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Convention Center Redevelopment, Office Building & W Hotel


Mab

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Some might be too expensive to retrofit, some aren't.  For example, trying to replace the circular staircase from the tunnel to Two Houston would undoubtedly be quite an undertaking, and would cost an arm and a leg.  However, many of the non compliant areas will also get fixed with the passage of time and renovations sufficient to trigger the update.  Examples:  An ADA compliant ramp was installed right on top of the existing stairs between the McKinney Place Garage and 1001 McKinney.  The Houston Club building had stairs going north into Chase and south into Esperson; it's reasonable to expect that whenever that tunnel hub reopens it will no longer have them.

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On 3/22/2016 at 1:55 PM, Houston19514 said:

Is there some reason tunnels are more difficult and cost-prohibitive on the east side of downtown compared to the west side of downtown?

the tunnels were built years ago?

are new buildings that weren't already part of the existing tunnel system spending the time/money to connect to the tunnel system?

is anyone building out the tunnels where none existed previously?

when was the last time the tunnel system was expanded?

Is 609 main, which is right across from a building that is connected to the tunnels (601 travis) connecting to the tunnel system? If that building, which is only across the street from a connection to the tunnels isn't going to connect in, how are buildings in the east going to connect? 

in any event, there won't be skyway connections either, there is a connection into discovery tower (hess, whatever) that makes its way to the shops, but the Marriott hasn't built a skyway connection to disco tower, so it isn't going to happen.

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2012-06-15/2012_Above__Below_Map.pdf

but, as it is, you will be able to walk inside, via skyway, from the Marriott down to the Hilton parking garage, so you only have to cross 1 street on the surface to get to the Toyota center.

Edited by samagon
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2 hours ago, samagon said:

are new buildings that weren't already part of the existing tunnel system spending the time/money to connect to the tunnel system?  In the case of office buildings, almost always.  I can't think of an office building built in the last 20 years that is not connected.  Not so much for hotels and even less so for residential buildings.

is anyone building out the tunnels where none existed previously?  Yes

when was the last time the tunnel system was expanded?  BG Group Place

Is 609 main, which is right across from a building that is connected to the tunnels (601 travis) connecting to the tunnel system? Yes

If that building, which is only across the street from a connection to the tunnels isn't going to connect in, how are buildings in the east going to connect? Premise is false because that building (609 Main) is going to connect to the tunnel system.

in any event, there won't be skyway connections either, there is a connection into discovery tower (hess, whatever) that makes its way to the shops, but the Marriott hasn't built a skyway connection to disco tower, so it isn't going to happen.  In general, it does not seem as important to hotels to be connected to the tunnel system as it is for office buildings.  Office buildings struggle to lease if they are not connected to the system (either via tunnels or skyways)

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2012-06-15/2012_Above__Below_Map.pdf

but, as it is, you will be able to walk inside, via skyway, from the Marriott down to the Hilton parking garage, so you only have to cross 1 street on the surface to get to the Toyota center.

 

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Perhaps when the GRB renovations are done, a lot of the events that are on the lawn right now will be in the plaza in front of GRB

As a downtown resident, having that lawn is important - we have too many large paved areas, even if it's permeable

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i dont know why am so excited about all this convention center news...maybe because i always thought this building was such an eyesore...so its just so cool to see that its becoming something better than it was. thanks for all the awesome updates and photos!!! 

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Didn't get any pics of this but some portions of ADLA are semi-completed on the northern side by the Mariott Marquis. New street layout & wider sidewalks with new pavers and spots for landscaping (yet to be added). I also spotted a few light fixtures here that may be part of the project too. Gives a good idea of what to expect when completed. 

Interior lower concourse of GRB also shows some work in the form of lighting & ceiling work in an attempt to modernize the look of the place. Some portions by Hall E looked complete (or close to) whereas other spots were clearly still a work in progress.

I really like what I saw and can't wait to see the finished products of ADLA, GRB, & the Mariott Marquis. 

Edited by tigereye
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I noticed those new pavers on the north side too (it seemed like only a narrow portion was complete though.. from the renderings I thought it was supposed to make more of a "plaza", extending closer to the Disco?). I guess i missed the new lights though. And I didn't make it into the GRB (were you allowed to go in without a pass?), but I did get a peek into the GRB/GHP skybridge and snapped a picture above Rusk.

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1 hour ago, cloud713 said:

I noticed those new pavers on the north side too (it seemed like only a narrow portion was complete though.. from the renderings I thought it was supposed to make more of a "plaza", extending closer to the Disco?). I guess i missed the new lights though. And I didn't make it into the GRB (were you allowed to go in without a pass?), but I did get a peek into the GRB/GHP skybridge and snapped a picture above Rusk.

The northern portion partially completed opens up to meet a 4 lane ADLA layout north of McKinney. But it is cut down from the sea of 8 useless lanes that used to be here, thus wider new sidewalks! The plaza area you're referring to is currently closed off and begins around the new main GRB entrance extending over to Hilton Américas. The lights fixtures were nothing fancy, black posts & canisters with slotted openings. I'll be in the area tomorrow and tweet out some pics. 

As for GRB - Final Four Fan Fest is being held here tbrought Monday. $10 a pop, free if you're a CapOne cardholder. 

Edited by tigereye
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1 hour ago, astros148 said:

as a downtown resident jesus IT FELT ALIVE! Downtown has so much damn potential, Kendrick lamar murdered it yesterday.  check out the crowd for his performance

 

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/live-stream-kendrick-lamars-performance-at-march-madness-music-festival-new-video.37165.html

 

Downtown needs more events like this please!

Just wait til the SuperBowl

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This lineup is better then anything the super bowl will throw. Kendrick lamar/pitbull/maroon 5/florida are a strong performance. Plus the final four crowd is much more lively then the older corporate crowd that the super bowl carters to.

Edited by astros148
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The concert was amazing. Astros148 is right, downtown has been so active and alive its been fantastic. Hopefully a glimpse of what downtown will be like once all the new units have residents in them.  

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Yea it's been amazing. I went to the concerts on friday then ventured over to the bars on main street and people were everywhere. Once all of the hotels are complete, new apartments, it will become the norm for a vibrate downtown. Larger conventions will come to town, more retail will follow. I. Can. Not. Wait!

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Re: the Kendrick Lamar performance, my mouth dropped when the cameras showed a panoramic shot of the convention district.  It was like a dream come true.  But when the crowd started jumping at the beginning of "Levitate," I literally got chills.  An amazing sight to behold.

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Houston really stepped it up for the march madness. They had a stacked lineup, I mean kendrick and Maroon 5 could headline any big festival. The weather has been amazing and everyone ive spoken to has fallen in love with houston this past weekend.

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32 minutes ago, Gator Purify said:

Re: the Kendrick Lamar performance, my mouth dropped when the cameras showed a panoramic shot of the convention district.  It was like a dream come true.  But when the crowd started jumping at the beginning of "Levitate," I literally got chills.  An amazing sight to behold.

Could you believe that Kendrick lamar or any headliner would be performing AT DISCOVERY GREEN 5 years ago. Jesus its beautiful

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4 hours ago, astros148 said:

This lineup is better then anything the super bowl will throw. Kendrick lamar/pitbull/maroon 5/florida are a strong performance. Plus the final four crowd is much more lively then the older corporate crowd that the super bowl carters to.

I don't know. The Super Bowl weekend socially is far more popular with those same artists than the Final Four. There will be more parties around town and in downtown I bet for that weekend. Similar to the NBA all star weekend I would imagine.

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I think they'll have to change something for Super Bowl because this weekend has shown that we've already outgrown DG for larger events like this. It was nuts Downtown and really cool... but they maxed out capacity quickly. Perhaps multiple stages around town is the solution?

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2 hours ago, brian0123 said:

I think they'll have to change something for Super Bowl because this weekend has shown that we've already outgrown DG for larger events like this. It was nuts Downtown and really cool... but they maxed out capacity quickly. Perhaps multiple stages around town is the solution?

I say an other stage a Buffalo Bayou Park. Force people to check out that side and they will flood Montrose, etc 

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