fernz

Bissonnet at University Place

ROFLMAO!

yes, they probably couldn't pay off the neighbors to use their air rights

nice shots, thanks for posting!

does any one know if there's been any progress in the construction lately?

yep.. its a damn shame.. TBH the new design isnt THAT bad. hopefully the lighting at the top will be color changing or something, but im really bummed they are replacing a 60s mid century modern design.

I agree it isn't THAT bad, I wouldn't mind it if it was another infill project. But if you are redoing an iconic building, it should be better than "not that bad", it should be awesome.

And they should somehow honor the original design, maybe with horizontal bands of contrasting glass, or even glass fins like BG place.

I believe it has to do with the David Crocket subdivision behind it. In that neighborhood they have strict guidelines. Two stories on Virginia and Ferndale, and no town homes on Lake Street, which is why that still hasn't really developed. Who wants a single family facing the car wash, Bed Bath/Beyond etc?

Many neighborhoods have deed restrictions, like probably this one. However, changes to that are not voted by the Planning Commission, they need to be voted by the majority of residents. This land use restriction would seem to be imposed by the City, if they are the ones voting on it, but we all know there is no zoning in Houston. What's wrong with this picture?

--- THIS, is a a game-changer!

I wish these looked more like the Broadstone projects in Post Oak and in the Energy Corridor. Those are both looking really nice, with limestone cladding, dark brown accents and large windows. I guess Midtown is considered a lower-end market than those two.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Kirby-Drive-vote-could-allow-major-development-to-5501264.php#/1

"The request to replat the property from a commercial use to one that's unrestricted is expected to be taken up at the next Houston Planning Commission "

??!! Would it be too much to ask of the chronicle to mention in the article why this particular piece of land has land use restrictions??

Does anyone in this forum know how that came to be?

I'm one of those now who likes the existing design better.

Too bad they didn't have a design like that for the BBVA tower.

While I do like the design of the new office tower, it seems pretty inefficient for space planning.

Well the Taylor bridge, the one in the rendering, is fine.

The Studewood bridge, the one we were mentioning and the one in the article, is downright terrifying. The article states they aren't sure what caused the fall...???

Let me show you what caused the fall:

From Google Streetview.

Look at the "sidewalk" and tell me that looks safe. You don't realize just how bad it is until it's too late... or if you need to get to Stude Park from the bike trail, this is one of the quickest ways.

Either way, it's a big NO NO NO for me.

Bikes are not supposed to go on the sidewalks anyway; they are supposed to share the road with the cars.

One of the two evils will end up killing you.

Well said Luminare.

Also, the hotel doesn't have 1,000 rooms in order to be flashy. Houston First needs as many rooms as possible near the convention center in order to attract large conventions.

Valid points. What variance are they asking for?

I really don't like this one...

Um, what major thoroughfare would that be? Don't get me wrong, I think this project is fantastic and those old apartments needed to go. But if people seriously think there won't be any opposition to this project, people don't know the Woodland Heights.

Taylor / sawyer street.

I'm sure there will be opposition, but in this city of no zoning, it doesn't matter much. It's all about the market, and obviously, the market that matters to the developers is the one of people that currently live elsewhere.

I like it. Nothing wrong with a massive structure when it's on a major thoroughfare.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I like the latest design best. I think the earlier versions looked conceptual and clunky; and they have been refined into a more elegant tower. Flashy is not necessarily better.

They are now in the process of removing the trees they had recently planted on the North edge of th property, along the just removed sidewalk.

The Houstonioan is another very nice luxury hotel.

I hope the tunnel costs indeed stay prohibitive, grocery, street vendor, and retail options grow, and Houstonians of all different ages & backgrounds share a desire or need to cross paths downtown - on foot (or bike) & above surface.

Wasn't the money for relocating jobs? And they're paid in installments over years.

That's what I thought as well.

Oh okay. Was anxious to see what else was in the works

Does anyone know what's going up there?

Does it say what type of building is going up there?

Highland Oaks will quickly become the place to be, I Tell you what.

No, the article is about the restaurant closing, no mention of the new development.

Is there a thread for this? This is North of Wesheimer, west of teh Azalea Court project.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Crapitto’s Cucina Italiana will serve its last supper May 24.

In an email blast to its customers, Frank Crapitto wrote:

Yes!