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shasta

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Everything posted by shasta

  1. shasta
    It's not funny...this rendering really only highlights the projects that ZC is working on. They've left off a few notable buildings UC, including residential by their client's competition. Can someone with advanced photoshop skills add in the missing buildings?
  2. shasta
    I would REALLY like to see the Medial Center become a more mixed use district- high end TALL residential towers (al la NYC), shopping, restaurants to go along with the medical and hospitality uses. The Med Center is on par, or even ahead of downtown in terms of infrastructure, it borders our major city park, the museum district, and Rice University and may be more dense and walkable than even downtown...these are all HUGE draws for these supporting uses. WE need to start thinking about Houston as individual nodes that WILL connect over the decades and I honestly feel the Med Center to Museum District to Mid Town to Downtown to EADO connection has the POTENTAIL to be a great urban collection if done correctly. Uptown is a totally different animal and they are pretty adamant about remaining who they are (i.e. rejection of University and Uptown lines)
  3. shasta
    That rendering is from around 2008...not sure if they drastically revised the plan or left as it was in 2008. Also, the website is still dated 2008 http://www.regentsq.com/indexFlash.html
  4. shasta
    Can someone contact GID and get an update?
  5. shasta
    BayouBoomtown- Rice isn't a public school it is a private school..it has nothing to do with the state. All of the funding for Rice comes from Private funding. States are ranked on how well they develop and support their public school systems. Under the current Texas system (written into the Texas Constitution) the only two schools that receive a huge chunk of the state's funds are the University of Texas system and the Texas A&M system. It's called the Texas University Permanent Fund (link below) and only those two public schools/systems have access to it. ALL of the other public schools in the state (Texas Tech, University of Houston, Texas State, North Texas, Sam Houston, etc.) have to split a CONSIDERABLY SMALLER fund. The difference in state funding between those two is quite drastic and of course the two major schools that have access to the PUF (UT and Texas A&M) then decide how much their system schools (UTSA, UTEP, Texas A&M Kingsville, etc.) receive...and its not a lot compared to the two big schools. University of Houston is trying to make the case that they have shown enough investment in their University that they deserve to be included as a "flagship" state university and receive a equal share on the PUF, along with University of Texas and Texas A&M. Texas Permanent University Fund Other Texas public universities—notably all institutions in the University of Houston System, the University of North Texas System, the Texas State System, the Texas Tech System, and some UT System and Texas A&M System institutions—are prohibited by law from sharing the income from this endowment, but since 1984 have been served by the Higher Education Assistance Fund, a much smaller fund. Addition of the other university systems or individual institutions to the Permanent University Fund would require an amendment to the Texas Constitution. Compare this system to California...which funds its U CAL system equally. AS a cougar, there are many things to be proud of. The University gets a fraction of the funding from the state, as compared to UT and Texas A&M yet is in the top 3 public schools. UH gets a fraction of the revenue from athletics because Texas politics left them out of the Big 12 or another Power conference yet finds a way to grow. Also, UH has managed to build the second most number of on-campus housing in the state of Texas (behind only Texas A&M) and now has a rail connection to the rest of Houston. The University of Houston has the potential to be one of the most cutting edge urban campuses in the United States. In fact, when I was considering Architecture schools, I was alarmed to find out that Texas A&M DID NOT offer an accredited undergraduate program. Meaning the NAAB did not feel that the Aggies met the MINIMUM requirement and would deny any graduate with an A&M architecture degree to sit for the licensing exam because it was deemed INFERIOR. They also designated Texas Tech with the same inferior verdict. UH's undergraduate program was accredited. (Only UH, Rice and UT offer accredited undergraduate architecture programs) http://www.naab.org/architecture_programs/home Now, both graduate architecture degree programs ARE accredited but their undergraduate architecture degree programs are not. I really feel that since the state continues to underfund the University of Houston that we should turn to the city for funding. We should strive to make the University of Houston the #1 public school in the state of Texas. The city of Houston could benefit from this partnership and the influx of quality talented students could only help the city as most UH alums stay and CONTRIBUTE to the local economy.
  6. shasta
    Let's hope they don't make any more mistakes like this one: http://swamplot.com/appreciating-those-downtown-skyhouse-toilet-views-from-below/2015-04-07/
  7. shasta
    These are the type of projects we NEED downtown!
  8. shasta
    Anything new on the design end?
  9. shasta
    Anything new on this project? Any new master plans, info...anything? This project was literally weeks away from breaking ground back in 2008/2009 before the downturn and now I'm afraid this one might have missed the boom AGAIN. Hopefully there are things in the works and it will start soon. The demolished Allen House lot (an all that revenue that could have been had) remains undeveloped for close to a decade now.
  10. shasta
    I try to make it an effort to check out downtown a couple times a week, either by driving or taking the rail line and walking around. I am a huge supporter of the growth of downtown and like to get a pulse on what is happening and to check out the construction sites. Of course, I know there has always been a homeless problem downtown but on my two recent visits downtown I've seen more than normal...way more than normal. My last visit, I stopped into a downtown restaurant and a homeless person aggressively followed me to my car trying to get my attention. I know they are usually harmless but It seems like I am noticing more and more homeless in various parts of downtown. Another time this month, I took the train in and noticed that a group of homeless had gathered around the train station and were exchanging drugs. When the train arrived, they did not get on. Has there been a problem with homeless hanging out at the train stations with no intentions of actually using the transportation? Also, what is the city doing about this situation and what do people on this forum feel will happen with an increased residential component in most of downtown? I understand that there are a number of shelters downtown and I am OK with their presence, if they are seeking those services, but drug deals and aggressively going after downtown visitors is going to make some uneasy and sour their opinion of downtown.
  11. shasta
    A $100,000 property damage coverage with your auto insurance is pretty typical. Hopefully it is already part of their insurance policy. If he doesn't have it, he could be sued for the damages and required to pay the damages. Should the developer pay $100,000 because a driver decided to drink and drive and crash into their construction site. This guy's life in about to be drastically affected because of this stupid move.
  12. shasta
    A) I wonder if this accident will delay the construction schedule and B ) if it does, I'm thinking the developer can sue the driver of this truck for damages...especially since the driver was under the influence and ran multiple red lights. Hope this guy has a good insurance policy
  13. shasta
    Development doesn't happen in a vacuum they work in unison. Top retailers conduct studies before they choose to locate their "brand" in a particular location. They look at population the general area, and more inportantly the wealth of that general area. Regent Square, unfortunately, is located really close to the retail cluster on West Gray. This is a problem for them in getting retailers to put faith in another unproven cluster so far away. The developer has chosen to re-think their strategy and they are starting with some of the dense buildings first and then will work towards the master plan we saw in 2007. They have a game plan and its to get the quality retail and restaurant component that they want. Fot those of you who want a case study.....look at the history of Vintage Park in the Northwest/Tomball area. They were an unproven development ans had to settle for unknown 'mom and pop' type of shops and restaurants. Major retailers were not going to touch them until they proved themselves first.
  14. shasta
    Longer than that ...the developers have owned the Allen House since the 1980's. They definitely know how to play the waiting game. While I agree No activity is perplexing but in all honesty, they did just build the first phase of Regent Square. The apartment tower IS part of Regent Square. They are trying to establish a catchment area to justify the walkable retail space.
  15. shasta
    Wow....I would much rather have the design of the Astoria, or the Titan, or a number of the other buildings that some people here think are poor designs OVER this bland design. I thought this was supposed to be a design that RD was waiting to unveil in a place like downtown. Hopefully (fingers crossed) that is just an initial massing model to get the square footage right and to give the city an idea of the scale and then RD will surprise everyone with a much better design.
  16. shasta
    It is possible that renderings don't even exist. Apartment projects typically don't require fancy renderings. Unless you are doing a condo projects (need pre-sales), an office tower (need tenants) or need something put together to get approval (tax incentive, loan from bank, or court ruling) then it isn't necessary to hire someone to do a nice rendering. For a typical apartment project with financing already secured, just start the project and pre-lease when you are close to occupancy.
  17. shasta
    Oh......so that's why that Dentist Gremlin in Gremlins 2 kept saying "Is it safe?"
  18. shasta
    They are building this first because this will be the main Practice facility, basketball offices, and locker rooms. It will be open to the Men's and Women's basketball players 24-7. They are building it first because UH is grossly behind in upgrading these facilities. they have the game day court but the practice facilities/lockers/showers/etc. are horrible. I agree with their strategy, Practice facility first, attract recruits because of this, and then renovate Hofheinz after.
  19. shasta
    We all heard the most desirable office building lots are the ones with tunnel connection, however, wasn't Hess Tower (way off of the grid) sold for a record amount. I think this false facade of "it must be on the tunnel" system will start to fade especially if the convention center district looks like it will be built around activity of the street level and will be close to residences.
  20. shasta
    What pictures?
  21. shasta
    Check out this high resolution panoramic shot of the stadium. You can pan and zoom in. http://gigapixel.panoramas.com/houston/football/20140829/
  22. shasta
    I can't speak for the renovations to Kyle Field because I haven't seen them yet. I've been to the campus of Texas A&M a handful of times and it was a pretty generic campus. If they were going for an engineering school type of look then it worked. The University of Houston actually features two buildings by Pritzker Prize winning Architects (the highest award an architect can receive) so it has some variety. Also, the campus of the University of Houston was recently featured in this new Jadeveon Clowney Commercial...It's pretty funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=654mJ3Svv7U&app=desktop
  23. shasta
    New Clowney commercial featuring hi running through the University of Houston to deliver a new pair of Puma sneakers to a college student. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=654mJ3Svv7U&app=desktop
  24. shasta
    Allen Parkway turns into Kirby...I call that stretch from Downtown to Reliant Stadium (NRG) our Broadway...or at least I think it will become that
  25. shasta
    Can someone, with superior photoshop skills. add in the missing buildings? The ones that have broken ground or are scheduled to really soon: Marriott Marquis, the other office towers, the other residential, etc.
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