Museo Plaza: Mixed-Use For The Museum District, 58-Story High-Rise

[Urbannizer]

Museo Plaza

 

http://www.pjararchitects.com/#!museo-plaza/cem1

 

 

 

 

 

[Urbannizer]

Oh gee, this sounds like enough to split the post above into its own thread:

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/A-legend-returns-slightly-shorter-6482739.php

 

 And Ritchie and Dasigenis have another project brewing in the Museum District. Stay tuned.

[Urbannizer]

Moved from "Houston: Potential" to Going Up.

[Triton]

For real??

 

Edit: This area is going to be such a cluster of activity with Hines complex going up next to this and the larger MFAH campus in the works.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Triton

[Subdude]

Yikes!  I love it if it is for real!

[Timoric]

-

Edited July 9, 2019 by Timoric

[KinkaidAlum]

Yes, please!

[swtsig]

this is pushing 50 stories...

That skybridge, is that a first for a Houston Resi-tower? That thing must be 40 stories tall as well.

 

hines' new montrose/upper kirby apt has a sky bridge.

[Howard Huge]

Ok,don't do this to me Urbannizer, I can't handle another Bank of the Southwest, Shamrock, Chevron Tower right now, too down in the dumps with the oil bust.

[Howard Huge]

I'm just gonna pretend like I didn't see this topic.

[AREJAY]

This will be great if there is some traction to this project. Looks like surface level parking, a Whitney bank, the Mann eye institute low rise, and an abandoned car wash currently occupy the lots. 

It'll really add towards connecting the DT and the med center skylines

[wxman]

Ok,don't do this to me Urbannizer, I can't handle another Bank of the Southwest, Shamrock, Chevron Tower right now, too down in the dumps with the oil bust.

 

THIS. This is enough to give any of us a sticky spot in our underwear.

 

Urbannizer: What scoop do you have that encouraged you to move this into the ''Going Up'' section? Is this imminent?

[EllenOlenska]

This has been such a good morning.

[H-Town Man]

AYFKM?

 

[houstontexasjack]

I have thought about what might be a good project to go up on that Whitney Bank site when walking by it for the last several months.....this is past my wildest dreams. 

 

Edit:  if this is "brewing," I'd love to see a more formal announcement about it.

Edited September 4, 2015 by houstontexasjack

[bobruss]

This is a little hard to believe today. I hope it comes to fruition , but like many of you I wonder who, what, and why.

It appears that the tower will be right across the street from Lawndale Annex on Main Street, if I'm reading this correctly.

Great find Urbanizer, but please give us a little more meat.

Thanks

[monarch]

 

may we please change the name to MUSEO TREASURE?

we've been searching for something like this forever in houston.

an absolute masterpiece....

[Urbannizer]

THIS. This is enough to give any of us a sticky spot in our underwear.

 

Urbannizer: What scoop do you have that encouraged you to move this into the ''Going Up'' section? Is this imminent?

 

 

The tidbit of info given by the Chron that mentions the architects have something in-development for the Museum District; their website showing renders of a development in the Museum District -- is enough to place it here. Swtsigs post is also reassuring.

 

If this is indeed what's planned by them, I think it's more of "Will this be able to get out of ground anytime soon, if so, w/o being drastically being scaled down?" Interested to know who's behind this. 

 

In this render they have a placeholder for The Southmore, which shows this is fairly recent.

 

[mfastx]

THIS would be a game changer for this area.  Whoa. 

[Urbannizer]

This came up via google search:

 

 

He is currently working on a 54 story tower in the Houston Museum District

 

[Sparrow]

Complete speculation here, but if I were a betting man, I'd say Hines was the force behind this.

[Sparrow]

This came up via google search:

 

Don't forget the rest of the cached quote that says with a "200 room hotel and retail lifestyle center on 3 full city blocks".

[Nole23]

Wow! Love it. I was in this area yesterday previewing some open houses.

[jmitch94]

(Internal voice) "don't get you hopes up, don't get you hopes up...."

[Triton]

The tidbit of info given by the Chron that mentions the architects have something in-development for the Museum District; their website showing renders of a development in the Museum District -- is enough to place it here. Swtsigs post is also reassuring.

If this is indeed what's planned by them, I think it's more of "Will this be able to get out of ground anytime soon, if so, w/o being drastically being scaled down?" Interested to know who's behind this.

In this render they have a placeholder for The Southmore, which shows this is fairly recent.

We'll, just think of all the "cancelled" projects we got back from the 2008 financial crisis. If this tower doesn't come this time around, maybe we'll get in the next boom (possibly 2018 based on CBRE forecast). Edited September 4, 2015 by Triton

[Luminare]

Wait...what? Wait what? What? Thats not bad looking at all. I would like to see more finalized stuff. It still looks a little too conceptual to just jump in, but this is what you call mixed use! This a wonderful start though! Definitely now on my most anticipated!

[Sellanious Caesar]

I see the Museum District is constructing a nice skyline now. The Carter will look stunning on its completion, it's near the freeway too, so will look high-class for all to easily see. The Hotel ZaZa area has a nice cluster too, I notice with TMC to the south and the Mosaics along 288, that high rises are developing all around Hermann Park. Houston's infill is amazing to watch. Hope this happens, Museo's 54 story tower instantly becomes to Museum District what the Transco Tower is to Uptown (just obviously on a more micro level to Transco, and Museum District on a micro level to Uptown).

Oh BTW before I forget, I notice lots of those cute cutting edge condo "semi- towers" at 8-12 floors sprouting up in Museum District and Midtown, so there is hope for continuity in a potential future skyline spanning from DT 2 TMC after all.

[AREJAY]

Regarding conceptualizations that have already picked out city blocks, such as this project...  

 

It is assumed that the developers have been in talks with the current land owners? Or is this as much of a surprise to them, as it is to us, to see a new tower concept on their property? 

[urbanize713]

Museo = Museum in Spanish. Since this includes a hotel and residences, is this our iteration of the Live Aqua hotel? That announcement was made in June when details were not yet available other than the Chicago version would be 82 stories.

[cloud713]

Museo = Museum in Spanish. Since this includes a hotel and residences, is this our iteration of the Live Aqua hotel? That announcement was made in June when details were not yet available other than the Chicago version would be 82 stories.

That would be amazing/much more reassuring that it will get built, lol. But I don't think an Aqua live would have all the other components spanning the other 2 blocks.

[H-Town Man]

May not be at the top of the market right now, but if MFAH is spending $450 million down the street, that will attract confidence to this little submarket. Probably want to have a finished product in time for the grand opening.

[Howard Huge]

This came up via google search:

Mother of God, FIFTY-FOUR FLOORS!!!!

This would be the Transco Tower of the Museum District, second tallest building outside of downtown Houston.

[towerjunkie]

Yay! another broken dream to add to the list 

[BigFootsSocks]

I like this recent trend of Urbannizer posting projects in the "Houston Potential" thread, only to find their way to the "Going Up" thread.

Urb, post a make-up drawing of that 102 story supertall.

[lockmat]

I'm curious what is planned just north of the museum place apartments. I think the house that is there is currently a restaurant. Seems like a good fit for a mid or high rise.

[bobruss]

I did a little checking from some of my sources, and it is something that was being planned, but it's on the shelf for a while.

It might get built down the road but don't hold your breath. Sorry but I would love to see this also.

I also wonder whats going to happen to the proposed building for the Van Loch site on Milam.

[cloud713]

Don't forget the rest of the cached quote that says with a "200 room hotel and retail lifestyle center on 3 full city blocks".

where are y'all seeing that? i don't even see the mention of the 54 story segment Urb quoted? is my Safari not loading all of the text under Marko's profile?

i wonder what hotel flag could be doing the hotel/lifestyle center. and are we sure that portion will be the short buildings, not the tower? i saw that mentioned on SSP.

[bobruss]

I also was wondering about a project of this scope and its lack of a tram station in close proximity.

I know theres a station at Binz and one Ensemble. Both of these are more than three blocks away from this project.

Would metro consider adding more stations as density levels mushroom along the rail.

With that question I was trying to think how they could even add a station without closing the total line for months which isn't going to happen. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Sparrow]

where are y'all seeing that? i don't even see the mention of the 54 story segment Urb quoted? is my Safari not loading all of the text under Marko's profile?

i wonder what hotel flag could be doing the hotel/lifestyle center. and are we sure that portion will be the short buildings, not the tower? i saw that mentioned on SSP.

 

#20's link to a Google search, first result click the green down arrow for cached. Middle of third paragraph.

[curbur]

Not trying to take away from how amazing this would be if built, but I don't really like how wichita st appears to be removed from main to fannin in the last image.

Edited September 5, 2015 by curbur

[Avossos]

Aqua hotel makes sense to me

[Howard Huge]

I also was wondering about a project of this scope and its lack of a tram station in close proximity.

I know theres a station at Binz and one Ensemble. Both of these are more than three blocks away from this project.

Would metro consider adding more stations as density levels mushroom along the rail.

With that question I was trying to think how they could even add a station without closing the total line for months which isn't going to happen. Anyone have any thoughts?

Interesting question.

I don't think adding a station is feasible, they are placed strategically equidistant from eachother, adding a platform would disrupt the flow not to mention the huge cost and construction.

Three blocks isn't a lot in other fair weather cities, but in Houston, three blocks in 90% humidity in the middle of August with a 115° heat index is brutal, enough to ruin your day and your outfit.

[j_cuevas713]

I walk 3 blocks to the nearest station before and after work and it's not even a long walk. 

[Nole23]

New Orleans is just as hot as Houston and people walk around there every day all day. I was just there not too long ago and no one seemed to care how hot it was. Houston just needs more walkable and pedestrian friendly districts. It's easier to complain about the heat when you are walking by 5 blocks worth of parking lots as compared to stores, shops and cafes. We will get there.

[nativehoustonion]

New Orleans is just as hot as Houston and people walk around there every day all day. I was just there not too long ago and no one seemed to care how hot it was. Houston just needs more walkable and pedestrian friendly districts. It's easier to complain about the heat when you are walking by 5 blocks worth of parking lots as compared to stores, shops and cafes. We will get there.

 

Go to Houston Tomorrow meetings the third Thursday each month at Rudyards.  That is what we are discussing. 

[The Ozone Files]

Three blocks isn't a lot in other fair weather cities, but in Houston, three blocks in 90% humidity in the middle of August with a 115° heat index is brutal, enough to ruin your day and your outfit.

 

In certain (all?) districts, we need to incentivize property owners to plant or maintain shade trees along public sidewalks. Shaded streets would encourage walking in Houston more than anything else, imo. They also look nice. 

[wxman]

Anyway, back to this building. The rendering reminds me a lot of Transco....big shoulders. Anybody else see the comparison; especially if it was standing along in the Museum District. I just hope they don't scale it down any. Sigh...

[towerjunkie]

Anyway, back to this building. The rendering reminds me a lot of Transco....big shoulders. Anybody else see the comparison; especially if it was standing along in the Museum District. I just hope they don't scale it down any. Sigh...

 

Yes! I thought of it looking like a Transco-ish design, isn't this building designed by Phillip Johnson's firm or something? 

[Howard Huge]

In certain (all?) districts, we need to incentivize property owners to plant or maintain shade trees along public sidewalks. Shaded streets would encourage walking in Houston more than anything else, imo. They also look nice.

THIS. ^

[Howard Huge]

Anyway, back to this building. The rendering reminds me a lot of Transco....big shoulders. Anybody else see the comparison; especially if it was standing along in the Museum District. I just hope they don't scale it down any. Sigh...

That was my first thought. (re: Transco)