Highrise Tower Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Parts of the site have low levels of contaminated groundwater. A Municipal Settings Designations (MSD) application was sent to the city. https://www.houstontx.gov/council/committees/rna/20190117/msd.pdf https://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/msd-certificate 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 19 minutes ago, Highrise Tower said: Parts of the site have low levels of contaminated groundwater. A Municipal Settings Designations (MSD) application was sent to the city. https://www.houstontx.gov/council/committees/rna/20190117/msd.pdf https://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/msd-certificate That's interesting. This could be why they haven't been able to start yet. Especially with what they are proposing (office/retail/residential mixed-use), contaminated ground water is actually a real problem. I'm also wondering if this is partly why its taken East River some time to really kick off as well. Old industrial sites, depending on what they were used for can be a challenge to clean up and prep for uses where people will actually live on the property. My knowledge is limited on this however, so someone who is well versed in this particular area please chime in. This isn't a death nail for the project or anything, but simply one that can slow it down. If this is the what they were told then they will have to do remediation of the site before they can begin construction. Unsure to what extent, and how that can be done. What I will say is that this could actually later on be flipped as a positive for the development if its able to kick off. The positive being that they could go the full LEED route, and get a lot of positive publicity for their remediation efforts, and improving the property/quality of life for the area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 I’m surprised and also not surprised this popped up. Through the 90s and prior, before they built the Exxon Training Center, this corner was a Full Service Gas Station with Service Center and Convenience Store. The Exxon Gas Station had Underground Storage Tanks that leaked. Next door it was apparent because the storm water coming into the storm sewer sump at the second sub basement, would smell like gas. A system was installed to filter this out and the water was directed to the sanitation sewer. This system was removed several years ago, but you could still smell the gas odor. Apparently it was under the threshold of being a hazard after the last inspection by Environmental Services. After Harvey, there was so much water that almost all the lingering smells were washed away and seems like this wasn’t going to be an issue anymore, presuming this is what was found. The next issue I think they may encounter is an underground spring below the property. We get groundwater coming in non-stop into our sump. It can be 6 months of drought and the water still continues. Being that it picked up the gasoline concentration it is theory that it runs under the former Exxon property before us. It will be interesting to see if underground water causes issues when they dig out the foundation, and if the stream coming in our sump diminishes after construction. Kudos to them for the voluntary clean up of what remains. 5 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted June 25, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2020 New rendering on Transwestern's website. https://transwestern.com/property/the-ro-00 35 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 17 hours ago, Highrise Tower said: New rendering on Transwestern's website. https://transwestern.com/property/the-ro-00 I feel like once the mixed use development in Montrose is finished, this design style will take off with no delay. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Going from postmodern architecture in Houston to postvernacular now? I wonder what our city would look like, if that were to become a wave as widespread as the earlier ones. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 This has been a thing for a while now - you can blame (although I'm generally a fan) Lake|Flato for popularizing an attempt at a kind of post-industrial Texas vernacular (except architect-designed, so... not vernacular) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 I think it looks pretty cool. Apart from the bright floor. It's a bad idea and already blinding. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 bright floor? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 19 minutes ago, Texasota said: bright floor? The white chevron tile plaza. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 It doesn't look that bright to me... Either way, this is a rendering, and doesn't necessarily reflect how real sunlight will interact with real materials. I strongly doubt they're planning perfect white tiles with high reflectively. Of course I could be wrong, but I imagine after the third or so person spontaneously bursts into flames walking across them, they will be replaced. 4 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Texasota said: It doesn't look that bright to me... Either way, this is a rendering, and doesn't necessarily reflect how real sunlight will interact with real materials. I strongly doubt they're planning perfect white tiles with high reflectively. Of course I could be wrong, but I imagine after the third or so person spontaneously bursts into flames walking across them, they will be replaced. Speaking from experience with rendering. This is a reflectivity setting being set too high. Pavers, even white ones, aren't that reflective. Sometimes a render engine will make even things which aren't that reflective or glossy a lot more reflective or glossy than what they really are. Actually I was kinda put back by @Montrose1100 comment, but then I was like, "ok wait a second, I know clients that make the exact same statements even though its a render because they want to make sure what they are getting is what they are getting." So after taking a step back, and reflecting on it, I could understand why Montrose1100 would say that, and he does have a point. In this image it is way to reflective. I would say its probably not going to be that reflective in real life. I could be wrong. I have been before, but the only time you get a paver/brick that is that reflective is if its a glazed brick which you don't really ever put on the ground. Occum's Razor would suggest that its a flaw in the actual rendering of the material, and not a reflection of what it will actually be. It happens. I don't think its bright, but I can see why Montrose1100 says its bright, and its a comment to keep in mind. If he thinks that there might be others that think that as well. Edited June 27, 2020 by Luminare 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Geoff8201 Posted July 1, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 1, 2020 Two more construction trailers are arriving as we speak! And worth noting on the new rendering compared to the one Luminare posted back in early November; the building heights and designs have stayed the same. The biggest and only Design change I can see seems to be in Parcel 3 with the restaurant and retail section. 20 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted July 12, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted July 12, 2020 Equipment arrived on site. The front entrance is also fenced off. Looks like this one is about to break ground! 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 New fencing with a black screen went in. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 (edited) Aside from small activity (utility work, generators getting fueled up, desks and furniture moving into the trailers) not much has happened (Yet). Re-examining the groundwater impacts a few posts back; the areas marked would be the Phase 2 section of the project. The old gas station sat on where Phase 1 is going. If this was the cause of contamination it migrated south. I'm unsure if they would address this first, or go ahead and begin removing trees, busting up the old Exxon Training Center and parking lot concrete and begin setting footings for the new buildings. Also Buffalo Speedway from West Alabama going North is undergoing the start of a Capital Project to replace wastewater facilities. Crews have been out this past week setting up, and big machinery is out ready to dig. The plan I heard, is to tunnel under the street to do the work without disturbing the esplanades and most of the trees that sit on them. The project will take 16 months to complete. https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/sites/default/files/assets/001-project_Information_notice_r-000035-0012-4.pdf https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/sites/default/files/assets/construction_phasing_map.pdf Source with more informative PDFs: https://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/node/342 Furthermore, The project to improve West Alabama is still alive. The Upper Kirby info I've found for Buffalo Speedway - Shepherd is outdated, but hopefully there will be a new timeline. Eventually this Alabama Street improvement will go all the way east to Almeda. Quote As part of a bigger four-phase effort, the Houston has been responsible for two segments of improvements to West Alabama. The Weslayan Street to Buffalo Speedway segment is scheduled for construction in 2021 and calls for new concrete streets with storm drainage, sidewalks, driveways, street lighting with water and wastewater updates. The project is scheduled for bids later this month. Construction is slated for spring 2021. The segment from Buffalo Speedway to Shepherd is the responsibility of the Upper Kirby TIRZ, while the segment from Spur 527 to Chenevert is the responsibility of the Midtown TIRZ. Timeline: spring 2021-TBD Cost: $15.87 million Source: https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/transportation/2020/07/07/improvements-are-coming-to-west-alabama-street-in-river-oaks-area-in-2021/ This intersection is going to look very different in just a few years. Edit: I rechecked the Upper Kirby District site and the West Alabama reconstruction from Buffalo Speedway to Shepherd is listed to happen in 2021/2022 for $22 Million. http://www.upperkirbydistrict.org/index.php/the-district-at-work/district-projects/coming-soon Edited July 20, 2020 by Geoff8201 Updated Information 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrohip Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Thanks, good info. I wondered what they were doing to Buffalo Speedway. Guess we have a year of const to look forward to. Then years of R.O. const 🙃 It will be nice to get Alabama updated. I noticed on the Upper Kirby project map, they show Richmond (inside B.S.) to be complete. But it's not, it's still ripped up and scraped down, but no overlay yet. It's funny (actually, it's not), when they started scraping all the years of overlays from Richmond earlier this year, I thought "Great timing, there's no traffic on Richmond due to shutdown, what a perfect time to repave that street". So they scraped it from Kirby to Timmons several months ago, and... {crickets chirping} ...they have not done one single thing since. Four months of the least traffic we will EVER see in Greenway Plaza, and it sits there untouched. Not one minute of work (that I can detect) in four months. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 City of Houston wastewater permit posted. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 After taking some time to observe the area, it looks like the two trailers and equipment are for the Buffalo Speedway sanitary sewer project I mentioned a few posts back, and has little to do with the RO. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Apologies if this has been already covered, but what (if anything) is happening to the empty land north of RO? From Google Maps, it shows what looks like overflow parking for St. John, but I have to imagine this land is going to be super-valuable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 19 hours ago, mls1202 said: Apologies if this has been already covered, but what (if anything) is happening to the empty land north of RO? From Google Maps, it shows what looks like overflow parking for St. John, but I have to imagine this land is going to be super-valuable... All the land to the north of The RO lot up to The River Oaks Condo Building belongs to St. John’s. There is a giant multi use field, parking garage, and temporary buildings with a parking lot the Urban Harvest Farmers Market currently uses on Saturday mornings. It is my understanding that eventually this will become new buildings and athletic facilities for the school. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Urbannizer Posted September 16, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2020 https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3120-Buffalo-Speedway-Houston-TX/17591132/ 25 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 " The building has a cafe with a coffee bar, and a juice bar. The property offers a fitness center with locker rooms along with a tenant lounge and green space. These are the two "highlights" the article chose to emphasize....🤪 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerNut Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 9 hours ago, Urbannizer said: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3120-Buffalo-Speedway-Houston-TX/17591132/ Hmm...doesn't look like something that would be in Houston. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 16 minutes ago, BeerNut said: Hmm...doesn't look like something that would be in Houston. right? we deserve less! 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerNut Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 17 minutes ago, samagon said: right? we deserve less! I don't mean that in a bad way it just seems like most designs in Houston are safe. I personally would love more interesting and bold designs. Honestly I don't see why this isn't already the case with our mishmash neighborhoods, "no zoning", and lack of city wide NIMBYs. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Just now, BeerNut said: I don't mean that in a bad way it just seems like most designs in Houston are safe. I personally would love more interesting and bold designs. Honestly I don't see why this isn't already the case with our mishmash neighborhoods, "no zoning", and lack of city wide NIMBYs. I absolutely agree, I love traveling to Europe, not just to see the history in the place, but the edgy architecture is fun to look at. I'm hopeful this comes through, and we get more stuff like this. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 45 minutes ago, samagon said: right? we deserve less! Careful...this has yet to be value-engineered. We may yet get what we deserve! 1 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Looking at the old vs. new renders, it looks as if the pavilion-looking structure on the right side has been changed in favor of a more standard glass box. Could just be a cropping issue, but I kinda liked the older look better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSirDingle Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 28 minutes ago, mls1202 said: Looking at the old vs. new renders, it looks as if the pavilion-looking structure on the right side has been changed in favor of a more standard glass box. Could just be a cropping issue, but I kinda liked the older look better. Cropping that's just the base of the tower. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 There was one more rendering at the link and I tried to grab it just now but it looks like they pulled the listing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 On 9/16/2020 at 6:46 PM, Urbannizer said: There was one more rendering at the link and I tried to grab it just now but it looks like they pulled the listing. Largest size I'm able to uncover: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HouTXRanger Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 I'm assuming that pulling the renderings is a bad sign, right? 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 For a project that was originally “Coming in 2019” and hasn’t even shown signs of breaking ground now at the end of 2020, no it doesn’t look good. But.... it is 2020, which has not been the best year for anyone. It’s disappointing to hear about the office listings being pulled and the trailers being used for the sewer project... oh which btw I observed the very first trailer on the west end of the lot was actually being used for the Christian Community Service Center construction a block over. Saw people going back and forth and then the light bulb went off that this trailer has nothing to do with the RO either. I still feel this project would do very well, with exception to the office building portion, based on how things are right now. I hope this doesn’t go the way of River Oaks District which had three towers in the first rendering and got built as a midrise, granted it was a huge improvement form what existed before. Hopefully whatever gets value re-engineered, or changed, or whatever is a huge improvement from what was there before and currently. Right now it’s a big dark lot at night, and it’s attracting homeless people. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrohip Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 20 hours ago, Geoff8201 said: actually being used for the Christian Community Service Center construction a block over. <snip> Hopefully whatever gets value re-engineered, or changed, or whatever is a huge improvement from what was there before and currently. Right now it’s a big dark lot at night, and it’s attracting homeless people. The CCSC is now open. I wish they had put some windows on the North wall. It's just one giant "wall". Bor-ing. Homeless people? I need to look closer, I haven't seen any. Maybe you just saw me wandering around in my "work from home" outfit... loose fit sweats, baggy tee, "no haircut in nine months" look. 🙃 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 So there is some activity, but I believe it has to do with groundwater cleanup.... They are digging towards the south end of the property. A notice went out to residents nearby indicating a Microsoft Teams meeting in the near future concerning groundwater contamination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 This may not being going according to plan but considering all the development going on around this area, this parcel of land will see some nice development soon. 2020 has been crazy for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted November 22, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted November 22, 2020 Basement removal. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted November 29, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2020 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted November 30, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2020 On top of the The Metropole garage. I called and asked permission. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) On 11/20/2020 at 10:39 AM, Geoff8201 said: So there is some activity, but I believe it has to do with groundwater cleanup.... They are digging towards the south end of the property. A notice went out to residents nearby indicating a Microsoft Teams meeting in the near future concerning groundwater contamination. Correction, the groundwater cleanup online meeting I was referring to is for 3509 Texas Street. The digging goes and is progressing slowly. I’ll post a photo from atop the Lamar Tower when it looks more progressed. Feel like I’ve posted enough pics of an empty lot for now. Highrises’s photos nailed it. Edited November 30, 2020 by Geoff8201 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted December 6, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 6, 2020 Still breaking up the concrete. Hopefully they start site work next. A BGE staff member originally said it'll start in 2021. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Urbannizer Posted December 8, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2020 The portion Michael Hsu is working on is now listed on their website. https://hsuoffice.com/project/the-ro/ 16 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 3 hours ago, Urbannizer said: The portion Michael Hsu is working on is now listed on their website. https://hsuoffice.com/project/the-ro/ I loooooove small buildings like this! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted December 17, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 17, 2020 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff8201 Posted December 22, 2020 Share Posted December 22, 2020 (edited) Heard through the grapevine not to expect anything happening here all through 2021. A big scale back may happen cutting the building heights in half, or potentially combining their functions and cutting the number of buildings down. But in the age of Covid, for a giant site that was going to house restaurants, a hotel and an office building, is anyone surprised. I personally hope the wait and see method pays off, and post covid the demand for everything comes roaring back. Edited December 23, 2020 by Geoff8201 Grammar edits 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Highrise Tower Posted January 10, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 10, 2021 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrohip Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 On 12/22/2020 at 4:17 PM, Geoff8201 said: Heard through the grapevine not to expect anything happening here all through 2021. A big scale back may happen cutting the building heights in half, or potentially combining their functions and cutting the number of buildings down. But in the age of Covid, for a giant site that was going to house restaurants, a hotel and an office building, is anyone surprised. I personally hope the wait and see method pays off, and post covid the demand for everything comes roaring back. Site is dead. I don't see any heavy equipment, no activity, nothing has changed in months. I look down on this, and use my binocs to search for signs of life. There's more activity on Mars than The RO. 1 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Even if this has fallen through, this tract of land will become something incredible regardless. Houston is developing and changing for the better. We may just have to wait another year. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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