sargento03
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Posts posted by sargento03
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This could be for that new restaurant development in midtown at the corner of Pierce and Bagby. If I recall correctly they also own the land across "christian's tailgate" and that's supposed to be used for the public parking garage.
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I live in the area and prefer to not see a Wal-Mart. If its built, i will simply not shop there...but I see a re-run of "Ashby Highrise" here... let me get the popcorn
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I'm so excited about this store... and construction is moving slowly but surely...
but I wonder how the store will be positioned on that lot? Will it be facing Waugh? because it seems like the lot where they are working is so narrow. Is the parking going to be underground?
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The houston chronicle article today said that "A development site plan obtained by the Houston Chronicle shows a 152,015-square-foot Walmart flanked by a parking lot for 664 cars and additional retail spaces for a bank, fast-food restaurant and other stores."
Has anyone seen any site plans or renderings?
Never mind.. found it:
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The houston chronicle article today said that "A development site plan obtained by the Houston Chronicle shows a 152,015-square-foot Walmart flanked by a parking lot for 664 cars and additional retail spaces for a bank, fast-food restaurant and other stores."
Has anyone seen any site plans or renderings?
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Could any of the savvy users here update this list?? Or if the editing process is so bureaucratic, can someone create a similar/updated list?? I just don't know much about those wiki lists, so wouldn't know where to begin.
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I don't know if the city is really hurting for hotel rooms, last i read in the HBJ, the city's hotel revenues have actually decreased(and predicted to so for the 2nd year in a row), definetely not a sign that more hotel rooms are needed. We're also expected to perform worse than the nation. In the Downtown area, however, you are correct, it does need more hotels.
http://houston.bizjo...29/daily31.html
What's nice is that this area of DT looks like it will be the hotel district, with the Four Seasons, Hilton, Embassy Suites all close together, and OPP, I really see the potential for more resiential and hotels here to create a more virbrant downtown.
I agree, I work for a hotel consulting firm and do quite a few assignments in the Houston area. Most houston submarkets are not hurting for hotel rooms. Houston has had one of the biggest increases in supply compared to other US cities during this downturn (all those little Holiday Inn Expresses that no one ever sees or thinks of). I believe the number is like 7% increase, but can double check.
Personally, I'd like to see less hotel rooms, higher occupancies, so that rates can begin to increase... and most may disagree, but i'll explain why. Houston has some of the cheapest room rates. I've seen the Four Seasons offer rates as low as $129 on the weekends, which is bordeline depressing. Until Houston sees some rate increases, we will never get new and sexy hotels, because it is financially unfeasible to build a new four seasons that will be forced to offer $129 rates. (my firm actually completed the study for this Embassy Suites -not me- and I don't remember, but did this property had some incentive from the city??)
I just finished doing an appraisal of a limited-service hotel in the medical center (one of the best performing markets) and this limited-service hotel had an average rate of $115 (actually very good for that type of property)....so considering building costs and earning potential, most people end up building the limited-service properties.
I've had calls from hotel brands (sorry can't disclose a lot of info), telling me that they've had a developer approach them wanting to build that hotel company's signature brand (think competitors to Four Seasons, St. Regis, etc.) in the Houston area, and they wanted to get my thoughts on the market. I love this city and tell them all the plusses, but as soon as we talk about numbers and what other properties are doing, the conversation ends. Numbers don't lie, the city's top two hotels (four seasons and st. regis) have an ADR (average daily rate) slightly above $200. They know what is going to costs them to build that signature property and the ADR that is needed to support those construction costs, which is way above $200. Some Marriotts and Westins in other US cities do better than that. :-(
Just to clarify, because I know this question always pops up: ADR is not to be confused with the rate you see on the hotel's website, also known as the rack rate. Many people ask: how is it that the XYZ Luxury Hotel has an ADR of $200 but when I go on their website their cheapest room is at $400? This is because XYZ Hotel, like all other hotels, set up contracts with their top accounts. They end up offering major companies rates of $130, because by doing so they guarantee themselves that business, which can be many many room nights in a year. Thus, they end up with a lower ADR at the end of the year.
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Does anyone know how big this store (at 40,000 sf) will be compared to the one on Kirby. Is it going to be a smaller one like the one on bellaire or wilcrest?
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I see they show a Le Meridien instead of the W (was this the project that was going to maybe include a W?). Interestingly enough they show a building with an "M"... that "M" looks identical to that of W Hotels just flipped backwards.
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There is no reason to be ashamed of caving into buying a car, you gave it a great effort and ultimately found out it wasn't for you.
Driving out for dinner is fine, as long as you don't drink and drive. If you do then you will find out it IS the price of a small car to get you out of it.
I'm curious as to what kind of car you got, though.
thanks!
I got a 2004 BMW 325. used of course, with 60k mi. I didn't want a car note again, so I didn't want to go too high but I wanted something reasonably nice. I looked at different more eco-friendly options, including the Smart car...but surprisingly a USED smart car was around the same price range as the BMW, and what you get in one vs. the other is like comparing apples to monkeys! Other cars like the MINI were just out of the question in terms of prices vs. what you get.
I felt I was being somewhat good, improving my gas milage by about 50% when compared to my old suv.
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Sooo, I feel so embarrassed... but I have to admit that I couldn't go longer than 2 months w/out a car. I just got a new car this week. For the most part, I had everything figured out, but it was hard doing the going out/dinners/bars thing. Dressing well and riding on a bike was out of the question, so that meant taking taxis and the cost/benefit of taking taxis or having a car was about the same.
However, now that I was able to be car-less for a period, I have realized how little I need it, so I think I will keep up my biking.
CRITICAL MASS TONIGHT!!
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Its amazing how much space even multi-level parking garages occupy on these sites.
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What finally made you take the plunge?
Knowing a few people that don't own cars, they routinely rent cars on weekends when they have bigger trips planned ahead of time.
The hour that it takes to go from Midtown to westchase usually comes from having to deal with 610/ Westheimer and having frequent stops. If any metro line that needs the "quickline" is Westheimer due to it being such a long street with, what has to be, a decent amount of ridership.
These are some of the top reasons in no particular order:
1. Environment: Everyone knows we waste so much energy, oil, etc. I know that me not driving my car will not help at all (especially since I sold it to my parents so now they have two cars when before they had one!). But the idea is that individual action turns into collective action, which results in political action that results in change. I'm now starting to spend some time finding ways to get involved with these issues at the collective/political level. Also, one less person driving, means one more person in public transit or out in the streets, which increases ridership, (and in my opinion, the cool factor of our city) etc, etc.
2. Health: One day I was at the gym on a treadmill, and I got to thinking about it.... What if instead of driving to the gym I would just WALK to the gym, touch the walls of the building (never step inside), and turn around and walk back home? Interestingly, I would get the same benefits of getting in a car, driving 10min to the gym (20min roundtrip) and spending 30-45min exercising... I was like "Why am I spending money on going to a place to workout when biking and walking its free!!" I know many people go to the gym for other reasons (bulk up or what not), everyone is different, I wasn't there to bulk up, so it was useless to pay to go do cardio. The health factor is automatically built in when being car-free. I have already lost about 5lbs in the first month and I'm already a pretty slim guy so I hope I don't end up looking like a toothpick. This week for example, I took METRO from westchase...even though the entire trip takes an hour or so, 20 of those minutes were spent walking to/from bus stops...so although I did get home later, I had already done my exercise.
3. Financial: There is a website that talks about the exorbitant amount of money we spend on driving (insurance, gas, maintenance, registration, inspection, parking, etc). I read somewhere that the average Houstonian spends like 27% or 30% of his/her income in public transportation. There is an automatic 20%-25% raise for you!
4. I think the most important reason is that I just didnt' need it. Again, all of us are different and I have friends that I can't see being able to live normally without a car (one, for example, lives in the suburbs, works elsewhere, has two kids that he constantly has to shuttle around). Its absolutely impossible for most people to live without a car. But, there are also many of us that really could live without a car...so why not? I'm new to this so I don't know, I may break down one day and run to a dealership and get a car...but I can almost guarantee that if I do that I will drive away from that dealership with a smart car or something much more reasonable...if I can live comfortably w/out a car then I definitely don't need my old SUV back.
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I recently took the plunge and sold my car... and its working out so far. I'm primarily getting around by biking.
I live in the Fourth Ward, which is just a few blocks west of downtown (bordered by Montrose, Midtown, and Downtown), so I'm pretty much close to a lot of things. Grocery shopping and running errands is no problem.
As far as the sweat factor, I carry a small towel in my backpack, but so far I have rarely sweat (the breeze always cools me down even though it may be warm... ask me in the summer and I may have a different answer!).
For groceries, I have a milk crate that I attach to the back of my bike when I'm going to purchase something. The milk crate (which everyone loves!) actually holds a lot.. I can easily carry a week's worth of groceries.
It is definitely a different lifestyle, but so far I think the benefits are soooo worth it... better health and more money (no gym, no insurance, no gas). For some reason, I always see people I know in the streets, so I'm forced to stop, talk and socialize (never happened when driving by at 45mph!).
I have mixed feelings about Houston METRO system. I'm taking it this week to go to Westchase for a continuing ed class. From my place (near downtown) to Westchase it takes a full hour compared to 20min in the car. That is a bit ridiculous, but on the bright side I am able to catch up on my reading while on the bus so it is not time fully wasted. The hour also includes the time it takes to walk to and from bus stops (which totals a good 25 minutes). I think the main improvements we need in our transit system are increased frequency and increased routes.
BTW, I love Google Maps transit and bike directions, they are life and time saver!
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I searched and searched for this but did not find anything. This appears to be a mixed-use project (200,000 SF of retail space plus "hotels, condo, apartments, and office space). Given its location, at first I thought it was the high street project, but it appears to be different. There is a ton of info on the following websites. I'll let the experts extract renderings and/or confirm/delete/merge.
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I think "freedmen's town" is the other name for 4th ward... there are brown "historical" signs on all edges of the neighborhood... I kinda like it more than 4th ward
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Does anyone have suggestions/comments on the Midtown (and close surrounding area) gyms? Would like to join one other than the YMCA (S. Downtown). Seems as if Fitness Exchange has left and is now "Crew Health & Fitness" on Washington Ave. near Shepherd, slightly further than I'd like to drive.
If you know of any gyms in the area, please post your thoughts and membership price if you know.
Thank you
I like the Met (part of the downtown club system). Its a bit pricey but much nicer than other places. It has a very large gym and cardio floor, a restaurant, 10 indoor tennis courts, a spa, racquetball courts, squash courts, a childcare, and classes. Its really a nice place and the members are like a big family.
The address is 340 w Dallas, 77002
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Why is it that (for the most part), the colder the country the more developed, and vice versa. This is UN's latest Human Development Index map.
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I've browsed through craigslist many times just to see what rents are going for...and have seen many 1 bedroom units for about 600-700 (some include bills) in the montrose area. Most of them are duplexes and smaller complexes. Personally, if I were looking for a place to live I would jump on those places. The duplexes usually have more square footage than your average apartment and have more character. Some of those 10-20 unit complexes are also nice, and from visiting friends, it seems like the residents are closer knit than some of the larger apt complexes.
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THis is the video that should have been shown...
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Here's the link to the video:
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I had to relocate away from Houston for the majority of this year (Dallas and Atlanta) and I'm finally moving back permanently next week. Now that I've been away I've realized two things: 1. Houston is a great place to live. I knew that before and have always loved the city, but now I know it even more. 2. The progress going on here is amazing.
Houston may have its problems, but I think the city has a lot going for it. The cost of living here is low, and for the most part, people can live in a decent place in a decent area for a decent price. The transportation system is not the greatest, but if people really wanted to, they can take the bus almost anywhere within the city. When I went to UH, I didn't have a car, and got around perfectly fine in the bus. Its obviously not as convenient, but I would do it again if I needed. During the summers, it is hot and muggy, but I love being able to run outside in January. Hey, and at least we have water! Atlanta is running out of water.
I drove around the city today to check out some of the developments and was really shocked. When you live here everyday, I think its hard to notice the progress of the city, but I can go on and on about the projects / buildings / houses that were finished or started within the last 11 months. I live in fourth ward, directly west of downtown, and I now have neighbors whose houses weren't even there at the beggining of the year!!! It's crazy. On the other hand, I saw a lot of projects in midtown that I was unhappy about...mostly banks that weren't there before (chase, wachovia, a CVS on main street, etc). Like many people here, I agree that those aren't the most ideal "urban" developments, but when I think of what was there before, nothing comes to mind...so I guess they are better than an empty lot.
I don't think Houston is playing catch-up. I think that maybe over the last several years a lot of its growth had been spread throughout the city, including suburbs, and it was hard to notice it. Today, we are seeing a lot of inner-loop growth, which is great. I think the potential of this city is amazing, and the best is yet to come. I also agree with another post that said that you have to love the city for what it is, and everything else that comes along will just be icing.
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I haven't spent this much energy focused on buildings being built before, but with One Park Place, 2727 Kirby and others I have been paying more attention. But 2727 seems to be progressing at a slower pace. Is this the case, or is it just the normal pace for a building like this. It seems as if One Park Place is going faster.
I think so too. It's been about a year since someone posted the first picture of the cranes going into the site on this post. I did a feasibility study for hotel within a high-rise hotel/condo tower in Miami and the developer wanted us to use a 30 month construction period. If that's normal for towers, then I guess that leaves another 18 months. The master list, however, shows that is slated for completion in 2008.
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I live in the area....just a few thoughts/comments.
1. I agree on the previous comment that some of the development has been by black-owned organizations. And it is true that the area has seen a mix of expensive townhomes with more affordable housing. If I'm not mistaken, as of this year, the organization(s) doing the more affordable housing (and I forget the names), have run out of land...so there will be no more affordable housing. However, even the previous residents can't afford the affordable housing.
2. The area does feel cramped already, and there is still lots of vacant land. You can fit my house 32 times in one block, and if you've seen the area you know how small these blocks are. However, i don't mind the narrow streets. Traffic is almost non-existent. It seems like everytime I leave my house I'm the only one on the road. It also give it a more "neighborhood" feel. I have some friends down the street from me, and even though they are about 5 blocks away, its a really short walk.
3. Too bad they are not replacing the bricks. Even though the bricks do have historical meaning...those two streets are very rough, lop-sided, and with huge potholes. I try to avoid them at all cost.
4. Those 10 delapidated houses need to go. I'm all for preservation, but things change, places change. I don't expect my house to be here forever.
Parking Garage In Midtown
in Houston Real Estate
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I think the one in midtown is supposed to be a public (for pay) parking garage, separate from the new restaurant, but by the same group.