MarathonMan

I think the recent work here was to install drainage pipes to prevent standing water in “Lake Midtown”.  If I had to guess, that is what the permit in the photo above references.  The drains are in and the back hoe and dozer on-site have been idle for the past couple of weeks.  Hopefully, the fact that they haven’t removed the equipment hints that they may be about to start using it again. . . to actually build this place.  On the other hand, why would they install drainage unless they don’t intend to do anything with the site for a long time?  Who knows?

I like this one.

2 hours ago, Reporter said:

Even with the stucco, this is a great looking tower. And I'm sure that is all RD is hearing from anyone that matters to him.

It’s certainly his best effort.  The texture of the facade and the shape of the tower are intriguing.  And the height of the residential portion relative to the podium makes the podium less intrusive.

The problem is with the design of the podium.  Of course you have to have parking in a building.  Catalyst wraps the parking garage with retail and residential units.  The parking is all but invisible.  Aris has GFR, plus the facade on the parking levels makes them look like occupied floors, which camouflages the parking and visually connects the ground level with the residential levels.  Both of these buildings “flow” nicely from the ground up.  RD has an unquestionable affinity for chunky, stark, vault-like podiums that make his buildings incohesive.

I disagree that those of us writing unflattering reviews of RD’s buildings are internet whiney boys or arm-chair quarterbacks.  Architecture is a combination of form and function.  There is an element of art in every building and some architects/developers simply do a better job artistically than others.  I don’t profess to be an expert on the design, engineering or economic constraints that impact the final product.  I understand that profit is the primary driver and impacts the aesthetics of a building.  But, as a consumer of the “public art” that is ultimately created once the cranes are down and the landscaping is in, I think I am as qualified as anyone to offer an opinion on a building’s look.  And I think that projects like Aris Market Square and Catalyst are much more pleasing than The Cosmopolitan, Marlowe and Astoria with their hulkingly conspicuous parking podiums that offer zero interaction with their surroundings.

1 hour ago, Twitter1 said:

It was all glass in the early renderings. Maybe that's it?

 

 

 

Yes, the early rendering’s exterior is much more cohesive.

This building is, by far, Randall Davis’s best effort to date.  However, the exterior seems off to me.  The way the glass/stucco portion transitions to all-glass looks weird — like it wasn’t thought out very well.  The two sections don’t blend together with any fluidity. What do y’all think? 

It completely astounds me that this hasn’t happened.  This is one of the most prime locations in this city.

21 hours ago, JLWM8609 said:

The Downtown Connector in Atlanta has a few intersections above it. They just construct a very wide bridge to accommodate the intersection https://goo.gl/maps/iU7kGxtXMby

Another contributor to the traffic is the two left lanes branching away to become Spur 527. You have people weaving to get over to 527 and people weaving from the left lanes to stay on 59/69. This would be a good opportunity for them to relocate the 527 exit to the right lanes. I went to one of the neighborhood meetings and suggested it, but one of the workers said they thought it couldn't be done. I think it could be done. There's enough space since there'll be the same number of lanes. The only difference which side the exit is on. It'd just be a shifting of lanes and structures in the same space. Since the freeway will be depressed, there won't be a need for a high flying flyover. I guess they also might want to keep the Spur 527 exit ramp and HOV ramp on one structure, and having a Spur 527 exit from the right side would mean two separate structures.

I don’t think it’s people jockeying for lane position that slows 59 down here.  59 inbound gets stacked up past Kirby every day because two lanes become dedicated to the Spur 527 exit, effectively bottlenecking the “through lanes” on 59, a major freeway, from five lanes to three at the spur.  It’s the most insanely stupid design of a freeway I’ve ever seen!  It looks like they address the issue in the redesign.

I really wish Randall Davis would design/build a parking podium that is less conspicuous.  Yes, it may cost more, but it would be soooo worth it aesthetically. 

Why are we talking about HISD schools on this thread???

On 2/18/2018 at 6:45 PM, Twinsanity02 said:

Around the immediate perimeter of the park I believe only one plot is left, a surface parking lot between Embassy Suites and OPP. 

These renderings are beautiful!  A development that is architecturally unique, innovative and striking!  Uncommon in Houston.  I was in New York City recently.  There are scads of new, beautiful buildings there that would literally define the skyline of any other city.  In New York, though, they are “run of the mill”.  The Caydon renderings, along with Kirby Collection and 2929 Wesleyan, give me hope that we may be inching slowly in that direction.

I don’t mind the lighter brick when it’s new.  I don’t like it once it gets stained.

Running by this building today, I noticed that several sections of brick (under various windows) are gone from the north and west sides of The Southmore.  They either fell out or were removed.  Strange.  Anyone know what the issue is?

Tower crane going up today!

This is definitely on pace to deliver before Dolce Living down the street.

4 minutes ago, hindesky said:

I saw the fencing and trailers yesterday too and thought the same thing about the Camden building but the Red Cross was using this block for a staging yard during Harvey recovery and I wondered if they were just finally moving out?

No.  They’re definitely moving equipment in.  

4 minutes ago, H-Town Man said:

 

Houston architecture enthusiasts appreciate this post.

 

Anything happening on Block 98? (block west of Marriott Marquis)?

 

5 minutes ago, H-Town Man said:

 

Houston architecture enthusiasts appreciate this post.

 

Anything happening on Block 98? (block west of Marriott Marquis)?

 

Nope.

Block 346 — staging.

I have a feeling that was a joke... The Camden project has been going on for awhile!  Will they ever finish???