GovernorAggie

It won't disappoint me that they don't sell CD's. They're way overpriced at bookstores to me. I saw 8-9 year old CDs at a Borders in Fairfax, VA for like $18.99! Insane!

I don't think so. But the prices for those items are WAY too high in Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc. I am sure that there will be some sort of "entertainment" oriented store in HP that would sell electronics, games, music, movies, etc. It just seems to fit the mantra. On the other hand, I think that the "urban" concept of this Books-A-Million will be the first of its kind for that company. So maybe they'll include music and movies.

Target is at the most a 5 minute drive from DT. They won't buy Wal-Mart, but they'll buy Tar-zhay!!!

I think that Houston needs to know what kind of community Houston wants to identify itself as first, before marketing itself out as something to MTV and APA and everyone else. For the longest, Houston could just let things run along becoause people came here just to work. Now, in this day and time, people are starting to look more at places that they like and then find a job there. Sometimes images can come as an accident. Who would've thought that Miami would be viewed as it is today? If you told a 1982 Miamian that in 2007 (25 years later) Miami would be a hot, international, tropical city with over 100 skyscrapers planned or u/c, has the current NBA champion, an NHL champion, TWO baseball champions, and is viewed as a place where "the beautiful" want to see and be seen? Miami was a cesspool on its way to being Detroit South until they took practical (a very Houston-ish word, btw) steps to change their city. The basics like, fighting crime and police corruption. Today Miami is "uber" popular with the expense to match, unfortunately. It still has crime issues and terrible poverty issues and is getting a rep as a playground for the rich (Miami's current residents won't be living in those shiny new condos), but it is well-regarded around the world...and it started with practical solutions, and charting a course for its future. Miami Vice didn't hurt things, either (as dumb as that sounds, it's true--it was referred to on an INHD special about the city). The Houston of 2030 is going to be drastically different than the Houston of today. Sure there are plans and guidances and so on. But Houston will get an image improvement with practical solutions like improving transit options, steadily closing off open ditches, cleaning the bayous, continuing a decrease in crime, and so on. Miami's gov't leaders didn't "make" the city into what it currently is. They may have set the table, but they didn't really do the feeding. I think Houston is now doing the same. I hope that the Houston of 2030 becomes more known as the gleaming but humble metropolis that it is--one that people ignore but then are then are impressed with when they visit (most likely on business).

Didn't know where to put this, but I saw a gentleman measuring off the building today. He had measuring tape and was jotting everything down on his notepad. He also had what looked like a sketched/diagram kind of figure on his paper.

Must be the same one rumored to be contemplated by Brookfield. Regarding the drawings, what was awesome about them? Is it another flat-top? Does it have some sort of crown? At 40+ floors, how visible would it be from the west, since that might the clearest angle to see it.

He also said that if you want to invest in downtown, get in line. From most other politicians, I'd take this with a grain of salt. However, Mayor White is probably one of the most "practical" mayors Houston has seen in some time--maybe even to a fault for some. He doesn't make a lot of "pie-in-the-sky" comments and if you think about it, hasn't done a lot of "pie-in-the-sky" initiatives. Only practical ones that are fast, and achieve tangible results. With that in mind, I look for to this project and others coming to fruition!

I don't know who did it, but I think they have some really great designs, with the skyline being one of my two favorites. The other is the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo that I've seen on 610 south (I think) and on 59N near the Beltway, and I think it also includes an image of the skyline. The also have the Texas flag, the eagle (as mentioned), I think some sort of fishing scene (on the Beltway/249 interchange), and a TxDOT Houston District logo near the 610/59S interchange. Another cool one is of the Alamo in San Antonio on 410. The painting of the Alamo inside the state cut-out is very nice.

California did this in the past (SR-91) and ended up regretting it. They paid some huge amount of money to buy a parallel toll road from a private company b/c of those same stipulations of no area road improvements.

I agree with you. I am excited that downtown will have not one, not two, not three, not four, but over FIVE blocks of new development come online at the same time in 2008 (HP, One Park Place, Discovery Green). Like I said, everything that didn't go into HP doesn't mean that it won't happen later as a spin-off. Who knows, maybe "The New West Bldg." will finally get something done--maybe be the home of my sports palaces (as well as that whole block of Main) and maybe the owner of the Main Food and $ Store will actually renovate that place into the restaurant that it was goning to be. Let's not forget about America Apparel and the new shoe store that will go in across from HP at the Humble Tower. AND Let's not leave out the retail possibilities of the parking garage u/c on Main. And the land put for sale by FUMC. And LandCo's potential 17-story residential development alongside Discovery Green. And Brookfield Properties' new office tower that would come online with the signing of just one anchor tenant. I was getting a bit concerned myself, but it is evident now that the sky is indeed not falling downtown. Things are really looking up, IMO--WAY up.

I see that you said "personally"...what is your reasoning? The Niketown in SF when I visited did not have a "thug" element, and I would venture to guess that the ESPN Zone would attract about as many thugs as Fox Sports Grill in the Galleria does. Location doesn't matter. The same Houston that you are well aware of that provides for most people to travel by car allows those thugs to go where they want just as easily. And they do.

Main St. Sq. and Bell Stations. I'm with ToolMan, quit the whining already. So HP isn't the silver bullet, but it can be the catalyst (as it has been called by many). What's stopping ESPN Zone, Niketown, and Virgin from coming into any neighboring areas? Nothing but themselves, IMO. As far as movie theaters go, can someone quickly name the multi-screen movie theaters located in downtown San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago? There's another empty block east of the Josephine's block that can be filled, and there are FOUR and maybe even SIX empty surface parking lots around Bell Station, including the lot owned by First United Methodist Church that was put up for sale a couple months ago. There's the empty plot where Shamrock would have been, and the empty block on Fannin near the soon-to-be redeveloped Texaco Building. Let's not forget all of the empty lots around MMP and between MMP and GRB (which will grow in value thanks to the Discovery Green). Parking is about to lose its status as the "highest and best" use for many of these properties, and I don't think we'll have to wait all that long. When HP shows its success, other retailers and companies will definitely make ways to get into downtown.

I don't there's too much different, other that what Great Hizzy said about the Urbanistas. True to form, the real 'anchor' Books A Million is a relatively new name in Houston. That's kinda what HP is aiming to do, right? Actually, I think that they're music is little lacking compared to Borders (but I never buy music there anyway--why pay $18 for the same CD thats $13 at WalMart, $15 at Target, or $10 on iTunes?). Maybe this is a good sign--why need a books and music store when you may be working on leasing space to Virgin?

Hey! Don't hate on the home state! Saks Fifth Avenue is based there, too, you know! Houston has a Books-A-Million in Katy Mills, and I really enjoy that place.

I don't think it's a letdown. I actually really like Books-A-Million. To me, they're just as good as Barnes and Noble, and they have a coffee shop in-store. I think the hours are about the same as well, closing at 11 pm. Now about Forever 21, well...that's ok I suppose. It counts as an anchor in the Denver Pavilions project. I still think we're set up well for a Niketown (closest one is in Atlanta--and it's in a shopping mall, Phipps Plaza), and a Virgin MegaStore (closest on is Dallas, and it's in Katy Mills' cousin Grapevine Mills). The jury is out on ESPN Zone b/c when I wrote them some months back they said that they weren't looking to expand, but hey, one can always hope, right? I mean, they'd be oh-so-close to Toyota Center and also close to Minute Maid Park, and would be a great hang-out spot before and after games. So we have a great listing of restaurants, a House of Blues, a Forever 21, and a Books-A-Million (the bookstore everyone wanted). Looking pretty good to me.

Maybe not, but your pic has given those who haven't seen it a look at the lot that's already torn up!

Hmmm, what does her face look like??

Yes!!! I saw the tent up this morning, complete with the "Houston Pavilions" sign and logo! Actually, I must admit that I am more eager to hear what the new anchors will be--but I am still excited about the "official" turning of dirt. I saw the Caroline lot tore up last night, too on my way to that excuse of a game the Rockets played.

I'd say Niketown, Movie Theater, Barnes/Noble, Virgin MegaStore, and ESPN Zone!!!

Play-by-play: It looks like half of the lot along Main was closed this morning. My guess it that that it where the groundbreaking ceremony will occur.

Red Cat is supposed to open a location in HP while keeping their original open, though. We'll see how well that works out.

Yes it's started. They are maybe 10 feet deep in the ground now.

If this is really the list, then...then....then...I can't even say anything! This would be simply amazing and would go to changing downtown's image even more than we thought! Look how many first-time/one location names--Niketown, Lawry's, Virgin Mega Store, Coyote Ugly, Lucky Strike, and House of Blues! Mix that with retailers people already know and love--Barnes and Noble, Victoria's Secret, Maggiano's, and Yao's--and you have something that could almost make Houstonians rethink downtown--overnight (which seems to be Houston's M.O....nothing, nothing, nothing, then BAM--something, a whole lotta something).

One piece of heavy equipment on site as of tonight (a backhoe maybe?)

The High Five is the interchange of 635/75 in north Dallas. The ones in Austin are mostly part of the massive tollways project there. I think they follow the whole Hill Country theme, but are probably some of the best freeways in the country aesthetically. Maybe someone can find pics.