DJ V Lawrence Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story...nt/3599661.htmlShould be an interesting project. Curious as to if it will become a reality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story...nt/3599661.htmlShould be an interesting project. Curious as to if it will become a reality... Yeah I would like to see how far this goes. Do we really need something like this? It would be cool just to have it, but do we really need this. I don't see too many people wanting this. The money could probably be spent on other things for Metro like speeding up the progress of rail. I'm waiting for more details before I give it a or a right now I'm at Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I believe this has always been in the plans. This is the intermodal station I believe. I'm all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 The price might seem a bit high, especially considering that currently there is only one short rail line in downtown. But, if one considers the future uses, it would seem smarter to prepare by building for the future use, than having to start over when it gets busy.Initially, the Intermodal would have a light rail station, a commuter rail station, and bus terminals, as well as METRO bus transfers. While only one commuter line would terminate here initially, future plans may include lines to the Woodlands and IAH/Kingwood, as well as potentially out 249 to Tomball. All of those northern lines would terminate here.Additionally, a Clear Lake/Galveston line would likely terminate here as well. Only the Fort Bend line or other Southwest lines would have trouble connecting at a Northside terminal.Amtrak would move it's terminal here. If high speed rail ever materializes, it will terminate here. The bus terminals will move here. I'm sure there would be room for restaurants and other services. The article suggested a parking lot, which would allow city dwellers to use the terminal to head out as well.All in all, I look forward to the plans. My fear was that the intermodal would just be a glorified Amtrak station. This sounds like METRO is looking far into the future.And, for that kind of money, I doubt they will let it deteriorate into the Greyhound station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I do not thik Fort Bend plans to connect to downtown. I think it will just connect with Fannin South Station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 This sounds like a good plan to me. Metro's already got 15 acres and the Intermodal is already going to happen so why not make it a landmark?Yes, it will be one of those huge magnets for homeless etc. but not much you can do about that, but it could really start a major frenzy of dense residential projects that have a higher level target buyer than what might develop if it was a smaller, more modestly designed hub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Here's the architects website http://www.eekarchitects.com/ Click on Projects then on Transportation & Transit Oriented Development. I don't think we'll get a glorified bus barn from these guys. This is the only building of theirs I have actually been to. It was very well done with great detailing. Circle Centre Artsgarden Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Aside from other considerations, wish they wouldn't compare any new transit station to "a local version of the N.Y. landmark".We're going to rival Grand Central Station...for $150 mil?My gosh; we couldn't even duplicate GCS's facade for that amount.It's rather like saying that Moody Gardens rivals the pyramids of Egypt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 The thing that this seems to be missing is it being a major teminus itself. It is just a place to transfer from one transport mode to another. Not like Grand Central where it is an actual destination. Maybe if it was closer to downtown or any of the major business centers around town... but north of 10? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Is the the land for sale along White Oak Bayou? If they somehow connected with the bayou scape that would be cool. Yes, it will be one of those huge magnets for homeless etc. If you can keep the bums out of Victoria Station, you can keep them out of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I believe the location is N. Main @ Burnett.Here's the map:http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?addr=N+M...es&BFKey=&mag=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Ok I'm all for it. At first I thought it was something totally new and different. It has been something discussed here. It would be nicer though if it were closer to downtown.....i guess that'll do. I give it a ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Ditto on wishing it could be closer to the core of downtown, so a good portion of arriving passengers could walk away from the station, rather than transferring to another mode. But I guess the increased costs (higher land costs and no doubt sky-high costs of getting all of the rail lines to converge somewhere near the middle of downtown, probably requiring they be in tunnels) probably make such a location totally infeasible. The fact that they are hiring a top-tier architecture/planning firm, indicates they are aiming to build a landmark structure, not just a glorified Greyhound station. I think they are going in the right direction here. Mark me down as a , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I agree with the closer to downtown thing. I hate downtown's borders. It's like a fortress compared to the rest of the city. So whatever development happens in downtown will not have that great of an effect on the surrounding neighborhoods. Too bad freeways surround downtown at all corners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Downtown is busy enough during the day. I often wonder if some of you ever even go downtown.It just makes sense to place it away from the CBD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Remember Hardy Yards is at that corner, too. A substantial Intermodal Station could fit with the Hardy development quite easily. As for the core of Downtown argument, yes the expense would be incredible. But, as I mentioned in another thread, Grand Central Station is not in Downtown New York either. The I-10 knife through northern Downtown is regrettable, but this is a pretty old and confusing and congested section of freeway. Its replacement is not too far down the road. If the Intermodal gets off the ground, as well as Hardy Yards, there will be an impetus to do something with that section of freeway. I could see it being rerouted or sunk or buried or some other solution that joins the Near Northside with Downtown. The possibilities are endless. Mark me a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Downtown is busy enough during the day. I often wonder if some of you ever even go downtown. No comment. Well let me just say there are several times when I am walking in downtown on the weekday and I am the only person on the sidewalk on any particular block. Sometimes even during lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 This is the kind of stuff I like to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasboy Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Great news, but ummm $150 million? I'm sure that price will probably change since we ae talking 5 or 6 years down the road and I am assuming it will be more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I'm giving this a tentative If we could get the architects and city to REALLY think outside of the box, maybe we could have something as beautiful as this. WTC Path Station by Santiago Calatrava I say go with beauty and grace. This needs to be a place for Houstonians first and formost. We deserve the best and should demand it. I'd hate to see so much money poorly spent when it could produce something really magical and timeless. If this happens, it will get this X 1,000! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wharton transplant Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 It is very easy to be alone on the streets in Downtown, because, in the "Skyline District" where most of the highrises are, everyone is underground in the tunnels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I agree that it should make a statement, and at that price, METRO seems intent on the same thing.I may step on a couple of toes, but I am glad Calatrava is not in on this. I am already a bit tired of his "birds taking flight" designs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 *reads article*YAY! A 150 million dollar station, surrounded by 20 acres of park and ride lots!:yawn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 *reads article*YAY! A 150 million dollar station, surrounded by 20 acres of park and ride lots! :yawn: Maybe they'll build an UNDERGROUND parking garage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 The only thing that frustrates me is that Metro already spent so much money building their Downtown Transit Center and Headquarters. Once this new 'Grand Central Station' is in place, the Downtown TC seems as though it'll be rendered practically useless as a means of effectively moving people. After all, it is not within a reasonable walking distance of downtown's core, just like the new site, and is a spot that is harder to access from freeways. And any synergistic benefits that Metro may have wanted to gain by officing directly above the (currently) most heavily used transit center will be eliminated as well.Somehow, I would not be surprised if the Downtown TC was sold off entirely and Metro then turned around and built another new headquarters building above the proposed 'Grand Central Station'.All this said, I still like the potential of the new 'Grand Central Station' concept (as long as all these commuter rail routes are feasible)...I just wish that Metro had the foresight to prevent incurring massive and unnecessary costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkjones98 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 The only thing that frustrates me is that Metro already spent so much money building their Downtown Transit Center and Headquarters. Once this new 'Grand Central Station' is in place, the Downtown TC seems as though it'll be rendered practically useless as a means of effectively moving people. After all, it is not within a reasonable walking distance of downtown's core, just like the new site, and is a spot that is harder to access from freeways. And any synergistic benefits that Metro may have wanted to gain by officing directly above the (currently) most heavily used transit center will be eliminated as well.Somehow, I would not be surprised if the Downtown TC was sold off entirely and Metro then turned around and built another new headquarters building above the proposed 'Grand Central Station'.All this said, I still like the potential of the new 'Grand Central Station' concept (as long as all these commuter rail routes are feasible)...I just wish that Metro had the foresight to prevent incurring massive and unnecessary costs.I am not sure that the new station will be duplicative. As I see it, the new 'GCS' will be just that, a major transportation hub. The already constructed building, however, I think is more of an administrative structure than a big bus stop.I think that having a beautiful, landmark-quality building to connect all of Houston's mass transit is long overdue, particularly in downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Also, bear in mind that the Transit Centers function as a central place for several BUS routes to cross, facilitating transfers. There are several all over town. Downtown is just one that was sorely needed in a central location.The Intermodal, on the other hand, will function as a transfer center for different MODES of transportation, as well as different transportation entities, like Amtrak and Greyhound.I don't see them as duplicative either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CE_ugh Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 The only thing that frustrates me is that Metro already spent so much money building their Downtown Transit Center and Headquarters. Once this new 'Grand Central Station' is in place, the Downtown TC seems as though it'll be rendered practically useless as a means of effectively moving people. After all, it is not within a reasonable walking distance of downtown's core, just like the new site, and is a spot that is harder to access from freeways. And any synergistic benefits that Metro may have wanted to gain by officing directly above the (currently) most heavily used transit center will be eliminated as well.Somehow, I would not be surprised if the Downtown TC was sold off entirely and Metro then turned around and built another new headquarters building above the proposed 'Grand Central Station'.All this said, I still like the potential of the new 'Grand Central Station' concept (as long as all these commuter rail routes are feasible)...I just wish that Metro had the foresight to prevent incurring massive and unnecessary costs.Downtown TC serves the Gulf Freeway bus cooridor pretty well, and is essential for anyone coming from the Bay Area or UH to the Medical Center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 TheNiche: Well, the new building is for administation. They just happened to have space for the DT transit center which serves the same purpose as all the other TC's. If the intermodal is going to be built, it will most likly be at the N. Main location as Metro already has 15 acres there. There was never any room for a facility downtown that may ultimatly consist of 3-5 converging rail lines plus Amtrack plus busses plus LRT plus Park and Ride. The DT transit center, Administration bldg and the new intermodal all have distinct purposes. There is no duplication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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