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Discovery West: Mixed-Use Development Downtown By Skanska


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13 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

Other than this development do we have any other towers downtown that are proposed but not under construction yet? 

One Market Square is still, technically, proposed, just looking for a major tenant. I think Hines is handling that one, so with Texas Tower done, that's probably their next major project.

6 Houston Center is still proposed, as of now.

That 50 story Chevron Tower is still technically proposed, but its been on the backburner for years. If Chevron ever finally moves out of California, maybe it will happen. 

And finally there's the W Hotel proposed to be built above the Partnership Tower.

I also think there may be a proposal to redevelop the Bayou Music Center, including multiple towers, but don't know how far along that actually is.

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On 12/30/2021 at 4:34 PM, editor said:

Yes, and no.  Chicago has an official definition of "downtown" when it comes to construction, by virtue of having very strong zoning laws.  All of those are within the boundaries of "downtown" as redefined by city ordinance in 2020, or 2019.  I forget which.

All but one of those has gone through the Plan Commission, which is the last major bureaucratic hurdle to construction.  The 73-story building is already under construction.  The only thing left is a city council vote, though that has already come and gone for some of them.  The city council vote is a rubber-stamp process.  In the 19 years I've been following Chicago skyscraper construction, the council has only rejected one skyscraper. It was such an anomaly that it made headlines.

In summary, yes, these are "downtown" by both legal and cultural definitions.  And all but one has been approved by the parties that matter.

And it's worth reiterating that all of that activity is just in the last three months.

Ahhh, so it's been defined as a "downtown" zone since 2019 or 2020.  As I said, not areas that one traditionally thinks of as downtown Chicago.  ;-)

The point is, considering all of that area when comparing to just what we generally define here as downtown Houston is not really an apt comparison.  (FWIW, I'm not suggesting we have built or are building more high-rises than Chicago)

And it's worth reiterating that there is a huge difference between planned and under construction, even if building permits are in hand and all regulatory hurdles have been cleared. (Just ask the tenants of 6 Houston Center; oh wait, there aren't any.)

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2 hours ago, Big E said:

One Market Square is still, technically, proposed, just looking for a major tenant. I think Hines is handling that one, so with Texas Tower done, that's probably their next major project.

6 Houston Center is still proposed, as of now.

That 50 story Chevron Tower is still technically proposed, but its been on the backburner for years. If Chevron ever finally moves out of California, maybe it will happen. 

And finally there's the W Hotel proposed to be built above the Partnership Tower.

I also think there may be a proposal to redevelop the Bayou Music Center, including multiple towers, but don't know how far along that actually is.

One Market Square is gonna block the of Texas Tower once it's built 🙄

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Well we have made strides and continue to add to our own list, but very impressive for L.A., Chicago is to be expected. 

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

Trying to put a little more substance on a response for you:

Per Emporis, those four cities have the following high-rises 375 ft and above completed 2018 and after/under construction/planned:

Houston:

  • Completed 2018 and after - 10: Texas Tower (735 ft); Bank of America Tower (579 ft); The Post Oak (496 ft); Aspire Post Oak (453 ft); Hanover River Oaks (450 ft); Latitude Medical Center (423 ft); Arabella (399 ft); Paula & Rusty Walter Tower (395 ft); Residences at La Colombe d'Or (393 ft); Hanover BLVD Place (375 ft)  
  • Under Construction - 5:  1550 on the Green (410 ft); 800 Crawford (468 ft); Texas A&M Health Science Center Horizon Tower (488 ft); Thompson Houston Hotel and Residences/the Allen (496 ft); Brava (549 ft); 
  • Planned -5:  Hotel Granduca Residences (442 ft); 1661 Tanglewood (460 ft); Houston Methodist Centennial Tower (467 ft); Rosewood Hotel & Residences (751 ft); 1600 Louisiana (859 ft)

Dallas:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 6:  AMLI Fountain Place (562 ft); The Victor (453 ft); Atelier (441 ft); Hall Arts Residences (440 ft); Bleu Ciel (400 ft); Residences at Park District (385 ft) 
  • Under Construction: None
  • Planned - 1:  Field Street Tower (600 ft) 

Chicago:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 14: NEMA Chicago (896 ft); One Bennett Park (837 ft); 110 North Wacker Dr (815 ft); Wolf Point East (665 ft); Essex on the Park (620 ft); 151 North Franklin (600 ft); 465 North Park (535 ft); The Paragon (515 ft); 727 West Madison (495 ft); No. 9 Walton (491 ft); 235 West Van Buren (490 ft); Old Town Park III (447 ft); Cascade (438 ft); Old Town Park II (430 ft); 
  • Under Construction- 11: St Regis Chicago (1,191 ft); One Chicago Tower A (971 ft); Salesforce Tower (813 ft); 1000M (805 ft);  BMO Tower (727 ft); One Chicago Tower B (574 ft); Cirrus (550 ft); 300 North Michigan Ave (523 ft); The Grand (452 ft); The Reed (447 ft); 352 North Union Ave (410 ft)
  • Planned: Tribune East (1,422 ft); 400 Lake Shore Dr-South Tower ( 1,100 ft); Lakeshore East Site I (950 ft); 400 Lake Shore Drive - North Tower (850 ft); 130 North Franklin (751 ft); The Carillon (725 ft); 300 West Oak St (695 ft); Lakeshore East Site O (642 ft); 310 West Oak St (620 ft); Equinox Hotel & Residences (615 ft); 700 West Chicago Residential Tower (610 ft); 601 West Monroe East Tower (535 ft); 640 West Washington Blvd (515 ft); 170 North Peoria (495 ft); 205 West Oak St (475 ft); 601 West Monroe West Tower (465 ft); 1520-76 North Fremont Street (465 ft); 444 North Dearborn (455 ft); 1130 North State St (425 ft); 360 North Green St (425 ft); 1201 -1215 West Fulton Market (382 ft); 312 West Walton St (380 ft); 322 North Clark St (377 ft)

Los Angeles:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 8: Thea at Metropolis (647 ft); 825 South Hill (636 ft); Hope+Flower I (529 ft); AVEN (490 ft); Metropolis Residential Tower II (451 ft); Hope+Flower II (421 ft); Circa East (400 ft); Circa West (400 ft); 
  • Under Construction- 10: Oceanwide Plaza I (677 ft); 945 West 8th Street (654 ft); Century Plaza Tower II (600 ft); Century Plaza Tower I (600 ft); Eighth and Figueroa (530 ft); Moxy & AC Hotel Los Angeles (529 ft); Oceanwide Plaza III (497 ft); Oceanwide Plaza II (497 ft); Perla on Broadway (417 ft); 520 Mateo Street (390 ft); 
  • Planned:  333 South Figuera St (1,108 ft); Figueroa Center (975 ft); Angels Landing Tower A (854 ft); Olympia Tower I (853 ft); 1045 Olive Hill (810 ft); Fifth & Hill (789 ft); Olympic & Hill (760 ft); Olympic Tower (740 ft); 6AM North Tower (732 ft); 6AM South Tower (710 ft); BLOC Tower (710 ft); Times Mirror Square South Tower (665 ft); Wilshire Courtyard Tower 1 (655 ft); Olympia Tower III (653 ft); Tribune Tower (616 ft); Hollywood Center East Tower (595 ft); Wilshire Courtyard Tower 2 (565 ft); Olympia Tower II (550 ft); Angels Landing Tower B (542 ft); 1020 Figueroa Residential Tower (540 ft); Mirabel (521 ft); Westfield Promenade 2035 Southeast Office Building (502 ft); Times Mirror Square North Tower (488 ft); 350 South Figuero Street (480 ft); Hollywood Center West Tower (469 ft); Hyde Resort & Residences (460 ft); Lake on Wilshire (459 ft); Wilshire Gate (450 ft); 1020 Figueroa W Hotel Tower (430 ft); The Gayley at Wilshire (427 ft); 2143 East Violet (425 ft); 2143 East Violet (425 ft); 525 South Spring (420 ft); Residences at 333 South Hope Street (420 ft); The Star (420 ft); Bixel Tower (409 ft); 3700 Wilshire (400 ft); 

What an impressive post. Thank you personally. 

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On 12/31/2021 at 12:06 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

Wow that’s a very impressive list for Chicago and LA. All we really need to do is continue building up every block of downtown with good density. Density is the key to all of this. I always imagine downtown with no empty lots. That would be impressive in terms of scale for any city. 

Only the Planned section of LA's is really impressive.  And the size of that planned list leads me to believe that most of them will not happen, especially when compared to the "under construction" and recently completed lists.

For example, the tallest "planned" tower on that list was first announced in 2018 and then The Tower development was placed on hold in 2019 due to corruption allegations between the developer and a council member.

The second tallest "planned" in LA released new renderings for the "planned" tower in 2017! . . . 
 

Are either of these  still "planned"?  Who knows?  Developers rarely announce project cancellations.

Edited by Houston19514
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21 hours ago, Big E said:

One Market Square is still, technically, proposed, just looking for a major tenant. I think Hines is handling that one, so with Texas Tower done, that's probably their next major project.

6 Houston Center is still proposed, as of now.

That 50 story Chevron Tower is still technically proposed, but its been on the backburner for years. If Chevron ever finally moves out of California, maybe it will happen. 

And finally there's the W Hotel proposed to be built above the Partnership Tower.

I also think there may be a proposal to redevelop the Bayou Music Center, including multiple towers, but don't know how far along that actually is.

Weren't two more residential towers planned for downtown? One, I believe, was north of Minute Maid Park, the other around Toyota center. A twin of Camden residential.

Edited by Twinsanity02
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56 minutes ago, Twinsanity02 said:

Weren't two more residential towers planned for downtown? One, I believe, was north of Minute Maid Park, the other around Toyota center. A twin of Camden residential.

I wouldn't consider the Camden twin a "tower" really. Camden is a midrise, maybe a small high rise at best. Its twin probably will be designed the same. I would put the Marquette building in the same boat really, but at 24 stories, I would definitely put that in high rise territory. Since the original post asked for "towers", I focused on the tallest buildings, the actual skyscrapers.

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Love this development but am I the only one that finds it odd that the second office tower gets a better location than the hotel/residential tower? Seems like you'd lure more folks to rent/stay if there were views of Discovery Green and not the electrical substation to the East and surface lots to the South. Also, for large conventions, people at the hotels quickest route would take them by the substation rather than the edge of the park and by tower one's amenities. 

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1 hour ago, KinkaidAlum said:

Love this development but am I the only one that finds it odd that the second office tower gets a better location than the hotel/residential tower? Seems like you'd lure more folks to rent/stay if there were views of Discovery Green and not the electrical substation to the East and surface lots to the South. Also, for large conventions, people at the hotels quickest route would take them by the substation rather than the edge of the park and by tower one's amenities. 

Probably because there is more room to work with in the two full blocks.

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8 hours ago, KinkaidAlum said:

Love this development but am I the only one that finds it odd that the second office tower gets a better location than the hotel/residential tower? Seems like you'd lure more folks to rent/stay if there were views of Discovery Green and not the electrical substation to the East and surface lots to the South. Also, for large conventions, people at the hotels quickest route would take them by the substation rather than the edge of the park and by tower one's amenities. 

Office is worth more in this town than residential so they are going to give the office building the better location. Office tenants like their views too. Also, downtown office tenants demand access to the skywalk/tunnel system and value proximity to other buildings, so it helps for the office to be closer to the other office stock, even though tenants will have to walk through the Four Seasons tunnels to get anywhere else. 

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9 minutes ago, Andrew Ewert said:

This project is so funny to me. I'm glad the Embassy Suites is getting covered up, but damn that pool is going to be useless lol. "Visitors to the Embassy Suites can enjoy sunning themselves daily from 12:33 to 12:37pm"

To some extent guests won't care. Most don't use the pool and there are other pools in Houston that are the same or worse. The pool at the Marriot on 610 in Uptown is indoor with a glass roof and surrounded by buildings or a parking garage on three sides. 

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12 minutes ago, Eastdwntwn said:

Are there any other buildings in downtown that are on a almost curved strip of land like this?

There really aren't more than 3 or 4 other lots that would have anything like this, and the ones that do just have square buildings on them. I think the only other semi-contender would be The Hamilton.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12/30/2021 at 6:20 PM, Big E said:

That 50 story Chevron Tower is still technically proposed, but its been on the backburner for years. If Chevron ever finally moves out of California, maybe it will happen.

With Exxon Mobil moving down here, it's not too far-fetched to imagine Chevron being interested in Five Allen as a new corporate home. Get the two biggest oil companies in the US here in less than a year, and that could start a gold rush.

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1 hour ago, tangledwoods said:

I find it curious to see maxim tower cranes on this job.  I am not a crane nerd, but these might be the only ones in town right now??

Last Maxim tower crane I remember built the TSU library and I'm pretty sure they are union operators, at least they were in the plants.

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On 12/30/2021 at 9:44 PM, Houston19514 said:

Trying to put a little more substance on a response for you:

Per Emporis, those four cities have the following high-rises 375 ft and above completed 2018 and after/under construction/planned:

Houston:

  • Completed 2018 and after - 10: Texas Tower (735 ft); Bank of America Tower (579 ft); The Post Oak (496 ft); Aspire Post Oak (453 ft); Hanover River Oaks (450 ft); Latitude Medical Center (423 ft); Arabella (399 ft); Paula & Rusty Walter Tower (395 ft); Residences at La Colombe d'Or (393 ft); Hanover BLVD Place (375 ft)  
  • Under Construction - 5:  1550 on the Green (410 ft); 800 Crawford (468 ft); Texas A&M Health Science Center Horizon Tower (488 ft); Thompson Houston Hotel and Residences/the Allen (496 ft); Brava (549 ft); 
  • Planned -5:  Hotel Granduca Residences (442 ft); 1661 Tanglewood (460 ft); Houston Methodist Centennial Tower (467 ft); Rosewood Hotel & Residences (751 ft); 1600 Louisiana (859 ft)

Dallas:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 6:  AMLI Fountain Place (562 ft); The Victor (453 ft); Atelier (441 ft); Hall Arts Residences (440 ft); Bleu Ciel (400 ft); Residences at Park District (385 ft) 
  • Under Construction: None
  • Planned - 1:  Field Street Tower (600 ft) 

Chicago:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 14: NEMA Chicago (896 ft); One Bennett Park (837 ft); 110 North Wacker Dr (815 ft); Wolf Point East (665 ft); Essex on the Park (620 ft); 151 North Franklin (600 ft); 465 North Park (535 ft); The Paragon (515 ft); 727 West Madison (495 ft); No. 9 Walton (491 ft); 235 West Van Buren (490 ft); Old Town Park III (447 ft); Cascade (438 ft); Old Town Park II (430 ft); 
  • Under Construction- 11: St Regis Chicago (1,191 ft); One Chicago Tower A (971 ft); Salesforce Tower (813 ft); 1000M (805 ft);  BMO Tower (727 ft); One Chicago Tower B (574 ft); Cirrus (550 ft); 300 North Michigan Ave (523 ft); The Grand (452 ft); The Reed (447 ft); 352 North Union Ave (410 ft)
  • Planned: Tribune East (1,422 ft); 400 Lake Shore Dr-South Tower ( 1,100 ft); Lakeshore East Site I (950 ft); 400 Lake Shore Drive - North Tower (850 ft); 130 North Franklin (751 ft); The Carillon (725 ft); 300 West Oak St (695 ft); Lakeshore East Site O (642 ft); 310 West Oak St (620 ft); Equinox Hotel & Residences (615 ft); 700 West Chicago Residential Tower (610 ft); 601 West Monroe East Tower (535 ft); 640 West Washington Blvd (515 ft); 170 North Peoria (495 ft); 205 West Oak St (475 ft); 601 West Monroe West Tower (465 ft); 1520-76 North Fremont Street (465 ft); 444 North Dearborn (455 ft); 1130 North State St (425 ft); 360 North Green St (425 ft); 1201 -1215 West Fulton Market (382 ft); 312 West Walton St (380 ft); 322 North Clark St (377 ft)

Los Angeles:

  • Completed 2018 and after- 8: Thea at Metropolis (647 ft); 825 South Hill (636 ft); Hope+Flower I (529 ft); AVEN (490 ft); Metropolis Residential Tower II (451 ft); Hope+Flower II (421 ft); Circa East (400 ft); Circa West (400 ft); 
  • Under Construction- 10: Oceanwide Plaza I (677 ft); 945 West 8th Street (654 ft); Century Plaza Tower II (600 ft); Century Plaza Tower I (600 ft); Eighth and Figueroa (530 ft); Moxy & AC Hotel Los Angeles (529 ft); Oceanwide Plaza III (497 ft); Oceanwide Plaza II (497 ft); Perla on Broadway (417 ft); 520 Mateo Street (390 ft); 
  • Planned:  333 South Figuera St (1,108 ft); Figueroa Center (975 ft); Angels Landing Tower A (854 ft); Olympia Tower I (853 ft); 1045 Olive Hill (810 ft); Fifth & Hill (789 ft); Olympic & Hill (760 ft); Olympic Tower (740 ft); 6AM North Tower (732 ft); 6AM South Tower (710 ft); BLOC Tower (710 ft); Times Mirror Square South Tower (665 ft); Wilshire Courtyard Tower 1 (655 ft); Olympia Tower III (653 ft); Tribune Tower (616 ft); Hollywood Center East Tower (595 ft); Wilshire Courtyard Tower 2 (565 ft); Olympia Tower II (550 ft); Angels Landing Tower B (542 ft); 1020 Figueroa Residential Tower (540 ft); Mirabel (521 ft); Westfield Promenade 2035 Southeast Office Building (502 ft); Times Mirror Square North Tower (488 ft); 350 South Figuero Street (480 ft); Hollywood Center West Tower (469 ft); Hyde Resort & Residences (460 ft); Lake on Wilshire (459 ft); Wilshire Gate (450 ft); 1020 Figueroa W Hotel Tower (430 ft); The Gayley at Wilshire (427 ft); 2143 East Violet (425 ft); 2143 East Violet (425 ft); 525 South Spring (420 ft); Residences at 333 South Hope Street (420 ft); The Star (420 ft); Bixel Tower (409 ft); 3700 Wilshire (400 ft); 

The Rosewood is one I'm not familiar with. And 1600 Louisiana isn't happening without Chevron.

I'd be interested to compare these downtowns with Austin.

 

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