, haven't had any deals yet but are getting interest from mid-sized energy firms and financial institutions.

 

I think the residential and hotel is slated to go forward with the office waiting on preleasing.

[ArtNsf]

1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I'm curious if anyone knows how we can land new types of business. Like how could we entice Facebook or Google to open offices here? 

as long as the popular culture and news media believes that the only "cool" places (and I use that term VERY loosely...) are dallas and austin, then Houston will continue to be left behind, no matter how large and diverse we are.  I've noticed this year after year, decade after decade.  Houston has never been able to successfully tout it's many many benefits that are so much better than any other city in Texas, without one or two of the other places cashing in on their own branding in order to steal the thunder, business and limelight of media and culture excitement.  and no, it isn't because dfw is a larger populous area (it is not.)  Plus, as a city, Houston is almost double the size in population of the next smaller city in Texas.  Evidence ?  Once again snubbed by a gigantic corporation - Amazon - but leaving the other two Texas candidates in the running.  I find this interesting and appalling at the same time.  But, what do I know, I only like to deal in facts and not propaganda.

[thatguysly]

2 hours ago, roadrunner said:

Nothing new.  They're trying to lease the office building, haven't had any deals yet but are getting interest from mid-sized energy firms and financial institutions.

 

I think the residential and hotel is slated to go forward with the office waiting on preleasing.

 

That is what I thought but wasn't sure if any nuggets about construction start dates were in the article. Thanks.

[Urbannizer]

https://www.bogza.com/work/allen/

[houstontexasjack]

Glad to hear the residential/hotel is moving forward.  That'd be a nice addition for the skyline.  Alas, I think we will be out of the Lyric Centre long before this is complete, so I might not get to enjoy it in my western view. 

[Montrose1100]

Let’s keep on topic folks.

[Urbannizer]

Subdivision plat filed:

 

SubdivisionPlatPDF_Allen_02-Model.pdf

[BlindTiger]

Any updates on this project?  Is it for sure happening or are some big pieces still up in the air?

[jgriff]

1 hour ago, BlindTiger said:

Any updates on this project?  Is it for sure happening or are some big pieces still up in the air?

I walked by it yesterday. Seems to be no activity on site.

[BlindTiger]

On 4/12/2018 at 2:34 PM, jgriff said:

I walked by it yesterday. Seems to be no activity on site.

Bummer, that looks like a great project if it were to ever get off the ground. 

[Luminare]

On 4/12/2018 at 1:34 PM, jgriff said:

I walked by it yesterday. Seems to be no activity on site.

Well they did submit for the plat on Feb. We can then assume they went for Bid and Permit in March. It takes the city 3-4 weeks to spit out the permits (that's if there are no comments. If this is their first pass at permitting then no doubt they will get comments especially when the latest changes to construction near a bayou I would assume its something people have to alter new construction too). I say we see movement on the site May'ish or June'ish.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Luminare

[houstontexasjack]

On 1/24/2018 at 4:51 PM, Urbannizer said:

https://www.bogza.com/work/allen/

I hadn’t noticed it before, but the roof of the tallest tower has what appears to be a translucent feature. That could provide some interesting light-up possibilities at night to add to the extended skyline. 

[Urbannizer]

Website launched: http://theallendevelopment.com/

 

180 hotel rooms

99 condos 

24-story office

5 towers

[Vy65]

Now you need to develop those other empty lots off Allen Parkway into something similar and trash the villages and you're onto something nice. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Vy65

[Vy65]

I've long thought that you could turn Allen Parkway into a version of the miracle mile with developments like this. You'd have the bayou/park on the north and mixed use along the south heading right into downtown.

 

 

[LBC2HTX]

A few months ago a friend, who works at Equinox, and another friend, who works at Stream Realty, both told me that Equinox will be opening their second Houston location here. That should be an indication of the quality of retail they’re seeking and that this project is definitely moving forward. 

[Urbannizer]

Any updates here? This was originally planned to break ground earlier this year.

[H-Town Man]

41 minutes ago, Urbannizer said:

Any updates here? This was originally planned to break ground earlier this year.

 

Aren't you the one who gets these for us?

 

;-)

 

[thatguysly]

Drove by this weekend and it looked the same

[Avossos]

57 minutes ago, Urbannizer said:

Any updates here? This was originally planned to break ground earlier this year.

 

I am almost confident there has been no activity here. I am pretty disappointed.. I was really excited for this development.

 

Allen parkway curse? Midway / Regent Sq / Allen dev?

[LBC2HTX]

On 5/11/2018 at 1:50 PM, Urbannizer said:

Website launched: http://theallendevelopment.com/

 

180 hotel rooms

99 condos 

24-story office

5 towers

Looks like the website has been updated.... 165 hotel rooms. 

[CaptainJilliams]

But still no activity. I drove by the site a few days ago and saw no noticeable changes.

[H-Town Man]

On ‎8‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 5:08 PM, Avossos said:

 

I am almost confident there has been no activity here. I am pretty disappointed.. I was really excited for this development.

 

Allen parkway curse? Midway / Regent Sq / Allen dev?

 

If it looks too good to be true...

 

[ajgallion]

I live in the apartments butting up to the development and saw a group of men in business attire walking across the lot the other morning. They looked to have rolls of plans with them and we pointing around chatting... but I’m not sure what that could mean. 

[lockmat]

2 hours ago, ajgallion said:

I live in the apartments butting up to the development and saw a group of men in business attire walking across the lot the other morning. They looked to have rolls of plans with them and we pointing around chatting... but I’m not sure what that could mean. 

 

Making plans for the future Kickball field?

[Luminare]

11 hours ago, ajgallion said:

I live in the apartments butting up to the development and saw a group of men in business attire walking across the lot the other morning. They looked to have rolls of plans with them and we pointing around chatting... but I’m not sure what that could mean. 

 

When the suits are out. Its a dead give away that its the architects, developer, and client.

[LBC2HTX]

On 11/29/2017 at 10:26 PM, Urbannizer said:

 

 

Now 1Q 2018 according to this recent brochure.

 

https://issuu.com/dcpartners/docs/dc_partners_brochure__for_print_

 

Groundbreaking Q4 2018. 

 

http://dcpartnersusa.com/properties/the-allen/

 

 

[BlindTiger]

17 minutes ago, LBC2HTX said:

 

Groundbreaking Q4 2018. 

 

http://dcpartnersusa.com/properties/the-allen/

 

 

 

That would be very welcome news.  I'm skeptical about the groundbreaking given how long this project has been waiting already, but given that they announced groundbreaking for 4Q 18 in 4Q 18 it makes me think they are ready and will follow through. Fingers crossed but cautiously optimistic. 

 

Something tells me that vacant lot on Dallas next to the cemetery doesn't stay vacant long. 

[H-Town Man]

40 minutes ago, BlindTiger said:

 

That would be very welcome news.  I'm skeptical about the groundbreaking given how long this project has been waiting already, but given that they announced groundbreaking for 4Q 18 in 4Q 18 it makes me think they are ready and will follow through. Fingers crossed but cautiously optimistic. 

 

Something tells me that vacant lot on Dallas next to the cemetery doesn't stay vacant long. 

 

Agreed. It says Phase 1 groundbreaking... do we know what is in Phase 1?

 

[Luminare]

59 minutes ago, BlindTiger said:

 

That would be very welcome news.  I'm skeptical about the groundbreaking given how long this project has been waiting already, but given that they announced groundbreaking for 4Q 18 in 4Q 18 it makes me think they are ready and will follow through. Fingers crossed but cautiously optimistic. 

 

Something tells me that vacant lot on Dallas next to the cemetery doesn't stay vacant long. 

 

My guess something got held up at permitting and considering how massive this development is...I assume that it took longer than expected. I thought that at the pace some of these developments were flying out of the permitting office that it would have started this summer, but that was probably a bit too optimistic considering projects that there are much smaller projects at my firm that are taking enormous amounts of time to get out. I wouldn't even be surprised if they had to do some slight alterations given the current climate regarding flooding and with this being such close proximity to the bayou I'm sure that took some time to get over. 

[swtsig]

4 hours ago, H-Town Man said:

 

Agreed. It says Phase 1 groundbreaking... do we know what is in Phase 1?

 

 

pretty sure it's the thompson hotel/condo and "lifestyle center" that connects to the park via walkway. might include some retail as well, can't remember.

[thatguysly]

4 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

My guess something got held up at permitting and considering how massive this development is...I assume that it took longer than expected. I thought that at the pace some of these developments were flying out of the permitting office that it would have started this summer, but that was probably a bit too optimistic considering projects that there are much smaller projects at my firm that are taking enormous amounts of time to get out. I wouldn't even be surprised if they had to do some slight alterations given the current climate regarding flooding and with this being such close proximity to the bayou I'm sure that took some time to get over. 

 

And Harris County permitting floodplain requirements changed at the start of 2018 following Harvey. You are probably right that adjustments had to be made.

[LBC2HTX]

On 5/11/2018 at 3:05 PM, LBC2HTX said:

A few months ago a friend, who works at Equinox, and another friend, who works at Stream Realty, both told me that Equinox will be opening their second Houston location here. That should be an indication of the quality of retail they’re seeking and that this project is definitely moving forward. 

You can in fact, see the Equinox signage on the second floor of the retail building. 

 

I can almost guarantee that the "lifestyle center" apart of Phase I will be Equinox. 

[BlindTiger]

Are any of the towers included in phase 1?