HoustonIsHome

3 hours ago, Urbannizer said:

 

I wish they extended the landscaping underneath the Oaks. Small cutouts like this really hinder the trees growth. There should be guidelines in every city for them to be larger. 

Love the final product of the building.

 

I agree. It would also give a more finished look. The heat from the concrete may also stress the roots in the summer. 

The fall color of the little trees are beautiful though. Anyone know what type of trees they are? 

On 9/22/2023 at 8:09 AM, Texasota said:

uh, lets wait and see how long this stays a vacant lot before celebrating anything.

I can't even begin to understand the real estate dynamics in Midtown.

So close to so many desirable neighborhoods but not desirable itself.

Not sure why apartments are not flying up in that area. 

20 hours ago, McD.land said:

The building is going to be demolished.

Yeah that's a given for that area. That's why I said I wish it was in a more suburban area.

On 12/2/2023 at 8:59 AM, loon said:

Sign folks already at work today. 

Building looks like it would make a good funplex/bowling/skating rink/lazertag type building. 

I wish it was in a less urban setting so it could be saved.

I will be happy if this site and the ones to the left, right, north and south of it all became 4 story apartments like this area: 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/59cXjhf3KWMJAtcd6

On 12/20/2023 at 4:32 PM, Big E said:

It should be remembered that those pictures were merely one idea that was presented. Nothing concrete has been said specifically about what they are going to do with the excess ROW created by removing the Pierce elevated, or what will actually be placed on the I-69/I-45 cap (the cap itself is being built so that buildings and development can happen on it).

Is there really that much excess ROW to being with? 

The Pierce Elevated isn't all that wide. Comparatively. 

Imagining the area without Pierce, what is left is just regular city blocks, and it looks like the majority of these blocks have structures on them.

Which leads to the better questionz who owns the rest of the blocks that are occupied by these buildings? 

I don't see the linear park. I agree with the poster who said parking. My money is these lots will quickly be repaved for parking and the lots will slowly be redeveloped.

If we are getting more park, I would bet on them going over the highway caps before I would bet on the Pierce ROW. Without Pierce it just multiple half blocks spliced with very busy streets. 

But traffic and height is inevitable in the heart of a big city. Especially one without zoning.

Just because the area was sleepy when the property was bought half a century ago doesn't mean it must remain so in perpetuity.

Houston is no Manhattan, but a big push for zoning laws were to prevent the Manhattanization of neighborhoods. I am not arguing for or against the neighborhood staying the same, my argument is this development being dragged through the courts for a decade was improper. Change happens.

When William and Alva Vanderbilt moved up to a sleepy part of 5th avenue to build their chateau away from the hustle and bustle, being surrounded by skyscrapers was probably the furthest thing from their mind. And yet one of the most spectacular private residential home the US has ever seen was demolished and a Bergdorf Goodman where certain presidents go to grab kitty Cats.

Caroline Astor was the queen of Society herself, and without zoning laws even 5th avenue mansion was torn down and is now the site of the Empire State Building. 

In fact a similar situation happened to Ms Astor, and even the queen of NY Society could not stop it. To spite her, her nephew built the 14 story Waldorf hotel right next to Ms Astors mansion. The hotel dwarfed EVERYTHING in the upscale neighborhood. 

You have a right to the peaceful enjoyment of your own property, but not to the entire neighborhood. Not even filthy rich zillionaires have that without zoning laws. 

Instead of fighting progress Mrs Astor went with it and built the Astoria Hotel in its place. The Astoria later combined with the Waldorf to form the Waldorf Astoria.

On 11/7/2023 at 9:09 PM, monarch said:

^^^ 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...

 

I have seen various angles of this proposal and zooming in I am not impressed once I get past the towers.

Dallas already has a poor street grid, even in its downtown. The proposals for this area are even more poorly integrated.

Further, this looks very suburban oriented. More like suburban office parks than the primary downtown of the 4th largest metro in the country.

GRB already feels more urban than KBH, and GRB will remain more urban even if all of this is built.

The Dallas convention proposal, as some have already mentioned is just a proposal. I like that Dallas thinks big, but the final results won't be as planned. And at best the area looks to be more like the Post Oak area than in a downtown. Looking at it again, it looks even less urban than Post Oak. The ground level of these buildings look like buildings you would find in Westchase, but definitely not a major downtown.

I am craving for glimpses of a more robust Astroville, but I just haven't seen enough to judge. My whacky dream for the area is to take the Astros/space theme and run away with it. Space ship shaped buildings, moving skywalks, space related restaurants, domed covered walkways with constellations, rides. I mean just pile on the space related cheese. Like these: 

Dunno how they would tie it in to the ballpark, but they could make it work.

2 hours ago, shasta said:

They should have put their efforts into establishing zoning or a city plan instead of fighting a single project within the inner city of the most notorious US cities for NOT having too many land use regulations. 

Can't live within walking distance of Rice/Museum District/Herman Park/Kirby and then get mad when YOUR un zoned city develops around where you live.

...and for the record, zoning and a city plan were still NOT on the ballot during the local elections last month

Totally agree. Even the most opulent private residences the US has ever seen were razed in Manhattan for higher use. To prevent Manhattanization of neighborhoods zoning laws were enacted. it's a shame that this project was dragged through the courts for so long. I agree, the proper recourse is zoning laws, not dragging a single project through court.

If zoning doesn't pass, then so be it. This is the core of a huge city, change happens.

On 11/13/2023 at 5:01 PM, 79ta said:

it's eerily similar...

The Crooked "E"

Yeah that's what I instantly thought of. 

I'm really hoping this attracts more projects in the area. I'm kinda Happy that high office vacancy and high housing needs are the thing of the day. Would be nice to get some residential that offers some low income housing. Camden and 1711 are already there. Is the Peacock still alive and kicking? A few more apartments or condos with ground floor restaurants, bars, a little grocers, a dry cleaners, a barber shop... And you could develop a nice little neighborhood in that area.

This area is dead, but it's never too early to jump on the bike lane building.

Those townhomes look so odd in these pictures.

That area is getting done crazy density 

How tall is this building?

On 9/26/2023 at 4:42 PM, bookey23 said:

Oh, HAIF actually made it super easy for me to find the map I made:

 

Wow, that's a whole downtown neighborhood. I wonder if they are paying attention to the development around these properties it if they are content with the income from parking fees. 

If I win the lottery I am building a huge garage there and charge only enough to cover taxes and maintenance. Maybe put a dent in these land hogs profits 

This development is interesting but the city should give some thought to re-routing that highway.

These Nutz!!! ..

Thanks for the vid. 

So basically they are the same concept? I guess a Lidl would work too then. 

It's funny she called that aisle the Treasure Aisle. I call it the Sometimey Aisle. 

Strickn, I think Aldi should hermit crab itself into every neighborhood within the beltway. Wonder if they could squeeze one into 800 Bell.

Does Aldi have security? I usually only see one or two workers in the entire store. Gives it a more neighborhood store feel. 

On 10/31/2023 at 9:49 AM, Texasota said:

Why would anyone want Aldi when you can have Lidl?

I dunno who Lidl is

11 hours ago, strickn said:

@HoustonIsHomeYou had me at Aldi on the previous page of this thread.  Their cost is all in the refrigerated distribution center capacity, which they have in Rosenberg already, so the marginal cost of trying a lease in 800 Bell would be far less than a big box grocer would face

If I'm a manager there I'm reading your proposal and thinking with a favorable lease agreement I could be looking at a promotion for inventing us an urban hermit crab business case we didn't know we had

Yeah, and Aldi is a meat and potatoes store. It's not fluffy Duffy like trader Joe's either. You can do your weekly shopping at Aldi with a lot of stuff being cheaper than Walmart. 

Aldi's scented candles for example are at Walmart prices, but they are as strong as the ones you would buy for 4times the price at a department store.

I like that there stores are smaller. You can get everything you need without spending 2 days in the store. 

I'm not hating on trader Joe's, but it would be a repeat of Whole Foods. I can see Aldi working out a favorable lease and setting up shop very quickly. I easily see them feeling in the niche that Rouses fills in New Orleans. And Rouses is overpriced.

6 hours ago, Ross said:

It's tunnel access to the garage, not the rest of the tunnel system. Being able to get to the garage without crossing the street is a good thing.

And you admit that parking is a necessity for a residential building that size, but you don't like the existing garage. You are also assuming the other lots are for sale.

I made no case, in favor or against, parking. I simply agreed that it would be easier to keep the garage they already own than to build another. 

The assertion that the building is useless without that particular garage is just silly. Stop dancing around the subject. There's a zillion empty lots all around that building. If memory serves me right there's a whole empty lot between the building and the garage. A closer garage with a skybridge would probably be more convenient, but no, the building can only work with that particular garage only. 

You are assuming that the surrounding lots are not for sale just as I am assuming it is. Who knows? But what I do know is the assumption that 800 Bell only chance of making it is holding on to garage is silly. It may be better off keeping it but saying the building is worthless without it is poor wording.

On 10/23/2023 at 10:39 PM, Ross said:

That garage is built and is owned by Shorenstein, so it comes with 800 Bell. The other surface lots are owned by people who may not be interested in selling. And, the garage is tunnel connected to the building.

So? You said the Building is useless without that particular garage. The fact that the same owner may own the building and the garage and not own the surrounding lots still doesn't change the fact that there's empty lots all around it.

Sure it would be simpler to just keep the garage they already own, but the building isn't useless without it as they could always purchase one or three lots and build more garages. It wouldn't be the end of the world without that particular garage. 

And for a residential building on the far southern end of downtown, tunnel access isn't really a game changer. 

37 minutes ago, Ross said:

Without that garage, 800 Bell is useless. It doesn't have enough space for everyone in the building, but it is needed.

Isn't it surrounded by 300 surface lots? I don't think it would be useless without THAT garage. Multiple others can easily be built around I.

1 hour ago, Sunstar said:

Glad to see something go in here. This is a pretty desolate part of downtown with not much to work with. 

I heard at one time a lot of the lots in that south east side was own by a foreign company. Is that true/still true?

On 9/18/2023 at 2:39 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

How can you be in favor of one and not the other? They literally go hand in hand .

It's not that I'm not in favor of if. It's more like it's not high on my wishlist. I like the density in terms of pooling resources closer together. I feel that at a certain point the walkable dynamic will fall in line naturally.

I think that once a critical density benchmark is reached the market will demand better sidewalks, more ground floor -pedestrian engagement, slower traffic etc.

My point is I prefer to develop a descent stable of horse before I start buying carts. 

I know some are going ask why can't we get both? If we can great, but If we can get the density now and the walkable realms later then I'm fine with that too. With the summer we just had walking has been the last thing I want to do.

On 8/12/2023 at 8:42 PM, Highrise Tower said:

There are now two Bio Technology Manufacturing developments proposed elsewhere.

I don't know how I feel about that.  If there was just one, centrally located, maybe there would be more traction for leasing. Now, potential clients will have to choose from 3 different Houston-area campuses.

The City of Pasadena recently discussed a TMC BioPort "Spinoff" in their Strategic Plan Five-Year Update June 2023 meeting.

As well already know, now McCord Development is proposed their own Bio Technology Manufacturing campus in Generation Park.

City of Pasadena:

Generation Park:

IDK, competition usually results in better products. I think the 2 other projects may help this one work a little harder. Not a bad thing. They may slow this one a bit, but I think this one definitely has the upper hand in terms of attracting clients.

On 8/12/2023 at 8:42 PM, Highrise Tower said:

There are now two Bio Technology Manufacturing developments proposed elsewhere.

I don't know how I feel about that.  If there was just one, centrally located, maybe there would be more traction for leasing. Now, potential clients will have to choose from 3 different Houston-area campuses.

The City of Pasadena recently discussed a TMC BioPort "Spinoff" in their Strategic Plan Five-Year Update June 2023 meeting.

As well already know, now McCord Development is proposed their own Bio Technology Manufacturing campus in Generation Park.

City of Pasadena:

Generation Park:

IDK, competition usually results in better products. I think the 2 other projects may help this one work a little harder. Not a bad thing. They may slow this one a bit, but I think this one definitely has the upper hand in terms of attracting clients.

On 8/12/2023 at 8:42 PM, Highrise Tower said:

There are now two Bio Technology Manufacturing developments proposed elsewhere.

I don't know how I feel about that.  If there was just one, centrally located, maybe there would be more traction for leasing. Now, potential clients will have to choose from 3 different Houston-area campuses.

The City of Pasadena recently discussed a TMC BioPort "Spinoff" in their Strategic Plan Five-Year Update June 2023 meeting.

As well already know, now McCord Development is proposed their own Bio Technology Manufacturing campus in Generation Park.

City of Pasadena:

Generation Park:

IDK, competition usually results in better products. I think the 2 other projects may help this one work a little harder. Not a bad thing. They may slow this one a bit, but I think this one definitely has the upper hand in terms of attracting clients.

On 8/12/2023 at 8:42 PM, Highrise Tower said:

There are now two Bio Technology Manufacturing developments proposed elsewhere.

I don't know how I feel about that.  If there was just one, centrally located, maybe there would be more traction for leasing. Now, potential clients will have to choose from 3 different Houston-area campuses.

The City of Pasadena recently discussed a TMC BioPort "Spinoff" in their Strategic Plan Five-Year Update June 2023 meeting.

As well already know, now McCord Development is proposed their own Bio Technology Manufacturing campus in Generation Park.

City of Pasadena:

Generation Park:

IDK, competition usually results in better products. I think the 2 other projects may help this one work a little harder. Not a bad thing. They may slow this one a bit, but I think this one definitely has the upper hand in terms of attracting clients.

Why all the negativity? 

That area is like a ten minute drive from the Aldi and Walmart on Almeda Genoa, there's a Fiesta 5 mins away on Cullen and Reed and the area is close to all the grocery options in Pearland.

As you mentioned, developments are coming up MLK, Scott and Cullen from Pearland. All three streets around the beltway area has been redone in the last few years.

The schools are not great, but lots of Houston area schools are not great. Should we just stop building and let the city die?

That area is slowly changing for the better. So many delapidated houses have need renovated. I see quite a few townhomes popping up in that area. Parks are being upgraded.

The upgrades are slowly changing the look of the area, and theses apartments will further add to the density which may attract groceries even closer to the area. But traffic is so light in that area that it doesn't really take long to get to a lot of options already