Market Square Tower: 40-Story High-Rise For Downtown

[Urbannizer]

According to page nine of the pdf file below, a 35-Story apartment tower is planned for Block 35. Block 35 is bounded by Louisana, Preston, Milam and Congress.

 

 

http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Commissions/docs_pdfs/draft_reports/Ia_900_Preston_New_Const_Defferal_DRAFT.pdf

 

Rendering & info as of 7/2014:

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Record-size-residential-project-set-to-rise-5621007.php?cmpid=btfpm

 

 

[cloud713]

woah this is awesome news.. residential activity is booming in downtown!

ugh, why couldnt this and 900 Preston be 8 feet taller (seems like theyre both 392), so they would be listed on the tallest buildings in Houston wiki page..? (starts at 400') heh

Edited September 12, 2013 by cloud713

[lockmat]

I'm hoping the CoH is scouting sites for a new park in southeast downtown and buys a a piece of land soon before prices get too high. This is one more piece of evidence of the value of parks in this new urban minded development Houston is having. 

[infinite_jim]

I'm hoping the CoH is scouting sites for a new park in southeast downtown and buys a a piece of land soon before prices get too high. This is one more piece of evidence of the value of parks in this new urban minded development Houston is having.

There was talk of them buying the old Days Inn for demo and then developing that site as a park.

[cloud713]

I'm hoping the CoH is scouting sites for a new park in southeast downtown and buys a a piece of land soon before prices get too high. This is one more piece of evidence of the value of parks in this new urban minded development Houston is having. 

i was thinking this too.. there are many surface/parking lots available in that portion of downtown that would be great for new development. developers just havent had much incentive to build over there yet, with no tunnel connection, no parks, and not much else in the area to support new developments, like retail/restaurants/other services one might need close by. hopefully that will change with another new park. the question is, do you think they would just use one block for a park, like Market Square, or close ROW on a portion of another street or two to make another larger park like SuperPark or DiscoGreen.

where in Southeast downtown would you put the park?

maybe a 1x2 block park 2 blocks south of the Toyota Center garage, bound by LaBranch, Jackson, Pease, and Jefferson? Crawford is cut off at the garage and TC anyways, so wouldnt effect traffic much if the city gave up the ROW for another segment of crawford for a park? unfortunately it would be right north of the existing St Joseph medical center complex, so the south blocks wouldnt really be available for development, though the patients of the hospital would probably appreciate the park. but 4 full blocks just north of the site are prime for development, and half a block on either east/west side (both available plots on the side closest to the park site, that could be developed as multi building blocks, like Hines new residential at Market Square. thats at least 6 potential new towers/developments that could come from the city building a 2 block park. not a bad investment IMO.

Edited September 12, 2013 by cloud713

[BayouCityMan]

The city will need to do alot more with that end of downtown besides tossing up a park.  The Greyhoud station NEEDS to be closed, demolished, and rebuilt elsewhere (Intermodal Terminal to also replace the Amtrak Shack too).  They really ought to get serious and force the other bus companies nearby to go to one common facility as well.  Most of the streets have already been rebuilt over there but a few still remain if memory serves correctly.  Lastly, the police will need to raise their presence in the area to discourage vagrancy or this park will end up being a public bathroom and bedroom all in one, much the way Market Square used to be.

[cloud713]

There was talk of them buying the old Days Inn for demo and then developing that site as a park.

interesting... thats more SouthWest downtown where there is already much development and not a lot of available land to improve on, but i had an idea to build a park (my submerged park idea i proposed on here with underground retail and a basement/tunnel level open air courtyard in the middle of the square ring of retail/cafes) in the southwest area too, but i was thinking the lot north of the Exxon Building, since they will have tunnel access sometime after the 2015 renovation, and Wedge next door to the would be park already has tunnel access. the park could then connect other future developments to the tunnel system, like the 2 blocks to the east of the park site and the Exxon tower, along Main Street.

again though, not much room for it to spur anymore development with the exception of the 2 blocks east of the park site though. Chevron apparently has the other site catty corner to the park earmarked for another future tower. thats why i agree with Lockmat that the southeast portion of downtown would be the best bet for the next park (unless they go with the submerged park idea to connect to the tunnel system).

[BayouCityMan]

Now if they could only re-do that hideous excuse for a park next to Jones Hall . . .  Looks like a skatepark surrounded by urinals and toilet stalls . . .

[Urbannizer]

I remember seeing the parking lot on that block high-lighted for residential from a pdf file link Lockmat sent me last week, but I didn't make much of it because it was created in late 2011.

The other block listed for "residential mixed-use" is block 43, where International Tower will sit. The Hines residential high-rise will sit on block 44, just across from International Tower.

https://www.ida-downtown.org/eweb/docs/2011%20Speaker%20Pres/Open%20space%20planning-Houston%20Hoogeboom.pdf

Edited September 12, 2013 by Urbannizer

[LTAWACS]

It would be pretty awesome if they found a way to connect discovery green and the midtown superblock/park with whole blocks devoted to parks. Sorta like a continuous greenbelt.

[allynwest]

That Days Inn takes up so much of the view from the Pierce Elevated. It's too bad. Were that knocked down and converted into a park, or even a parking lot, the view of Downtown would improve dramatically.

[asubrt]

I remember seeing the parking lot on that block high-lighted for residential from a pdf file link Lockmat sent me last week, but I didn't make much of it because it was created in late 2011.

 

 

I also vaguely recall that there was talk of a residential development on the other half of the new Houston Ballet facility block (Smith/Preston/Louisiana/Congress). But that's not highlighted on your map, and I would be shocked if that one went up along with this one and the Hines apartment tower.

[Subdude]

What would be optimal would be if the adjacent parking garage could be demolished or rehabbed.  The construction of that garage did a lot to destroy the old character of Market Square.

 

 

[Howard Huge]

What would be optimal would be if the adjacent parking garage could be demolished or rehabbed. The construction of that garage did a lot to destroy the old character of Market Square.

That would be poetic justice. Everything comes full circle.

[infinite_jim]

I heard last night that this site is cursed by Warren of "Warren's" fame. 

 

http://downtownhouston.org/news/article/back-future/

 

But the demolition that causes the most pain today is probably that of Warren’s Inn (316 Milam) in 1988. Warren was Warren Trousdale, whose first downtown bar was called Ali Baba (823 Congress). According to his sister, Carolyn Wenglar, who now owns and manages both La Carafe and the current Warren’s Inn, Trousdale managed to buy the Bethje-Lang building (where Warren’s was located), after the Ali Baba building was demolished.  

As the owner, Trousdale was probably feeling safe operating the old building he loved so much. But as early as 1982, the Chronicle reported that a development company that wanted to build an office building and parking garage was attempting to buy the property. Trousdale is quoted as saying, “I told them they’d have to build over me because I won’t sell. We need some old buildings left, something for future generations to see besides steel and glass – something old and dear, like these buildings.”  

With its large statues representing the four seasons (left over from the previous occupant, Les Quatre Saisons) and its beautifully aged atmosphere, Warren’s Inn was a building that many Houstonians held close to their hearts. 

That’s why the news that Trousdale had finally sold the property to Guardian Savings came as an unwelcome surprise. Why had he sold? Those closest to him said that he had been the subject of a campaign of harassment.  

“Somebody – we don’t know who – was putting t-shirts in his toilets (to clog them). They even put cement in his sewer,” says his sister. She’s kept the current Warren’s Inn alive “in a little bit of tribute” to her brother, who was “quite a guy.”  

Ultimately deprived of a sewer connection, Trousdale sold the property and moved across Market Square. He died in 1988, not long after Guardian Savings demolished the building – without taking out the proper permits.  

Not long after, the oil bust caught up to Guardian Savings and it went bankrupt. “Maybe there was a little bit of karma there,” Wenglar says with a tiny note of triumph in her voice.

 

[Subdude]

I remember that now.  The old bars on the Louisiana side of Market Square were demolished without notice late one night.  Not our city's proudest moment imo.

 

 

[Alec]

The city will need to do alot more with that end of downtown besides tossing up a park.  The Greyhoud station NEEDS to be closed, demolished, and rebuilt elsewhere (Intermodal Terminal to also replace the Amtrak Shack too).  

 

The area could be vastly improved if a new park was placed on one of the remaining surface lots near Bell and Travis. That's where the residential development is, so bring the parks to the people. The other advantage to that location is that Pierce Elevated could serve as a natural territorial signifier once respectable folk move in on the North side, so no need to close down the Greyhound station. For those that don't believe that people pay attention to landmarks like that and know what side they belong on, look at Spur 527 (or as I call it, Ghetto-Fabulous Ave., since it's side and *FABULOUS* on the other.)

[Texasota]

The area could be vastly improved if a new park was placed on one of the remaining surface lots near Bell and Travis. That's where the residential development is, so bring the parks to the people. The other advantage to that location is that Pierce Elevated could serve as a natural territorial signifier once respectable folk move in on the North side, so no need to close down the Greyhound station. For those that don't believe that people pay attention to landmarks like that and know what side they belong on, look at Spur 527 (or as I call it, Ghetto-Fabulous Ave., since it's side and *FABULOUS* on the other.)

Um. You're not serious are you? Exactly which side of the spur is "ghetto," the historic district or the $1500/month apartments? It's more mixed closer to 59, but that's true on both sides, and development is happening on both sides.

 

As for the pierce elevated being a "territorial signifier;" development is stretching north along Main. Particularly once MATCH and the superblock are built, that leaves, what, 3 blocks? Come on. 

 

Development is continually creeping toward that Greyhound Station (and, for that matter, that horrrible Mcdonalds) from ALL sides. 

[cloud713]

I'm hoping the CoH is scouting sites for a new park in southeast downtown and buys a a piece of land soon before prices get too high. This is one more piece of evidence of the value of parks in this new urban minded development Houston is having. 

hey Lockmat, i just found some interesting/exciting information in a PDF type file Urbannizer linked in another page for another reason..

about a quarter of the way down it starts talking about Southern Downtown, and the need for more "urban green space" in that area, and even has a few parks (only single block at the most though) in the area, including one on the plot i had proposed, 2 blocks south of the Toyota Center Garage. it looks like another park designated area is in fact the Days Inn site, as someone mentioned.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54482015/CHI%20Breakfast%20Presentation%20for%20publication.pdf

Edited September 15, 2013 by cloud713

[ArchFan]

...  it looks like another park designated area is in fact the Days Inn site, as someone mentioned

 

if this is truly a possibility, I am willing to consider praying for it, even though that would be against my nature!  :-)

[cloud713]

(sorry to keep this thread off topic) haha. they definitely have the Days Inn shaded in green (Park Space as the key indicates). my only problem with that is that there is really only one lot surrounding the park that can be developed (the lot to the east, along Main), so it wouldnt bring much new development. it would be a great addition for the area though. the park space 2 blocks south of the Toyota Center parking garage seems like it will have the most potential, as there are at least 4 blocks surrounding that site that can be developed, and a few partial lots. to me that seems like the most exciting potential new park in downtown. it could be the pendulum shift that finally brings development to this long ignored section of downtown.

[lockmat]

I'm hoping the CoH is scouting sites for a new park in southeast downtown and buys a a piece of land soon before prices get too high. This is one more piece of evidence of the value of parks in this new urban minded development Houston is having.

hey Lockmat, i just found some interesting/exciting information in a PDF type file Urbannizer linked in another page for another reason..

about a quarter of the way down it starts talking about Southern Downtown, and the need for more "urban green space" in that area, and even has a few parks (only single block at the most though) in the area, including one on the plot i had proposed, 2 blocks south of the Toyota Center Garage. it looks like another park designated area is in fact the Days Inn site, as someone mentioned.https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54482015/CHI%20Breakfast%20Presentation%20for%20publication.pdf

Yeah...in the southern downtown plan I believe they designated a block for a park. Hopefully the coh puts some money on the table soon.

[DNAguy]

hey Lockmat, i just found some interesting/exciting information in a PDF type file Urbannizer linked in another page for another reason..

about a quarter of the way down it starts talking about Southern Downtown, and the need for more "urban green space" in that area, and even has a few parks (only single block at the most though) in the area, including one on the plot i had proposed, 2 blocks south of the Toyota Center Garage. it looks like another park designated area is in fact the Days Inn site, as someone mentioned.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54482015/CHI%20Breakfast%20Presentation%20for%20publication.pdf

 

I'm curious, are the 'schemes' discussed in regards to I45 in downtown being taken seriously by TxDOT. The idea of tunneling 45 south and re-routing 45 N along 59 would be a great for downtown. 

[cloud713]

I'm curious, are the 'schemes' discussed in regards to I45 in downtown being taken seriously by TxDOT. The idea of tunneling 45 south and re-routing 45 N along 59 would be a great for downtown. 

completely agreed. im really hoping they are being taken seriously, though i realize they would be the most expensive alternative and most likely we would get one of the cheaper, non underground versions. it would be great to get some parks over the freeway connecting downtown with midtown and the east end.

[Texasota]

Yeah those freeway schemes are definitely the most interesting part of that document, assuming of course that they have any chance of happening

[cloud713]

heres that map showing the Days Inn site as park space, along with a new park 2 blocks south of the toyota center garage.

[Triton]

This reminds me of Simcity. The parks always help.

[Urbannizer]

463 residential units.

[Subdude]

If this gets built, along with the Hines project a block away, it could really transform the neighborhood with a solid base of residential.

 

 

 

[H-Town Man]

463 residential units.

Fantastic. Average for res high rises here seems slightly over 300, so that's quite a number.

Anything else? Source?

[Urbannizer]

Fantastic. Average for res high rises here seems slightly over 300, so that's quite a number.

Anything else? Source?

 

In this thread, I mentioned that a 463-unit high-rise will be applying for TIRZ funding. The Downtown TIRZ agenda gives the location, Block 35. 

 

01142014_JOINT_BOD_MEETING_AGENDA.pdf

[Subdude]

463 units, presumably on top of a parking garage, on a half-block.  This is going to have to be pretty tall! 

 

 

[LTAWACS]

Hopefully it will be taller than the Huntingdon. And I hope it gets a really unique crown/spire.

[Naviguessor]

Maybe it's already been stated elsewhere...but I can't find it.  Which block is #35?

[Subdude]

Maybe it's already been stated elsewhere...but I can't find it.  Which block is #35?

 

Louisiana, Preston, Milam, Congress.  The west side of Market Square.

[cloud713]

Should be fun watching this and Hines market square tower rising simultaneously so close to each other.. Now if we could just get someone to lease international tower so that can get built too.. Haha

[Houston19514]

Awesome news! 

[ClutchCity]

Is there really a chance this is taller than 35 stories? Would be pretty cool, although I'm interested in how all these towers might affect Market Square if they are all built.

[LTAWACS]

In the summer those future towers will provide badly needed shade.

[arche_757]

Could be a lot of smaller floor plans?  If it is really 450+ units then we could see something 40-50 floors in height if they're going to have average sized floor plans for hte units?  But then I just read an article about smaller units are the new normal because apartment developers think that's what apartment dwellers want!  Will have to wait and see.

[cloud713]

Although that PDF file a while back said it would be 35 stories, it's intriguing to think it could be even taller. How many units are in Hines building? Should be interesting to see where they put the pool since it's on half a block and can't have a large podium. Maybe similar to Westin memorial city with an extra high open air floor in the middle of the tower, or like Skyhouse and put it on the roof (making it by far the highest pool in the city if I'm not mistaken)..

[por favor gracias]

The Hines building is supposed to be 33 stories and have 289 units.

 

http://swamplot.com/a-first-look-at-some-of-the-33-story-apartment-tower-hines-wants-to-build-in-market-square/2013-08-22/

[HoustonIsHome]

Let's build them NOW!

[LTAWACS]

I agree Houstonishome... the more the merrier!

[Urbannizer]

This one is now 40-floors, the developer is BMS, Spring 2017 completion date (#3). The garage on this block will be redeveloped.

http://downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2014-01-16/140114_Current_Projects_11x17.pdf

[cloud713]

YESSS!!! about time downtown gets a 40 story residential tower.. 
will the garage be torn down, or just built around/maybe enlarged a bit, and reworked to connect into the new tower? if the garage will only be on half the block (and not enlarged to become a podium taking up the whole block or something), i wonder what will be on the lower floors of the tower that are butted up against the garage. should be interesting to see what they do with the garage..

[Sky-guy]

Isn't one park place 40 floors?

[monarch]

Isn't one park place 40 floors?

 

Actually, OPP is only 37 floors.  But still beautiful.

 

[The Pragmatist]

YESSS!!! about time downtown gets a 40 story residential tower.. 

will the garage be torn down, or just built around/maybe enlarged a bit, and reworked to connect into the new tower? if the garage will only be on half the block (and not enlarged to become a podium taking up the whole block or something), i wonder what will be on the lower floors of the tower that are butted up against the garage. should be interesting to see what they do with the garage..

 

Well, according to that PDF, it says "...and renovation of existing garage." While it doesn't answer much, it would seem that they do plan to keep it and change it. I'd assume that they would try to make it mesh well with the tower portion.

[cloud713]

I like how downtown is slowly becoming encircled with residential high rises.. For some reason residential towers usually seem more interesting to look at IMO. Were getting a healthy amount on the south side, soon to have another cluster going up on the south east, OPP, the planned residential behind Marriott Marquis and the rumored ritz w/ residential on the east side, fingers and the 28 story on the north east side, and now this one and Hines 33 story on the north/north west side.. Right now the west side is the only part of downtown not seeing residential activity, but I bet if they eliminated pierce elevated/45 on the west side of downtown and were able to develop that land under it that they would build a couple residential high rises there too.. Another one of my fantasies.. Haha