^^^ what a BRILLIANT project... congratulations TIGERS!

^^^ my goodness, what a gorgeous overall design.  this is starting to resemble a very posh park directly in front of the bayou.  it seems to be more sumptuous and detailed than the early renderings.  well done @hindesky for these cool illustrations...

12 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

Just curious . .  . why would there be space for a "visiting team" in a practice facility?

^^^ combined practices?  cool concept...

^^^ @Highrise Tower  what those shocking imbeciles did to that poor innocent steer was absolutely unconscionable, unacceptable, and heinous.  they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.  however, this will NEVER EVER change the fact the TEXAS LONGHORNS are now the 2023 BIG XII CHAMPIONS!  also, we are now on our way to the CFP PLAYOFFS/CHAMPIONSHIPS.  HOOK'EM!

37 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

I’ll take an iconic cultural center over a “soul-less” shiny object building any day!
Houston = Culture which is why the city was selected for this center in the first place.

^^^ @steve1363 (ok, i'll play) dude, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, however, you are not entitled to your very own facts.  our fair city of houston has NEVER EVER been a center of "culture" throughout this great state of texas.  throughout, the many decades, houston has always been characterized as a "BLUE COLLAR CITY".  however, our fair city has always showcased the arguable and honorable distinction of being this great nation's center of diversity.  therefore, in my most humble opinion, this is the very direct reason that houston was chosen to construct our nation's first and foremost AGA KHAN ISMAILI CENTER HOUSTON.  heck, if there were any truth to your stunning claim that "houston = culture" then why on earth, is the "eighth wonder of the world... the ASTRODOME"... sitting and rotting out in the texas sun?  true cultural centers would never allow for this to happen.  could our fair city of houston ever become a true center of culture? of course, it can.  however, for this to occur,  the POWERS THAT BE... would have to alter their ULTRA CONSERVATIVE means of management and allow for the city to relax and breathe a bit... 

On 11/25/2023 at 9:58 PM, bobruss said:

I might have missed it, but have they given a date for the Ismali center's opening. I imagine the interior work is going to take awhile considering the craftsmanship and attention to detail in some of the other centers. Also, is that going to be a glass curtain wall of some sort facing West Dallas, that's being constructed now. Truly remarkable, and to think we are the first in America. This will become a huge tourist draw from all over the states and abroad.  

MONARCH, this is one thing that austin and dallas won't have.

Ever!

^^^ @bobruss  actually, neither austin nor dallas would ever need such a monumental/iconic structure to give them stature.  both of those cities are growing by leaps and bounds and harbor all of the necessary bells and whistles to keep them in the gateway scene.  i was just in austin, tx at the TEXAS vs TEXAS TECH game the night after thanksgiving, that city is becoming a major powerhouse.  the austin skyline is going to become a futuristic phenomenon.  even i was a bit shocked at the number of cranes everywhere in downtown austin.  we have even been presented with a sneak peek of the brand new forthcoming RITZ CARLTON AUSTIN (64 floors with condominiums) yes, please feast your eyes upon the gorgeous new silver glassed tower right on the side of the forthcoming TALLEST TOWER IN TEXAS (waterline tower).  my goodness, houston can only dream about something as magnificent as this...

^^^ this newest and prospective development constantly reminds me of the houston's once GRAND and PROUD SHAMROCK HILTON.  it's almost as if the architects/designers received inspiration from this former MAGNIFICENT piece of houston's hospitality history.  what a once GLORIOUS, GRAND, and PROUD era within our fair city...

^^^ thank you for taking the initiative to present to us HAIFERS the greatest TEASE that is known to mankind @Urbannizer  however, we all know that as ULTRA CONSERVATIVE as the officials at the HLS&R are, there is no way on earth, that they would be willing to allocate the necessary BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars... that it would take to bring forth this remarkable/magnificent development to the SCOPE and SCALE that is aforementioned illustrated.  heck, they can just barely manage NRG PARK as it currently stands.  i really hate to be so very pessimistic here, (as i would just LOVE for something of this particular nature to happen) however, i could NEVER EVER see this particular development coming into fruition here in this city at this particular time with the current ULTRA CONSERVATIVE officials that we have in place.  however, in a place that is very LIBERAL MINDED like LAS VEGAS... yes!  however, currently in our fair city of houston, NO WAY...

^^^ hey look, it's been proposed!  ok, we shall wait... we're waiting... we're still waiting... we've been waiting... we've been waiting far too long... i'm getting tired of waiting... i'm growing old from waiting... why aren't the other cities waiting... my hair has turned a shade of grey from waiting... my arthritis has erupted from waiting... another decade has come and passed from waiting... my tears are starting to flow from waiting... my tears have dried up from waiting... my headstone has cracked from waiting... heaven awaits...   

^^^ we NEVER die... we MULTIPLY!

^^^ why does the HOUSTON X look seemingly taller... didn't they stop construction?

4 minutes ago, houstontexasjack said:

I can’t think of much in Dallas proper that’s been done in the last few years that I’d say I’d envy. There’s Klyde Warren Park, but we have a bigger and better analogue in the pipeline with the I-45 reroute. 

Austin….okay, yeah, they’ve got stuff I’d want. Rainey Street’s under construction density is eye-popping.

^^^ dallas brand spanking new renders for their ($3 billion + civic center) due to be completed 2028.  this ULTRA MAGNIFICENT behemoth shall bury the houston george r. brown convention center deep into the proverbial sand.

^^^ not one, but two new PICKARD CHILTON designed towers slated for downtown dallas.

^^^ GOLDMAN SACHS's new financial campus slated for dallas includes new hotels, condos, etc... can houston DARE to incorporate such a MAGNIFICENT financial campus such as this?  heck, we couldn't even construct the MCNAIR campus on POST OAK BLVD.

^^^ the new renders of the proposed DALLAS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.  heck, this appears very similar to houston's TMC HELIX PARK...

14 minutes ago, jhjones74 said:

Which is why you really have to question why Houston owners seem to lack the vision that they could have given how good the Astros have been. Reinvest the billions that have been made the last several years so that even when/if the team falls off there’s still a good reason for people to want to come to and spend money around games.

^^^ @jhjones74 excellent post.  i simply could not have stated this point any better.  please, do not be a stranger...

54 minutes ago, Sanjorade said:

Houston has affordability and thus the ability for many people to do more than just dream.

East River is turning into a great dev and EaDo in general is coming of age. Downtown will also continue to grow little by little, and that's okay. It's come a long way in 15 years and will be completely different in another 15. 

As an entrepreneur, Houston allows me to live comfortably while I build my company. I get to do more than just dream :) 

^^^ you don't think that STEVE COHEN is living "comfortably"?  i'd beg to differ.  new york is the largest city in the USA.  therefore, it must be affordable to somebody... right?  one would surely think that METS owner steve cohen performed some sort of market research and a strong bit of due diligence before announcing a multi-billion POWERHOUSE development within his city... am i correct?

dallas is just as "affordable" as our fair city of houston, yet, THEY NEVER EVER STOP DREAMING BIG AND BRINGING THEIR RESPECTIVE DREAMS TO FRUITION.  what on earth, has houston performed lately?  heck, we are still awaiting news (after a decade) on our prospective W HOTEL... remember?  (what a JOKE we have become)

dude, @Sanjorade trust me, pal, you are hereby preaching to the exacerbated worn-out HAIFER choir.  we have witnessed it all here in our fair city.  therefore, all we can continue to do is... DREAM and keep WAITING...   

1 hour ago, Sanjorade said:

Maybe they should invest in winning ... 

^^^ with a brand spanking new $8 billion proposed DYNAMIC POWERHOUSE development such as METROPOLITAN PARK, they are already "winning".  the ASTROS have seemingly invested in "winning" and what do we have...?

^^^ my goodness!  i'm LOVING everything about the proposed NY METS forthcoming development (METROPOLITAN PARK) at CITI FIELD.  steve cohen seems to have thought of it all.  this particular POWERHOUSE development shall include dynamic entertainment for everyone.  the young... the old... and even the in-between.  during his time as the ASTROS owner, (two-time world champions) jim crane has incurred billions in fan revenue thus far.  yet, his discombobulated forthcoming ASTROS downtown development seems to be as shallow as the RIO GRANDE.  i shall now take my hat off and SALUTE the NY METS owner steve cohen.  what a MAGNIFICENT proposition for CITI FIELD... what a grand vision for the NY fans... what a POWERFUL CULMINATION for the NY METS legacy.  meanwhile, here in H-TOWN, we shall just keep on dreaming big...

^^^ @Highrise Tower my pal, as i am certain that you are acutely aware, THERE ARE SOME VERY RICH CITIZENS residing in our fair city of houston.  many of these citizens travel to the far ends of the earth and experience all sorts of exotic foods, hotels, homes, cars, entertainment... you name it... they have experienced it all.  therefore, some of these exotic, expensive, premium items located at CENTRAL MARKET vs WHOLE FOODS are just the icing on the cake for these people.

you must never ever forget that these are the particular patrons that merchants like CENTRAL MARKET vs WHOLE FOODS love to cater to.  not to mention, it's now HOLIDAY TIME in the city and all sorts of new and premium items are coming on the store shelves...

^^^ my goodness, according to urb's latest construction update, we're talking FOUR different construction zones in ONE particular region of downtown austin, tx.  if my eyes weren't actually seeing this... I WOULD NEVER BELIEVE IT!  wow...

^^^ come on HAIFERS, can we become a bit more realistic here?  this is not DALLAS, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, or wherever... this is HOUSTON!  we are supposed to be the "FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION"... yet, basically, everything that we do here construction-wise is seemingly ULTRA CONSERVATIVE... STOIC... LETHARGIC... and looking like something right out of the 80's.  oh, and guess what, DALLAS is supposed to be the "CONSERVATIVE" city... right?  please allow us a moment to say THANK U to @goofy for taking the initiative to share these LONG-AWAITED renders/concepts of the proposed astros new downtown development.  however, they are a bit on par as to what i was guesstimating.  i have long realized that it's time to start tempering my expectations when it comes to houston development, as there just does not seem to be any real MAGIC here anymore.  heck, i'm almost too afraid to open and focus my eyes upon the forthcoming new GEORGE R. BROWN civic center renovations/upgrades renderings/concepts that are supposed to be due out at some point this fall.  somehow, i just know that i'm going to be a bit disappointed... especially, in lieu of DALLAS getting ready to break ground upon a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR brand spanking new civic center.  my gosh, their respective downtown region is going to be amazing.  they seem to have everything over houston lately.  what in the holy hell are we doing here?  DALLAS has just constructed a brand spanking new rangers ballpark (that they really did not need).  they subsequently constructed a DALLAS LIVE entertainment district to accompany their new ballpark which is elegant, lively, and very posh.  heck, our ASTROS are two-time WORLD CHAMPIONS, and what do they have?  (a very aging ballpark and a few new lackluster renderings/concepts of a forthcoming hotel etc..)  sigh... 

^^^ actually, the smaller edifice was supposed to include a movie theater in the initial plans.  maybe, things have indeed evolved to what you are stating.  a DRIVE-IN theater would indeed be the coolest amenity...

^^^ @Highrise Tower outstanding job my dude!

Houston Ismaili Center, first cultural landmark of its kind in the U.S., hits construction milestone

Houston’s new Ismaili Center is set to reach its tallest point in construction in the coming days, marking a milestone celebrated by dignitaries and local officials during a topping-off ceremony on Monday at the cultural landmark’s site in the Montrose neighborhood.

The building has slowly taken shape since construction began in 2022 near Buffalo Bayou Park, transforming what was once a grassy field off Montrose Boulevard into a towering skeleton of steel beams and concrete. It’s one of seven Ismaili cultural centers worldwide and the first in the United States. 

1 hour ago, Darb64 said:

Evidently the City of the future is a city with a lot of large empty office buildings. 

^^^ whatever floats your proverbial boat...

2 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

^^^ would LOVE to see Austin acquire something this magnificent...

^^^ the "proverbial shoe" definitely fits...

50 minutes ago, Darb64 said:

To who's benefit is adding to the glut of unused office space?

^^^ the developers knew wholeheartedly that there was a "glut of unused office space" when they constructed this edifice in the first place.  however, my point was that they constructed this particular development based upon the FUTURE MOMENTUM within this hyper-dynamic and magnificent city.

everyone knows that austin, tx, is a city of the future...