The Driscoll High-Rise & River Oaks Shopping Center Developments

[cityliving]

[Fortune]

That is a awesome looking building! 

[cityliving]

[mls1202]

This is probably the best parking garage concealment/decoration I've seen on the new round of developments.  Randall Davis could learn a thing or two!

[Stone]

[Houston19514]

What???  Was that lighting scheme shown in any of the renderings?

[Stone]

2 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

What???  Was that lighting scheme shown in any of the renderings?

I don’t  recall seeing any nighttime renderings but the daytime renderings seemed to indicate the lighting.  It’s really bright at night with all 4 floors lit up.
 

They were testing the lights when I snapped those photos but all 4 floors have been lit every night for the past couple weeks. 

[KinkaidAlum]

Hanover has 10 + story buildings in Rice Village, West Gray, two in BLVD Place, and is building along Allen Parkway. One of their towers would look great by Market Square or Discovery Green. I'd be ok with a 55 story giant from these guys. 

[kbates2]

It is definitely time for Hanover to move into downtown.

[mls1202]

For a brief moment, I envisioned those lighting panels as a giant LED screen, broadcasting Coca Cola advertisements or other such crap to create our own "Times Square"...

[Fortune]

Since Pier 1 Imports is going out of business and Weingarten owns that property at the corner of Woodhead St. & W. Gray St. that would be a great location for the next high-rise. They can call it The Woodhead! 

[Highrise Tower]

Prominent national home and design retailer sets up shop in River Oaks

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/home-design/09-17-20-ballard-designs-houston-river-oaks-new-location/

 

Quote

 

A widely recognized national online and catalog home decor purveyor is opening doors to its first Houston location. Ballard Designs is set to open a new retail store in the Rivers Oaks Shopping Center early next year, the company announced. It will occupy the former GAP Store’s 10,000-square foot location.

 

The new Houston Ballard stores will be the chain’s 16th retail location since launching its national retail expansion in 2007. Weingarten Realty, owner and  operator of River Oaks Shopping Center, has invested heavily in the property over the past two years,  including construction of a 30-story residential tower. Ballard will join a number of well-known shopping and furniture stores in the affluent River Oaks shopping district.

 

Ballard Designs’ new River Oaks location will be introduced to Houston shoppers on targeted soft opening days beginning in early 2021 with distancing protocols in place, according to a press release.

 

 

[august948]

On 7/10/2020 at 9:29 PM, Highrise Tower said:

Throwback to 1937.

 

https://www.instagram.com/riveroaksshoppingcenter/

 

They need to bring back the Donald Duck cartoons...

[Highrise Tower]

 

[Urbannizer]

Please see pg. 37 and 38. 
 

Mentions four additional towers coming with the sites marked in red on a River Oaks Shopping Center map. Total cost of $600 million

 

https://s25.q4cdn.com/658894972/files/doc_presentations/2020/11/3Q20-Roadshow-(Nareit).pdf

[kennyc05]

What is this city gonna look like in 20 years?!!!! Beastmode!

[Texasota]

They have the River Oaks Theater targeted for one of the tower locations. The other three locations are fine, but that theater is not replaceable. 

[Subdude]

8 minutes ago, Texasota said:

They have the River Oaks Theater targeted for one of the tower locations. The other three locations are fine, but that theater is not replaceable. 

 

I think it is unfortunate, but probably inevitable. They've had their eyes on the theater site for many years now. 

[Texasota]

I just don't get it. They own the whole development - there are plenty of other places to put that tower that don't destroy a beloved local institution. 

[Twinsanity02]

The beauty and the ugliness of Houston has to do with the power of money and vision  for the future. Here in Houston, old families or aristocracies do not count for much except in cocktail party conversation. There is more freedom and less restraint.  Hence the destruction of many old architectural gems, but the fascinating growth and change of our city.

 

I have a cousin in Europe who is a duke, a member of the high nobility. He and the other Grandees are  used to a certain deference regardless of financial net worth. He finds Houston to be a fascinating yet puzzling city. We pay little attention to things of the past as they do in Europe. Houston is almost the personification of money talks, bull**** walks. 

[jmitch94]

3 hours ago, Texasota said:

I just don't get it. They own the whole development - there are plenty of other places to put that tower that don't destroy a beloved local institution. 

 

You have to remember that developers have zero sentimental attachment to anything. People don't seem to understand or just don't want to come to the realization that developers literally only care about making as much money as possible and nothing else. 

 

This is why our city needs more protections for historic buildings because soon we will have none left. 

 

 

[wilcal]

9 hours ago, kennyc05 said:

What is this city gonna look like in 20 years?!!!! Beastmode!

 

Houbai?

 

Also, have that River Oaks Theater may get axed. *sighhhh*

[Nate99]

4 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

 

You have to remember that developers have zero sentimental attachment to anything. People don't seem to understand or just don't want to come to the realization that developers literally only care about making as much money as possible and nothing else. 

 

This is why our city needs more protections for historic buildings because soon we will have none left. 

 

 

 

They just measure belovedness by how much someone is willing to pay for it.  Maybe that particular red box is a head fake to get some alternate financing for the other three from a "save the RO Theatre" campaign, but jeez, to be a theater owner now, you're probably desperately trying to volunteer to be a vaccine distribution center. Not the best time for these guys to see value in keeping it around. 

 

I think a small cinema like this one would be a great addition to a walkable retail area with dense residential, a pretty nice amenity on it's own. The old structure/style of this one would add to the charm, and I don't typically care for that kind f stuff. 

[jmitch94]

15 minutes ago, Nate99 said:

 

They just measure belovedness by how much someone is willing to pay for it. 

 

Exactly, they will keep and use historic buildings if they can charge a premium for that building or if the numbers make sense but this will be a relatively easy demo and therefor much more profitable to replace. 

[htownbro]

10 hours ago, kennyc05 said:

What is this city gonna look like in 20 years?!!!! Beastmode!

 

Like a city in Asia or the Middle East with residential towers everywhere.  

[thatguysly]

Really sucks to lose the theater. I love seeing movies there. Take out the Mens Warehouse instead.

[dbigtex56]

58 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

 

You have to remember that developers have zero sentimental attachment to anything. People don't seem to understand or just don't want to come to the realization that developers literally only care about making as much money as possible and nothing else. 

 

This is why our city needs more protections for historic buildings because soon we will have none left. 

 

 

Weingarten Realty seems to be the epitome and personification of irresponsible development. Is "make it look cheap and ugly" a part of their business plan? If so, they've met and exceeded that goal.
It's a damn shame that their tentacles ever latched on to River Oaks Shopping Center.

[KinkaidAlum]

One of my favorite things about living in LA is discovering how much funky old stuff is here. People think LA is all Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip but my neighborhood has two vintage movie theaters (Los Feliz and The Vista) as well as several really cool 1920s era apartment buildings. And it seems as if most neighborhoods have walkable "town centers" like Franklin Square, Los Feliz Village, Larchmont Village, Echo Park and Silverlake along Sunset Blvd. 

 

Houston is losing too much of it's soul. If the River Oaks goes bye-bye, I'll be very sad. A city is more than just buildings, it's memories and shared experiences. My Mom grew up going there. I went on my first date there. Had my first experience with the Rocky Horror Picture Show there. In grad school at UH, we loved the midnight shows. It's the last of the old ladies and it would be a tragedy to lose it. 

[nate4l1f3]

Rivet Oaks Theater is my #1 favorite place in Houston. You can feel the history inside and I even like the awkward silent bar upstairs. I don’t generally get upset about things being torn down and replaced but this would be an exception. 

[j_cuevas713]

Wow. Just wow. I'm so disappointed that they count somehow develops around this theater. 

[j_cuevas713]

23 hours ago, KinkaidAlum said:

One of my favorite things about living in LA is discovering how much funky old stuff is here. People think LA is all Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip but my neighborhood has two vintage movie theaters (Los Feliz and The Vista) as well as several really cool 1920s era apartment buildings. And it seems as if most neighborhoods have walkable "town centers" like Franklin Square, Los Feliz Village, Larchmont Village, Echo Park and Silverlake along Sunset Blvd. 

 

Houston is losing too much of it's soul. If the River Oaks goes bye-bye, I'll be very sad. A city is more than just buildings, it's memories and shared experiences. My Mom grew up going there. I went on my first date there. Had my first experience with the Rocky Horror Picture Show there. In grad school at UH, we loved the midnight shows. It's the last of the old ladies and it would be a tragedy to lose it. 

Yeah LA is much more walkable than it's given credit for. 

[gene]

well dang...i have a love for that theater as i got to see the premiere of The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen there, a super sneak preview of The Blair Witch Project prior to it's release when we all believed it was real (ha!), and yes high school weekends seeing the midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show back in the everything goes days with tons of costumes, live cast and throwing and spraying everything under the sun in the theater and always felt so bad for whoever had to clean it that night or the next day 😳

good times...

however i will say i hated when they closed up the balcony to make two super cramped, weird, angled theaters with horrible and uncomfortable seats haha...so i am okay if they want to get rid of that part

 

[j_cuevas713]

I went ahead and emailed Preservation Houston and the Mayor. I was told that Mayor Parker did a great job strengthening the preservation ordinance here in Houston but it could still use some TLC. 

[JJxvi]

Los Angeles is a much older city.  It already had a population of 600,000-1,000,000 in the era where automobiles became ubiquitous, whereas Houston went through that era of its growth in the 1960's and 70s.  I suspect that most of the inspiration of New Urbanism (especially that which has an American flavor) and things like main street theme park design, etc is all mostly just trying to replicate LA in 1915 or or 1925 or whatever.

Edited November 18, 2020 by JJxvi

[JJxvi]

I will say that this center is one of a handful of historic Houston shopping centers that are gems, so I hope they dont screw it up.

[j_cuevas713]

4 minutes ago, JJxvi said:

I will say that this center is one of a handful of historic Houston shopping centers that are gems, so I hope they dont screw it up.

I mean they already did when they tore down the southern end where the Barnes and Noble is at, along with the Driscoll section. They might as well just tear the whole damn thing down with this news. 

[JJxvi]

Well, I can only speak for myself, but if that Barnes and Noble hadn't been built I wouldn't have even stepped foot in this shopping center at all for the last ten years. So I guess even if it supposedly did  lose some aesthetic appeal, it gained a lot in utility from my perspective...

[j_cuevas713]

As you can tell I was a little upset 😅

Edited November 18, 2020 by j_cuevas713

[DarklyMoron]

I know a lot of people dismiss the architectural merits of this shopping center as already so compromised, but even with all the ham-fisted alterations, I still found some charm in the place. Despite it all, it was still distinguishable from most strip shopping centers and I wish they would embrace that rather than destroy what they have. That theater, its marquee, is a landmark for the community and one appeal to living in the neighborhood. It's your calling card. Why tear it down?

[gene]

They certainly could knock everything around it and build around or even over it right? Maybe they will? It will be sad to see it go if that is indeed what happens.

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by gene

[Highrise Tower]

Kelsey-Seybold River Oaks Clinic

 

[mkultra25]

4 minutes ago, Highrise Tower said:

Kelsey-Seybold River Oaks Clinic

 

 

Suite 200 is the former America's location. Not sure about Suite 120. 

 

At any rate, glad to see this, as our PCP is at Kelsey-Seybold, and it will be nice to have a Kelsey clinic closer than the ones we usually go to (Tanglewood or the main campus on Holcombe).  

[jgriff]

There was a crew removing material from the former America’s location today.

[Highrise Tower]

Notice of Commercial UAV Drone, Exterior Skin Analysis Operation.

[BillyBreedlove]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but it looks like the River Oaks Theater is in danger again.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/River-Oaks-Theater-in-danger-of-closing-again-15980217.php

[Highrise Tower]

On 2/25/2021 at 5:55 PM, BillyBreedlove said:

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but it looks like the River Oaks Theater is in danger again.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/River-Oaks-Theater-in-danger-of-closing-again-15980217.php

Save River Oaks Protest was held in front of the River Oaks Theater. Glad to see people wearing masks at a large gathering.

 

[Highrise Tower]

[j_cuevas713]

KEEP MESSAGING WEINGARTEN TILL THEY LOSE THEIR MINDS! 

Edited March 8, 2021 by j_cuevas713

[j_cuevas713]

Screw Weingarten! 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

You know, back in the early-to-mid 60s, the nearest grocery store to our house was a Weingarten's. Literally about a 5 minute walk from our front door. My mom refused to ever shop there, though, because she said the store literally stank. By the time Weingarten sold their grocery business, their stores were pretty nice. I would shop their West Gray and Dunlavy locations. Looks like my mom was right about them all along, however. They stink to high hell.