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lockmat

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I've said it before, I'll say it again. The downtown living initiative needs a marketing campaign on billboards and stuff in certain areas around town. Target the empty nesters, wealthy young professionals, and people just looking for a more urban lifestyle.

We're about to almost triple the amount of housing in downtown. Yes there is some demand for it but they need to show people that downtown is an attractive, fun, hip area to live.

Edited by cloud713
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http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2015/04/skyhouse-houston-offers-rebate-to-lure-tenants/#21137101=0

 

Not sure if this means much, but the existing SkyHouse is offering incentives to try to get more residents. Sounds like this is common these days, so hopefully it's not a sign that they are struggling to attract tenants. Apparently they are at 40% occupancy right now.

 

The incentives are back. They had ended in 2012 when the market got really tight. Hard to tell if the 5% vacancy rate has become 10%.

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I'm just saying if its taking this long to fill up one tower (apparently it's on average pace, but it's the first residential units downtown in how many years?), imagine what will happen when multiple residential projects start delivering.. I'm afraid that unless we raise awareness on downtown living, these apartments might not lease up as fast as some developers would like. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but if I'm about to have 4,000+ new apartments built in my downtown and the first project (which delivered in July 2014) is only 40% full, I would be a little concerned. Those apartments should be being snatched up left and right, but I don't think many Houstonians see downtown as a livable neighborhood yet. By this time next year another 1,400 apartments will be ready (by comparison, SkyHouse Houston added 336 additional units to the downtown market). But will we as Houstonians be ready?

Sorry for the pessimistic post. Maybe I just need sleep, but that report kind of concerned me.

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I'm optimistic the new apartment towers will fill up once they come on board and I'm sure downtown will begin a marketing campaign to promote a new downtown once they begin to deliver. Skyhouse was the very first one to open from the initiative and its in a part of downtown that still has a way to go. The two market square towers, Texaco building, and the two complexes next to Minute Maid I believe will fill up quicker since there's more foot traffic and things to do nearby. One Park Place opened back in 2008 and it has been full ever since. 

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No apartment building is full just months after fully opening. While Sky House opened in July, it opened in stages. Only folks on the lower floors could move-in originally. Again, 40% occupancy a few months after the entire building opened in a high-end tower isn't out of the norm. There's a reason why they've decided to build 330+ more units directly across the street and it isn't because they are stupid and love risking tens of millions of dollars.

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There are three reviews on Yelp. All of them 1 star.

 

I recently moved much closer to downtown and actually thought about moving into downtown. It just didn't make sense though. I bought a new house near Regent Square instead. I'm paying about the same as the largest units in Skyhouse for 2.5 times the square footage and I own it. 

Edited by jgriff
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One of the things I've been wondering is why they chose to have their GFR on the outside of the two buildings (Leeland and Jefferson) as opposed to having them face each other on Pease to create more of a retail corridor

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can someone that has worked in the industry comment on this whether 40% occupancy 10 months after opening and 4 months after the entire building opened is good/normal?  that sounds bad to me, but others think that sounds good.  and although the developer says this is expected, offering significant concessions seems to suggest otherwise.   

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow read these reviews from people who live there: http://www.yelp.com/biz/skyhouse-houston-houston

 

Edit: Yes, one who doesn't. I'd wait to see further reviews. I usually don't judge a place based on just 4 reviews but I gotta admit... I kinda expected it from here. 

 

Wow - those are really bad - sounds like they definitely need a new leasing staff....has anyone on here gone by for a look ?  I know it's hard to gain a sense from online reviews - they are usually negative, but these all seem to be in agreement that the leasing staff is bad...

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Wow read these reviews from people who live there: http://www.yelp.com/biz/skyhouse-houston-houston

 

Edit: Yes, one who doesn't. I'd wait to see further reviews. I usually don't judge a place based on just 4 reviews but I gotta admit... I kinda expected it from here. 

^^^ this, undoubtably has to be a public relations disaster!  surely, skyhouse corporate, has to be taking note of these shocking reviews, of their brand new edifice in houston.  just what the heck is really going on here, are all of the leasing staffers from new york city? houstonians, have always been well known throughout, for our gracious hospitality.  this is far too scary to believe.....  

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yow!  this is disappointing to hear about.   earlier on, the publicity was about how good these guys were at putting up a building fast, basically because the followed the same formula, again and again.  

 

However, building is one thing, managing a rental property is another.  I hope they will get their act together or else turn the project over to someone who is good at it.

Edited by ArchFan
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Seems like there needs to be new management. If the people that work there don't like what they do, it's easy find another job.

 

lol when i went at 4pm everyone was surrounding a colleagues computer and laughing it up. seemed strange and weird, didnt look like they cared much

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Sneak preview:  Your Pie, a Chipotle-style dine-in restaurant based in Athens, Georgia, will open its first Houston location on the ground floor of SkyHouse Houston.

Edited by Houston19514
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  • 1 month later...

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2015/07/construction-starts-up-on-pizzeria-in-downtown.html

 

Construction starts up on pizzeria in downtown luxury apartment

 

Construction is about to start on the first Houston location for Athens-based Your Pie, a fast-casual pizzeria that hopes to capitalize on downtown’s growing residential base. Leading the development are two Houston businesswomen with around 30 years combined experienced in advertising, marketing and real estate.

Edited by DrLan34
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  • 2 months later...

Yeah the interior of the two open spots is just gravel/dirt floors, concrete floors above.  There are some pipes sticking up, and there's probably also electricity coming from somewhere, but you'd have to do a lot of work to build it out for the first tennant

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  • The title was changed to SkyHouse Downtown Planned

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