Jonah

Hey guys, Does anybody have any recent pics of all the development in The Woodlands? I would love to see all the lofts, restaurants, and other new buildings going up along the Waterway. I'm currently living in LA so I just wanted to see what has changed since I was last there several years ago. Thanks

Great pics!! Man I really hope the new park and the Finger building jumpstart some construction around that area. It would be great to see those parking lots around MMP turn into a little urban residential village.

I think the difference with American Apparel is that they sell products that fit well and are well made. It's a brand for forward-thinking urban youth and I think it's store will do very well in downtown Houston. It may cost a little more to buy their products but you feel like your supporting a respectable company. Forever 21 is cheap in comparison.

I think before everyone gets upset about the tenants, we should all remember that the Pavilions is going to be able to hold 360,000 sq. ft. of retail space. So let's do the math: 360,000sq. ft. available: Lucky Strike = 24,800sq. ft. House of Blues = 43,000sq. ft. Forever 21 = 24,000+sq. ft. Books-A-Million = 24,000+sq. ft. Plus Lawry's, The Prime Rib: McCormick & Schmick's: Yao's Restaurant and Bar: Antica Osteria: Red Cat Jazz Cafe: Tuscany Coffe: Guadalajara Del Centro: since these 7 aren't anchor tenants like the previous 4, we'll say that they'll equal about 70,000 sq. ft. That would give us a grand total of: 185,800 sq. ft. Which means we would still have roughly 174,200 sq. ft. left to be occupied. So those who are still upset about the current tenants, don't worry it seems like we still have plenty of space left to occupy. So the current list of tenants could double once this thing is all said and done.

The thing that I really enjoy about the Denver Pavilions is how it does seem to be very accessible from the street and it seems really open with space. There also seems to be a lot of windows and street banners which I think gives it a much more livelier atmosphere. I can't tell from the models but I hope this is something the Houston Pavilions really incorporates.

That's so true, I just went to the Denver Pavilions website and they have way more stores, restaurants, and clubs listed. So the known tenants for the Houston Pavilions is just the beginning, we still have another year and half to go before this things is complete. That's a long time for a load of new tenants to sign up with HP. Once again, I think we should just be happy to see the progress being made and sit back to enjoy all of the new tenants that will continue to be announced in the coming months and year.

Out of curiosity, why is there only one tower instead of three? I know they took out the residential, but shouldn't that have been one tower gone instead of two. What happened to the other one? On another note, I seriously doubt this will end up like Bayou Place. What sets this apart is that there is actual retail instead of just restaurants and clubs. Plus the location, so close to the Toyota Center and MMP I can see regular foot traffic for the Pavilions. People can park and leave their car to go to the Pavilions and then walk over to a game. Bayou Place is on the edge of downtown making it a tough walk for anyone wanting to go there before or after a game. Also the Verzion Wireless Theater only attracts an audience certain days of the week when there's a show. The Pavilions has a House of Blues and also a Lucky Strike, which I can guarantee will bring people down there every night of the week. The Lucky Strike here in LA is always busy and that place has been here for years. Which is pretty good considering all the hot places in LA fizzle out after a few months. Then with the added retail stores and restaurants, I can see the Pavilions bringing people in everyday of the week. This place will be successful and is definitely going to be a catalyst for surrounding downtown development. Now let's stop worrying and start getting excited about the change that's coming for downtown Houston

Hey guys let's just be happy the groundbreaking is actually happening. A month ago we were still worrying about whether or not this thing was going to happen. How much retail space is left for the Pavilions? If there was 360,000 sq. ft. to begin with, how much is left after all the tenants that have been anounced? Who knows there still could be some great places coming that have yet to be announced. I'm sure once this thing is complete, we won't care what's down there, we'll just be happy to have it.

What time is the groundbreaking by the way

I like the rings too, I hate the all those strip centers.

Wow, I never realized how close this is to the Toyota Center, Discovery Green, the new Finger Building, and the Hilton!!! I think the ground floor retail on the Houston Center is going to do a lot better because of this project. Hopefully they compliment one another. It would be awesome if a few more residential projects sprout up on the empty lots around MMP and the Toyota Center. I would love to see those 4 empty blocks on Maint Street, just south of the HP project also turned into some sort of mix-use development.

This is probably the last great Houston project that has yet to off the ground. Now that the Pavilions and Finger building are actually starting construction, I wonder if it will put a fire under Camden to put the pieces together and get this project moving. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I still feel like I'm dreaming with the HP and Finger construction actually moving forward. Exciting times!!!

I think you're crazy if you think you can find the same sort of lively atmosphere and bars/clubs in Sugarland that you find in dowtown. Sugarland is nothing but chain restaurants and bars nothing original about that place.

I know it might sound lame after seeing all of these great pics of inner city Houston, but does anybody have some recent pics of the Woodlands area, specifically the Waterway and surrounding "downtown" area? It seems there's been a lot of construction going on around there and I was hoping to see what all the new brownstones, lofts, and restaurants looked like. Since I'm living in LA, it's been years since I've been over there and I was justing wanting to see what the recent activity looks like.

Does anybody have any renderings of this project? I couldn't find any on that site. Also what is the Franklin Tower they show on their website? I don't think I've ever heard or seen that one.

Any news pics?

Since it looks like this is going to be built in phases, how long do they predict until this project is completely finished?

You said it largeTEXAS!! I'm bummed that I'm living here in LA now. It's going to be real exciting to see what Houston looks like in about 5 years or less. It's like the Pavilions groundbreaking announcement started a domino effect with all of these other projects. Pavilions, Finger tower, City Centre, Kirby@Westheimer, I really hope they start construction soon on Blvd. Place and High Street. Even though it'll never happen, could you imagine if they built a rail line down Westheimer? You could take the rail from Blvd. Place to High Street to this Westheimer project to the Pavilions, plus the whole Montrose area. In a perfect world. Oh well this is all still awesome news!!!

Does anybody have the most recent renderings of what the Pavilions is going to look like since it seems construction is about to get underway? Could there still be changes made to the appearance of the structure even though it's already in early stages of construction?

I totally agree, that's why I think this would be a good idea. I have single friends in NYC who have apartments similar to that size and they've made the space really nice despite it being so small. I really think there's a group of young singles in Houston who want that downtown NYC vibe but can't afford buying a loft in downtown.

This is so true, and I think true for pretty much every city. Even in LA, the Sunset Strip isn't the fabulous image most people have in there heads. If you live in LA you know that the Sunset Strip has been ghetto for quite awhile. Many of these clubs in Hollywood that were popular a year ago with the A-listers are now ghetto attracting the wanna-be gangster crowd. The clubs that have remained succesful are the ones that usually don't charge a cover and cater to the have a beer and strike up a conversation crowd.

I just feel with the Pavilions and the Finger tower now starting construction it would seem a no brainer to try and bring in a younger population demographic. If I had a chance to live downtown as a student after these projects get finished, I would take it in a heart beat. That's why I think this apartment conversion would work. I just feel there's a big population in Houston of young artists types who would love to be able to live downtown but just can't afford the price of it.

After all the naysayers, I'm so happy that this and the Finger tower are actually going to get built. I think with these two projects, I would guess the next few years are going to get really exciting with all sorts of new construction. Now can't we just build a time machine and make it Fall '08 already. I can't wait to see both of these finished with the new park.

I think it would be an awesome idea. Especially since it seems the Pavilions is now actually happening, it would be great for students at UH-Downtown or those younger urban types who can't afford NYC prices but want that same atmosphere. I can see a student at UHD working, going to school, and then living in downtown, wow what a concept. It would be great if UHD did have some sort of housing in downtown even it was just a few buildings, does anyone know if that might ever happen?