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

[TheNiche]

Uh, what part of late 1990s did you not understand?

Everything I said was very true. Very little of any magnitude was built from the late 1980s until the late 1990s. This was due to the bust that crashed down upon us and left the city completely overbuilt. Also, to compare the "downturns" in 2002-3 with what happened in the 1980s is fairly silly. Besides the oil/energy bust, we were also dealing with the S&L scandal which hit Texas VERY hard.

I concede. I must've glossed over the word "late".

A bust is a bust, though. Some are more severe, but in either case, you'd tend not to expect that a bust would be perfect timing for a wave of condo towers.

[TheNiche]

"Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough." -

Chinatown

Strange how that works...

Btw, the Greco-Roman influences annoy me too. Basically any time that an architect tries to 'pay homage' to something, I get annoyed. Take the Federal Reserve building. I can't stand that blue trim! Very few people can, it seems. But it was the architect's attempt to pay homage to the original Federal Reserve building, which was built in the Moorish style with blue lines. I could personally care less, and think that we would've been better off with something free of association with anything else. Similarly, I like the general shape of Johnson's Bank of America building when viewed from afar, but could've done without the gothic and Dutch ornamentation.

But at least the above examples are themselves originial. The residential-over-retail formula is just a cookie-cutter style IMO. It should get no more respect from the architectural community as would tract housing. That is not to say that other groups, like environmentalists, humanists, etc. shouldn't take an interest, but that is apart from the aesthetic matter.

Anyway, as interesting as this discussion is, and as much as it adds to the central objective of HAIF, it is a tangent of a tangent of a tangent. So I'll back off now.

[Jonah]

I'm kind of torn by this project. On one hand I think it would be awesome to have this right near the heart of the Galleria but at the same time I don't want it to take away from the momentum that downtown will hopefully build upon with Houston Pavilions and the Finger Building. I would like to see the Pavilions established and in the minds of the Houston public before BLVD Place gets built because I feel it will compete somewhat with the Pavilions. Hopefully within the next year as the Pavilions and the Finger tower draw closer to completion we'll hear more good news about tenants signing onto Pavilions and hopefully spurring some new projects for downtown.

[KinkaidAlum]

Jonah-

I get what you are saying but I think the Pavilions and BLVD Place will be two totally separate entities that will draw from two totally different markets.

The Pavilions will draw a younger crowd to see shows at the House of Blues and to hang out at Lucky Strike. It will definitely serve the lunch time office crowd in the Houston Center and other areas as well. I also see it being used by the city to try and land larger conventions and sporting events and to give people at all the downtown hotels (the hotels do really well monday through thursday) something to do close by. It will also probably be a place for people to go pre and post game (Rockets, Comets, Aeros, Astros).

On the other hand, BLVD Place will be serving the already established near westside market. Whole Foods will draw in folks from Tanglewood, Briargrove, Memorial Villages, River Oaks, Afton Oaks, etc... With 800 units of residential planned as well as a luxury hotel, it will also serve the needs of the thousand or so people who live, work, or stay there. Depending upon the retail it is able to land, it will naturally be an extension to the Galleria.

I think there is room in Houston for both

[houstonfella]

Kincaid: u r right. Houston is over 2.2 mil folks with so much land and opportunity..... I agree on your post. Betcha lots of folks will agree as well WE ARE HOUSTON ...... no going back. :closedeyes:

[citykid09]

Ok now, its been years since this thing was announced, and nothing has happened yet. I think its pretty safe to say that it won't happen. I have seen projects announced a month before they start. They haven't even torn down the old buildings on that lot. What do you all think?

[TheNiche]

Ok now, its been years since this thing was announced, and nothing has happened yet. I think its pretty safe to say that it won't happen. I have seen projects announced a month before they start. They haven't even torn down the old buildings on that lot. What do you all think?

I think that you haven't a clue what you're talking about. The retail gods shone brightly upon this site when Whole Foods selected it for a flagship store. In addition to such a weighty anchor, the developer has extensive experience and owns a top-notch site.

Of all the proposed Uptown projects, this is probably the most likely to break ground.

[citykid09]

I think that you haven't a clue what you're talking about. The retail gods shone brightly upon this site when Whole Foods selected it for a flagship store. In addition to such a weighty anchor, the developer has extensive experience and owns a top-notch site.

Of all the proposed Uptown projects, this is probably the most likely to break ground.

Oh yeah, usually you here about stuff happening, but the flagship Whole Foods was announced probably over a year ago.

[buildingunbuildingrebuilding]

Oh yeah, usually you here about stuff happening, but the flagship Whole Foods was announced probably over a year ago.

Word on the street is that they have not made much project in retail leasing beyond Whole Foods. Hanover is slated to build high-rise apartments and they are appearently working to bring in a Ritz Carlton (with condos?), but this project does not appear to be moving forward anywhere near as quickly as might have been expected.

Edited April 24, 2007 by buildingunbuildingrebuilding

[Mister X]

How many years went by from the time that HP was announced to the time they started construction? 4?

When was BLVD announced? I'm just wondering when it really will be time to write this one off. Seems to early to give up on BLVD right now.

[Highway6]

Ok now, its been years since this thing was announced, and nothing has happened yet. I think its pretty safe to say that it won't happen. I have seen projects announced a month before they start. They haven't even torn down the old buildings on that lot. What do you all think?

I can matter-of-factly say this project is still very much a go.

There always are changes on projects this big.

Just becasue you havent heard anything, and there is nothing major to report, does not mean the cogs to getting it designed/leased/built aren't silently still turning.

[citykid09]

I can matter-of-factly say this project is still very much a go.

There always are changes on projects this big.

Just because you haven't heard anything, and there is nothing major to report, does not mean the cogs to getting it designed/leased/built aren't silently still turning.

Well when developers have projects like this, I don't think they should announce them until its time. Don't announce 6 years ahead and have people waiting on it. Do like the memorial city malls surrounding development, they announced a month before construction.

[Rio Grande Valley]

Kincaid: u r right. Houston is over 2.2 mil folks with so much land and opportunity..... I agree on your post. Betcha lots of folks will agree as well WE ARE HOUSTON ...... no going back. :closedeyes:

Once a Houstonian, always a Houstonian

Edited April 24, 2007 by Rio Grande Valley

[KinkaidAlum]

Well when developers have projects like this, I don't think they should announce them until its time. Don't announce 6 years ahead and have people waiting on it. Do like the memorial city malls surrounding development, they announced a month before construction.

The plans for Memorial City Mall were "leaked" years before construction started.

Again, projects as large as this one TAKE TIME. Relax. Go back and read what I typed on the Pavilions page. It's the same thing here TIMES TEN. They are closing a city street. They are building a new city street. They are relocating several current tenants and major players in the Houston dining scene. They are not only tearing down a strip mall (think Eatzi's) but also a residential street and the old Saks Pavilion. That is a HUGE undertaking.

It'll get really tiresome if this thread falls victim to the Pavilions syndrome which struck so many on here.

[TheNiche]

Well when developers have projects like this, I don't think they should announce them until its time. Don't announce 6 years ahead and have people waiting on it. Do like the memorial city malls surrounding development, they announced a month before construction.

And how are they supposed to market themselves to retailers without publicizing their proposal?

...besides, all it takes is one such retailer to go to the Chronicle, and suddenly Wulfe would've had to have dealt with the publicity at a time not of his choosing and on somebody else's terms, a la Weingarten. In contrast, they *could* just make a reporter's life easy, spill the beans, get some publicity for their project in a way that is constructive and posed entirely as a 'Yay Houston' article as opposed to a 'Pro/Con' article. If you were him, which path would you take?

[houston-development]

And how are they supposed to market themselves to retailers without publicizing their proposal?

...besides, all it takes is one such retailer to go to the Chronicle, and suddenly Wulfe would've had to have dealt with the publicity at a time not of his choosing and on somebody else's terms, a la Weingarten. In contrast, they *could* just make a reporter's life easy, spill the beans, get some publicity for their project in a way that is constructive and posed entirely as a 'Yay Houston' article as opposed to a 'Pro/Con' article. If you were him, which path would you take?

the niche speaks the truth.

as a side note, hanover still plans to move forward with 1 tower where the palm reader currently resides. its considered, in their minds, a done deal.

doesnt mean it wont happen; however, i would be absolutely shocked and floored if it didnt.

[Pumapayam]

as a side note, hanover still plans to move forward with 1 tower where the palm reader currently resides. its considered, in their minds, a done deal.

The palm reader is leaving, how about the rest of the homes in that row?

[bkjones98]

This website cracks me up. Half of you sound like aspiring Donald Trumps.

I, of course, am immune from pedantic writing.

[houston-development]

The palm reader is leaving, how about the rest of the homes in that row?

im 99.999% sure they are already demolished.

[TheNiche]

This website cracks me up. Half of you sound like aspiring Donald Trumps.

I would like to think that I've got better hair.

[buildingunbuildingrebuilding]

I would like to think that I've got better hair.

It's close.

[Houston19514]

I would like to think that I've got better hair.

Something tells me you paid less for yours... ;-)

[TheNiche]

Something tells me you paid less for yours... ;-)

Basically nothing, as scraggly as its gotten. I just haven't had any time over the past month to kill the beast.

...still, I'd like to think it better than Trump's.

[Trae]

A month! I get a fresh cut every two-three weeks. At least an edge up every week and a half or so.

Edited April 27, 2007 by Trae

[TheNiche]

A month! I get a fresh cut every two-three weeks. At least an edge up every week and a half or so.

...and that's a month after I'd usually have gotten another cut. And I'm frugal, so it is usually one cut per two months.

...still, I'd like to think my hair better than Trump's.

Edited April 27, 2007 by TheNiche

[Montrose1100]

...and that's a month after I'd usually have gotten another cut. And I'm frugal, so it is usually one cut per two months.

...still, I'd like to think my hair better than Trump's.

I've see crack heads with better hair then Trump.

[Mister X]

I've seen people with NO hair with better hair than Trump. Actually, I've seen people with no HEAD with better hair than Trump.

Edited April 28, 2007 by Mister X

[Houston19514]

Basically nothing, as scraggly as its gotten. I just haven't had any time over the past month to kill the beast.

...still, I'd like to think it better than Trump's.

LOL I was actually referring to the price of the hair itself. Not the price of the haircuts/stying. ;-)

(And we may have just set a record for veering wildly off topic) :-)

Edited April 28, 2007 by Houston19514

[Gary]

A month! I get a fresh cut every two-three weeks. At least an edge up every week and a half or so.

Man I haven't had a haircut in a year.

[what]

It sure didn't take long for this topic to fizzle....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz