hindesky

https://realtynewsreport.com/new-houston-hotel-opens-as-lodging-market-rebounds/ Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the grand opening.

Frost Town Brewing underway in downtown Houston By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal Apr 1, 2021, 6:52pm EDT A new craft brewery is in the works in the northeast corner of downtown Houston. Frost Town Brewing, at 100 N. Jackson, will have a 9,100-square-foot taproom with indoor seating, a 10,000-square-foot outdoor beer garden with rotating food trucks and a second-story mezzanine available for private parties, according to Central Houston Inc. The mezzanine space will be around 2,250 square feet, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. "Our downtown location in the historic Frost Town neighborhood places us just down the street from the first breweries in the city," the brewery's website states. "(Frost Town Brewing's) locally inspired brews are a celebration of Houstonians, past and present. They're drinkable craft lagers and ales meant to be shared with friends in our communal space. We hope to welcome y'all soon!" On its social media accounts, the brewery states that the area called Frost Town was established in 1837 and was home to some of the first commercial breweries in the city. "Nowadays, this area of downtown has been largely paved over with highways," the social media post states. "There’s a living history of Frost Town underneath the surface, and we were fortunate to uncover some with the help of the Houston Archeological Society. We discovered brick rainwater cisterns, ceramic and glass artifacts, and old foundations for the former occupants of the lot." John Sorensen is one of the brewery's owners, according to the TDLR filing and confirmed by the company. Fehr Grossman Architects in Houston is the design firm listed on the TDLR filing. Houston-based Mission Constructors Inc. signs are posted at the construction site, according to photos on the HAIF architectural forum, which show demolition work on the site was completed last summer. The site formerly housed American Engine & Grinding Co., according to photos posted on the now-defunct Swamplot blog and HAIF. A brewery has been planned for the site since at least 2018, per Swamplot. The TDLR filing lists the project's start date as July 1, 2020, and its end date as Oct. 31, 2021. The cost of the project is nearly $2.58 million, according to the TDLR filing.

Good find @Highrise Tower https://www.frosttownbrew.com https://www.instagram.com/frosttownbrew/?hl=en

Taken from Roy St. in the lower Heights by reddit u/Odlavso. Apparently a truck carrying luxury cars got high centered on the tracks and a train t-boned the trailer. Traffic is supposed to really bad in the area.

From reddit u/elfslistentodubstep

Goodbye Ritual, Hello Korean Barbecue DELICIOUS CONCEPTS ON TUESDAY ANNOUNCED that Ritual will end its run at 602 Studewood after Sunday service. But the space won’t be dormant for long—the company will unveil a new concept, Mapojeong Galbijib, in its place around the end of May. Mapojeong Galbijib is a Korean barbecue concept with table-side grilling service. It aims to feature only Prime proteins with an in-house dry aging program, along with house-made kimchi and banchan. “We wanted to create a guest experience that blends the best of my travels to Seoul and my time growing up in L.A.’s Koreatown with a modern attitude and approach,” said Bridge in a press release. Since 2016, Ritual has deftly produced Southern comfort fare inside very trendy environs.

https://realtynewsreport.com/skanska-adding-montrose-kroger-site-to-westheimer-project-no-comment/

Guys I talked to said it was going to be downscaled to 16 stories high, bottom 6 floors will be parking so I don't think it's going to be a wrap. There isn't enough space for a wrap. The other renditions posted here are no longer in play, one was when Hines was going to build here and the other was a possible rendition when Modera first purchased the lots.

Voodoo Doughnut opens Montrose location this week The new Voodoo Doughnut includes "a special velvet painting created just for the neighborhood" that depicts film director Wes Anderson, a Houston native.. (Courtesy Voodoo Doughnut) Portland-based doughnut shop Voodoo Doughnut will open its second Houston and 11th national location this week in Montrose. “We are super excited to open our second Houston location in Montrose, and have taken the opportunity to do a few things that make the shop really special,” Voodoo Doughnut CEO Chris Schultz said in a release. “From the one-of-a-kind doodle art mural to the New Orleans-inspired chandeliers and a special velvet painting created just for the neighborhood, you will see things not found in any other doughnut shop—it is a sight to see.” The painting depicts Houston-native film director Wes Anderson with icons representing the neighborhood. On March 31, the shop will open for 24/7 service at 1214 Westheimer Road, and a portion of first-day sales will be donated to The Montrose Center. Voodoo is planning to open three more stores in 2021, which could include further expansion in the Houston market, according to a company spokesperson. www.voodoodoughnut.com https://communityimpact.com/houston/heights-river-oaks-montrose/impacts/2021/03/30/voodoo-doughnut-opens-montrose-location-this-week/?type=article&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=newsletter_article ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Voodoo Doughnut opens new Montrose location today The doughnut brand known for its many flavors and cult-like following brings second location to Houston with 24-hour service The doughnut brand that caused a sensation when it first opened in Houston in 2020 now has a new sister property opening today, March 31, in Montrose. Voodoo Doughnut, the Portland, Ore.-based business known for its clever frostings and flavors, is now open at 1214 Westheimer with 24-hour service to feed around-the-clock doughnut cravings. “We are super excited to open our second Houston location in Montrose, and have taken the opportunity to do a few things that make the shop really special,” said company CEO Chris Schultz. Those special touches include a velvet painting unique to any of its other stores and New Orleans-inspired chandeliers. Founded in 2003, Voodoo Doughnut offers more than 50 flavor options. The company opened its ninth location in Houston at 3715 Washington in January 2020; the Montrose store is the 11th location. Voodoo plans to open three additional stores this year. A portion of grand opening day sales will be donated to The Montrose Center. https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/dining/voodoo-doughnut-opens-new-montrose-location-today-16066206

Cafe Leonelli, the long-awaited Houston debut of Michelin Star chef Jonathan Benno, will open April 16 at the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, according to an announcement on Tuesday. The cafe will focus on traditional Italian cuisine, producing house-made focaccia, sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, and meat and seafood fare. Also look for Italian pastries from executive pastry chef Salvatore Martone and an outpost of Miami-based ice cream shop Frohzen. Cafe Leonelli will have indoor and outdoor seating. :From Houstonia

Only 2 tower cranes left, the crane over the western large building was removed. The crane that took it down is being shipped out.

Bavarian Machine Specialist is coming down.

@Urbannizer While I like this better I thought that Adjaye Associates already won the design or has that changed?

Rice announces major expansion of student body and campus Brittany Britto, Staff writer March 29, 2021Updated: March 29, 2021 7:47 p.m. Rice University plans to increase its student body to 9,000 and to expand the campus footprint as well, officials said Monday. The private Houston university’s board of trustees approved a plan that will scale up the number of students annually over five years, and by fall 2025 increase the full-time teaching faculty by nearly 50. The number of undergraduate students will rise by 20 percent, to 4,800 by fall 2025, according to a release. And the number of graduate students is also expected to grow, which will bring total enrollment to around 9,000 students. Officials predict that the expansion and higher enrollment will help the university create a more diverse campus, recruit more talented faculty for teaching and research, and will create a larger alumni network across the world. “The overall strategic plan is to increase both the opportunities Rice provides and the impact that it has on the world — nationally, in our state and locally,” Rice President David Leebron said, but he added that officials have taken into consideration how large the small private university should be. “Rice does have a distinctive sense of community and culture,” he said Monday, “and when we plan this, we’re very careful about how to plan and still preserve Rice’s sense of community, student experience and the Rice culture — the trilogy.” The physical expansion on the college’s 300 acres, will include a 12th residential college, a new engineering building, a building for the visual and dramatic arts, and a new student center that will largely replace the Rice Memorial Center. All of the projects will be an investment of around $300 million, Leebron said. The three-story, 80,000-square-foot student center will be designed by the international architectural firm Adjaye Associates, the same firm that designed the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The university chose the firm after a competition, during which they narrowed it down to three firms and chose Adjaye Associates for its bold, creative design, Leebron said. The center will include a multicultural center and a variety of gathering and event spaces. The university plans to break ground on the center in the first quarter of next year. Rice’s projected growth follows two decades of expansion at the college and a surge in applications. Applications for admissions increased by about 75 percent over the last four years, with a particular spike following the university’s launch of the Rice Investment in 2018. The financial aid program offers a range of assistance to undergraduates with family incomes up to $200,000. Applications for the Fall 2021 semester alone totaled 29,519, which a university spokesman noted, is a 26 percent increase from last year. Enrollment at Rice has increased by 80 percent over the past 20 years and undergraduate enrollment, by 35 percent between 2005 and 2013. Leebron said the university did its first strategic expansion under his presidency between 2006 and 2010, which has helped the school receive more applications from international and national students and increase enrollment and visibility of the institution. “We also dramatically increased diversity on our campus, and we were able to extend the benefits of a Rice education to many more students. As before, we must undertake this expansion carefully in order to assure that we retain the best aspects of Rice culture, student experience and sense of community,” Leebron said. Describing the initial expansion under his presidency as successful, Leebron said the college began having conversations about expanding again about two years ago. And as with other expansions, the university has carefully considered how large the small private university should be, Leebron said. The university also announced its first undergraduate major in business, which will be offered this fall, and will grow its online presence, starting with two online-only master’s degrees and additional programs coming within the next two years. brittany.britto@chron.com https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/Rice-announces-expansion-of-student-body-campus-16061366.php

Racing to Save the Astrodome HOUSTON – (By Cynthia Lescalleet for Realty News Report) – Beloved and sometimes bemoaned, Houston’s Astrodome is a landmark in search of a viable legacy – for all to share. Astrodome Conservancy is spearheading efforts to raise awareness of its dual mission: stewardship and partnerships in both preserving and redeveloping the aging iconinto something sustainable and truly accessible. Toward that — and as part of a fresh public engagement campaign by the organization, an inaugural virtual Race for the Dome invites participants to get active (literally) in supporting efforts to create a vibrant future for the long-languishing property.The shuttered asset is owned by Harris County and looms silently in tandem with NRG Stadium. Held April 2-11 Astrodome Conservancy’s upcoming event offers a spot on format for these socially distanced times in that registrants can independently run, walk, bike, hike, hop, scoot, skate and so forth a 5K race. That’s a distance equal to about eight laps around the 8thWonder of the World, organizers say. As presented in registration materials: “Your race. Your route. Your schedule. Your Pace.” Meanwhile, the first 200 registrants get special access to onsite laps on April 10 and the first 500 receive some snazzy dome sunglasses. A stewardship and advocacy organization founded in 2016, Astrodome Conservancy is aware of the landmark’s history but is focused on securing its future, said Beth Wiedower Jackson, executive director. As such, the conservancy raises private funds and seeks partnerships to support efforts to move the county closer toward “a viable, sustainable and more accessible” use for the Dome. The property was designated a Texas State Antiquities Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission in 2017 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Structurally sound, it’s not going anywhere, Jackson said. Its next generation, however, remains a progression of ideas, due diligence — and funding. The conservancy has raised $1.5 million to date to support its mission of awareness and economic redevelopment via innovative partnerships. Creative programming – such as a virtual race — is part of that package. Thinking Outside the Dome While a partnership between public and private sectors has netted successful development and redevelopment of civic and cultural assets for the City of Houston, such as Discovery Green, the approach is new idea for county entities to navigate, Jackson said. Another hybrid example — on a grander scale — is a network of underutilized infrastructure transformed into new urban spaces, such as the Hemisfair’s redeveloped 40-acre campus in San Antonio and Park Avenue Armory’s repurposing as a cultural hub in New York City. Times Changed and Still Changing Architects Hermon Lloyd & W.B. Morgan and Wilson plus local firm Morris, Crain & Anderson designed the concrete and columned Astrodome during Houston’s Space Age civic mojo. It was go-go years brash. It was a mid-century bunker. It was often copied. When it opened with a Houston Astros game on April 9, 1965, Houston’s domed stadium ranked as the first enclosed, air-conditioned sports arena, with nine acres under its roof. While the ceiling rises 18 stories inside, three levels sit below grade for a tidy scale above the sea of parking lot. During its glory days, the Astrodome was a home for Houston sports teams, championships and exhibition games; a venue for the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and equipment-laden Offshore Technology Conference; and echoing hall for the 1992 Republican National Convention. By 2002, when Reliant Stadium opened, Dome use had dwindled, though it did yeoman’s duty housing Hurricane Katrina evacuees. By 2009, it was shuttered. Now is an ideal time for working behind the scenes and taking a private funding approach to support possible project development, Jackson said. And, like the 5K race, to get things moving. https://realtynewsreport.com/racing-to-save-astrodome-a-run-at-redevelopment/

Howdy Hot Chicken is bringing its fiery fried chicken sandwiches, wraps, loaded fries and more to a new location at 3520 S. Shepherd Drive. The restaurant, whose ingredients are 100% Halal, opened a Sugar Land location in July. An opening date for the Montrose-area location has not been announced. www.howdyhotchicken.com

The North Houston area brewery Southern Yankee Beer Co. is developing a new concept called Southern Yankee Crafthouse at 1312 W. Alabama St., Houston. The restaurant will serve Southern Yankee brews and other drink options along with wood-fired dishes. According to social media posts, the former Good Dog location is being renovated to add more outdoor seating, including a covered patio. An opening date has not been announced. www.facebook.com/soyankcrafthouse

Homes Slice is back on for their Houston expansion after the Covid set back plans. Austin-based Home Slice Pizza confirmed plans in March that it will open its first Houston location at 3701 Travis St., in Midtown sometime this fall. The location will primarily serve to-go and delivery orders, including its signature walk-up window that stays open late, but it will also have a large patio space and a handful of indoor dine-in booths. www.homeslicepizza.com

Shoulder is getting better so I tried a short ride. First thing up is chasing a Bike Tag, I've been letting some very easy ones slip out of my hands cause the shoulder has been hurting. Bike Tag was near the Orange Show and knew where it was so I had to get it before someone else did.

Work continues.

Work has started, looks like sewer catch basins and concrete precast walls being unloaded.