609 Main At Texas

[ricco67]

If you're talking about white collar workers, then I might say the number might be just a BIT high. However, I don't think this is a sign that sky scrapers won't be in use in the future.

It could just be that if you're running a larger company, a place MUST exist for employees to gather for a variety of reasons.

[Pleak]

I read on twitter that in the near future, 47% of people will be working from home on at least a part-time basis. That's seems high to me. But if true, that does not bode well for skyscrapers in sprawling places like Houston, imo.

And Popular Mechanics told me I'd have a personal jetpack by the year 2000 that I'm still waiting for.

These kinds of predictions are a dime a dozen and aren't worth half that. A lot of office jobs COULD be done at home for the past 10 years - but they haven't and probably won't. Bosses don't won't to give up control and they don't trust their employees - the old adage - when the cat's away.....

The bosses are all afraid the employees will spend all their time on Haif or something if they are not watching over their shoulders.

[RedScare]

Computer nerds have been predicting this for years. It won't happen for very simple reasons. Working from home is very inefficient. You are simply too distracted by non-work things to get much done. I am self-employed, and though I can and sometimes do work from home, I almost never get anything of substance accomplished, even though I have a home office with the same equipment as my real office. Too many distractions.

Employers know this. A small percentage of people are self-motivated and disciplined enough to work from home. The rest need the structure of the office. And, employees are beginning to understand that those who work from home do not get promoted. Out of sight, out of mind. The office will be around for awhile yet.

[woolie]

I work mostly from home, because it's my office that is too distracting. I am also a night person and my most productive hours are 12am-6am.

[infinite_jim]

This is actually better news than a 40-50 storey office skyscraper. The longer the downtown market sits and gets speculated upon, the higher they rise (assuming the local economy remains steady).

I was actually hoping the next downtown tower would come from Skanska or Brookfield (except for the inconvenience of construction) to be honest. Maybe even a starchitect design..

Edited April 5, 2012 by infinite_jim

[Triton]

So what was the 48 story tower all about then?

[lockmat]

This is actually better news than a 40-50 storey office skyscraper. The longer the downtown market sits and gets speculated upon, the higher they rise (assuming the local economy remains steady).

I was actually hoping the next downtown tower would come from Skanska or Brookfield (except for the inconvenience of construction) to be honest. Maybe even a starchitect design..

I'd say our best chance at good architecture comes from Hines. Brookfield's current projects are all boxes. they somewhat sleek looking, but very plain. --> http://brookfieldofficeproperties.com/content/portfolio/development-8943.html

[infinite_jim]

^I love boxes! :architecture nerd:

If Houston could land a Foster or Grimshaw or Richard Rogers project I'd be woolie stoked.

[JJVilla]

I work mostly from home, because it's my office that is too distracting. I am also a night person and my most productive hours are 12am-6am.

Some people work better at home and sometimes I can work better at work when less people are around (late night or weekends) but you need the structure of the office for many jobs.

Edited April 5, 2012 by JJVilla

[woolie]

Can we put a freestanding McDonalds on the site? With a drive through.

[woolie]

This is actually better news than a 40-50 storey office skyscraper.

No. 50 story tower is the most anyone could ever hope for on any downtown lot for the foreseeable future.

[KinkaidAlum]

The Hines tower exists. However, I am guessing they won't go 100% spec on it like they did for MainPlace (BG Group) and they are waiting on an anchor baby lease.

[Triton]

lol So I guess nobody knows? Just odd to have such a specific number as "48" floating around and then have it turn into an industrial park

Edited April 6, 2012 by Triton

[swtsig]

lol So I guess nobody knows? Just odd to have such a specific number as "48" floating around and then have it turn into an industrial park

Kinkaid already answered your question - the 48 story tower is what Hines has planned. The industrial park and the proposed cbd tower are not mutually exclusive; Hines is quite capable of developing both. We all just assumed that the "big" announcement from Gerald would be in regards to the tower, not the industrial park.

[LarryDierker]

http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-10-12-gerald-d-hines-tries-to-bring-developers-and-academics-together-touts-green-building-/

Gerald didn't mention downtown in the interview, but did mention a couple developments in uptown

We have a residential project next to the Waterwall park. We expect to start that project this summer," he said. "The site became available and we thought it was ideal for residential. There's a park as well as retail and restaurants all in walking distance, which is what people want. It was a perfect fit."

Hines added that his company just revealed that it is building a 950-acre industrial park off I-45 at Beltway 8 and also is negotiating another office project in the Galleria area.

Not sure where the residential will fit near the waterwall with 3100 post oak and the skanska tower being built.

also I wonder if the 48 story rumored tower could be the gallereia office project?

[jgriff]

http://houston.cultu...reen-building-/

Gerald didn't mention downtown in the interview, but did mention a couple developments in uptown

Not sure where the residential will fit near the waterwall with 3100 post oak and the skanska tower being built.

also I wonder if the 48 story rumored tower could be the gallereia office project?

There's a big empty lot just South of the Transco Tower parking garage. It's where the Turnberry high rise was going to be bulit.

[swtsig]

http://houston.cultu...reen-building-/

Gerald didn't mention downtown in the interview, but did mention a couple developments in uptown

Not sure where the residential will fit near the waterwall with 3100 post oak and the skanska tower being built.

also I wonder if the 48 story rumored tower could be the gallereia office project?

the residential was announced many months ago... nothing new there. the 48 story building is for their cbd block, that much i know. perhaps when it gets off the ground it is no longer 48 stories, but that's what they have planned.

as for their other galleria office project, it's a good one but that's all i'm going to say.

[KinkaidAlum]

Spill it, SWT.

I haven't seen or heard about a Galleria project for Hines, but I would love it if it were to happen. It seems as if the generic boxes snuck through (Skanska, Redstone) while the architecturally interesting projects didn't or haven't gotten off the ground (Four Oaks, Blvd Place, River Oaks District)

[burgower4]

There were rumors that Hines was going to build a office building for blvd place

http://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/New-skyscraper-could-rise-in-Galleria-area-1555680.php

[lockmat]

Spill it, SWT.

I trust Hines. I doubt it will be as tall as Turnberry, but I'm hoping for at least 8-10 floors.

[Pleak]

From Nancy Sarnoff's Sunday Chronicle blub about Hines new tower in Chicago:

http://www.chron.com/business/sarnoff/article/Sarnoff-Waterfront-community-to-see-new-wave-of-3570382.php

"Houston-based Hines has been itching to start a new project in its hometown.

At the minimum, the real estate developer has blueprints for luxury apartments in the Galleria area and a new skyscraper in the central business district."

[lockmat]

From Nancy Sarnoff's Sunday Chronicle blub about Hines new tower in Chicago:

http://www.chron.com...-of-3570382.php

"Houston-based Hines has been itching to start a new project in its hometown.

At the minimum, the real estate developer has blueprints for luxury apartments in the Galleria area and a new skyscraper in the central business district."

I wonder how long blue prints for downtown have been sitting around? Hines is big enough that they will just sit on it until the time is right. I don't necessarily believe that b/c they have blue prints that building it is imminent. Hope I'm wrong.

[tangledwoods]

I wonder how long blue prints for downtown have been sitting around? Hines is big enough that they will just sit on it until the time is right. I don't necessarily believe that b/c they have blue prints that building it is imminent. Hope I'm wrong.

Here is how I see it, Hines is on one of the teams pursuing the Houston First convention center project. If they win that job then the other Downtown project will probably go on hold, if they don't get selected for the job then I could see them going public on their tower before Convention Center stuff gets traction. Either way I think we will see Hines go to market with something in the 4th quarter with construction starting sometime in 2013.

[lockmat]

Here is how I see it, Hines is on one of the teams pursuing the Houston First convention center project. If they win that job then the other Downtown project will probably go on hold, if they don't get selected for the job then I could see them going public on their tower before Convention Center stuff gets traction. Either way I think we will see Hines go to market with something in the 4th quarter with construction starting sometime in 2013.

Why do you think they would put the office tower on hold if they get the hotel project?

[bachanon]

Why do you think they would put the office tower on hold if they get the hotel project?

my thoughts exactly. hines has projects going on simultaneously around the world. one project will not hinder the other. each will progress (or not) independently.

[KinkaidAlum]

My guess would be because the RFQ for the convention hotel wasn't just for a hotel. It was also looking for folks to develop a garage, some mixed use, and even possibly an office component.

I have no idea what Hines' bid was, but if it did include office space, then it would be unlikely that they'd compete with themselves for tenants. While the downtown market is faring pretty well, it isn't faring that well.

[tangledwoods]

My guess would be because the RFQ for the convention hotel wasn't just for a hotel. It was also looking for folks to develop a garage, some mixed use, and even possibly an office component.

I have no idea what Hines' bid was, but if it did include office space, then it would be unlikely that they'd compete with themselves for tenants. While the downtown market is faring pretty well, it isn't faring that well.

Exactly, the proposals included mixed use and office components. Each team that proposed had different levels of self financing. We all know that Hines could bankroll two big jobs in the same town, but I just don't see them doing it in this economy. The last thing Hines would do is compete against themselves.

[lockmat]

Well my question is, how much office space would be included in the hotel? Houston isn't really known for producing true mixed use buildings.

[swtsig]

who knows... i'd be surprised if it were any larger than Hess or 5HC, assuming one gets built at all.

[lockmat]

My thinking is that the hotel would not include much office space, which would not hinder Hines from developing a separate tower. We don't have another building in all of Houston that is a massive mixed-use building.

[King Owl]

the residential was announced many months ago... nothing new there. the 48 story building is for their cbd block, that much i know. perhaps when it gets off the ground it is no longer 48 stories, but that's what they have planned.

as for their other galleria office project, it's a good one but that's all i'm going to say.

just putting some pieces together from another thread, I might guess Apache building something in the Galleria area?

[Fortune]

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/02/downtown-building-sale-could-shatter-records/

Hopefully, once Hines sells BG Group Place they will start on a new downtown office building.

[ClutchCity]

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/02/downtown-building-sale-could-shatter-records/

Hopefully, once Hines sells BG Group Place they will start on a new downtown office building.

 

It's interesting how they have sold three very expensive towers in the last couple years. It's nice to dream that they'll use the funds on something even better then their Transco Tower and BG Group Place (especially seeing as they'll got a nice chunk of change for both).

[lockmat]

I was thinking similarly once. Though one thing to keep in mind is, which I'm sure you have, is that hey are an international company can be looking to use that money elsewhhere. Although the fact they presumably have done so well here might in fact give them confidence to build another one.

[KinkaidAlum]

Hines is currently building a HUGELY expensive project in San Fran right now.

 

I'd love to think they were positioning themselves for a new downtown Houston tower, but I've heard some rumors that they aren't quite as interested in their Main @ Texas location as they were a year ago... Bummer if true. BG Group Place is over 93% leased now and was a wildly successful spec tower.

 

Plus, Main @ Texas seems like such an important location in town. I hate that there's a big hole in the area.

[Fortune]

Hines is currently building a HUGELY expensive project in San Fran right now.

I'd love to think they were positioning themselves for a new downtown Houston tower, but I've heard some rumors that they aren't quite as interested in their Main @ Texas location as they were a year ago... Bummer if true. BG Group Place is over 93% leased now and was a wildly successful spec tower.

Plus, Main @ Texas seems like such an important location in town. I hate that there's a big hole in the area.

Did those rumors include reasons or explanations for why they aren't as interested in the site as they were a year ago ?

[ClutchCity]

Hines is currently building a HUGELY expensive project in San Fran right now.

 

I've been thinking about that one when it comes to Hines developing something like that here. It could show they're bullish about building large office projects and maybe they might think about building another 60+ showcase building in their hometown or it could be a giant strain on resources and they'll take it slow and steady for a while. 

[swtsig]

It's interesting how they have sold three very expensive towers in the last couple years. It's nice to dream that they'll use the funds on something even better then their Transco Tower and BG Group Place (especially seeing as they'll got a nice chunk of change for both).

Unfortunately that's not the way it works. They use those funds to pay a return to their investors. Which isn't to say the they don't get reinvested in new projects but it's obviously not a quid pro quo scenario.

[PAC]

I assure you that their interest in the block at Main and Texas is as strong as ever.

[Subdude]

I assure you that their interest in the block at Main and Texas is as strong as ever.

 

Do you have insider knowledge on this?  Spill the beans!

[lockmat]

He speaks as if he does. I like it

This Q4 report says that Hines's, Skanska and Brookfield are planning office buildings downtown but will not break ground without a lead tenant. See page 6

http://downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-01-16/2012-4Q_-_PMRG.pdf

Edited February 14, 2013 by lockmat

[ChannelTwoNews]

Do you have insider knowledge on this?  Spill the beans!

 

I don't know the person who is posting, personally... but I do know who they are.

 

That said, I'm intrigued and very hopeful for the future. Previous information they provided on MainPlace through the development/construction phase was spot on.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Based on the most recent post in the Central Houston Development map thread, it may be worth noting the part that ties specifically to this proposal - it seems larger than the rendering we've all seen.

 

About this block, on page 11 the linked report specifically says...

 

Hines is actively marketing 600 Main, a 990,000 square foot 48 floor office development with an attached 12 floor parking garage. The development will be contingent on significant pre-leasing.

 

 

Edited February 24, 2013 by ChannelTwoNews

[kdog08]

Based on the most recent post in the Central Houston Development map thread, it may be worth noting the part that ties specifically to this proposal - it seems larger than the rendering we've all seen.

 

About this block, on page 11 the linked report specifically says...

 

Thanks for posting the linked report, lots of interesting info. 

[KinkaidAlum]

Interesting link.

 

Did you catch that the report said there are FOUR residential projects planned for downtown? I can think of Finger's Ballpark project and the Skyhouse but can't wrap my mind around the other 2... Anyone?

[Houston19514]

Interesting link.

Did you catch that the report said there are FOUR residential projects planned for downtown? I can think of Finger's Ballpark project and the Skyhouse but can't wrap my mind around the other 2... Anyone?

Interesting... One is probably the conversion of the old Texaco HQ (hopefully that is still happening). Perhaps the block being marketed by Houston First Corp? (the block north of the planned Marriott Marquis) is the other.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Houston19514

[Moore713]

 Wait which one is 600 main is it the  parking lot  across from  post rice ?

[Houston19514]

 Wait which one is 600 main is it the  parking lot  across from  post rice ?

 

Yes, although I don't think that can be the actual address.  They must have meant the "600 block of Main".  (The east side of Main Street should have an odd numbered address.)

[Moore713]

This just came  across on culture map.http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/03-14-13-hines-touts-new-41-story-skyscraper-in-downtown-houston/

[ChrisPHous]

Damnnnn looks slick