Nick_G Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Any updates on this project? I have not seen much progress since they fenced it off. Also to Sellanious Caesar who stated"This project is in a suburban business district, in Uptown Houston. It's not downtown, Greenway Plaza, nor Texas Medical Center and its outside the loop. Although I would like to see less parking lots between sidewalks and storefronts and more garages or parking lots behind the shops, it wont be taking place in Uptown. Uptown is primarily suburban, you know it and Houston knows it. I do like this project though, I'd support shopping there over the Galleria if I were to be in the neighborhood to shop. "Uptown may not be in the loop but uptown council is actively promoting development in the area as a business district, high density housing is going in left and right, it is actually arguably one of the most walkable areas in Houston and the power lines are for the most part below ground. http://www.uptown-houston.com/images/uploads/FactBook.pdfMany of the inside the loop areas including River Oaks, Montrose, and Midtown have above ground power lines, this by itself gives those areas a suburban feel (if I am being nice, the look of a third world country if I am being honest). I currently live in Uptown because it is as urban a feeling as I can find in Houston while also not having to see homeless people walking about, boarded up shops, or mass exodus during weekends. I do wish it was closer to downtown, a swap of locations of Uptown and River Oaks or Montrose would be ideal such that I could have access to Buffalo Bayou Park. A train line Running down Westminster starting in Uptown and running through Highland Village, Montrose and eventually linking up with the Red Line in downtown would really start bringing these parts of the city together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golyadkin Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 There has been literally nothing done on this project in well over a month now. No idea why it's stalled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 There has been literally nothing done on this project in well over a month now. No idea why it's stalled.see my post a few above yours from november - word had it that a large institutional investor pulled out a couple of months ago. that said i very recently heard that the goal is to break ground on the whole foods in march... who knows if that will actually happen though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Looks like this project is slowly being widdled away into just another bland development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_G Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I still have a lot of hope for it. If nothing else the location is excellent and I know there is going to be a new casual Italian restaurant in there which I am looking forward to.As for Progress i emailed Wulfe & Co yesterday and this is the response I received from Elise Weatherall today."Thank you for your continued interest in BLVD PLACE. We are planning to begin construction later this spring." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 How many other grocery stores have been built, including Whole Foods, since this BLVD Place Whole Food was announced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_G Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 How many other grocery stores have been built, including Whole Foods, since this BLVD Place Whole Food was announced?The recession got in the way. Yes there are other grocery stores in the area but Whole Foods is still an anchor, and it is the walkable space and the restaurants that I am looking forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_G Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Colvill Office Properties promoting Pre-Leases per email...can't get that up here at the moment without displaying my work email, but I will post the brochure when I get home so it can be seen..and showing floor planshttp://www.blvdplace...Place_Plans.pdfhttp://www.colvillof...lvd/index.shtml Edited January 26, 2012 by Nick_G 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Colvill Office Properties promoting Pre-Leases per email...can't get that up here at the moment without displaying my work email, but I will post the brochure when I get home so it can be seen..and showing floor planshttp://www.blvdplace...Place_Plans.pdfhttp://www.colvillof...lvd/index.shtmlThis development didn't have office space before, did it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golyadkin Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 It's always had office space. The bottom two floors are for retail and the top two floors for office. That's nothing new. I got the email as well. The only thing on it that's new is this picture: It also lists the square footage available. BLVD PLACE 1 will have 22,420 on each of the two levels, and BLVD PLACE 2 will have 13,640. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister X Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) I like that they still have these renderings at their website. Gives me hope that this project could still amount to something spectacular as soon as the money starts rolling again. Edited January 26, 2012 by Mister X 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I like that they still have these renderings at their website. Gives me hope that this project could still amount to something spectacular as soon as the money starts rolling again. Considering that made the effort to create a parking garage, they should have taken advantage of the Post Oak side and pulled the stores up to the street with a common sidewalk. I thought they have variances they could get for this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I like that they still have these renderings at their website. Gives me hope that this project could still amount to something spectacular as soon as the money starts rolling again.I'm wondering if the project is just too big and bank loan requirements are just too stiff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_G Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Considering that made the effort to create a parking garage, they should have taken advantage of the Post Oak side and pulled the stores up to the street with a common sidewalk. I thought they have variances they could get for this.Seriously, this is this kind of thing that has been driving me crazy. I understand Houston is a driving city and that developers need to plan for that, I also understand that someone being able to see a free space out front might just be the last bit of motivation needed to entice them to stop and shop. However, do the developers truly believe their properties will fail if there are no parking spaces right out front?Posk Oak is becoming very developed and once you add the train line in there the traffic is probably going to get pretty ridiculous, which combined with the number of apartments and condos going up will cause more people to walk (crosses fingers). How do we get someone to plan specifically for that? We can do away with the sports authority strip center or the one across the street from BLVD place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Stonian Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 This announcement in the HBJ this morning that Randall Davis "hopes" to secure financing for a his Astoria condo tower which sits on Ed Wulfe's property speaks volume about the status and future of BLVD Place. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/print-edition/2012/01/27/randall-davis-galleria-tower-rising-on.html I think you're correct lockmat..., piecemeal is the way to go..., maybe the project as a whole is just much too large to secure financing in this post-recession environment. The best thing about the rendering of this new tower is it looks as if the strip parking adjacent to Post Oak blvd is going away, at least directly fronting of this tower! This development needs to be more of a City Centre type design instead of an Uptown Park clone. Previously I believe Wulfe was going for something in between, but it just wasn't working. Although it appears the whole foods aspect is still intact, I'm all for a total redesign at this point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 This announcement in the HBJ this morning that Randall Davis "hopes" to secure financing for a his Astoria condo tower which sits on Ed Wulfe's property speaks volume about the status and future of BLVD Place. http://www.bizjourna...-rising-on.htmlAh, Randall Davis, can we trust him. . . The Titan...fail...Sonoma...fail.Now he expects us to believe him that Astoria will go forth.I vote no, only because Randall Davis name is attached to this.Commence with your posting of a Debbie Downer photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Ah, Randall Davis, can we trust him. . . The Titan...fail...Sonoma...fail.Now he expects us to believe him that Astoria will go forth.I vote no, only because Randall Davis name is attached to this.Commence with your posting of a Debbie Downer photo.What's your issue with Randall Davis? Sure he had a couple proposed projects that did not happen. Show me a developer for whom that is not the case. You listed two that did not happen. How about a list of his projects that have happened? Here's a start: CosmopolitanManhattanHotel IconGothamMetropolisRenoirSt. GermainRice Lofts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) So this Davis tower is on the corner of Post Oak and San Felipe, right were the Whole Foods is supposed to go?And you know...I wonder if part of the reason BLVD Place hasn't taken off faster is because all the changes to the plan has created a lot of uncertainty for companies thinking about renting space. Edited January 27, 2012 by lockmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Stonian Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 No, not at Post Oak and San Felipe. From the renderings this new tower looks to be adjacent to the (still to be demolished?) existing building that previously housed Hermes. The location is basically right smack in the middle of BLVD Place on Post Oak. That's why I speculated the Whole Foods site may still be a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) No, not at Post Oak and San Felipe. From the renderings this new tower looks to be adjacent to the (still to be demolished?) existing building that previously housed Hermes. The location is basically right smack in the middle of BLVD Place on Post Oak. That's why I speculated the Whole Foods site may still be a go. per the Astoria website, Randall is using Whole Foods as a selling point: "A newly planned Whole Foods market..." http://www.astoriahouston.com/location.html Ok, i see now. Does this seem right? Edited January 27, 2012 by lockmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisPHous Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 http://www.blvdplace.com/InteractiveMap.htmLooking at the map I think there could be several things going on. I agree with Lockmat on the location, this is right where building 4 of BLVD Place is. So maybe they decided to scale back and sell (or are in the process of selling) that part of the development. Less likely would be squeezing the astoria between the existing BLVD place (building 6) and building 4...would be very ambitious seeing as it is pulling teeth to get anything going in the first place but I can be hopeful I suppose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 http://www.blvdplace...eractiveMap.htmLooking at the map I think there could be several things going on. I agree with Lockmat on the location, this is right where building 4 of BLVD Place is. So maybe they decided to scale back and sell (or are in the process of selling) that part of the development. Less likely would be squeezing the astoria between the existing BLVD place (building 6) and building 4...would be very ambitious seeing as it is pulling teeth to get anything going in the first place but I can be hopeful I suppose!I'm sure if Randall gets his project off the ground, we can say good bye to the originally planned resi tower on Skylark and Post Oak Lane. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I'm sure if Randall gets his project off the ground, we can say good bye to the originally planned resi tower on Skylark and Post Oak Lane.Sounds like there is a demand, considering how close it was just 3 years ago that the Titan was cancelled. He always said that if things picked up, he would like to get that back on the schedule again and bring back the TItan.The condo on Skylark could still co-exist. It's like a second construction boom we had from the early 2000's.So potentially, we could have 5 cranes in the Uptown area at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgower4 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I love the building design but i am sad if they put this tower on the site in the center of the blvd place construction site. I just don't get that yesterday I receive a email about pre leasing offices and now this i just want more information from wulfe and company i wish this tower would be where the other apartment building was going to be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 What's your issue with Randall Davis? Sure he had a couple proposed projects that did not happen. Show me a developer for whom that is not the case. You listed two that did not happen. How about a list of his projects that have happened? Here's a I listed the most recent two that I can think of in Houston that were cancelled back to back.Everything else is pre-2008 was built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) I listed the most recent two that I can think of in Houston that were cancelled back to back.Everything else is pre-2008 was built.hmmmm.... Why do you suppose his pre-2008 projects happened, but he had two back-to-back 2008 and after that didn't happen? Do you think it MIGHT have more to do with the economy than with Randall Davis? Edited January 27, 2012 by Houston19514 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 did any of you even read the article? Davis doesn't even have a site selected for the Astoria, nor does he have any funding. The rendering and location are strictly conceptual and for marketing purposes.pay attention, folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Stonian Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I couldn't read the entire article because it was behind a paywall -- I knew he didn't have funding from the part of the article that I could read but if you don't have funding OR a site picked out why even announce the damn thing! And why on heaven's earth would you produce renderings showing your tower placed on someone else's property Maybe Pumapayam is right about Randall Davis... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I couldn't read the entire article because it was behind a paywall -- I knew he didn't have funding from the part of the article that I could read but if you don't have funding OR a site picked out why even announce the damn thing! And why on heaven's earth would you produce renderings showing your tower placed on someone else's propertyMaybe Pumapayam is right about Randall Davis...Likely a thread to be moved to the Astoria, but RD does all this stuff to build interest and get a percent of presales done, so once he meets his quota, he can get approved for financing for construction.Presentation is key.When he promoted the Titan, he had to return all the deposits when it was cancelled, so it's a gamble, but if enough people commit, it will happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well, he will be competing with hos building on kirby and that one that's going up that is replacing the state grille. Is the market ready? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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