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MarathonMan

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Everything posted by MarathonMan

  1. MarathonMan
    I run through downtown several times a week and check out the progress of developments along the way. It seems like the new residential developments downtown are filling up fast -- Skyhouse, 500 Crawford, Block 334. Question on for debate: While the Houston market as a whole may be saturated, could the downtown sub-market be far from saturation since it's population density is so low to begin with? I'd submit that downtown is catching the eye of more and more people. It's got a lot to offer and I think will be close to critical mass as current under-construction projects deliver. Retail will surge and additional residential will follow. Seems to me like downtown is low-risk for financiers and developers.
  2. MarathonMan
    Hanover does it right. This is a beautiful development!
  3. MarathonMan
    This building is going to be beautiful! I love the fact that the parking is hidden.
  4. MarathonMan
    The port-a-potties have been there for months. The site has been stagnant, save the Damian's Cucina Italiana trucks that park there, since Rosalie St. was closed.
  5. MarathonMan
    Agreed! Weights and Measures, Thien An Sandwiches are close to this block and do very well. A well-managed coffee shop and/or other business could do very well here, especially with the continued residential development in the vacinity. It seems like not adding retail is a lost opportunity. McGowan, in general, could be a nice little retail business strip if people give it a chance. On a side note, the pool seems I'll-placed on the north side...
  6. MarathonMan
    Ugh! Is it really too difficult to design a parking podium that enhances, or at least blends with, the rest of the building?
  7. MarathonMan
    Based on the rendering, isn't there a structural element to go above the top full floor? Would that postpone any tree ceremony?
  8. MarathonMan
    I don't really care to quibble over semantics. There was a publication that specifically mentioned a November start date, but after a quick search I couldn't find it. But, yes, technically you are correct. It doesn't mention November in the link I posted.
  9. MarathonMan
    http://caydon.com.au/portfolio-newsletter-overview-from-joe-russo/
  10. MarathonMan
    November was the start time the developer mentioned in an article published in March. January is the updated start time, as stated in the July publication.
  11. MarathonMan
    Is it a tax issue that's driving large corporations out of downtown? Or, do they just not like the downtown environment?
  12. MarathonMan
    HSPVA
  13. MarathonMan
    American Liberty Hospitality. Aren't they the folks who just put up the Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites downtown? Should be interesting to see how this project looks when complete!
  14. MarathonMan
    Is it just me, or is this project moving along reeeeeeally slowly?
  15. MarathonMan
    The former.
  16. MarathonMan
    Nice building above the parking podium. However, the podium ruins it for me. It is a hulking, disproportionately large vault that completely cuts the building off from it's surroundings. Classier, but not unlike Randall Davis's typical fare. Fail!
  17. MarathonMan
    I'd submit that Phoenicia requires a higher education level than Trader Joe's, and it's thriving downtown.
  18. MarathonMan
    I look at it this way:. Yes, an installation like Cloud Gate would be tough to maintain in Buffalo Bayou Park (although Hermann Park would be a perfect place for something like that). But we've built a myriad of bridges over the bayou, we have The Dunlavy at Lost Lake and a host of major downtown buildings a stone's throw from the bayou. We can easily engineer something truly grand, that stirs the imagination, draws big crowds and captures the attention of the world beyond southeast Texas while being able to withstand flooding at the same time. And there is plenty of money in this town to make it happen. I think the greatest barrier to accomplishing something iconic is Houston's mindset. Consciously or not, we seem to prefer to fly under the radar. We'll take the small "I ❤️ Houston" sign along the feeder on I-10 while LA has "HOLLYWOOD". Mind you, I understand that we don't have hills to pull off the same thing here, but hopefully you get my point...
  19. MarathonMan
    Yes... The Bean is pretty cool!!
  20. MarathonMan
    I think your use of the term "iconic" best reflects what I meant in my comment. Yes, Heritage Plaza and the Bank of America Building are very nice buildings, but I'd submit they are not iconic. Someone not from Houston or someone who's not an architecture buff would have a hard time coming up with "Houston" when shown a photo of these buildings. In my mind the Williams Tower is the closest thing we have to an iconic structure. It's a beautiful building, yes, but what makes it lean iconic is its monumental presence in a sea of small boxes.
  21. MarathonMan
    This is interesting, although I wonder if Houston will ever erect something really bold, on such a grand scale that it becomes a defining element of the city (e.g. The Space Needle, Golden Gate Bridge, CN Tower, Eiffel Tower, Hancock Center, Empire State Building, or The Shard in London -- although that's relatively new). Something that, when people see it, they immediately think, "Houston!" It seems to me that most architectural projects in this city are quite understated.
  22. MarathonMan
    My money's on "heiress"
  23. MarathonMan
    I completely agree. Palm ends at Main and it is blocked off from through traffic one block east, at Fannin, because of the light rail. It's essentially a one-block-long dead street that wouldn't be missed if it were gone. Boneheaded move on the part of the neighborhood and city. I hope this doesn't jeopardize the project. That would be a big loss to that area, which would see a huge improvement if this development is realized.
  24. MarathonMan
    Actually, yes. I do think the streetscape has an impact on the aesthetic of a building. The building exists in harmony with its surroundings.
  25. MarathonMan
    Actually, it looks to me quite similar to the rendering. Not as much contrast in the facade's colors, but I think it will look nice when the package is complete. It's location on the newly redone Dallas St. takes it up a notch or two, too.
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