intencity77

22 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

I def have to agree with that. I'm really starting to second guess this whole freeway construction. I like the "idea" of a freeway cap park but not as much as seeing this whole are change on it's own. 

The freeway cap park is not even a sure thing, nor is it technically part of the freeway project. I believe it’s just an “idea” as you said, that TXDOT threw in the renderings to mainly mask just how awful the project really is. Long ago, I admit at first glance, I initially thought this was a smart project and really liked the idea of the freeway cap park. But after really thinking about how the widening will negatively affect EaDo’s progress/vibe, cutting off access to the East End and the likeliness that the cap will probably never be built, I’ve turned completely against it. 

Demolition and jackhammering work has picked up again considerably in the last few days. Surveyors were seen two days ago closer towards the back, middle of the empty lot. I’m not entirely sure but this may possibly be for the Lovett parking garage mentioned in a transcript of February 2017 East End Managment District meeting.  The garage would serve both transit riders and the coming Baker Ripley employees. 

I’m not sold on this “honky tonk” venue either. It seems massively out of place next to the hulking convention center, Hilton/garage. But hey that’s Houston right? It’s definitely not there for the long term as this and two other abutting blocks have been designated for future convention center expansion. 

8 hours ago, HOUTEX said:

Leave the bathroom politics in the past and quit beating dead horses. 

Tell that to the local and state Repugs in power constantly beating that dead horse. Large companies like Amazon definitely take these state sponsored discrimination issues very seriously, especially when considering a large headquarters facility. 

A very large mobile crane arrived three/four days ago and tilt wall construction has now begun. I can only hope there will be some type of retail slots on the bottom floor, being as this project is at a rail station. 

7 hours ago, samagon said:

 

considering I was able to walk in, get what I needed and walk out in 15 minutes from combat kroger yesterday afternoon about 5, do we?

Depends on the particular individual. Some East Enders are more than happy with a small, mediocre Kroger, others would like to see other options. So yes, IMO, we do.

Wow! That lighting....yes, yes and YES!

So essentially this will be a Baker-Ripley campus? Isn't Ripley House already close by? It's a nice building but we desperately need a new grocery store. 

Nice building but it's ridiculously out of scale with its surroundings. 

23 hours ago, Reporter said:

Little Dubai.

Ha! Except the height and overall architecture is lacking compared to Dubai buildings. 

As much as I really love a new shiny building, I think it's bad timing considering Houston currently has the highest office vacancy rate in the country. This project will not make that rating any better. 

3 hours ago, HoustonMidtown said:

 

I went to this Kroger once and got caught up in the middle of an hold-up / robbery in the store - not going again !!  As you said, there are several other options and I have used them all and like them all...

Being held up can happen at ANY grocery store. I was held up near the Galleria years ago. Has nothing to do with how nice a store is or how comfortable its surroundings may feel. 

Reporting this post as it has nothing to do with Houston "City Hall". There is an appropriate subsection for this topic, under "State Politics". 

I read on NextDoor that Sprouts might be opening here. Can anybody confirm that or know anything else?

Interesting design. Finally something different. 

33 minutes ago, Montrose1100 said:

I hope they incorporate the current office tower. Although I wouldn't complain if it washed out in contemporary design.

Yeah I had the same thought as well. If it's still structurally sound, I could see them renovating and possibly recladding the exterior especially since Midway typically likes to include office space in their projects. 

Love, LOVE the idea of bringing more people to live downtown but I'm not liking this building. Too bulky, too beige, too boxy. Reminds me of a modernized version of the unattractive 2016 Main building. At least Hines nearby residential tower will balance things out aesthetically speaking. 

So dumb of them to close. We need a proper observation tower. 

This would be a much better project if it were located in Uptown/Kirby/RO. I don't get wanting to live in a cardboard box in the bad part of town.

While Eado isn't Uptown or Kirby, I wouldn't go as far to say it's in a "bad part of town". Honestly, I wouldn't live in such a project no matter where it was located in Houston.

The building itself came out very nice but the garage facade and placement are atrocious. They could have at least put in GFR on the side facing Richmond.

By golly, who knew trees, flowers and gardens would be so threatening to Houstonians. Honestly, the East End should be kicking itself silly for protesting and passing up on such a positive project. Instead these lovely gardens will now be sandwiched in between a dank freeway and a smelly petrochemical plant. As for "saving" golf courses, I don't understand the nostalgia for them, especially when the local mentality is to tear down almost everything historical in the first place. These gardens will serve the public so much more than any golf course ever could.

Edit: sorry, forgot about Canary Wharf.

And La Défense in Paris as well.

Probably moved into a different sub section too as Glenbrook is outside of what is considered the "East End" area.

I'm not 100% certain...But the Hobby lobby next to lowes, looks like an old Builders square. If you drive around the back you can even see the old blue/red cheatline. The inside looks like a BS as well. What was next to it? Maybe it didn't get demo'd

I found this old excerpt on this topic.

"The abandoned Builders Square store, located across the street from Meyerland Plaza, is being demolished and replaced with a Lowe's Home Improvement store. The 150,000-square-foot Lowe's store will be built on a 14.8-acre site that Lowe's is leasing at the southeast corner of the West Loop and Beechnut. The new store will open in late 2002. Before Builder's Square was there, the site was occupied by Sage Store, a now-defunct discounter that operated there in the 1960s and 1970s."

http://m.chron.com/business/article/Bivins-Wulfe-tries-second-Meyerland-turnaround-2013391.php

I believe the Hobby Lobby building previously housed Media Play/Mars Music and originally a Pace Membership Warehouse