what

So the old M-Bar was leased to a high end art gallery...

Actually think the name of this thread should be changed to the future of downtown nightlife. Obviously, Downtown is soon to be "Once Again" the new and this time lasting hotspot. Midtown as you might know was a ghetto and has come a long way as downtowns neighborhood. It is going to settle back into the shadow of downtown, as it should and sophisticated operators will select downtown for real business.

Cool!!!

Well put. I agree with you.

Relax. The list is fairly accurate.

Pavillions, Fingers, more buildings, new businesses opening on street level... We will probably hear more rumbles out Sakowitz since H. Pavilions dove in. Downtown is the only area where light rail is completed, it will be interesting to see if construction has the same impact on those areas that it expands into as it did downtown and if that doesn't push business into downtown. Any thoughts ?

I heard that a re-do was planned for Macy's...

The ground breaking occured Feb. 5th ! Official Ceremony to follow Feb. 27th.

Maybe another operator will lease the space. Has anyone heard ?

How would you know anyway ? Topless bars do stay open until 5 am. Therefore, they are after hours clubs aren't they and lately they seem to have been within the cross-hairs of the law quite a bit.

Here is a more recent lease for all : Forever 21.

It might become a restaurant group that takes the space that has an x-nfl investor.

Maybe he meant Topless Bars ?

Amen !

No sorry...it's February.

Actually, I heard Houston Pavilions = 02/05/07

Why didn't they pick a location in an auto repair somewhere in Pasadena ?

It doesn't seem to matter in other cities, so why should it matter in Houston ? Are you suggesting that this towns leadership intentionally tries to control what goes on by being picky about what it decides to embrace and support downtown, even if there is a group who's job is to support downtown as a whole ?

I will go a step further...I am not intending to point any fingers, but I don't think a majority of the clubs have been paying market rent downtown for a long time. I think that most of them realize that renting a place in most other areas would cost them a lot more money every month for the same amount of space. I think that as the rents continue to increase back to market levels that the concepts are getting stronger again gradually that are opening downtown, and there will be less and less options for below par concepts to pay low rent downtown as the market continues to tighten. I also believe this to be true because it is very seldom that you hear of any operators that close downtown to re-open somewhere else in the city. Sorry, but I think it's true. Look to the concept and less to the area for fault, because downtown is back on an up swing. Downtown is a top location and deserves top operators with substance .

I think Downtown has been slowly dictating what people really do want and don't want. I am not sad that monster dance clubs that cater to kids are not in demand. Actually don't think they have been for a while...I don't think it's the more traditional bars that seem to be closing, but instead the massive kiddy dance clubs. There are actually several places doing quite well downtown. I think the new more sophisticated concepts like Rocbar (sp.) , and Venue, along with restaurants, that have opened in addition to the high profile types soon to be in Houston Pavilions (house of blues, lucky strike, mc cormick and schmidts, lowrys steak house, Forever 21 )will be at home downtown surrounded by all the major amenities and sports venues downtown has to offer.