marc

To answer my own question:

http://www.mainplacehouston.com/photography/Hines%20with%20shell%20and%20WF.html

http://www.mainplacehouston.com/photography/Aerial%20View.html

Wow! Thanks.

Two things. i have been waiting for this tower with bated breath. It will be my new favorite if it is anything like the rendering. Do you think that the public can go to the upper balcony??

AND how i wish i could get a SimCity to look like that second pix.!

m.

Thank you very much. Yes! What i needed.

m.

Hey oh, Everybody,

In Austin in two weeks...........but before i go............how is 38th and 38th and 1/2 going???? To those new to this post..... that is the new TX Monthly highrise complex. Give me what you can.....and i am completely appreciative!!!!!!!!!!

m.

Hey All,

i am back for part of the summer (Hellz ya!) and want to try out my new Canon digital camera. What better way than to take pix. of all (or most) of the projects being constructed in our fair city. My time is my own, so i don't mind taking a couple of days to snap the photos.

What do you all think should be my approach (best route) when taking the pix. i am starting out near I-10 and Eldridge.

Thanks for any input.

m.

Personally, i like seeing the cranes. i know many want to see the finished product (referring to an Austin post......many want to see Austin as a finished product). But as was said above, to me, cranes mean progress. Like a spit in the recession's eye. Both cases make a great aesthetic statement. A cluster of cranes like in MT is cool because it connotes, "my God......they must be doing great over there!" and also gives those of us who love this sort of thing a sense of , "i can't wait to see what it will look like when it all comes together." On the other hand, i think i prefer to build skyscraper #1 then when the crane comes down (while cladding the sucker) another goes up for skyscraper #2 and so forth....therefore a constant image of growth and building.

m.

Any new pix. i am in TX in less than a month!! But i cannot wait.

m.

^^^ i agree. Although i do like my hometown of H-town a great deal, i have secretly wanted Austin to surpass Dallas' skyline for years. Thanks to the development gods, i just may get my wish during my lifetime. If this sort of growth keeps up (like the late 70's-80's did for Houston) Austin may just surpass Dallas' skyline in the next decade and then give Houston a run for her money!! (unless of course, Houston diversifies once again, latches on to another major market, i.e. wind and solar energy, and then builds an iconic, signature supertall in let's say, 2020) Let me dream. OK?

m.

^^^ Thanks. Much luck and success to you! How "small" is small?

m.

The incorporated area of the City of San Antonio is #2 in population, but that's only because, like the City of Houston, it covers a large geographic area. San Antonio is #3 in population when you compare the rankings by metro area, but not by all that much. For all intents and purposes, Austin and San Antonio are about the same size, just as for all intents and purposes, Houston and Dallas are about the same size.

Thanks. i did not know that. Question- Dallas and H-town being about the same size...does that incorporate FtW with Dallas or just Dallas itself? Thanks for all of your observations over the years. If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living? i am always impressed by the stuff you know regarding development.

m.

I'm still stuck on the image of ATLANTA as the pardigm of density.

What i meant about that was i feel Atlanta has taken a relatively sparse area and transformed it into a really nice area for those who like a more compact space to live in with new amenities, convenience, etc. Honestly, it was just the first city to come to mind. i certainly was not using it as a paradigm of GOOD urban density.

m.

TheNiche has explained some of the practical reasons San Antonio isn't going vertical.

If we're speaking about "iconic definition"--San Antonio has the Alamo. Why should the city try to become more like Atlanta? Isn't that Houston's job?

That's a good one. Yes, about the Houston comment, but i see H-town as already surpassing Atlanta in the concept of multiple urban areas, because they already exist, right? i actually see H-town as a mini-LA when it comes to the pockets of urban areas throughout the great city. i am no big fan of SA i must say. It does have the River Walk, BUT, that's about it.... well, not really the only thing, BUT i am just a bigger fan of Austin and Houston. i suppose it is what i know the most.

Anyway, i was coming from the perspective that now SA is #2 in pop. in TX and thanks to Dallas and Houston, i suppose i have a sort of image in my head what a large TX city should look like- SA ain't it.

m.

Ok- Hey everybody. i think SA is missing a fantastic opportunity to build vertical in a concentrated area during this time of growth. i realize that SA's city borders allow for A LOT of sprawling projects, but why not choose a section of the city and devote energy into creating a vertical urban oasis? i feel this may become a missed opportunity. Any thoughts?

i am thinking Atlanta-like area devoted to residential highrises in a cluster to give some sort of iconic definition to the city.

m.

As for why various cities are at different places along the business cycle, well there are as many explanations as there are cities. Can you be more specific?

For instance, in places like Houston, Austin, parts of LA, NY and Miami seem to be building full steam ahead. i know some projects are on hold, but is the construction i see stuff that already has the funding prior to the bottom falling out or is there something else at work.

Oh, and what about the Medical Center? They seem to be doing pretty well in the construction business. Why is that?

m.

As if our leaders must be educated by way of Christian educators?

My football coach, never said, not even once: "...let's win graciously..." or any other nancy-boy talk.

No. It was: "Play hard, men!" ... and the occasional "Get your head out of your a _ _!" and "Stop kissing'em! HIT! HIT!" and then he would put in the B-string, C-string, the D-string, if the ball game got out of control.

But when you put in the last of your worst players... and you still whip the other team, badly... you really can't do anything (as was the case here). Unless you instruct your team to make points for the other team, to try to even out the score. That's real intuitive for your players to understand: score for the other team. What?!

I went to public High School. We also had a private, Catholic school. They sucked. Maybe because of their "Christian" coaches.

Well, now you are just being ridiculous. i am done. i thought this was going to prompt an intelligent conversation. Clearly, your "hit, hit, hitting" in HS has caused you to confuse the issues. That's OK. As a Christian.......i forgive your ignorance.

m.

I don't know what the deal is with private schools then: "win... but not by too much, or else we'll get punished."

I went to public school. Never in the history of the school I attended has any coach advocated that kind of "win, but not by too much" philosphy/constraint. More of a play hard and win cleanly attitude. So if you win by 7 or 70 or get beat by that margin - that's life.

Oh come on! You know exactly what the point is. This isn't the NBA or any other professional team.

What is the point to completely obliterate a team that is clearly inferior? What does that show? Let's even leave Christianity out of it, because that may be a sore spot for some of you..........it is called ethical humanitarian behavior. Plain and simple. It is in poor taste and should be repremanded. As an educator, we have responsibilities in addition to filling a child's mind with knowledge. As a Christian educator, we have a responsibility to shape citizens that quite frankly are going to be running our country when you and i are rocking in rocking chairs at some elderly assisted establishment. i would like to think that the next generation will learn not only how NOT to be sore losers........but to also understand gracious winning. i know you get my point.

m.

As a teacher in a Christian school and a Christian myself, in the spirit of sportsmanship, if the coach kept his best players in during the entire game, then, yes, that is shameful. If his B or even C team was put in and they still stomped them 100-0, then i don't know what else could have been done short of stopping the game. The beginning of this topic suggests that perhaps the Christian way is not to win. i attribute this to perhaps, a poorly written article. i suppose the point being made is, if a team is clearly slaughtering another one, they have already proven their superior athleticism, so why add insult to injury. My school has run into that sort of thing a couple of times. Both times the opposing school was repremanded by the league leaders- they were cited for unsportsman-like conduct.

m.

i am a child of the 80s. BUT, i do admit, i love the eclectic genres of today.

m.

OK. So i have a question for those of you who know more than i do about financing large building projects. i understand that the economy is prohibiting lenders to extend credit for new projects right now. BUT, what about projects that were financed (or i assumed they would be financed) already? Couldn't those projects continue to be built? i see construction around the country, and i don't know enough to know why some cities continue to build while others don't. For instance, i was assuming that construction costs and such would be at an all time low these days. i wonder why developers don't take advantage of this- lower costs for materials, lower wages because construction workers are just happy to even have a job in an economy that isn't being too kind the that industry right now, etc. i know i sound like a MAJOR capitalist, it is just that i don't see why developers don't capitalize on something that can potentially triple their profits in time. i mean, the economy has to go back up in time......right?

Give me your thoughts.

m.

yeah, the Montrose area still seems to have personality. i LOVE what they are doing in NOHO (LA), but one by one the quirky cafes, restaurants and bawdy storefronts are being replaced by sleek glass and polish. It definately has taken the grit out of NoHo. i PRAY to the urban gods this doesn't happen to Montrose........EVER!

m.

Well, i was wondering what everyone thought about the possibility of Havanna rising again as the Southern hotspot city it once was before Viva la Revolution! Miami has exploded in urban growth (at least skyscraper-wise) in the past decade, so that would obviously compete with H and i know a mountain of $$$ would have to be poured back into Cuba before H. would make a huge comback, but still, i look at Panama City and think, who could have guessed? Do you all think any sort of rebirth will happen in that area in the next 20 or so years? Let me know your thoughts. And again, Miami, OMG...a sub tropical Manhattan!

m.

Maybe not the right place for it, BUT, if Obama's economic stimulus package goes through, do you all think the Corps. will be spending that $$$ on new projects or pretty much just doing damage control? i wonder if there is some sort of stipulation regarding the bail out. Thoughts?

m.

Cross over Children. All are welcome, all are welcome!

TGIF!

m.

^^^ i was wondering where exactly it was going to be located. They are clearing land on the southwest side of the I45 where it crosses Sam Houston Tollway. Maybe there?

i have always wondered what kept that area from becoming another viable business center. i mean, the location is ideal for people who live in the Woodlands and such, as well

as for people who live west along the Tollway. i would think the city would work really hard to keep the riffraff population at a minimum.

m.

^^^Awwwweeeee, com'on. It's not SO bad. Here, drink the Koolaid, you'll like it.

m.

^^^^ All terrific points in the last 3 posts and i did look at some NY beauties which definately add to the skyline and are obviously older residential highrises. Please, don't misunderstand me, i like the design a great deal. i especially think the crown gives it distinction and salvages what could have been a boring block of stone. i was just surprised because it is so out in the open and hasn't been surrounded (YET) by other scrapers, that a more cutting edge type of design wasn't chosen. i am thinking specifically like Aqua in Chi-twn or some Melbourne and Sydney beauties. Or even London for that matter. Does my question make sense? i am just curious.

Give me your thoughts,

m.