danielsonr

It's not 30 to 40 miles, but hiking at 7,200 feet produces its own nice workout. And the weather is certainly more pleasant than in Houston.

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

That is pretty amazing, particularly for this time of the year in Houston!

3 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

Does this include the vacant lot behind this one?

 

On the map as "Proposed".

Unless there has been a change of ownership, I believe the vacant lot behind there is owned by the owners of 3100 Edloe. It has been used as overflow parking for that building for years.

1 hour ago, X.R. said:

Didn't see this posted, it has a bit more information that the HChron article:

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/cynthialescalleet/2019/06/27/from-mail-to-mixed-use-in-downtown-houston/#7f92b5605da7

 

I didn't realize that because they utilized the tax credits or what not, they can't do the residential stuff: 

 

A residential component is not part of the mix, he said, because it is a landmark historic building and the project incorporates state and federal tax credits: “We were restricted from making large façade modifications which would have made it impossible to place residential units in the existing building.”

 

At Preservation Houston, an advocacy organization, Executive Director David Bush said this property and project have been on the organization’s radar. “It would have been very easy to lose the post office," he said in an email. "These buildings are an age when they’re typically threatened. There are a lot of them, they don’t look modern anymore and they aren’t what most people think of as historic.

“So we’ve got two challenges: Helping people understand that buildings from this era are architecturally and historically significant. And getting owners and investors to look at historic preservation as a viable alternative to Houston’s typical scrape and rebuild history of development.”

 

From the very same article: “Instead, the company has plans to collaborate with other developers and explore the possibility of future residential complexes “in the medium term.””

I believe this statement conforms with earlier information in this thread about the developer utilizing the parking lot(s) at the site for the construction of additional structures after the initial redevelopment of the existing structure.

6 hours ago, Luminare said:

I will say, I'm holding judgement on the exterior for now. I was a bit put off by how wide these tubes initially looked. I really thought they were going to be a lot more slender. Right now they feel a bit...fat. Lets wait to see the full build out.

That was my initial reaction as well. The building renderings suggest more slender tubes. But, the renderings are also from a different perspective than the photos of the actual installed tubes.

5 hours ago, Subdude said:

I loved these.  It sounds crazy to say I looked forward to the new phone books every year, but I did.  

I did as well! I loved studying each new edition.

1 hour ago, Naviguessor said:

Were these the ones that had funny little cartoon stories drawn into the detail? 

That sounds right. That was part of the fun of each new edition.

Ah, great. I spent too much time trying to figure out what the business was, but Google Maps / Streetview was not cooperating! 

Is this at Navigation / Broadway and Hockley? Is that the same crane that is there now?

https://public.earthcam.net/MFAHPII/Museum of Fine Arts Expansion/MFAH Expansion - Work Zone Cam/View 1

7 hours ago, mollusk said:

Since big common spaces are all the rage these days, if there's anything that will be done outside it would likely be taking up part of the plaza for... IDK, "creative space" or even more food options?...

If that’s their plan, it should be complimentary to their strategy to create a pedestrian friendly sreetscape around Texas Tower, the Preston, and the Calpine building.

Ah, I never associated this garage with the Wedge building since it has an attached garage. But, now that god awful pink (?) color makes more sense.

The parking garage at the northwest corner of Milam and Clay

I am disappointed that the improvements don’t extend down to Holman / HCC. Does Midtown Redevelopment Authority plan to improve the streetscape between Elgin and Holman.

That neighborhood and the south part of First Montrose Commons are directly across the Spur from the homeless population surrounding the old Sears store and the veterans housing facility. It, along with the Midtown neighborhoods east of the Sears building, should experience the biggest benefit from the Rice redevelopment and 59 reconstruction.

On 6/13/2019 at 12:43 PM, Luminare said:

They've been reconstructing all of Yupon St. from Westheimer to W. Alabama for a about a month now. The entire street got improved storm and drains. The reconstruction is a bit odd with this one though. Some areas are getting new sidewalks and drives while others aren't. Its not a complete redo like they did with First Montrose Commons. Its your basic concrete curbs with sloped asphalt. Glad this is being done regardless as the streets on this part of Montrose are plain terrible. Do we know if this is happening throughout the neighborhood? Pics below:

 

 

 

 

From what I understand, it will only be Yupon. Apparently, there is a central trunk line under Yupon that drains much of the surrounding area and the line needed to be replaced / upgraded to alleviate storm water drainage backup in the neighborhood.

2202 Summer Street

The reflection of the Wyndham sign was the biggest clue. From there, Google street view confirmed the window pattern of the Intercontinental hotel. Actually, my first thought was it was the new garage just north of the Texas Tower under construction, with a reflection of the Chase tower. But, obviously, there is no Wyndham next door.

Top floor of parking garage, TWU Institute of Health Sciences

On 2/9/2019 at 4:33 PM, danielsonr said:

According to the MFAH website, mfah.org, the building will have the following features:

“• Gathered under a “luminous canopy” roof, the concave curves reference the billowing clouds that fill the “big sky” of Texas
• Vertical, translucent-glass tubes cladding the facades
• Two floors and 54,000 square feet of galleries circling a three-level atrium space, with the distinctive roof allowing natural light to flood the central spaces
• The 202-seat Lynn and Oscar Wyatt Theater; a restaurant; and a café
• Seven gardens and six reflecting pools inset along the building’s perimeter”

Houston, The Unknown City 1836 - 1946

Houston Lost and Unbuilt

Double Vision: The Unerring Eye of Art World Avatars Dominique and Jean de Menil

On 2/7/2019 at 12:57 PM, Angostura said:

 

Please tell me they plan on cladding that raw concrete with something. 

 

Given the many examples of how concrete ages, anyone who commissions, designs or constructs a raw-concrete façade is guilty of aesthetic malpractice.

 

 

 

 

According to the MFAH website, mfah.org, the building will have the following features:

“• Gathered under a “luminous canopy” roof, the concave curves reference the billowing clouds that fill the “big sky” of Texas
• Vertical, translucent-glass tubes cladding the facades
• Two floors and 54,000 square feet of galleries circling a three-level atrium space, with the distinctive roof allowing natural light to flood the central spaces
• The 202-seat Lynn and Oscar Wyatt Theater; a restaurant; and a café
• Seven gardens and six reflecting pools inset along the building’s perimeter”