New Superblock Downtown

[musicman]

The city is preparing a complex set of land transactions that could lead to the construction of a heritage center celebrating Houston's history across the street from Minute Maid Park.

If a series of deals go through, the city would be able to create a “super block” previously eyed for a new hotel, redevelop Avenida De Las Americas and move two historic houses and a railroad engine to create a small historic area on the eastern side of downtown.

The train would complement the homes and proposed heritage center — which would be paid for with privately raised funds — and underscore the importance of locomotives in Houston's history in facilities across the street from the former Union Station.

But the plans also call for an unusual process to sell land to a wealthy, well-connected real estate investor and former council member, and force the city to move the historic homes.

full article

[lockmat]

What do yall think about her concerns?

“The whole thing's just baffling,” said City Councilwoman Pam Holm, who said she hoped to have the agenda item delayed.

“I still have a lot of questions,” Holm said. “What is the urgency of selling now with just eight weeks left in this administration? And why get an appraisal at a time when the land isn't at its peak? And, usually, when we sell land, we don't say we're going to sell it to a specific person, we go through a process to make sure we're getting the best price for it.”

[AtticaFlinch]

What do yall think about her concerns?

Pish-posh. The wealthy need all the economic advantages they can get in this tough economy.

In truth, I'd be curious to see what this heritage center would offer before I'd be cool with practically giving away some of the most valuable land in the city.

[LTAWACS]

What do yall think about her concerns?

My thoughts are that the troglodytes at city hall are at it again. Where is Wayne Dolcefino when you need him?

[kylejack]

NO, we should not sell land on the edge of Discovery Green to a private developer just as this area is getting revitalized. I don't care if we do get a heritage center out of it.

[swtsig]

so does this mean they are abandoning (or at least postponing) their plans for a new convention hotel? while i like the direction they're thinking, the situation is a little off-putting and ultimately a 4 or 5 star convention hotel would do wonders for the economy, imo. moreso than a heritage center, at least.

[LTAWACS]

so does this mean they are abandoning (or at least postponing) their plans for a new convention hotel? while i like the direction they're thinking, the situation is a little off-putting and ultimately a 4 or 5 star convention hotel would do wonders for the economy, imo. moreso than a heritage center, at least.

Yes. I want to know who at city hall is responsible for this.

[AtticaFlinch]

Yes. I want to know who at city hall is responsible for this.

Why? Don't rush to judgement. I question it too, but what if the heritage center can add qualifiable inprovements to the general quality of life for Houston residents? What if it adds another attraction for conventioneers and gives them yet another place to invest their dollars in our local economy? There are hotels near the the Houston Museum of Natural Science, but should that building not have been constructed simply because we could have built a hotel there instead? Don't get me wrong, some questions need to be answered on this, but to outright pan this before knowing the details is shortsighted.

[Subdude]

Without a lot of detail being given, I would say this one stinks to high heaven. Why would the city be trying to sell land to a specific landowner at the bottom of the market? What is this "heritage center"? They're going to park a locomotive engine next to the old houses and call it a historic area? Good grief.

[musicman]

the way i read it, it's not excluding the possibility of a new hotel.

[AtticaFlinch]

the way i read it, it's not excluding the possibility of a new hotel.

The way I read it is this:

The want to move the two old houses currently on the property elsewhere, to a parcel of land left unspecified in the article. Then, they want to take that third block, that tiny, difficult to develop little plot, that piece of land that can't command major development dollars due to its size, and combine it with the full block across Jackson. There's been nothing said about how that land will be developed, and I agree, it doesn't discount the possibility of a hotel being built there.

Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, and if so, my excuse is that this article isn't exactly the clearest piece ever written.

[LTAWACS]

The way I read it is this:

The want to move the two old houses currently on the property elsewhere, to a parcel of land left unspecified in the article. Then, they want to take that third block, that tiny, difficult to develop little plot, that piece of land that can't command major development dollars due to its size, and combine it with the full block across Jackson. There's been nothing said about how that land will be developed, and I agree, it doesn't discount the possibility of a hotel being built there.

Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, and if so, my excuse is that this article isn't exactly the clearest piece ever written.

I tend to agree with you on this one. Bradley Olson should have been able to provide more details. Perhaps someone can email him?

[Houston19514]

The way I read it is this:

The want to move the two old houses currently on the property elsewhere, to a parcel of land left unspecified in the article. Then, they want to take that third block, that tiny, difficult to develop little plot, that piece of land that can't command major development dollars due to its size, and combine it with the full block across Jackson. There's been nothing said about how that land will be developed, and I agree, it doesn't discount the possibility of a hotel being built there.

Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, and if so, my excuse is that this article isn't exactly the clearest piece ever written.

Your last line is exactly right. The article is a nightmare of confusion. But, that's our Chronicle. No mention at all of the fact that those two houses were moved to their current location earlier this decade. No mention at all that the locomotive was moved to its current location even more recently. No explanation of even hint of exactly where any of them would be moved to. And no explanation of why the houses would have to be moved before the light rail construction. One is left with the suspicion that the block where the second convention hotel is planned is very possibly not even involved in this project at all... It sure would be nice if the Chron could provide some actual information.

[EDIT] After doing a little research in the city council minutes, I am pretty confident this has nothing at all to do with the "superblock" on which a second convention hotel is planned (Avenida de las Americas/Walker/Rusk/Crawford).

But confusion seems to reign. The "explanation" in the backup material says that the proceeds from the sale will be used to reconfigure Avenida de las Americas between Rusk and Texas "which consists of the reconstruction of four concrete paved lanes with a median, sidewalks, street lights, and the relocation of existing parking meters." HUH? That section of Avenida de las Americas was just built (complete with median, sidewalks, street lights and parking meters, in 2004), shortly after the two houses were moved out of the way.

Are they perhaps planning to make the street less wide? I've always thought that stretch of street was ridiculously wide and would be better with more landscape space, but damn I hate to be spending money to redo streets that are very new and in perfect condition...