Jonah

Slightly off topic, but I've always wondered with it's proximity to downtown, has UH-D considered building residential units to offer to their students?

Hey Brewster, are you really not a big fan of the architecture in LA? I've been living in LA for about 5 years and I would say there are a bunch of bland buildings, but you don't have to do much searching to see that there are also quite a large number of architectural gems. That includes the many historic buildings all over the city, and all of the new construction that is happening or about to happen. Out of curiosity when was the last time you were here?

I actually used to rehearse in that warehouse. I think the first 3 floors are kind of musician lockouts for band practice, and the top level had people living in it. Very interesting place.

This is kind of off subject, but I was thinking the other day about the parking lots on the east side of downtown near Toyota Center, GRB, and MMP. I presume that many of them are still parking lots because the land value is priced so high that it makes it hard for a developer to come in and build. So I guess my question would be why don't these people who own the parking lots, sell them to developers at a lower price, so something could get built, but they keep part ownership of the property to make up for the lower sell price? They may lose money on the sell, but they'll still be invested in the property. Instead of just trying to sell the property for a big upfront paycheck. I have no expertise in this matter, so I was kind of hoping somebody who does could maybe chime in here. Thanks everyone!!

I was in Houston for the first time in months this past weekend, and I had the chance to drive by the Pavilions and One Park Place. I have to say even from the initial renderings I was excited, but after driving by the construction process on the Pavilions, I am beyond excited. The scope is so much bigger in real life and just seeing those 3 blocks being entirely taken up by this is pretty amazing!!! It looks like this thing is going to be big!!!

I'm glad to see Yao's and Red Cat Jazz Cafe coming into the Pavilions. I think it's important for the bars and restaurants that come in should either be exclusive in the Houston area or should be local concepts. I think the problem with Bayou Place was that the bars were concepts you had seen elsewhere and they soon became old. Thankfully I've heard they've opened a few new bars at BP that are new concepts that seem to be working well. So I hope Pavilions takes note when signing on additional tenants for restaurants and bars.

What a great design. It's sleek, modern, classy, and will hopefully stand out in a good way in that area of downtown. This is like the first building that has a received a unanimous positive response.

At first I was a little apprehensive hearing the news, even though I'm a huge Beatles fan. After seeing that they actually have some artistic style instead of just being real looking statues makes them so much more appealing. I think Houston needs more crazy artists to bring their energy to the city

Wonder if anyone here has ever been to UCLA and the Westwood Village area? Very similar to Rice Village, theaters, fine restaurants, bars it is so neat. Could U Of H Main campus ever be close to that. Out of the question?

I've walked around Westwood several times and have driven around the UCLA campus, but I actually walked around the UCLA campus this past weekend. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. The view around Royce Hall and the library is absolutely beautiful. Having attended U of H, I think it's definitely possible especially with this new plan in place, to fill in parking lots with new buildings for class and dorms. I do think it might take a little time though before we ever see the type of activity that there is around Westwood.

This is great news. I love how you have these two sides of midtown really growing with residential. Now if we can just get that Superblock developed to tie this whole area together that would be great.

I can't believe they're opening up a Sprinkles in Houston that is so awesome!! My girlfriend and I go there every so often to satisfy our sweet tooth. Where in Houston are they opening one? I'll have to check it out the next time I visit.

Noticed yesterday going by that HP is starting to affect the neighboring properties as well. Across Caroline (the block that Josephine's Italian restaurant is on) one abandoned building is down and another one (corner or Caroline and Polk I think) is being gutted, and may be torn down. Behind the building being gutted is just one of those Ticket Exchange places (organized scalping) and a large surface lot over half of the block.

This will be pricey property between HP and the Toyota Center. Any rumblings on what might be happening at this block?

I wouldn't doubt it if something is announced around there sometime over the next year before Pavilions, Park Place, and Discovery Green are finished.

I notice that here in Houston people honk at you while you try to parallel park!

That's funny, every single time I go home to Houston and I parallel park with my friends in the car, they are so impressed. I don't really notice having to do it so often in LA

What I really like about this project is, instead of the building taking up this whole block, they place that little avenue in the middle. I hope if they ever decide to build a structure on that midtown Superblock, they do something similar like maybe having a plaza in the middle so it's not just one huge building.

That would be awesome if they build the new Dynamo stadium on those surface parking lots on the east side of 59. What I really like about that idea, is that you already have all of those lofts and apartments surrounding those parking lots. So once the stadium is built you will have a vibe somewhat like Wrigley Field, where there's a stadium in the middle of an urban neighborhood. Hopefully it could spur some more development near MMP which is an area I feel hasn't come close to it's full potential.

I knew I shouldn't have given you my address.

BTW, I'm just getting my licks in, prior to the Rockets' Game 7 collapse on Saturday.

That's funny RedScare!! I'm afraid that's what's going to happen after the way they've been playing this whole series.

Man you guys are freakin harsh!!! Dallasboi just posted a picture of a really cool rendering of a building that may or may not be built. Then everybody rips into him!! What did he do wrong? Heck a few weeks back somebody posted in the Going Up Section of all things the renderings of the Houston City Centre building, but has anybody heard any concrete word on whether that thing is going to be built? No. Everybody posts renderings, this is an architecture forum regardless if the rendering is turned into reality and is built or not. Sheesh.

That looks kind of like the New Museum being built in NYC in the Bowery. I would love for this to get built, although I kind of wish it would be downtown instead of on Westheimer. Could you imagine this building and that City Centre building being constructed downtown near one another. That would be kind of awesome. I can always dream can't I.

Thanks Montrose for the awesome pictures!!! It's great seeing all the new buildings going up in Houston, too bad I can't get down there as often as I would like. I really love seeing those pictures in Midtown with the narrow streets and only one side for street parking. It really reminds me of older cities and I just love the feeling it gives walking down streets with cars parallel parked alongside the street, instead of a driveway every 5 feet. I just wish all of those power lines could be placed under the sidewalk, but oh well.

Although I would have had the small grocery facing the park instead of the opposite side of the building.

I agree, I was hoping the grocer would have faced the park and they could have had sidewalk seating. With the entrance to the building facing the Park Shops. That seems like it would have made more sense to me. Oh well, still excited about all of the development happening on this side of town. Now we just need a few mid rise residential buildings to fill in a few of those empty blocks around MMP and Toyota Center. I really think once Houston Pavilions, One Park Place, & Discovery Green get closer to completion sometime next year, we're going to start to hear more residential buildings announced. At least I hope.

Wow!!!! Great news for Houston. I was really hoping that the remaining two lots surrounding the park would be developed into residential towers like One Park Place, but I'll take anything. I just really hope that the bottom floor of this new tower has retail to help compliment the the specialty grocer going in on the bottom floor of One Park Place.

With Houston Pavilions, and the Finger Tower currently under construction, does anyone think that this lot will be taken over and hopefully developed in the next few years? Does the person who was going to build Shamrock Tower own this block or is it something that will hopefully be sold? I'm not well informed with all of the mishaps that plagued this project. Thanks.

I'm kind of torn by this project. On one hand I think it would be awesome to have this right near the heart of the Galleria but at the same time I don't want it to take away from the momentum that downtown will hopefully build upon with Houston Pavilions and the Finger Building. I would like to see the Pavilions established and in the minds of the Houston public before BLVD Place gets built because I feel it will compete somewhat with the Pavilions. Hopefully within the next year as the Pavilions and the Finger tower draw closer to completion we'll hear more good news about tenants signing onto Pavilions and hopefully spurring some new projects for downtown.

Wow that's awesome!!! They're really moving fast on this project. It seems like they're going to finish this before they finish Houston Pavilions. I can't wait for a year from now when these projects are almost done, I bet they're is going to be an awesome energy in downtown. Finally!!!!!

That looks pretty awesome!! That's great news for Austin. I wish the Hardy Rail Yards would get off the ground with something like this.