Houston19514 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Interesting tidbit from this week's City Council agenda regarding the capital improvement plan for the MAIN STREET/MARKET SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: The FY23 – FY27 CIP Budget totals $64,631,000 and includes economic development program provisions for office-to-residential conversion plan and blight removal targeting 901 Main, 801 Jefferson, and 1111 Main; San Jacinto Street reconstruction to connect to Hardy Yards; the installation of enhanced pedestrian lighting through key walkable corridors Downtown; mobility connections to the Near Northside; and infrastructure and improvements in the Warehouse District. 5 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookey23 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 (edited) I'm glad there is money going into the Warehouse District. It has the potential to be a really cool little walkable pocket of downtown Houston, but clearly needs some help. Once those new apartments are done, I could see that 6 block stretch becoming a fun little bar and restaurant area. Is there a presentation or anything available online? Edited January 30 by bookey23 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 (edited) Yikes so the city is going to demo 901 Main!? That sucks. I was really hoping that building was salvageable. I wish the blight removal applied to that other convenience store on Main St that has paneling covering a beautiful façade. It would be great for the city to work with the owner to help finance the restoration of that property. Edited January 30 by j_cuevas713 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookey23 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Any clue what 801 Jefferson would mean? Is that the odd structure next to the old Days Inn at 801 St Joseph Parkway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said: Yikes so the city is going to demo 901 Main!? That sucks. I was really hoping that building was salvageable. I wish the blight removal applied to that other convenience store on Main St that has paneling covering a beautiful façade. It would be great for the city to work with the owner to help finance the restoration of that property. blight removal doesn't necessarily mean demolition... I would wait to hear "demo" before grieving. I do hope it is saved. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChannelTwoNews Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 1 hour ago, bookey23 said: Any clue what 801 Jefferson would mean? Is that the odd structure next to the old Days Inn at 801 St Joseph Parkway? That part of that block facing Jefferson with the odd numbers would belong to the YMCA parking garage. Is the odd structure that you mean the old Wells Fargo Motor Bank? The address for that was 1802 Travis. I'd be interested in hearing what "office-to-residential conversion plan and blight removal" would be proposed for 1111 Main. I know there had been ideas to convert it into something other than a garage in the past that didn't go much of anywhere. I seem to recall one of the previous "boom" periods had a tower considered for or atop the existing structure - but not necessarily tied to any concrete proposal from a developer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EspersonBuildings Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 "bookey23", "ChannelTwoNews" is correct that you are probably referring to the old Wells Fargo Motor Bank. I'm guessing they mean this structure and not The YMCA parking garage. But what do I know? 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyt36 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Great intel, Houston19514 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 "Council members will vote on a new budget for the Main Street/Market Square TIRZ, also known as TIRZ 3, for fiscal year 2023-24 and a capital improvement plan covering 2023-27. The TIRZ's total budget for the CIP is $64.6 million with funds set aside for various office-to-residential projects, including at 901 Main St., Houston; 801 Jefferson St., Houston; and 1111 Main St., Houston." According to the agenda items, there will be $25.5 million set aside for FY 2023-24. Of that, $17.7 million will be allotted for costs of construction on Trebly Park and pedestrian improvements to the Montrose Bridge over Allen Parkway, among other projects. https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/government/2023/01/30/houston-city-council-to-vote-on-budgets-for-main-streetmarket-square-upper-kirby-southwest-houston-tirzs/ 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 22 hours ago, Avossos said: blight removal doesn't necessarily mean demolition... I would wait to hear "demo" before grieving. I do hope it is saved. I think you're right! Office to residential conversions! 😮 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyt36 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 (edited) Well one can only assume (hope?) the 901 Main St would be restored to the original exterior--look at those windows! Would make a unique place to live in. Just will need lots of noise insulation. Image courtesy of @Urbannizer from this thread: Edited February 1 by mattyt36 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 1 hour ago, mattyt36 said: Well one can only assume (hope?) the 901 Main St would be restored to the original exterior--look at those windows! Would make a unique place to live in. Just will need lots of noise insulation. Image courtesy of @Urbannizer from this thread: This would be a huge save. Based off all the buildings that have been saved over the past decade, I think it's safe to assume it will be restored. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyt36 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said: This would be a huge save. Based off all the buildings that have been saved over the past decade, I think it's safe to assume it will be restored. As you said, it’s all in the use of the word “conversion”—you don’t tear down something you’re going to “convert.” Seems pretty clear they limited themselves from going back to the Downtown Living Initiative approach for new construction and are focusing now only on conversion. Perhaps a refreshed, less “rich” DLI could be launched at some point in the near future, as one would think it shouldn’t cost as much to entice additional development now that the area is much more “proven” for residential development. Concepts for the Sakowitz conversion will definitely be interesting to see. Hopefully we are about to start a third wave of residential construction after the 1990s Rice/loft conversion, then the DLI, now this. 🤞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 4 minutes ago, mattyt36 said: As you said, it’s all in the use of the word “conversion”—you don’t tear down something you’re going to “convert.” Seems pretty clear they limited themselves from going back to the Downtown Living Initiative approach for new construction and are focusing now only on conversion. Perhaps a refreshed, less “rich” DLI could be launched at some point in the near future, as one would think it shouldn’t cost as much to entice additional development now that the area is much more “proven” for residential development. Concepts for the Sakowitz conversion will definitely be interesting to see. Hopefully we are about to start a third wave of residential construction after the 1990s Rice/loft conversion, then the DLI, now this. 🤞 Exactly, that's why I'm crossing my fingers about this one. And the Sakowitz building becoming residential would be awesome. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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