GovernorAggie

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!

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.

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?)

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.

Nice article in Chron about this. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4562230.html Looks like I will make a point to "trade" (as my grandmother says) at Mia Bella's and help the brotha out since he's willing to fight for Downtown. And I look forward to Coco's coming. Maybe that's what'll replace MBar (since it's across from Mia Bella) instead of a Walgreens. Or maybe it'll go into the Byrd Lofts (although I kinda wouldn't mind something like Denny's or something in there).

I can verify this. I went to the Rox game last night and that lot (the one furthest east) was indeed closed off, and the effects of it were enormous. You can usually get a nice on-street parking spot along Caroline for Toyota Center events, but it was PACKED. I kinda liked the notion of almost all the on-street parking being taken up. The effects of closing the other two lots will be the same. With Toyota Center having SO many events each year, I would think that that the pedestrian traffic alone resulting from on-street parkers would have good results (maybe eventually more storefronts, for example) from downtown. So I guess the House of Blues may be coming online first? Or is the entire project coming online at the same time?

May be a little late to the game, but I took a stroll after the Rockets destroyed the Bobcats on Saturday on the lot between San Jacinto and Caroline and on the parking kiosk, the statement to parkers to find somewhere else was, "AREA LOTS CLOSING FEBRUARY 2007...PARK NOW AND SAVE...at PAVILIONS PARKING GARAGE...1301 MAIN". It goes on to say the price if $50.00 for the first month, which I would perceive is either February or March. I haven't cruised the forum for a few days but this sign confirmed it for me! To see it called "Pavilions" Parking Garage left the "is this really happening feeling". "Pavilions" garage was part of the deal to include a current parking garage for the parking for HP, right?

As much as I'd hate to say it, I am also getting kinda tired of the false-start groundbreakings. I would much rather that they go away with all the rumors and then pleasantly surprise us with construction.

I think it was a "her" that won--a Kim Borja with Pappas Restaurants. It's nothing against her--consultants hired by the Conservancy picked the name, I think. There's just something about Houston and trusting consultants to have all the answers... Plain 'ol "discovery Park" would have been better--I agree. Or, they could have just swapped names with Tranquility Park. Discovery Green just sound too...small...for a 12-acre downtown park. It's not a bad name, but I just think that it would have been better suited for a smaller pocket type park.

I'm a little biased, but I had submitted "Pinnacle Park", and had even submitted all kinds of symbolism with the name. It may have not been the best, but it is certainly better than "Discovery Green".

Just "Kinda"?

Work is happening nicely on the shop. Official signage is up on one side now.

I noticed Houston in the Verizon Business commercials with Kiefer Sutherland's voiceover. They quickly flyover the night skyline and you can see the top of Wells Fargo and Reliant (or is it Centerpoint?).

so where did the 1,049 ft come from??

Yes, and they have $10 steak Wednesdays for those interested. Also, another place will open soon called the Cotton Exchange (I think). A bar with WiFi access and I think some food items. Also, a Seattle's Best Coffee will open--but I can't remember if it is part of the Cotton Exchange development or not.

Actually they've been open for at least a month now, maybe a little longer (at least it feels that way). Yesterday was the official "grand opening". What most people don't know is that on the day it opened, everything, I mean EVERYTHING on the menu was only $1. Cookie-cookie sundae anyone?? As a side note, anyone seen the Chronicle story on this location? It is a very good thing that they're doing through HoustonWorks (I think that's the organization's name).

I think FEMA is the only agency in America hated more than Houston METRO. How did this thread turn into a fight about METRO? I didn't know that the train ran only at 18 minute intervals for the event, but I think that's the normal intervals from 10pm until the last train around 2 am. What I do know is that they ran two car trains all day, every day during Essence. In other words, they had the same number of operators that they would have had on a normal day, but voila! doubled the capacity for the weekend. Now can we please get back to the main topic please?