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Their aim is to bring more people that work there to live closer to there. Also they are really pushing to add more hotels and general walkability to the area. Large concentration type developments like this is a start. I fully see just a mixed use development to help diversify the area. Not everything that goes here has to be a hospital, Just like not everything has to be super tall in downtown, nor does everything in the galleria have to do with shopping. It's one the great hold overs from modernist planning, drastic separation of city functions, that is going to be the great fight in how we plan American cities in the future. Houston being the extreme case of this. I mean other than people having to stay late at hospitals....the area like our commercial districts becomes a ghost town after 5-6pm till 6-7am. That's a lot of wasted space which could be more diverse and multi-functional which is the direction that cities around the world are taking and so should we.

 

I'm sure there is a more refined version of this in the works as this is very much conceptual.

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Their aim is to bring more people that work there to live closer to there. Also they are really pushing to add more hotels and general walkability to the area. Large concentration type developments like this is a start. I fully see just a mixed use development to help diversify the area. Not everything that goes here has to be a hospital, Just like not everything has to be super tall in downtown, nor does everything in the galleria have to do with shopping. It's one the great hold overs from modernist planning, drastic separation of city functions, that is going to be the great fight in how we plan American cities in the future. Houston being the extreme case of this. I mean other than people having to stay late at hospitals....the area like our commercial districts becomes a ghost town after 5-6pm till 6-7am. That's a lot of wasted space which could be more diverse and multi-functional which is the direction that cities around the world are taking and so should we.

I'm sure there is a more refined version of this in the works as this is very much conceptual.

That's a very good point. Just because it's the Medical Center" doesn't mean it has to just be hospitals. A nice mixture of office, residential and medical would be awesome.
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It would be nice to see the tall tower be a supertall for condominiums, or at least the top portion where the floor plates are smaller.  It can be Houston's version of a John Hancock Center, but this one will be white with round corners, no antenna (would be nice with one though) and with a more dense exterior "X" frame.

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  • 5 months later...
  • 1 month later...

these illustrations, remind me somewhat of RIVER OAKS DISTRICT, before it was scaled back enormously.  shall houston's current economy support such an ultra ambitious development?  upon my most honest opinion, it's quite groovy.  however, an enormous / glamorous fantasy......

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these illustrations, remind me somewhat of RIVER OAKS DISTRICT, before it was scaled back enormously.  shall houston's current economy support such an ultra ambitious development?  upon my most honest opinion, it's quite groovy.  however, an enormous / glamorous fantasy......

 

Of course this is most likely on-hold/cancelled, but I believe at some point this was an actual proposal in-development.

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I'm not sure why a development like this in this area would be considered a risk. It's near the med center... so no worries about oil prices, there is nothing like this around, and you have a huge swath of young med professionals with money to spend that want housing nearby. Plus, the connection to the bike trail would be a big selling point.

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Ditto, Nate.  I do not have realistic expectations for removal of any of the concrete, but steps can be made to improve functionality and aesthetics.  Hopefully someday there is an initiative from the medical center - makes sense given its potential as a bike route for the area.  In its current state its certainly usable but the stretch through the med center itself is pretty unappealing.  I've taken a stroller on the lower path a few times but given the homeless under the bridges and the tendency towards sloping into the bayou (particularly under the bridges) it's not that great.  The upper trail is poorly paved in some areas and has awkward crossings @ both points along N Braeswood

 

West of Kirby or so (well, past the water treatment plant) there is more of a park-like element given the trees along the banks, and I know towards Hermann Park the trails are quite nice

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I sure hope Brays bayou is next up after Buffalo. It wouldn't have to be on a major scale like buffalo, but at least get rid of the concrete and maybe make it more open park-like with a trail with less thrills than buffalo.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think the concrete is going anywhere any time soon.

 

Where on Brays Bayou are you referring to?  Trails have already been installed from at least from Gessner to MacGregor Park.

 

Project Brays

 

Bayou Greenways - Brays Bayou

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I sure hope Brays bayou is next up after Buffalo. It wouldn't have to be on a major scale like buffalo, but at least get rid of the concrete and maybe make it more open park-like with a trail with less thrills than buffalo.

Even with the concrete, something like this would be incredible at the edge of the water:

http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/11/cleaning-up-urban-waterways-with-manmade-islands/382820/

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These guys have held this land for decades at this point, while adding some parcels over the years.  They appear to be in no rush...  If I recall correctly they held the land for Springwoods Village for nearly 50 years though the situation isn't completely comparable.  I was just hoping for some activity by the Super Bowl in 2017 but it appears that's not in the cards

 

I'm still betting on an awesome development here someday until I see a for sale sign

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I sure hope Brays bayou is next up after Buffalo. It wouldn't have to be on a major scale like buffalo, but at least get rid of the concrete and maybe make it more open park-like with a trail with less thrills than buffalo.

 

I did some more digging on "Project Brays" today and finally realized that they are widening the channel one segment at a time heading west...  Lidstone to Calhoun is apparently about to start, followed by Bertner to Buffalo Speedway which is going to start early next year (Project Brays website is outdated).  I found a document from 2004 stating that retaining walls would probably be used nearly Main & Kirby (can't find link now)

 

Here's an excerpt from the Braeswood Place newsletter from earlier this year:

 

Project Brays: At the January meeting of the Brays Bayou Association, I talked to Gary Zika, Project Brays Program Manager, with regard to the widening of the Brays Bayou channel through Braeswood Place. He said that originally the plan was to widen the channel from Bertner Street in the Texas Medical Center to Buffalo Speedway. The plan now is to extend the widening a distance of 2200 feet west of Buffalo Speedway to the outfall on the south bank at the foot (north end) of Bevlyn Street. The Bevlyn outfall is a natural break point and is a good location to end of this phase of the project. Gary estimated start of construction will begin in about a year and will then take a year to complete. There are some obstacles to overcome, particularly with regard to loss of a number of trees due to widening the top of the bank by 25 feet. There are several "memorial" trees that will have to be dealt with as well as the small park on the north bank east of the West University waste treatment facility at Kirby. However, HCFCD will utilize its tree program following this phase of the project and replace any trees lost during construction. Bridge replacement is not part of this phase of the project.

 

So the good news is this will almost assuredly mean new, cleaner trails.  Bad news is loss of some mature trees and...we'll still have the concrete.  No fancy dog parks just yet 

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@Okie,

I've heard from a super neighborhood member that the bridges will be rebuilt as a second initiative and that funding was just secured. They were very excited because we should be getting much nicer trails and bridges that don't have columns underneath to allow faster flow of water and no debris to get caught. Bike trails will also go under the bridges to keep us bikers from having to get in traffic. Apparently it has been funded to Stella Link. Should we get another thread going for it? I'd love to find more official information about it. As you said, project brays website is unfortunately out of date.

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@Okie,

I've heard from a super neighborhood member that the bridges will be rebuilt as a second initiative and that funding was just secured. They were very excited because we should be getting much nicer trails and bridges that don't have columns underneath to allow faster flow of water and no debris to get caught. Bike trails will also go under the bridges to keep us bikers from having to get in traffic. Apparently it has been funded to Stella Link. Should we get another thread going for it? I'd love to find more official information about it. As you said, project brays website is unfortunately out of date.

 

If the bridges wind up like the new Cambridge St bridge that would be awesome.  Unfortunately, in their current state bridges like Kirby/Buffalo Speedway/etc have extremely narrow sidewalks - OK (but probably a bit harrowing) for a single runner, but that's about it

 

Hopefully the new bridge design would be somewhat less attractive to the homeless.  I swear one dude under the Greenbriar bridge (I think) has a full set of furniture down there.

 

I'm all for a new thread, surely someone on here is more in the know than we are

 

I did find the link to that more detailed study on Project Brays here

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Hopefully construction will not shut the trail down for too long. I depend on the trail for most of the places I bike to.

 

 

 

 

Hopefully the new bridge design would be somewhat less attractive to the homeless.  I swear one dude under the Greenbriar bridge (I think) has a full set of furniture down there.

 

I seen the guy with a couch, end tables, and a radio.

His neighbour from a few bridges down has a grill.

15383707989_109910bc2e_b.jpgIMG_1430 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

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Interesting that they have no home but all the touches of home. Perhaps they used an exterior decorator? :P

 

Dude, rent is expensive!

 

I did some more digging on "Project Brays" today and finally realized that they are widening the channel one segment at a time heading west...  Lidstone to Calhoun is apparently about to start, followed by Bertner to Buffalo Speedway which is going to start early next year (Project Brays website is outdated).  I found a document from 2004 stating that retaining walls would probably be used nearly Main & Kirby (can't find link now)

 

Here's an excerpt from the Braeswood Place newsletter from earlier this year:

 

Project Brays: At the January meeting of the Brays Bayou Association, I talked to Gary Zika, Project Brays Program Manager, with regard to the widening of the Brays Bayou channel through Braeswood Place. He said that originally the plan was to widen the channel from Bertner Street in the Texas Medical Center to Buffalo Speedway. The plan now is to extend the widening a distance of 2200 feet west of Buffalo Speedway to the outfall on the south bank at the foot (north end) of Bevlyn Street. The Bevlyn outfall is a natural break point and is a good location to end of this phase of the project. Gary estimated start of construction will begin in about a year and will then take a year to complete. There are some obstacles to overcome, particularly with regard to loss of a number of trees due to widening the top of the bank by 25 feet. There are several "memorial" trees that will have to be dealt with as well as the small park on the north bank east of the West University waste treatment facility at Kirby. However, HCFCD will utilize its tree program following this phase of the project and replace any trees lost during construction. Bridge replacement is not part of this phase of the project.

 

So the good news is this will almost assuredly mean new, cleaner trails.  Bad news is loss of some mature trees and...we'll still have the concrete.  No fancy dog parks just yet 

 

What is the point of the widening? Same reasons they did it for Buffalo Bayou?

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Dude, rent is expensive!

 

 

What is the point of the widening? Same reasons they did it for Buffalo Bayou?

 

From what I've read Project Brays as a whole (including the widening and some new detention basins upstream) is supposed to remove most of the 100 year (1%) floodplain from homes and businesses along Brays Bayou.  Large areas of pricey real estate (including portions of West U) and the Med Center are currently in the floodplain, and based on the timing of this I would guess there was a push for something after TS Allison

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From what I've read Project Brays as a whole (including the widening and some new detention basins upstream) is supposed to remove most of the 100 year (1%) floodplain from homes and businesses along Brays Bayou.  Large areas of pricey real estate (including portions of West U) and the Med Center are currently in the floodplain, and based on the timing of this I would guess there was a push for something after TS Allison

 

Not just that, but all our drainage bayous are undersized for the increased flow we're getting from all the development out west, Katy and beyond. Add to that a ground surface that's sinking due to subsidence. Plus, there's a drive now to reintroduce habitat and naturalize bayou flow paths. There's always going to be concrete in the lowest portion of the floodway (like Buffalo and White Oak Bayous near Heights), but they may bench above that with just dirt. Widening is going to depend a lot on the surrounding development, though, and they may have to concrete-line more of the bayou in areas where they can't widen it as much.

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  • 9 months later...

Hmmm, my random internet sleuthing may have turned up something on this...

 

It looks like 7200 Main Corporation purchased the Saint Nicholas School land in late December - I believe this was the last remaining parcel that would give them the full area as depicted in the renderings.  I'm not great at understanding the various documents but a search on the county clerk website yielded the following:

 

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I took the following screen cap from the "Main Place at Greenbriar" plat map from the 1/23/2014 planning commission meeting which shows the land in question:

 

tldQC0e.png?1

 

I've recently noticed a lot of survey markings and some holes dug up on the side of Main along this stretch - I assume it is just coincidental since they continue up Main towards Holcombe, but who knows

 

Wow so I am an architecture student that is not familiar with the Houston area, and was so looking forward to using that site for a potential use for my Comprehensive Design Studio. Thanks for the information.

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  • 2 weeks later...

From the Saint Nicholas School FB page -

 

SAINT NICHOLAS III 

DEVELOPMENT 
Taeken, Ltd. is purchasing a 46.82 Acre tract on South Main next to the Menninger Clinic for the purpose of developing a new campus for Saint Nicholas School, in the midst of a nature related multi-use and multi-generational community. It is a wooded tract with a planned lake and nature theme. Nature trails, biking, and golf cart paths are planned, according to Margot Heard, General Partner. CDA Architects, Ray A. Duerer, President, are the architects for the project.
THE SCHOOL
The anchor school site will be developed on 25 acres with a planned building of 38,000 sf, including a gym and chapel. The classrooms will have individual courtyards. The planned enrollment is 375 students through middle school. The school is designed to be small for personal attention and quality of teaching. 
The main school garden will be based on the 18th century English gardens, a ferme ornee, or “ornamented farm”. This farm concept is classical from Roman times and Thomas Jefferson took these ideas from English gardens to Montecello.
The school will have fields for elementary and middle school students for soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, and cross-country. The gym will provide space for basketball, ballet, tennis, and martial arts. Facilities can be made available to other private schools and homeschool groups. 
The chapel will seat 250 and will be designed to support a Choir School of students and faculty in the English tradition. Daily sung services will be available to the community. A pipe organ is being designed and built for the chapel by Fritz Noack in Andover, Massachusetts. The organ will have a glassed interior wall with walk-through space for students, organists, and visitors to see the working parts of the organ. Only one other organ in the world, located in the Netherlands, is known to have this feature.
CONDOMINIUM AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
A developer will offer mid-rise Condominium space with valet parking, package handling, and other personal services. Single family townhomes will offer garden layouts, playgrounds, pools, and a pet park.
MULTI-USE SPACE
Multi-use space will be available for restaurants, professional offices, retail, and multi-family. Included will be a small indoor Farmer’s Market featuring fresh produce and eggs, as well as Certified Grassfed Beef from the Lazy A Ranch, from both British White and Akaushi cattle. Cooking demonstrations and activities will be offered. 
Currently in design, the project is scheduled to open the new Saint Nicholas School campus on or before December, 2018. Saint Nicholas School currently operates at 1920 N. Braeswood in the Texas Medical Center. Information about the school is available at SNSchools.com.

 

Sounds like the school is definitely moving, and will be part of some unknown (?) new mixed-use development further down South Main

Edited by OkieEric
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An article from Feb. 2014, tells us the history of this property. It also mentions that vertical development is highly likely. 

 

On January 23, 2014 the Houston Planning Commission approved a replat of 8.4 acres along Main Street between Pressler and Greenbriar into a single parcel in preparation for redevelopment this year. The parcel now known as Main Place does not include the St. Nicholas School property, yet it is still perhaps the largest undeveloped site in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) area. This tract was originally part of Braeswood (Section 1a) and was graced by several architecturally significant homes dating from the 1920s and 30s. These homes were demolished one by one over several decades after the deed restrictions lapsed in the 1950s. One of the last of the great homes to fall was most recently used to house the old Red Lion Pub at 7315 Main Street. Sadly, the building was heavily damaged by a fire in the early 1990s and could not be saved. The last building to come down was The Stables Restaurant at the corner of Main and Greenbriar in 2007. Years ago, the northern end of the tract also housed the Shamrock Movie Theaters and the heli-pad for the old Shamrock Hilton Hotel. The land is now owned by CDC Houston, the company that is also developing a large scale housing project next to the new Exxon campus in the Woodlands. CDC’s Keith Simon says that the company is considering various combinations of uses for the site such as ground floor retail and a hotel, but there are no definite plans at this time. In an article in the Houston Business Journal in 2006, the former owner anticipated that the eventual sales price of the land would result in developers going vertical with residential or medical buildings.

 

http://208.131.147.23/oldbraeswood/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/OB_Feb2014_News_Final.pdf

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  • 2 months later...

Some more detail on this in a recent HOK publication - nothing new in terms of those renderings (despite the super-imposed image of downtown instead of the medical center!), but the 2nd page has some additional description about their concept

 

https://issuu.com/hoknetwork/docs/hok_master_planning__landscape_arch/126

 

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  • 9 months later...
5 hours ago, Urbannizer said:

Update: A request has been made to abandon the dead-end stretch of N Braeswood.

 

http://swamplot.com/n-braeswood-dealing-with-abandonment-issues-as-saint-nicholas-school-preps-to-move-south/2017-02-21/

 

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Is street abandonment a long process?  Just curious as to the motivation to do it now when the school isn't moving until 2018.  Does a developer typically have to reveal anything regarding the plans as part of this process?  Just thinking back to Museo Plaza and the plans to abandon Palm.  I suspect there won't be much push back from the community on this one

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The City has a nice flowchart on the process.  If everything goes at full speed, the City believes the process should take 194 days (a bit more than 6 months).  My experience when dealing with the City is to double whatever timeframe they provide to budget time for those who might delay abandonment in order to get a settlement from the party seeking abandonment.  A link to that flowchart is below:

 

https://edocs.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/ecd/jrc/flowchart_abandonment_sale_of_right_of_way_and_alleys.pdf

 

So, I think it is wise to get the ball moving long in advance of whatever project one seeks to do.

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  • The title was changed to Mixed-Use Development At 7200 Main St.

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