East River: Mixed-Use Development By Midway

[phillip_white]

17 hours ago, Texasota said:

Good short-term use. Still want an Alamo in the medium-long term.

 

That's a pretty small screen, but anything would be better than the curved surfaces they're projecting onto at the silos drive-in.

[Mr.Clean19]

On 8/24/2020 at 4:01 PM, JBTX said:

 

Per Buffalo Bayou Partnership FB page, it is a drive-in theatre:
 

 

Theatre website: https://www.moonstruckdrivein.com/

Good on them for doing this... Also they brought The New Potato bar from next door over to make specialty drinks for people. Smart move by East River to keep local businesses alive.

[j_cuevas713]

It's also a great way to get people used to an area they otherwise wouldn't go unless they needed to. Prepping people for East River. 

[hindesky]

https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-and-culture/2020/09/fifth-ward-moonstruck-drive-in-cinema-showing-tenet

 

Go See Christopher Nolan’s New Thriller, Tenet, at This Fifth Ward Drive-In

 

Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema, which shows its first movie on Sept 3, will be screening films on a giant structure made from storage containers. 

By Brittany Cristiano  9/3/2020 at 2:59pm

 

IN NEED OF PLANS FOR THE LONG WEEKEND? Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema near the East River should be your destination. A collaboration between Blue Moon Cinemas and Hockley’s Showboat Drive-In, the new Fifth Ward drive-in, which opens September 3, will project films onto a 40- by 80-foot structure made from storage containers, according to a press release. And while the unique screen could be a draw, the big excitement is that Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated spy epic Tenet is kicking off the new venue’s screenings.

One of the biggest movie events of the year (and not just because this year’s film season was basically cancelled), little is known about Nolan’s new film, save for its insane budget and stacked cast, which includes John David Washington, Michael Cane, Kenneth Branagh, and Robert Pattinson. Seriously, its plot has been something of a closely guarded Hollywood secret. What we do know is that it involves a time-bending mission to prevent a World War III—as if 2020 hasn’t been bad enough.

 

 

According to the release, Moonstruck will show both newly released and classic movies (this weekend’s schedule also includes stoner-throwback Bill and Ted Face the Music and Pixar’s Inside Out) and will also host drive-in concerts and other experiences. Each showing will allow up to 200 cars, and spots are first-come, first-serve. Event-goers will also get a give a fantastic view of downtown and a first glimpse of real estate investment group Midway’s 150-acre East River development, which has been inaccessible to Houstonians for years.

$25 (price includes a car permit and tickets for all passengers). Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema, 100 Bringhurst St. More info and tickets at moonstruckdrivein.com.

[JBTX]

Absolute bummer that they won't just play Moonstruck on repeat.

 

It will be interesting to see how it competes with Space City Shows just around the corner.

[Response]

If I went to that drive in theater, I'd probably be looking a the downtown skyline more than the movie.

[hindesky]

On 9/4/2020 at 9:50 AM, Response said:

If I went to that drive in theater, I'd probably be looking a the downtown skyline more than the movie.

Park right in front of the screen and you won't see it.

[Andrew Ewert]

Went and saw Tenet at this drive-in last weekend. The experience was... lacking.

 

They really had an opportunity to do something genuinely cool and lift everyone's spirits in a time where we're all desperately in need of a little escape. Instead, this seemed like a minimum-possible-effort operation.

 

The screen is... acceptable. Not big, and definitely not bright. But it's a drive-in, so they mostly get a pass for that kind of stuff. They had a lot of audio technical issues up front, which resulted in none of the previews being watchable. It was thankfully fixed for the main feature, albeit starting at least 15 minutes late.

 

But where they really failed is in the experience surrounding the movie. There was one sad taco truck, one sad drinks tent run by The New Potato, and one bank of portapotties that... were out of order. The drink tent purported to sell beer, wine, and White Claw, but they were out of wine. With a little bit of effort they could really have made this into a fun, safe place to spend an evening that I'd be looking forward to returning to.

 

At least the skyline view is great.

[I'm Not a Robot]

9 minutes ago, Andrew Ewert said:

Went and saw Tenet at this drive-in last weekend. The experience was... lacking.

 

They really had an opportunity to do something genuinely cool and lift everyone's spirits in a time where we're all desperately in need of a little escape. Instead, this seemed like a minimum-possible-effort operation.

 

The screen is... acceptable. Not big, and definitely not bright. But it's a drive-in, so they mostly get a pass for that kind of stuff. They had a lot of audio technical issues up front, which resulted in none of the previews being watchable. It was thankfully fixed for the main feature, albeit starting at least 15 minutes late.

 

But where they really failed is in the experience surrounding the movie. There was one sad taco truck, one sad drinks tent run by The New Potato, and one bank of portapotties that... were out of order. The drink tent purported to sell beer, wine, and White Claw, but they were out of wine. With a little bit of effort they could really have made this into a fun, safe place to spend an evening that I'd be looking forward to returning to.

 

At least the skyline view is great.

 

From the moment I saw this was announced, I expected this. They hyped up an announcement for a theater, when they know everyone is waiting to see who will occupy the space, and they give us this, they aren't reading the room. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by I'm Not a Robot

[Naviguessor]

I think maybe I’ll judge by looking past the first weekend. Surely there’ll be some opening glitches, that can be ironed out. 

[77011transplant]

I also went last Friday night to see Tenet and had a good time. It was my first drive in movie, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought, overall, it was a pleasant experience. There was one audio glitch in the middle of our showing, but they fixed it quickly and we didn't really have any problems. We brought a small AM/ FM radio, rolled down the windows, and snuck in our own snacks (I don't think you're supposed to do this, but no one really checked).

 

Pro Tip: we arrived at 7:30 (movie started at 8:30, gates opened at 7) and it was already about half full, so get there early. Also, we were expecting it to be a mess to pull out of after the film, but they directed traffic pretty efficiently.

 

Also, we talked to our friends who had gone to the drive in at Sawyer Yards ($40 a car/ Moonstruck was $25) and said that screen was small and poorly hung so that if you weren't dead center, you couldn't really watch the film. At Moonstruck, we were off to the side a little bit in a small sedan and had no issues.

 

My only suggestion is they dim the string lights near the concessions during the movie -- a little too bright for movie viewing!

 

(Edit: Spacing)

Edited September 10, 2020 by 77011transplant

[HOUTEX]

Went last night and had a blast even with the rain. Saw Tenet and had no issues with the viewing. They had 2 food trucks and a couple of other vendors, plus the New Potato setup. Maybe there was just an off night last weekend?

[jermh]

 

[HouTXRanger]

In general, I'm not a fan of a single entity buying up so many acres and building a "community" like this from scratch, because I prefer more organic "fine grain" growth patterns.

However, this seems pretty good all things considering. It's very mixed use (a no-brainer in Houston anyway), has no streets larger than two lanes, and at least at a surface level seems to prioritizes pedestrian and bike traffic. A personal highlight is how they're building a new place for the Houston Maritime Museum right on the banks, that's going to be a beautiful place to hang out if it all comes together.

If I were to be nitpicky, I wonder if there are City of Houston regs/codes that are forcing the buildings to have such large setbacks, or if that's part of the style. Since it's 5 phases, maybe we'll see the effects of changing city codes all in this one development. It would also be great to see dedicated on or off street bike paths built in, or some better love shown to the bus route that goes by there. Maybe if the area continues to densify, we'll see a BRT line or something? The development def needs better transportation options than just the highway, it's a waste this close to the city center to force everyone to drive.

[pm91]

the land looks pretty empty with the exception being a mural made out of shipping containers. No equipment on site.

[ljchou]

On 10/13/2020 at 2:52 PM, pm91 said:

the land looks pretty empty with the exception being a mural made out of shipping containers. No equipment on site.

Not a great sign. I appreciate them engaging the area with art and a drive-in theatre, but I would prefer to see boots on the ground. Makes me wonder what these "pending agreements with the city" entail.

[iah77]

27 minutes ago, ljchou said:

Not a great sign. I appreciate them engaging the area with art and a drive-in theatre, but I would prefer to see boots on the ground. Makes me wonder what these "pending agreements with the city" entail.

We are in an election year and recession so it's kind of interesting people want huge projects built with these horrible fundamentals lols...

[Houston19514]

31 minutes ago, ljchou said:

Not a great sign. I appreciate them engaging the area with art and a drive-in theatre, but I would prefer to see boots on the ground. Makes me wonder what these "pending agreements with the city" entail.

 

Relax. Development, especially at this scale, takes time.

 

What "pending agreements with the city" are you referring to?

[ljchou]

23 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

 

Relax. Development, especially at this scale, takes time.

 

What "pending agreements with the city" are you referring to?

Recent bizjournal article posted above.

[HoustonMidtown]

Are they working on the walkway from the South side of the Bayou over to the North Side ?

 

 

[Naviguessor]

I’ve been watching this barge a for the past couple weeks. looks to me like they are just improving the South bank of the bayou where they has been some erosion.  I don’t think that this is work on a pedestrian bridge. 

[JBTX]

Jensen is being resurfaced from Clinton to Navigation. Unsure if it is related to East River, the Navigation/Jensen/Runnels roundabout project, or just regular construction work.

 

Regardless of what it's for, resurfacing Jensen is appreciated.

[hindesky]

A new mural has been painted on the sea cans on the corner of Jensen and Clinton.

[monarch]

^^^ decadent!  quite beautiful...

[Texasota]

...decadent? I mean, I like it, but it's in no way "decadent."

[HOUTEX]

Thought it was interesting to see there's brick under Jensen Drive. I sorta wish they would just take the asphalt off and restore the brick!

 

 

[JBTX]

1 hour ago, HOUTEX said:

Thought it was interesting to see there's brick under Jensen Drive. I sorta wish they would just take the asphalt off and restore the brick!

 

For sure! Just like the "presidential brick" portion of Navigation!

[ljchou]

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2020/11/buffalo-bayou-partnership-east-sector-project

[zaphod]

Is it even possible to scrape off the asphalt? It seems to be flaking off naturally but how do you grind it down without tearing up the brick too?

[Arternative]

All architectural brick accents in intersections and roads are a bad idea in Houston. The soil plus the climate makes mother nature chew shit up here. 

 

Those accents on Harrisburg already have potholes (speed bumps.) Washington roundabout is an amusement park ride and should charge admission.  

[zaphod]

The pavers between the rails on the Red Line seem to have hung in there all these years, but then again those don't have road traffic on them. All the weight of the train is on the steel rails.

[hindesky]

2 hours ago, Arternative said:

All architectural brick accents in intersections and roads are a bad idea in Houston. The soil plus the climate makes mother nature chew shit up here. 

 

Those accents on Harrisburg already have potholes (speed bumps.) Washington roundabout is an amusement park ride and should charge admission.  

My guess is horrible installation by whoever laid those and not so much the bricks themselves. I've come across bricks that have been there for close to 100 years that haven't moved an 1 inch.

Edited November 8, 2020 by hindesky

[samagon]

On 11/7/2020 at 4:27 PM, Arternative said:

All architectural brick accents in intersections and roads are a bad idea in Houston. The soil plus the climate makes mother nature chew shit up here. 

 

Those accents on Harrisburg already have potholes (speed bumps.) Washington roundabout is an amusement park ride and should charge admission.  

 

nope.

 

there are plenty of examples worldwide of roadways being constructed of brick in far worse climates than our own and the quality of those roads is far better than even our concrete roadways.

 

that doesn't make it a good idea for Houston, we just shouldn't use a different excuse to cover for the real reason, which is that we as a city don't want to pay the taxes necessary to support the cost of better quality roads, of any type.

[HOUTEX]

On 11/7/2020 at 1:46 PM, zaphod said:

Is it even possible to scrape off the asphalt? It seems to be flaking off naturally but how do you grind it down without tearing up the brick too?

Yes. Asphalt peels relatively easily and there are contractors that have large road-sized heaters that roll over the roadway and melt the tar for easier removal. The photos above are after the roadway had been scraped for a re-paving project that's going on right now. 

 

Brick roads built here more recently are atrocious examples of crappy engineering. The Washington roundabout is easily the best "worst" example of what can happen. In the instance of Jensen, those area roads have been there for 100 years and are in relatively great shape. 

Edited November 10, 2020 by HOUTEX

[Angostura]

On 11/10/2020 at 1:17 PM, samagon said:

 

nope.

 

there are plenty of examples worldwide of roadways being constructed of brick in far worse climates than our own and the quality of those roads is far better than even our concrete roadways.

 

that doesn't make it a good idea for Houston, we just shouldn't use a different excuse to cover for the real reason, which is that we as a city don't want to pay the taxes necessary to support the cost of better quality roads, of any type.

 

There's an easy solution: make rights-of-way narrower. 

 

In EaDo, for example, something like 40% of land area is public right-of-way. If you increase the ratio of taxable land to paved surface by a factor of 3X or so, you could afford a lot nicer paving.

 

[zaphod]

Well, the purpose of brick or special paving would be decorative, aka "place making" or something. Like a district where people walk around visiting adjacent businesses or attractions and you want it to look good. I don't think that's so costly nor would it ever be needed or justified outside a few districts.

 

Honestly I always thought Houston had pretty nice concrete roads with curbs and sidewalks and grass medians and stuff.

Edited November 18, 2020 by zaphod

[Angostura]

I wouldn't say it's purely decorative. Sett paving can last a lot longer than concrete or asphalt (centuries in many cases). And it has the beneficial side effect of slowing down vehicular traffic.

 

On sidewalks in places with street trees, brick pavers (or, even better, Portuguese stone) undulate naturally with growth in the trees' root system, whereas concrete sidewalks crack. The material is ubiquitous on the sidewalks of residential neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, for example, for exactly this reason.

[hindesky]

[Moore713]

I think about this project and what happenings on the other end of the bayou.  I think about how more and more midrises are appearing in midtown. About  the absurd pace at which the medical center is expanding. Then you drive around  the core of Houston and realize  that still huge swashes of land undeveloped.  Even in the areas I mentioned... 

[ljchou]

21 hours ago, hindesky said:

One of the comments on this post asks about groundbreaking plans and they replied with "next year". They expect to be complete with Phase 1 by 2023 which feels ...fast. But good to hear!

[CREguy13]

They have updated their marketing flyer and it appears the Maritime Museum is no longer part of Phase 1... they are now showing that site as a smaller boutique office/retail building.  Hopefully the Museum is planned for a later phase and didn't fall through. That would be a real bummer. 

[hindesky]

[ljchou]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Fifth-Ward-residents-say-development-deal-fails-15789710.php#photo-20366936

[Houstonian4Life]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Fifth-Ward-agency-approves-massive-development-15793358.php

[Triton]

3 hours ago, Houstonian4Life said:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Fifth-Ward-agency-approves-massive-development-15793358.php

Good

[HOUTEX]

Let 'er rip! Time to get this candle lit and move some dirt. 

[Efkelly25]

Does this have anything to do with why construction hasn’t started? 

[ljchou]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:44 PM, Efkelly25 said:

Does this have anything to do with why construction hasn’t started? 

No idea. At any rate, all items were unanimously approved.

[j_cuevas713]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:44 PM, Efkelly25 said:

Does this have anything to do with why construction hasn’t started? 

Yeah prob so. 

[monarch]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Houston’s New Waterfront Destination Takes Shape — An Inside Look at East River, Midway’s City Changing Mega Project

A 150 Acre, 65 City Block New District is Coming — Here's Everything You Need to Know

The model dominates the center of the long table, giving a 3D glimpse in miniature at just how vast this world will be. No were not talking about the latest superhero multiverse or some other Hollywood creation. In some ways, this is even more ambitious than that.

For this is real. And coming to Houston.

“It truly is a remarkable opportunity,” Midway CEO Jonathan Brinsden says. “It’s rare you find this kind of site with attributes like Buffalo Bayou frontage within the urban core in the shadow of downtown.

 

“That’s just not unusual to Houston. That’s unusual to every large city in the country. . . This truly is a generational opportunity and that’s the lens we look at it through.”

The model on the table is of East River, a potential city-changing development East of downtown abutting the Buffalo Bayou. Midway’s the company behind CityCentre, the company that helped revitalize Levy Park, the company that proved College Station could have its own cool hotel just as hip as anything in Austin. But if everything goes right, East River will be its magnum opus.

It’s sheer size immediately places it on another scale entirely. We’re talking about 150 acres of former industrial land long closed off to Houstonians, a swath that’s the equivalent of 65 city blocks. It’s the largest site within the 610 Loop that is still open for redevelopment. In essence, Midway almost will be building a new mini city within the city. One that introduces a riverfront to Houston.

 

“It’s got a mile of frontage on the Buffalo Bayou,” Midway executive vice president David Hightower says. “And we’re on the river part of the Bayou. This is where it really turns into a river.”

To take advantage of that unique feature, expect to see restaurants with patios that run right down to the Bayou and even adventure outfitters offering kayaking and other water activities. East River will be a waterside development in very noticeable ways.

“I think it will be a very new and unique feel for Houston, which is exciting,” Brinsden says.

Midway gave PaperCity an unprecedented look at this new East River development, assembling its East River project team around a giant conference table (everyone was masked and well spaced out) to detail everything that is coming. With the heads of departments getting into everything they’re working on for East River, you get a real sense of the scope and complexity of the project. And everything that is coming.

It is A LOT. In the best sense.

 

In total, East River is projected to be a 20 year build, but it will roll out in phases with the construction of phase one beginning in early 2021. The first phase will include five or six restaurants, a mix of full service and more casual, grab-and-go type spots. A bike shop, an outdoor outfitter (picture kayaking and more), coffee shop, ice cream parlor, barbershop, blow dry bar and more are also in play as either strong possibilities or likelihoods.

The first apartment complex on the site is also part of the phase one plans. The Laura is a five-story, 360-unit complex that bring the first residents to the East River development. Office space — as much as 250,000 square feet of offices — will ensure that East River emerges as a play, live and work destination from the beginning. Every major building will have retail — shops, restaurants, etc. . . — on the ground floor.

 

East River’s first phase will be centered around a 2,000-square-foot green space. This giant lawn will be a place to hang out and congregate much like CityCentre’s smaller plaza lawn. Live music and events also will take place on the grand lawn, with the idea of creating an instant hub in the new community.

Midway also plans to set aside some smaller retail spots that are largely built out for local vendors from the 2nd and 5th Wards, the two Houston neighborhoods the project straddles. “We’ll have some spaces that are more approachable with a low cost of entry for local businesses,” says Lacee Jacobs, Midway’s vice president of strategic leasing and advisory.

Finding East River’s Groove

Plenty of research goes into determining the right mix for a development of this size. Midway’s design management team toured 27 projects in 17 states to build an accurate sense of what worked and what did not work in other cities. Pearl District in Portland, Industry City in Brooklyn, The High Line in Manhattan and South Lake Union, which transformed a rundown area of Seattle into a tech hub with a major Amazon campus, were just some of the more high-profile developments Midway studied.

 

“We don’t want a Disneyland back there,” Hightower says. “We want something that feels authentic.”

One of the challenges East River faces is that unlike with many of the studied projects, or even San Antonio’s Pearl District, there are no existing historic-type buildings on the site to repurpose. This was a fenced off industrial site originally owned by the old Brown & Root construction company that helped reshape Houston and grew into the largest construction firm in the United States. The structures on the East River site were the type of barebones metal buildings that do not work (or come close to meeting code) for restaurants or retail.

 

Everything will have to be built from scratch at East River. Which may make it a good fit for Midway. This is a development firm that has shown it is willing to take its time — and look to the future. While East River’s first phase is projected to open in 2023, the entire build out of the 150 acre site is not expected to be complete till around 2041.

“That’s one thing that’s a little different about us,” Brinsden says, smiling. “We take a long term approach.”

The models on the table, which show much more than phase one, display that in detailed miniature.

 

East River will have some nods to history. The Laura mid-rise is named after the first steamboat that took the Houston-founding Allen Brothers up the Buffalo Bayou. Houston’s Maritime Museum will also be reborn at the development in a nod to its waterfront perch. The museum will not be part of phase one, but the Bayou definitely will be.

“The whole development is meant to activate the waterfront,” Anna Deans, Midway’s vice president of investment & development, says.

Restaurant patios (some as large as 3,000 square feet) will spill right out towards the water. Trails will lead to the water. East River being connected to Buffalo Bayou’s hike and bike trails, more than 500 miles of trails in total, will helped connect it to the rest of the city in a much different way than purely car centric destinations. Of course, many of those trails will run along the water.

“CityCentre was developed pretty revolutionary in that you put the most value on the pedestrian orientated green space rather than the highly trafficked vehicular corridor,” Deans says. “Now, we’re putting some of our most valued space along the waterfront.”

“I never thought I’d be able to use waterfront in something I was leasing in Houston,” Jacobs laughs.

Midway’s Patio Power

The emphasis on the waterfront at East River will bring another early Midway staple into play. Long before restaurant patios become a must — and long, long before COVID-19 made them potential business savers — CityCentre built part of its vision around them.

 

“One of our favorite things was when we developed CityCentre, we maintained that every restaurant had to have a patio,” Brinsden says. “And you would have thought that was the most insane requirement ever. Like we were asking them to go to the moon or something.”

Much has changed in Houston dining — and the city in general — in the 15 years since then. But Midway is still focused on innovating.

 

Some of the surprising touches at East River include beehives and some familiar Houston trees. Midway turned to Alvéole, a social beekeeping company, to install several hives that are already producing honey at the site. One of the top tree movers in the country turned to them to help save about 300 of the beloved towering oaks that had to be removed as part of Post Oak Boulevard’s somewhat controversial transformation. Those trees are now planted in a nursery on the northern boundary of the site — and will be worked into the development, giving East River mature, shading oaks from day one.

 

Midway is also determined to achieve WELL Certification, which centers around things that directly affect people like air quality and the daylight a building allows in, and a high WiredScore along with the almost now expected LEED certification. Most Houstonians — even lifelong ones — have never been to this East River site before. It’s been closed off for generations.

Midway is doing what it can to change that even before phase one opens with things like showcasing a striking 60 foot by 40 foot mural made out of shipping containers from Houston artist David Maldonado. That mural occupies the corner of Jensen Drive and Clinton Drive, where East River’s first phase will rise. Midway’s successful Moonstruck Drive-In, which shows a mix of classics and new movies (including Wonder Woman 1984 starting Christmas Day), on the site brings more people in.

 

“Place making and creating experiences is a big part of what we do,” Midway marketing strategist Shelby Sekaly says.

With East River, Midway is essentially creating a vast new place in Houston. “A truly walkable urban community is something that people want,” Hightower says. “We’re going to build one from scratch.”

Midway’s already put in the research. This is a firm that uses advanced stats as effectively as a modern baseball general manager. But in the end, East River will have to rise above all the statistics that helped shape it to be successful.

“There are lots of fancy terms like dwell time,” Brinsden says. “But you want it to be that community place where when people have time, they want to go there to hang out. And if someone has a guest in town, this is the place they want to bring them to — the place they want to show them.

“Because they think it’s a special part of Houston.”

Brinsden is leaning forward in his chair, the East River model stretching out across the table in front of him. There it is. Now, it just needs to transform an oft-forgotten chunk of the city. No pressure.