Museo Institute For The Medical Arts In The Museum District

[EllenOlenska]

O please, o please, o please. It'll look so cool.

[The Pragmatist]

43 minutes ago, cloud713 said:

Urb.. April fools was 5 days ago. Don't tease us like this!

Heh. Is this still moving forward as originally envisioned? This would be absolutely amazing..

Don't you know? In a leap year, you celebrate it on the 6th.

[Texasota]

This was originally multiple lots that they are converting into a single lot (which apparently includes abandoning the street and incorporating its ROW into the lot.)

 

You know...I like this project. I do. But the city needs to start being a lot more careful about abandoning ROW. Yes, these individual blocks of side streets are not that big of a deal (individually), but the city really needs to get something from the developer out of it. Like money. Or maintaining a pedestrian cut-through. Or low-income housing. SOMETHING. This land is not worth nothing.

 

Edit: OK, looking at the site plan I see they're basically just converting it into a private street, but then, why is that ok? Why is the city just abandoning their authority over the street, if it's not even meaningfully necessary for the development's design?

Edited April 7, 2016 by Texasota

[cspwal]

Especially if it's not necessary for the development's design 

What are the rules for a private street?  What are the advantages to the developer?  What do we as the public lose?

[cloud713]

I can't answer most of those questions, but that street dead ends at Main, so I don't see the big deal with "abandoning" it..

[Texasota]

And now it will dead end at Fannin, so we can abandon that block. And then it will dead end at San Jacinto, so we can abandon that block. And so on.

[cranky]

There was a neighborhood association meeting yesterday but I could not attend. I'll report back once I get scoop. BTW - the association posts their meeting minutes here...

 

http://www.museumparkna.org/Minutes

 

Also, the association is against the abandonment....

 

http://www.museumparkna.org/page-1212374/3798921

 

[cloud713]

8 minutes ago, Texasota said:

And now it will dead end at Fannin, so we can abandon that block. And then it will dead end at San Jacinto, so we can abandon that block. And so on.

 

As it currently is, that "street" is only 6 blocks long. I get your argument, but its not like the city is allowing developers to abandoned blocks in the middle of a major thoroughfare..

 

Speculation.. Maybe the developers want the street abandoned so they can use it as a lay up site/have it closed down through the course of construction?

[Texasota]

I also think that the argument for abandoning a street that dead ends into a major street really only makes sense in the context of cars and buses. If you're on a bike or walking, having a cut-through to a major street like Main can be really valuable.

[Texasota]

1 minute ago, cloud713 said:

 

Speculation.. Maybe the developers want the street abandoned so they can use it as a lay up site/have it closed down through the course of construction?

 

I would think that a temporary (12-18 month) closure could be worked out that would be preferable to abandonment.

 

It looks like they're also narrowing the street. One issue is actually that the street has a vast array of arcane rules regulating street width, lane width, number of lanes etc that could pose a problem. I wonder if they could reclassify it as an alley? Or

[htownproud]

26 minutes ago, Texasota said:

I also think that the argument for abandoning a street that dead ends into a major street really only makes sense in the context of cars and buses. If you're on a bike or walking, having a cut-through to a major street like Main can be really valuable.

 

But can't a bike or a walker use the private street?  (For that matter, so can a car.)  Based on the renderings, this isn't going to be gated street.  The developer just wants a grander driveway for the circle drive.  

 

What is the neighborhood's objection to closing the street, other than they just don't want this built?

[Texasota]

I agree that the site plan we've seen looks fine, but it's an old site plan and could very easily change.

 

And that's the thing. The moment it becomes private, the developer can do whatever they want with it. They can gate it. They can fill it in. They can covert it into a pit full of spikes. Making it private makes anything possible. 

[houstontexasjack]

1 hour ago, Texasota said:

I agree that the site plan we've seen looks fine, but it's an old site plan and could very easily change.

 

And that's the thing. The moment it becomes private, the developer can do whatever they want with it. They can gate it. They can fill it in. They can covert it into a pit full of spikes. Making it private makes anything possible. 

 

I like this project, but your point regarding abandonment is well taken.  I favor to abandoning the right of way to the extent it makes something close to what we have seen in the renderings happen.  However, I think it's perfectly reasonable and indeed advisable for the city to demand concessions for the abandonment as you suggested.  I have not looked into the ordinances and procedures for abandonment, but, the city might demand the project not significantly depart with what has been proposed through an agreement with the developer.  The city might also require the developer contribute to the continued addition of bikeshares and improvement of green space for the public.  

[Houston19514]

-- I believe in almost all cases of street abandonments requested by developers, the developer has to pay the city for the abandoned right of way.  The documents in this case refer to an "abandonment and sale", so I presume the developer is paying in this case as well.

 

-- This abandonment was initially denied because Traffic said the street was needed for area circulation.  There is a later email that says Traffic later withdrew their objection after learning the ROW will be open to the public for pedestrian traffic.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Houston19514

[Triton]

New article:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2016/04/07/massive-mixed-use-project-planned-for-museum.html

[lockmat]

18 hours ago, Discography 114 said:

Forgive my ignorance. Does filing a plat (whatever that is) mean that it is likely to be built? If anyone feels like taking a guess, about what percentage of buildings get built after a plat has been filed. Oh, and one more important question: what is a plat?

Thank you.

 

I'd love for fellow HAIFers to chime in on this, but I think when they file it's a very good chance it gets built. I would say at least 75%? And a plat is just a defined piece of land. Maybe lot and plat may be synonyms? At least you could probably think of it in that way.

[KinkaidAlum]

Game changer!

 

Holy hell, I love this project. Its also going in my favorite part of town (Museum District/Montrose/Third Ward/Midtown/Alameda Corridor).

[BigFootsSocks]

Filing a plat is one of the very first stages of a project; it usually means the surveying portion is complete, and all Civil-related documents require a filed/recorded plat on the construction documents.

 

It DOES NOT mean a project is 100% moving-forward. It's still very early in the design phase, however; surveying a design happen at the same so there's a better chance that a project does move forward. 

 

Plenty of plats have been filed and not made it to construction, and seeing as this particular plat has no signatures (City, County, Owner, Engineer, Surveyor, County Commissioner, etc) it's still going through design, and thus, is not close (though not very far) from the construction phase. 

[wxman]

Williams is about to get a baby brother....

[HOUCAJUN]

Visitors are really going to be confused as to where downtown is. I'm loving this building!

[Houston?]

Please tell me that this is going to get built.

[monarch]

^^^ this is what this area shall become once MUSEO PLAZA is completed... MAGNIFIQUE!

[LarryDierker]

8 hours ago, Houston? said:

Please tell me that this is going to get built.

This is going to get built.

also your but doesn't look big in those jeans.

[houstontexasjack]

Sorry to be Johnny Raincloud here, but I have to wait to see an announcement on construction and some shovels in the ground (or at least, some wrecking crews) before I can get too excited.  A replat is a very good sign, to be sure, as it indicates the project is still moving forward.

[jmitch94]

On 4/8/2016 at 8:17 AM, HOUCAJUN said:

Visitors are really going to be confused as to where downtown is. I'm loving this building!

 

I have a friend from Austin who once said, "Houston cant seem to decide where it's downtown is, y'all have skyscrapers everywhere." 

[EllenOlenska]

19 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

 

I have a friend from Austin who once said, "Houston cant seem to decide where it's downtown is, y'all have skyscrapers everywhere." 

At least this one is right on the straight line of Main street. In fact, I think it would give the whole downtown-medical district a sort of centripetal cohesion, pulling towards the roundabout.

[bobruss]

Well said and fairly poetic Ellen.

[KinkaidAlum]

Unlike Austin, we are a big metropolitan city. NY, LA, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, DFW, Seattle, etc... all have multiple skyline districts. 

 

Portland, Louisville, Austin, Sacramento, etc... do not.

[Montrose1100]

10 hours ago, KinkaidAlum said:

Unlike Austin, we are a big metropolitan city. NY, LA, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, DFW, Seattle, etc... all have multiple skyline districts. 

 

Portland, Louisville, Austin, Sacramento, etc... do not.

kink, I do not approve of this skyscraper city-like post.

 

Austin kind of does... UT & Downtown. 

[Chi-Char-Hou-Dal]

Renderings?