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GreenStreet: Mixed-Use Development At 1201 Fannin St.


MontroseNeighborhoodCafe

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Who said there are not going to be any major structural changes?

i assumed they werent since it said the tenants wouldnt be effected. i now see in the Chron blog post that they are in fact removing some of the building on the inside of the middle block. pretty cool, though i wish they could of expanded the part along main street too so the inner courtyard area had a more open feel to bring in more pedestrians from Main to bring into the events in the courtyard. with them only expanding the middle i feel like it may still be isolated and not get as much attention. maybe some big LEDs along main and going into the courtyard could help bring in people by letting them know about events.

Edited by cloud713
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Didn't dig too deep but this is what I saw

Only the middle one of the three it seems.

Correct: Only the middle of the 3 blocks will have an expanded courtyard.

The fencing in the front (main st) entrence is for construction of a decorative fountain.

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What is the target audience for this project anyway? Daytime office workers or evening / weekend dt visitors?

 

Like I stated before I am hoping for the best but I STILL think If they don't turn the place INSIDE OUT on the street level and have street facing attractions this redo is going to be more of the same. I realize you probably can't line the exterior along the sidewalks with cafes and bars but if there's not enough to make it interesting it's gonna be boring. 

 

They need a tunnel connection as well if possible.

 

 

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What is the target audience for this project anyway? Daytime office workers or evening / weekend dt visitors?

 

Like I stated before I am hoping for the best but I STILL think If they don't turn the place INSIDE OUT on the street level and have street facing attractions this redo is going to be more of the same. I realize you probably can't line the exterior along the sidewalks with cafes and bars but if there's not enough to make it interesting it's gonna be boring. 

 

They need a tunnel connection as well if possible.

 

More tunnel connection, IMO no, I want to see life on the surface. 

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What is the target audience for this project anyway? Daytime office workers or evening / weekend dt visitors?

 

Like I stated before I am hoping for the best but I STILL think If they don't turn the place INSIDE OUT on the street level and have street facing attractions this redo is going to be more of the same. I realize you probably can't line the exterior along the sidewalks with cafes and bars but if there's not enough to make it interesting it's gonna be boring. 

 

They need a tunnel connection as well if possible.

 

Please, please, PLEASE read the descriptions of the plans for the redo.

 

Once all renovation is complete, storefronts along Dallas will be lined with outdoor patios...

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I just cleaned out more than a dozen off-topic messages in this thread.

 

If you want to talk about something other than the Greenstreet project, then start a new thread.

 

If you can't participate in a civil conversation and stay on topic, you are welcome to surf elsewhere.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Quoted most of the article for those w/o a subscription..

 

 

 

The additional activity would be centered around Dallas Street but likely expand to other parts of downtown, they said.

 

The plan would involve providing financial incentives to property owners within about a 20-block area who add retail tenants to their buildings or vacant parcels of land, according to members of the Downtown Retail Task Force who discussed the plan with the Houston Chronicle Editoral Board Thursday.

 

"This is a bold concept and initiative," said Ed Wulfe, a veteran retail developer and task force member. "It's not going to be easy."

 

The group envisions Dallas Street as the "spine of a shopping district" that would extend from Milam to LaBranch. Dallas was selected because of its proximity to properties that support retail: the George R. Brown Convention Center, office buildings, and hotels and residential buildings - more of which are under development.

 

The group also cited existing downtown retail in the Shops at Houston Center and GreenStreet, the former Houston Pavilions, as key to expanding the shopping district and adding more stores and restaurants to their properties. The group said it has identified 325,000 square feet of space of potential leasable retail space in the area.

 

Members of the task force include public officials, developers and property owners. An executive from Midway Cos., owner of GreenStreet, is part of the group.

Bob Eury of the Downtown District, Fred Griffin of Griffin Partners and the city's chief development officer, Andy Icken, attended the meeting Thursday.

 

***

During the Chronicle meeting Thursday, a week and a half before the abandoned Macy's is to be torn down, task force members showed off a rendering of a portion of Dallas Street that would be part of the new district.

 

On one side of the street, outdoor cafes are shown lining the three-block GreenStreet development and a new high-rise has been added to the property that task force members said is a proposed hotel. Across the street, a major retailer occupies the ground floor of the Sakowitz Building, currently used for parking.

 

Officials said they are still determining how the financial incentives would be structured, but they likely would be tax reimbursements paid to the property owners after the stores are open. The program would be limited to retailers who sell items such as clothing and "hard-good" merchandise. Restaurants and bars would not be included.

 

 

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Plan-calls-for-tax-dollars-to-help-create-4810595.php?cmpid=atfpm

 

Edit - HBJ article on the story:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2013/09/retail-task-force-releases-final-report.html

Edited by Urbannizer
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It took a retail team to tell them what others have been saying for years.. The focus to make main street the  retail center was flawed.. The area is shaping up to be a bar/ restruant scene.. I have always thought retail should be focused toward the convention center and other area..

 

what next that eado would be a great place for highrasies given that it would afford great views of DT...shhh something are common sense

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It took a retail team to tell them what others have been saying for years.. The focus to make main street the  retail center was flawed.. The area is shaping up to be a bar/ restruant scene.. I have always thought retail should be focused toward the convention center and other area..

 

what next that eado would be a great place for highrasies given that it would afford great views of DT...shhh something are common sense

 

Agree about Dallas St. I'm glad the task force at least chose the right street, though; now I hope the incentives actually help lure tenants. It did with Tipping Point, so we'll see.  

 

EaDo should be a bar/restaurant/entertainment district with design and furniture shops mixed in, I think. The warehouses are perfect for that. I could see it feeling a lot like early 2000's Deep Ellum or the late 90's/early 2000's Meatpacking District. It's gritty, but in a good way for those uses. Mid-/high rise residential will probably follow.  

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Thanks Mab! 

 

Here's the renderings from the link.

 

Kim Kardashian shopping in DT Houston? :P

 

9733504499_15e3b257e9_b.jpg

 

9733505189_6ea1bd2653_b.jpg

 

I guess this is the proposed hotel for Greenstreet that we've been hearing rumors about.

 

9736737274_e2c2814019_o.png

 Do they know something we dont about greenst.. I thought I read something about a proposed highrasie in the area ..hmmm

 

 

I have often walked down that st and thought its so bland and lifeless why dont they add some art work or something.. just huge white walls screaming to be made lively....

 

Still think green st  main street entrance.. could use a big sign like the one proposed for the other side.. 

Edited by Moore713
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Didn't this plan come out a few months ago?  I can swear we had a topic on this.

 

Anyway, do people think this is a feasible idea?

 

 

That plan called for making main the retail center ,but dallas was inculded.. this one shifts the focus onto Dallas a;; the way down to the convention center ..

 

 

People thought know one would bite on the residental tax  break , now they are popping up like weeds

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rumor has it that they are (or at least were) looking at adding a hotel-component. no idea where it would go.

 

On one side of the street, outdoor cafes are shown lining the three-block GreenStreet development and a new high-rise has been added to the property that task force members said is a proposed hotel. Across the street, a major retailer occupies the ground floor of the Sakowitz Building, currently used for parking."

 

9736737274_e2c2814019_o.png

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Plan-calls-for-tax-dollars-to-help-create-4810595.php?cmpid=atfpm

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That plan called for making main the retail center ,but dallas was inculded.. this one shifts the focus onto Dallas a;; the way down to the convention center ..

 

 

People thought know one would bite on the residental tax  break , now they are popping up like weeds..  For so long it was a terrible cycle.. residental would not build DT for lack of retail and venues for entertaiment..  retail would not build DT for lack of evening and weekend support.. and so far so on... but now it seems that cycle is being broken

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 Do they know something we dont about greenst.. I thought I read something about a proposed highrasie in the area ..hmmm

 

 

I have often walked down that st and thought its so bland and lifeless why dont they add some art work or something.. just huge white walls screaming to be made lively....

 

Still think green st  main street entrance.. could use a big sign like the one proposed for the other side.. 

 

Hopefully they can do this without the crass ads on the sides of buildings.

 

IMHO, the longterm vision should be a loop of walkable "signature" streets, made up of Main St., Dallas St., Avenida de las Americas, and Texas Avenue. Of course, every street north of Texas Ave. should be walkable, but that's not such uncharted territory as Dallas St. is.

 

Lastly, this is yet another plan. At this point, if plans and proposals came out for every single empty lot in downtown Houston, all with ground floor retail, it wouldn't excite me much - they need to start building some of these things. 

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