MarathonMan

Uptown/Galleria just doesn’t seem set up to be walkable, even as future development occurs.  It isn’t designed like Downtown, Midtown, Museum District, or even Montrose for walkability.

The completion of this project is truly laughable.  Caydon, across the street, completed their Drewery Place streetscape in about a week.

12 hours ago, gclass said:

^^^ they have been hard at work on this facility for months and months.  right?  therefore, how is it that the OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING is due to commence on 19 july 2019?  isn't this a bit strange...?

I’ll take it one step further. . . How can they have a groundbreaking ceremony at all?  There is no ground to break.  The building already exists.  This is a renovation.

12 hours ago, Texasota said:

Next step: get rid of that CVS.

Yes — Replace it with a CVS on the ground floor of a mixed use high rise! 😁

To me, Lovett is trying to make a quick buck by doing a quick-turnaround, relatively cheap warehouse makeover and selling it as a state-of-the-art pushing-the-envelop urban space.  It is typical for Houston developers.  Safe, unimaginative, and unmemorable.  I think it’s comical (or sad, depending on how you look at it) that the most aggressive innovator in this city is from Australia!  

This building is going to look really nice when finished.  I was worried about it’s close proximity to Hanover Montrose, but as I look at it now I think they did a great job positioning it so that there is minimal interference.  The angle on the east face helps to protect Hanover’s views to the south. 

1 hour ago, Avossos said:

 

You sure? I thought there was a few more floors to go?

From the pictures above, it looks like they’re pouring the columns for the 37th floor.  The elevator shaft looks at least a couple of floors above that.  Assuming I counted right, that would put the elevator shaft at or very close to the top.

ROD is maturing very nicely.  Great additions!  And, while it’s just a stone’s throw away, I am MUCH more inclined to dine at ROD than The Galleria.

The elevator shaft on HRO should be topped out by now.  I thought This Tower would look significantly taller than 2727 Kirby, but it doesn’t to me.  2727 must have some high ceilings.

This building is turning out to be really cool!  I like the “G’DAY MATE” nod to down under.  Such a boost for Midtown!  Looking forward to Phase II to take shape next year. 😁

On 6/17/2019 at 11:03 AM, Luminare said:

 

My feeling is that if this portion is being funded by Midtown TIRZ then there are all kinds of hands being put into this one that has slowed this process down. Probably a case of "too many cooks in the kitchen".

I agree.  Midtown TIRZ has a good vision, but their project management skills are DISMAL!  The Caroline Street re-do was delayed for years and is now under way but going so slowly that it should be done by 2030.  It’s truly mind-boggling!

5 hours ago, mfastx said:

Great street level design, nicely done. 

The sidewalks are really nice,  but the trees are soooooo close to the building.  They can only branch out in one direction.

Note: In the title of this thread, the proper name of the owner is “Zadok” Jewelers, not Zodak.

Why wouldn’t they have shifted the apartment building all the way up to McGowan, thus allowing for a larger Midtown Park?  Just a thought.

Looks good!

Too bad. . . I like Dolce Vita.

6 hours ago, HOUCAJUN said:

I agree it's a weird site now but this will be a prime spot in the future after Mcnair development. Sometimes it takes developments to long to come to fruition here. Frustrating.

I keep seeing comments about the McNair development and how the two together will transform this area.  Question #1:  Will the McNair development really have enough presence to make a Hard Rock Hotel not seem out-of-place?  Question #2:  Are they really in close enough proximity to complement each other? 

Yay!  Brick instead of stucco!

This is THE most random place for a “destination” hotel.  The obvious place to put a Hard Rock Hotel would be near Discovery Green/Toyota Center/Minute Maid/GRB.  

3 hours ago, H-Town Man said:

 

There were certainly old storefront buildings on the site before the garage.

 

Google Earth's 1944 aerial shows about four buildings where the garage was later built.

 

3 hours ago, H-Town Man said:

 

There were certainly old storefront buildings on the site before the garage.

 

Google Earth's 1944 aerial shows about four buildings where the garage was later built.

 

One- or two-story storefronts wouldn’t have much of a foundation.  Likely they were completely removed during construction of the parking garage.

4 minutes ago, H-Town Man said:

 

Everyone ready to watch some old basements get chipped away?  Hopefully not, but it looked like there were some outlines in the dirt in one of the pics above. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst...

 

I bet it’s a clean dig.  The foundation for the parking garage can’t be too substantial.  And I doubt there was much of anything on the site before the garage.  Whatever IS there, Hines definitely won’t have the same epic task they had with the Texas Tower prep!!!

The interior design here is STUNNING!  I wouldn’t normally go to The Galleria for a meal — too much of a hassle with traffic and parking — but for this space and my love for Indian cuisine, I’d make an exception!

On downtownhouston.org the timeline for this project is removed.  It’s anyone’s guess when it breaks ground.

1 hour ago, pm91 said:

tear down the greyhound station 

That would arguably be the best possible thing that could happen to Midtown right now.