Regent Square: Mixed-Use On Allen Parkway At Dunlavy St.

[hindesky]

Plan Review.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

"Regent Square steakhouse Georgia James officially unveiled its 11,000-square-foot rooftop lounge and patio to the public on September 16, welcoming diners to enjoy a host of cocktails, appetizers, and a special menu with views of Downtown Houston’s skyline."

https://houston.eater.com/2022/9/16/23357076/georgia-james-restaurant-underbelly-hospitality-steakhouse-rooftop-openings

[Urbannizer]

22 minutes ago, hindesky said:

"Regent Square steakhouse Georgia James officially unveiled its 11,000-square-foot rooftop lounge and patio to the public on September 16, welcoming diners to enjoy a host of cocktails, appetizers, and a special menu with views of Downtown Houston’s skyline."

https://houston.eater.com/2022/9/16/23357076/georgia-james-restaurant-underbelly-hospitality-steakhouse-rooftop-openings

Looks like they had a tight budget. 

[Naviguessor]

Quaint...in a lunar surface kind of way.  

[hindesky]

[Texasota]

Maybe a plant somewhere? Even just one?

[004n063]

13 hours ago, hindesky said:

They sweat the onions tableside, I assume?

[shasta]

On 9/16/2022 at 11:24 PM, Texasota said:

Maybe a plant somewhere? Even just one?

The jokes about the quality, and lack of details,  of this project write themselves.

 

Que the Regent Square apologists.....in 3, 2, 1...

Edited September 19, 2022 by shasta

[Texasota]

I'm sure I qualify as a "Regent Square apologist", but this is pretty unimpressive. It wouldn't take *that* much to make this space look a lot more inviting, but the fact that the restaurant owners didn't bother (along with the loss of the original team) really makes this look poorly managed.

[thatguysly]

Looks like something I would see an average suburban subdivision HOA have set up between the pool and basketball court.

[shasta]

4 hours ago, Texasota said:

I'm sure I qualify as a "Regent Square apologist", but this is pretty unimpressive. It wouldn't take *that* much to make this space look a lot more inviting, but the fact that the restaurant owners didn't bother (along with the loss of the original team) really makes this look poorly managed.

I drive by it everyday and other then the sign they placed, I still can't tell it is a restaurant. Just a total hatchet job with the redesign of this project and the original design DID think about these details.

[Amlaham]

There's definitely a silver lining here! The foundation has been built for a potential beautiful rooftop. This restaurant didn't utilize the space well but I guarantee the next restaurant to take over definitely will.

[hindesky]

[Noahb]

Detail regarding new construction from city of houston  permits 

[toxtethogrady]

The details say 16 floors of mixed-use. Total of 546,000 sf. But that's with 313 units. If it's 535 units, that's probably taller.

[shasta]

Let's hope this 16 story building and the rest of the design/quality of this block fronting Allen Parkway is a significant improvement form the bock just completed.

That side is the same side as Autry Park so it would be nice to have a continuous High Quality district along Allen Parkway.

Edited October 17, 2022 by shasta

[Texasota]

honestly, given how much people are complaining about a perfectly fine (at least above average!) project just because its worse than what was originally proposed, I kind of hope this just ends up a stripmall or a drive through carwash

Edited October 17, 2022 by Texasota

[shasta]

1 hour ago, Texasota said:

honestly, given how much people are complaining about a perfectly fine (at least above average!) project just because its worse than what was originally proposed, I kind of hope this just ends up a stripmall or a drive through carwash

you must have incredibly low standards in what you deem  "above average projects".

Where to begin.

-None of the retail spaces are leased and they are struggling to get the likes of "Nail Saloons"

-All of the rooftop condenser units are clearly visible from every angle. Increasing the parapet height would have solved that had anyone cared enough to think about it.

-They went cheap on exterior  building materials. fake stone?? really?

-The orientation of the  "anchor restaurant" is incredibly awkward. There is very little street interaction and the roof top balcony looks like an afterthought.

_ I drive by this project every single day and I se how it is used.

- I could go on and on why it is "below Average" for a site of this importance , in this location.

I am hard on this project because we all saw the project that they scrapped. That project had architectural diversity, paid attention to the details , and was integrated. These developers knew how to put together a quality project

I'm hoping the next phase is a start improvement. If not, sell this project to a developer who cares and can make improvements because it is clear this is a value engineered "get i to market and sell it " type of project.

Maybe Skanska will build a building to hide this project....

Edited October 17, 2022 by shasta

[Texasota]

My standards are irrelevant - what's relevant is the standards of the developers that build in this city.

If you think this, a mixed-use project with no surface parking, a garage completely hidden from Dallas, Dunlavy, *and* Clay, and a pleasant streetscape with street-facing ground floor windows, outdoor dining, and a retail plaza is "below average" for a local project (even just in central Houston) then you must be, consciously or not, ignoring most projects. 

[shasta]

28 minutes ago, Texasota said:

My standards are irrelevant - what's relevant is the standards of the developers that build in this city.

If you think this, a mixed-use project with no surface parking, a garage completely hidden from Dallas, Dunlavy, *and* Clay, and a pleasant streetscape with street-facing ground floor windows, outdoor dining, and a retail plaza is "below average" for a local project (even just in central Houston) then you must be, consciously or not, ignoring most projects. 

Yes, I'm comparing it to Comparable mixed used projects:

City Centre

River Oaks Distict

Autry Park (next door!)

Those are all far superior in design, layout, and execution.

Why people defend this isn't a "cheap" project is beyond me.

We all saw what is was supposed to be.

[Texasota]

Even now that you've narrowed the comparison significantly (I notice no mention of Lower Heights or the Hardy Yards developments at a similar scale for example, much less smaller projects), I don't totally agree.

ROD does nothing to engage Westheimer, and, if anything, reinforces a drive-to urbanism in the area. I don't think higher quality materials and overpriced nonsense "luxury" retailers remotely make up for that. City Centre has similar issues, though Midway has made a lot of progress in that regard.

I never said they haven't cheaped out on a lot of things; I said this is *still* an above average development for the city. 

At the end of the day, I think this represents a huge improvement for the neighborhood. 

I will also admit I was never that enamored of the original renderings. I love old buildings. I *despise* new buildings designed to (sort of) look old. It's rarely done well, and the older renderings never convinced me it would be done well here. To me the actual loss is in the site plan; this is still *fine* (depending partially on how the next phases turn out), but it is a downgrade from what was originally proposed.

I just think Lower Heights deserves this kind of vitriol far more than this project. Or a brand new gas station under construction in midtown. Or the CVS that went in recently across from the Alabama theater. Or the tower in River Oaks Shopping Center that went in *behind a surface parking lot*. Or any number of other smaller projects that could have been far more than what was delivered.

 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

4 hours ago, Texasota said:

…just because its worse than what was originally proposed

The eternal hope that developments will live up to their original proposals is our version of Charlie Brown kicking the football this time.

[IntheKnowHouston]

Local ice cream shop Flower & Cream is coming to Regent Square. According to plan review permit filed recently, it will be located at 3515 W Dallas St, Suite 700.

An architectural barriers project filing was recently logged into the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations database.

The Regent Square outpost is Flower & Cream's third location. Their other locations are on the border of West U and downtown's Post Market.


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2023005263

Edited November 14, 2022 by IntheKnowHouston

[MidCenturyMoldy]

On 10/17/2022 at 11:01 AM, Texasota said:

I kind of hope this just ends up a stripmall or a drive through carwash

Mattress Mall.

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 11/14/2022 at 2:13 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Local ice cream shop Flower & Cream is coming to Regent Square. According to plan review permit filed recently, it will be located at 3515 W Dallas St, Suite 700.

An architectural barriers project filing was recently logged into the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations database.

The Regent Square outpost is Flower & Cream's third location. Their other locations are on the border of West U and downtown's Post Market.


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2023005263

Kevin Chang of Flower & Cream tells What Now Houston he's hoping to open the Regent Square location by summer 2023. The local ice cream shop will set up shop at 3515 West Dallas St, Ste 700.

Here is more from an article published yesterday by What Now Houston:

https://whatnowhou.com/third-location-coming-soon-for-flower-and-cream/

[shasta]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:58 AM, midtowndweller said:

Still....not open.

 

In fact, Georgia James and The Flight Club were the only tenants they have open after starting this project in 2006, if not earlier...ok!

 

Even the Ground Level Retail in the Regent Square- Soverign Tower is empty- What are the Regent Square Developers doing over there?? Not their job of finding tenants in their Mixed-Use development.

Edited December 13, 2022 by shasta

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 3/23/2021 at 7:38 AM, CREguy13 said:

New Chris Shepherd restaurant coming to Regent Square.

From Houstonia magazine:

 

Chris Shepherd to Heat Up Buffalo Bayou Area with New Restaurant

The James Beard award-winning chef will take on a global concept.

By Timothy Malcolm  3/22/2021 at 10:18am

 

Chris Shepherd.

IMAGE: JOHN DAVIDSON

GET READY FOR YET ANOTHER Chris Shepherd restaurant in Houston.

According to an announcement Monday, Shepherd’s Underbelly Hospitality has signed a lease for a 5,000-square-foot standalone space at Regent Square, the urban development planned for W Dallas Street between College Memorial Park and Waugh Drive, just south of Buffalo Bayou Park.

 

The restaurant will focus on global live-fire cooking, according to the announcement, and will anchor the phase two addition of GID Development Group’s masterplan for this area. This part of the project is scheduled to debut in late 2021; Shepherd’s restaurant will include a rooftop terrace.

“While we have more surprises in store, we couldn’t help lead the beginnings of our tenant lineup with Chris Shepherd, a chef who has helped to define the dynamic, culinary landscape of Houston and whose passion for food, the restaurant industry, and his city is unparalleled,” said James Linsley, president of GID Development Group, in a release.

A rendering of phase two of Regent Square.

IMAGE: GID DEVELOPMENT GROUP

“We’re still working through a lot of the details,” Shepherd said in the release, “but the idea of live fire cooking using multiple types of wood really excites me. Regent Square is an ideal location for this restaurant and for Underbelly Hospitality—convenient to Montrose, downtown, River Oaks—and it’s great to be a part of a project with so many like-minded people.”

 

A James Beard award-winning chef, Shepherd has been cooking with live fire a lot over the past year, especially at home in his backyard. He told Houstonia in late 2020 that it was his one of his favorite things to do.

“For me, sitting in the backyard on the patio watching football, having a beer or a glass of wine, and tending a fire ... it’s awesome,” Shepherd said in December. 

But does this mean Central Texas barbecue?

 

“Do I have the endurance to cook brisket ... no,” he said in December. “Quite frankly, I am too afraid of the 14 hours and me not doing it well. But I’m just as much a nerd as everyone else doing this.” 

Shepherd also confirmed to Houstonia Monday that he will not, in fact, have a pit smoker at the new restaurant. He previously has said that he likes leaving that kind of work to the masters, like his friend and Austin barbecue hero Aaron Franklin, owner of Franklin Barbecue.

Shepherd is staying busy lately. His Underbelly Hospitality is opening Wild Oats this summer at the Houston Farmers Market site, while a spinoff of his acclaimed steakhouse—Georgia James Tavern—is scheduled to open this year at Market Square Tower in Downtown Houston.

 

On 2/1/2022 at 8:58 AM, midtowndweller said:

An update on Pastore. This is the red-sauce Italian restaurant concept from Underbelly Hospitality. It will be located in Regent Square at 1203 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.


From an article published yesterday in Community Impact:


"Underbelly Hospitality and chef Chris Davies will open Pastore in the spring at 1203 Dunlavy St., Ste. 100... Pastore will also feature a garden patio with fountains."

https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/dining/2022/12/13/5-eateries-slated-to-open-in-2023-in-montrose-river-oaks/

[CREguy13]

2 hours ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

 

An update on Pastore. This is the red-sauce Italian restaurant concept from Underbelly Hospitality. It will be located in Regent Square at 1203 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.


From an article published yesterday in Community Impact:


"Underbelly Hospitality and chef Chris Davies will open Pastore in the spring at 1203 Dunlavy St., Ste. 100... Pastore will also feature a garden patio with fountains."

https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/dining/2022/12/13/5-eateries-slated-to-open-in-2023-in-montrose-river-oaks/

Happy to finally see this getting closer to opening.  It's been frustrating walking by seeing little-to-no activity occurring inside.  Great news!

[Noahb]

A class based gym is coming to Regent Square. It’s on regent square’s instagram story today. As well as bodyfittraining.com  

 

https://www.bodyfittraining.com/location-search

[IntheKnowHouston]

Sudor Sauna Studio opened earlier this month.

Located at 3515 W Dallas St, Suite 400 in Regent Square, the infrared sauna "combine the restorative benefits of a deep sweat – or sudor in Spanish– chromotherapy (color therapy) and a cold plunge."

The "space was designed by Houston-based Content Architecture."


More from What Now Houston earlier this month:

https://whatnowhou.com/just-opened-sudor-sauna-studio-brings-the-heat-to-regent-square/



A video showing the interior and some of the available services:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn7kcaLJsYy/



Photo is from Sudor Sauna Studio's Google Maps listing.

 

Edited January 31 by IntheKnowHouston

[IntheKnowHouston]

Dallas' Front Burner Society (formerly Front Burner Dining Group) is bringing one its concepts to Regent Square. 

Mexican Sugar will roll out its first Houston location later in the year (possibly). The menu centers on Mexican fare.

Other Front Burner Society restaurants in the Houston area: Whiskey Cake and Sixty Vines.


https://www.mexicansugarcocina.com

Edited January 31 by IntheKnowHouston

[shasta]

Any news on when they are breaking ground on phase 3, the block fronting Allen Parkway?

Also, are we thinking that they will increase the quality of the new phase since they are now competing with Autry Park? What they just built was very VE'd...which was surprising for such a high profile project. 

Autry Park seems to be able to find tenants but every time I check there is little activity here. There is proof there are quality tenants interested in THIS area.

The nail shop did open but nothing else and even if they did, the layout is so poor, it's hard to tell. 

Is their Regent Square office across the street, with the "model" even open anymore?

This project literally started in 2007.

The income producing blocks of the Allen House were demolished in 2008.

If the developers of Regent Square continue to prove to be incompetent, please sell that block to Hanover and they can tie it into Autry Park.

Edited March 3 by shasta

[004n063]

10 hours ago, shasta said:

Any news on when they are breaking ground on phase 3, the block fronting Allen Parkway?

Also, are we thinking that they will increase the quality of the new phase since they are now competing with Autry Park? What they just built was very VE'd...which was surprising for such a high profile project. 

Autry Park seems to be able to find tenants but every time I check there is little activity here. There is proof there are quality tenants interested in THIS area.

The nail shop did open but nothing else and even if they did, the layout is so poor, it's hard to tell. 

Is their Regent Square office across the street, with the "model" even open anymore?

This project literally started in 2007.

The income producing blocks of the Allen House were demolished in 2008.

If the developers of Regent Square continue to prove to be incompetent, please sell that block to Hanover and they can tie it into Autry Park.

I think we should all ask for our money back.

 

(I'm just playing. I'm also frustrated by the slow progress on this.)

[shasta]

14 hours ago, 004n063 said:

I think we should all ask for our money back.

 

(I'm just playing. I'm also frustrated by the slow progress on this.)

I'm just wondering how this went from "one of the most anticipated game changing projects in Houston" to a lazy strip center pretending to be a prestigous mixed- use project. 

They once had it RIGHT!

They had THEIR own earlier version (layout and plans)  to use as a example of how to create a charming mixed use project.

They had City Centre to use as an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had the River Oaks district to use as an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had West Avenue to use as an  example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They even had Hanover's masterplan to use as an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had been working on this project since 2007 so if they let Hanover outhustle them in design, layout and attracting quality tenants...that's on them. There is definitely a market for high quality tenants in this area...Hanover found them.

Here are just some examples of how cheap they went on this project.

The roof top condensing units are clearly visible from the street. Any architect with a basic level of design knowledge knows to increase the parapet size to hide these units, unless the developer didn't want to pay to do so.

Do we know the architect that worked on this project?

The restaurant spaces are some of the worst designed spaces for a "premiere restaurant tenants " in any of the high quality developments in Houston. Compare the restaurants the any of the examples above and then compare then to the ones in Regent Square. 

They even had La Griglia, within WALKING DISTANCE, to see how a quality restaurant interacts with the street level.

The Flight Club is way better than Georgia James. I still have trouble believing there is a restaurant there and not a warehouse.

I'm really eager to see what they do with the other huge lot they own.  Will it be another head scratcher of a strip center or something that feeds off the synergy, and quality,  of Autry Park.

At this point they should partner with Hanover as a equity partner but let Hanover manage the design part.

 

Edited March 4 by shasta

[004n063]

10 minutes ago, shasta said:

I'm just wondering how this went from "one of the most anticipated game changing projects in Houston" to a lazy strip center pretending to be a prestigous mixed- use project. 

They once had it RIGHT!

They had THEIR own earlier version (layout and plans)  to use as a example of how to create a charming mixed use project.

They had City Centre to use as an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had the River Oaks district to use as an an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had West Avenue to use as an an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They even had Hanover's masterplan to use as an an example of a successful and charming mixed use project.

They had been working on this project since 2007 so if they let Hanover outhustle them in design, layout and attracting quality tenants...that's on them. There is definitely a market for high quality tenants in this area...Hanover found them.

Here are just some examples of how cheap they went on this project.

The roof top condensing units are clearly visible from the street. Any architect with a basic level of design knowledge knows to increase the parapet size to hide these units, unless the developer didn't want to pay to do so.

Do we know the architect that worked on this project?

The restaurant spaces are some of the worst designed spaces for a "premiere restaurant tenants " in any of the high quality developments in Houston. Compare the restaurants the any of the examples above and then compare then to the ones in Regent Square. 

They even had La Griglia, within WALKING DISTANCE, to see how a quality restaurant interacts with the street level.

The Flight Club is way better than Georgia James. I still have trouble believing there is a restaurant there and not a warehouse.

I'm really eager to see what they do with the other huge lot they own.  Will it be another head scratcher of a strip center or something that feeds off the synergy, and quality,  of Autry Park.

At this point they should partner with Hanover as a equity partner but let Hanover manage the design part.

 

I empathize, but just remember: there's a lot of other stuff happening in the city, and there probably always will be.

Personally, I'm most excited about the University Line BRT, but the whole spate of EaDo and 2W/Buffalo Bayou East developments are pretty exciting as well.

I also have the privilege of having moved here in 2014; all I've ever known of Regent Square was vacant lots and underutilized spaces. So, while I agree that it's a disappointingly bland project thus far (and I don't have high hopes for the next phase), it's still a pretty satisfying terminus for the closest thing the city has to a continuously contiguous urban corridor.

I'll take it.

[hindesky]

[strickn]

🤓

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/1b/7c/67/1b7c67e9f7d20abb7ad4f9e00681d666.jpg

Edited April 9 by strickn

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 12/14/2022 at 5:34 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

An update on Pastore. This is the red-sauce Italian restaurant concept from Underbelly Hospitality. It will be located in Regent Square at 1203 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.


From an article published yesterday in Community Impact:


"Underbelly Hospitality and chef Chris Davies will open Pastore in the spring at 1203 Dunlavy St., Ste. 100... Pastore will also feature a garden patio with fountains."

https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/dining/2022/12/13/5-eateries-slated-to-open-in-2023-in-montrose-river-oaks/

The latest opening for Pastore is this summer. According to Eater yesterday,  the red-sauce Italian restaurant concept from Underbelly Hospitality aims to open in June.

Pastore is located  in Regent Square at 1203 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.


https://houston.eater.com/2023/5/2/23708055/underbelly-hospitality-pastore-burger-bodega-michelle-wallace-restaurant-closings-openings-am-intel

[BigFootsSocks]

1 hour ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

The latest opening for Pastore is this summer. According to Eater yesterday,  the red-sauce Italian restaurant concept from Underbelly Hospitality aims to open in June.

Pastore is located  in Regent Square at 1203 Dunlavy St, Suite 100.


https://houston.eater.com/2023/5/2/23708055/underbelly-hospitality-pastore-burger-bodega-michelle-wallace-restaurant-closings-openings-am-intel

With Jeff Potts (formerly 93' Til) as the executive chef! 

[hindesky]

https://www.mexicansugarcocina.com

[IntheKnowHouston]

4 hours ago, hindesky said:

https://www.mexicansugarcocina.com

Glad to see Front Burner Society / FB Society bringing more of their dining concepts to the Houston market. Looking forward to Mexican restaurant Mexican Sugar opening at 3505 W Dallas St. It will be a great addition to Regent Square.

[Fortune]

Edited June 24 by Fortune

[texan]

So that's the building in the master plan connected to the Sovereign!

[nate4l1f3]

I feel like that’s (the high rise) been shared before but maybe not in as much detail.  

Edited June 25 by nate4l1f3

[CREguy13]

Agreed. It's been in The Sterling lobby since they opened, but it appears some recent changes may have been made...

It's a little bit of a tease considering this isn't even part of Phase II (unless they have shifted some things around) which has been dead quiet in the past few months.  That said, if they could build this high-rise as-is (height-wise) then much would be forgiven from GID on the Regent Square roll out.  

If they can't get Phase II going in the next 2-3 years, I hope GID accepts a premium offer from Hanover for all or a portion of the remaining sites.  I'm sure that's certainly on Hanover's radar with how successful Autry Park has been out of the flood gates. Imagine what a 30-35 acre Hanover Mixed-Use would look like 👀

[J Money]

None of this seems particularly new. Agree with CREguy. I will only believe it if they break ground on the section facing Allen Pkwy in the near term. They’ve indicated that’s their next step, and once again have been delaying execution. 
 

Also, what’s a “Master community”?

[Fortune]

2 hours ago, J Money said:

None of this seems particularly new. Agree with CREguy. I will only believe it if they break ground on the section facing Allen Pkwy in the near term. They’ve indicated that’s their next step, and once again have been delaying execution. 
 

Also, what’s a “Master community”?

Pretty sure they meant master planned community and left out planned . . . However, that is just an assumption based on the context clues.  

Edited June 25 by Fortune

[EllenOlenska]

9 hours ago, nate4l1f3 said:

I feel like that’s (the high rise) been shared before but maybe not in as much detail.  

Yeah, it's a few pages back. 

 

I got unduly excited. 

Edited June 25 by EllenOlenska

[shasta]

On 6/25/2023 at 7:11 AM, CREguy13 said:

Agreed. It's been in The Sterling lobby since they opened, but it appears some recent changes may have been made...

It's a little bit of a tease considering this isn't even part of Phase II (unless they have shifted some things around) which has been dead quiet in the past few months.  That said, if they could build this high-rise as-is (height-wise) then much would be forgiven from GID on the Regent Square roll out.  

If they can't get Phase II going in the next 2-3 years, I hope GID accepts a premium offer from Hanover for all or a portion of the remaining sites.  I'm sure that's certainly on Hanover's radar with how successful Autry Park has been out of the flood gates. Imagine what a 30-35 acre Hanover Mixed-Use would look like 👀

How in the world did GID let Hanover outhustle them on this project?

GID did all of the leg work back in 2005/6 that this area CAN support a high quality, high design, matered plan mixed use district?

Then the put that vision on hold...scraped it, replaced it with a LOW quality project and then Hanover stole their playback and is reaping the REWARDS while all of the retail spaces in RS sit vacant.

RD  IS a valued engineered project, anyone with any architectural/real estate development can see that.

How did they let this happen?

 

If GID continues to mail it in with this project then YES please sell it to a developer that knows what they are doing. It's handed to you on a silver platter

Edited June 30 by shasta