Montrose1100 Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I'm surprised no one has posted this yet... http://realtynewsreport.com/2014/11/18/stream-partnership-buys-600-jefferson-tower-in-downtown-houston/ Quote "The upgrades will include renovating the exterior façade and lobby, upgrading finishes to Class A consistency and changing the building’s address." It would be a complete shame if they turned it into a glass box. The exterior could use some TLC, but why not just use that money for the interior/lobby? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 They better not touch the facade. It can be Class A with interior improvements. Exterior improvements are OK, if its mostly a good cleaning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 I mean really how does one make an exterior "Class A"? Unless it's the Heaven on Earth Days Inn, I don't see how this makes any sense. I wonder how much it would cost to renovate the exterior versus the interior? I'm sure it's a lot of money that would really improve the office spaces as well as some upgrades to the mechanics of the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 This building? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 This building? Yes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Here it is in 1964 ( I think). Lets call this the "Before" Edited November 19, 2014 by Purdueenginerd 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Here it is in 1964 ( I think). Lets call this the "Before" That's actually the building next to it, 500 Jefferson. I worked there years ago. 600 Jefferson is nearly identical except for the facade. Edited November 19, 2014 by jgriff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Purify Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I must be crazy because I think a new (presumably glass) facade would be great. It'd break up the monotony of those big off-white concrete blocks next to the Pierce and play well off of the federal building next door. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 I must be crazy because I think a new (presumably glass) facade would be great. It'd break up the monotony of those big off-white concrete blocks next to the Pierce and play well off of the federal building next door.A new glass facade would be great in addition to the area (new building, not re-facing the current), but you have blue glass close by - Chevron Tower, Federal Building, and soon Central Square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 That's actually the building next to it, 500 Jefferson. I worked there years ago. 600 Jefferson is nearly identical except for the facade. ah youre right. Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchFan Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 In the 1964 pic, its nice to see the St. Joseph's Professional Building before they applied the ugly grey/white/red paint job and the 10-story-high neon crosses on the facade. When I see the latter at night, I feel like I'm in some 3rd-world country. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 A Neuhaus & Taylor facade....and we will probably get another abomination like the new 800 Bell. Philistines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I had an office there for several months about 15 years ago, when the company I worked for was playing musical chairs with several departments due to severe space constraints at our usual location. They leased an entire floor (or possibly two) at 600 Jefferson for a year or so to accommodate the overflow while they were implementing a more permanent plan. It was great - I wound up with an enormous office that looked faintly ridiculous with only a desk and a couple of guest chairs in it, and was remarkably productive since our remote location almost totally killed the impromptu "drive-by" interruptions that were the bane of working in our main location's open-plan office space. Some of the interior spaces had seen better days back then, so I'm not too surprised to hear that they'll be doing some interior updates now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 Do you think 30-40 years from now some developers will strip down all these glass curtain revamps to a mock up stucco version of the original (JW Marriot)? I know the current design will never be as romanticized as Art Deco and other styles from that era, but surely by then these 60's and 70's style structures will be missed and appreciated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Here it is in 1964 ( I think). Lets call this the "Before" Staring into the face of "progress". Yuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchFan Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Another interesting thing from the pic is to see the houses to the right side of the Pierce Elevated Freeway, under construction. I don't remember those. We lived on the west side of Houston at the time. To get to Gulfgate Mall or Galveston, we used Highway 90 (now I-10) to go as far east as Westcott, then travelled on Washington Avenue to downtown. From there, I think we used Pierce Street to get to the Gulf Freeway. The part of the trip through downtown was interesting. It would have been about the time the Humble Building (Exxon Mobil) was being built. Humble had a gas station and auto mechanic operation on an adjacent block that was in an interesting structure with a design that was -- at the time I though it was Spanish Colonial but now I'm not sure what to call it -- similar to the structures still remaining from the expo in the Presidio area of San Francisco. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 To add insult to injury, the giant "F You 4th Ward" Allen Center garage was built on the two blocks to the left. It's interesting to see the substation has been there that long. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Those houses were leveled I think when the continental tower went up. It was a parking lot until recently, now theres construction for a believe 5-6 floor condos or apartments on those blocks. This picture looks like its right over Dallas Street. Where the bar "The Refinery" Is today. Side note, I like that bar. Hope it sticks around. Another interesting thing from the pic is to see the houses to the right side of the Pierce Elevated Freeway, under construction. I don't remember those. We lived on the west side of Houston at the time. To get to Gulfgate Mall or Galveston, we used Highway 90 (now I-10) to go as far east as Westcott, then travelled on Washington Avenue to downtown. From there, I think we used Pierce Street to get to the Gulf Freeway. The part of the trip through downtown was interesting. It would have been about the time the Humble Building (Exxon Mobil) was being built. Humble had a gas station and auto mechanic operation on an adjacent block that was in an interesting structure with a design that was -- at the time I though it was Spanish Colonial but now I'm not sure what to call it -- similar to the structures still remaining from the expo in the Presidio area of San Francisco. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2016/05/exclusive-downtown-tower-to-be-renovated-as.html Quote With Chicago-based United Airlines Inc. leaving its space at 600 Jefferson in downtown Houston and moving to 609 Main at the end of 2018, the owners are planning a revamp of the building. Stream Realty Partners LP and New York-based DRA Advisors LLC launched a tower renovation and rebrand that should wrap up a year before United leaves. Construction started in March and are planned to be finished in January 2017, a spokesperson for Dallas-based Stream told the Houston Business Journal. All in all, the building's two lobbies will get updated marble and granite ceilings, light fixtures and new furniture and art. A new conference center, tenant lounge and cafe will also be built. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Nice, they have been working on the inside of that building for a while now. I think the outside needs more than just a skirt though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Update: Looks like the building has been pressure washed and the see through glass is being replaced with a darkly tinted glass. It is lipstick on a pig but it is a nice shade of lipstick. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 On May 5, 2016 at 9:27 AM, Urbannizer said: http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2016/05/exclusive-downtown-tower-to-be-renovated-as.html Thats a familiar shade of lipstick on this pig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 It might be similar Tiger, but 600 J is a less attractive Pig than 811 L. The interior of that place has been a mess for well over a year. They took out the escalates and replaced it with stairs (like anyone is going to use it) they ripped out (or rather have been ripping out) the beige tile and replacing it with grey tile. But it looks like they have made very little progress in all this time. I overheard the firefighters say that they don't really work around business hours; doing very little in the evenings and weekends but almost completely hindering access. He said sometimes they block off the elevators to certain floors, so if you are going from 6 to 2, you would have to take it all the way down to one then walk to the garage and take the elevators there up to 2, then do the reverse to get back to work. Sometimes the entire front of the building is blocked off so you have to enter through the garage go up some, find a concorse, cross over to the main building then find the elevators to your appropriate floor. Continental folks must sure be happy they are leaving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) Has anyone heard anything about this project? Doesn't seem like a lot of money if the plan is to convert the whole building. https://www.arc-3.com Edited February 10, 2022 by hindesky 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate4l1f3 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 That number has to be wrong but I like the idea! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Wow that's fantastic. Especially nice to see some residential muscling in to the offices and parking garages part of downtown. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBTX Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 The building was sold last year, so I suspect something must be underway. https://realtynewsreport.com/downtown-houston-tower-sold-for-20-6-million/ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapo2367 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Love it! I wonder what the styling will be for the renovation. Sounds like an opportunity to do some cool retro vibes. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerNut Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 I wonder if there will be more of these with so many companies switching to wfh. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CREguy13 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 On 2/11/2022 at 9:52 AM, JBTX said: The building was sold last year, so I suspect something must be underway. https://realtynewsreport.com/downtown-houston-tower-sold-for-20-6-million/ Looks like the new buyer also owns 500 Jefferson next door. Would be awesome if there was a plan to convert both towers to residential. Imagine what that does to this area of downtown after they decommission the Pierce elevated and downtown seamlessly connects to this active corner of midtown. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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