roadrunner

It is 4 including the parking garage.

BTW, I've spoke to 2 of the venues and they are without a doubt opening in October. HOB will be up and running in October and Lucky Strike will be finished by November.

THis thing is going to revolutionize downtown houston. I have coworkers all buzzing about shopping in downtown houston and anyone that has eaten at the park shops over the last 20 years has to be excited to get an entire gang of new restaurants into the downtown area.

I agree. I've worked on the east side of downtown for the last year, and I'm getting outrageously sick of the same restaurants over there. Especially since the only affordable ones worth anything are the Grove, Irma's, and Massa's.

Does anyone know where the main tenants are going to be located? Obviously, HOB is on the east side, and I saw a sign for Guadalajara under the overpass on San Jac. What about Lucky Strike, Forever 21, Polk St. Pub, and the bookstore?

Pretend you're a fairly powerful urban planner. Not exactly Sim City, but still given the latitude and budget to do what you see is fit. How would you change Montrose? What parts would you keep? What about infrastructure? Social services?

Let you imagination run.

The only thing that comes to mind is that abandoned strip center at Westheimer and Montrose. That intersection is pretty much the center of the city, and it looks like crap. I don't know what would go well there....maybe a boutique hotel with ground level retail, but anything would be better than what's there now.

I guess we are talking about different projects! I do know where Camden's new project is supposed to be and that was not what I was talking about. I was talking about a sign I saw here:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

It was a small parking on Travis in between the already built old Camden's parking garage and the Frank Kent excess parking lot. If you have time while you are driving around Midtown would you mind checking this site out too to see if it is anything?

You are actually right. We are talking about the same project. I flew by the site pretty quickly so I'll have to go take another look.

An article semi-related to trying to attract more film/tv production here. It talks about how California is trying to fight to keep production from going elsewhere due to costs.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/...0,7775972.story

I don't know if Texas has a tax break in place, but if not it seems like something to think about.

I am all for the stadium being built but I think it is a fallacy to say that stadiums can drive development in Houston.

The Discovery Tower, One Park Place, La Quinta, Embassy Suites, and potential new convention hotel are being built because of the expansion of the GRB, success of the Hilton Americas, and Discovery Green Park. Now, those were SMART public/private ventures.

Discovery Green would not be the success that it is without Minute Maid or Toyota Center.

I saw this sign too but I thought it was across closer to the new Camden Super-whatever and across from the Cadillac dealership. Maybe we are talking about the same place. There has been a crew clearing the lot and doing site prep here for the past few weeks. I stopped and looked at the rendering on the sign and it looks a lot bigger than the lot. The lot was really really small so unless the place bought the dealerships excess parking across from Reef, the rendering is way off scale.

I think you are talking about Camden Travis, the new Camden complex going on the blocks that just demolished that old Vietnamese strip center. I am talking about a small piece of land that isn't more than 1/2 an acre by Spec's. I'll drive around there this weekend and see if I can determine where exactly this is.

Has anybody seen this small plot of land right by 2222 Smith and Spec's? I drove by the other day and noticed a sign on it that said something like "Travis Lofts". It looks like it would be a pretty small building, but can anyone confirm? I was in a hurry so my eyes could be wrong.

Does anybody have any construction updates? Are the roads torn up? Is there a lot of activity along the first construction segment?

You comment that people who live in the area will not be inclined to travel far and I fully agree with that. Which makes me believe with all the so-called urban pioneers and new residents all along the washington corridor that places like Pearl are busy because of all the nearby residents. Rice Military is booming, the Heights is booming, there are townhomes and apartments going up everywhere so the natural population of this area is increasing. I'd be curious what the actual numbers are, but my guess much of the activity along Washington are from the 'locals'.

I agree that those areas are booming, but it is not just the immediate surrounding areas providing business to Pearl Bar. It's the hot spot right now for all of the young professionals inside the loop....just like Vintage was all spring/summer and just like the Drake was last winter. The trend is tough to follow considering it hits different parts of the city usually on a 3-6 month cycle.

LOL! I love the generalizations of some posters! If only life were so simple...

I do disagree that it's a cyclical crowd from midtown to downtown to uptown to washington. Each place will get a bump in clientele because of the "newness", but as that wears down, the locals living in the area (or people who just enjoy it) will keep the businesses open.

Once Pearl Bar newness wears down, I can see the scenesters moving on to another place. People who live in the area will not be inclined to travel far to have the same drink they are going to have down the street.

For what it's worth, rent in downtown and midtown is NOT cheap. A lot of businesses have closed up, but the ones that are still there are supported by a strong customer base.

Is there a nightlife in Uptown outside of the hotel bars and strip clubs on Westheimer?

Hey guys! Well I was browsing around on the net and saw that you guys started a little thread about our restaurant. That's so great! Any word put out about our restaurant is much appreciated! Good words of course!

So okay, just a little update about the new place. We currently are in the construction phase. Our target date to open our doors was initially November 1st but unfortunately it's going to be later now. We're about a month or so behind schedule.

And just a brief description of the restaurant:

We will be located in midtown on the 2900 block of Travis as some already know. We are directly across from Escobar and Whiskey Creek. We've signed on Executive Chef - Robert Garay from Hyde Park New York (CIA). We will be serving Sushi and other fine Japanese cuisine. Their will be lounge seating, sushi bar seating, bar seating, etc. And the highlight of the restaurant is that on Fridays and Saturdays we will stay open til 4am!!

We will have lunch daily from 11am to 2pm. Dinner will be from 5pm to 11pm. On Fridays and Saturdays we're staying open til 4am of course. On Fridays and Saturdays we will serve the full menu til 11pm then from 11pm to 4am we will keep the sushi bar open til close!

Thank you for the info. I look forward to trying it. Good luck with your endeavor.

Great shots!...is the white building (hotel?) next to it staying?

That is the Stowers Building, that was recently renovated into office condominiums, if I remember correctly. It will be built around.

You'd think so, but in the end, Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center failed to deliver and I doubt the Dynamo Stadium will either.

I like the idea of the Dynamo playing near downtown but I do not think it will bring in massive development to the general area. If Minute Maid couldn't do it with its retractable roof, better setting, and double the amount of seats + 60 or so more home games then it is unlikely the Dynamo Stadium will pay off in the end.

An example of a GREAT investment by the city; Discovery Green. That is why I DREAM of someone taking on the Buffalo Bayou master plan. That would literally transform Houston.

Well yeah, but compare east side of downtown ten years ago to the east side of downtown today. Unfortunately, things don't happen drastically here. The city has invested a lot in downtown, and it will continue to. Developments are coming along now. One Park Place, Discovery Tower, Main Place, Embassy Suites, a La Quinta, other hotels, etc. are all on the way which means more tax dollars for the city. Downtown isn't changing over night, but with all of the rail lines, stadiums, and greenspace the city is putting in, it will be there someday.

but "shifting tide" implies that washington is taking some of midtown's business, and i'm just not seeing it. washington may be a hotter area right now, but there is still a lot of development proposed and otherwise in midtown to go along with the ever-popular nightlife scene.

With our terrific job growth over the past few years, it just seems that Houston has attracted enough young professionals that it can support several bonafide "entertainment" areas... and that's a very good thing, imo.

Downtown isn't dead on weekend nights, either. It's a different crowd than Midtown and Washington, but it's still busy.

Are they not offering this same service to Hobby?

Dynamo Stadium Update:

Mayor White like to request Harris County to invest $10 Million for the new stadium

Also, expect to see a report on KHOU tonight. It looks like the $10 Million could be the final deal needed to be made for the Dynamo to get their new home downtown. Hopefully, by next month we'll hear an announcement and see renderings.

This seems like a smart long term investment for the city. 1/10 the price of a Discovery Green for raising land prices east of 59, resulting in several more millions of dollars in the future from taxes. Good for Houston and good for the Dynamo.

this is gonna be an aloft hotel

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html

opening in houston, tx oct 1, 2009

The Aloft is actually already under construction and is just outside the loop on Westheimer. What most people are discussing in this thread is the ambitious Oaks District proposal, which has renderings that include a W Hotel.

I found the NASA tour depressing. There wasn't that much to see, and even less to do. I can't imagine going there more than once. A new huge venue could give an opportunity to do something much more interactive. They could even have space camp there or something for kids, with different exhibits and demos and exercises, who knows. They call it space city, but last I checked I have to drive 45 minutes to get there, and I can see downtown from my roof.

I agree that the city should work with NASA to create some sort of museum or exhibit space closer to the city center. Maybe the south end of downtown, or some of the empty blocks surrounding 59 in Midtown and the Museum District.

However, I think throwing all of that stuff in the Dome isn't a good idea, either. I'd rather the city take full advantage of these assets and go all out with something rather than try and kill two birds with one stone and rehab the Dome as some cost-effective solution. I would also prefer more infill between the Med Center and Downtown as opposed to more sprawl around Reliant Park. All dreams, of course.

"Many from Scandinavian nation, which has a major oil industry, are finding opportunities in Texas....

I think a sound stage is a bad idea. Why would a Hollywood director come to Houston to film a movie? I can see maybe 1 movie a year coming to the Astrodome if it was converted. That isn't nearly enough ROI for the citizens of Houston. Bring the hotel and let's have a place that can bring in out of towners and convention goers and their mighty dollars.

Well Hollywood, NYC, and Chicago are all becoming very expensive to film in. Film producers are looking anywhere and everywhere to cut costs, including filming location. Brad Pitt and Sean Penn were in town a month ago filming here instead of NYC because of costs. Austin has become a cheaper alternative and gets more and more films every year. Even Albuquerque, NM is having a filming boom unheard of in the area.....all because of costs.

The hotel would be tacky, and just a knock off of the Gaylord. Trying to dress up the dome to make it somewhat attractive is nearly impossible now, especially to make it some upscale "Texan" hotel.

I really hope this group executes this. It will be good diversification for the local economy, and the hotel solution just didn't make sense.

I haven't noticed any disappearing. What are the scenic areas?

all i can really say is there may be a change of plans...

Scale up or down?

if it's a "real" sportsbar, they will be filling a huge void inside the loop. the only real sports bar around here is The Tavern and i just can't go there anymore for a variety of reasons...

Griff's? Roeders? Mezzanine? Two Rows?

I'm guessing you mean in the Memorial Heights area.

As long as we are all fantasizing about subways. I say the first real subway line should be built under Westhimer /Elgin. Just look at all the retail and residential complexes that would be connected and that people could get to without a car: Galleria, High Street, River Oaks District, Highland Village, West Ave, Montrose area, and The Mix complex. All these places (and more) are on or will be on Westhimer/Elgin.

In fact, I think a subway should go under Westhiemer all the way out to Beltway 8 to the west. Think about all the people who already live within walking distance to Westhimer right now that wouldn't have to get in there cars to get to all those cool places I listed.

Since at grade rail has already been ruled out of the question for Westhimer, what could possibly ever work better and be more convenient than connecting all these places with underground transportation.

This is the only subway line I see actually having a chance of being built in our lifetimes. I think in 20 years this area could potentially support a north and south subway in the inner west loop.