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Office/Residential At 215 Westheimer Rd.


BigFootsSocks

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On the latest Planning Commission agenda, there's a variance request for a new 4-story development (GFR, two floors office, top floor two condos) that is requesting a very unique variance request. They hope to gain approval to build within a 17'' of the future Westhiemer ROW. Literally bringing the building up to the street, which is pretty neat for this area.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got an email about the variance request:

 



Here is some more information about the 215 Westheimer variance request scheduled for public hearing this Thursday, May 26, at 2:30 at Planning Commission. The application is included in the linked agenda on pages 21-28:
ftp://edrc.houstontx.gov//2016/2016-11_DraftAgenda.pdf

Good things:
- mixed-use redevelopment of the old Legacy site
- includes ground-floor retail with lots of transparency
- includes offices above on floors 2 and 3
- residential space on 4th floor means 24-hour use -- improves safety for adjacent street users
- support urban build-to line instead of large suburban setback

Opportunities:
- reorient building along street and hide parking in back
- need a 6-10' setback from future ROW edge
- Metro #82 carries 3,500 people per day along this section of lower Westheimer --> calls for better, wider pedestrian realm with room for great bus shelter. 
- Standard 10-foot pedestrian realm is inadequate for wide enough sidewalks plus street trees, wayfinding, furniture. Westheimer already has enough foot traffic to justify 14-18 foot pedestrian area, before future activity.

Applicant is asking for zero-foot setback from the proposed wider right-of-way. They say that will be "17 feet back of curb" but that's from the current curb, not the future curb. City pre-engineering is underway to reconstruct Westheimer. Current roadway is in 60' of right-of-way, and City plans allocate 70' of right-of-way.

It would be great if a couple of Avondale folks can sign up to speak at the meeting/hearing. If not, the agenda includes an email address for you to submit comments in advance.
 

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Received another email:

The Commission deferred for another two weeks to allow the Public Meeting on Monday June 6th for feedback on the Lower Westheimer Corridor Study and asked that a plat be prepared for both sides of the street to see if area is available to expand street width onto the other side. speakers spoke for not allowing the exception and other speakers may appear and speak at the June 9th Planning Commission Meeting.  Easy to watch all on computer website for HTV of http://houstontx.city.swagit.com/
 

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  • 3 years later...

Looks like an extensive remodeling. 😁
Here's what it looked like while in the process of being converted from the Hollywood Motel (Hourly Rates Available) into the Montrose Clinic (later Legacy).
Photo courtesy of OutSmart:
 

legacy.PNG

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  • 1 month later...

All of this new construction in this area of lower Westheimer didn’t get a lot of love from local neighbors...... sometimes I wish a little bridge building would occur.....maybe a 15x15 community room on first floor...... that would have sliding doors to access theadditional  open space of foyer....the $$$ spent wouldn’t bother developers....instead developers would throw in floor palms and coffee maker........neighbors would be charmed.....harmony would begin...........

 

oh my— too many days in isolated quarantine , my imagination is running away with me..........🙃

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  • 2 weeks later...

From BizJournal today:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2020/05/13/mixed-use-development-underway-near-montrose.html?ana=e_ae_set1&j=90508473&t=Afternoon&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dZd01HTmtaRGcwTlRFeSIsInQiOiJvaFNMSWk5d1l3S2pUMUFhczk5czlyTHpDZHdvV1I0ZEVpcGN4Zk13VnFcL3VtcER0MmE5b1cxc29qMVwveDNCdUdOWUEraVwvVnpXUG1DYUVCVnIyYlYxbE84VHRFT1VScVU0ZXVaYnAySlFMY0NjRUhtRzVaXC9ndTZZemhTRitXMjludEp2bWY3Y1RaXC9ma3hcL3kxWllURFE9PSJ9

 

Quote

Construction is moving ahead with a new mixed-use development that will be located between Houston’s Montrose and Midtown areas.

The 13,200-square-foot project will be located at 215 Westheimer Road, near the intersection of Westheimer and Bagby Street. The two-story project will offer restaurant and retail space on the first floor and office space on the second floor, according to a May 12 news release.

Construction of the building is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020. Permits issued by the city of Houston say Cypress-based JA Greene Construction is building the project. The building permits say the project is expected to cost $2 million.

The project is being developed by 215 Westheimer LLC, which state tax records show is registered to Najmudin Alaei of Houston. The company is located at 8535 W. Bellfort St., suite 110.

The project was designed by Houston-based Identity Architects.

Thomas De Froy, a principal at Identity Architects, said the project was designed to capture the site’s position on the border of Montrose and Midtown. The building will feature a “fin” that De Froy said “both anchors the development and embraces Westheimer's movement and transitional quality.”

The two-story facade will feature contemporary white and wooden accepts. Parking will be located behind the building to “preserve the urban condition” of Westheimer Road.

Leasing will be handled by Mark Davis of Davis Commercial, who said: “Lower Westheimer is experiencing the type of redevelopment that I think everyone knew was eventually going to happen. It was not a question of ‘if’ but just ‘when,’ and ‘now’ is the when.”

 

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Love that parking in back will be embraced. 
Is it too much to ask for canopy type trees for shade? Seems everyone embraces the stubby live Oak. Seriously so many people give the yadayada on why Live Oaks are good choice. Surely in Montrose some “ thinking outside the box” alter.natives could be found.

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2 hours ago, trymahjong said:

Love that parking in back will be embraced. 
Is it too much to ask for canopy type trees for shade? Seems everyone embraces the stubby live Oak. Seriously so many people give the yadayada on why Live Oaks are good choice. Surely in Montrose some “ thinking outside the box” alter.natives could be found.

 

They will most likely have to provide trees in some fashion due to code, though I'm not going to make a concrete determination on that. I could be wrong. I know when I do renders trees can be weird. The client wants to see the building they want to spend money on, not the foliage (even if foliage will cover it), so often times trees in a render aren't exactly where they will be. The only exception is if there are existing trees on site which either can't be cut down, or the client won't cut down. Just a little inside info about trees, and how they are represented in renders. Just because you don't see trees doesn't always mean they won't be there. Again, they might not be there, but sometimes renders don't always indicate this.

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2 hours ago, trymahjong said:

Love that parking in back will be embraced. 
Is it too much to ask for canopy type trees for shade? Seems everyone embraces the stubby live Oak. Seriously so many people give the yadayada on why Live Oaks are good choice. Surely in Montrose some “ thinking outside the box” alter.natives could be found.

 

2 hours ago, Texasota said:

Huh? Live oaks provide a great canopy; their issue is that they needs lots of space for roots. What kind of tree are you thinking (that wouldn't have exactly the same problem) then?

 

Yeah, it's a little hard to imagine a better canopy type tree for shade than the Live Oak. 

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7 hours ago, trymahjong said:

Love that parking in back will be embraced. 
Is it too much to ask for canopy type trees for shade? Seems everyone embraces the stubby live Oak. Seriously so many people give the yadayada on why Live Oaks are good choice. Surely in Montrose some “ thinking outside the box” alter.natives could be found.

 

I totally agree. While I love live Oaks, I am a bit tired of seeing them. They can be monotonous in mass. There are SO MANY great options...

 

6 hours ago, Texasota said:

Huh? Live oaks provide a great canopy; their issue is that they needs lots of space for roots. What kind of tree are you thinking (that wouldn't have exactly the same problem) then?

 

Yep, they do. The issue I have, and nature has with them, is their shade can truly suffocate anything trying to grow / live below it. That's why these are great along roads... concrete / asphalt has no need to harbor life. Almost any other type of oak has a much more friendly environment for under-story life...red oak / white oak / Burr Oak / Sycamores / Maples / I could go on :)

 

4 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Yeah, it's a little hard to imagine a better canopy type tree for shade than the Live Oak. 

 

Agreed - however They are best when the intention isnt to grow grass / plants underneath. Only the most shade tolerant can survive a mature Live Oak.

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But... this would be street trees... why would you need (or want) an understory...

 

I'm genuinely flabbergasted here. I've *never* heard any criticism of live oaks as street trees before other than they can mess up sidewalks after 100 years, which ...totally worth it.

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I think I misspoke......apologies.....too much isolation...not enough tree type research.......

 

it might be pin oaks I was thinking of.....that stubby tree used to replace most of the canopy trees that are removed?

 

still, you bring up a good point about not Adequate ground for shade trees..... another thing buzz around in my head......staring ing into space...geez

 

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2 hours ago, Texasota said:

But... this would be street trees... why would you need (or want) an understory...

 

I'm genuinely flabbergasted here. I've *never* heard any criticism of live oaks as street trees before other than they can mess up sidewalks after 100 years, which ...totally worth it.

 

They are wonderful street trees. But I like variety. I appreciate the wide range of options Houston has for urban forestry.

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  • 4 months later...

Hey it’s been killing me for a while now, but I can NOT find what this development is on this forum. It’s not the Pling but it’s next door to it. Across from the Natural Pawz on Westheimer. Near the Westheimer/Helen intersection. It’s two stories and looks pretty big (for where it is on Westheimer.) if this topic exist please merge.

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  • The title was changed to 215 Westheimer: 4-Story Office/Residential (Top Floor)
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
  • The title was changed to 4-Story Office/Residential At 215 Westheimer Rd.
  • The title was changed to Office/Residential At 215 Westheimer Rd.

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