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Gator Purify

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  1. Gator Purify
    Thanks for your response, UtterlyUrban. The irony here is that we're discussing the possibility of Alessandra either struggling or not being built partly due to downtown Houston's lack of tourist attractions...and yet Alessandra sits in the middle of a three-block mixed-use development that could be/could've been a tourist attraction.
  2. Gator Purify
    I'm glad someone else has raised this point, because I didn't want to be one of the first. What do falling oil prices have to do with hospitality, residential, and non-energy-related office construction? This question is partly rhetorical, but partly honest because I know a lot of knowledgeable people visit this forum. A "sky is falling" attitude seems to be pervasive in a lot of these threads and I'm curious to know why.
  3. Gator Purify
    What's the name of the building under construction on the far left?
  4. Gator Purify
    The "before" photos look better than the "after." Not a fan of the interior and exterior color choices, but hopefully the business thrives.
  5. Gator Purify
    *Jaw drops*
  6. Gator Purify
    Anyone have a current photo of this? Has the entire facade been painted gray yet?
  7. Gator Purify
    Here are some great pre-renovation photos of the interior and exterior of The Vanderbilt Sports Grill & Lounge. This could be an exciting destination, if done correctly. Planned: three floors, 55 screens, live DJs, an interesting menu, and an open-air lounge overlooking the city. http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17375093/3704-Fannin-Houston-TX/
  8. Gator Purify
    No point in crying over spilled milk, but I don't see anything wrong with the Village aesthetic. What should be addressed is the difficulty of navigating University near Kirby...while trying to turn into the Village, avoid drivers backing out of spaces by Mi Luna, avoid hitting pedestrians as they cross the street, and not getting run over by the cars behind you. Does Rice have a campus shuttle that carries kids from the dorms to the Village area? If not, then isn't that an easy solution to some of the problems in the article?
  9. Gator Purify
    I didn't realize people hated palm trees. Then again, there are people who hate babies, clouds, ice cream, and beaches.
  10. Gator Purify
    Awesome!
  11. Gator Purify
    @Avossos Yeah. Houston has small, square blocks in its CBD, and rarely do Houstonians see multiple highrises go up on the same block. It's such a foreign concept here.
  12. Gator Purify
    I must be crazy because I think a new (presumably glass) facade would be great. It'd break up the monotony of those big off-white concrete blocks next to the Pierce and play well off of the federal building next door.
  13. Gator Purify
    Having something like this opened in time for the Super Bowl makes sense. Hopefully, Nau Center is more than just two rooms with a bunch of pictures, attached to a small house. Cuuuz, that's kind of what it looks like right now. Since the mission here is to entertain conventioneers and Super Bowl visitors, Houston First could easily have dedicated half or all of the ground level on their new building (right next door) to "Houston's present and future" and made Nau Center "Houston's history." The facades could stay the same. The footprint would increase dramatically. And, it would actually connect to the Convention Center. Am I crazy?
  14. Gator Purify
    Surge Homes, I'm loving your transparency and direct communication with the public. Combine this with strong architecture and you'll surely develop a strong reputation in Houston. Thanks for joining!
  15. Gator Purify
    I agree, Texasota. This design couldn't possibly be more bland or less impactful to the skyline and streetscape. And good luck to the scores of guests trying to cross the street to the Galleria (and good luck to us trying to drive through there).
  16. Gator Purify
    This is amazing for that area. I didn't realize how much space is available for a park, either.
  17. Gator Purify
    Trying to temper my excitement here, but if...and I mean IF...this rumor is true and a gleaming residential tower is built, then it could have a tremendous ripple effect. A nice glass exterior would pair well with the twin SkyHouses, the Metro building, Amegy Bank, and even the new Central Square a few blocks south. Toss in the new Holiday Inn and all of a sudden we have the potential for real energy on those streets. It might also cause something to finally be done with the Days Inn next door, but now I'm getting way ahead of myself. Great find, DrLan34!
  18. Gator Purify
    Awesome. Thanks, phillip_white! This is SUCH a huge change for midtown. Once this is finished, 800 Bell is redone, and the Days Inn magically disappears, rooftop views from midtown (and Pierce Elevated views) are going to be SO much better. If only 2016 Main wasn't such a monstrosity...but I digress. Great pic.
  19. Gator Purify
    Anyone around to take pics of this building? I'm out of town, so I'd love to see if any progress has been made during the last three weeks.
  20. Gator Purify
    To clarify, I'm talking about the block bounded by Dallas, Austin, Polk, and LaBranch. Four blocks from the Red Line, not three. It'd also serve as a nice gateway to Toyota Center.
  21. Gator Purify
    IMO (and purely from an aesthetic standpoint), the supertall HAS to be east of Main street. The view from the Museum District/Midtown is atrocious. It looks like downtown has about six buildings all hugged up next to each other on the west side. A supertall somewhere near Discovery Green would provide oomph from the south, east, and north sides. Keep in mind also that we have some good depth coming in that area with the 25-story Alessandra, 29-story Marriott, 29-story residential, 39-story residential, and 22-story convention center hotel/garage. If I had to choose one block, it'd be the surface parking lot between Greenstreet and Hilton Americas. 1,100+ feet with a spire and/or lighting element, three blocks away from the Red Line, a block away from Greenstreet/Alessandra/Hilton, on the upcoming Dallas St. retail corridor, a block and a half from Discovery Green. How easy a sell would that be?
  22. Gator Purify
    Triton, I'm glad to hear that they also own land on the other side of the creek, because the new MetroRail North Line Quitman stop is about 5-6 blocks away from the creek. The closer this project can be to the rail line, the better for everyone involved. If the venue is nice (and large) enough, it might become an important anchor for the North Line and give locals and visitors a reason to head north of downtown on the train. That being said, I would hope efforts are made to improve the landscape and security along that 5-6 block path, as a simple Google Maps search reveals it to be pretty sketchy.
  23. Gator Purify
    Thanks for the scoop, Urbannizer. I'm curious to see how all of this residential development, particularly in the southern end of downtown, will come together. To be honest, I'm a bit worried. Downtown needs many things, and projects like Block 365 satisfy some of them (infill, the elimination of surface parking, residential). For that, I am grateful. But the 5-story superblock north of Skyhouse, the weird Lego block south of the co-cathedral, the two projects south of Root Square, and Block 365 could all combine to make a giant, uncoordinated mishmash that I fear will turn that section of downtown into midtown north. And by "midtown north," I am referring to the central part of midtown, not the pedestrian-friendly area near Fourth Ward. The view along the Pierce Elevated is arguably the ugliest in all of Houston, regardless of which direction you're looking. I am not sure whether these residential projects will play any role in changing that. The introduction of all of these residential projects will create at least three distinct residential neighborhoods within the CBD. What will their respective characters be? Market Square and the area to the south have a nice, historic vibe that is even reflected in the architecture of their upcoming additions (JW Marriott, 38-story high-rise, Hines residential, the polarizing 40-story high-rise resi). It is easy to tell that the section from GreenStreet east to EaDo will be for young professionals, trendy people of all ages, and tourists. What will south Downtown be? Family-friendly? Artsy? Note: I'm not being Negative Nate. This is just discourse.
  24. Gator Purify
    Virgin poster here... First, it is a pleasure to join HAIF. It's nice to find a forum where development enthusiasts can all share breaking news, spread ideas, and let our imaginations run wild. If a major retailer can find its way into a renovated Sakowitz building and Brinsden follows through with landing a top flight tenant (and I have faith that he will), then you know what would be a great addition to the block? A movie theater. I'm talking a massive 24 or 30 screen complex, a la Times Square or downtown Montreal, which has housed a giant theater inside of the arena where the Canadiens used to play. Make it look sexy, toss in adequate parking (like Edwards Greenway), and bring attention to it with a horizontal beacon of light. Some of you may view the last part as too flashy, but that's precisely the point. Downtown is lacking in nighttime visual appeal unless you're driving down I-45. As far as I know, the only major theater inside the Loop is Edwards. Locals and downtown tourists alike can drive, walk, or MetroRail it to GreenStreet, where within a couple of blocks they can shop at Nordstroms, XXI, and H&M, dine at a handful of restaurants, bowl at Lucky Strike, watch a concert at House of Blues, party at the Alessandra's rooftop bar, and/or see the latest flick at the sparkling new movie theater. Thoughts?
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