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Minute Maid Park Mixed-Use Development


Brandon55

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3 hours ago, tigereye said:

Reminder: Astros have agreement with city council to begin development within 4 years of May 2020. 

We should probably see news/renderings on this sometime this year or by 2024 FanFest. 

Seems strange not to announce something ahead of the 2024 season on the momentum of the World Series victory purely for marketing purposes . . . it's not like they have to move dirt any time soon.

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55 minutes ago, shasta said:

Apparently, according to the rumors on here, they have 11 months to "move dirt".

Sounds like now is the time to have conceptual renderings then!

(I doubt the 11-month development "starting" timeline requires them to actually "move dirt" in that timeframe, but rather reach a certain design milestone that would allow them to obtain some permits or financing, etc.  Regardless that which City Council has granted, it can grant again with an extension of the development period.)

Edited by mattyt36
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2/11/2023 at 5:39 PM, hindesky said:

"Astros owner Jim Crane has plans to build an extensive entertainment district around the ballpark."

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/houston-eado-new-developments-businesses-2023-17776581.php

They continue to speak in riddles, about this project.

We have nothing definitive that tells us this project is actually happening. Nothing!

Crane has the money and the blocks to do this, and has for years, yet we've yet to see a single rendering or master plan- even if the rendering is very schematic. He even talked about how desperate we need this district after we played @ Atlanta in the 2021 WS.

Even the Texan's NcNair family released renderings and a master plan for their fake project in Uptown!

That's the one, and only thing, the McNairs have done better than Crane, release a fake rendering.

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6 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Those things are ugly af 

Yeah I’m not happy about that, but I guess we shouldn’t be surprised after the Crawford Street outfield wall was polluted with advertising and “community” outreach signage.  The Yankees we are NOT!  Surprised though to read the Red Sox struck a similar deal…

3 hours ago, shasta said:

They continue to speak in riddles, about this project.

We have nothing definitive that tells us this project is actually happening. Nothing!

Crane has the money and the blocks to do this, and has for years, yet we've yet to see a single rendering or master plan- even if the rendering is very schematic. He even talked about how desperate we need this district after we played @ Atlanta in the 2021 WS.

Even the Texan's NcNair family released renderings and a master plan for their fake project in Uptown!

That's the one, and only thing, the McNairs have done better than Crane, release a fake rendering.

Are you an Astros season ticket holder?  Where is your sense of entitlement coming from?  Has Hakeem Olajuwon done anything with that decrepit building he owns near the ballpark?

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6 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

Yeah I’m not happy about that, but I guess we shouldn’t be surprised after the Crawford Street outfield wall was polluted with advertising and “community” outreach signage.  The Yankees we are NOT!  Surprised though to read the Red Sox struck a similar deal…

Are you an Astros season ticket holder?  Where is your sense of entitlement coming from?  Has Hakeem Olajuwon done anything with that decrepit building he owns near the ballpark?

Which one does Hakeem own? 

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34 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

Yeah I’m not happy about that, but I guess we shouldn’t be surprised after the Crawford Street outfield wall was polluted with advertising and “community” outreach signage.  The Yankees we are NOT!  Surprised though to read the Red Sox struck a similar deal…

I've never understood the "outrage" over the advertising on the Crawford Street outfield (the proceeds of which, it bears repeating, go to community charities).  Why do people pretend that other ballparks are not covered in advertising, especially in the outfields (and, yes, that include the Yankee Stadium)?  Oh, and, if they haven't done so yet, you can also expect the Yankees to be signing a jersey patch sponsor agreement.

Edited by Houston19514
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32 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Which one does Hakeem own? 

I guess he sold it to Tillman Fertitta.

For years, Hakeem Olajuwon wasn't particularly known for making the assist. The 7-foot Houston Rockets center spent much of his court time in the low post, waiting for teammates to deliver him the ball.

But after 17 seasons in the NBA and with an eye more on future enterprises than his scoring average, Olajuwon is extolling the virtues of teamwork on and off the court as he looks to beef up what's already a substantial real estate holding.

Indeed, Olajuwon has accumulated — and routinely sold for a tidy profit — a host of high-profile properties in the Houston area in recent years. While critics have blasted him for failing to develop the prime tracts, Olajuwon defends his position as a businessman as if he were describing a game-play strategy.

"What I've learned about real estate is to specialize, and do what it is you do best," he said. "You create an opportunity, and you pass the ball to the next guy to finish it. It's called an assist."

In his most recent real estate play, the ball was passed to Tilman Fertitta, chairman of Landry's Seafood Restaurants.

Fertitta is now under contract to purchase the World Trade Center building located across from the Houston Astros' Enron Field for an estimated $8.5 million. Olajuwon acquired the 40-year-old facility in 1999, and the Houston restaurateur is currently conducting due diligence on the property, which he plans to redevelop into a hotel.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2001/02/19/No-Topic-Name/Big-Man-In-Houston-Real-Estate.aspx

 

Edited by steve1363
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40 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

I guess he sold it to Tillman Fertitta.

For years, Hakeem Olajuwon wasn't particularly known for making the assist. The 7-foot Houston Rockets center spent much of his court time in the low post, waiting for teammates to deliver him the ball.

But after 17 seasons in the NBA and with an eye more on future enterprises than his scoring average, Olajuwon is extolling the virtues of teamwork on and off the court as he looks to beef up what's already a substantial real estate holding.

Indeed, Olajuwon has accumulated — and routinely sold for a tidy profit — a host of high-profile properties in the Houston area in recent years. While critics have blasted him for failing to develop the prime tracts, Olajuwon defends his position as a businessman as if he were describing a game-play strategy.

"What I've learned about real estate is to specialize, and do what it is you do best," he said. "You create an opportunity, and you pass the ball to the next guy to finish it. It's called an assist."

In his most recent real estate play, the ball was passed to Tilman Fertitta, chairman of Landry's Seafood Restaurants.

Fertitta is now under contract to purchase the World Trade Center building located across from the Houston Astros' Enron Field for an estimated $8.5 million. Olajuwon acquired the 40-year-old facility in 1999, and the Houston restaurateur is currently conducting due diligence on the property, which he plans to redevelop into a hotel.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2001/02/19/No-Topic-Name/Big-Man-In-Houston-Real-Estate.aspx

 

Oh yeah he sold that a long time ago. This is the site today as a Westin hotel. 

Westin Houston.PNG

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15 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

I've never understood the "outrage" over the advertising on the Crawford Street outfield (the proceeds of which, it bears repeating, go to community charities).  Why do people pretend that other ballparks are not covered in advertising, especially in the outfields (and, yes, that include the Yankee Stadium)?  Oh, and, if they haven't done so yet, you can also expect the Yankees to be signing a jersey patch sponsor agreement.

I don't lose sleep over it but surely you would admit the stadium looks better without all the clutter.  It's gotten marginally better since 2014.  I HPIM0897.JPG.a02a77095ca4a0b2eeb688dfe1c1ee2a.JPGHPIM1617.JPG.56cae01ca02d28f2a9c3c4d64f5bb1a1.JPGHPIM0897.JPG.a02a77095ca4a0b2eeb688dfe1c1ee2a.JPG878641672_MinuteMaidPark2013.jpg.a5e3db929b1a3dc8ba87ed58b2fae1e1.jpgMinute_Maid_Park_2014.jpg.e75d1617456aad0bc4b7dde6690d5350.jpgdon't really care what other stadiums do.

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20 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

I've never understood the "outrage" over the advertising on the Crawford Street outfield (the proceeds of which, it bears repeating, go to community charities).  Why do people pretend that other ballparks are not covered in advertising, especially in the outfields (and, yes, that include the Yankee Stadium)?  Oh, and, if they haven't done so yet, you can also expect the Yankees to be signing a jersey patch sponsor agreement.

Well, we know what it looked like before all that signage for one thing. Also, most people on this forum care about design and architecture and when the stadium was built this certainly wasn’t the vision. It looks like a mess. 

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6 hours ago, steve1363 said:

 I don't really care what other stadiums do.

And yet you felt compelled to say we’re not the Yankees (when the Yankees have more ads inn their outfield than we do).

3 hours ago, Naviguessor said:

Putting Big Signs there is the equivalent of placing a large piece of furniture in front of a window in a house.    

Clearly, putting them in front of the retractable glass wall was a mistake, and the Astros obviously realized that very quickly.  Once they were moved down, they are not very obtrusive; one almost has to look for them -- still less clutter than most (or at worst, no more than) other MLB outfields.

Edited by Houston19514
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You know I wouldn't mind if neo-gothic, or art-deco skyscrapers (even Italian renaissance) came back into style. Maybe something like a combination of the modern glass architecture going up and the more ornamental styles mentioned? I wonder if we can convince Crane to build something like the Woolworth building. 

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6 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

And yet you felt compelled to say we’re not the Yankees (when the Yankees have more ads inn their outfield than we do).

Are you a baseball fan?  I mentioned the Yankees in reference to the Astros putting “OXY” on their uniforms.  The Yankees pinstripe home uniforms are iconic and they don’t tamper with the design.  They could pollute them with advertising but I don’t see that happening…just like their stadium remains Yankee Stadium.

You are entitled to a different opinion.  I’m a lifelong Astros fan but I’m not blind! 😂

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11 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Are you a baseball fan?  I mentioned the Yankees in reference to the Astros putting “OXY” on their uniforms.  The Yankees pinstripe home uniforms are iconic and they don’t tamper with the design.  They could pollute them with advertising but I don’t see that happening…just like their stadium remains Yankee Stadium.

You are entitled to a different opinion.  I’m a lifelong Astros fan but I’m not blind! 😂

Hmmmmmm, well, wonder what gives them the luxury to make such a "principled" decision?  The answer is eluding me, even though I think it should be rather obvious . . . 

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12 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Are you a baseball fan?  I mentioned the Yankees in reference to the Astros putting “OXY” on their uniforms.  The Yankees pinstripe home uniforms are iconic and they don’t tamper with the design.  They could pollute them with advertising but I don’t see that happening…just like their stadium remains Yankee Stadium.

You are entitled to a different opinion.  I’m a lifelong Astros fan but I’m not blind! 😂

As I mentioned earlier, the Yankees are indeed looking for jersey patch sponsors.

 https://yanksgoyard.com/2022/07/22/yankees-jersey-sleeve-patch-advertising-2023/

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/new-york-yankees-begin-search-for-jersey-patch-sponsor-per-report/3774903/

https://www.legendsinternational.com/legends-news/forbes-new-york-yankees-working-with-legends-in-search-for-inaugural-jersey-patch-sponsor

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwju9dm_u5r9AhU1MDQIHaZXBCUQFnoECEUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Ftimcasey%2F2022%2F07%2F14%2Fnew-york-yankees-working-with-legends-in-search-for-inaugural-jersey-patch-sponsor%2F&usg=AOvVaw0tK7Tr4VRGJ2NWyC8ElZp7

Edited by Houston19514
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  • 1 month later...
2 hours ago, tigereye said:
The hopeful fall 2023 ground breaking tells me they’re trying build in time to open for the World Cup. 
 
I hope it’s completed in time host. It would be another amenity to offer visitors. 
 
Speaking of: Downtown is going to be LIT next weekend. Final Four Fan Fest and March Madness Music Festival at GRBCC/Discovery Green, and 2 blocks away, MLB Opening Weekend celebrating the World Series Championship at Minute Maid Park. It’s like a preview to 2026

I think the McDonald's all American game will be at Toyota Center too.

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Does anyone have any opinions about the above street walkway mentioned in the article? My first thought was an indoor sky bridge like the others downtown but is that really necessary? I wouldn’t want anything added to the stadium that would mess up the aesthetics and the original design. Thoughts?

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5 hours ago, nate4l1f3 said:

Does anyone have any opinions about the above street walkway mentioned in the article? My first thought was an indoor sky bridge like the others downtown but is that really necessary? I wouldn’t want anything added to the stadium that would mess up the aesthetics and the original design. Thoughts?

Yeah, I had a similar reaction to the sky bridge, not because of aesthetics but I just hope it doesn’t detract from street level foot traffic.  Supposedly this development will be modeled off of what they have in Atlanta and St. Louis.  I’ll have to do some research before passing judgement.

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I'm curious to see how this development will be modeled off of The Battery in Atlanta and Ballpark Village in St Louis. Those developments seem like they had more space to work with. 

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2 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Yeah, I had a similar reaction to the sky bridge, not because of aesthetics but I just hope it doesn’t detract from street level foot traffic.  Supposedly this development will be modeled off of what they have in Atlanta and St. Louis.  I’ll have to do some research before passing judgement.

Foot traffic was another thing that came to mind as well. It isn’t that hot that we can’t walk across the street 🤦🏻‍♂️. I’m going to guess the hotel is the part that will be connected via skywalk.  

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1 hour ago, Fortune said:

I'm curious to see how this development will be modeled off of The Battery in Atlanta and Ballpark Village in St Louis. Those developments seem like they had more space to work with. 

The Batter does for sure. If you trust Google Earth here’s how it compares us to Ballpark Village in St Louis. 

F5CE60DD-48A0-457B-892D-EC2FA9DB62D4.png

1968DC10-E2B0-4D38-A0B0-7F521CC7732E.png

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I just hope Crane is hoping to build a quality district with quality buildings.

 

I'm seeing a bunch of developers VE'ing projects right now due to the market conditions or we are seeing others , like the McNairs, holding off on breaking ground. 

 

 

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15 hours ago, bobruss said:

I thought Crane was planning on using the blocks north of Minute Maid towards Franklin.

 

 

This mixed use development has always been planned for the area highlight. It’s been mentioned that he does own several lots around the ballpark including those that you mentioned. 

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