BLVD Place/Hanover Towers/Apache Headquarters

[nate4l1f3]

Ended up looking taller than i thought it would.  Nice!

[nate4l1f3]

I didn't want to make a separate thread for this, but i heard from a "source",  that the older apartment complexes at 800 Post Oak between Uptown Park and Camden Post Oak condos are set for demolition in the near future.  Has anyone heard mentions of this as well?

[richfish]

I didn't want to make a separate thread for this, but i heard from a "source",  that the older apartment complexes at 800 Post Oak between Uptown Park and Camden Post Oak condos are set for demolition in the near future.  Has anyone heard mentions of this as well?

Randall Davis has been attempting to buy that complex out. Not sure as to the success of that endeavor. 

 

 

March 25th, 2014 - All Unit Owners/Members , Inverness Townhome Association

Re: Commercial Contract B Unimproved Property dated July 17, 2013, by and between Inverness Townhome Association as Seller and Randall Davis Company as Buyer, as amended (the "Contract")

As you may know, the closing of the above referenced Contract set for Friday, March 21, 2014, did not take place. The Association acting in its capacity as Trustee for the unit owners tendered performance to the title company in accordance with the terms of the Contract. However, the Buyer failed to perform and did not tender payment by good and valid funds. The Association did receive the earnest money which under the latest contract extension was agreed to be non-refundable and released to the Association.

Therefore, the condominium regime was not terminated. The Association shall continue to operate and administer the property commonly known as Inverness Townhomes. The individual "distribution" statements and leases are not valid and of no force and effect.

The Board of Directors will "reach-out" to several prospective buyers who have informally contacted them in the upcoming weeks. The Board of Directors will present any written offers to the unit owners with its recommendations. At least eighty percent (80%) of the unit owners must approve any new contract to sell the property.

The Board of Directors had previously waived the March 2014 assessment. The Board of Directors has also decided to waive the April 2014 assessment. However, as of Thursday, May 1, 2014, all unit owners shall be obligated to begin paying their monthly maintenance assessments again.

The Association will be sending notice of the 2014 Annual Meeting in the next few weeks. The Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity for the Association to provide more specific information regarding the closing that did not occur, as well as a discussion regarding potential new offers.

Edited April 6, 2014 by richfish

[LarryDierker]

IMAG0439 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0437 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0438 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0434 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0432 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0428 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0427 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0423 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

IMAG0420 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

 

 

[Triton]

Beautiful pictures! So much blue.

[cloud713]

this tower is turning out better than expected.. everyone said it looked like some 20-30 year old L shaped building somewhere else in town, but i think it will look pretty nice.

[monarch]

simply amazing illustrations larry!  such a beautiful day, must have been fun taking them.

[Golyadkin]

I finally got a new phone with a good camera, so I can finally take pictures again. They aren't great - still learning how to use it and it's still a cell phone, after all. Threw in a panorama from my balcony which shows the cranes at the BHP Billiton and Astoria sites as well (never had a camera with a panorama function before, and was testing it out).

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2014 by Golyadkin

[richfish]

I finally got a new phone with a good camera, so I can finally take pictures again. They aren't great - still learning how to use it and it's still a cell phone, after all. Threw in a panorama from my balcony which shows the cranes at the BHP Billiton and Astoria sites as well (never had a camera with a panorama function before, and was testing it out).

 

 

Nice shots. I live in the lofts too. Hoping it takes a while for that old retail at Moes that Zadok bought last year to get developed so all our views don't get ruined. 

[Golyadkin]

Nice shots. I live in the lofts too. Hoping it takes a while for that old retail at Moes that Zadok bought last year to get developed so all our views don't get ruined. 

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Also, Zadok bought that land?

[richfish]

My thoughts exactly.

 

Also, Zadok bought that land?

 

Dec 2012. I don't think they intend to develop it short term. Just looking for cash-flow and a longer term capital gain investment, but that's just a hunch of mine. Given when they bought it and prices today, they may make a tidy profit flipping it to a developer. It does seem like the most run down shopping center on post oak and probably the most prime candidate for redevelopment.

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/sarnoff/article/Jeweler-buys-prime-Post-Oak-parcel-4120336.php

[monarch]

thanks golyadkin!  welcome back into the forum.

[brijonmang]

BLVD Place South Facade Night by Mabry Campbell, on Flickr

 

BLVD Place Northern Facade Night by Mabry Campbell, on Flickr

Edited April 13, 2014 by brijonmang

[por favor gracias]

Thanks for all the pictures guys...looks great!

[Triton]

This opens up really soon, right? I thought I remember April or May.

[richfish]

They have a new sign up. Resolute Fitness, Posh Salon, and the Eye Gallery are new tenants. It had said Aveda prior, leaving me to believe Posh is an Aveda salon. Still looks likes we are several months away from opening. 

[JoninATX]

Very nice! I love the night shots as well. Overall I think they did a very nice job, even though there is a set back due to parking it's still very nice to say the least.

[cloud713]

Will the parking set back be taken up when they widen post oak?

[monarch]

there just aren't enough adjectives to describe, how simply stunning this new high tech lighting sequence is as per BLVD PLACE.  brijonmang, you have outdone yourself...  simply beautiful! 

Edited April 13, 2014 by monarch

[fernz]

Will the parking set back be taken up when they widen post oak?

My thoughts exactly. Although the East side of Post Oak might be cheaper RE.

[gene]

all these photos are blowing my mind!!! thank you everyone for sharing them! i love living 2 lights away and working 2 blocks away from all of this! also, again, after speaking with both The Counter and Whole Foods they are saying a late summer/approx August opening date...

 

[brijonmang]

Here's a picture looking down post oak boulevard. I know you can't really see BLVD Place but it's a neat perspective and has really changed over time.

Edited April 15, 2014 by brijonmang

[H-Town Man]

Here's a picture looking down post oak boulevard. I know you can't really see BLVD Place but it's a neat perspective and had really changed over time.

 

No traffic!

 

[bobruss]

Must have been taken early on a Sunday morning.

[Triton]

Must have been taken early on a Sunday morning.

Was Sunday this clear? This would appear to be from today seeing how there are no clouds.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Triton

[swtsig]

Was Sunday this clear? This would appear to be from today seeing how there are no clouds.

 

pretty sure he was being facetious.

[bobruss]

You are correct sir,  but Triton, I also said ( A Sunday morning ). The last two Sundays have been pretty cloudy.

[brijonmang]

Yes this was today, and it was right at 11:50 or so...I was surprised myself.  Westheimer was painless as well.  Who says uptown is too congested???

[Urbannizer]

BLVD Place Northern Facade Blue Hr v1 by Mabry Campbell on Flickr

[gene]

good lord that is an awesome pic and would love to live and work by that...

 

oh wait...i do! lucky me!!! now if we could just get it to open

[citykid09]

Its nice. But why the hell is it surrounded by a mile of cement and not up to the sidewalk?

[swtsig]

Its nice. But why the hell is it surrounded by a mile of cement and not up to the sidewalk?

 

because people need to park? i get that everyone wants every development to come right up to the curb but that  just isn't all that feasible. what's kinda funny is that the flagship whole foods in austin has even more parking out front yet no one ever seems to complain about it.

[H-Town Man]

because people need to park? i get that everyone wants every development to come right up to the curb but that  just isn't all that feasible. what's kinda funny is that the flagship whole foods in austin has even more parking out front yet no one ever seems to complain about it.

 

No one in Houston or no one in Austin?

[JoninATX]

That's true, I haven't heard of a single Austinite or anybody else complain about the parking lot at Whole Foods. But I heard and even said there are too many people there sometimes, and traffic coming in & going out can be hectic at times.

Edited April 17, 2014 by JoninATX

[swtsig]

No one in Houston or no one in Austin?

 

both. i lived in austin when that was being completed and went there several days a week on my way home from work and not once did i think "argh i can't believe they put a parking lot out front... i want this right up to the curb!!!"

 

in fact, i LOVED the parking out front.... it made it ultra convenient and believe it or not finding a spot wasn't all that difficult most of the time.

[H-Town Man]

both. i lived in austin when that was being completed and went there several days a week on my way home from work and not once did i think "argh i can't believe they put a parking lot out front... i want this right up to the curb!!!"

 

in fact, i LOVED the parking out front.... it made it ultra convenient and believe it or not finding a spot wasn't all that difficult most of the time.

 

You kind of went from saying "No one complains" to saying that you didn't complain when you were there.

Do you wish Waterloo music and all those other buildings around there had parking lots in front?  Would Congress maybe be better if the buildings were set back behind parking lots?

[King Owl]

I used to live across the street from that Whole Foods in Austin. The traffic was ridiculous around there.  Painful.  The parking in front was nice for odd-hours trips.  Otherwise you could forget about finding a space to park.

 

I see nothing wrong with the parking lot in front of the on in BLVD place.  I mean it's not like it's out of place for the surrounding area. 

[HoustonIsHome]

Building an oasis in the desert from scratch is hard to do. Uptown is not very pedestrian oriented to begin with so only baby steps can be made to direct the area towards a more pedestrian friendly area. To big a change would be risky as it might mean the access issues may result in a failed enterprise.

For now the parking is necessary.

[swtsig]

You kind of went from saying "No one complains" to saying that you didn't complain when you were there.

Do you wish Waterloo music and all those other buildings around there had parking lots in front?  Would Congress maybe be better if the buildings were set back behind parking lots?

 

i never heard a single complaint from anyone i knew. if you're looking for a scientific poll about whether or not anybody at any point in time complained about it go conduct your own research. from my anecdotal experience from living there i never came across anyone who openly bemoaned the parking lot up front.

 

and do you mean the waterloo that does, in fact, have a parking lot out front (and to the side with direct entrance from lamar)? that waterloo? or do you mean all those other buildings like REI and the bookstore with huge parking lots up front? those types? cute that you compare what is still very much a suburban environment (houston uptown and lamar in ausitn) to the heart of the urban core where even if it was wanted - and believe me, from a business practicality standpoint, those business owners would LOVE some upfront parking - it couldn't fit.

[H-Town Man]

i never heard a single complaint from anyone i knew. if you're looking for a scientific poll about whether or not anybody at any point in time complained about it go conduct your own research. from my anecdotal experience from living there i never came across anyone who openly bemoaned the parking lot up front.

 

and do you mean the waterloo that does, in fact, have a parking lot out front (and to the side with direct entrance from lamar)? that waterloo? or do you mean all those other buildings like REI and the bookstore with huge parking lots up front? those types? cute that you compare what is still very much a suburban environment (houston uptown and lamar in ausitn) to the heart of the urban core where even if it was wanted - and believe me, from a business practicality standpoint, those business owners would LOVE some upfront parking - it couldn't fit.

 

Now now swtsig, let's not get too heated here. You're right, there is a small parking strip in front of Waterloo, my error. I wouldn't really call either of these "suburban" environments, especially not Lamar Blvd. in Austin's core - I would rather say they're in a transitional period, "urbanizing" you might say. Some of us want them to urbanize more, and hence complain about setbacks for parking; other people I suppose want them to stay in more of a Highway 6 paradigm, since it's convenient.

 

Are you saying that the business owners along Congress Ave. in Austin would love some setbacks for parking lots? That if I walked into one and casually said, "Don't you wish there were parking lots all along this street and you guys had some breathing room?" they'd be like, "Yeah man, this urban environment stifles us! Instead of staring across at the windows of other businesses and sidewalks full of pedestrians, we need some concrete with cars on it!"

[swtsig]

Now now swtsig, let's not get too heated here. You're right, there is a small parking strip in front of Waterloo, my error. I wouldn't really call either of these "suburban" environments, especially not Lamar Blvd. in Austin's core - I would rather say they're in a transitional period, "urbanizing" you might say. Some of us want them to urbanize more, and hence complain about setbacks for parking; other people I suppose want them to stay in more of a Highway 6 paradigm, since it's convenient.

 

Are you saying that the business owners along Congress Ave. in Austin would love some setbacks for parking lots? That if I walked into one and casually said, "Don't you wish there were parking lots all along this street and you guys had some breathing room?" they'd be like, "Yeah man, this urban environment stifles us! Instead of staring across at the windows of other businesses and sidewalks full of pedestrians, we need some concrete with cars on it!"

 

here's your problem - you lack any sense of business accumen. every argument you make takes place in an urbanist vacuum devoid of practicaliy where cars shouldn't exist and setbacks should be eliminated and ground floor retail should be forced to help create an "urban fabric" (or your definition of it). beieve it or not, most people get to and from places in a CAR. including the retail establishments they frequent.

 

i know for certain businesses in Austin's urban core, where zoning forces all developments to come to the curb and forces all developments to have ground floor retail, have failed (as in gone out of business) because rents were too steep and - wait for it - customers could not find parking. i have friends in austin who have told me a lot of these businesses fail for that exact reason "people don't go b/c they can't find a parking spot". right in the heart of your urban core. so yeah, if you told these business owners (which i think we can all safely assume you are not) that by "breathing room" you mean "easy access for their customers to frequent their establishment and increase their earnings" they you bet your ass they would say "yeah man!" until an area reaches a critical mass of people, your "urban environment" won't pay the rent.

[H-Town Man]

here's your problem - you lack any sense of business accumen. every argument you make takes place in an urbanist vacuum devoid of practicaliy where cars shouldn't exist and setbacks should be eliminated and ground floor retail should be forced to help create an "urban fabric" (or your definition of it). beieve it or not, most people get to and from places in a CAR. including the retail establishments they frequent.

 

i know for certain businesses in Austin's urban core, where zoning forces all developments to come to the curb and forces all developments to have ground floor retail, have failed (as in gone out of business) because rents were too steep and - wait for it - customers could not find parking. i have friends in austin who have told me a lot of these businesses fail for that exact reason "people don't go b/c they can't find a parking spot". right in the heart of your urban core. so yeah, if you told these business owners (which i think we can all safely assume you are not) that by "breathing room" you mean "easy access for their customers to frequent their establishment and increase their earnings" they you bet your ass they would say "yeah man!" until an area reaches a critical mass of people, your "urban environment" won't pay the rent.

 

Well, I think if we're at the point where your post begins by telling me what "my problem" is, this is not going to be a productive conversation. I will say that I think urbanism is a success in downtown Austin, most businesses and residents are quite happy about that fact, and your preference for keeping N. Lamar Blvd. downtown a nice suburban environment may not last forever.

 

[mollusk]

Not to dive too much into the off topic tangent; however, I neither live in Austin nor do I go to downtown Austin more than perhaps once a year.  I don't find parking there to be any more difficult than any other downtown, and easier than most.  Maybe I just have advanced skills, but I never end up having to park in Round Rock or some such and then walk downtown.  

[Golyadkin]

This opens up really soon, right? I thought I remember April or May.

 

It was supposed to, but I talked to my ex who works at the Whole Foods out on Wilcrest, and she said that the word is that they are opening the BLVD Place store in August.

[SkylineView]

2014 04 19:  Aaaand back to the development....

 

[BigFootsSocks]

Ahhh another crane in the background

[swtsig]

And to think there are at least another 3 highrise developments (not including apache) that could creep into that shot in the next year or so.

[SkylineView]

2014 04 26:

 

[bobruss]

Speaking of Apache, has anyone heard any rumors about this project. I've read in the business section where they have sold off several large tracts of leases recently and altered their direction in plans for the future energy wise but I haven't heard one word about what I think would be a very nice addition to this stretch of Post Oak. Can anyone shed any light on this project.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Photos from Sunday morning. Was surprised how Hanover's tower shows up relatively well from a number of vantage points inside the loop...

 

-From the Target on San Felipe near the Westcreek site.

 

-From Greenway/Upper Kirby

 

And finally the site itself

 

 

 

 

 

 

-The Apache site

 

 

-New structures, façade & sign