kdog08

the park needed a renovation of the botanical gardens, happy to see it finally being done........wish it were more aggressive in it's design and wish the golf course was taken out......honestly so many other uses could be built in it's place, softball, soccer or add more land to the zoo and garden spaces.......also underground parking would be great.......

This. I don't think inner city public golf courses make much sense in the inner city. I wish they would convert it to several baseball fields, soccer fields, and tennis/bball if there's room. Be awesome to have more youth and adult sports leagues.

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Sigh. I understand funding is a big issue for this but I wish we could do better with our parking solutions for our marque park. 

Midtown TIRZ FTW! Makes Montrose TIRZ looks like a pile of incomptent/corrupt crap. 

Not bad. Med Center quietly adding density. 

This is good news. We need more of this type of development along Westheimer and hopefully we can add a Quickline bus route (like Bellaire Blvd) in a few years. 

2014 03 29:  I believe this may be the slowest development in Houston.  18 months after breaking ground... approaching half way.

Perhaps it's a timing issue? Lots of units going up in the area. 

With the 20+ parking lots set to be wiped out in a few years, it seems we may need about four or five more of these spread around downtown.

I would like more public-private partnerships with parking garages among the TIRZs along the Main St line. Houstonians who visit downtown will still need a place to park as surface lots make way for better use. 

It looks the park is half the lot when including both sides, is that so and was that always meant to be? 

The University Line would connect the densest area of Houston to 4 of the city's major employment centers (Galleria, Greenway Plaza, Downtown and the Med Center) as well as connect a student population of over 60,000 between UST, TSU and UH.  It's ridership would far surpass the other lines because of the density factor.  Had the political climate been supportive, it's actually the line that should've been built first.  Honestly, BRT would've been a better fit for the East End or North line. 

This. 100%. 

Hooray for Superbowl!

I honestly think the convention center, Toyota Center, BBVA Compass, Minute Maid, and the Theater District are enough for downtown to be a destination. I'm not really sure what else you could add to that mix...even in terms of music venues it's got HOB, Bayou Music Center...maybe smaller venues? There's NOTSUOH, but that's really small, and somewhat limited in terms of who it attracts. I'd love to see the Majestic become a full-time venue..

There's a lot to do downtown as you listed the attractions, yet it has taken the leap forward yet. As I said it's complicated. Houston's DT is large and spread out which doesn't help make it a true destination, although there have been steps to solve that issue. Along with the obvious residential base and more hotel rooms that's in the pipeline, DT is poised to take a significant step forward. 

I think big events like the ones I mentioned above gives Houston a chance to show off DT and midtown to the nation, state, and even to itself. 

It's complicated. We need the residential base but also downtown needs to become a destination in itself. Hopefully the increased focused on conventions and luring more large scale events (more superbowls, final fours, all star games, college bowl games, etc.) will help DT gain good traction.

Will the park and residential be constructed at the same time?

To be honest, Houston has been a red-headed step child historically for a number of reasons. 

FYI,  It's not a secret loophole that you are slipping by the Chronicle.   It is an arrangement they have with Google.

Really? How does it benefit the Chron?

We are not talking about the rest of the city, we are talking about downtown.

I can't see these low rise residentials surviving long if land prices increase awhile availability shrinks.

If availability of land doesn't shrink, well then thank God we got something over that darn parking lot.

Lot of land undeveloped/underutilized in downtown and surrounding areas (east and north especially)......

It is far from being an architectural masterpiece, but it doesn't need to be.

 

It reminds me of the Bob Bullock State History Museum in Austin.

I agree. This will be a great addition for out of town visitors as well Houstonians. 

Quickline down Westheimer from Hwy6 to University of Houston where it becomes Elgin. Redo streetscapes and boom we got a bustling 20 plus mile corridor. It's frankly embarrassing the state of Westheimer in Montrose. 

Do they own the entire block? Could fit another apartment or some retail there if they sold the undeveloped part. 

Do we know the status of the park?

Awesome, this one went under the radar. 

.... so that be high? 

believe it's listed at $125/sf

Pardon my ignorance, is that a very high asking price? 

Anyone know if they own they vacant lot south of this along Richmond and next to 24 hour fitness?

Will be interesting to see how the rail line running to theater district and dynamo stadium fits in also.

I really think Houston will soon be a vastly underrated convention city/major sports events city by the time the Superbowl arrives in 2017. By the major sports events, I mean all star games, NCAA final 4, college bowl games, superbowls, soccer matches, world cups, and Olympics.