713 To 214

I think you had them mistaken with the blond executive assistant girl that moved here from Dallas, the jock salesman, the summer intern, and the fruity accountant...none of whom are assumed to be married, have children, or have other dutiful obligtations and routines.

It must be eating away at you (and others) that executives in Dallas made a decision that will have long-term effects on Houston's real estate market.

You all think the facade and structure of the Downtown Dallas Sheraton is ugly? The view at street level is just as bad. I thought Starwood would have tried to do something to beautify the building, but alas, those hopes have been dashed.

The DT Houston Embassy Suites I definitely unattractive, but IMHO the DT Dallas Sheraton has it beat In the ugliness department. On the bright side, though, these two buildings can only get better with time, and some architectural improvements.

I'll say this. . .Many people who post on this forum seem to think that when a plan is announced, they should start marking days off of their calendar to see a completed project. Well, especially with rail projects, there are a number if different studies, plans, meetings, approvals that must take place before these plans come to fruition. There probably will be several years before we see any progress on the U line. We probably shouldn't expect revenue service before 2018? At lest,

edit: new rendering? is this confirmation the Ritz is here to stay?

Unless and until you see a press release from the Ritz Carlton, don't hold your breath. It would seem that you guys had learned your lesson about use things, already. Hopeful wishes for hotel/condo projects, illustrated in renderings, will not produce an actual building being the name of that hotel. It's just something the developer does to get people all excited. And apparently it's still working!

Here's my advice. . .WAIT for the Ritz Carlton to issue a press release, then get excited. Until then, accept the reality that there will be no Ritz Carlton om this site, or any other in Houston, for that matter, for the foreseeable future.

^Don't forget the W Hotel and the Ritz (as if those projects were ever going to happen).

Btw, the (unprovoked) pot shots taken at "Dallas" are predictible, funny, and pathetic at the same time.

It's interesting to see so many Houston-based HAIF forumers have been keeping up with what's going on in and around Dallas.

As one poster pointed out. This is a private development. It will make a great addition to the skyline. The City of Dallas had nothing to do with it's funding and upcoming construction, other than the City's investments in the Arts District, Victory, the Woodall Rodgers Deck Park, and the upcoming Marget Hunt-Hill bridge, among other things. One could say that the culmination of all of these things, in addition to the development of The Woodall Rodgers corridor (including the forthcoming Natural History Museum), incentivized the investment in this tower. I'm sure Museum Tower's developers and investors realize that with the surrounding Starchitecture, and amenities, Museum Tower will be successful.

The Dallas Police and Fire Pension System would never fund a project within a 150 mile radius of that location.

Nearly 1400 posts in and this stadium is no closer to development than before the first post. . . .sheeeesh!

I've got a bright idea. . .let's wait until something CONCRETE actually happens, before posting again. This thread reminds me of a bunch of dogs chasing their tails.

Hey, I heard Houston is getting 3 W Hotels, a Ritz Carlton, a Mandarin Hotel, and even a couple of Four Seasons. I also heard all of them will be served by light rail subway stations. . .It must be true, Huh?

STOP the madness, already.

How could they build this intermodal station if they don't know what modes it will be servicing? I guess they leave empty room for future expansion.

Hasn't that been METRO's M.O. for the last 15 years? . . . ."Build It Now. . .We'll Figure Out If It Actually Works Later!"

I've searched this thread for a press release or other official statement from Starwood Hotels regarding Starwood's intent to build a W (not aloft) hotel in Houston. I can't find one. Can someone here please advise me on where to find such a statement?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...og.3e0972c.html

_________________________________

Houston joins Los Angeles in 'severe' smog category

09:58 AM CDT on Thursday, October 2, 2008

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP)

^ Send an email to METRO with your questions. Obviously, HAIF is not the best source for this type of info. It's simple. Send an email.

There will be No Subway AT ALL. There will be no portion of this line below-grade. It's simple. Let it go.

Hardly.

There was an article in the Chron today, and some major urban agency said that Houston's main competitors are: Chicago, Los Angeles, and Abu Dhabi.

Ha! Competitors in what category? College grad recruitment/retention?. . .Trade?. . .Economic Growth?. . .Sports Stadiums? That's a pretty general statement, and it's certainly debatable.

I'm still trying to figure out why this project is so "bad"? Please check out the Kansas City Power & Light district and it's "yuppie retail". It is (surprise!) many of the same things that are coming to Houston Pavillions.

You actually think comparing Houston to KC is a good thing?

I thought Los Angeles already had light rail service with the Blue, Green, and Gold Lines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_C...Rail#Light_Rail

Maybe I need to stop going by what I read on DallasMetropolis.

No! What you need to stop doing is reading "plans" studies, and information otherwise not confirmed for development and then taking that information and (re)posting it elsewhere as though it's a confirmed project. You do this often on both HAIF and Dallasmetropolis, and probably other places. Aside from it being foolhardy, and misleading to those who don't know any better, it's rather annoying, IMHO. Just wait until the relevant media is released which confirms the construction of a project then you can go around and repeat it's going to happen all you want. Please remember that developers, governments, and transit agencies change their "plans" all the time.

As for DART's DT "subway," the 2nd DT alignment is currently being "planned," and several options include below-grade rail and stations. While one of these options will probably happen in the next 5-7 years, at this point it is far from certain.

With Discovery Green seeing considerable patronage in its infancy stage (let's hope it continues past the honeymoon period), this project is set to become a prime asset for DT, and Houston in general.

Has Starwood issued a press release regarding the W Houston yet?

I repeat my question. Do people here actually think that Starwood is going to build a W hotel without issuing a press release, or are some posters really just fooling themselves, and others, who don't know any better?

Um, yeah kid, I'm quite familiar with the different dimensions for soccer, football, and baseball fields. After having been to probably close to 100 events at the 2 venues I also have a pretty good sense of their dimensions. Way back in architecture studios we learned a thing or two about the need for basic due diligence.

Look, I appreciate your enthusiam for Houston and all things related. Your seemingly non-stop spamming of every urban forum on the net with "Houston is the biggest, greatest, bestest!" cheerleading gets a bit tiring, though (Remember, homework is our friend.) Ever consider that maybe some of us who hold different opinions than you might actually have a background in the subject and perhaps know what we are talking about?

Great description of this individual. I can't tell you how many times I (and many others) have wanted to type those same words.

What is the Dynamo's franchise current value?

I'd like to see the "purple line" extended further south to serve the Meyerland/Meyer Park areas, and then turn east at the intersection of S. Post Oak and Belfort, headed for Reliant Park.

You must understand...I get less than four hours of sleep each weekday . . . .

This statement explains A LOT.