Dewey

Starting this because I couldn't find it anywhere else. Pearland Town Center on Broadway, just west of 288, has a lot of potential, a catchy (and misleading) name, however it is nothing more than a pretty basic shopping center surrounded by surface parking lots. My understanding was that this development was supposed to be akin to Sugar Land Town Square or something similar, with a mixed used development, civic gathering places, shopping, apartments, etc. As is, it is nothing more than an outdoor mall that is rarely busy, some apartments, a patch of green Astroturf, a motel, and an absolute SEA of surface parking lots. Part of the plan was zoned for development of a true community amenity (a theater, a park, etc.) but currently stands as empty field and a retention pond. Back in 2021 the developers asked the Pearland Zoning Commission to allow them to develop some of their property into 142 townhomes; however, the plan was shot down. However, just this week, the developers won their battle to rezone ~37 acres due south of the development (see yellow area on map below) originally earmarked for the community amenity into a 400 unit apartment building. 

https://communityimpact.com/houston/pearland-friendswood/government/2024/03/26/a-portion-of-pearland-town-center-rezoned-for-apartments/

The apartments seem fine, and perhaps needed, but to add that much parking when Pearland Town Center is already lousy in parking seems like bad design all the way through and through. 

On 8/11/2023 at 6:07 PM, Highrise Tower said:

Where does the name Main Tower come from?

Well I could be wrong, but it appears as if the building, a tower if you will, is located on Main Street. 

13 hours ago, aachor said:

It seems to me that even if they can't develop more biomedical space, this location would also be ideal for mixed-use development.

It sits right off the freeway, between 288 and TMC3. Surely, something will come of it sooner rather than later.

Agreed. There is so much room for development and redevelopment around this part of town, in prime location close to everything, that shouldn't just be limited to the healthcare field and adjacent industries. 

1 minute ago, Amlaham said:

I think I found old renderings, thought it was very interesting since this same project (same name and address) was also on the Houston Planning commission in 2007 here: 

https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Commissions/minutes_plan07/20070802.pdf 

https://www.condo.com/building/Casa-Di-Modena-HOUSTON-TX-77019-1683852

 

Funky. Almost looks like it's in the same design/utility as the condos at where Westheimer becomes Elgin. 101 Westheimer. 

16 hours ago, Texasota said:

Not very impressed by the siteplan, but Peargrounds might be the best name I've ever seen.

Not impressed? Why? Is it because the brochure's marketing language described it as "pedestrian oriented" and then the site plan renderings showcase about 75% of the space dedicate to surface parking lots? 

It also interestingly says that the zip code there produces ~7% of the TMC's workforce withover 86,000 vehicles a day take 288 NB (presumably with majority into TMC and Downtown.) I suppose doing anything to address that insanity with public transportation is just crazy talk. 

19 hours ago, bobruss said:

I've heard from reliable sources that this whole project is going to slow down. With Rice's new administration, and reorganization of Rices direction they are rethinking their future plans for Ion, and a hoped for master plan for  Rice's property in the Village.  They have released their real estate team and reorganizing their priorities. They have dropped RDA which has been an important community compass helping to guide the city in the right direction. Apparently this project doesnt fit in with the new direction Rice plans to go. I hope this isn't true but I do trust my source.

At least we now have that parking garage to compliment the existing surface parking lots. I was worried we wouldn't have enough in Midtown. 

1 hour ago, Amlaham said:

 

I saw the plans for this floating around a while ago. Pretty sure this is going to be the new area command for the TSA, so corporate offices, plus a chapel/meeting hall and perhaps a cafe where the community can come or people in need can begin intake and receive services. I do not believe this will be a shelter. 

10 hours ago, Highrise Tower said:

Great topic.

So, in 2023 will TMC contain the tallest (hospital) in the world? Houston Methodist's Centennial Tower is pretty tall. Supposed to be 500 feet+

Is it? I thought it was only going to be like 25-26 stories and not done until 2027? 

4 hours ago, Highrise Tower said:

February 22-23, 2023 Meeting of the U. T. System Board of Regents - Facilities Planning and Construction Committee

Previous Actions:
On January 22, 2020, the Chancellor approved this project for Definition Phase as the TMC3 Translation and Discovery Building. On September 23, 2022, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Capital Projects approved the project name change to South Campus Research Building 5. On November 17, 2022, the project was included in the CIP with a total project cost of $668,300,000 with funding of $556,402,889 from Hospital Revenues, $69,897,111 from TRB Proceeds and $42,000,000 from PUF Bond Proceeds.

Project Description:
The proposed project will be a seven-story building with an additional two-level mechanical equipment penthouse. The scope of the project will include site work, which encompasses site specific utility infrastructure work; the interior finish-out of floors one through four, a central plaza sited between this building and a new Public Health Education and Research Building to be constructed under a concurrent project by U. T. Health Science Center - Houston, and the construction of a pedestrian bridge over Old Spanish Trail enabling connectivity of the South Campus buildings to the TMC Helix Park. Floors five through seven are to be completed under a separate project in approximately ten years. The project will position the institution to relocate and co-locate researchers that are currently distributed broadly across multiple aging buildings. The researchers will be moved to the southern section of the Texas Medical Center (TMC) Campus. The new facility is being designed with maximum flexibility to meet new and evolving research technologies and is to include wet and dry laboratories, core facilities to support research, conferencing facilities, collaboration spaces, and food and beverage amenities. The building will be designed with a focus on the well-being of the occupants, providing a high-quality place of work with access to natural light and connectivity to enable collaboration.

Project Information:
Project Number 703-1300
CIP Project Type New Construction
Facility Type Laboratory, Medical/Healthcare
Management Type Institutional Management
Institution’s Project Advocate Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President
and Chief Scientific Officer
Project Delivery Method Construction Manager-at-Risk
Gross Square Feet (GSF) 600,000
Shell Space (GSF) 234,600

Project Funding:
Hospital Revenues1 $556,402,889
Tuition Revenue Bond Proceeds 69,897,111
Permanent University Fund Bond Proceeds 42,000,000
Total Project Cost $668,300,000
1 Includes $19,800,000 from U. T. Health Science Center - Houston for portion of costs for shared plaza and
pedestrian bridge to TMC Helix Park

Project Milestones:
Definition Phase Approval January 2020
Addition to CIP November 2022
Design Development Approval February 2023
Construction Notice to Proceed July 2023
Substantial Completion June 2027
Final Completion September 2027

Is this the funding for the aforementioned new building for the School of Public Health to be located on OST, behind/in front of the Dental School, or something else entirely inside the TMC3 Helix?

On 2/16/2021 at 10:02 AM, mattyt36 said:

Does anyone know what's going up at the site of the old Hefley's that burned down (138ish W Gray?).  It looks to be a 2-story steel frame structure.

Thought this topic had it's own thread and can't find it, so replying here: it looks like work, after a 1-2 year hiatus, has started again on the new Hefley's/Fuzzy's Taco building. Dupont Tyvek siding has been going up this week.  

On 3/22/2023 at 1:18 PM, j_cuevas713 said:

It's a little weird they're choosing to build this right in the middle of a single family neighborhood. Doesn't this area have deed restrictions? 

This little two block neighborhood, Merwin and Ingersol west of Lancashire, are technically a neighborhood called Atwood Villas and not part of Afton Oaks. That's why you have the old duplexes turned into town homes, duplexes serving as office buildings and dental practices, in this section. I lived on Merwin for nearly a decade in my twenties. The neighborhood was mostly divorcees and confirmed bachelors of folks who most likely grew up in Afton/River Oaks in the 60s-80s and wanted the "prestige" of a 77027 zip code without the cost. 

13 hours ago, Ross said:

Love her quote on Cottage Grove. It was definitely crappy.

That entire interview is great. Very insightful and should be required reading for Houstonians.

Wish we could get more elaboration on her quote: "People talk about needing more density to support transit use. Well, we've fixed it so a whole bunch of the city can never be in the next 40 years dense enough to support transit."

On 3/15/2023 at 11:03 PM, steve1363 said:

I'm guessing none of you HAIFers are members (or attendees) of Sacred Heart!  🤣

I go to Mass there regularly enough. One thing I’ve never had an issue with: parking. (One thing I do have issue with: Fr. Jason’s 20-25 minute homilies and mass lasting 90 minutes). Even for a very packed, high profile, weeknight funeral, parking was easy downtown. This tear down is just to get the liability of the building burning down from squatters off their insurance. The plaza idea part is alright and traditional, but the need for it to be majority parking is insane. 
 

This idea fired me up so much I finally registered an HAIF account after years of reading/lurking.