Big E

2 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

So what Big E decides who and what can be talked about in each forum? gtfoh The point I was making doesn’t take much to understand. All I was saying is there seems to be a growing number of Houstonians becoming much more vocal about not wanting another highway from TxDOT, while support for more public transit continues to grow. 

Did I say that? In any case, its considered bad form in any forum to bring up things that are off topic. And as I've said before, your declaratory statements have no basis in fact. "Assertions made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." You say "there seems to be a growing number of Houstonians becoming much more vocal about not wanting another highway from TxDOT"? Prove it. A referendum on a completely different project proves nothing. 

8 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I’m talking about public transit specifically not this highway project. The Metro bond passed easily. That’s the most recent poll that shows where Houstonians are at on transit. It’s a much different picture from the 2004 referendum that barely passed. 

But we are not talking about transit here. We are talking about this highway project, and there has been no referendum on it. And the majority of people in Harris County supporting transit does not translate to the majority of people in Harris County not supporting this project. This isn't a zero sum game, and if/then does not come into play here.

On 8/11/2021 at 12:29 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

I could care less about the positives of this project.

If you don't care about the positives of the project, then why should anyone give anything you say any weight? Its clear your just biased from the beginning, so talking to you about the project is pointless.

On 8/11/2021 at 12:29 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

It’s clear Houstonians want more options plain and simple.

No, that's not clear. One of the prevailing messages in this thread is that its not actually all that clear what the majority of people in Houston or Harris County, for that matter, want. A few politicians are acting against the project for their own self-interest. That is all. But it doesn't indicate how the majority of the population feel one way or another. And nobody has actually asked them either. This was never a major campaign issue, so no election was a referendum on the subject and no county wide votes have been held on it either.

4 hours ago, samagon said:

I know I've seen more people with signs marching against this project than I have seen people with signs marching for this project. which at the end of the day is about as scientific to show public opinion of the project as is a letter from the President of a super neighborhood to show that the constituents of that super neighborhood are for the project. all we have is anecdotal evidence.

We also have to keep in mind the issue of the vocal minority. The majority of citizens may very well support the project, but they are the silent majority. They have better things to do than sit on a street corner and wave a sign. The people opposed to the project will be the most vocal because they are the most emotionally invested, thus they scream the loudest and get the most visibility.

On 8/5/2021 at 3:49 PM, samagon said:

t's very true you can find members of those communities that are for these projects, but there are even more from those communities that are speaking out against this project, just because the President of those super neighborhoods haven't published a letter doesn't mean those voices don't matter.

Statements made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. So you say that there are more people against than for this project? Prove it. Nobody has done anything like a referendum to actually gage public support for the project.

On 8/6/2021 at 11:52 AM, X.R. said:

IF all they did was buried the freeways with no expansion, I'd be on board. And I would agree, it would be a massive win. I was on the fence about the expansion aspect, tbh, I could see both sides.

But after working with clients these last two years, I think expansion of the highways is premature based on the change the pandemic brought and continues to bring to the workplace. Work From Home, at least in part, is now ingrained into almost all industries in Houston. Hell, multiple oil and gas plants in Houston are allowing non-essential people to WFH at least once a week. Law firms too. And those two are the oldest, most curmudgeonly industries yet WFH is here. I've had recent interviews where I would get a bonus if I promised to come into the office at least 3 times a week. Its crazy, but its here to stay. I believe relying on pre-COVID data to justify expansion is a hard sell, the paradigm is going to be different for the next few years. Traffic has been permanently changed.

The burying would help downtown transition from a strictly business oriented area into a neighborhood, someplace you wouldn't mind going to on the days when you technically were working from home. Maybe to visit a coffee shop you like, or chill in one of these green spaces. And like @sapo2367said, given the direction the city leadership is going, and how Houston has some incredibly generous and wealthy families who regularly donate to park space, I could see some of these caps getting parks. Hey, at the very least, it'll increase the property values for their rental properties 😂

This pandemic won't last forever. Businesses are trying to move back into spaces (Dallas, for instance, is leading the way here), Delta strain be damned, with many taking advantage of the high vacancies and low rates to get large spaces for cheap, and it seems at least workers would rather move back into their offices, if only because its makes working together easier and more efficient and there are businesses forging ahead and renting space, like the one that is the subject of this article. Keep in mind that Houston was hit harder by the pandemic than most other metro areas in the U.S.; Houston's office vacancy rate is 24.1%, the highest in the country, and a lot of that has to do with the collapse of the oil industry...again.

Traffic is already back to pre-pandemic levels in most cities. I remember back in the early pandemic months when roads were literally empty. Now, its pretty much where it was prior to the pandemic.

On 8/5/2021 at 3:22 PM, Fortune said:

Why is this still under Going Up?

You tell me. I try to find the methodology behind keeping finished buildings in a section of the forum titled "Going Up".

2 hours ago, arche_757 said:

They also have a collection of Boutique properties.  Hotel Icon for one example, is one of those.

Flipping Marriott owns… most of the hotels downtown.  Which is good in a way, since this will hopefully allow for greater competition and provide travelers a choice.  Which will mean additional repurposed properties, and new developments.

Now, if they could just give Houston a new Ritz-Carlton...

1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Sheeeeeeesh!!! If the past 20 years brought us to this point, I can only imagine the next 20. WOW

Imagine what Houston would have looked like if the oil market hadn't crashed in the 80s.

4 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

It would be cool to see that block become something smaller. Like 2 buildings roughly this size/style with a courtyard in the middle with NO PARKING

3 hours ago, zaphod said:

Agree with the points above. These days a huge "trophy" building wouldn't do as much as something residential/hotel to bring in foot traffic that has nice lower floors to make the street level atmosphere more appealing.

While I find these nice sentiments, nobody buys a large lot like that, with the almost certain astronomical price tag is demanded, to build something like that. This is downtown Houston: big trophy towers are the name of the game and the only reason you even look to build down there. Otherwise, you could literally build that building in the picture anywhere else in the city, where its cheaper. Everything is big in Texas, and in Houston, the biggest city of them all, you go big or you go home. There will be a landmark tower on that lot, mark my words.

12 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

The reason the building and operation of commuter rail services has been relegated to smaller agencies is that TXDOT is simply not doing its job.
In addition to highways, TXDOT is responsible for overseeing aviation, rail, and public transportation systems within the state. The fact that regional rail authorities have had to take up the slack in no way abrogates TXDOT of its duties. 
 

15 hours ago, pablog said:

You’ve explained this twice. We understand the governing entities of each type of development and how they work; however, it doesn’t mean it is right. TXDOT should be able to fund other developments that help transportation across the state if that’s what the local communities want, but that’s assuming we live in a democracy.

As @samagon said, their actual stated mission is freeway and road development, and, as @H-Town Man man said, they used to be called the Texas Highway Department. The only reason they are called the department of transportation now is because the Texas Mass Transportation Commission, Department of Aviation, and the Texas Motor Vehicle Commission were combined into it. They do "oversee" aviation, rail, and public transportation, but that's all they do: oversee. They are the jacka-s that looks over all the other jacka-ses to tell them what they are doing wrong. They don't build airports, cities and airport authorities do (Houston's airports are owned, operated, and built by the city itself, not the state). They don't build public transport, transit authorities or cities do. They don't build rail, private companies and transit authorities do. And honestly, that's probably for the best. Its better that local authorities handle these things because they will better understand the needs of the region. Hell, judging by how much you guys hate the job TxDOT is doing with this project, do you really want them handling rail too?

On 7/31/2021 at 7:45 PM, arche_757 said:

I know Hines doesn’t own it - but any bets on Hines pulling the trigger, and buying the site just off Market Square where the once upon a time International Tower was going to rise?

As far as I know, that project has never been cancelled, only put on hold till it got a major tenant. Since the garage is there, they've already made heavy investment in the property. Doubt they will sell it. They will hold on to that land till they get a major tenant.

10 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

The problem is it isn’t Metro’s job. You just said TxDOT doesn’t specialize in commuter rail. So what they hell do they specialize in other than concrete? They are a TRANSIT AGENCY. The bigger issue is they are forced to use their money on concrete. I believe it’s the TX Constitution that specifies how they can use their funds. SEPTA in Pennsylvania works to develop multiple modes of transit that connect to inner city transit. The same applies to transit in California, specifically BART in northern Cali. So no, the whole “they don’t specialize” argument is even worse. All those engineers who don’t specialize in anything but highways. TxDOT had a chance to build commuter rail with the Katy Freeway expansion. They failed to do that. What makes you believe this expansion is any different?

TXDOT has always specialized in road development. Taking care of the major interstates and roads has been their main concern since forever. Freight rail in Texas is privately owned, and commuter rail networks in Texas are generally built and maintained by local transit authorities agencies. TEXRail, for instance, is maintained by Trinity Metro, a local transit agency in Tarrant County. The Trinity Railway Express is a joint venture between Trinity Metro and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). The Silver Line, which is currently under construction, is being built by DART. The A-train is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). Austin's Capital MetroRail is maintained by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. TXDOT has literally never built or managed a commuter rail network. If you want such a network to exist in the Houston Area, take it up with METRO. Constructing or running such things would literally be within their purview. They have decided to not make that a priority.

On 7/30/2021 at 8:12 PM, Some one said:

I don't understand this all or nothing approach TxDOT has. Are they really that allergic to the idea of working with local leaders and residents impacted by the project, even if it sets them back a year or two?

Because they've already been doing that...for years. This project is already well underway and tens of millions of dollars in. As I've said before, this project has been through a years long design process, multiple public input sessions, design changes, and planning, and it isn't going to go through remarkable changes this late in the game and everyone involved knows that, including the people suing to stop the project. This isn't something that sprung on everyone last month. Its the politicians that are opposing this that are the Johnny-come-latelys to the project.

On 7/29/2021 at 10:54 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

hat was an easy survey for me. I’m personally not in favor of the proposal. I think TxDOT needs to use those brilliant minds and design some commuter rail with all those billions. 

Commuter rail is not their specialization and never has been. You want that, take it up with METRO. Hell, this project is supposed to make right of way for mass transit, so if that's what you want then you should support the project.

5 hours ago, samagon said:

I didn't know that, thanks for the info, when does that project start?

When Harris County considers it a priority. Judging by who the current county judge is, I doubt that will happen for years.

On 7/17/2021 at 10:52 PM, zaphod said:

Instead of doing that I-45 widening project, just extend the Hardy. It would displace fewer people. Though I don't know if would impact more people with car exhaust pollution.

Those are two completely different projects being done by two completely different agencies, and both were supposed to be done together. One is being held up by politicians looking for their 15 minutes and the other is, as far as I know, on hold.

1 hour ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

to displace the fewest residents and businesses, they need to route I-45 around the East Loop. Make the current I-45 inside the loop a spur that links to downtown and to 59.

 

the main difficulty with this is that the Ship Channel Bridge is approaching 50 years of age...

The only thing that would do would be to put more pressure on the East Loop so it becomes as bad as the West loop. Also, as you said, the Ship Channel Bridge is old, and ships have run into it before. Its probably due for replacement, which will take years and be a traffic nightmare, just like what's going on with the Beltway 8 bridge. And if you think an expansion of the East Loop would be less controversial, think again. Many of the people complaining about this project will complain about that as well because they oppose any freeway development, no matter how needed or necessary.

3 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

(given how quickly the project was put on hold)

I mean they had no choice but to put it on hold, with the federal government breathing down their neck.

12 hours ago, samagon said:

I suppose 'improvement' is all relative, and actually the reason for this whole process being stopped.

here's an article on chron:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Massive-I-45-Houston-project-heads-back-to-public-16285062.php?utm_campaign=CMS Sharing Tools (Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral#photo-21160679

All this hoopla is just getting embarrassing at this point. I say enough. The courts need to throw out the challenges and let the project move forward. Its been over 10 years that this project's been in development. Some of these officials crying about it now weren't in power for most of it, but some (like that old bird, Sheila Jackson Lee) were, and now they are coming in at the literal ninth hour and wasting tax payer money, and for what? To look important? While our current infrastructure continues to decay, the price of building materials continues to rise, and the project has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars and been through multiple public input sessions. Enough is enough.

This project is not significantly changing at this point. Everybody knows that. This is nothing more than a hail mary pass to keep this project going while this legal circus makes its way through court. You want to know why America doesn't have a high speed rail network to rival China or even Europe? Want to know why our infrastructure is decaying and nothing seems to get done anymore? This is why. Any project that moves forward gets strangled in red tape and BS for a decade or longer, while costs overrun to the tune of hundreds of millions. And at the end of the day, the only people who win are the lawyers and whoever gets the lucrative kick backs for the construction jobs. People say we need and infrastructure investment plan, but such an act of congress, should it ever even pass, would be pointless. Because any project, no matter its perceived or real benefits, would be litigated to death. None of the people complaining about this project are civil engineers. None of them. Not one of them know any of the technical stuff about traffic patterns, nor how bad the infrastructure really is. But when their special interests (or their own personal interest in Lee's case) say jump, they jump.

Question: Who owns the parking garage between the two properties?

1 hour ago, TheSirDingle said:

I'm betting 508' total, so shorter than one park place and taller than Hess tower. Knock on wood, but I'm betting every building in this development will be in the 500'+ range. 

I'm willing to bet that this will probably be the shortest building in the development.

On 6/24/2021 at 12:00 PM, Houston19514 said:

Golconda Ventures.  Long-term owner of a bunch of blocks in the southeast part of downtown Houston and they have historically had no interest in selling or developing.

You know, the city should really penalize property owners who own surface parking lots or undeveloped lots downtown and refuse to develop them or sell them.

6 minutes ago, KinkaidAlum said:

People are definitely leaving California but you'd never know it looking at the market. My house has increased in value by 24% in three years. I get all cash offers to buy in monthly. The demand might not be there in the Inland Empire, but the LA Basin, San Fernando Valley, Orange County, and San Gabriel Valley are booming.

 

Prices might be rising, but its not because people are moving to California. Its because: a)Wall Street investors and their proxy companies, like Homes 4 Rent, are buying up properties by the bucket load because they see it as a cash cow and an easy way to make money, and b)Chinese investors are buying up properties to park their money overseas. The housing market is a sellers market right now, so sellers and investors are buying like crazy and the value of houses is going through the roof.

23 hours ago, gmac said:

Glad to know you're also fully backing the I-45 construction!

While I actually have no problem with the I-45 project and even support certain aspects of it, that is in no way comparable  to this.

On 5/24/2021 at 10:50 PM, houstontexasjack said:

Skanska does not own the “Disco Kroger” lot. An outfit out of Georgia bought that.

Ah. That's disappointing.

2 hours ago, Texasota said:

What possible benefit would there be to removing the street? Both lots are already quite large; combining them into a single enormous suberblock right in the middle of Montrose would be awful.

I do agree that the Helsinki development is too low density, though it's worth keeping in mind that building that here would double its height with a giant parking podium.

I mean, I guess they could just build a large structure or skywalks to bridge over the road, but I don't think getting both those properties is a coincidence, and the possibilities of that much prime real estate at the junction of two of Houston's busiest and most important roads is just too good to pass up.