sevfiv Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Some Swamplot coverage: http://swamplot.com/excavators-finally-come-for-the-oft-rejected-hogan-allnoch-building-downtown/2015-12-11/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HNathoo Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Not bad - $155psf + demo costs. Some Swamplot coverage: http://swamplot.com/excavators-finally-come-for-the-oft-rejected-hogan-allnoch-building-downtown/2015-12-11/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 It's that final dollar that pushed the winner's bid over the edge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 It's that final dollar that pushed the winner's bid over the edge The Price is Right style. Nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Short term? Parking lot. Long term? Boutique Hotel. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Old-downtown-building-sold-and-demolished-with-6692023.php Could end up being another Hampton Inn/Embassy Suites scenario whenever it moves forward. Same developer "We're visiting with several brands, exploring concepts and visiting with our architects to see what we can do there," said Nick Massad Jr., president and CEO of Houston-based American Liberty Hospitality, which owns other downtown hotels and has construction underway on another property nearby. He said the hotel could perhaps have a restaurant and small deli/grocery on the first floor. It could be a couple of years before construction starts. Until then, the site may be used for parking. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Oh my gosh that's terrible. Worse possible developer that could have bought it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Could we as a community possibly petition this developer to hold to a certain level of architecture? I'm not talking about taking them to court but at least saying "hey can you please not build the crap you usually build." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pragmatist Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Short term? Parking lot. Long term? Boutique Hotel. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Old-downtown-building-sold-and-demolished-with-6692023.php Could end up being another Hampton Inn/Embassy Suites scenario whenever it moves forward. Same developer This news should provide an outsize level of consternation here on HAIF. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LarryDierker Posted December 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted December 12, 2015 early rendering: 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 ^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 It would have been nice if they had kept the facade somehow while it was a parking lot... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 The future isn't Soylent Green. It's beige synthetic stucco. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube88 Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 If that is the rendering then we should expect this.... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 So according to the article, the block was purchased by Joni Anderson-Ballis, who is doing a ground lease to American Liberty Hospitality. Curiously enough, Joni Anderson-Ballis is also the owner of the Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites land. So she must have some arrangement with ALH. That name Anderson... I wonder if she is an heiress of Monroe Dunaway Anderson. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 No she is married to John Ballis who spent time in prison for savings and loan kickbacks.. Someone posted the story on here somewhere. It's a very thorough history of Ballis, who is good friends with Akeem Olajuwon, I'm sorry to say. Isn't this the group that built the embassy suites in Discovery Green also? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 If that is the rendering then we should expect this....I would like to see a hotel that looked like a monopoly piece...but it would have to look good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Wow so the other building that houses the Urban League is at risk now? WTH!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 No she is married to John Ballis who spent time in prison for savings and loan kickbacks..Someone posted the story on here somewhere. It's a very thorough history of Ballis, who is good friendswith Akeem Olajuwon, I'm sorry to say.Isn't this the group that built the embassy suites in Discovery Green also? Ok but the article said that he manages her money. So she seems to come from wealth, which made me think Anderson family. Yes, they built that too but she doesn't seem to own the land there unless it's under an entity name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 ^^^^^^ Looks like a nice place to put up a beige, synthetic stucco, box. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 At this rate the Eastern side of town will become stucco city. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 (edited) Take me down to Stucco city Where the weather's warm and nothin's pretty Edited December 18, 2015 by cspwal 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 Subdivision plat filed for this one. SubdivisionPlatPDF_Texas Avenue Reserve_2018-03-05.pdf 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 Awesome! I drive by this site everyday and can't wait to see what is developed here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 This will be a... parking garage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 please tell me this is a joke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 Wow this is ridiculous 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 nooooooooooooooooooooooooo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 I can't believe that is the highest and best use of this piece of land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablog Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 Although I agree that this is awful news, a parking garage like the Lyric Center one would not be bad. We will just have to wait to see what the renderings look like. Cant believe that building was torn down for that though 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 What a joke. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttuchris Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 It is probably parking for the Cambria Hotel going in across the street. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 3 hours ago, Nole23 said: please tell me this is a joke I wish but no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanize713 Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 Is it tied to the Astros ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skooljunkie Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 Is the garage boutique at least? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 The Astros could be ground leasing the land from the Ballises to build this. They probably need to make serious moves to preserve parking near the stadium, but there are so many more appropriate sites further north. It would benefit the Astros to have a grand streetscape approaching Minute Maid; why shit in your own pool? I always thought Texas Avenue was kind of a "signature street," or at least was evolving into one, but I guess such a thing is impossible without zoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 Hmmmm... Haven't we been hearing something about the parking lots across 59? One lot is gone to the new expansion. I know it sucks but maybe this parking garage actually makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 23 minutes ago, skooljunkie said: Is the garage boutique at least? Good one 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Triton said: Hmmmm... Haven't we been hearing something about the parking lots across 59? One lot is gone to the new expansion. I know it sucks but maybe this parking garage actually makes sense. parking garage here absolutely makes sense - a lot of astros lots will be meeting their maker soon, especially when the 59 construction begins. i would think a garage isn't simply a luxury for them at this point but an absolute necessity, especially one on the main thoroughfare leading to the ballpark. curious if this is one of the lots crane owns around MMP or as someone else mentioned if they're ground leasing this. although i'd certainly wish we'd start paying more attention to the aesthetic of these structures. they may be a necessary evil but that doesn't mean we shouldn't attempt to make them an interesting part of the streetscape. like why not continue the red brick motif to create a stronger sense of place? it's amazing to me that the developers in this city willingly ignore obvious details like this so routinely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 Can that please be a retail spot on the ground floor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 20 hours ago, swtsig said: although i'd certainly wish we'd start paying more attention to the aesthetic of these structures. they may be a necessary evil but that doesn't mean we shouldn't attempt to make them an interesting part of the streetscape. like why not continue the red brick motif to create a stronger sense of place? it's amazing to me that the developers in this city willingly ignore obvious details like this so routinely. Oh I'm sure they notice then they notice how much they can save by not using a nice facade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 1 hour ago, jmitch94 said: Oh I'm sure they notice then they notice how much they can save by not using a nice facade. the price differential to add brick facade, at least just to the Texas Ave facing side and around both southern corners would not be significant. i'm certainly not opposed to being pragmatic about costs but these types of missed opportunities are really inexplicable in situations like this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 I am going to hold out hope that this is an interim use until freeway construction is finished and downtown residential market improves. 10 year ground lease to Astros, then tear down and build a high rise. That is my hope. The typical cheerful throng of pedestrians along Texas Avenue on game day is going to have a lot of cars pushing through them as they enter and exit the garage. There is a reason why the big boy cities do not allow curb cuts on nice pedestrian streets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 More attention was paid to the visuals of the cars flying by on Texas Ave. than the actual design of this garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Two steps forward... getting run over by someone exiting an ugly garage to speed back to the burbs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vy65 Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparrow Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 If building a garage on one property means getting rid of a parking lot or two on others, I can get behind it. Frankly, I almost wish the next Downtown initiative would be just that--build about a dozen large parking garages Downtown to reduce the "it's too expensive to park Downtown" barrier. If the empty lots keep making heaps of money by being a surface parking lot, where's the incentive to improve the land? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 (edited) The last thing downtown needs is more parking garages. For one thing, there is still a subset of suburbanites who will look for surface parking first, and only consider a parking garage if they have no other choice. Surface lots will always make money. There are ways to discourage hanging on to surface lots (beyond just market forces), but they'd have to come from the city. And even then, some people are just stubborn and don't like change. As long as their nasty surface lot is making money, they'll keep sitting on it until they die. Edited December 6, 2018 by Texasota 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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