bach

It is a restaurant named PicaZo, or something like that. It appears to now be open, serving breakfast and lunch (accoeding to the banner). Not sure about dinner.

It's Picazo. From an e-mail they sent out 3/27/07:

breakfast, lunch, or dinner

we cater and deliver.

thanks

anthony vowell

marketing director

713-628-0219 cell

picazo restaurant bar & grill

1421 preston @ labranch

houston tx 77002

www.picazodowntown.com

713-236-1300

Prisoners released from the TDC in Huntsville get a Greyhound ticket to that location in Midtown . . . state policy is to send them back to the location of their conviction; that's why it looks like a prison yard.

An article regarding the problem:

www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3596352

I can't find one, however, that I think I remember reading that described what they were doing about the inmates who left Huntsville, came to Houston and were supposed to move on. They implemented a system whereby someone would be at the bus station waiting for the bus to arrive, and identifying former inmates and making sure they got on their next bus. This was supposed to help the problem at least somewhat.

The Galleria

Group: Members

Posts: 99

Joined: Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

Member No.: 3,421

QUOTE(713 To 214 @ Thursday, March 8th, 2007 @ 7:02pm) Houstondowntown.com

Exactly. You hit the nail on the head. The first thing that stands out when you get to their site are the following words: What To Do . When you click on What To Do, they have downtown broken up into 10 different districts, or is it 17 ? Who is going to get on there and navigate 10 areas in 1 downtown. It' s all here ! (as they say), but when are they going to promote it and tell somebody about it ? They have taken so much time creating districts for one downtown instead of trying to unify the area as a whole and making Midtown blend in as downtowns neighborhood. Downtown is intimidating for most that aren't familiar with the area or that are visiting. I can't see a tourist going to that site in their hotel room trying to figure anything out, the rest of the material looks like it is stuff that their boss expects to see in order to justify getting a paycheck. No offense,but there sure seems like there could be a whole lot more thought put into promoting the area. I think anyone would be hard pressed outside of this forum to have heard of houstondowntown.com. If you and I worked for a company that built so many magnificent facilities and stadiums, and invested this much money into the downtown area and couldn't come up with a way to get off of our tails and actually promote it then I think we would be fired. It's sad...

Lot of wasted space here. Why not go to them and say something?

Thank you. I couldn't agree with you more. Bach I think the material should pertain to the area and not confuse people or frustrate them trying to figure out exactly what is going on. Additionally, I don't think anyone is even aware that this site is out there. I think that perhaps instead of spending all of this money to create new districts, more banners, more division, the same money could be spent actually promoting the area as a whole and perhaps letting people actually know what downtown has to offer.

OK, but there's more that you do want with respect to the way the info is presented. What is it? How would you do it?

i think it would be interesting to have a poll asking all HAIF users to just go to www.houstondowntown.com and see if they think this is an easy way for people to find information regarding eating out, shopping, or doing anything at all for that matter downtown and see if they think it is user friendly and/or geared towards making it easy for people interested in having a night out downtown. I think it would also be interesting to see if anyone hears anything at all outside of a bad-news story or some type of self-promotion like (example: Houston Pavilions) that is directly attributed to the efforts of this group that is supposed to be paid to promote downtown. yes, it's all downtown, but where are the people who are supposed to pushing it hiding ? perhaps somewhere in this blog stuck in deep theory dreaming of neighborhoods and excuses during the day at work instead of taking some initiative and actually trying to work with all the amenities downtown has to offer ?

How would you present the material? And are there examples out there that they should look at?

probably lease dispute. i was talking with someone who works for reliant who shuts off power when tenants/owners don't pay. he mentioned that he recently shut off power to at least 5 businesses in the area for failure to pay.

Harris County's website indicates the building is theirs:

www.hctx.net/fpm/DowntownCourtHouseComplex.aspx

Pillot Building

Annex 16

1012 Congress St.

Houston, TX 77002

They only open up at 5pm?

Man, that kinda' sucks, I was hoping to head that way during a lunch hour to meet a date there, I would have figured that they would open up during an extended lunch hour.

I guess I better look at their website.

Just like their other location, they're not open at lunch.

And re their market, it's 1) expense accounts 2) well-to-do, and 3) impress your date.

if i lived in the downtown area of a large city, i would expect noise period.

if i had a business and the police were frequently doing the sound meter tests, it would be frustrating because there are several more important issues that the police could help resolve. i think HPD tends to overreact to complaints such as this which will piss off the good merchants too. if there are specific instances where sound is loud, HPD should act then, not during the day where there is no problem.

If you had a business and the police were frequently around, I would think you'd be happy, because your customers would feel safe and secure, because there is police presence. And you'd know that obnoxious neighbors would be addressed. Why would you have a problem that they're walking around when there is no problem? Do you just want a reactive HPD? Jeez.

the bar area looked fairly busy last night.

I was there tonight, and it was doing very well. Couple of 12+ business/expense account tables, plus others, and bar full for much of the night.

On a recent Thursday night I went to the bar at 5:00, when they open. By 5:45 the bar was packed.

Great "happy hour." Martinis still $12, but appetizer prices at $4.00. Try the mini steak sandwiches -- a light meal and terrific.

A great addition to downtown.

I'll address it here. I live downtown. Before living in Houston, I lived in central DC. I consider myself to have a very high threshold for dealing with noise. I'm fine with the levels of noise typically produced by sirens, gunshots, 3 alarm fires, and 5 am street brawls. I'm confident that neither Warren's nor Market St Grill could produce enough noise to disturb my night even if they wanted to. However, I am not fine with bass that vibrates through several brick walls and into my loft at 3am. Hearing music at 1:00am is fine. Audible noise all night all night long is not an issue. Feeling my pillow vibrate at 3:00am is where I draw the line.

Totally agree.

And yes, the rounds are made to check out the neighborhood. And aren't business owners pleased that HPD is around? Unless they're like a certain unnamed establishment with long lines of people but a low level of liquor sales being reported.

Residents get used to -- and embrace -- most noise. Car traffic, trains, people. Bus noise, even if it's the same level or higher than music, is noise that one gets used to. Even yelling outside. But a speaker set outside a club or restaurant blaring is another thing completely.

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

The M Bar location has not been leased to an art gallery or anyone else.

But what about the idea of bringing in a couple of art galleries to fill space until more/strong/established businesses such as restaurants come in? At least filling space with activity?

Fretz Construction was the original construction company. When the building came up for sale, Bob Fretz bought it -- had the original drawings and everything. Very cool rooftop -- indoor/outdoor kitchen, wall for outdoor movies, etc. Converted floor 2 to three residential units and floor 3 to two units. He lives in one of them. He sold four, possibly all five units. Is actively looking for a compatible (to residential) restaurant or other establishment for the first floor.

does anyone think they will expand the tunnels from the houston center to connect with HP, Park Tower, and Discovery Green

To One Park Place: no, because it's expensive and not needed for a residential development. Not enough of their residents would live within the short distance people are really willing to walk, even when you add those true inner city types (like those from Chicago, NYC) who are willing to walk. Just not enough of them to pass the cost/benefit analysis.

To Discovery Green: no, because it's not needed. That would be like bypassing the stairs and taking an escalator upstairs to a gym. (Seen that pic?)

To HP: would definitely benefit the office component, is possible, but the developer isn't currently going in that direction.

I would describe it as I-45, Clay, and Dallas (directly across Dallas from the Allen Center Parking garage and the Metropolitan Racquet Club parking garage, and directly across Clay from the Goddard/Heritage site you speak of, and man, what a waste of property it would be to build just a parking garage on that site... but I digress; I guess they may not want to build a tower that would obstruct the views from Heritage Plaza.)

I hope this .jpg works (haven't posted a pic before). If not, let me know. It shows where definitely the Heritage lot is, and where Goddard/Heritage is planning a garage.

Next to it with the ?? -- that's the Brookfield office location #2/the Gateway Site?

Two of your three sites are in the wrong locations. Your blue marking should be on the parking garage just to the north (the one that is attached to 1400 Smith via skywalk). Your orange marking should be even further north and a little west, just to the north of the parking garage that has the racquet club on top (the black-ish rectangle at the upper left area of your image. I would mark an image for you, but I don't know how to do that. :-(

Judging from the descriptive language on the Roche Dinkeloo website, that design appears to be a for a past project that is not happening. ("The design was for two buildings on a single block, with the entrances to the central atrium lobby marked by monumental columns. The buildings, of varying heights, would have produced a strong identity on the Houston skyline. The exterior was to have been a graphically delineated skin of glass and smooth stone with the structure tapering upward to the stepped pyramidal tops.

Goddard/Heritage Plaza is planning a parking garage on the property between Bagby, Dallas and Clay, across from the Doubletree.

Brookfield's Gateway Site is across the street, between I-45, Bagby, and Clay?

is this the location (above the arrow)? or am i totally off?:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1600+smith+7...m=1&layer=t

That's the location.

There's almost an acre of space there, between 1400 Smith, Smith Street, Continental Center and the parking garage. The complex was designed for a tower to go there -- at a different angle than Continental Center I. Would use the existing parking structure. The building would be 700,000 sf+ and could include a 40,000 sf trading floor if they needed to include it in the design. Would be 2.5-3 years to completion, assuming they build it.

Hey guys let's just be happy the groundbreaking is actually happening. A month ago we were still worrying about whether or not this thing was going to happen. How much retail space is left for the Pavilions? If there was 360,000 sq. ft. to begin with, how much is left after all the tenants that have been anounced? Who knows there still could be some great places coming that have yet to be announced. I'm sure once this thing is complete, we won't care what's down there, we'll just be happy to have it.

Exerpts from today's press release:

HOUSTON - The Houston Pavilions, a four city block mixed-use development that will become downtown's premiere entertainment, retail and urban office hub, broke ground on Tuesday morning, February 27th. The $170 million project is scheduled to open in October of 2008.

The project will be comprised of 360,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, and a 480,000 sq. ft., 1,525 space parking garage. The development will be bounded by Dallas St. to the north, Polk St. to the south, Main St. to the west and Caroline St. to the east.

The developers, William Denton and Geoffrey Jones, who separately have been responsible for numerous commercial, office and residential projects in Houston and other major cities, revealed the identity of the Pavilions' two latest anchor tenants during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Each of the new anchors is in excess of 24,000 sq. ft. A two-level Books-A-Million Superstore and Forever 21 will join the project's original anchor tenants, the House of Blues

Per Hines, they're replacing the colling towers and window washing rig, and the equipment will probably be up there for another month.

Does anyone know what's up at the Kirby Lofts on Main St? Was full after Katrina, but doesn't seem to be very occupied now. Especially compared to other downtown resid. props.

What are the dimensions of the tunnel? Width and ceiling height?

Practical width: 2-6 people wide,depending on where you are.

Height: You never have to duck.

I guess sources aren't en vogue anymore.

Not that it's not true.

? There's an official invitation that has been sent to select individuals.

Amazing. What does this say about downtown and maybe even our city in general? We are so hungry for a development like this that we wait on baited breath for every little development. When was the last significant $200+ million private development like this in Houston? This can't be the first, can it? I'm sure there were some anticipated office towers, but what else? Either way, I am just as excited as everyone else here!

By the way, it may be 5 days until the "official" ground breaking! But then I wouldn't be surprised if they got going at the pace of One Park Place soon afterwards.

Official groundbreaking ceremony: 2/27/07, 10:30 am

So looking from that, is it possible for the Park Tower to have tunnel access. Is it possible to extend it to the Pavilions, too?

Downtown residents don't have to be on the tunnel system -- only two properties are on it now. One Park Place (formerly called Park Tower) could be on the tunnel/skybridge system. All it takes is a lot of $ and the OK from your neighbor to connect to his property, but Marvy decided a tunnel connection wasn't necessary.

Pavilions doesn't plan to connect. The tunnel is a huge amenity for office workers for downtown workers, but Pavilions won't feed of the downtown worker -- it will be a destination for people who don't need the tunnel. They will, however, have a skybridge linking the project to the Main Garage. A connection would probably help the 198,000 sf office tower, but you're going to have a different office tenant in that building than most of the rest of downtown. Those tenants are going to want different/interesting/unique/creative space, and they won't be as adament about a tunnel connection.

I only know that about 2 years ago they were supposed to build a huge beautiful modern skyscraper either there or next door on Main/Texas. Last I heard plans were scrapped red tape, etc.

What a shame, it looked really fantastic. There was even a trailor there with the representatives to answer questions about rentals. I bet the Houston Downtown Alliance knows whats up.

www.downtownhouston.org

Shamrock won't happen. Texas Tower (the building on that block -- on the SW corner of Texas & Fannin) continues to be marketed, with people walking the building. Best if a developer takes the 3/4 block and the building, takes the bldg down and builds a high-rise residential tower.