MarathonMan

I like it!

4 hours ago, terra002 said:

where is this going to be built?

McGowan between Austin and Caroline.

Based on the renderings, I assume it will be like Catalyst:  podium parking garage wrapped in apparements/retail to make the podium all but invisible.  Smart design! 

EDIT: Renderings removed at the demand of Large arts in Collingwood, Australia.  —Editor

Yes, the little building is becoming the construction office.  The Nouveau Antique Bar is a separate building on the other side of the block.  The sign is for parking, I believe.    

Nowadays, it seems like most people want to avoid direct sun, anyway...

58 minutes ago, UtterlyUrban said:

OPP is a block.

 

i didn't realize that this apartment building was a block and a half.  Thank you.

But OPP's four parking levels include resident and Phoenicia parking, too.

The footprint of the building is roughly a block and a half.  That's huge.  You can fit a lot of cars per level with that kind of base square footage.  The buildings you reference as comparisons have many floors and a smaller footprint, which would require more levels of parking to accommodate the same number of cars.

The tower looks much slimmer than the rendering.  Very different.

I just drove past the site.  The Whole Food sections of the fence have definitely been removed.  No sign of Whole Foods at all.

I agree that a project like this adds a nice finishing touch to the area.  I just hope they maintain it so that it stays looking nice...

Was this one of Midtown's projects for the Super Bowl?  They like to cut it close, eh?

Midtown sat on that parcel for AGES before actually moving forward on the project.  Then, once they did begin construction, it progressed too slowly.  Only after it was too late did they throw huge crews on the site to try to finish on time.  And because it's become a rush job, we'll probably be left with shoddy workmanship.  

This project is just one example of Midtown's deficiency in the capital project management department.  They've been advertising a Caroline Street re-do for years with zero progress to-date.  Bagby park took ages to complete.  Improvements to Baldwin Park a couple of years ago were underwhelming, at best.  The lighting "improvements" there are already trashed.  

Disappointing......

GREAT pictures!!!  This place is really nice!

10 hours ago, quietstorm said:

Houston -- constantly rebuilding itself.

Isn't this Aris Tower at Market Square?

Drove by today.  Back hoe was on site with a pile of debris in the parking lot next to the building.  Hopefully demo is beginning in earnest!

I agree that the "Superblock" park Is not turning out very super in size.  It will be nice, but I think the project could have been better if they shifted the apartment development all the way north to McGowen.  I don't understand how the open space north of the apartments will be used when the project is complete.  

On a side note, in my opinion Baldwin Park is Midtown's crown jewel green space.  The true Superblock Park of the neighborhood.  Yet, it's all but forgotten by Midtown Management.  Their motto seems to be, "If it's east of Main Street, it doesn't exist."

What's the deal with the leasing office?  Is it going to stay?  I can't tell if it'll be razed eventually and filled in with the tower or if it'll be an awkward-looking neighbor.  I hope it's the former.

I'd assert that an Uptown development would have little impact on development progress in or near Midtown.  Each appeals to a somewhat unique market.  Someone looking to live in Midtown is interested in a more urban, pedestrian lifestyle with better public transport (i.e. Light rail).  Uptown offers a very different experience.   

He may be referring to the yellow panels on the parking podium...

12 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

 

4 in the GRB itself.  Plus another in the Partnership Tower.  Plus 6 more in the Marriott Marquis.  3 in the Hilton Americas. (I'm including cafés and such).  2 in Discovery Green.  Brasserie du Parc, Hearsay on the Green,  Total in Convention area: approximately 18

WOW!!  It will be interesting to see if this relatively small area can support so many eateries in the near term.  It's a big influx all at once.  Hopefully more residential towers follow...