musicman Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 The city of Houston is planning to sell two prime blocks in Midtown as part of a consolidation move. The property includes the Code Enforcement Building at 3300 Main St. and an adjacent parking lot. The Code Enforcement Building has become cramped, it flooded during Tropical Storm Allison and part of the roof was lost during Hurricane Ike, Icken said. In the meantime, the city has hired an architect and contractor to restore a 1923 warehouse at 1002 Washington Ave. to centralize permitting operations. The 200,000-square-foot building, a former post office annex, will house the employees from the Midtown building as well as other offices. The city bought the 2.5-acre property for nearly $5.3 million. The building should be ready by the end of next year, after which time the Midtown property will go on the market. article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Wait hold on, I thought that building was converted into a green building testing ground/information center... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Wait hold on, I thought that building was converted into a green building testing ground/information center...maybe you can get the solar panels in front at a discount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Confirmed.Code Enforcement’s Green Building Resource Center is now open. Thebuilding itself demonstrates green building technologies and isregistered to achieve LEED for Commercial Interiors. A 250 gallonraintank collects water from the roof drain line. A moisture sensor ina planter controls the irrigation. If it is dry, and the run is out, atimer will start he solar powered pump to water the plants in thereclaimed planters. Available at the Center: Have your plans reviewed for opportunities to add green strategies tosave energy, save water and make your buildings healthier. Learn about green building options at the interactive kiosk See samples of green building materials Consult with Public Works and Engineering staff and Program Director, Steve Stelzer Location: City of Houston Code Enforcement Building, 3300 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-noon and 1pm-5pm Contact: 713-535-7508 Parking: Available parking in lot just south of the building, Light Rail Stop: Ensemble/HCChttp://www.greenhoustontx.gov/greenbuilding.htmlSo what happens to that, I wonder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 So what happens to that, I wonder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 The new location at 1002 Washington...I seem to remember someone else having plans for this building. Back in the Elder Street Artist Loft hype days. Hmmm, let me see if I can remember... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I think it used to be the Houston Postal credit union building - it may have also been an administrative building for the post office - looks like the place I went ages ago to take the postal exam (let's just say I didn't become a postal worker...). Here's a street view: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1002+washington+ave.+houston&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.841773,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1002+Washington+Ave,+Houston,+Texas+77002&ll=29.766529,-95.368034&spn=0,359.986267&z=17&layer=c&cbll=29.766502,-95.36794&panoid=adBvnJWFFRg4-xBH6JRbAA&cbp=12,306.35,,0,-1.99 ...and the listings before sale: http://www.loopnet.com/property/15846150/1002-Washington/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 The city put $100,000 toward a planning study of the area, which also includes the Ensemble Theatre and Continental Club.I'd love to know the results of this study. This area could be huge with everything around it. Heck, even the parking garage for HCC has places under it along Main that could probably house some sort of retail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 The city put $100,000 toward a planning study of the area, which also includes the Ensemble Theatre and Continental Club.I'd love to know the results of this study. This area could be huge with everything around it. Heck, even the parking garage for HCC has places under it along Main that could probably house some sort of retail.That's the St Luke's call center, hands off buster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 What a great location! And it's so convenient to everybody's second favorite CVS too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Whatever they do with the Midtown property, I hope they put in some sidewalks. On the north side of that parking lot, you have to walk in the street to get to the Ensemble Station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 What a great location! having the city facility there at least kept those two blocks stable. hopefully things won't get worse before someone actually buys the property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiPs Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 The city put $100,000 toward a planning study of the area, which also includes the Ensemble Theatre and Continental Club.I'd love to know the results of this study. This area could be huge with everything around it. Heck, even the parking garage for HCC has places under it along Main that could probably house some sort of retail.So would I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
names Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 (edited) having the city facility there at least kept those two blocks stable. hopefully things won't get worse before someone actually buys the property.The church across Main also provides a stabilizing presence. Can't say I'll miss that semi-brutalist bldg, but on the bright side I never really had much trouble finding a parking spot there. It will probably sit on the market for a couple quarters and get sold off into two properties unless some real chutzpah comes along. Edited October 6, 2009 by names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 The city put $100,000 toward a planning study of the area, which also includes the Ensemble Theatre and Continental Club.I'd love to know the results of this study. Here's the one from 2006 of the same area.Market FindingsBased on the market analysis, the Consultant Team determined that the “highest and best use” for the Ensemble/HCC station area was a mix of residential and retail uses oriented to the transit station. The research found that the potential for office development was quite limited, given currently high vacancy rates and relatively low rents in Houston. Furthermore, the Ensemble/HCC area has already experienced investment in new residential-only and mixed-use residential developments. The market analysis also identified the Ensemble location as advantageous for residential uses given its proximity and easy transit access to several employment centers, such as downtown and the Texas Medical Center.Other specific market findings:Current construction costs limit building typesDue to the current housing market, the cost of construction materials, and Houston’s parking regulations, the only building type that seems to be financially feasible to build in Midtown today istownhouses. Other potential building types, such as four- to five-story residential buildings (like Post Midtown) or six- or more story towers, are too expensive to build or would require significant public subsidies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Other potential building types, such as four- to five-story residential buildings (like Post Midtown) or six- or more story towers, are too expensive to build or would require significant public subsidies.I know nothing about construction... but what makes something like this "too expensive"? Ashby doesn't seem to be "too expensive". Their are other four-five story residential buildings being planned... so what's different about this one area of Midtown? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 I know nothing about construction... but what makes something like this "too expensive"? Ashby doesn't seem to be "too expensive". Their are other four-five story residential buildings being planned... so what's different about this one area of Midtown?I took it to mean Post Midtown-like structures. Do you know of anything like that being planned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I took it to mean Post Midtown-like structures. Do you know of anything like that being planned?I have heard that there are serious talks about the super block. Also, I found out that talks have started regarding these two blocks in discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 I have heard that there are serious talks about the super block. Also, I found out that talks have started regarding these two blocks in discussion.there's been talk for yrs. it'll be interesting to see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I know nothing about construction... but what makes something like this "too expensive"? Ashby doesn't seem to be "too expensive". Their are other four-five story residential buildings being planned... so what's different about this one area of Midtown?Construction costs got really high for a while, reflecting the immense demands for building materials, which in turn reflected the easy availability of consumer credit, which in turn sapped some of the strength out of rental housing because affluent folks could afford to buy instead. It didn't stop a terrific number of apartment complexes from getting built, however in many areas (including this one) land prices relative to acheivable rents reflected a highest and best use for townhomes, and so apartment developers tended to get crowded out and moved to more proven areas.Construction costs have since come down quite a bit, but now the financing isn't there for big commercial real estate projects and won't be for probably several more years. Additionally, it's going to take a long time for the labor markets to return to where they had been in 2006. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Construction costs got really high for a while, reflecting the immense demands for building materials, which in turn reflected the easy availability of consumer credit, which in turn sapped some of the strength out of rental housing because affluent folks could afford to buy instead. It didn't stop a terrific number of apartment complexes from getting built, however in many areas (including this one) land prices relative to acheivable rents reflected a highest and best use for townhomes, and so apartment developers tended to get crowded out and moved to more proven areas.Construction costs have since come down quite a bit, but now the financing isn't there for big commercial real estate projects and won't be for probably several more years. Additionally, it's going to take a long time for the labor markets to return to where they had been in 2006.Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrLan34 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 some stuff of the new permitting office next to 45http://www.g2ld.com/wordpress/?tag=city-of-houston-central-permitting-center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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