ProHouston

It appears that this plot of land has sold. I'm not sure if it was to the developer mentioned in this thread or not.

The fence is almost all the way up around the SE corner of the property (Post Oak @ Ambassador's Way) and there is a sign up telling customers to access America's and Hermes on the other side of the building. Evidently these stores are staying open during the first phase of construction.

There are many more gated communities in San Antonio than in Houston. I don't understand why but it's something I've noticed. It's not just expensive homes either, it's very much $100's and up.

Travis Johnson just got the worst player in the NFL award on Sunday Night Football, but I don't blame him for what he did. If you watched the play, you would see that Trent Green hit Travis Johnson in the knees on purpose. It was a cheap shot (chop block, too). Dumbass move on Green's part. Travis Johnson did a complete flip in the air (he is 300 pounds mind you), and right when he got up, he started yelling at Green. He was walking past him when he was yelling, too. He was only yelling at Green for about two seconds. Do you think that if Green was not injured, that that "taunting" penalty would have been called? Hell no! Also, I would be pissed off if someone came in and hit me on my knees all of a sudden. TJ was just on IR last year with a knee injury. He is trying to prove himself this year, and what Green did could have cut his leg in half. The media is just all on Green's side because he is a media-favorite white QB.

Since when is Trent Green a media favorite? And why does it matter that he's white?!? Come on Trae, I've been reading your posts for a long time and that doesn't sound like you. Hopefully you're just emotional.

I agree that TJ probably wouldn't have been called for taunting if TG wasn't injured, in fact TG might have gotten flagged the way TJ flipped in the air. However, the ref could see that TG was lying there motionless and he could hear what was being said. It's unfortunate but could have all been avoided if TJ had simply walked away. He needs to think team first. Yes, TG shouldn't have made the chop block, but TJ didn't have to start jawin' either.

Is there still an Olive Garden coming up at HI-6 and Colonial Lakes? Read that on here awhile back, but don't see anything being done on that lot. I thought I also read something about a Fuddruckers in the area...any truth to that?

I reported the Olive Garden that is to be included in a huge development at that intersection that includes a retirement complex and small business condo park. However, I've heard nothing on this since that report.

I haven't heard of the Fuddruckers report, though that would be welcome. It's a pretty good trek to the Fountains, even though I really like that location.

Updates on this property...

When I drove by this morning, you could see the north westernmost building is completely demolished. It looks like they are getting close to having the property leveled. Also, our assumption that this property is primed for vertical growth may come true. This news is thanks to Houstonfella: HBJ article mentioning a new condo tower at this site.

That sign has been there since at least September 20th, that's when I noticed it. I haven't seen any additional changes since then either. Let's kick this thing off!

OK, I guess I spoke too soon. The America's parking lot (SE corner of the property) has been closed and they are in the process of building a fence around that area.

We're finally seeing progress folks! This thing is now real and is under contruction!

There are some utilities marked near the corner of Post Oak and Ambassador way and what looks like building permits on a new sign near the entrance to current shopping center off Ambassador Way. I may have to stop on my way home tonight and see what they say.

That sign has been there since at least September 20th, that's when I noticed it. I haven't seen any additional changes since then either. Let's kick this thing off!

Well, October 1st has passed and I didn't see any shovels hitting any dirt. Oh well, I guess I'll keep a keen eye out the remainder of the month.

New York Pizzeria has opened up in the same strip mall opposite Schlotsky's. It is much larger than the one located in Sugar Land. (Near New Territory)

The old Krispy Kreme restaurant is also currently being renovated to an Arby's. I also saw in the latest Mo City city council agenda, the old Applebee's restaurant is being renovated to a Buffalo Wild Wings. It's nice to see the empty retail being filled...

Are they planning on shutting down the current Mo City Walmart if they build the new one down by Sienna? That would be difficult place to redevelop...

I doubt they'd close the MoCity Wal-Mart, it is always packed and caters to all of First Colony. The next closest Wal-Mart is at Hwy6 & Hwy 90.

I wish they could fill in the Walgreens that just bolted from Colonial Lake & Hwy 6 but I'm happy to hear that the others are being filled in. For the life of me I can't understand why they're building the strip center behind that empty Walgreens, nor why it's taking so long. That's a bad business proposition if you ask me.

A

After today, I don't think we will be anything other than mediocre. Atlanta was 0-3. We gave them zillions of yards in penalties. Houston played with no pride or winning attitude. It's the same old thing with the Texans. Why is it the Texans get hurt by everyone on the team but other teams go for months without that problem? I am totally discouraged and don't think we will pull out of an "expansion team" mode. I hope the Texans prove me wrong. I have season tickets that beg for loving and I, too, beg to be loved by the non-Texans world, but this kind of play doesn't win respect from anybody in the NFL.

Wow! And you're a season ticket holder? Talk about turning on a dime, are you a Longhorn fan also? The Texans had a bad game. It's not a surprise, they have 4-5 starters on offense that couldn't play due to injury. It's hard to win on the road in the first place, much less without the guys you depend on. Yes, it's disappointing b/c we all thought they would win, but the season isn't over, it's only the 4th game. Don't give up yet, I can assure you the players haven't.

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This is the code I use, update your flash player, and see what happens.

FIFY

Grimaldi's Pizzeria of Brooklyn will be opening a new location outside of the tri-state area with a new restaurant at the First Colony Courtyard. While the sign has been up for months, nobody was sure whether it was actually the same Grimaldi's or when it would open. It is now confirmed to be the famed Brooklyn pizzeria and to open next summer!

Because you are paying yourself back the interest instead of giving it to a bank.

But in the meantime you're losing out on any gains you would have made off the borrowed money. And that lasts for as long as it takes to "repay" yourself.

Wow, we can insert youtube videos directly. . . who knew?!

Evidently not, I don't see anything.

I never suggest taking a loan from your 401k. Why take money and future earnings from yourself when you can get it somewhere else. Also, I'm not sure an investment property is an approved option for taking a 401k loan.

There is plenty of room. This building will be at the very southeast corner of the site. There is an open space at that corner that is approximately square and something like 225 feet on each side. That's 50,625 square feet. The building will be 3 or 4 stories and contain a total of 70,000 square feet. So if it's 3 stories, they only need a 23,333 square foot footprint, less than half the space that is available. If it's 4 stories (and that's what it looks like in their renderings), they only need a 17,500 square foot footprint, about 1/3 of the space that is available. There actually does not appear to be any reason they could not start shoveling on October 1.

Wouldn't that effectively eliminate the vast majority of America's parking? They use that entire parking lot today at lunchtime. I guess they could go to all valet parking.

I fear for the developers. They apparently paid significanly above market for the real estate, that no other building options were feasible. They're portraying this project as a slam dunk, however I would not want to go up against these politically connected neighborhoods with significant resources. This could drag out a very, very long time.

It was a mistake on their part to buy this land before determining what the local reaction would/could be. You wouldn't catch me spending that kind of money without a lot more due diligence.

"The first building will rise at the project's southern boundary, at the northwest corner of Post Oak Boulevard and Ambassador Way. The 70,000-square-foot building will house seven tenants currently in the Pavilion on Post Oak and Fashion Place retail centers that are relocating to Blvd Place -- including Cafe Annie, Americas and Hermes. Once the tenants move, the older retail centers will be demolished..."

That would be so nice if that was a subway. There is so much traffic in that area, so I wonder if METRO ever (and maybe still are) considering it. An elevated station would be nice, too.

Once again, October 1st is one week away. I just don't see how they can start building anything at that site in the next week. America's is still open and using their parking lot for guests. In order to build a new 70,000 retail building at the NW corner of Post Oak and Ambassador's Way, they'll surely have to close down America's to do it and I see no sign of that happening yet.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

Sad news is that McKinney tore his ACL and is out for the year

Here is some additional BLVD Place info on the new street grid that is being enhanced by Wulfe.

Click here.

SWEET!

Hanover plans to build a FIFTY-FIVE story apartment tower as part of the BLVD Place development that will have 350 units.

Construction on phase I will begin in October. It's a 70,000 square foot space on the Southern boundary that will house 7 current tenants like Cafe Annie, Hermes, and Americas so that the spaces they currently occupy can be torn down.

you can find out more in next week's print edition of the HBJ...

That's awesome news!!! I'm confused though, Americas is already located on the southern portion of this site in the Pavilion center. How are they going to tear it down to build a new 70000 sq ft spot and not tear down the Pavilion? Will they tear down the back portion of the Pavilion but not the front?

Also, I did notice yesterday that there is a new sign in front of America's facing the Stewart Title Post Oak Central building that is a construction notification.

It's all starting!!! I can't believe it'll break ground next month.

It looks like they're done with the garage? Is that true?