lockmat Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 The bottom half is hideous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToryGattis Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Here's Nancy's more thorough/complete article on the project (vs. the original blog post) Tower planned next to historic Midtown mansionhttp://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Tower-planned-next-to-historic-Midtown-mansion-6596935.php?t=5bfc911c78438d9cbb&cmpid=email-premium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astros148 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 why would they not make this residential ? really dumb imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Well...thats just plan ugly. So they are doing a mini version of the one next to Discovery park? Have we gotten to the point where we not only ape other styles, but even buildings that are already in town? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 ^I fell like if we get a more fleshed out image of the design it could be better. Needs a better podium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillip_white Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I agree that this a baby version of the one by DG and it wouldn't be so bad except for bland design. At lease the original incorporates the podium better and, in my opinion, it's because of the way they break up the face with contrasting brickwork. It may be harder to achieve a desirable look on this one since half of the damn structure is a garage. The other building for reference:https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7537955,-95.35783,412a,20y,270h,41.64t/data=!3m1!1e3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 The floors of the DG podium beyond the ground floor are also parking (except for Phonecia's bakery) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dml423 Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I for one think this is a very nice design. Houston needs more buildings with a more classical look such as this one. Modern buildings will look good for a few years but a few years down the road, they will look outdated and sort of bland until they come back in style much later(and if they even do). The feeling I get with a bunch of the brutalist styled architecture around town. I for one am happy with this and that it will have ground floor retail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 http://virtualbx.com/construction-preview/23465-office-tower-to-join-houston-s-historic-kirby-mansion.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AREJAY Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 https://www.chron.com/business/article/Fears-mount-as-rumors-spread-that-Kirby-Mansion-13008528.php Looks like this one was canned and now the mansion is in danger of being demo'd Quote In 2015, Houston venture capitalist Dennis Murphree briefly contracted with the owner to buy the building and renovate the mansion as part of a larger development that included a high-rise. “We love the Kirby Mansion and tried to restore and redevelop the site but the financing markets just weren’t ready for a development in Houston at that time,” Murphree said Tuesday. “We decided to drop the project and still hope for someone else to make that block what it can be.” Quote The future of the Kirby Mansion, a 1920s English-style manor on the cusp of downtown, is in peril as a buyer seeks to purchase the historic property, according to people familiar with the sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Just now, AREJAY said: https://www.chron.com/business/article/Fears-mount-as-rumors-spread-that-Kirby-Mansion-13008528.php Looks like this one was canned and now the mansion is in danger of being demo'd It hasn't even been sold yet so no it's not in danger of being demo'd. I think everyone involved with the building are trying to designate it as a landmark to prevent a future owner from demolishing it. I feel all of this is just precautionary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AREJAY Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said: It hasn't even been sold yet so no it's not in danger of being demo'd. I think everyone involved with the building are trying to designate it as a landmark to prevent a future owner from demolishing it. I feel all of this is just precautionary. Not my words, just summarizing what is in the article... Quote The future of the Kirby Mansion, a 1920s English-style manor on the cusp of downtown, is in peril as a buyer seeks to purchase the historic property, according to people familiar with the sale. Preservationists fear the two-story red brick estate at 2000 Smith, developed just before the Great Depression, could become the latest of the city’s dwindling supply of historic and architecturally significant properties to vanish. “It’s fair to say the building is potentially in danger,” said Minnette Boesel,a longtime preservation advocate who chairs the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Just now, AREJAY said: Not my words, just summarizing what is in the article... “It’s fair to say the building is potentially in danger,” In other words, whoever buys the property has the potential to not care about its historical significance and demolish it. I'm also crossing my fingers but IMO the trend so far tells me there's a good chance of preservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diaspora Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 The buyer doesn't want the building on the block, so it either moves or comes down. Or another buyer emerges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 All those jokes about a Buc-ee's downtown come back to bite us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 19 hours ago, Diaspora said: The buyer doesn't want the building on the block, so it either moves or comes down. Or another buyer emerges. Damn, source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AREJAY Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 5 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said: Damn, source? http://swamplot.com/what-chance-does-the-kirby-mansion-stand-to-stay-standing-under-new-ownership/2018-06-20/ Quote The demolition watchdogs over at Preservation Houston report that a buyer has the 36-room Midtown mansion on the corner of Pierce and Smith St. under contract and “does not intend to retain the building.” Sounds like it's in danger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainJilliams Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 It would be an absolute shame to see that building go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 If this is destroyed, could it prompt City Hall to pass a strong landmark ordinance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I will chain myself to this beauty before I let this get torn down willingly... I learned my lesson with that crappy hotel by the Alley Theater... It got some of it's due justice... being flooded... Although the family who ran it and sold it may not have been affected. I don't know how they can sleep at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HNathoo Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 8 minutes ago, Avossos said: I will chain myself to this beauty before I let this get torn down willingly... I learned my lesson with that crappy hotel by the Alley Theater... It got some of it's due justice... being flooded... Although the family who ran it and sold it may not have been affected. I don't know how they can sleep at night. I imagine they sleep just fine on their mattresses filled with money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 4 minutes ago, HNathoo said: I imagine they sleep just fine on their mattresses filled with money. they are using the money to buy drugs to numb their conscious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 The Kirbys took in a cousin of mine that was abandoned by her mother and raised her as their own. If I owned this place and could make more money by pushing it down and building a high rise or selling it to someone else to do the same thing I would. Keeping this building is going to cause someone to lose a lot of money. I wouldn't sacrifice a few million for other people to be able to drive by and say "Neat... an old house." You'd have to pay me for that luxury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Looks like the appraised value is about $4 million. I bet it will go for more. If we want to see how much people really care about this building someone should start a fund raiser to buy it. That’s the perfect mechanism for finding out if people really care or if they just like to b**ch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 23 minutes ago, jgriff said: Looks like the appraised value is about $4 million. I bet it will go for more. If we want to see how much people really care about this building someone should start a fund raiser to buy it. That’s the perfect mechanism for finding out if people really care or if they just like to b**ch. I think you're missing the actual point. This has nothing to do with just some house. This is a foundation piece of the city. With so many empty blocks surrounding this property, why does it have to be this one to be threatened by another developer? When you destroy every little thing a city is made of, it's like building a new city every time and you begin to lose who you are. Houston is just now starting to build smarter but great cities add to what they have, they don't destroy what they have in hopes of the grass being greener on the other side, because it isn't. You lose history which is very important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diaspora Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Anybody have a profile of Ricardo Weitz and Central Houston Cadillac? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Diaspora - is that who's buying it? I imagine they are relocating from their Main @ McGowen site and selling it to a multi-family developer? cuevas - don't feed the trolls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 8 hours ago, jgriff said: The Kirbys took in a cousin of mine that was abandoned by her mother and raised her as their own. If I owned this place and could make more money by pushing it down and building a high rise or selling it to someone else to do the same thing I would. Keeping this building is going to cause someone to lose a lot of money. I wouldn't sacrifice a few million for other people to be able to drive by and say "Neat... an old house." You'd have to pay me for that luxury. You can apply that same logic to national parks. Should we cut down all the trees in Yellow Stone and start strip mining the land to make more money? Why not tear down the Esperson building down town and replace it with some soulless glass box that will surly be more profitable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 I'm all for historical preservation, and in fact I've worked on projects/repairs at the Esperson building. I have a nice set of the architectual drawings Ive been trying to restore. Anyway, I dont really find your national parks and city architecture metaphor to be equitable. Perhaps youre being intentionally hyperbolic, and thats fine. In my opinion, with cities I think theres a balance between preservation/restoration/and demolition/new construction. This balance allows a city to remain dynamic, competitive, and grow. To be fair, I'm speaking a little bit of ignorance here. I'm aware of the Kirby Mansion. However, I'm unfamiliar with the historical significance. My opinions on that specific building are neutral at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 36 rooms.... could make a really cool independent boutique hotel for the midtown hotspots. Lots of cities have tiny but very desirable hotels in the city center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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