travelguy_73

So ... Hines will build the streets and put in the sewer lines, but leave all the architecture to the developer/builders who buy the lots?  It strikes me that this project, as it unfolds, won't have as a strong a "Hines" imprint as people might expect, based on projects they did in the past.  For instance, the Ethan's Glen town homes off Memorial west of Bunker Hill Village.

You are basically correct, this looks like lot development for builders.  I believe their (Hines) value is in assembling the land, city approvals, (land) design, and the infrastructure.  A lot of builders either can't or don't want to do that themselves.

This might be the largest tract of land sold inside the western loop in a long time!

It isn't the themes I dislike, it's the people wearing those themes as a banner for bad behavior and this is true of any subculture or subgroup.

This pretty much sums it up.

That little shopping center is in dire need of a refresh, so hopefully them vacating it is an opportunity to do just that.

Looking at Google maps, there are four lots on that block.  The Swamplot article says three are part of the deal, so I'll speculate that the one in the picture is not part of the package (the others don't appear to be as desireable), it is the most photogenic.

Lookup Bayou City History and Story Sloane's Gallery / Vintage Houston Photography on Facebook.  These pages often post old pictures, and have provided some on Harrisburg.

Country Day Montessori in the Museum District might fit your needs.

I know the owners through neighbhorhood activities, and they are big boosters in the area.  It's always been one of my favorite homes (from a curb appeal standpoint, I don't know much about the interior), and is a great size for the area, a home you could actually raise a family in and still have space to spare.  I've lived here since 2007, and it's always been in immaculate condition.  Though there are some rough houses (i.e., "potential") on the block, those blocks are pretty desireable to be on.

eta:  I don't know much about stucco, except to say that this is the "real" deal, and so I think many of the modern issues with the fake stuff doesn't apply.

So has anyone seen a press release announcing more than just a single tenant?  I would think at this point that they have to be getting a little nervous at the lack of leasing.  Of course they could have 5 deals in the works, but given the progress of the building, I would have expected more tenant updates.

It's been interesting watching the progress between this and WaterWall Place a block away.  WWP seems to be going up considerably fast, and floor-by-floor, garage included.  In contrast, 3100 focused on getting the garage (100%?) complete before even pouring the foundation for the residential.  There also appeared to be a week (at least) where nothing was being done at 3100.  So it's hard to tell which one will be finished first, but it's looking like WWP will have the honors.

Great looking house!

From a design standpoint, this Willow Meadows house on Willowgrove) in the google maps link below is well done.  I've been told the original version had a domed top (I think there might be a pic on here buried somewhere), but this actually looks better IMO. It's pretty open and airy, and has recessed lights for security.

Good luck, looks like you have good bones to work with.

http://goo.gl/maps/G3Kte

made a point to look yesterday as I drove home, still a desolate landscape of nothing. I wonder if they decided that there was too much pushback from inner loop residents in Houston and chose to leave the Yale street walmart as the only inner loop location?

Doubt it. They have pretty much received zero pushback from the area, other than requests from Idylwood for security/fencing, and more trees. The delay is likely nothing to be concerned about.

At the same time, whether it is developed next year or next decade, won't it bring more investment to the east side of town in anticipation?

Look at Midtown. Lots of land being held...and has been held for a long time...all in anticipation. The problem with anticipation is there needs to be a critical mass of action to get the investors to start on their own projects. Otherwise it's like a game of chicken.

And under contract and sold are very different things. Land buys aren't the slam dunk with lenders they used to be, plus you have to convince them that your development plan makes senseNow if someone was coming in with all cash to buy and develop, that's another story, but really that's not going to happen on this scale.

I agree that if the sale goes through, it's probably for a long-term purpose, maybe even just a land-hold strategy. Or maybe the city will throw money at it and accelerate development.

This project seems to be moving fast. At least compared to 3100 Post Oak right around the corner which started 2-3 months before this. That project just now has some foundation work visible, while this one has what looks like parking structures already appearing above ground level and a lot of the foundation work done.

3100 Post Oak appears to have spent a lot of time adjusting the size of the lake on the property and putting in retaining walls, and so now it will be interesting to see each project compete to completion.

what would you like to see around the edges of the park in the way of amenities for park goers?

More casual and family-friendly eateries are the main items that come to mind, not places buried in the Hilton, Embassy Suites, etc. We like to meet there for kid play dates, and get tired of the very few choices (Lake House, Phoenecia) that keep weekend hours and are a quick walk. I'd like to see more human-scale projects around the park, not just large buildings (and yes. I understand how the economics of it work).

While I like the idea of expanded convention business, I wish that Discovery Green wasn't going to be completely fenced in by large buildings, with little in the way of amenities for park-goers.

The main pond has been drained, coincidence?

Discovery Tower did. It was almost finished by the time Hess signed up.

That may be, but you have to look at the capital environment Discovery Tower (and MainPlace for that matter) was developed in. I'm talking current day, not 2008.

Say a major tenant was in the market for space, it wouldnt be likely that all 3 sites mentioned would develope at the same time right? Unless we have another Hess situation with Mainplace?

I wouldn't think so, unless more than one was self-financed (e.g., Skanska on Post Oak). Developers have spent a lot of time and money over the past few years leasing up buildings that were built partially-or-fully spec. So there is caution to not repeat the issues of the recent past.

Just guessing, but I would think that unless a tenant signs up for something approaching 50% of the space, a project wouldn't proceed.

We currently live in a condo that's 450 sqft and need (want) to get ourselves a bigger place. We've looked at Montrose, Midtown, Rice Military, Heights, East End, Museum District... After a few months of searching the options we've seen are either too boring or too expensive. I'm talking anything under 350k is cookie cutter crap, for lack of better word. Rehabbed bungalows in the Montrose or Heights areas really interested me in the beginning, but alas we can't afford anything in that price range. The suburbs...don't even get me started. How people put up with that is beyond me. Priorities change when you have kids I guess.

I've been toying with the idea of purchasing some land in above mentioned areas and doing something custom. Something eclectic and memorable. A modern bungalow maybe? Or a warehouse style place? Something green and ultramodern? I'm in no way interested in throwing up a gaudy yuppie mansion in the middle of a historic area. Something along the lines of 1500 sqft with a nice little yard.

I'm here for your advice. What are some prime examples of such places in Houston? I would really like to drive around and see what others have done before me and learn from them. OR any advice in general? Restrictions, planning, hiring someone to do the design, etc. Please tell me it's possible before I pull the trigger and relegate myself to a Perry townhome.

This house on Curtin near Dumble sounds sort of like what you are talking about. Now this house is on a tough block, but only a few blocks away in Eastwood, there are random lots around that seem like they would work for you, and would be considered more desireable.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=curtin+at+dumble,+houston,+tx&ll=29.738371,-95.326824&spn=0.000037,0.026071&hnear=Dumble+St+%26+Curtin+St,+Houston,+Harris,+Texas+77023&gl=us&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=0&layer=c&cbll=29.73833,-95.326718&panoid=dnBIfGL2O1n08M6NFYu6VQ&cbp=12,219.78,,0,3.63

IMO, when you are building in a historical area, you either match the style of the area, or go completely in the other direction and choose very modern. No in-between or it looks like a suburban home landed in the middle of the city.

I haven't been tracking the sale of empty lots in Eastwood in quite a while (there aren't many), but I would think you would be able to get one for probably 75k. I think the resale for a very modern home would be pretty decent because inside the loop there aren't many/any affordable ones in good or even decent areas (I would say affordable is 250k or less for the size you are talking about).

I used Ancestry.com's access to the city directories to find the previous owners of my Eastwood house, and also to trace where my grandparents owned property back in the 1940s. I would recommend you start with the directory released just after HCAD shows your property was built (mid-30s would be my guess), and go from there.

Good luck!

So it appears to have lost 2 levels (of office space or parking, not sure) between the first scheme and now. Not a large building, but good scale for that site.

I agree -- I love the current CC but the refreshed front end is a miss......similar to my feelings for the new A5/S5 (and to a lesser degree, the A4/S4) refresh....don't like it at all.....has Audi/VW fired their good designers and hired some "new" ones ?

My feeling is that sometimes the manufacturers achieve near perfection with a particular design. Because they need to refresh it after a few years, they "refine" it to the point that they actually undo some of the great things about the original. Back in the day, when Honda had great designs, they were guilty of this as well. Updated wheels and lights usually looked tacked on and not nearly as nice as what they started with.

I have a 2009 CC V6, and that refresh is a miss. I like the LED tailamps and wheels, but the front end is taking one of the best parts of the CC and taking all the character out of it. I figured that front end was coming when the Passat was introduced with it, but *sigh* it makes me sad. But happy I have mine!

http://idylwood.org/...ylwood/history/

...this was posted earlier in another Idylwood topic.

Thanks for the pics, wow, you can tell the age of the neighborhood from viewing Wallingford's photos.

Love those auto models and time period.

Is that house still there? I tried to look for it on GoogleEarth, but the site doesn't work as good as it used to, IMO, garbles the street view most of the time

If you plug sylvan at Idylwood into Google Maps, it should take you pretty close, then move toward the bend where Sylvan goes into MacGregor Way, and you will find it (over-exposed because of the sunlight) right at the beginning of the bend. It's still a beautiful house.

ETA: Attached file of what it looks like on Google Maps.