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downtownian

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Posts posted by downtownian

    Holiday Inn Hotel At 1616 Main St.

    in Downtown

    Posted

    LOVE Skyhouse.. I'm waiting for something to buy in the Downtown area, Sold the house in Katy about 2 years ago and moved inner-city.  Traffic is awesome downtown, the freeways suck, I dont miss commuting anymore - walking/taking Light Rail to my office downtown is perfect!

     

    I can also see the progress going on at the Block336 project from my living room. (suppose to be a 5 to 6 story apartment complex I believe)

     

    10550946_10205450400325108_5355616216671

     

    Great view. Would you mind sharing rent and sq footage and how full you think the building is? I hope it is successful and the third one gets built.

    Downtown Restaurant And Bar Market

    in Downtown

    Posted

    That's funny.

     

    Reading these posts are a complete surprise to me. The last few times  I've gone downtown on a Friday or Saturday night (a night where I'd expect the most attendance), it's been dead as a doorknob. I smh in disbelief each time over how downtown, although is shaping up with new amenitites and urban structures like Green Street, it's a mere shadow of its former self of the Main Street activity from the mid 00's.

     

    That is surprising. I can't even go to some of my favorite spots on a Friday / Saturday night because there are lines to get in (Bad News Bar) or it is too packed and takes forever to get a drink (OKRA).

    Downtown Restaurant And Bar Market

    in Downtown

    Posted

    I've only lived in Houston and downtown for two years and I am amazed by the amount of change that has occurred on the restaurant / bar scene. When I moved here, OKRA was not even open / even hinted at. Since then there has been a number of successful openings and it's hard to keep up with the pace of change. I've also been very pleased with the quality of each opening - these establishments are nothing like the typical Midtown / Wash Ave bars where the bartenders do not even know what Campari is.

     

    Here are recent openings in no particular order:

    • Honeymoon Cafe (300 Main). Serves upscale sandwiches for lunch. Downtown's only good independent coffee shop. Always packed for lunch and surprisingly packed for Sunday brunch.
    • http://thehoneymoonhtx.com/
    • Public Services Wine and Whiskey (202 Travis). Run by the former Oxheart sommelier with interesting wines and whiskeys. It's in the restored / renovated Cotton Exchange building.
    • http://publicservicesbar.com/
    • New Hearsay Location (1516 Dallas)

     

    Also, looks like a formerly empty location on Main Street is taped over with the business named "Beef and Barley" and District 7 Grill is taking over an empty space that spans half a block at Main and Texas. There is some sports bar opening on Main as well.

     

    As MAB noted in another thread, a new BBQ restaurant set to open by Brian Caswell (Reef), Bill Floyd and Greg Gatlin (Gatlin's BBQ) is set to open in Q1 2015 on Jackson and Congress near Minute Maid Park.

     

    There is now a liquor store downtown called Posh Liquors (http://poshliquors.com/). Based on the name, I'm assuming they are trying for an upscale clientele base.

     

    All these join the first wave of restaurants (El Big Bad, Batanga, Fusion Taco) and first wave of bars (Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar and Spirit Lounge, OKRA, Pastry War, Clutch City Squire, Little Dipper, Dean's Credit Clothing re-opening). 

     

    Yes it would be nice to get a full service grocery, a Target and some retail downtown but I am so grateful for everything that has happened to downtown recently, that I have no absolutely no complaints. I also have nothing but optimism for further development as more residential opens.

     

    • Like 7

    Downtown Houston 2025 Master Plan

    in Downtown

    Posted

    #3 is probably related to a retail store. What big brand retail store is based in NYC?

     

    The Downtown District seemed downbeat on retail during their presentation. Said they were working on it but not as much progress as other areas. They quickly went through things like the Dallas Street widening and other improvements - not sure that project is even funded. 

    Downtown Houston 2025 Master Plan

    in Downtown

    Posted

    Notes from meeting today in order of importance to me:

     

    1) 4,199 units under the Downtown Living Initiative have been publicly approved. Two more are proposed and would bring the total to 4,750 leaving only 250 units to go under the 5,000 unit cap

     

    2) No plans or discussion to bring a major grocer to downtown. They expect this to come after residential base is built. Prior year discussions included an urban Target with a grocery component

     

    3) Bob Eury, the Downtown District Executive Director, is flying to New York tonight and may bring back "big news"

     

    4) 2015 downtown district budget is $15mm

     

    5) There is $4.2bn of investment underway or proposed in downtown

     

    6) New branding - Downtown: Something Big is Up
     

    7) They have put in 3 (?) porta potties to aid sanitation efforts

    • Like 8

    Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza At The Houston Public Library At 500 McKinney St.

    in Downtown

    Posted

    improvements* in the title of the thread. 

     

    I've never been to this library, is it nice? Worth setting up shop to work there occasionally?

     

    I would never set up shop at the Central Library when the gorgeous Julia Ideson Library is across the street and open to the public. The indoor and outdoor loggia and reading rooms are historic, quiet and elegant. 

     

    http://www.ideson.org/photos.php

    • Like 6

    Camden Conte: Multifamily At 1515 Austin St.

    in Downtown

    Posted

    It sounds like the expanded Downtown Living Initiative (DLI) is reaching its limit. If Camden Phase II qualified under the DLI, I'm very disappointed. The most recent Development Map shows a Q1 2017 start date for Phase II and completion by Q2 2019. It seems that the city is just providing Camden with a free call option on downtown residential - if development works out and rents are attractive, Camden builds Phase II and pockets the subsidy, if it doesn't work out, then they don't build Phase II.

    JW Marriott At 806 Main St. & Expansion Into Battlestein’s - 812 Main St.

    in Downtown

    Posted

    Going to the opera on Saturday night.

    Might give dinner there another go. The chefs are spectacular. Food was terrific on our first visit. Absolutely terrific. Maybe the atmosphere will be more to our likening the second time around.

    Went to main kitchen on Monday. They had the football game on the TVs and there were a number of people cheering loudly. Strange atmosphere to enjoy a $50 entree. I wish the coffee was a little cheaper - last time I went, a medium to-go cup was $6.50.

    JW Marriott At 806 Main St. & Expansion Into Battlestein’s - 812 Main St.

    in Downtown

    Posted

    Main Kitchen soft opens this Wednesday (Sept 24)

    http://blog.chron.com/foodchronicles/2014/09/main-kitchen-at-jw-marriott-downtown-to-open-sept-24/

     

    CultureMap is having their 5th anniversary party at the hotel on October 10 - I really hope this hotel becomes the center of upscale events and galas in Houston. Would be great for downtown and Main Street. 

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/culturemap-fifth-birthday-bash-tickets-12979503043

     

    As this building nears completion, I become even more disappointed in Metro for not having a signature Main Street light rail station.

    • Like 1

    Downtown Rentals

    in Houston Real Estate

    Posted · Edited by downtownian

    1. New development should be complementary with existing housing stock. I think the benefits from having a more neighborhood feel, more amenities that accompany density (restaurants, shops, grocery stores) and less surface lots will raise demand more than the increase in supply, resulting in upward rent pressure.
    2. Demand should be there. There are plenty of high-rises outside of downtown that are little islands with few places to walk to and few other nearby high-rises. I’m guessing the people that live in these buildings are comfortable with high-rise living and seeking an urban experience. They could be the typical downtown tenant once amenities take hold. With its tight street grid, nearby entertainment and workplaces and public parks, downtown has the best ingredients for a walkable urban experience. Also, occupancy downtown is already pretty high and the new Skyhouse seems to be leasing successfully.
    3. I’m more bullish on condo prices than rental rates. Typical condo sales are ~$200 / sf downtown compared to ~$250+ / sf in Midtown and Montrose. There are no planned condo developments, only rentals so existing condos should get all of the benefits from having new neighbors with only an imperfect substitute good (apartments) increasing in supply.

     

    I live downtown so may just be talking my own book as well :)

    • Like 2
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