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

[bcnet]

I know the "Aggie" is the mascot of Texas A&M but can somebody please explain to me what an Aggie is? Is it an animal, like most of the other US college mascots? Or a scary looking native person like some of the Canadian college mascots??

This should answer your question.

Texas A&M Aggies

The official mascot is Reveille. It was a originally a mutt found by some college students back in the the 30's. Since the original mutt, it has been a Collie.

[ProHouston]

The properties on Westheimer and Post Oak are simply too valuable to devote to surface parking. IMO, the Post Oak elevation would be better if they matched the San Felipe elevation. They could take a cue from the Galleria. Imagine a strip center parking lot in front of Neimans on Post Oak. While the Galleria did build some surface parking on Westheimer, they did so keeping in mind that eventually there would be future developement supplanted with parking structures.

But that's the prevailing attitude of many developers and posters here on HAIF. Build just what you can get away with and leave the aggie designed crap for someone else to clean up. I love your description "Don't almost do it"...it seems the mantra of the provincial Houston real estate/developer mind-set...and I propose we make "uglify" a legitamate descriptor for those that truely don't give a damn.

Absolutly. But it doesn't have to be pedestrian friendly on the outside to be aestheticly appealling on the inside. Houston for the most part has nailed down the environmetally controlled pedestrian interior shopping spaces. It's the expediant Aggie designed strip centers that will never beat the visitorship and long-term profitability of places like the Galleria.

BTW, have you seen the Aggie-style designed Jiffe Lube firehouse downtown? I know I'm off topic but I've yet to see a more embarrasing civic structure since the Hobby Center.

Aggie envy...

[Jax]

Interesting. So Aggies are just students? Maybe it has something to do with agriculture? That's kinda boring. I expected it to be some kind of really fierce yet obscure mythical creature or something like that.

[woolie]

Interesting. So Aggies are just students? Maybe it has something to do with agriculture? That's kinda boring. I expected it to be some kind of really fierce yet obscure mythical creature or something like that.

It's pretty pedestrian, actually. Aggie is just a term for a TAMU graduate. If you want to give it a more colorful flavor in your mind, try to imagine it as the Texas Illuminati. Basically, Aggies give preferential treatment to other Aggies in hiring, promotions, awarding contracts, etc. Think "good ole' boys network." It's also somewhat of a military society, very rigid and focused on power structures. In some ways you can imagine an "Aggie Ideology," somewhat like neoconservatism. I find the whole thing pretty boring, and the whole Aggie creed just makes me tired and

Applied to architecture, the myth is something like this. TAMU is an engineering school, that produces architects who are competent engineers but completely void of any vision or artistic ability. The UH architecture school is much more theoretical and interested in the study of architecture itself, with less an emphasis on building and engineering. UH architects have a reputation for being good dreamers but bad at execution.

or so I've heard...

Also, don't have to go far to find a typical Aggieism, even in this thread. Look at the TAMU demographics and it'll be obvious why.

I was under the impression that new civic bldgs, including our firehouse, or least a good portion of them, had to go to disadvanted firms - minority or women owned.

Edited June 15, 2007 by woolie

[TheNiche]

Applied to architecture, the myth is something like this. TAMU is an engineering school, that produces architects who are competent engineers but completely void of any vision or artistic ability. The UH architecture school is much more theoretical and interested in the study of architecture itself, with less an emphasis on building and engineering. UH architects have a reputation for being good dreamers but bad at execution.

or so I've heard...

Woolie nailed it. ...and nmain is only so pissy about Aggies because I said in a thread somewhere that all other things being about the same, I'd hire them any day of the week over a UH architecture grad.

[RedScare]

An Aggie is a nickname for a student of agriculture. Numerous Argricultural & Mechanical Schools nicknamed their student bodies Aggies.

As for the "Aggie-style" firestation, it was not designed by Aggies. It was initially drawn by a California architect who specializes in fire stations. Included in the design were numerous throwbacks to firestations of old, such as a non-functioning hose tower, as requested by the client (the City of Houston). After the initial design, it was turned over to a local architecture firm for completion. I will not name the person who worked on it, as he is a friend of mine, and is embarrassed by it.

He is a graduate of UH Architecture School.

[ProHouston]

It's pretty pedestrian, actually. Aggie is just a term for a TAMU graduate.

Actually, an Aggie is any person who has ever attended a class at Texas A&M, it doesn't have anything to do with graduation.

It's also somewhat of a military society, very rigid and focused on power structures. In some ways you can imagine an "Aggie Ideology," somewhat like neoconservatism.

This statement show what little you know about Texas A&M. You're taking 10% of what Texas A&M is and generalizing it to include all Aggies. There is actually very little difference in the students that attend Texas A&M, Texas, OU, <insert any other big school here>...

[TheNiche]

This statement show what little you know about Texas A&M. You're taking 10% of what Texas A&M is and generalizing it to include all Aggies. There is actually very little difference in the students that attend Texas A&M, Texas, OU, <insert any other big school here>...

I'd agree with you except that Aggies seem to go much further to look after their own. ...at least that's what anecdotes and my own experiences have indicated. They're just like Masons, it seems. With the other schools, there is definitely some sort of a comeradery, but it isn't nearly as overt.

...and of course there really IS a big difference between Aggies and other schools of architecture. That much is absolutely clear and in the open.

[millennica]

An Aggie is a nickname for a student of agriculture. Numerous Argricultural & Mechanical Schools nicknamed their student bodies Aggies.

Students who attend UCDavis are called Aggies, too. This is because UCDavis was once only an ag school--originally founded in 1905, called the University Farm School and designed to give provide a farm and practical experience for UCBerkeley which offered coursework in botany and such, but nothing in the way of practical experiences. Not until 1959, did UCDavis become part of the UC system as a separate campus. Although it now offers a much wider range of majors-- including the only vet school in the UCSystem-- is still referred to as the ag school and subject to numerous jokes about being rural, backwards, and conservative, particularly when compared to its older more famous urbane, liberal brother UCBerkeley located 90 miles away.

[moni]

Students who attend UCDavis are called Aggies, too. This is because UCDavis was once only an ag school--originally founded in 1905, called the University Farm School and designed to give provide a farm and practical experience for UCBerkeley which offered coursework in botany and such, but nothing in the way of practical experiences. Not until 1959, did UCDavis become part of the UC system as a separate campus. Although it now offers a much wider range of majors-- including the only vet school in the UCSystem-- is still referred to as the ag school and subject to numerous jokes about being rural, backwards, and conservative, particularly when compared to its older more famous urbane, liberal brother UCBerkeley located 90 miles away.

Students attending New Mexico State University are called "aggies" too. Agricultural colleges you know. :-)

[RedScare]

An Aggie....

[nyc_tex]

Actually, an Aggie is any person who has ever attended a class at Texas A&M, it doesn't have anything to do with graduation.

This statement show what little you know about Texas A&M. You're taking 10% of what Texas A&M is and generalizing it to include all Aggies. There is actually very little difference in the students that attend Texas A&M, Texas, OU, <insert any other big school here>...

I completed a graduate degree at A&M. I will certainly confirm the degree of ideological and ethnic homogeny is greater amongst the undergraduate student body at A&M than any other university I have taught at or been on. But granted my perspective is probably skewed and less credible, for I went to UH.

And I am far from being an Aggie.

Any school that cherishes "the hanging tree" deserves the prejorative and provincial assocations it gets. And they wonder why minorities don't want to attend the school.

[ProHouston]

I completed a graduate degree at A&M. I will certainly confirm the degree of ideological and ethnic homogeny is greater amongst the undergraduate student body at A&M than any other university I have taught at or been on. But granted my perspective is probably skewed and less credible, for I went to UH.

And I am far from being an Aggie.

Any school that cherishes "the hanging tree" deserves the prejorative and provincial assocations it gets. And they wonder why minorities don't want to attend the school.

I spent 4 years there and I don't even know what the "hanging tree" is. Never heard of it, I know the wedding tree, is this the one you are referring too? The tree under which everyone gets engaged?

[Highway6]

Any school that cherishes "the hanging tree" deserves the prejorative and provincial assocations it gets. And they wonder why minorities don't want to attend the school.

Yeah.. you have no clue what the heck you are talking about.

It's called the Century Tree... it's old.. it's big...people get engaged under it... thats all.

[nyc_tex]

Yeah.. you have no clue what the heck you are talking about.

It's called the Century Tree... it's old.. it's big...people get engaged under it... thats all.

It's not the one in front of the Academic Buiding. It's behind Northgate and I am going on what was conveyed to me by quite a few students. So, if I have incorrect information, the indoctrination process at A&M is losing it's tight grip.

But even if it's untrue, there are a multitude of other verifiable circumstances that exemplify my point just as poignantly.

Gig'em.

[jt16]

It's not the one in front of the Academic Buiding. It's behind Northgate and I am going on what was conveyed to me by quite a few students. So, if I have incorrect information, the indoctrination process at A&M is losing it's tight grip.

But even if it's untrue, there are a multitude of other verifiable circumstances that exemplify my point just as poignantly.

Gig'em.

You just lumped 45K people into one very tiny box.

[woolie]

You just lumped 45K people into one very tiny box.

Don't be disingenuous.

November 7, 2006

Yesterday was a sad day for Texas A&M. It was brought to my attention that individuals who

appear to be Aggie students had posted to a public web site a home-made video that is so utterly

disgusting that, regardless of race, religion, or background, I believe virtually any member of our

Aggie family would be outraged and ashamed if they viewed it. The content of the video is

offensive on many levels and would be so to all Aggies, but is particularly insulting and hurtful

to members of our Black community. The hateful video is not simply an example of poor

judgment and insensitivity; it appears to have been purposefully produced to insult and demean.

When one member of the Aggie family is insulted, we are all insulted. I find the content of the

video inexcusable and I believe virtually all Aggies join me in that belief.

I cannot fully express my disappointment and embarrassment that Texas A&M students may

have been involved in this matter. While I respect and value the constitutional right to free

speech, I can neither condone nor accept that right being disrespected in this manner. We

believe we have identified the students allegedly involved in producing the video and are

directing them to meet with Student Affairs officials to discuss their actions, as well as their

future at Texas A&M. The university has already contacted the web host and demanded that the

video be removed, and they have done so.

[Guest danax]

Let's drop the Aggie posts, please.

Here's a rendering from the design group's website. That brown part looks like a rusty shipping container. Is bland in again?

[musicman]

Here's a rendering from the design group's website. That brown part looks like a rusty shipping container. Is bland in again?

think mid century modern

[Boris]

I think the whole site has a sort of 50's, 60's commercial look to it, which I especially dislike.

[woolie]

I can name a thousand buildings in Houston I only wish had the quality of MCM "blandness."

[Houston19514]

Let's drop the Aggie posts, please.

Here's a rendering from the design group's website. That brown part looks like a rusty shipping container. Is bland in again?

Who is the design group? I think that might be an older, more-preliminary rendering. It does appear a little more bland than the new renderings on Wulfe's website (which I think look great, except for the parking strip in front).

[Guest danax]

Who is the design group? I think that might be an older, more-preliminary rendering. It does appear a little more bland than the new renderings on Wulfe's website (which I think look great, except for the parking strip in front).

DMJM H&N

What you say would make sense and I hope you're right but you would think they'd have updated any renderings if that was the case.

[pm91]

have they broke ground yet on blvd place or is it a proposal, approved, or a never built?

[Captain Impossible]

I actually really like the style of the project. Makes me feel like a jet-setter just looking at it. It's so gloriously mod.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Captain Impossible

[WesternGulf]

Let's drop the Aggie posts, please.

Here's a rendering from the design group's website. That brown part looks like a rusty shipping container. Is bland in again?

I like the new renderings but it is easy to tell that the "old" design would have been MCM which I particularly like. Here is a pic I took of some condos on Alabama that has the wood design.

Edited June 18, 2007 by WesternGulf

[woolie]

I love those, and admire them all the time (like 3 blocks from my house.) I'd buy one if it were anywhere near something we could afford.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I actually really like the style of the project. Makes me feel like a jet-setter just looking at it. It's so gloriously mod.

That's it exactly! It has a cool and refreshing mod feel to it. Nothing to glitzy or pretentious and yet still clean looking.

[Subdude]

I'm still confused. The pictures on this page and the previous ones look very different. How final are any of these?

[DevelopmentX]

BLVD PLACE

Ritz Carlton Hotel (lower floors)

Ritz Carlton Residences (higher floors)

Hanover luxury apartment tower

Whole Foods Flagship

Retail:

Barneys Flagship

H&M

Prada

Escada

Niketown

Virgin Megastore

Intermix

Scoop

Restaurants:

Spago

Emeril's

Existing Anchors:

Cafe Annie

Americas

Hermes

I'm throwing this information out in the hopes that elicits some sort of a response form someone inside or at least near this deal.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Tell me I'm close.

Tell me I right.

Just tell me something.

Development X