BLVD Place Mixed-Use: 1700 Post Oak Blvd & Upcoming Development At 1800 Post Oak Blvd.

[lockmat]

SWEET!

Hanover plans to build a FIFTY-FIVE story apartment tower as part of the BLVD Place development that will have 350 units.

Construction on phase I will begin in October. It's a 70,000 square foot space on the Southern boundary that will house 7 current tenants like Cafe Annie, Hermes, and Americas so that the spaces they currently occupy can be torn down.

you can find out more in next week's print edition of the HBJ...

55? wow. How tall is Transco again?

And is this new news?

[King Owl]

Wow. 55 stories.... That is awesome. This is going to be a tremendous addition to uptown. With the whole foods and the high end retail at BLVD place, we're really looking at something special.

How many stories are the 4 leaf towers, or the huntingdon, by comparison? Just trying to get a feel for the height of this new tower

[ChannelTwoNews]

55? wow. How tall is Transco again?

64 Floors, 909 Feet (according to the property's website- though I'd always heard 901)

As for the other residential towers...

The Huntingdon is 34 Floors and 503 Feet Tall

The Four Leaf Towers are both 40 Floors & 444 Feet Tall

Edited September 21, 2007 by ChannelTwoNews

[King Owl]

...so we may be looking at something in the 500-600 foot range? Outstanding.

Maybe they'll have a rotating beacon that moves in concert with Transco's!

[ProHouston]

SWEET!

Hanover plans to build a FIFTY-FIVE story apartment tower as part of the BLVD Place development that will have 350 units.

Construction on phase I will begin in October. It's a 70,000 square foot space on the Southern boundary that will house 7 current tenants like Cafe Annie, Hermes, and Americas so that the spaces they currently occupy can be torn down.

you can find out more in next week's print edition of the HBJ...

That's awesome news!!! I'm confused though, Americas is already located on the southern portion of this site in the Pavilion center. How are they going to tear it down to build a new 70000 sq ft spot and not tear down the Pavilion? Will they tear down the back portion of the Pavilion but not the front?

Also, I did notice yesterday that there is a new sign in front of America's facing the Stewart Title Post Oak Central building that is a construction notification.

It's all starting!!! I can't believe it'll break ground next month.

[Mister X]

Yes! Yes! Yes!

I wonder if the 55 story tower will look like the one in the latest renderings posted of BLVD Place (the ones posted last June). I rememeber counting the floors in one of those renderings of the tallest tower (the one in the middle of the project) and it was 50+ floors, but with no hard data or details released with the renderings, I was afraid it was just wishful thinking that BLVD Place was REALLY going to have a 50+ story tower. I'm so buzzed to find out that the rendering of the towers (or at least the height) was no joke. I hope the towers look like the renderings with those cool angled footprints and glass facades.

I love it that we will have 2 towers going up in Houston over 45 floors, and several (already lost count) going up over 30!

Edited September 21, 2007 by Mister X

[ProHouston]

Here is some additional BLVD Place info on the new street grid that is being enhanced by Wulfe.

Click here.

[Pumapayam]

Not much of a grid, they could do better.

[Houston19514]

Not much of a grid, they could do better.

Christof didn't get it quite complete (which, unfortunately, is not as unusual for him as one might hope). They actually are doing better. The article in today's Business Journal states that in addition to the streets shown on Christof's map rendering, they will "establish a new street called Boulevard Place to cut east to west through the project". This new street can also be seen in the renderings on the BLVD Place website.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Houston19514

[Pumapayam]

Christof didn't get it quite complete (which, unfortunately, is not all that unusual for him). They actually are doing better. The article in today's Business Journal states that in addition to the streets shown on Christof's map rendering, they will "establish a new street called Boulevard Place to cut east to west through the project". This new street can also be seen in the renderings on the BLVD Place website.

So it will be an official city street, or just a dressed up driveway?

[Houston19514]

So it will be an official city street, or just a dressed up driveway?

Well, there are plenty of options in between those two choices. I have no idea if they will dedicate the street to the city. I would doubt it. The important point is, it will provide vehicular and pedestrian connectivity through the development from Post Oak Blvd to Post Oak Lane. Furthermore, if you look at the renderings you can also see a couple other places where there will be at least pedestrian connectivity from Post Oak Blvd through the development to Post Oak Lane as well, and possibly some further vehicular connectivity as well.

[houstonfella]

SWEET!

Hanover plans to build a FIFTY-FIVE story apartment tower as part of the BLVD Place development that will have 350 units.

Construction on phase I will begin in October. It's a 70,000 square foot space on the Southern boundary that will house 7 current tenants like Cafe Annie, Hermes, and Americas so that the spaces they currently occupy can be torn down.

you can find out more in next week's print edition of the HBJ...

Well, here is the HBJ article. Blvd. Place

[ProHouston]

Once again, October 1st is one week away. I just don't see how they can start building anything at that site in the next week. America's is still open and using their parking lot for guests. In order to build a new 70,000 retail building at the NW corner of Post Oak and Ambassador's Way, they'll surely have to close down America's to do it and I see no sign of that happening yet.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

[bachanon]

Once again, October 1st is one week away. I just don't see how they can start building anything at that site in the next week. America's is still open and using their parking lot for guests. In order to build a new 70,000 retail building at the NW corner of Post Oak and Ambassador's Way, they'll surely have to close down America's to do it and I see no sign of that happening yet.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

i wonder if the opening of americas in the woodlands this fall will coincide with the closure of the post oak location? the americas website has a wine dinner scheduled for october 22nd at post oak. as of yet, there is no opening date for the woodlands location. if anyone hears of the americas post oak being torn down, we should find out if they are preserving all the fixtures. i could use a couple custom blown glass chandeliers.

anyhoo, it appears they will not be closing at post oak in october.

[Gary]

It sounds to me like Wulfe was goofing off a bit while announcing the groundbreaking of October 1st.

Wulfe joked at last week's Commercial Real Estate Women luncheon that come Oct. 1, "somebody's going to be shoveling something" at the site,

Sounds like it's coming, but not neccesarily on October 1st.

[Trae]

Not much of a grid, they could do better.

That would be so nice if that was a subway. There is so much traffic in that area, so I wonder if METRO ever (and maybe still are) considering it. An elevated station would be nice, too.

[Houston19514]

Once again, October 1st is one week away. I just don't see how they can start building anything at that site in the next week. America's is still open and using their parking lot for guests. In order to build a new 70,000 retail building at the NW corner of Post Oak and Ambassador's Way, they'll surely have to close down America's to do it and I see no sign of that happening yet.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

Let me count the ways... ;-)

October 1 is indeed one week away, but that of course makes October 31 more than 5 weeks away. I believe they have said construction will start IN October. Nobody said it would start ON October 1, did they?

Furthermore, they have been quite clear from the very first announcement of this project that it would be built in phases and in a manner so that existing tenants would be able to move directly into their new locations without shutting down in the interim. The most recent article also makes that quite clear:

"The first building will rise at the project's southern boundary, at the northwest corner of Post Oak Boulevard and Ambassador Way. The 70,000-square-foot building will house seven tenants currently in the Pavilion on Post Oak and Fashion Place retail centers that are relocating to Blvd Place -- including Cafe Annie, Americas and Hermes. Once the tenants move, the older retail centers will be demolished..."

[ProHouston]

"The first building will rise at the project's southern boundary, at the northwest corner of Post Oak Boulevard and Ambassador Way. The 70,000-square-foot building will house seven tenants currently in the Pavilion on Post Oak and Fashion Place retail centers that are relocating to Blvd Place -- including Cafe Annie, Americas and Hermes. Once the tenants move, the older retail centers will be demolished..."

Yeah, that's my beef though. I don't see how they have the space to build the new building and preserve the existing America's restaurant which is located on the NW corner. It should be interesting. Oh, and the story said the Wulfe himself mentioned the October 1st date.

That would be so nice if that was a subway. There is so much traffic in that area, so I wonder if METRO ever (and maybe still are) considering it. An elevated station would be nice, too.

I went to a Metro presentation over a year ago and the plan then was to begin with BRT down Post Oak and then when ridership allowed, they'd add rail to the BRT lanes. I agree 100% that this area, more than any other, needs a subway or elevated rail not street level. I've only they'd spend the money for a measly 2 miles down Post Oak.

[Gary]

Oh, and the story said the Wulfe himself mentioned the October 1st date.

Again, the October 1st quote seems to be a half joke.

"Wulfe joked at last week's Commercial Real Estate Women luncheon that come Oct. 1, "somebody's going to be shoveling something" at the site"

As 19514 said... This seems to allude to an October groundbreaking of some sort, but doesn't really give a specific date.

[Houston19514]

Yeah, that's my beef though. I don't see how they have the space to build the new building and preserve the existing America's restaurant which is located on the NW corner. It should be interesting. Oh, and the story said the Wulfe himself mentioned the October 1st date.

There is plenty of room. This building will be at the very southeast corner of the site. There is an open space at that corner that is approximately square and something like 225 feet on each side. That's 50,625 square feet. The building will be 3 or 4 stories and contain a total of 70,000 square feet. So if it's 3 stories, they only need a 23,333 square foot footprint, less than half the space that is available. If it's 4 stories (and that's what it looks like in their renderings), they only need a 17,500 square foot footprint, about 1/3 of the space that is available. There actually does not appear to be any reason they could not start shoveling on October 1.

[ProHouston]

There is plenty of room. This building will be at the very southeast corner of the site. There is an open space at that corner that is approximately square and something like 225 feet on each side. That's 50,625 square feet. The building will be 3 or 4 stories and contain a total of 70,000 square feet. So if it's 3 stories, they only need a 23,333 square foot footprint, less than half the space that is available. If it's 4 stories (and that's what it looks like in their renderings), they only need a 17,500 square foot footprint, about 1/3 of the space that is available. There actually does not appear to be any reason they could not start shoveling on October 1.

Wouldn't that effectively eliminate the vast majority of America's parking? They use that entire parking lot today at lunchtime. I guess they could go to all valet parking.

[Houston19514]

Wouldn't that effectively eliminate the vast majority of America's parking? They use that entire parking lot today at lunchtime. I guess they could go to all valet parking.

I'm sure they have figured something out, in consultation and cooperation with their landlord. Yes, my guess would be all-valet parking.

[maceo9903]

This is absolutly wonderful! I cant wait for this to break ground. It is going to be something to see another building of that height in Uptown after Williams has stood alone for so long. This will do alot for the Uptown skyline.

[HtownWxBoy]

This is absolutly wonderful! I cant wait for this to break ground. It is going to be something to see another building of that height in Uptown after Williams has stood alone for so long. This will do alot for the Uptown skyline.

Yea... and it's great that it's all going to be north of Williams which anchors the skyline on the south side of uptown... will make the skyline look great when looking at it from the east, say from the Chase Tower.

[marc]

I would love to see some friendly competition over the next decade between DT, UT and MT. A race to build for either density or height, architectural style or famous architectural imprint: BUT instead of between rival US ciites, it is between areas in Houston! That would be cool. Only in Houston.

m.

[maceo9903]

Yea... and it's great that it's all going to be north of Williams which anchors the skyline on the south side of uptown... will make the skyline look great when looking at it from the east, say from the Chase Tower.

Those were my exact thoughts. I too loved that it is going up on the north side of uptown for that exact reason.

[ProHouston]

Well, October 1st has passed and I didn't see any shovels hitting any dirt. Oh well, I guess I'll keep a keen eye out the remainder of the month.

[bcnet]

Well, October 1st has passed and I didn't see any shovels hitting any dirt. Oh well, I guess I'll keep a keen eye out the remainder of the month.

There are some utilities marked near the corner of Post Oak and Ambassador way and what looks like building permits on a new sign near the entrance to current shopping center off Ambassador Way. I may have to stop on my way home tonight and see what they say.

[ProHouston]

There are some utilities marked near the corner of Post Oak and Ambassador way and what looks like building permits on a new sign near the entrance to current shopping center off Ambassador Way. I may have to stop on my way home tonight and see what they say.

That sign has been there since at least September 20th, that's when I noticed it. I haven't seen any additional changes since then either. Let's kick this thing off!

[ProHouston]

That sign has been there since at least September 20th, that's when I noticed it. I haven't seen any additional changes since then either. Let's kick this thing off!

OK, I guess I spoke too soon. The America's parking lot (SE corner of the property) has been closed and they are in the process of building a fence around that area.

We're finally seeing progress folks! This thing is now real and is under contruction!