One Market Square: Proposed Office Tower For Block 43 - 800 Preston St.

[fkp5]

I actually think 5 Allen's site would be one of the worst spots for a super tall. We need a super tall to go in the middle so it would balance out our skyline from all views. I'm thinking that the Bank of the Southwest lot is still the best option.

[democide]

The lot behind One Shell Plaza is ideal for a huge parking garage, in my opinion.  The lots along Main in southern downtown are prime spots for a supertall but those are being taken over by residential projects; few are left or perhaps none are for all we know.

[Avossos]

I actually think 5 Allen's site would be one of the worst spots for a super tall. We need a super tall to go in the middle so it would balance out our skyline from all views. I'm thinking that the Bank of the Southwest lot is still the best option.

I disagree - I'll tell you why: I think if you put a super tall in the middle of downtown, our skyline will be boring and triangle shaped. I think a skyline that flows into midtown / Montrose is best.

I imagine 5 Allen as a lighthouse over downtown. Almost like Williams tower is for Uptown

[Howard Huge]

I disagree - I'll tell you why: I think if you put a super tall in the middle of downtown, our skyline will be boring and triangle shaped. I think a skyline that flows into midtown / Montrose is best.

I imagine 5 Allen as a lighthouse over downtown. Almost like Williams tower is for Uptown

Bingo.

I agree with you a thousand percent. I never liked the placement of Bank of the Southwest tower for the exact reason you said, it would give the skyline a triangular silhouette and make it look smaller than what it is.

Ive always felt our skyline has to grow WIDER before its starts growing taller. Coming in from 45 south, it looks like the skyline comes to a crescendo at Chase tower, and then falls off a cliff after that. We need more buildings in the 40-50something story range continuing out to the bayou to even out the skyline.

The Market Square towers, and anything else north of Chase will start to stretch the skyline width-wise. I like the density being added to interior downtown by the short apartment buildings going up, but if were gonna go tall, please extend our skyline and build in midtown or north downtown/hardy yards.

Or my current favorite proposal location, 5 Allen.

[houstontexasjack]

I am curious as to what will go up on the post-office site once that is sold. That would be a nice place for a 50+ story building north and slightly west of this site.

[cloud713]

What was up with the rumors a while back of midway getting the post office deal?

[fkp5]

I guess I just have different preferences than you guys. I prefer the parabola shape, with buildings leading up to a peak .The Bank of the Southwest block isn't the ideal spot to achieve this, but it's the best lot available. If a super tall was built on 5 Allen's lot, then it would look like our skyline leads up to a peak and just drops off to nothing.

[Howard Huge]

I am curious as to what will go up on the post-office site once that is sold. That would be a nice place for a 50+ story building north and slightly west of this site.

That would be an AWESOME site to build tall and it would stretch the width of our skyline to near the max within downtowns borders.

I think if anythings ever built there it would probably be some kind of heavy rail transit station maybe?

[houstontexasjack]

I recall there was anger over the City of Houston putting a bid on the site. I thought it was destined for mixed-use development. That being said, it would be a nice site for a terminus for TCR's bullet train to Dallas. Then, build a tower over the terminus a la TransBay Tower in San Francisco.

[Howard Huge]

I guess I just have different preferences than you guys. I prefer the parabola shape, with buildings leading up to a peak .The Bank of the Southwest block isn't the ideal spot to achieve this, but it's the best lot available. If a super tall was built on 5 Allen's lot, then it would look like our skyline leads up to a peak and just drops off to nothing.

I dont think so, i think its far enough inward that it will have a nice slope of roofs going down into midtown, especially after Chevron builds their 50something story buildings next to enron 1 and 2.

[Houston?]

What's the status on this tower? The bolded link had me excited.

[toxtethogrady]

If this gets built, it would guarantee that 5 Allen does not. Which honestly is the best case senario. 5 Allen would be an ideal spot for a super tall - 100 story mixed use tower!

I don't think we can say for sure without a reading on the absorption numbers over the next few quarters. Currently, there appears to be a shortage that the next couple of buildings in the pipeline will fill. Since I think the absorption patterns will continue, I would say this one's probably going to be postponed a year or two rather than cancelled outright.

 

But no 100-plus tower is coming. Not unless it's mixed use.

[Sky-guy]

What's the status on this tower? The bolded link had me excited.

Downtown Dev. Map says it starts in Q4 this year.

[fkp5]

I dont think so, i think its far enough inward that it will have a nice slope of roofs going down into midtown, especially after Chevron builds their 50something story buildings next to enron 1 and 2.

 

Maybe from certain views it will look like it flows into midtown, but not from most. It would be even further up on the front lawn than Heritage Plaza is and there would be nothing in front of it. That's why I would want it to go in the center of our downtown so our skyline would look good from every angle.

[Subdude]

The lot behind One Shell Plaza is ideal for a huge parking garage, in my opinion.  The lots along Main in southern downtown are prime spots for a supertall but those are being taken over by residential projects; few are left or perhaps none are for all we know.

 

I very much disagree.  My preference would be for huge parking garages to be clustered in the Parking District, with shuttles running to the rest of downtown as appropriate.  A prime lot like that should have a highrise as originally planned.

[HoustonIsHome]

If a supertall is going to mixed use then 5 allen would be a crappy spot for it. I would prefer it east of main and north of Dallas. Preferably a few blocks away from discovery green

[toxtethogrady]

North of Dallas would be Oklahoma.

[mollusk]

North of Dallas would be Oklahoma.

 

It doesn't need to be that far north.

 

But I don't see how Denton, Denison, or McKinney are in much need of a supertall.    

[bobruss]

if you look at that image of Houston, actually the place with the most bang, would be the south east corner south of Toyota center.

I know logistically it doesn't work and its not on the tunnel grid but just speaking to the massing issue southeast would really spread the downtown to all four corners and be a connector to midtown.

Edited September 17, 2014 by bobruss

[Gator Purify]

IMO (and purely from an aesthetic standpoint), the supertall HAS to be east of Main street.  The view from the Museum District/Midtown is atrocious.  It looks like downtown has about six buildings all hugged up next to each other on the west side.  A supertall somewhere near Discovery Green would provide oomph from the south, east, and north sides. Keep in mind also that we have some good depth coming in that area with the 25-story Alessandra, 29-story Marriott, 29-story residential, 39-story residential, and 22-story convention center hotel/garage.  If I had to choose one block, it'd be the surface parking lot between Greenstreet and Hilton Americas.  1,100+ feet with a spire and/or lighting element, three blocks away from the Red Line, a block away from Greenstreet/Alessandra/Hilton, on the upcoming Dallas St. retail corridor, a block and a half from Discovery Green.  How easy a sell would that be?

[Gator Purify]

To clarify, I'm talking about the block bounded by Dallas, Austin, Polk, and LaBranch.  Four blocks from the Red Line, not three.  It'd also serve as a nice gateway to Toyota Center.

[houstontexasjack]

The Downtown development map lists this as starting in fourth quarter 2014. I have been skeptical that this would be built but wonder, in the event this is moving forward, if it will be scaled up a bit similar to 609 Main.

[democide]

The original plan was to have it be a 50-floor tower.  I'm hoping they go back up to 50 but with so little time before 4Q 2014, I am only skeptical about that part, not about whether it is built or not.  Also, it will go back up to 925,000 sq. ft. and 37 office floors (go up 13 for parking).  I think developers need to build as much Class-AA space as they can in downtown, that's what tenants want, so let's give it to them!

 

Edited September 18, 2014 by democide

[HoustonIsHome]

its not on the tunnel grid

Shid then lets just start a new one.

Then again, lets not. Maybe a new group of tunnel-less buildings would create a more vibrant downtown

[HoustonIsHome]

IMO (and purely from an aesthetic standpoint), the supertall HAS to be east of Main street. The view from the Museum District/Midtown is atrocious. It looks like downtown has about six buildings all hugged up next to each other on the west side. A supertall somewhere near Discovery Green would provide oomph from the south, east, and north sides. Keep in mind also that we have some good depth coming in that area with the 25-story Alessandra, 29-story Marriott, 29-story residential, 39-story residential, and 22-story convention center hotel/garage. If I had to choose one block, it'd be the surface parking lot between Greenstreet and Hilton Americas. 1,100+ feet with a spire and/or lighting element, three blocks away from the Red Line, a block away from Greenstreet/Alessandra/Hilton, on the upcoming Dallas St. retail corridor, a block and a half from Discovery Green. How easy a sell would that be?

That was the very block I have been wondering why its still empty. I have proposed a supertall there in the past and alternatively I mentioned including the blocks to the south of it to be a great place to build a bigger, better aquarium.

Now I have been thinking that a supertall might be better suited north of there to be amongst all the new development north of Dallas. Then again maybe a supertall on that site would spur development further to the south. The Camden development is only a few blocks south.

[Urbannizer]

Although the map gives this one a Q4 2014 start date, I will be a little surprised if it actually breaks ground. Especially if 6HC moves forward.

[swtsig]

6HC has a much higher chance of moving forward.

[BigFootsSocks]

Porque no los dos?

[Triton]

6HC has a much higher chance of moving forward.

This.

[arche_757]

I'm unimpressed with the developers of this tower.  Houston's BOOMING and they could make this project happen, however short sighted vision has limited them to ONLY a 41 floor office building.  They're firmly competing against Hines, Skanska and Trammel Crow (?) and those are heavy hitters compared to Stream/Essex.  Sad they didn't try to jump into a mixed use tower and convince Hyatt Place or JW Marriot to jump into their building on 15-20 floors and then build only a 20 floor office tower.  The economics are much different, but since its unlikely this thing even gets built... quite sad to see them not even attempt it.