Jump to content

The Paramount: Condominiums At 3723 Westheimer Rd.

Highrise Tower
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Replies 161
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

rechlin
rechlin

You're not accounting for unexpectedly high HVAC costs.  It will probably look something like this when it's done:  

Montrose1100
Montrose1100

If you think it won't end up like this, then you don't know RD.

Montrose1100
Montrose1100

Allow me.

Posted Images

Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, CREguy13 said:

While we can probably assume this will be value-engineered from the initial renderings, I hope RD does something elegant and fitting of the neighborhood.

 

So color goes from white to beige? Not much to value engineer from this render haha

 

EDIT: Fyi. If y'all take a look at the bottom part of the rendering you will see a long line of text which will give you sense of where this is at right now. Basically this is nothing but an image to illustrate design intent in order to get over the first few hurdles in the design process (that being variances).  Nothing even to value engineer yet as RD and the client still probably haven't chosen final materials. This still has a little ways to go. I wouldn't expect construction until late summer or later this year.

 

EDIT 2: Looking closer. Seems RD is the Design Architect (don't know why anyone would want him too), and the Architect of Record will be Powers Brown.

Edited by Luminare
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted
37 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

http://swamplot.com/randall-davis-wants-to-put-this-20-story-condo-highrise-on-westheimer-just-east-of-weslayan-st/2019-01-04/

 

Could this be the new Ashby Highrise? 

 

At least with Ashby it kinda sorta maybe makes sense as its deep inside a community with only one story residential, but these people have literally zero chance. Houston has way to many precedents where the developer wins in this situation. If the a much taller residential tower on Wesleyan & Alabama can be built then, so should this one. If residents of a nearby highrise couldn't win against another highrise next door in Post Oak then this tower will rise.

 

Maybe it could, but I just don't see it happening. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Highrise Tower

Highrise Tower

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

https://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/Randall-Davis-to-build-condo-project-on-Westheimer-13509227.php

 

Quote

 

Randall Davis is under contract to buy the site of a former furniture store inside the loop where he plans to develop a 50-unit condominium building.

The project, which could rise 20 stories, is slated for the former Krispen home furnishings location at 3723 Westheimer between Timmons and Weslayan.

 

A variance request was submitted to the city last month seeking a reduced building line, allowing for the structure to be built closer to the street.

 

The variance was scheduled to be discussed at last week's planning commission meeting, but it was deferred.

 

The city said it has received "multiple calls and emails" opposing the development. Concerns include height, congestion, access and drainage.

 

Davis declined to provide additional details about the project.

 

 

VQ84niX.jpg

Edited by ekdrm2d1
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jmitch94

jmitch94

Posted
Posted

NIMBY's are the worst and it seems like the richer they are the worse they are. Drainage issues have to be the worst excuse they have considering most of these people are probably River Oaks residences with 10,000 sqft roofs with driveways and patios that are even larger.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

NIMBY's are the worst and it seems like the richer they are the worse they are. Drainage issues have to be the worst excuse they have considering most of these people are probably River Oaks residences with 10,000 sqft roofs with driveways and patios that are even larger.  

 

While sometimes this city puts business/development first to a fault, I rather take that then what is going on in San Fran, for example, where they can't build anything at all because of NIMBY's and the "cult" of preservation.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CaptainJilliams

CaptainJilliams

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, Luminare said:

 

While sometimes this city puts business/development first to a fault, I rather take that then what is going on in San Fran, for example, where they can't build anything at all because of NIMBY's and the "cult" of preservation.

 

Speaking of the "cult of preservation", I found this video that was posted over on the Nashville development forums, explains the current crisis they and some other places are going through: 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, CaptainJilliams said:

 

Speaking of the "cult of preservation", I found this video that was posted over on the Nashville development forums, explains the current crisis they and some other places are going through: 

 

 

YES! Watched this recently. Its amazing how ridiculous it has gotten there. The failure to understand that new developments help assist in making more things available and affordable to more people. If new things are built then wealthier people will move out of the old then freeing up the old which then has to become cheaper to take in the new. I read an article that New York City was having a housing "crisis" (though I loath the term) and what do you know...as soon as new developments were allowed to go through rents have immediately begun to drop again.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted (edited)
26 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Greaaaaat.

 

http://swamplot.com/dusting-off-of-old-deed-restrictions-prompts-westgrove-court-highrise-hopefuls-to-plan-for-a-public-hearing/2019-01-10/ 

 

I wish I was a fly on the wall the moment RD rimmed the idiot that didn't properly check the deed-restrictions. Fact that nobody checked on this, and that now it has to, most likely, go infront of committee and get a 75% vote means that this might actually not happen, and everyone involved is going to lose a bunch of money. Damn. I mean that is literally one of the first things you do! Even before you start Schematic Design...even sometimes before accepting a job with a client! Thats a critical blunder, and even worse, an unnecessary one.

 

EDIT: This is by the way, from someone that works in the industry thats simply trying to put this into perspective. Lets just say there are probably many an architect who probably wouldn't have accepted this job if they found out that the deed-restrictions didn't match the proposal by the client (or if the architect still wanted to work with the client then at least they could go out there and find another piece of land to make it work.) Basically at this point, they are trying to push a square peg into a round hole.

Edited by Luminare
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Angostura

Angostura

Posted
Posted
On 1/8/2019 at 1:39 AM, jmitch94 said:

NIMBY's are the worst and it seems like the richer they are the worse they are. Drainage issues have to be the worst excuse they have considering most of these people are probably River Oaks residences with 10,000 sqft roofs with driveways and patios that are even larger.  

 

It's worse than that. Remember that, when it comes to housing, it's not a question of whether it gets built, it's a question of where. The residents of this building would generate a whole lot less impervious cover per resident (and square foot of built area) than almost any other type of development, with the exception of house boats in the ship channel. If housing doesn't get built here, it (and a lot more impervious cover in the form of roads and highways) is going to get built further north and west of here, which is to say, upstream. 

 

If nearby residents are TRULY concerned about drainage issues affecting their neighborhood, they should send RD a thank-you note.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
houstontexasjack

houstontexasjack

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, htownproud said:

The deed restriction fight could be interesting.  Doesn't seem they've been enforced since the current use of the site is not single-family use.  I wonder if they are still enforceable.  

I suspect they'd be held to be abandoned as far as restricting commercial use of the property, but going from a one-two story commercial building to a highrise is quite a shift.  I'd have suggested getting a declaratory judgment on the issue before moving forward with the purchase.

 

Edit:  I'd need to see the actual language of the deed restrictions to determine arguments on the potential scope of abandonment.  Abandonment of a portion of a deed restriction does not meet abandonment of all of the restrictions.  So, if the restrictions also impose height or other limitations, those might be enforced even if the use restriction could not be enforced.

Edited by houstontexasjack
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, houstontexasjack said:

I suspect they'd be held to be abandoned as far as restricting commercial use of the property, but going from a one-two story commercial building to a highrise is quite a shift.  I'd have suggested getting a declaratory judgment on the issue before moving forward with the purchase.

 

Edit:  I'd need to see the actual language of the deed restrictions to determine arguments on the potential scope of abandonment.  Abandonment of a portion of a deed restriction does not meet abandonment of all of the restrictions.  So, if the restrictions also impose height or other limitations, those might be enforced even if the use restriction could not be enforced.

 

This is what I was thinking as well. Did some digging and apparently here in COH deed restrictions, when they are signed, last for around 25-30 years. Some are continuously renewed after the fact for another 25-30 years, and some just stop and are abandoned. I'm wondering if the residents simply dug up older deed restrictions, but the restrictions have sense passed and they never renewed the restrictions (this would be a possible argument for why a commercial property was allowed to be built in the first place. Thats a possible out for this development (although lucky! You never want to hope for this to be the case.)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
nate4l1f3

nate4l1f3

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

Well in my opinion Marlowe is probably his best looking structure as of recent so I’m not too upset. I just wish he’d step away from using white so much for awhile. 

I groan every time I look at Marlowe coming out of Toyota Center. The backside looks unfinished to me.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted (edited)
14 minutes ago, iah77 said:

Probably because they anticipate in a few years something built up against it I would imagine.

 

Thats precisely why. Normally, here in Houston, we like to make buildings that are "finished" on all 4 sides, but the more dense we get we will see more buildings with unfinished sides in anticipation of something being built next to it. @nate4l1f3

Edited by Luminare
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminare

Luminare

Posted
Posted (edited)
49 minutes ago, nate4l1f3 said:

Makes sense and I thought about that, but i wonder exactly how long until that happens. Isn’t the other half block of the Embassy suites supposedly for sale or planned for development?

 

At this juncture it isn't entirely necessary as there are still plenty of holes to fill and big empty areas to fill until it becomes more common. Outside of downtown its cost prohibitive to build to the property line primarily due to code reasons which require a tremendous amount of fire protection in the wall that would be right on the property boundary (plus the COH plat setback rules). Plus, with as much space as there is in these areas outside downtown it doesn't make that much sense (even though building to the property line for each lot would help to build greater cohesion between buildings).This is why you see so many town-homes with slim gaps in between, but its the opposite downtown because its denser and its more economical to build on the maximum allowable lot as possible.

 

EDIT: as for as Embassy Suites...I have no clue. I'm shock nothing has been either proposed or built there yet.

Edited by Luminare
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
richfish

richfish

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here’s an email they sent today to people who signed up for updates:

 

“Thank you very much for your interest in my newest addition to the Houston skyline! The opportunity to develop a residential tower between the Galleria and River Oaks, essentially adjacent to Highland Village is definitely exciting. 

Right now, this new development is a work in progress. My current focus is on creating functional and interesting floor plans. We will be offering 2B-2.5BR, 3B-2BR, and 3B-3.5BR plans of varying sizes along with Penthouses of approximately 4,200 to 5,200 square feet. The top floor will have two story Penthouses with a private elevator. I am on the fifth pass at this effort and should be able to complete the floor plates within the next three weeks.

After conclusion of the interior lay out, we move to the time-consuming exterior design of the structure. This is always complicated as we have to balance design and materials with realistic costs and structural engineering requirements. I am envisioning a classical style inspired by two world class buildings in New York, one residential and the other theater oriented. The trick is to meld the two unrelated developments into a residential tower encompassing a cohesive design borrowing the best features from each. This is both a challenging and inspiring exercise that will take weeks to unfold. 

In the interim, we are still on the search for a name for this to be designed condo tower, we are always open to suggestions. We are also in process of specifying the amenities that will help define the development. And, trying to make these amenities outstanding by any measure.

As progress is made in the design arena, I will send you frequent updates. Until then, thanks again for your interest in ???????, a new and timeless addition to the skyline.”

Edited by richfish
Can't write a simple sentence
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • The title was changed to The Paramount: Condominiums At 3723 Westheimer Rd.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...