mls1202

Check out the link below to the Downtown Club. There is a virtual tour that you can take of The Met, which is the fitness center on top of the parking garage. It looks pretty nice, much better than I would have expected. Anyone have any ideas what the membership fees are like?

Well, their view may be obstructed (not sure what view exactly), but I would much rather view the Titan any day over the McDonalds!

Just curious, but do they spray any type of sound insulating foam on the ceiling/floors? I live in a high rise (13 story) in Russia where the concrete slabs merely have plaster applied to them. You can hear people's conversations!

Wow....

I'm not so sure about that parking garage. What once was old is now new again. I'm pretty sure that the colors they used are straight out of the 1960's Sears Appliance Catalog: Avocado Green, Wheat Yellow, etc.

At what point do they begin the bricking of the exterior? And is this actual brick by brick laying, or is it more prefabricated brick "blocks" consisting of hundreds of little brick patterns?

I wholeheartedly agree on the issue of the cases. I spent more time looking for a cool looking case that wasn't just the standard beige block. Things have improved as there is a healthy submarket of good case manufacturers and the aesthetics of a computer are now appreciated (I thank Apple for that).

I don't really see Whole Foods abandoning the idea of a flagship in Houston (since there is not one here yet). If this "rumor" is in fact true, I would see them moving to one of the other mixed use developments, perhaps just down Westheimer. But then again, that get's awfully close to the Kirby location.

ProHouston, looks like you are going to be our prime contributor for all updates related to BLVD Place! Thanks for sharing the pics.

Long story short, I work in the oil and gas industry and took an assignment over there. I've been here now 3 years. I could start a whole thread on architecture here in Russia and it's emergence in the communist periods...maybe I will.

So if you're interested, I have a photoblog of my worldly travels, aptly titled The Wayward Traveler. For specifically Russia, just click on the Russia link at the bottom.

http://micahschutz.blogtog.com

I live in a city called Tyumen, in Siberia (something about that name just makes people stare at you in disbelief). Yes, it's cold. Couple of weeks ago, the thermometer was reading -25F (good ol' American Fahrenheit thermometer). At that temperature, your nosehairs freeze seconds after you step outside. The coldest I've experienced was -40F last year.

I think the worst part of the cold is the fact that dog "biscuits" and other such refuse don't decompose, but accumulate for the 6 months or so of freezing weather until they all thaw out at the same time in late April. Dog's tend to go in the same place every time, so it builds up, get's covered in snow, and builds up again.

And let me tell you, it becomes a veritable poop garden when the snow melts...

Seeing as how I live in Russia, I am always looking at HAIF when the rest of you are (supposed) to be asleep. On bad days (like today), I look at HAIF more as a means of escape!

Could the curb appeal be any worse with that humongous parking lot in the front? I swear, it looks like a dental office from the outside. Why does it have so much asphalt in front?

The inside is nice, but I nearly had a fit when I saw that it was selling for just under a million!

Walmart's customers tend to drop in "sophistication" at least one level after 10:00PM and it goes exponential after midnight. If you don't believe me, go to the Dunlavy one at 2:00AM. So does this mean that an upscale Walmart will be suffering from soccer moms and latte carrying college students at 2:00AM?

Highway 249. In fact, is that really even regarded as a highway, especially the farther out it goes? I second Niche's listing of US 90, although I took it once just to see where it went.

I'm all about living life on the edge.

I believe there is already a thread on the retail you are referring to (too lazy, however, to search). It is a renovation of the lower part of an existing parking garage.

While I hate to see a bank go up on that corner, I have to ask, what ELSE were we expecting to go up on a small corner lot surrounding by the Central Market parking lot? A "mini mixed-use" development? Given the available footprint there, a single building is all that is going to fit, and given the choice between a bank, gas station, or CVS I would take the bank. I am SOOOO anti-CVS that I would probably have accepted with glee a used car dealership, ala the ones on Washington.

Looks like those damn Capulets can declare a WIN over the Montagues now.

You truly have done your screen name proud with that literate reference, UrbaNerd!

For a long time, Williams Tower had more than its fair share of vacancy. Now that it is more fully occupied and that a lot of leases have turned over while new ones have been signed, all locking in higher rates, it would seem that the owner is just looking to cash in. As for the land around it, now isn't a bad time to be selling that, either.

I would hate to see some of that park land surrounding the tower to go to other developers. However, I can't help but imagine a cool, dare I say "mixed use", development around it with the Water Wall the central point. Kind of like around the Trevi Fountain in Rome. With all the high dollar condominiums up and going up in that area, it seems to be a likely area.

Is this the former site of the Skyline Apartments (Crack House)?

Jax, this is the Scouts building. It features walls made of rounded stones, very popular in the 60's.

I've heard this style described as 'organic' - are there other names for this?

Not any names that are appropriate for this forum

I remember when The Renaissance was the cream of the crop of luxury apartments in Houston. Now, it just looks dated when compared to the other Class A luxury apartments that are available. I'm personally always wary of apartments that were converted to condos. Even with upgrades made to the kitchens and bathrooms, the sound proofing between units (especially between floors) is apartment-quality...meaning not good.

That said, the Renaissance is in a good location--even if it is next to a car dealership. You'd be hard pressed to buy anything (including a telephone booth) that close to River Oaks in an affordable price range.

Istanbul Grill in Rice Village (next door to the Gingerman) serves up some pretty good Turkish food, and although I haven't had the Doner Kebab specifically, their kebabs in general are quite good. I'd put it in the same level as what I had in Vienna. Haven't had any in Germany, though.

I used to work at a framing store many moons ago and enjoyed a nice employee discount as I framed my own pictures. When I left, the cold reality of the cost of framing hit. Here is what I would recommend:

1) As mentioned before by Dan, go for the Texas Junk route. If your artwork is a standard size, then you shouldn't have a problem. If it is not to your liking as is, paint it. No secret there. If you need a custom size, then your pricing starts to go up.

2) You didn't specify if you wanted glass and/or matting. Glass is easy and cheap. Go to Michaels or a similar store and specify your size. They can cut to order, and if you need non-glare glass or something fancier (UV-protected, etc.) it is reasonable. Matting can be cut to order as well. For your size, it may be $30. Build and assembly the frame yourself. Most of these places sell kits that provide the wall anchor, clips to lock the picture in, etc.

Taken Sunday afternoon...

The fence has been taken back from the sidewalk along the retail area and base which front Almeda Road fairly recently.

Jax, where are the lights placed around the building?

Anybody else think that the balconies on the side of the building make it look like a giant heat sink? Probably just me and my skewed imagination...

That must've been a hell of a view! I want to see how that upper portion will look like at night since it's supposed to be lit...

Anyway, here are a couple of shots of the progress from yesterday afternoon.

Wow, not crazy at all about the big beige block that is the parking garage at the bottom. I would have hoped that they would have integrated it more, perhaps using some of the glass or something!