SpringShadows

I've been told that it will be dubbed Medical Center II

More medical buildings for Memorial Herman.

Title says it all, basically what's up @ Beltway 8 & I-10 behind the old Petsmart? There's an new building with a strange round structure in front of it, almost like a stylized deck or something? Anyone know what that new building is going to be?

What I heard was that eventually it would find it's way to nearly Memorial City mall and spread north of I-10. The whole area would hope to provide pedestrian friendly modes of access so that cars would not be needed beyond arrival.

I heard they would most likely expand north of I-10 near the college first and simply update Town & Country to the south.

Yeah, it's really good news. Lots of doctors and nurses all wanting to live close to work. Also, lots of traffic from people who wouldn't normally come by this area. Which means more cafe's and restaurants.

I understand that it will be more medical buildings matching the style of the ones south of I-10, from north of I-10 to the New Memorial MRI that is essentially across the street from Mr. Carwash.

Yeah, drove by yesterday. Sadly I was wrong, it is indeed a bank.

So, I've lived in Spring Shadows for about 4 years now, and I love it. The development in this area is non-stop, but also the hidden treasures are amazing, like El Gallo, Ortillas, etc. Well yesterday I decided to turn up Rollingwood, it's the small street/neighborhood off of Long Point (near Bunker Hill). Wow, the houses and landscaping up there are amazing and gigantic. Those places are really beautiful and the lots are River Oaks big. I decided to look up some of the MLS listings and found several of them are over $1,000,000.00 and well over too. Look at this place

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I don't think it's a bank. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong but there was no Safe that I ever saw. When the MetroNational bank went up the safe was visible for weeks. Also, the "drive thru lanes" look more like a very nice overhang to me. Almost like a classy restaurant. My gut tells me this isn't a bank. Again, I could be wrong but I don't think so.

...Don't think that's good info. Especially considering they are currently demo'ing the mall/Komart as we speak.

If that's true that sucks.

...so the rumor is matching medical buildings and retail are going on the other side of the freeway. They are demoing Komart and the Casual Big and Tall/Red Wings Shoes strip center. This has been a real eye sore for a long time and won't be missed.

Yep, the old Komart too.

Agreed, keep in mind folks this is the demographic center of Houston and the highest earning zip code in Texas (and likely the south). This won't fly just anywhere. I love that people call this the burb's. I live in Spring Branch (obviously Spring Shadows) and I work in the Galleria, I can drive to work in 12 minutes in the morning. It takes about 15 minutes to get to downtown. Outside the Loop isn't the burbs anymore, it's the city. It's the demographic center of the city, it's memorial, it's the best school district in the city. Like it or lump it, it's Houston and in 10 years when it has many more high-rises no-one will think any differently Gessner looks like a dump north of I-10 but mark my words it's changing fast. Spring Shadows is filled with 80 year olds who've been dropping like flies and every time they get replaced but very successful 30-somethings with kids like myself. I've seen more luxury vehicles on Gessner than pick-ups recently and that's unusual. We've had 2 attorneys move into our cull-de-sac this year. Our neighborhood is very family friendly, I know the names of everyone on our street and they know me, we exchange emails and look out for each other. The changes I've seen in just 4 years are crazy. Especially around Bunker Hill. Westview is now littered with HUGE new homes, and every day there is another one added. Money's run out of room south of I-10 and has now crossed the freeway. My home value, even in this economy, has gone up nearly 60k in 3 years (I had it appraised to re-finance). The 35 story building you all hate so much brought 35 stories of professionals to the area who want to live close to work as has the new C-Mex building. We bid on a house on Westview, 1600 square feet listed at 140k, we offered 162k, it sold for 200k. The comps can't even keep up. Buy now, mark my words. The branding in this area expands every day (street signs, pavers, 12 new (matching) schools, obilesks, gateway markers, flowers) and when light rail, City Center expansion north of I-10, Memorial City expansion north of I-10, and Gessner re-build happens you'll wish you did.

Hey, sorry it took so long to reply. The newest table cloth cafe that's just opened is an exciting one. Right next to Daddy's Pizza (which is amazing) is a new Mediterranean Cafe/Restaurant with a deck called Falafel. It's between Westray and Kempwood on Gessner.

You make a good point, but context of his comment to me was not in mimicking but more of an "American Slant" on European. I may not have communicated that as well as I could have in the original post. But they specifically mentioned how they had never seen anything like it. It was a very, very positive experience for everyone. Also, and not to say anyone else here doesn't, but I travel to Europe many times a year and I have never seen "modern European" if you will done in the size and consistency of City Center. I've seen buildings like the ones seen in City Center, but not in such a mass. Also, you would not normally see decks like the ones in City Center in Europe (usually smaller Bistro style), however they are very common in the Med. and South America. It's like Architectural fusion. Lastly, there is a lot of Southern Stones (like Austin Stone) used in City Center and NY style Bricks, so European Architecture would be very different.

Just passing along some positive feedback, as City Center was well hyped by the overseas contingent during OTC. They said the buzz amongst most Oil and Gas folk from abroad was that City Center is THE place to go. When I brought the folks I was entertaining from the Netherlands, some of whom lived her for over a year, they said "I never expected something so beautiful and so European in Houston". They also used the words I always rely on "Generational Beauty" saying this district needs to expand to both sides of the freeway and that they thought City Center would still look great 100 years from now. Also, they mentioned that if the hotels are smart, they'll advertise in next years OTC promotional publications and ride off of this year’s hype. Now if we could get City Center to make a "Dubai Style" train that at least looped from City Center, Memorial City Mall, Bunker Hill back through Community College Campus and ending in City Center. You could run a shopping tour hitting the hospitals, hotels flats, and apartments along the way.

For Spring Shadows and the greater Spring Branch area, the next ten years will be a time of great change. All of the multi-year plans to improve our infrastructure will be underway. As has been the case for many sectors of Houston that have faced metamorphosis, there will be a tug of war between the excellent local neighborhoods that we enjoy and the purveyors of low quality rental units; between the white table cloth café’s that are starting to pop up and the food vendors working from converted school buses. Which will flourish and which will fail? In the 80’s and 90’s the tide was not in our favor. However, now things are starting to lean in our direction. I believe this is our decade and it is obvious to me that we currently have the momentum. I see a collective will to get things done around here among the various area leaders and that is a critical part of a successful outcome.

Boundary Map

http://www.chron.com...ws/6875999.html Pretty bummed out about this. District A residents get look at upcoming CIP projects West Houston will soon be home to new public buildings and street upgrades, but residents heard other projects will wait longer than some would like at a public meeting in the area Feb. 18. The gathering to discuss capital improvement projects in District A was hosted by council member Brenda Stardig, who was elected to that seat last fall. Almost 100 people gathered at Candlelight Community Center to have their questions about street upgrades and drainage projects answered. Officials gave updates on the following projects: • Fire Station 90, at Park Row Boulevard and Langham Creek, is nearly complete. • An expansion at Ring Neighborhood Library, 8835 Long Point Road, will begin this month and should be done this summer. • Renovations at T.C. Jester Park, 4201 T.C. Jester Blvd., are underway and should be done this summer. • Improvements to the intersection of Long Point and Blalock roads have begun and should be done this summer. • The expansion of Oak Forest Branch Library, 13439 W. 43rd St., from 8,000 square feet to 12,000 should be done in November, officials said, with a likely opening in date in early 2011. • The reconstruction of Brittmore Road from Interstate 10 to Hammerly Boulevard could start as early as March. • Three water line replacements in the Woodlawn area could start as early as March. • The repaving and widening of Pinemont Drive from T.C. Jester to Ella Boulevard could start as early as April. “There’s a lot of work to be done in our community and we welcome your input and support,” Stardig said. Chuck Davidson, past president of Spring Branch North Super Neighborhood, came to the meeting hoping to get the rebuilding of Gessner Road from Long Point to Neuens Road moved up. Davidson said Gessner is deteriorating quickly and should be improved in 2011, where the project had been scheduled before being pushed back to 2013 last year. He also wanted to inquire about three other projects. Officials told him they would look at each but did not commit to moving them. “I’m hoping that the councilmember who lives in that area would be pushing to get things expedited a little more up the priority list,” he said, adding he plans a follow-up meeting with Stardig. James Tillman, representing the city finance department, said the economic recession had resulted in many projects being delayed. “Of course you always want to hear that things are farther up the line and not being put off, but we understand the situation,” said Robert Reyer, vice president of the north Super Neighborhood. Other residents at the meeting were satisfied with what they heard. Myrna Bray, Sandy Plasvk and other neighbors from Candlelight Woods came to inquire about the reconstruction of nearby Pinemont. Plasvk said she thought repairs to storm sewers and water pipes in their neighborhood were part of the project but was told that was not the case. “Apparently we need to resubmit that, but at least they heard us, told us where to submit them and how to do it,” she said. Bray said she’s satisfied with the officials’ willingness to listen. “It was a good meeting, and it was productive,” she said. “They did address our issues and let us give it to them in writing, so hopefully something will be done.” Tillman also showed residents how to file CIP requests online. This new capability will allow requests to be filed year-round, eliminating deadlines that cause ‘peaks and valleys’ in the assessment process, he said. “I hope this makes this easier and adds a little more accountability,” said Tillman, the finance department’s CIP director. Despite his other concerns, Davidson said online submissions will allow people to report problems when they occur rather than waiting for a months-distant deadline. “Having it online facilitates more effective communication,” he said.

City Center is a reference to this area being the Demographic Center of Houston, it's also conveniently located next to the richest zip code in the state. It's all been discussed in this thread and is posted on the City Center website.