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Skyhouse Houston II: Multifamily At 1044 Jefferson St.


lockmat

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I hope that retail makes it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.  Maybe a single convenience store could make it there.   Obviously if more residential (or even offices) pop-up over there, then maybe additional retail could survive.  

 

Except! Think about that site. Immediately east is Houston House; immediately west is the soon to be renovated Savoy. That's not to say just *any* retail would succeed, but I think it could work if carefully curated.

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With all of the excitement brewing on HAIF about all of the new residential coming to Downtown, I'm curious. Is anyone on here, who doesn't currently live in Downtown, seriously planning on moving to downtown as these new units come online? This crowd certainly seems to be the target market.

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With all of the excitement brewing on HAIF about all of the new residential coming to Downtown, I'm curious. Is anyone on here, who doesn't currently live in Downtown, seriously planning on moving to downtown as these new units come online? This crowd certainly seems to be the target market.

 

Yes, we have to remember that downtown in the next 5-10 years will start to resemble a place that none of us have seen in our lifetime. I honestly believe that this turnaround was triggered by the desire to build the new stadiums/arenas downtown.....then the commitment to a true "convention district"...and then the game changer...Discovery Green.

 

This was such a strong amenity that it was only a matter time before it changed everything. One Park Place was able to make it but the recession slowed the residential growth but it is back in full force..aided by the city's residential incentive program. they have a focused vision when it comes to this. Even neighboring EADO and Midtown are seeing growth.

 

With multiple residential opportunities downtown (various price ranges for recent college graduates to executives "city home" or temporary home), we will start to see typical residential supporting retail/restaurants...something different than is what is there now.

 

Guys, we are entering a new chapter in Houston's life. One that was drastically different than the 70's and 80's when a company like Hines was looking to put up a pedestal sky scrapper with zero street interaction and zero concern for the urban fabric. Not all their fault, that is what the market research was telling them. Things have drastically changed since then and THIS is only the beginning, it is a very Exciting time to be in Houston, Texas!

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After the kids fly the coop in a couple of years, we  will be empty nesters are looking at the east side to buy and rent out until we move in, but its difficult to find a SMALL two bedroom to buy.

 

I might have to buy a duplex to convert, or even buy an old apt. complex and be a slum lord.

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Heard the developer of Sky House speak this morning.  He stated that very shortly they will be pouring a floor every three days.  Seems crazy fast to me, but he was confident.  

 

It is called Sky House b/c there will be a house at the top with all of the amenities (gym, kitchen, etc.) and a large pool (sorry if this is somewhere else on this thread already).  

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I live in Atlanta right across the street from Novare's 2nd SkyHouse building here (still under construction). I work in the construction industry and can confirm that this 23-story tower is, without a doubt, the absolute fastest construction project I've ever seen.

 

Mid February '13 the building site looked exactly like the downtown Houston Skyhouse site does now (with rebar/columns sticking out of the ground) and now they're working on the 22nd floor in mid June with glass windows installed up to the 13-14th floors. I swear they work 24/7. That's 22 floors in 16 weeks and it's been raining cats and dogs here this spring!!

 

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=166320&page=375 (scroll half way down page 375 to see construction updates)

 

My hope for Houston is that this building will lease up quickly and they'll start another nearby downtown tower soon thereafter.

Edited by HOUSTONIAN (N-ATL)
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I wouldn't move downtown in the next ten years, but that's because I just moved into a house I spent 2 years saving. However, my sister, who lives in the Hill Country, is looking to move downtown. Her husband died very unexpectedly a few months ago and she wants to move back to Houston and loves the idea of downtown. She checked out a few for-sale lofts near Market Square and has even met the community of neighbors there who are recruiting her to join them. The renovated Market Square has done wonders for that area and is a key reason Hines would be sniffing around that part of town. I high end rental building in that location would mint money.

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Yeah, it would be interesting to know how they can construct such a building so much faster than other developers here.

 

Purdueenginerd's comment makes me wonder if it's because -- having done basically the same bldg. several times before -- they know how to manage the subcontractors and suppliers more efficiently.  However, I don't know that notion would depend on whether they act as general contractor themselves or hire that role out.

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Honestly, If you look at the actual skyscraper component the dimensions of each slab look like around 120 x 75. or 9000 sq foot slab.

 

(http://wulfe.com/Realister/Manager/Property/Skyhouse%20Houston/PDF/Skyhouse.pdf)

 

As context, I work in industrial construction---which is vastly different than commercial construction, so if anyone wants to chime in and correct me... by all means do it. My closest experience was on a coker turnaround (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_cokerwhere we replaced the entire coker head deck. That was 6000 sq feet. We had to demolish with jackhammers the existing head deck, assemble quite complicated formwork, Place rebar for a 750 PSF two foot thick slab (For comparison, a residential slab would be around 50-100 psf and be in the thickness range of 6'' to 1'), and pour concrete. We did it in about 5-12 hour shifts. ---Including the demo and debris removal. 

 

The whole thing depends on manpower though. For my aforementioned project I think we had 75 men scoped for that project (including management and logistics support). Is skyhouse work crews working around the clock? How large and experienced is their crew? Is the financier willing to pay the OT associated with round the clock work? Archfan brings up a good point though, I really dont know if the company building is just a GC or if theyre using their own labor. Good point. 

 

Disclaimer: All of this is speculative and intended for conversation only :)

Edited by Purdueenginerd
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I don't doubt that they would get faster as they build each new building which is basically the same plan, however the first Skyhouse here in Atlanta went up just as fast (broke ground Feb. '12, had tenants moving in by December '12).

 

It looks like they're able to form up half floors at a time and complete concrete pours every few days.

 

I'd like to remind everyone here on HAIF that the architecture is nothing to write home about. The forum folks here in ATL derided this building after the final product became apparent - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=166320&page=268 - particularly the mammoth adjacent parking garage and AC units sitting on each patio covered by BBVA Compass Soccer Stadium styled gauged-wire sheathing. (Not exactly sure what they were expecting, because the renderings weren't all that - but the AC units are admittedly just hideous).

 

Basically it will remove a parking lot, add density and residents downtown..., but not much more than that. You've been forewarned!  :blush: 

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I hope that retail makes it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.  Maybe a single convenience store could make it there.   Obviously if more residential (or even offices) pop-up over there, then maybe additional retail could survive.  

 

Combination convenience store and deli has been working in Houston House ground level for years now.

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