ricco67 Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/2926288Nov. 30, 2004, 11:32PMBayou Place may add residencesThe developer is considering high-rise unitsBy RON NISSIMOVCopyright 2004 Houston ChronicleThe Bayou Place entertainment complex that has helped revitalize Houston's downtown with pedestrian-friendly restaurants and theaters may be joined by lofts or apartments.Developer David Cordish of Baltimore, who transformed the former east hall of the Albert Thomas Convention Center into Bayou Place, is considering building high-rise residences in the adjoining west hall, which is vacant, according to Houston city documents.The city owns the former convention center that closed in 1988, and in 1991 it gave Cordish a 60-year lease to redevelop it. After years of delays, Bayou Place opened for a New Year's 1998 celebration along Texas Avenue.Cordish also was granted an option to develop the hall of the convention center west of Bagby, on the condition that any construction be substantially completed by Dec. 15, 2005, said Dawn Ullrich, director of the city's Convention and Entertainment Department.Cordish has asked for a three-month extension so he can conduct a feasibility study on building high-rise residential units on the property rather than developing more entertainment facilities. City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed extension today.Cordish did not return calls from the Houston Chronicle."We think it's an intriguing idea and one worth exploring," Ullrich said.She said she did not know what the possible residential structure would look like, but heard it might involve as many as 300 to 400 units. She said she did not know if it would involve demolition of the former convention center.Ullrich said the city is not planning to help fund the construction. She said even though the city owns the land, it would explore with Cordish the possibility of selling or leasing housing units that might be built.Under his lease, Cordish pays the city $50,000 a year in rent for the former east hall, plus 25 percent of profits, which account for an additional $40,000 a year, Ullrich said. The lease stipulates that Cordish would pay the city $25,000 a year for the former west hall, plus 15 percent of profits.Experts in the emerging downtown housing market said loft apartments next to the Bayou Place would be a welcome addition."I think it's a pretty good idea," said Ric Campo, CEO and chairman of Camden real estate company that owns the 300-unit Camden Midtown apartment complex at Louisiana and McGowen. "It would be a great location, especially with the convenience of the location that is so close to restaurants and theaters."Campo and Stacy Hunt, another Midtown apartment developer, said that the market for downtown lofts has recently cooled because of the sluggish economy and because about 3,000 units have been built in the past several years.But they said the market should pick up by 2006 if the economy improves as expected."For rental units right now, the market is saturated," said Hunt, a partner in the Greystar Real Estate Partners firm that manages the Calais Cortland Square apartment complex at Louisiana and Elgin.Minnette Boesel, owner of Minnette Boesel Properties, which brokers downtown housing units, said four development groups recently drafted a plan to try to increase the number of people living downtown to 20,000 by 2025.She said the proposed Bayou Place development "fits into the whole plan that has been developed."Increasing the residential component downtown would enhance retail development downtown," she said.ron.nissimov@chron.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 If this is going to be a high-rise, I'd assume that the existing building would need to be demolished. Certainly it wasn't engineered to be expanded vertically.And I wonder how this will impact people who might be considering the Shamrock on Main? Personally, this looks more viable to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 My guess would be that this proposal is really just a way to keep their option on the property open a few more months. Obviously they've given up on the idea of more entertainment venues or a hotel. Not only is the Shamrock not started, but there are other highrise proposals for the old Holiday Inn building and the block west of Allen Center that have yet to be acted on. Overall the market for downtown residential seems to be somewhat weaker than anticipated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 eliminating the remaining portion of the albert thomas convention center (especially the portion over bagby) will provide an opportunity to connect hobby center to the theatre district (as someone on HAIF suggested before). greater pedestrian connectivity and sight lines from the aquarium to hobby center would improve the area. any development of the western portion of this development should take this into consideration (entertainment, retail or residential).personally, i'd like another theatre with restaurants or retail opening up to bagby AND the bayou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 They should tear down the old part, and place areally dynaic structure in place, with plenty of ground level retail, and stuff. In fact, It would be really great if they could somehow make a mixed use high rise with an additional arts venue of some sort in the base, coupled with retail, and such. This could really bring life to that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Excellent idea, Urbanerd! A mixed-use complex would be awesome there, especially, if it included another theater facility and street-front retail/restaurants etc. to add some more energy to the Theater District. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted December 2, 2004 Author Share Posted December 2, 2004 This particular development would appeal to a certain clientel as well. when you think about it, it's a considerable distance from Main street, but it has entertainment as well as a few major employers immediately nearby. This would make it an ideal place for a slightly older demographic that would like to be in downtown, but not near the "action" of main street. In short, this one devopement would greatly improve that particular section of downtown into it's own little microcosm of urban living and would be almost totally enclosed. anything laong main would appeal to someone that's a bit younger and is still in "party mode" as well as corporate condos for out of town clients and execs. (which would make sense, actually) Ricco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 i can't imagine wanting to live next to I-45 at this location. i wonder how people in the sabine street lofts and 2016 main can stand the road noise in units on the freeway side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 i can't imagine wanting to live next to I-45 at this location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 can you define resilient channels please? are they something that can be worked into/retrofitted into a private residence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 can you define resilient channels please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 excellent information! thank you! my home backs up to the woodlands parkway and grogan's mill road. when i update my siding, i would like to add some sound proofing. it CAN be done. yee haa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 excellent information! thank you! my home backs up to the woodlands parkway and grogan's mill road. when i update my siding, i would like to add some sound proofing. it CAN be done. yee haa! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes it can. In fact, what makes these things so cool is that the space penalty amounts to about half an inch, the cross-section dimension of the channel, plus, of course, half an inch for the new drywall. The absolute best way to contain sound is to build a complete room within the room, completely separated by an air gap. But in my small 12-foot single-car garage, that would have left about 8 feet for actual living space, and probably less. I only lost 1 inch of living space. Let me know off-line if you actually do this, as I have researched the technique, and applied it, and, there are some important details that if are ignored, will destroy any sound containment you would have gained by using the channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 ....remember though, it is designed for DRYWALL. The channels are mechanically sturdy enough for hanging drywall, if the channels are spaced by no more than 24 inches. I dont think you can adequately hang exterior materials, like siding, on them. There is more to it, PM me if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I still think the proximity of the freeway might be a problem. The Bayou Park condo development a couple of blocks up the street, and adjacent to I-45, went under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 I still think the proximity of the freeway might be a problem. The Bayou Park condo development a couple of blocks up the street, and adjacent to I-45, went under. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I hope they dont use that as an excuse to Mercerize that part of the building! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Checked the Cordish site, and it really doesn't look like they have much involvement in highrise residential development. Their focus is on mixed-use and entertainment complexes. I'm still thinking this is more a tactic to extend their option to give them some time to come up with a viable plan for the location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayLSU Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 This particular development would appeal to a certain clientel as well. when you think about it, it's a considerable distance from Main street, but it has entertainment as well as a few major employers immediately nearby. This would make it an ideal place for a slightly older demographic that would like to be in downtown, but not near the "action" of main street. In short, this one devopement would greatly improve that particular section of downtown into it's own little microcosm of urban living and would be almost totally enclosed. anything laong main would appeal to someone that's a bit younger and is still in "party mode" as well as corporate condos for out of town clients and execs. (which would make sense, actually) Ricco <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I live 2 blocks from 45 (Pierce Elevated) in townhomes and you really get used to any traffic noise from the freeways. It's part of living in the city! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Checked the Cordish site, and it really doesn't look like they have much involvement in highrise residential development. Their focus is on mixed-use and entertainment complexes. I'm still thinking this is more a tactic to extend their option to give them some time to come up with a viable plan for the location.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>They have an entire residential division. . . The residential division of the Cordish Company specializes in urban, mixed-use residential projects as well as "new urbanist" town centers.In addition, The Cordish Company is developing a mixed-use project in downtown Richmond, VA that will include 200 luxury residential units coupled with a class A office tower and retail/entertainment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHud_NF Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Just a heads up. What you should know about The Coridsh Co.http://cordish.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 What does that blog mean to the possibility of high-rises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonfella Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Green space. Tear down the rest of Bayou Place and make a parklike setting.Enough concrete already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Well we all know now they are not going to do res. Just office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houston-development Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 just got an email from bayou place: Phase II of Bayou Place in the Houston CBD is under construction as office space and is available for lease! The second floor is 77,500 sf ,has no interior columns, over 16 ft high ceilings, great views and its own parking garage as well as access to over 4,000 additional parking spaces in the immediate area. Aggressive rental rates. March 2006 occupancy. Contact Fontaine Carroll at 713.236.7795 for more information. included in the email were the following pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonfella Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Awesome view they have. I hope it all works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Too bad they're not looking to at least SOME sort of retail, like maybe even a gift/souvenir/flower shop or what have you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Great views from the outside but what about windows? It would be pretty depressing to have an entire office without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Well we all know now they are not going to do res. Just office.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think they should add some sort of residential spaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Great views from the outside but what about windows? It would be pretty depressing to have an entire office without them.They are adding windows as part of the reconstruction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belmontdrew Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 For years I have walked the banks of the bayou dreaming. When I felt brave I would walk the south bank just below and behind the phase II Bayou Place building. Anyone ever noticed the cement supports jutting out of the building in an "L" shape that overhang the bayou? Why not just cover the supports with walkways/patios and add in some restaurants and shops? On stilts surrounding the building you could extend it vertically to add more retail/restaurants or even have a divided hotel on one side residential on the other with balconies overlooking downtown, hobby center, the aquarium, etc. We'd have the whole "riverwalk" thing goin' on...plus it would tie into the Sabine to Bagby remodel. For concerns on the "open the view" idea...just add lots and lots of glass to the redesign...big sheets of thick glass...from Hobby you'd see a beautiful new building..and through the building you'd see the glow of the Aquarium.All of the land behind Hobby Center and just a little south will be a sloping hill of grass down to the bayou once the Sabine Bagby walkway is complete...so we'll get our greenspace...I think we should utilize the Albert Thomas structure that is already there. It would be really cool if they placed all kinds of colored lights all over the place under the freeways...maybe even paint the cement freeway supports in a unique way. Just a little bit of money and a little bit of work could go a long way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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