Sunstar

Looks like Google Maps might have done a recent update. You can now see this project and several others currently under construction. 

TIGER 15 should be handed out soon...

Which one is that?

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arups-masterplan-endorsed-for-houston-theatre-district-300153023.html

I'm glad they're tackling the plaza first. The Lyric Center project is not part of this, but will naturally enhance it. That should be well underway when they get started with the plaza.

Tiger trail? Sunset coffee building wasn't a part of this park renovation (this is just for the Sabine to Bagby promenade).

Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER). Basically connects Sesquicentennial Park to Allen's landing.

It might have just been me combining these all into one opening. At one point I remember they all had the same finish date (back in April). I think it would have been cool to have the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Water Works and then been able to wander around and check out these new developments as well. 

I'm a little disappointed that they couldn't finish the Sunset Coffee building and the TIGER trail for Saturday's celebration. I'm hoping they can finish them before year end. Everything else appears ready to go. 

Almost seems a shame that the great view from the pool area will be blocked once the development on block 98 eventually goes up. 

I'm not sure how to read this. So does the new GC now have to bid out all the work for the project?

You can say that about any project. This opinion seems valid until a bridge collapses and dozens are dead.

So you're saying the Pierce elevated is about to collapse? Is there some structural reason this is being done? I can remember when they rebuilt the Pierce elevated last time. Was it shoddy construction? If so, I'll change my opinion, but I just don't understand the benefit of doing this project other than removing some supposed barrier between downtown and midtown or building a sky park. 

I'm voting to not do anything, leave it as it is, unless someone can explain why what is there already is not sustainable. I've lived here long enough to dread these major highway projects that drag on for years. They've been working on the 610-290 interchange for what seems like an eternity. There are definitely benefits here, but they are far outweighed by the cost and headaches it will cause. 

One of my biggest wishes is that the Wheeler station would be turned into a real rail oriented development. Not likely, but would love to see it happen as part of this effort.

I had always pegged this building for the wrecking ball. I'm glad either way, but watching a building implosion is on my bucket list 

Seems like this has been the view from my office since the beginning of the year.  

Thanks htownproud, this gives us a good idea of the scope of this thing. 

That's interesting. Why just replace the ones from Central Square on? Why not replace the downtown ones as well?

We noted that a few pages back and it is consistent with Skanska's public statements. They say that they will be able to build the tower whenever they get a tenant, so they have to get the common foundation/base ready to go, which is what we see now.  I doubt we'll be able to tell what is the status of that actually is until they max out the garage portion and keep building or stop right there and pack up the cranes. Hopefully they'll announce something before that.

 

They're putting up forms for ramps right now.

Thanks Nate, the way it was written sounded as if they gave up on the tower and were going to build the garage and call it a day. 

Found this note on a Houston development map:

"Originally planned as a 35-story LEED v4 Platinum office building has now been reduced to a 7-story, 300-space parking garage. Estimated completion 4Q 2015"

That can't be right. 

http://devmap.io/developments/capitol-tower-parking-garage

Completely agree. I don't think this ball park should be profitable at all. Instead of using advertising dollars to maintain the look of this park, they should let it go abandoned so that it's reputation will be known globally.

That's funny, I don't remember saying any of that.

I wish they would change their mind on all those advertisements in the outfield. Whatever revenue they bring in are not worth the damage cause to the reputation of the park, which is unfairly reviled due the superficial cheese factor.

I would have expected performing dolphins. 

I certainly don't have the popular opinion of the effect this will have.

 

Don't take anyone's word for it though.

 

http://www.ih45northandmore.com/docs4/15_20150417_Seg3_PM4_Exhibit_01_Overall.pdf

 

that's the link to the PDF, if you are curious, load it up (it's really big and will take a while), pull up google maps next to it and work through the flow for both freeway and surface streets.

 

the changes include 59 from Montrose to Lyons, 288 from Wheeler, 45 from Dowling up all the way to the beltway (but as it concerns downtown, it's only past i10), and i10 from Greg to Houston ave. 

 

as someone mentioned, that's probably not current, but it's the most current we have access to as of now. 

Just looking at that file makes my head hurt. I would almost need to print it to a plotter to be able to see it properly. 

Just realized it looking at this picture, but 500 Crawford is shaped like a serif H, somewhat like in the Astros logo. 

Developers = buildings = more urban integration. Sounds like a win to me.

I bet you CVS would get right in on that

Now that I understand it better, I like it a bit more, but not enough to convince me it's worth doing. 

I'm all about reclamation of public space from freeways, and downtown not being totally wrapped by elevated freeways. But as Samagon mentions, if it's just going to be about  opening those parcels to developers, I'm not impressed. 

They're to build a new set of roadways alongside the 59/69 roadways to accommodate 45 traffic. You can find schematics here. Note that these have been modified since they were published, though no new maps have been produced yet.

 

The whole structure will be depressed with the intention of capping it later on, in order to anticipate the complaints you mention.

Thanks for clearing that up. That's a very ambitious plan. So one day, all the freeways that surround downtown today will be removed or be underground. 

If I understand the video correctly, 45 would merge with I-10 and run north of downtown, then merge with 59 and run east of downtown before separating and going nicely on its way. 

The Pierce elevated goes away and is partially replaced on the west side with a parkway (at level or below ground) that runs to downtown destinations. 

Where the elevated exists today between downtown and midtown would be replaced with a park or something.

So if I'm stating that correctly, and I'm not saying I am, is it as simple as replacing the signs on I-10 to I-10/I-45, and similar with 59, and tear down the rest, or is there freeway expansion required to accommodate the additional traffic flow?

Also, I see a similar complaint arising in the future against the Eastex Freeway dividing Downtown from the East side, but now you have all 59 and 45 traffic running through it.