lwood

Any word on projected prices for units in the Houston House condo conversion?

Great question. Will the market accept 8-ft. ceilings? 3525 Sage has just come on the market and it also has 8-ft. ceilings. If the Houston House units are priced right I guess the ceiling height may not matter.

It will be interesting to see if Houston House and Raiders Lofts come on the market at all and if so, at what price.

So now the sign is saying that it's coming in 2007????

LOL. This project is toast. Not gonna happen.

As much as I love midtown, the area hasn't evolved to the point where a $300,000 condo (a glorified apartment, basically) is worth it.

I agree that it's hard to see spending $200,000 for a one bedroom, stick construction condo but they are selling. We visited The Vistas recently and the sales office was crowded with buyers. Other projects on Jackson Hill and the Waugh/West Gray area are selling very well too.

As my dear old dad was fond of saying, it's worth what you can get for it.

I used to live in Midtown and always passed by the Kirby House. Does anyone know what business or organization is there? There is no signage at all.

Probably some secret society planning to undermine urbanism in Midtown

The Kirby Mansion was built by the Kirby family of Kirby Lumber (and Kirby Drive). If I remember correctly, in the 1970 boom days it was purchased by a small independent oil company for their offices saving it from demolition. I don't know who owns it now. It's a great piece of Houston history even if it's in a tough location.

I believe Commerce and St. Germain are both on MLS. But assuming your sales figures for 2005 are correct, your point is still a good one. Where can we see sales figures for 2005? Do you suppose sales will pick up as the park and Houston Pavilions come together? If not, what else is holding back condo sales in downtown?

One other thing that may help an absorption time-line for a possible converter... It seems possible they would convert the 394 apartments into some smaller-number of condos.

Shirleysanders.com publishes statistics on high rise units on the market and what has sold in each building. Excellent reference information on that market. You can see how many sold in a particular building last year as compared to how many are currently on the market in that building. This will give you an estimate of how many months supply is available.

Hi guys, thank you all very much for the info. Very helpful. I just got back from the Mosaic. I heard about it for the first time from Kinkaid (thank you Kinkaid, i appreciated) yesterday. I then googled it and read it all night long last night and got excited. I printed out the floor plans they posted online. Today, after work, I rushed to 5925 Almeda - Their sales office was closed. I parked the car across the street, walked to the site and talked to the construction workers. They told me it has been closed for a while. The old sales people are gone. The new replacement has not come yet. About the construction, they told me it will be well built. (Actually they explained about how it will be built a lot. I just couldn't understand their terms completely.) Hi Goodfella, I'm looking for 2 bed or 1 bed+den, around $200,000 to $250,000, please point out the right buildings for me. Iwood, I have been to The Mark and don't like its looks. (sorry but women pay more attention to the looks). I went to The Spires and like it. I like the 2727 Kirby the most, but can't afford for it. I saw the sign at Mosaics today, they say it starts from $190,000. Woud you guys please give me more info and suggestions? Thanks a lot, I appreciate your time!

Oops, I forgot to mention I only consider highrise near Medical Center. I live far away now and plan to move closer.

1400 Hermann is showing it's age and the maintenance fee includes electricity (high maintenance), the Parklane is 90% rental units, Parc IV and Parc V aren't too classy and the maintenance fee includes electricity. That leaves 5000 Montrose. I really like the building. It's in a walking neighborhood. It has a great pool area on the 6th? floor. I think maintenance is running at 55 cents/sq. ft.

One of the papers recently stated that of the two Mosaic towers only one had received financing approval. That was going to be the rental tower. The article stated the "for sale" tower was not moving forward yet. That's why the sales trailer is gone.

February 03, 2006 02:41 PM US Eastern Timezone

Post Announces Conversion of Post Midtown Square

Does anyone here know about this building? I would really appreciate if someone could give me some info about it. I work in medical center and am interested in buying a condo at The Spires. One of my coworkers told me this building is too old to buy and he suggested one brand new (presale) at Galleria where is too far away. Any suggestions guys? Thanks in advance!

The Spires is an outstanding building. I don't think a substantial building constructed in the 1980's is too old. Most high rise, including this one, update the lobby and other common areas every few years. This one has.

If you visit the building you will be impressed.

One bedrooms are around 900 sq. ft., small two bedrooms are 1,210 sq. ft. The east and west ends of the building are the largest units.

I think maintenance is running about 55 cents per square foot for this full service building.

The Mark has so many resale units on the market already. Check out har.com. Resales are not doing well. The Spires is a much classier feeling building.

The Mosaic has received financing approval for one building only, all rental units.

Visit it. You'll like it.

This project first came up 2 to 2.5 years ago. At the time it was listed on har.com but quietly went away. Ironically, it would probably have a better chance now because of the new construction going just off of north Main.

I need to correct my previous post. These are listed on har.com.

Red Scare...I was wondering if you have ever been into their sales center and seen the design and interior finishes? I don't know that this is a "more money than taste situation." It is, for certain, quite a departure from his previous projects and the materials and design are quite high-end.

We do need to give Randall credit for finding the high rise market that others cannot find. This building and Emerald By The Sea in Galveston are successful. While the price range and high rise lifestyle may not be for me it obviously is right for others.

I'm usually pretty familiar with projects going on around town, but I just today came across this gem, which I had no idea about, and had a laugh because it looks a bit foolish...and come to find out its an Irving Phillips. Anyone know any additional info on this one (who's developing it?, etc.)? Construction is 'supposed' to begin sometime soon. I do remember seeing a marketing sign a while back in that area for a mid-rise called The Point, but never heard anything else about that one.

The following is what I found from Prime Texas Properties...

"Sophisticated,contemporary (22unit) Mid-Rise approx. 1mile North of downtown. Designed by Irving Phillips. On a hilltop park setting looking over White Oak Bayou w/spectacular skyline views! Bike&hike trials along the waters' banks. All Steele&Concrete construction to beging Feb'06. Square Ft includes 404ft balcony. This is front unit w/views spectacular views of downtown to the south. Estimated time of completion for the building should be first quarter of 2007. Building's pool area w/views of downtown"

Here's the rendering...

This project first came up 2 to 2.5 years ago. At the time it was listed on har.com but quietly went away. Ironically, it would probably have a better chance now because of the new construction going just off of north Main.

My fiance and I will be moving from DC to Houston in May. She is originally from Houston, and while I am not, I was fortunate enough to spend several weeks in Houston this summer. We're both extremely excited to be leaving DC, and moving to a city where two young professionals will not be priced out of the housing market.

I did quite a bit of exploring in the downtown vicinity during my time in Houston and I really like what I saw. In particular, I'm very intrigued by the Binz neighborhood for its proximity to Hermann Park, the Museums, and downtown. This area appears to be in the midst of being redeveloped and it seems like a tremendous bargain compared to properties just west of Main. I also like Washington Terrace, Riverside Terrace, and the other close neighborhoods east of 288. While I realized these areas are a bit sketchy, the architecture is great and all things considered the price seems right. My impression is that property crime (which I can tolerate) is more of an issue than violent crime (which I cannot), but I was hoping that some of you might be able offer a bit of insight on this. Likewise, I would greatly appreciate any advice that you might have regarding these neighborhoods. Thanks.

Welcome to Houston.

The only thing I would be aware of are any areas that may flood due to Braes Bayou. The Seller's Disclosure form must mention any previous problems.

It's a beautiful area. The Mosaic high rise on Almeda just received financing approval for the first tower. I think this area is on the verge of a come back.

Better hurry because Lovette homes is doing big business down there. Which only means the property value will be going up because of greed.

Greed if it's their money. Capitalism if it's yours.

Thanks for the replies. What's the average rate for a condo maintence fee in Houston? The mortage calculator on sites like har.com ignore this key financial data.

Maintenance fees vary widely depending on the services of the buildings. "Full Service" building have someone to park the cars, bring up the groceries, etc. Usually these are the newer buildings and electricity is not included in the monthly fee. Budget 50 to 60 cents per square foot for this type of building.

The Sussex, 2016 Main and the Lamar tower have electricity in the monthly fee. So does 1400 Hermann. I would not choose a building with this set up.

The neighborhood of the Sussex (in my opinion) is dangerous. 2016 has seen almost no appreciation in value. I understand they are having flooding problems in the lobby. At one time their intersection with Main Street was one of the highest crime rates in the city. It was attributed to the bus station.

5000 Montrose is a great building and priced right. Also check at the mid rise Il Pallazzo.

Anybody seen this project before? It is called "Westcreek," on Westheimer. I've found the pictures on Skyscraperpage.com

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread...8&page=55&pp=25

Rice Design Alliance publishes a magazine called Cite. The current issue has an excellent article about these "life style" centers being planned in Houston. I think it said this new development is by the same people who just completed the project in The Woodlands.

I may want to buy one of these condos so I've been trying to find out when they'll be built.

When I spoke with the builder Greenwood Properties, they said they're not sure when they're starting.

Here's some links to information I found about the project.

This has some cool models/CAD renderings of the proposed building.

http://www.modelshop.bc.ca/porty2/file/3000/3022/3022-1.htm

Just click on MORE and you can go through all of the photos/pictures.

This is the builder's main website.

http://www.chateauxraveneaux.com/

If it prompts you for a login password, just go up to your browser's address bar and delete the part on the end of the address that says login.html and then hit Go and it will take you to the page.

This is the Public Utility Website that handles the area and this link is to notes from their meetings.

http://www.cyforestpud.com/meetings/index.html

If you click on the October 2005 meeting on Page 8 you'll see that they are making plans for utility work.

If anyone has any updated info, please share on here or email me.

I'd like to buy a highrise condo up in this area and aside from the expensive Waterway Lofts in The Woodlands, there's only the Timbertop highrise nearby that I know of.

Timbertop charges $700 a month maintenance fee on top of the taxes and mortgage, so that's ridiculous.

Anyone who lives in a highrise condo downtown, how much are the fees there?

Most full service buildings charge around 50 cents/sq. ft. Timbertop charges by the sq. ft. also. That building has seen little or no appreciation in value in the last few years and many of them are on the market now at very low prices. (check HAR.com) I would be very surprised if another building would be well received in that immediate area. That's only my opinion.

OK. Yes I know this is in or near Montorse, but where exactly?

One block south of Hawthorne.

when a price per square foot is quoted, that is usually after a preliminary bidding process that the builder does in order to set up a budget. The builder usually bids out everything with his "choice" vendors that includes everything from foundation, lumber, windows and doors, electrical, to finish out products. Some of these carry so many variables that the budget will be alloted as an allowance for future selection. These budget items, as well as the builders price will be the source of the per square foot price. This usually doesnt include dirt.

I know the homes you are talking about. and yes the windows are wood. Millennium normally uses wood windows or clad wood windows.

I think wood windows look great but how do they hold up in our humidity? From a maintenance standpoint are vinyl windows a better choice?

Thanks a lot for your input. I'd heard conflicting things about Tricon and Allegro; a friend bought from Bastien (?) and had a typical building experience. I'm interested in excellent construction, but I don't know very much about construction, and my occupation makes it difficult for me to look over the contractor's and crew's shoulders to make sure that the things I can identify are getting done well...

Talk to Tom Tynan. 800-880-3663. Excellent product. Good to work with. For my experience with him you can reach me at 281-704-4853.

A buddy of mine is an architect who works with several builders in the Heights. Feel free to call him about who to use. His name is Kirk Gant. Number is 713-237-8002.

I hope that price includes dirt. Otherwise, it is pretty high, unless you are going crazy with the add-ons.

Dirt not included. One-off custom homes will typically run $125 per sq. ft. and up. Mostly up. It depends on what your specs require.

Iwood...how much research went into your decision in choosing Tom Tynan? Did you consider at any time the owner builder network program? My wife and I are still at the crossroads of either renovating or building new. It seems the more we try to fix, the more stuff we find out that is broken. I did talk to several local builders and the minimum price per sq. foot was about $150 avg. (300K avg. total cost). The strong housing demand and high cost of materials does not help in trying to negotiate a lower price.

A lot of research went into the decision to go with Tom. I have been through the building process before and I think regardless who you choose it is a stressful process. I know a good bit about construction and I am somewhat picky about everything so it consumed my spare time for several months.

I travel in my job so the Owner Builder Network was not an option for me. My price per sq. ft. was less than $150 and I am sure I got a quality product with many bells and whistles. The recent hurricanes have impacted building prices and I did not have that to contend with.

A home is like anything else. It is comprised of 100's of "parts". You can choose the least expensive of those components or something higher. I chose the best in construction as first priority and still had excellent finish items. Your architect should write a strong spec so you know everyone is bidding the same home.

I would be happy to discuss my project if it would help you.

I have not seen that many Tom Tynan homes in the Heights (1). I have seen several Tricon construction homes built from scratch...Quality work. Allegro construction is another excellent builder. There are more smaller outfits in the area.

Check out the following...

http://www.allegrobuilders.com

http://www.triconhomesinc.com

Portal:

http://www.houstonheights.org/construction.htm

You are correct. In the inner city Tom has one home in the Heights, one in the west end and one just completed in Garden Oaks. You will choose between a tract builder such as Tricon or a custom builder. It depends on your budget and quality requirements.

I'm moving to Houston; a good friend of mine bought a home by Sterling Victorian Homes in the Heights in the 1990's and love it. It's really well-built and has nice architectural details. I was searching the internet for details about Sterling and heard it was defunct? Does anyone know if this is the case? Do you know where else in the Heights Sterling might have built?

I've been looking for other new victorian homes in the Heights - I've seen a lot of victorian-style homes that look poorly built and some that look nice (Lindsey Custom (?)). Do you know anything about any other good builders in the area? I'm scared of buying something that might have serious problems in a year or two.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for any info!

aeonflux10 at gmail.com

I just moved into a home in the Heights that was constructed by Tom Tynan Homes. I am very happy with the quality. Let me know if you would like to talk and discuss the details of the process.

Anyone have a good car body repair shop they know of? Have some body repairs to make that I've been putting off for a while and probably will pay for myself to avoid the insurance premium hit. There have to be about 1 million body shops in the city, and have never used one in Houston. Just wanted to know if someone had a decent experience with one (balance of good repairs, not a rip off).

If you are on the north side of Houston, Showcase Paint and Body in Conroe does excellent work and they have a good attitude. They did a great job on my Miata.

Anybody know of any good books or other design resources on mid century bathrooms? I have a little 1955 mid century ranch whose time has come for a new bathroom. I want to do something more attractive than pink tile that doesn't go far enough up the walls, more upscale than the current finishes and fixtures, and I'd like stay true to the period as best I can.

I would suggest attending open houses in the Timbergrove area. Some of those have homes have great bathrooms.

I visited the sales office on October 14. I was told that the south tower is for sale and the north tower is for lease. That makes no sense. If you purchase a unit your view would be of the other building to the north or Astroworld and some of the park to the south. I see on a prior post that someone was told both buildings are for sale.

The model they have in the sales office is 1 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Approximately 900 sq. ft. This unit for sale in the south tower. On the 8th floor is priced at 238,200 with a view to the south. The units they have advertised in the 190's have almost no closet space.

Hopefully this project will do better on resale than The Mark.

I went to the sales office today.

Wow!

They have an entire 1bd model unit inside the building.

This is a real deal; the welcome center is not a trailer; in fact, the salesperson bragged that it cost $1m to build the welcome center. It's a real building (though, obviously, cheaply made -- I watched them build it and thought the quality of construction was very sketchy.)

The 2bedroom floorplans are awesome. I might scan one and post it if it doesn't show up on their website soon. The 2bd's start at $327k. A bit too expensive, I guess. I'd rather spend 2/3rds for an older unit in Parklane/IlPalazzo/1400 Hermann.

I wish I was finished with my PhD and my girlfriend was finished with her CPA

Additionally, the salespeople told me they intend to build both towers immediately, and both will likely be condos (no rentals, as the Chron reported.)

Both finished fall '07.