hindesky

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Big-Boy-is-back-world-s-largest-steam-engine-16385994.php Big Boy is coming back, but unlike a lot of Houston folks in the past 18 months, he has not packed on additional weight — still tipping the scales at 1.2 million pounds. Union Pacific Railroad’s only operational steam locomotive of its kind, Unit 4014, AKA Big Boy, chuffed into Texas midday Friday. The train will spend most of the weekend in north Texas before heading south Sunday and hitting the railroad’s Hearne yard near College Station Sunday evening. Monday, Big Boy will make its way from Hearne to Houston, with its arrival expected around 4 p.m. at the downtown Amtrak station near Interstate 45 and Washington Avenue. Public display of the train in Houston officially will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, though Biggie will not pull out until Wednesday morning. The last time 4014 found its way to Houston in November 2019, thousands lined the tracks and tromped along its massive steam boilers to get a look. “I feel like you might get that many again,” said Rainey Webster, executive director of the Rosenberg Rail Museum. “There are a lot of groups, and there’s fan groups for the Big Boy.” Because viewing is outdoors, Webster said she is confident COVID will not keep many fans away. Big Boy is one of 25 locomotives built specifically for mountain passes in Utah and Wyoming in the early 1940s. Only eight remain assembled and Big Boy — acquired from a California rail museum and restored from 2013 to 2019 — is the only one still running along the rails. “It really is a piece of history,” said rail enthusiast Todd Davis, 60, of Houston, noting the role trains played in making America a manufacturing powerhouse. Davis, who photographed the train on its last tour, said he plans to head downtown Tuesday morning, hoping to get in and out quickly. Union Pacific engine 4014, aka the Big Boy, sits at the Amtrak station on Nov. 6, 2019, in Houston. Hundreds came to see the train. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The massive machines are built in a special 4-8-8-4 trainset where the enormous boiler powers four wheels in the front, hinged to two sets of eight wheels in the center, with another four wheels hinged on the back. The hinges allowed for the massive trains to maneuver curves in the tracks. Fort Worth and Houston are the only spots in Texas where the train will be on display and available for public tours. At other locations, depending on access, people can see but not get close to the train. Houston, once billed as the place where 17 railroads meet the sea, has deep ties to steam engines, so much so there is one on the city’s seal. Lately, however, some residents have chafed at trains chugging through the neighborhoods as heavy freight volumes have led Union Pacific to slow or stop trains, particularly in the East End, Second Ward and Fifth Ward. Though the problem has improved since a May meeting with Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, community groups and Union Pacific — some residents have said more effort is needed to ease gridlock at blocked crossings. Barring something unexpected, Big Boy is not likely to block anyone, as rail traffic usually is timed to stay out of its way. With its attached coal car, Big Boy is a foot taller and 60 feet longer than Union Pacific’s typical diesel locomotive. The boiler alone is nearly nine feet in diameter, making Big Boy the largest steam engine in the world. Its route through the Houston area, however, differs from its 2019 trip, dashing the hopes of some fans. In 2019, Big Boy came into Houston from the west via San Antonio, using UP lines parallel to U.S. 90 Alternate through East Bernard and Rosenberg and southwest Houston. This time, the train will travel from the northwest from Hearne, Hempstead and along U.S. 290 and Washington Ave. “When I heard it was coming I got so excited, then I looked and saw it wasn’t coming our way,” Webster said. “It was like salt in the wound,” she joked. Hopefully, she added, other historic trains can find new options soon in Rosenberg, where museum officials are planning a capital campaign to add a rail spur on the two-acre site where trains can pull off the main tracks and hang around for a few hours or days. Work on fundraising is just starting, Webster said. “We’re really excited to welcome them,” she said. “Maybe next time Big Boy can stop.” Ken Ellis/Staff dug.begley@chron.com

This is a cool concept being built in Brooklyn Park, Minn. Taco Bell Defy, an innovative new Taco Bell restaurant design that will “defy norms and define the future,” is set to break ground in Brooklyn Park, Minn., later this year. The 3,000-sf, two-story restaurant concept features a first-of-its-kind Vertical Works-licensed design with a footprint that will be smaller than or equal to existing store footprints but have the ability to serve more customers. The project will reimagine the traditional drive-thru experience to create a new, contactless pickup experience that will be the fastest way ever to get Taco Bell. The new drive-thru experience will feature four lanes, three of which are dedicated to mobile or delivery order pickups for customers who order through the Taco Bell app and third-party delivery services. The three lanes will supplement one traditional lane to ease the flow of traffic and ensure the speedy experience. Digital check-in screens will allow mobile order customers to scan in their order via a unique QR code. Customers can then pull forward to receive their food courtesy of a proprietary lift system that integrates two-way audio and video technology so customers can interact directly with the team members above in real time. This elevated kitchen design will optimize and streamline operations for the benefit of both team members and customers. In addition to Vertical Works, Taco Bell Defy is also made possible by Border Foods, one of the largest privately held Taco Bell franchisees in America. Taco Bell Defy is slated to open to the public by summer 2022. https://www.bdcnetwork.com/taco-bell-defy-will-revolutionize-drive-thru-experience?oly_enc_id=9107D0450578D1S

Based on the picture it would be right where the Houston Endowment is being built. There is room to the right where the tennis court currently is.

Skanska's empty Montrose site livens up with new market, music Katherine Feser Aug. 12, 2021Updated: Aug. 12, 2021 2:55 p.m. A fallow corner of Montrose will be enlivened with an open air market featuring music, food trucks and farmer's market starting this weekend as part of an initiative of Skanska USA Commercial and a local company. Skanska brought in Curb Coalition to host a pop-up Curb Market along with a variety of events on its site at 1001 Westheimer at Montrose Boulevard. Skanska purchased the 3-acre tract last year for $27 million as a future development site that could include apartments, offices, shops and a hotel. "Skanska is thrilled to welcome this local organization onto the site to host engaging community programming while the team finalizes their development plans for the upcoming project," the company said in a statement. A shopping center was torn down in March to make way for the development, for which no timeline has been announced. For now, the land is a blank slate for Curb Coalition to create "new concepts capitalizing on the artistic essence of the neighborhood," Skanska said. Curb Market – Montrose will showcase offerings from traditional farmer’s markets such as produce, jams and jellies along with crafts by local artisans reflecting Houston's diversity. The products will include paintings, handmade jewelry, home goods, vintage clothing, holistic products and more. This weekend kicks off a soft opening, starting Friday and Saturday from 6-10 p.m. Night Market & Live Concerts will feature performances by local bands, a food truck court, crafts, drinks from local bars and other family-friendly activities such as yard games and face painting. On Sunday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.,Variety Market & Family Fun will bring a market, live acoustic music, brunch drinks and food offerings. Skanska is among a number of Houston developers that have sought to maximize land holdings before development commences. Midway's East River site is being used for Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema east of downtown and multifamily company Barvin hosts the Braeswood Farmers Market on Stella Link and Braeswood where a mixed-use development is planned starting next year.

Tanglewood developer plans $300 million, 33-story tower Katherine Feser, Staff writer The family of the founder of Houston’s prestigious Tanglewood neighborhood plans to build a $300 million, 33-story condominium tower on the community’s southern edge. The 1.3-acre site, at the northeast corner of Tanglewood Boulevard at San Felipe, currently houses the headquarters of Tanglewood Corp., a third-generation, family-run real estate venture founded by Tanglewood developer William G. Farrington. The ranch-style office building, which opened in 1949, the same year as the neighborhood, would be torn down to make way for the tower. “We’ve been incubating this wonderful corner for approximately 70 years,” said Kendall Miller, Farrington’s grandson, who lives in the house his grandfather built nearby. “The plan has evolved over the years, but has always been the new commercial idea of the moment.” The lot was set aside for commercial use in the original plans for Tanglewood, which opened in 1949 with with innovative “rambling ranch” style homes on spacious lots and curved streets named for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Tanglewood Tales. Residential lots in the neighborhood typically range from 1/4-acre to 3/4-acre, providing space for grand scale, multimillion-dollar houses that have replaced so many original homes in recent decades. The proposed condo tower replaces a plan for a previous development announced for the site. That project, a 20-story luxury tower with 230 units was to be marketed to residents aged 62 and up. It was to include amenities associated with Canyon Ranch, the well-known health and wellness resort. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Tanglewood-developer-plans-300-million-33-story-16380987.php That project, which sparked a lawsuit by the Tanglewood Homes Association seeking to restrict the scale of the development on the parcel, is no longer planned. The case is still pending, according to Miller. Tanglewood Homes Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The new condo building is designed to be compatible with the neighborhood and will adhere to deed restrictions, which were written by Tanglewood Corp., Miller said. It will have three levels of underground parking and be situated close to San Felipe with 60 feet between the building and houses to the north. He added that the project will have less than 30 percent of the impact on city services than a previous proposal for the site. “Tanglewood has on its periphery happily coexisted with more intense tall developments,” Miller said. “All parts of the area seem to be harmoniously working together.” Tanglewood Corp. will have an office at the new 1661 Tanglewood building, which also borders Sage Road. The company has also developed Post Oak Shopping Center at Westheimer and Post Oak Boulevard, which it sold in 2019; the Parkwood apartments, which were torn down to make way for a hospital on Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center’s McNair Campus; and built the Lamar River Oaks Shopping Center across from Lamar High School. At the earliest, the groundbreaking for 1661 Tanglewood could occur in early 2022, Miller said. He said the project would be about a year behind the Hawthorne, a 17-story condo building that Pelican Builders is preparing start construction on at 5656 San Felipe at Chimney Rock, less than a mile away. Miller said 1661 Tanglewood was being positioned to have international appeal, luring buyers from Mexico and South America as well as from surrounding neighborhoods. Prices have not be set, but are expected to begin near where the Hawthorne leaves off — or upward of $3 million, according to Miller. Most of the units will be more than 5,000 square feet, with some in the ballpark of 2,500 square feet and others topping 10,000 square feet. “We think our target buyer is someone who doesn’t necessarily want to downsize, but would like to move into a vertical estate in the sky with amenities and views and the ability to lock and leave with less maintenance than a house,” Miller said. Jackson & Ryan Architects designed the neo-classical style building with a granite-paved driveway, a guard house and porte cochere. A Venetian-inspired lobby will have inlaid marble and onyx ceilings. Rising 460 feet, the building would offer panoramic views of the city. The property will have full-time concierge services, doorman, smart-home technology, a skyline pool deck, exercise, social and business facilities and landscaped gardens. Miller said the scale of the building is on par with other Galleria-area condos such as Belfiore and Four Leaf Towers. katherine.feser@chron.com

They were in really bad shape, I got up close to them when I saw they were being torn down. Lots of neglect but if someone had taken care them they were very cool looking mid century buildings.

Hip soundtracks, ecelctic furnishings and luxurious touches combine for memorable experiences at Bunkhouse properties such as Hotel Saint Cecilia and Hotel San Jose in Austin, Hotel Havana in San Antonio and El Cosmico hotel in Marfa. Next, the Austin-based hospitality group will bring its design/music/community driven program to Houston at Hotel Saint Augustine, which is expected to open in fall 2023. “As with all Bunkhouse hotels, Hotel Saint Augustine will be deeply rooted with a sense of place,” said Amar Lalvani, CEO of Standard Hotels and Bunkhouse Group. “Houston is a vibrant, culturally rich city. We’re honored to be adjacent to the internationally renowned Menil Collection, an art museum that we adore.” The hotel will be located on the 4100 block of Loretto Drive, adjacent to the Menil Collection in Montrose, and will consist of 71 rooms on two floors, plus an event space, restaurant and bar. Lake / Flato architects will design the structure, Post Company will handle interiors, and the grounds will be designed by Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. The Marchbanks Company is the project’s developer. While Hotel Saint Augustine will be a new construction, other Bunkhouse projects have revived existing buildings, such as the 1956 motor court lodge in San Francisco that is now the Phoenix Hotel. In Marfa, its El Cosmico property includes trailers, teepees and yurts for overnight guests. diane.cowen@chron.com

DLR group is the architect of record.

I talked with a Memorial Conservancy employee back in May and he told me that they were on schedule and everything will finish at the end of 2022. The new Memorial road through the new tunnels will open at the end of 2021.

They still have it as one of their future projects on their web site. https://www.farshidmoussavi.com/node/452#ismaili_center_houston_452_2

At 1505 Saint Emanuel St., a former warehouse is being rebuilt and reimagined for the new home of Sekai Day and Night. Studio Five is overseeing the design of the 26K SF space. Elements will include a 36-foot main bar, 27 VIP tables and stadium-style seating, as well as a 1K SF resort pool with 16 cabanas, 17 VIP couches and 10 daybeds.

A permit to tear down this old house has been awarded.

They have the permits to start work.

Houston-based Sekai Hospitality plans to launch its first two venues this fall. Wyld Chld, a boutique night club, will take over the former benjy’s/The Classic space at 5922 Washington Ave. Designer Marc Dizon will handle renovations of the 7,500-square-foot space, plus a patio and rooftop terrace. East of downtown, Sekai Day and Night will offer a “festival-like feeling of sights and sounds” in a 26,000-square-foot space at 1505 Saint Emanuel. Egypt-based firm Studio Five is overseeing the design of the former warehouse, which will include a 36-foot main bar, 27 VIP tables and stadium-style seating, a resort pool with cabanas and other areas. Sekai Hospitality will host a job fair Aug. 16-18 at 1212 Waugh Drive in Montrose.

Taft, an online retailer of European-inspired men's footwear founded by Kory and Mallory Stevens, opened a Houston store in M-K-T Heights at 600 N. Shepherd. The shoes, which feature bold designs with intricate and ornate patterns, are made in Portugal and Spain. Taft has other brick-and-mortar stores in New York and Dallas.

Pelican Builders lines up financing for Galleria-area condo tower Katherine Feser, Staff writer Pelican Builders is preparing to break ground on the Hawthorne, a 17-story condominium tower in the Galleria area after securing construction financing. Acres Capital Corp. provided an $89 million construction loan to Pelican and its partner Ranman USA. The loan, originated by Drew Miller in the New York office, has an initial term of 36 months. The Hawthorne, located in the Tanglewood area near the Memorial Villages, will have 67 units ranging from 1,705 to more than 4,000 square feet. Amenities include a 67-foot lap pool surrounded by cabanas on the fifth floor, fitness center, resident lounge, dog park and washing station, guest suites available for rental, storage units, terrace spaces and 24-hour concierge service. The property has 164,546 net-sellable square feet with an additional 19,712 square feet of outdoor space, according to the lender. Kirksey Architecture designed the building and Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio is handling interiors. Construction, originally set for March 2020, is anticipated to begin in late August or early September. The Hawthorne will be Pelican's second condo project to break ground this year following the start of the Westmore, a 33-unit mid-rise in the Upper Kirby District, in January. Pelican has developed a dozen condo mid-rises and high-rises in Houston, starting with the Woodway in 1974. Steven Buchwald at Mission Capital Debt and Equity arranged the loan. "This was a challenging construction loan to arrange given that it fell amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Buchwald said. "Ultimately, it came down to having a great project and premier sponsorship." https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Pelican-Builders-lines-up-financing-for-newest-16369524.php#photo-18333752

Nelson Byrd Woltz / Landscape Architects have it on their web site under -Project List - Cultural Institutions, but the link can't be clicked on.

Both @Urbannizer and @MidCenturyMoldy posted possible renderings but they were asked to take them down.

The Bock Companies has moved this project to "Under Construction" on their web site.

The Block Companies has moved this project to "Under Construction" on their web site.

The Block construction company has moved this to "Under Construction" on their web site.

Forgot to turn on the Strava app till I got to Kirby and 59, probably about 3 miles more to add to the 19 I got.

The Rice Box on Shepherd.