X Houston: Residential High-Rise At 5501 La Branch St.

[Urbannizer]

A 'feasability study' has been submitted to the FAA for a 370' ft building at 1500-1598 Calumet St.

 

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=407159141&row=2

[Urbannizer]

Typing in the coordinates leads to the surface lot 1500-1598 Calumet St.

 

 

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/5501-La-Branch-St-Houston-TX/14957678/

[bobruss]

So it would be directly across the street from Lucilles in their parking lot?

[houstontexasjack]

1 hour ago, bobruss said:

So it would be directly across the street from Lucilles in their parking lot?

I suspect as much. Lucille's and its adjoining parcels each have different owners.  The half-block across from Lucille's is owned by "USPS Hospital Holdings, LLC."  I recall seeing a "For Sale" sign there a couple months back.  I wonder if someone is doing their diligence on it.

[Urbannizer]

Thanks @bobruss @houstontexasjack,  made edits to reflect the correct location.

[MarathonMan]

2 hours ago, Urbannizer said:

Thanks @bobruss @houstontexasjack,  made edits to reflect the correct location.

The address is on Calumet Street, not Camulet Street.

[jmitch94]

My dyslexic ass had to read that four times before I realized that you had not simply written the same name twice.

[houstontexasjack]

There is a variance request at this site now:

 

[houstontexasjack]

I called the number on the sign.  This is, indeed, the 370' highrise.  It will predominantly be residential rental, with ground floor retail.  "Chicago developer and architect."  Plan is to break ground 2Q 2020.  They are aware of the Allen Harrison project two blocks to the north, which they understand will "break ground as soon as next month."

[ZRFkris]

Hopefully after the city hall annex meeting they will have renderings for us. Maybe before since they would most likely present them at the meeting, correct?

[HNathoo]

sounds like la branch is going to turn into a very vibrant corner. This neighborhood has all the makings of a great pedestrian environment. 

[X.R.]

4 hours ago, ZRFkris said:

Hopefully after the city hall annex meeting they will have renderings for us. Maybe before since they would most likely present them at the meeting, correct?

 

I'm going to guess they will present at the museum district neighborhood meeting too, since basically all the development in the area puts on a presentation for them at least for meet and greet purposes.

 

Its crazy that the area by Bodega's isn't filled (theres a pizza place coming), yet they are building retail here (and it will probably thrive). Whats wrong with the office building owners over by Bodega's? I'm hoping this retail is something like actual retail/health oriented business (yoga or something). It would do well there, its so close to the park and the neighborhood and the apartments next to it are filled with people from the med center. Heck, Boone's bicycle did well for 50 years. 

Edited June 27, 2019 by X.R.

[Urbannizer]

Developer: https://xliving.co/communities/

Architect: https://theljc.com/

 

 

 

 

[HNathoo]

My god. That’s beautiful. 

[bobruss]

Very powerful and dramatic.

[houstontexasjack]

They’re going for a W hotel apartment vibe. Striking design. Dankeschoen, @Urbannizer.

[H-Town Man]

I had always envisioned a row of high rises developing along Main and Fannin and the rest of the neighborhood remaining low-rise and leafy, but I guess the high rises will be scattered across the neighborhood, due to no zoning.

[thatguysly]

It will be interesting to follow this one. It is very striking but will probably get a lot of push back from the locals.

[invisibletrees]

Get rid of that driveway.

[HNathoo]

I feel like they should build this much closer to the property lines. Don’t care for the setbacks.

[brijonmang]

Xzibit, pimp my museum district skyline!

[urbanize713]

At first I thought this was in strange place for this size of tower. However, after looking at the maps and aerials others posted, this is primary surrounded by other commercial property. Build baby, build!

Edited July 2, 2019 by urbanize713

[Purdueenginerd]

15 minutes ago, brijonmang said:

Xzibit, pimp my museum district skyline!

 

"I Put a building within a building! TV's on all the walls!"

[houstontexasjack]

2 hours ago, thatguysly said:

It will be interesting to follow this one. It is very striking but will probably get a lot of push back from the locals.

This local, for one, supports this project.

[houstontexasjack]

4 hours ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

More renderings and site map of X Houston, the proposed residential and mixed use at 5501 La Branch in the Museum District, Houston.

From this month's City of Houston planning commission agenda.


Calumet Looking West

(direct link)

Much appreciated, @CrockpotandGravel!  I like the artistic design over the parking garage that pops out in this rendering.

 

This one's in an interesting location.  It's just north of the new Origin Bank along Binz, and catty corner to that nice medical professional building housing MF Sushi.  To the north across Calumet, there's the spine hospital.   To the north of that would be Allen Harrison's upcoming 13-story midrise Boone Manor.  The Palazzo condos sit catty-corner to the northwest.

[bobruss]

Luminaire, here's some energy!

 

[Avossos]

4 minutes ago, bobruss said:

Luminaire, here's some energy!

 

I was just thinking how ironic it was that it was discussed that the Museum district was a little slow compared to the other hot spots...

 

I think the crowd / vibe feels a little old in the museum district. These new projects might bring some life and make the area feel a bit more welcoming to all.

[X.R.]

29 minutes ago, houstontexasjack said:

This local, for one, supports this project.

 

I was just thinking what does jack think of this. I can't think of why there would be much in terms of pushback other than...is there no ground floor retail? That would help the neighborhood welcome them with arms wide open. 

 

It is a jaw droppingly beautiful rendering though. I wish the announcements would talk about style or say what was the inspiration for the design. That would be cool. 

Edited July 2, 2019 by X.R.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[Luminare]

2 hours ago, bobruss said:

Luminaire, here's some energy!

 

 

1 hour ago, Avossos said:

I was just thinking how ironic it was that it was discussed that the Museum district was a little slow compared to the other hot spots...

 

I think the crowd / vibe feels a little old in the museum district. These new projects might bring some life and make the area feel a bit more welcoming to all.

 

Thats how hot this city is. One moment you think everything is slowing down and then, boom! One moment you think an area is dead or silent and then, boom!

Its slick looking for sure. Reminds me of things that are going up in Austin right now. I think a very slick clean look is right for Museum District. Interested to see more about this mesh that they want to put around the garage.

This area still has a ways to go, but I also liked @X.R. comments on the other thread (which I still will respond too). That was exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[jmitch94]

11 minutes ago, Timoric said:

Houston is so big that if we to do a bunch of average stuff for now and later a few signature buildings can punctuate, that works for me, the city literally has so much more developable space than any other city I can think of this size. It isn't like things are really hemmed in by historic this, water way that etc

 

 

People see all the amazing architecture in New York (and I'm in no way saying Houston is on par with New York) and forget about the thousands of regular boring or downright ugly buildings in the city. 

 

 

I feel a little bad for saying this but is the building across La Branch still there, the two story apartment building in street view with window unit A/C's, peeling paint, shopping carts and jalopies parked under it. The people who live in high rise luxury buildings are not people I'd imagine wanting to live next door to a complex like that. 

Edited July 2, 2019 by jmitch94

[HNathoo]

2 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

 

 

People see all the amazing architecture in New York (and I'm in no way saying Houston is on par with New York) and forget about the thousands of regular boring or downright ugly buildings in the city. 

 

 

I feel a little bad for saying this but is the building across La Branch still there, the two story apartment building in street view with window unit A/C's, peeling paint, shopping carts and jalopies parked under it. 

 

It was recently remodeled. Given how small the lot was, I imagine this is as good as we could hope for. 

[jmitch94]

That's A LOT better to be honest. Now it just looks like a smaller older complex not the near tenement it does on street view. 

[houstontexasjack]

On 7/1/2019 at 10:20 PM, H-Town Man said:

I had always envisioned a row of high rises developing along Main and Fannin and the rest of the neighborhood remaining low-rise and leafy, but I guess the high rises will be scattered across the neighborhood, due to no zoning.

In practice, I think you’d have high rises along that corridor, paralleling Binz to the south, Almeda to the east, and with the Innovation District to the north. 

 

This one is actually quite close to Binz. The Allen Harrison project is much shorter and will provide a nice taper leading up to this one.

 

Property ownership within those bounds tends to be fractured, making it harder to accumulate lots for larger projects.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[Angostura]

25 minutes ago, Timoric said:

How much of what was built in the late 70s early 80s has been or is being torn down? I would guess at least a third of it is gone (older apartment complexes in better areas)

 

Second, the center of the city population has steadily moved West in Houston - well past the West Loop - be interesting to know if/when that stops or starts going East toward DT because of the great new infill inside the Loop. Back inside the loop by 2030?

 

 

A lot of what was built in the 70s and 80s was built where and how it was built due to the sewer moratorium in force at the time. From 1974, the by-right limit on density for restricted areas (essentially all of the inner loop) was 15,000 sf/acre commercial, 7 DU/acre residential. Anything larger needed administrative review and assembly of sewer rights. As a result, a lot of development got pushed west, and a lot of what was built inside the loop was built at a much lower density than would otherwise make sense.

 

As those properties are getting to an age where they must be either re-habbed or demo'd, we are just now starting to unwind a lot of that mal-investment. This article from 1982 makes for an interesting read on the subject.

 

[BeerNut]

Building already has a intro song.

 

[hindesky]

The lot just southeast is a junkyard, wonder why they couldn't buy it too.

 

[HNathoo]

3 hours ago, hindesky said:

The lot just southeast is a junkyard, wonder why they couldn't buy it too.

 

It’s owned by the Boone bicycle family. They’re holding out hope they can turn this into a bicycle museum. I think they have a go fund me account for this. 

 

[hindesky]

Junkyard just southwest of the new  X tower.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 8, 2019 by Timoric

[X.R.]

I spoke too soon. I emailed the homies from the neighborhood association and...maybe they aren't as supportive as I assumed they would be. I don't really understand why, because the Southmore is pretty massive and I don't see anything bad stemming from it. In fact, they might be the only reason Java Lava Brew has such consistent business since people just stumble out of their place and fall into that coffee shop/bar/food place. 

 

Weird. But @thatguysly called it. 

[79ta]

4 hours ago, X.R. said:

I spoke too soon. I emailed the homies from the neighborhood association and...maybe they aren't as supportive as I assumed they would be. I don't really understand why, because the Southmore is pretty massive and I don't see anything bad stemming from it. In fact, they might be the only reason Java Lava Brew has such consistent business since people just stumble out of their place and fall into that coffee shop/bar/food place. 

 

Weird. But @thatguysly called it. 

 

What'd you ask and how'd they respond?

[Luminare]

Now on the HAIF Development Map under the layer "Proposed". For any updates on the status of this project. Please DM me.

Things to keep an eye on include (but not limited to):

-updated renders (will be adding pics to all projects later)
-project name changes

-changes in use or additions of uses

-changes in number of stories

-changes to Developer or additional Developers

-changes to Architect or additional Architects/Designers

-announcements or changes to construction dates / finish dates

 

If any of the above is missing in the project info already then please assist clarifying any missing info to me.

 

[X.R.]

32 minutes ago, 79ta said:

 

What'd you ask and how'd they respond?

 

I just sent a "hey I support the development, haven't been to the last few meetings, whats up" email and got a come to the next one because concerns have been raised type response. Nothing terrible, but not the arms wide open that I thought it would be. I don't understand what the concerns could be other than maybe traffic? But its basically right off of Binz soooo... Maybe noise from the building? Granted, I wasn't there for the bigger builds in the neighborhood, but the museums (the Holocaust one) with their constructions haven't disturbed me. I dunno.

 

 

 

 

[Angostura]

16 hours ago, X.R. said:

I spoke too soon. I emailed the homies from the neighborhood association and...maybe they aren't as supportive as I assumed they would be. I don't really understand why, because the Southmore is pretty massive and I don't see anything bad stemming from it. In fact, they might be the only reason Java Lava Brew has such consistent business since people just stumble out of their place and fall into that coffee shop/bar/food place. 

 

 

 

The most predictable majority in American local politics is incumbent residents opposing any new development with a density higher than their current home.

[Twinsanity02]

I don't understand the basis of complaint regarding this high rise. Aren't there already several high rises in the area? Is there a law which limits the number of high rises in an area? On what legal basis can this high rise be stopped?

[Nate99]

2 hours ago, Angostura said:

 

 

The most predictable majority in American local politics is incumbent residents opposing any new development with a density higher than their current home.

 

Yep. Up in Kingwood when the plans for the ridiculously overwrought development on the lake came out, everyone was instantly convinced of any and every calamity that they could imagine ruining their lives because of the impact of towers, offices and some shopping.  There were even some high school kids looking to burnish their college applications trying to "organize" the noble opposition. 

 

It's a cultural thing, what will we accept happening around us and what rights will eventually be legally recognized if they are not delayed and harassed out of feasibility.  There are many places in this world where laws are vague and what will be permitted is anyone's guess. This dynamic is on a spectrum, but unless you are that incumbent in a comfortable position or become wildly rich elsewhere and like the scenery,  you don't go anywhere near the least predictable jurisdictions and they stagnate or bifurcate into extremes of luxury and poverty as a result. 

[HNathoo]

47 minutes ago, Twinsanity02 said:

I don't understand the basis of complaint regarding this high rise. Aren't there already several high rises in the area? Is there a law which limits the number of high rises in an area? On what legal basis can this high rise be stopped?

 

They are asking for a very minor variance to reduce the building setback lines 5’ above the second floor for the garage and balconies. The neighborhood can only really chime in due to the request of the variance. The thought within the neighborhood is that if the variance is denied, the developer won’t be able to build the desired project and will drop the deal. They’ll do whatever they can at the hope the developer just goes away.

 

 I don’t believe the neighborhood is actually against the project, but the head of the neighborhood association is a well-known NIMBY who unsuccessfully tried to stop Parc Binz ( barnaby’s with medical office above), the Southmore (25 story Hines project), and the Mondarin condos. All of those developments have been valuable additions to the neighborhood. She even fought the holocaust museum variance for a reduced setback. 

 

Frankly the neighborhood would look a lot less appealing today had she gotten her way. It’s important if you live in the neighborhood to voice your support of the X Houston project to both the neighborhood association and the planning commission.