Baylor St. Lukes McNair Campus & Health Sciences Park

[Lulleah]

Parkwood is at OST and Cambridge, just west of the VA Hospital. I understand that it's owned by Baylor, and is a large brick garden apartment complex with over 100 live oaks on the property, hardwoods, good square footage, and very reasonable rents (try $690 for 1233 sq. ft. 2 BR + den apt.) Most of the residents work in the Med Center, obviously. Many of them are post-docs and researchers, lots of Asian families. Lots of the families planted gardens there.

Residents were given notice on September 1 to vacate by November 1. It's going to be demolished.

Anybody know the history of this place? I think it was built around 1948. Who designed it? What's going up instead? I assume all the live oaks are history, they are already cutting them down on the VA's eastern border. If you want any free landscaping (crepe myrtles, wisteria, rubber trees, etc. ), now's the time to dig 'em up.

Any good suggestions for apartment alternatives in the area?

[Guest Marty]

The Appraisal District says it was built in 1949. I hope they leave the trees alone.

[Subdude]

Someone told me that at one point these were considered very desirable apartments, but I have no idea what kind of shape they're in now.

[sevfiv]

i drove through the area just a little while ago - you get the "project" feel, since there are so many of them, but they are in reasonable shape it seems, and serve a very good population and purpose.

[tony]

The trees on the west side of the VA have been removed in preparation for sewer construction under the Cambridge extension which will span Bray's Bayou, and will connect, on the north side, by the Confederate monument at MacGregor. Supposedly there will be a connector from the South Loop to Cambridge. The Medical Center lobbied the city for several years, hoping to use Cambridge as an alternate emergency route to Fannin, which is now a couple of lanes short due to the Metrorail tracks. Cambridge Street (below OST) fronts directly on the east side of the newly completed South Campus infrastructure. The South Campus is bisected by Bertner which, I assume, will be pushed through south of Braeswood. The new Bertner bridge has been open for several months. The Parkwood Apartments property includes, I believe, a large parcel of vacant land that fronts Old Spanish Trail at Cambridge. The price of this property was supposedly $34 million, which, if that's true, would make it comprable in value to the HISD property on Richmond. Apparently there were no takers. Surely Baylor, even with its endowments, would not pay that price but it's hard to imagine this land going to a private developer because of its location ajacent to the ravenous maw of the TMC. The small neighborhood directly north of the Parkwood property fought the Cambridge project to a compromise that gives them a 30 buffer from the new Cambridge extension. The VA donated the land for this, sacrificing the trees on the east side of old Cambridge.

[TheNiche]

The trees on the west side of the VA have been removed in preparation for sewer construction under the Cambridge extension which will span Bray's Bayou, and will connect, on the north side, by the Confederate monument at MacGregor. Supposedly there will be a connector from the South Loop to Cambridge. The Medical Center lobbied the city for several years, hoping to use Cambridge as an alternate emergency route to Fannin, which is now a couple of lanes short due to the Metrorail tracks. Cambridge Street (below OST) fronts directly on the east side of the newly completed South Campus infrastructure. The South Campus is bisected by Bertner which, I assume, will be pushed through south of Braeswood. The new Bertner bridge has been open for several months. The Parkwood Apartments property includes, I believe, a large parcel of vacant land that fronts Old Spanish Trail at Cambridge. The price of this property was supposedly $34 million, which, if that's true, would make it comprable in value to the HISD property on Richmond. Apparently there were no takers. Surely Baylor, even with its endowments, would not pay that price but it's hard to imagine this land going to a private developer because of its location ajacent to the ravenous maw of the TMC. The small neighborhood directly north of the Parkwood property fought the Cambridge project to a compromise that gives them a 30 buffer from the new Cambridge extension. The VA donated the land for this, sacrificing the trees on the east side of old Cambridge.

Ah, goody. I own a condo just off of Cambridge. I've been waiting for work to start on this project for years. It'll improve my access to the main part of Hermann Park.

$$ > $$

[tony]

Well, I was wrong, Baylor DID buy that Parkwood property. I wonder how much they paid? This is probably not good news for those trees.

[Boris]

This article in the Houston Business Journal gives an idea of Baylors initial investment:

Baylor to build teach hospital independently

Houston Business Journal - 2:38 PM CDT Friday

Baylor College of Medicine is building its own adult, private teaching hospital.

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital became the primary, private adult-teaching hospital for Baylor in April 2004 after Baylor ended its 50-year affiliation with The Methodist Hospital.

But now Baylor officials are laying out plans for an integrated Baylor Clinic and Hospital that will serve as the college's teaching hospital without St. Luke's as a partner.

BCM's relationship with St. Luke's may change, but the college intends that the relationship will continue to be strong, according to a Baylor spokeswoman. The two institutions will continue to share programs, and Baylor's residents will continue to rotate through St. Luke's, she added.

The Methodist Hospital had represented that school for Baylor until 2004 when the two institutions ended their 50-year affiliation. Officials had clashed over Baylor's intentions to open an ambulatory care center.

On Sept. 28, Baylor President Dr. Peter Traber sent a note to employees notifying them that Baylor's board had authorized an expenditure of $10 million in preliminary spending toward the plan for building the teaching hospital.

.......................................

A 35-acre tract of land that Baylor has owned since 1988 has been identified as a site for the Baylor Clinic and Hospital. The Parkwood Apartments are currently on this site, which is adjacent to the DeBakey VA Medical Center and is bordered by Old Spanish Trail, Wyndale, Cambridge and the Texas Medical Center-owned property along Avenue G in an area that the TMC calls the mid-campus.

In June 2005, St. Luke's and Baylor announced plans to merge, only to call off the deal three months later -- around the same time Baylor and Methodist announced a renewed, redefined collaboration at the urging of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...ml?surround=lfn

[TheNiche]

This article in the Houston Business Journal gives an idea of Baylors initial investment:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/4223281.html

Does anybody have a concept of how large this 250-bed facility might be in architectural terms (square feet or relative to other existing academic hospitals) or how many employees/students will staff the facility?

Edited September 29, 2006 by TheNiche

[texas911]

When I was growing up my best friend lived at Parkwood. It did have a "project" feel to it. It was tiny and they had a family of 5 living there.

[agorist]

Anybody know the history of this place? I think it was built around 1948. Who designed it? What's going up instead? I assume all the live oaks are history, they are already cutting them down on the VA's eastern border. If you want any free landscaping (crepe myrtles, wisteria, rubber trees, etc. ), now's the time to dig 'em up.

I'm short on names now, but Parkwood Apartments were built in 1948/1949 by the same guy who later developed Tanglewood. All the oak trees were planted at that time, as early pictures show nothing but an open field on the property when the apartments were first constructed (the pictures are/where available in the Parkwood management office on OST). So, we're looking at beautiful, large, 58 year old oak trees.

I will certainly miss them, and the apartments themselves. They were very solidly built, mortar-brick and plaster walls, plenty of casement windows, and plenty of room. The whole layout, especially with the "backyards" connecting several apartment buildings, created a sense of community -- everyone knew each other, and often played, ate, or gardened together. The beehive-like apartments of today just can't compare.

Well, I was wrong, Baylor DID buy that Parkwood property. I wonder how much they paid? This is probably not good news for those trees.

My recollection is that Baylor paid around $8 million for the property in 1988. Or maybe between $8-$12 million. The scuttlebutt was that Baylor bought it as a defensive action, with support from TMC, to at least prevent any private "competitor" from acquiring the land.

It's certainly a desirable location (as is Devonshire, just to the north), but with all its lush foliage, it will be very sad to see it go.

Edited October 3, 2006 by agorist

[sevfiv]

I'm short on names now, but Parkwood Apartments were built in 1948/1949 by the same guy who later developed Tanglewood. All the oak trees were planted at that time, as early pictures show nothing but an open field on the property when the apartments were first constructed (the pictures are/where available in the Parkwood management office on OST). So, we're looking at beautiful, large, 58 year old oak trees.

the trees are wonderful there

william giddings farrington is the tanglewood guy

[samsandrasan]

We drove by Parkwood this morning coming to work and saw the RIP sign ("RIP to affordable housing").

I found your page while googling for information on what was going on. Thanks for the information. It is sad

to see the property go, you don't find many apartment complexes like that down here in Houston. I almost moved into years ago when I first started working at the Med Center. However, I knew it wouldn't be around for very long. The property hasn't been taken care of for awhile, the streets are horrendous. Property in the Medical Center area is just too valuable not to build on. MD Anderson is in the process of building a new administrative building on a piece of land that was basically a median before. Amazing what they can cram into a small space. Two months notice is pretty rough but not surprising.

To "TheNiche" - you may be disappointed with your access once the hospital goes up.

I feel for the lucky people who live in Devonshire, they are going to have so much more traffic going through. Maybe they should think about being gated. Either way they are truly going to end up being an "island" in the Med Center.

[TheNiche]

To "TheNiche" - you may be disappointed with your access once the hospital goes up.

I drive through the TMC all the time on my way to other destinations, and as long as you aren't caught up in a daytime shift change, the traffic usually isn't too horrendous. Of course, I know the shortcuts.

[tony]

I'm still wondering about that 2 acre (maybe) parcel fronting the north side of Old Spanish Trail west of Cambridge and across OST from that ghetto Kroger. It has not a single tree or bush, is carpeted with grass which is mowed regularly and has sat there in its unadorned state for decades. Is that part of the Parkwood site?

[agorist]

I'm still wondering about that 2 acre (maybe) parcel fronting the north side of Old Spanish Trail west of Cambridge and across OST from that ghetto Kroger. It has not a single tree or bush, is carpeted with grass which is mowed regularly and has sat there in its unadorned state for decades. Is that part of the Parkwood site?

Yes, it is part of Parkwood. The intent, I recall (from conversations with Parkwood management), was to eventually develop some kind of shopping center there, but it never happened, and after Baylor bought it, they decided to let it lay fallow, knowing eventually they'd be putting up something medical.

[native5th]

Does anybody know what is going to happen to the nice old neighborhood(Devonshire?) by the Parkwood apartments.. They are one street in front of where Baylor is supposedly building the hospital. Has anyone heard what will happen to them? It seems like the builders have moved in further down close to Holcombe, with all those townhouses. There's not much land over there left for the Med. Center to take..

[flipper]

speaking of devonshire...

Has anyone seen what has been happening (if anything) with 7000 Staffordshire?

It was a 4165 square foot house sitting on 3.5 ACRES.

It sold for 1.9M in 1/03.

I've always wondered if they were going to chop it up for townhouses or what.

flipper

Edited October 25, 2006 by flipper

[agorist]

speaking of devonshire...

Has anyone seen what has been happening (if anything) with 7000 Staffordshire?

Nothing has happened to it yet. It's such gorgeous property (once owned by M.D. Andersen, as the "President's House", but sold in 1993), but as it is now owned by "Cambridge Properties", one would expect its demise any day now.

Devonshire was once a beautiful neighborhood. But they lost a deed restrictions fight (around 1995, if I recall correctly) against a developer who had acquired two houses facing Holcombe, and that was a signal to all other landowners that they could sell out to townhome developers. So, the neighborhood has been under seige since then.

Edited October 25, 2006 by agorist

[sevfiv]

Nothing has happened to it yet. It's such gorgeous property (once owned by M.D. Andersen, as the "President's House", but sold in 1993), but as it is now owned by "Cambridge Properties", one would expect its demise any day now.

Devonshire was once a beautiful neighborhood. But they lost a deed restrictions fight (around 1995, if I recall correctly) against a developer who had acquired two houses facing Holcombe, and that was a signal to all other landowners that they could sell out to townhome developers. So, the neighborhood has been under seige since then.

i agree - i spent a bit of time in the neighborhood growing up, and it was beautiful. it is losing it as time goes on.

[TheNiche]

Nothing has happened to it yet. It's such gorgeous property (once owned by M.D. Andersen, as the "President's House", but sold in 1993), but as it is now owned by "Cambridge Properties", one would expect its demise any day now.

I know Cambridge. They've developed or currently own most everything between Fannin and Knight that is north of about El Paseo. They're also working on the development of a big medical office tower atop a three-story medical-retail mall along Fannin. To my knowledge, they've never done residential development. Everything is office or medical office...and now medical-retail.

[native5th]

We drove by the Parkwood Apartments and it seems like most of the residents have moved out now. The neighborhood does seem really quiet ..There are houses right across from where the apartments are and on the street directly behind them(Wyndale and Canterbury). It will be interesting to see what happens when the demolition starts..

[house567]

Yes, it will be interesting to see what happens with the demolition, (since I live tangent to the northside of Parkwood. We lived in Parkwood from '88 - '93. Thoroughly enjoyed the neighborhood, SPACE, and convenience to biking or walking to our Med Center jobs. In '93, we purchased a burned out - boarded up home in Devonshire. If I had "M.D." after my name, I suppose the restoration would be done by now, but still working on it. I'm an old house junkie. We have one of Houston's few remaining "stintled" exterior brick facades as our home was built in '46. Looks like the bricklayers may have been tripping on acid.

As Devonshire inhabitants, (41 houses developed over time by former Houston Mayor Oscar Holcombe in 1923) we have banded with our neighbors to fight the townhome developers and Med Center Gorilla. Haven't won and INCH yet. Cambridge Properties sold to another group that wants to develop a mid or hi-rise on 7000 Staffordshire. As they presented their plan to us, they would preserve as much of the landscape as possible recognizing the landscape as a reclusive selling point. Maybe that is the best possible choice to avoid "zero lot line, curb to curb look-alike boxes", as built on the north side of the neighborhood.

Well, my Halloween decor come down today. I hope I haven't violated the "malicious" part of the contract to post on this website. RIP Parkwood Apt. and affordable housing.

Edited November 4, 2006 by house567

[native5th]

Thanks for the info about the demolition. Does anybody know who Cambridge Properties sold the land to at 7,000 Staffordshire in the Devonshire Place neighborhood, and what will happen to the homes around the Baylor Hospital and the land Cambridge sold?

[woolie]

Hey guys, surprised no one has posted more details.

There was an article in the Baylor College of Medicine "Solutions" magazine.

http://www.bcm.edu/solutions/v2i3/center.html

Some people in my lab (I am a student at BCM) lived in the Parkwood and had to move out.

I'll keep my eyes posted for actual renderings -- I walk by the office that always has the renderings and architectural models every day.

[woolie]

This has been talked about for a while, but the Baylor Adult Clinic on the Parkwood site was officially approved by the BCM Board of Trustees today.

"The Board of Trustees of Baylor College of Medicine recognizes the critical importance of control of an adult, private teaching hospital for fulfilling the College's long-term vision of pursuit of excellence in its missions of education, research and health care. Therefore, the Board approves the development of an integrated Baylor Clinic and Hospital and authorizes management to proceed with the project in accordance with the plans presented to the Board on January 24, 2007."

There will be meetings during the 2nd week of Februrary to discuss the specifics of the plan, and hopefully show off some renderings and models. I will continue to update this thread as the information becomes available and likely as construction proceeds.

Also at BCM lately:

* BCM Research Tower, the final piece of the Main Campus, nears completion (http://www.bcm.edu/watchusgrow/?PMID=2640)

* DeBakey Library: renovation and addition of the DeBakey building on the BCM Main Campus continues to progress. (http://www.bcm.edu/watchusgrow/?PMID=2642)

[Montrose1100]

They're growing so fast, I can't wait to see the renderings. Any Idea about how big (or tall) this one will be?

[woolie]

They're growing so fast, I can't wait to see the renderings. Any Idea about how big (or tall) this one will be?

Don't know; hopefully I'll find out on Feb 5. But it should be a significant size, a nontrivial building. Maybe not tall, but a large footprint at least.

Edited January 25, 2007 by Ian Rees

[native5th]

Thanks for this. Any news on when they will start building the hospital? I know they are still demolishing the apartmetns right now..

Hey guys, surprised no one has posted more details.

There was an article in the Baylor College of Medicine "Solutions" magazine.

http://www.bcm.edu/solutions/v2i3/center.html

Some people in my lab (I am a student at BCM) lived in the Parkwood and had to move out.

I'll keep my eyes posted for actual renderings -- I walk by the office that always has the renderings and architectural models every day.

[Subdude]

Note that two open topics on this have been merged.

[CyberCyco]

Hello Everyone!

After months of lurking, I felt it was finally time to make a meaningful contribution! Today I attended a meeting at BCM that detailed some of the perliminary plans for the Parkwood hospital. Here's what was revealed.

Clinic-

242k gross sq ft

Planned 300 faculty

Hospital, Phase One-

415k gross sq ft

256 beds

all private rooms, 16 VIP

Diagnostic and Therapuetic

227k gross sq ft

17 ORs

30 ambulatory treatment rooms

30 ambulatory 23 hr stay rooms

Faculty Offices (the existing factuly center on Fannin that BCM leases will be vacated eventually)

199k gross sq ft

300 offices with support space

Research and education 19k gross sq feet

Parking

2000 spaces underground

Projected completion summer 2010

no trauma center, only adult emergency services

everything except pediatrics, obstetrics (both at TCH), psychiatry and intense rehabilitation services will be relocated here

It is still in the very preliminary stages of planning. A lot is subject to change. I think the plan is to break ground sometime in the summer hopefully this year. A fundraising capital campaign of $1billion is now in progress to help with the financing of the new hospital.

Attached are two scans of a flyer that was given. I am very excited about this project. A non-profit academic hospital is something the TMC is lacking. Most major medical centers are anchored by a strong academic hospital.

I'll let you know if I hear anything else!

Page 1

Page 2

Edited February 8, 2007 by CyberCyco

[house567]

Hello Everyone!

After months of lurking, I felt it was finally time to make a meaningful contribution! Today I attended a meeting at BCM that detailed some of the perliminary plans for the Parkwood hospital. Here's what was revealed.

Clinic-

242k gross sq ft

Planned 300 faculty

Hospital, Phase One-

415k gross sq ft

256 beds

all private rooms, 16 VIP

Diagnostic and Therapuetic

227k gross sq ft

17 ORs

30 ambulatory treatment rooms

30 ambulatory 23 hr stay rooms

Faculty Offices (the existing factuly center on Fannin that BCM leases will be vacated eventually)

199k gross sq ft

300 offices with support space

Research and education 19k gross sq feet

Parking

2000 spaces underground

Projected completion summer 2010

no trauma center, only adult emergency services

everything except pediatrics, obstetrics (both at TCH), psychiatry and intense rehabilitation services will be relocated here

It is still in the very preliminary stages of planning. A lot is subject to change. I think the plan is to break ground sometime in the summer hopefully this year. A fundraising capital campaign of $1billion is now in progress to help with the financing of the new hospital.

Attached are two scans of a flyer that was given. I am very excited about this project. A non-profit academic hospital is something the TMC is lacking. Most major medical centers are anchored by a strong academic hospital.

I'll let you know if I hear anything else!

Page 1

Page 2

I'm glad you are excited. I and my neighbors of Devonshire Place are very dubious of ALL the TMC projects since they talk about being good neighbors to existing neighborhoods and the environment when in fact they would love to bulldoze me and my neighbors along with Parkwood. It is VERY noisy out there right now. A 1 billion dollar capital campaign???. Check out what has happened to the Baylor Endowment since Traber became prez and alienated the other medical facilities. And how many layoffs have there been at Baylor the last couple of years? Too much growth too fast and not enough product sales looks like bankruptcy to me. I also wonder how the Univ. of Houston feels about Baylor's "non-existent" but existent in all the drawings, proposed road thru their property on Wyndale? Can you spell conflict?

[TheNiche]

I'm glad you are excited. I and my neighbors of Devonshire Place are very dubious of ALL the TMC projects since they talk about being good neighbors to existing neighborhoods and the environment when in fact they would love to bulldoze me and my neighbors along with Parkwood. It is VERY noisy out there right now. A 1 billion dollar capital campaign???. Check out what has happened to the Baylor Endowment since Traber became prez and alienated the other medical facilities. And how many layoffs have there been at Baylor the last couple of years? Too much growth too fast and not enough product sales looks like bankruptcy to me. I also wonder how the Univ. of Houston feels about Baylor's "non-existent" but existent in all the drawings, proposed road thru their property on Wyndale? Can you spell conflict?

If I had money to spare right now, I'd be buying up Devonshire Place left and right. In just a couple years, you are going to be extremely well-positioned to capture the top of the market.

[woolie]

I'm glad you are excited. I and my neighbors of Devonshire Place are very dubious of ALL the TMC projects since they talk about being good neighbors to existing neighborhoods and the environment when in fact they would love to bulldoze me and my neighbors along with Parkwood. It is VERY noisy out there right now. A 1 billion dollar capital campaign???. Check out what has happened to the Baylor Endowment since Traber became prez and alienated the other medical facilities. And how many layoffs have there been at Baylor the last couple of years? Too much growth too fast and not enough product sales looks like bankruptcy to me. I also wonder how the Univ. of Houston feels about Baylor's "non-existent" but existent in all the drawings, proposed road thru their property on Wyndale? Can you spell conflict?

Edited May 24, 2007 by woolie

[dbigtex56]

I'd buy your house and bulldoze it myself if I had the money. It will be probably a TMC property within a decade.. It's always amusing to see NIMBY's complaining about the very projects and expansions that have driven their real estate values astronomically through the roof.

Nothing can stop the Medical Center. Be happy you have such valuable property.

Some people place a higher value on quality of life than the mindless amassing of $$.

[Guest danax]

Nothing can stop the Medical Center.

I does seem like the Medical Center has some sort of automatic awe factor that makes everyone support it in every way. I think they'll run into serious NIMBYs if they try to overtake the nabes west of Main though.

[sevfiv]

I'd buy your house and bulldoze it myself if I had the money.

jesus...i guess thanks should be in order that you don't have the money (and that the owners would hopefully never sell to you)

[TheNiche]

Some people place a higher value on quality of life than the mindless amassing of $$.

...and some people understand that earning money can bring about a higher quality of life. It is of course not the only thing that can, and the extent to which it is effective varies widely from person to person, but it is a big factor.

[dbigtex56]

...and some people understand that earning money can bring about a higher quality of life. It is of course not the only thing that can, and the extent to which it is effective varies widely from person to person, but it is a big factor.

Happiness does not consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have. - Confucius

It appears that the Devonshire Place resident wants what he or she already has. To express eagerness to destroy his or her home strikes me to be, at best, extremely tactless.

The little girl! How much you want for the little girl? - John Belushi in The Blues Brothers

[TheNiche]

Happiness does not consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have. - Confucius

Confucious does not speak for me. I speak for myself. Tell me, who speaks for you? -TheNiche

Actually, the above quote is just senseless. It is correct that happiness lies in wanting what one has, but if one does not want what they have, then do they not have recourse? Should they not seek to change what they have that they might fulfill their needs?

Edited February 28, 2007 by TheNiche

[dbigtex56]

Confucious does not speak for me. I speak for myself. Tell me, who speaks for you? -TheNiche

Actually, the above quote is just senseless.

On that, we can agree.

[sevfiv]

It is correct that happiness lies in wanting what one has, but if one does not want what they have, then do they not have recourse? Should they not seek to change what they have that they might fulfill their needs?

but of course. the original poster, however, appeared to be content with what he/she has

and not with the potential changes

[TheNiche]

On that, we can agree.

I beg to differ.

but of course. the original poster, however, appeared to be content with what he/she has

and not with the potential changes

Perhaps, but Ian and I would seem to be content to buy him/her out, perhaps lease back the home for a number of years, then demolish and rebuild to the site's highest and best use.

[woolie]

I beg to differ.

Perhaps, but Ian and I would seem to be content to buy him/her out, perhaps lease back the home for a number of years, then demolish and rebuild to the site's highest and best use.

TMC area is extremely tight. I don't think single family housing is appropriate for many blocks in any direction. This includes neighborhoods immediately West of Main, which really are the closest underdeveloped land. But as others allude too, they have too much political power to be acquired in large enough blocks for TMC use. For instance, take a look at how tight infill is getting. Methodist is building a large building on a marginally sized piece of land on Bertner, in fact, it's so tight it facade and structure actually hug the Bertner curve w/ 0-setback. Diagnostic Pavillion demolition. Scheduled Crown Plaza/Wells Fargo demolition. We're going to see more and more of the smaller structures put down to make room for 15-30 story buildings. Take a look at the TMC Master Plan.

I would like to see a large number of condo developments along the rail line (which frustrates me most about Mosaic; Serrento is close enough to walk.) Basically take the Clone Stamp Tool to 5000 Montrose and Spires up and down Main St. in that area.

My gleeful destruction of the owner's home was a somewhat cynical reaction to nimbyism, but let's face the facts: the TMC is one of the best things going for Houston. It's increasing in size at a fantastic rate. Anyone who owns property in the area should be happy with the situation. If the owner doesn't appreciate the thousands of very highly paid jobs added within walking distance to his house, then he can sell his home and take a healthy compensation in cash. As I said, I'd be happy to buy it myself and live there until a TMC institution needs the land, but I'm a poor student.......

[Boris]

Baylor to break ground on first hospital in Houston

By TODD ACKERMAN and BRETT BRUNE

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Baylor College of Medicine plans to break ground on its first-ever hospital in July, less than a year after its short-lived partnership with St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital foundered.

Baylor today released new details of the plan, which call for 1.1 million square feet of construction, including 256 beds, to be finished by 2010. A planned second phase will bring those numbers to 600 beds and 2.7 million square feet.

"This hospital will give Baylor the control of its clinical mission it has always wanted," said Baylor President Dr. Peter Traber. "Of the top 20 U.S. medical schools, we are the only ones that do not have a primary private adult teaching hospital."

...........

The first phase of the complex, which includes the hospital, faculty offices and a clinic that will replace the current one on South Main, will cost $568 million. No cost or start-up date has been set for the second phase.

..............

The Baylor hospital will be built on a 35-acre site adjacent to the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, an area the Texas Medical Center calls "the mid-campus" as development moves southward.

.........

The hospital/clinic complex will have 2,000 parking spaces, both surface and garage.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4692167.html

[frid]

Awesome. I really hope the hospital & clinic work out for bcm.

[house567]

Dr. Traber, President of Baylor College of Medicine, has agreed to meet with the residents of Devonshire Neighborhood Place Association May 24, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Cullen Hall, main Baylor campus. His "team" will address our concerns related to their proposed hospital project and its impact on our "almost" historic neighborhood. Personally, we don't feel tall towers and tall parking garages are condusive to an old neighborhood when they are built directly across the street.

We feel there is a better way AND they can still have their wishes, AND give a more meaningful gift to the City of Houston. I only hope the power brokers are not too egotistical to listen.

[ricco67]

Your "almost" historic neighborhood will more than likely benefit greatly from the completion of the hospital after it's completed. While your property values are likely to increase, you will likely be an "oasis" in the middle of all that chaos that will be highly coveted.

If that's the case, you really should not be complaining as the pluses for your neighborhood vastly outweighs the negative.

[sevfiv]

If that's the case, you really should not be complaining as the pluses for your neighborhood vastly outweighs the negative.

while i can see both sides, it's all relative

i am of the opinion that this will not be so great for the homeowners of the "almost" historic neighborhood, though

[ricco67]

The only real issues that the "almost" historic neighborhood will likely suffer is traffic problems for residents getting in and out (I am not really familiar with the neighborhood, but I think they only have one or two points of entry/exit), a possible increase in noise (which all the construction, ambulances going to/from the med center should be old hat by now), and towers looming about them.

Basically just typical city gripes they will get over. I just hope they don't start turning into A-Oaks types.