TexasStar

Sorry, I thought you were just making fun of the fact that the rail alignment is anything but obvious in that diagram.

Nice! I love this shot with the idyllic, meandering stream. Is it open for recreation? I'm always amazed when I see a picture of ONE SHELL PLAZA almost dwarfed. For a tower that is 714 feet tall to look so relatively small really brings home the terrific scale of the Houston skyline.

Thanks, Gary. And actually, I figured you guys would really appreciate the "scant" 100 miles remark, since one can probably drive that far in a straight line in Houston and never get out of the city limits.

Don't give up the day job.

Just a scant 100 miles west of Dallas (70 miles west of FW) lies this beautiful lake and the Cliffs Resort. Who says the DFW area lacks natural beauty? People who don't get out and explore, that's who. That's right, a beach, sand and all. And you can take all the "dam" pictures you want. Yes, those little dots are cattle and that's one BIG ranch.

A big blue dot in a sea of red.

Sometimes you find some interesting things on weekend roadtrips. Just a short 60-mile drive west of Ft.Worth on US Hwy 180, is the tiny town of Mineral Wells (pop. 8000). There stands what must be the largest structure of any kind in a city that small. http://TexasStar.smugmug.com/photos/105333039-L.jpg The Baker was built by hotel magnate T. B. Baker. He already owned the Baker in Dallas and the Saint Anthony in San Antonio. http://TexasStar.smugmug.com/photos/105333080-L.jpg The Baker was modeled after the Arlington Hotel which still operates in Hot Springs, Arkansas - also built by Wyatt Hendrick. The Baker opened it's doors just two weeks after the stock market crash of 1929. It filed for bankruptcy in 1932, but new owners kept the building open. It served as military dependent quarters from 1941 to 1944 and remained open until 1963. http://TexasStar.smugmug.com/photos/105333100-L.jpg It reopened briefly from 1965-1972 but the doors have been shut since then. http://TexasStar.smugmug.com/photos/105333103-L.jpg Historical Source: TexasEscapes.com

I find statements like this a little curious. Why does it concern you that an older office building may be left vacant by the construction of a newer one? Last time I checked, this is a free market economy. Are you suggesting that a developer who is absolutely certain a market exists for his product should voluntarily refrain from providing it because it may hurt the leasing prospects of a competitor down the street? That sounds a bit like those irritating auto radio ads where the obnoxious announcer says that they can't disclose our low, low prices because it may hurt the business of our competitors. Entities that lease office space operate in a competitive market, just like anyone else. If that market is no longer interested in your product. (ie. your building) then like any other manager, you make the changes you need in order to compete, or you go out of business. (Demolition, conversion, abandonment). This process works perfectly, whether you're talking about widgets or office space. Welcome to America! Hubba, hubba!

Uptown skyline set to gain new high-rise Saint Ann Court will be built between Crescent and Victory 10:40 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News Developers plan to break ground in January on what will be the tallest office tower yet in Dallas' booming Uptown district. The 27-story Saint Ann Court will include 320,000 square feet of luxury office space plus restaurants and shops. Harwood International hopes that its elaborate architecture can set the Saint Ann Court apart in an Uptown office market that is becoming crowded. The glass and masonry tower will be constructed between the Crescent and the Victory project and will take about 18 months to build, officials with developer Harwood International said Wednesday. "Our building will have 17 stories of office space above 10 floors of parking," said Harwood International founder and CEO Gabriel Barbier-Mueller. "We are now talking with several tenants who are interested in the building." Rents in the building will start at $32 per square foot. That compares with about $23 on average in Uptown. "We just did a lease for $37 in our Harwood International Center IV building, and we are full," said Mr. Barbier-Mueller. Since starting in 1984 with the Rolex Building, Harwood International has constructed just under 1 million square feet of office space along McKinnon Street in Uptown. The Saint Ann Court tower will be on an adjoining block at Harry Hines Boulevard and Moody Street. The developer has owned the land since 1999. The property includes the historic Saint Ann's school building, which Harwood International plans to include in its project. The oldest part of the school was built in 1927. Harwood International plans to use parts of the old Catholic school as restaurant, retail and art gallery space. "We want it to be an amenity center, not just for our building, but the entire neighborhood," Mr. Barbier-Mueller said. Architects for the high-rise include Chicago-based Perkins & Will and Dallas' BOKA Powell. Mr. Barbier-Mueller said the top seven floors of the office tower have been designed for high-end tenants that want deluxe, secure offices. "At the top we have smaller spaces and penthouses," ranging from 6,000 to 14,000 square feet, he said. "We are putting in outside terraces with fireplaces and patios. "There will be a grove of trees on the 27th floor." Those offices are being targeted to financial, professional services and legal firms

Won't matter when it's covered by a Park.

Quite possibly RedScare's best post ever in the DFW subforum. You provide an excellent analysis of what may happening. in DTD (and all without referring to tumbleweeds.) I would only add that Steve Brown, the DMN Real Estate columnist, has complained that the space in converted office buildings has not come yet come off published vacancy rates. So I think it's hard right now to get a feel for how all this will shake out. Another 5 years or so may tell the story. For both Dallas and Houston.

From Steve Brown's Dallas Morning News Real Estate Column, Sept 28th, 2006: "Nearby at the Victory complex, developers Hillwood and Hines are preparing to break ground on the 400,000-square-foot One Victory Park office tower. The building has drawn interest from downtown law firms and financial companies, real estate brokers say." The House

^ Thanks, RedScare. Hopefully it gets off the ground soon.

Since this was intended as a Houston Pavilions/Dallas Victory comparison thread it seems the best place to ask one question that has occurred to me: While Victory is surging forward with newly-completed components, climbing tower cranes, and more ground breakings in coming weeks. Where is Pavilions? Have they broken ground? Have they finalized the design? Or are we still comparing steel and concrete to smoke? No negativity intended, mind you. This could be a great project for Houston. Just curious.

We embrace our naked boosterism.

It was just a joke. You don't have to be a d#ck about it.

I suppose we can all read the same article and draw different conclusions. I can see how someone can look at the published vacancy rates and question the effects of new office construction. But, my layman's viewpoint comes from working every single day in Downtown Dallas and seeing the increasing activity and energy over the past five years. The improvement since 2001 is simply stunning. It's seems clear to me that all the activity across Woodall Rogers will enhance Downtown, not hurt it. Moreover, I see it as an extension of Downtown, not something separate and apart.

Yeah, lets. Especially if we're going to bring Atlanta into it.

No, I think he was just saying DART is better than what Houston has. Seeing as how you guys are so much into comparisons.

I'm glad most Texans aren't as pessimistic as you are, RedScare. In the city I was born in, New Orleans, they took that approach for years and as a result they watched Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta leave them in the dust. Thankfully, Dallas developers are still prone to taking a few chances. I'm also glad that, historically, the optimists seem to outnumber the pessimists in Dallas, in Houston, and all over Texas. That's why this state is as great as it is.

No, but you get to watch it on TV.

Labor Day Weekend 2006 The 53-Story Place St.Charles towers over Royal Street From the Future Jax Brewery Condominiums The Mighty Mississippi and the Port of New Orleans The Home of Mr. Bingle replaced by a Ritz-Carlton. One River Place The once-luxury Lake Kenilworth Apartments have seen better days.

Spectacular pics, Jason!!!!!

Skyline From Lake Highlands