bobruss

East side and third ward, and maybe near north side.

Saw some great groups there!

The transformation is astounding, and once this burst is finished it will be like a magnet drawing more interest and development

Archfan,

Have you mentioned this to anyone with Ed Wulfe. Terrible decision and hopefully they'll see the error in their ways and make some alterations. I'd let them know.

You can actually watch 10 different projects from the 609 cam.

It's nice to see the bricks up. Finally some tangible progress.

Thanks, it definitely sounds promising. Now if we could just get someone to do something with the Daze Inn.

It seems like we could at least get them to get rid of all of the curtains and maybe power wash the thing.

It's the most objectionable large eyesore in downtown and with the Super Bowl in 2017 it would be nice to have it

remedied.

I just want to know if we have confirmation that a Le Meridien is going into the Melrose bldg. And when they are going to start construction.

I don't think you can find a much better location. Its across the street from a handsome HEB by Lake Flato, just around the corner

from The Menil Museum, Cy Twombly Pavillion, Rothko Chapel, Bookstore, Bistro and Park not to mention the future home to the

Drawing Institute, , Imprint, and St. Thomas University. Go farther east and you have Sicardi gallery, The photography Center and A.O.S. and

the Greek Orthodox campus. Just a short bike ride to the MFAH campus. Also the rail will run down Richmond someday. This is an outstanding

location and will be one of the most desirable areas of Houston to live in. Its proximity to downtown, Buffalo Bayou park, Rice U. and the med center also make it the perfect place for this luxury housing.

Its in the creative center of Houston!

Here is a letter I sent to the winning bidders yesterday.

I congratulate you on your winning bid. I believe that you have made a very wise and calculated move that will serve you well in the future.

I must say that I'm concerned with a suburban developer coming into this part of town and putting together a suburban designed mix use development.

At a time when more and more people are moving to cities at unprecedented rates, this is not the time to develop a suburban designed project for the inner loop, especially this close to downtown.

Those are all well and good out in Katy, Sugarland, The Woodlands and Pearland. However the city's working hard to develop a more urban feel and we don't need another cookie cutter shopping mall practically in downtown. So I hope that you either partner with a company that has successfully produced urban mixed use developments, environments for the 21st century, or that you hire a really good urban planning architecture firm who knows what they're doing. We'll be watching with anticipation to see your plans for this tract and how you plan on approaching this inner city site.

Wishing you and the inner city the best of luck with this venture.

And here is the response from the president of Gulf Coast Commercial Tom Lile

Bob,

We are working hard to develop a plan we believe will be embraced by the surrounding neighborhoods and future tenants of our project.

Thank you for your thoughtful note.

Best,

Tom Lile

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lorraine Beddingfield <lorraine.beddingfield@gulfcoastcg.com>

Date: February 3, 2015 at 1:28:34 PM CST

To: Tom Lile <tl@gulfcoastcg.com>

Subject: FW: gulf coast wins 21 acre parcel bid

Thank you Monarch. I wish I could enter my images myself but thankfully brijonmang is nice enough to enter them for me.

Those of you who keep saying oh the medical industry and the Port of Houston will make up for the losses in oil I'm

sorry to inform you but the reason our port ranks #1 in tonnage is due to the amount of oil product shipped through the port. It will be way down this next year in tonnage shipped.

The Keystone pipeline will not help us one bit. First its going to Port Arthur to be shipped overseas.

Every single segment of our economy will feel this crunch. Its called trickle down.

Now you can put your head in the sand or pretend that its not happening but I promise you these things

take at least a year or two to settle out.

Unless there is a major war in the middle east or China's economy was to become more robust which it doesn't look

like it will any time soon prices would go up.

There was a $3.00 spike yesterday due to concerns of isis getting closer to the reserves in the middle east.

Things will get better but in the near future things will definitely slow down.

But hey we have a million projects to watch go up, and by the time they're coming to a finish oil will probably be

back where it was and we'll go into our next boom. You can say I'm negative or a downer or whatever you like but

thats because you don't want to know the truth or can't believe it.

Its Houston, learn to live with it.

Quite a number of construction/crane erector workers on site.at 2:00

I can remember in the 80's when Houston was in the throes of the last big oil ℜ estate bust. I know a couple of developers who at the time wished they could have a do over. Rusty Wortham & Van Liew were just starting up construction on the Heritage Plaza. I'm not sure why but despite the bad news at the time they went ahead with the project. I believe they had some kind of contractural agreement which forced them to move forward despite the conditions at the time

They went bankrupt.

I'm sure someone who has more knowledge of this project might have more of the facts about why they went ahead knowing what they did, but anyway this is an example of defying the market evidence and losing.

They might have attack drones set up on the perimeter to keep out incoming video copters.

They are under lock down up there. Langley has nothing on Exxons security.

I had to laugh. Frank didn't spend this much on his restaurant. LOL

They won't let anyone close enough to get good pictures. Maybe someone from inside could leak some close ups.

I'm sure there is the technology but I'm afraid it would be very expensive. Something similar to the way eyeglasses turn darker in the sunlight.

This is going to add so many great angles, curves, and setbacks. It's not the skyscraper that many wanted and hoped for this block, but it will have such a positive affect on the immediate area.

That's a museum parking lot.. Right?

No, actually I drove by there yesterday and its got two 30's brick apartment houses on it so I can see that the MFAH probably does own this and will start the Glassell farther North

than the existing Glassell.

I'm sorry but I was hesitant to announce it on here at all, for fear someone might disapprove of me mentioning it.

It will be up until the 31st so I hope you have a chance to get by to see it. Thanks

I don't think this will block out the O'Quinn Towers. I don't believe that it is going to be that tall.

I hope not anyway.

I also have an exhibition going up tonight at D.M. Allison Gallery on Colquit and invite all Haifer's to come by

from 6-8 p.m. to see my new work.

For images go to

www.dma-art.com

INVITING ALL HAIFER'S TO AN EXHIBITION OF MY NEW WORK AT D.M. ALLISON GALLERY 2709 COLQUIT

JANUARY 17 6-8P.M. TODAY

This was an announcement from Ellen Cohen today:

Council approved an Economic Development Agreement, also known as a “380 agreement," between the City of Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). Thisagreement allows the City to give a portion of Roseland St. (between Barkdull St. and Berthea St.) to MFAH in exchange for an expanded public Sculpture Garden which will be maintained by the museum. MFAH is currently undergoing a privately funded $350 million expansion which will include new space for galleries, an auditorium, a restaurant, a new building for the Glassell School of Art (including a walkable green roof), a conservation center, an underground parking garage, and the expanded sculpture plaza.

My question is does the MFAH own the property to the north of the Glassel all the way to Barkdull along Montrose?

We have much to be excited about.

Hines tower

Hilcorp

2 new rail lines

Menil Drawing Institute

MFAH new museum and campus redesign

Texas history museum

Methodist hospital

Herman Hospital

Texas Childrens hospital

Hanovers 

Village

Montrose

Galleria

Sky House 1& 2

40 story market sq. residential

32 story hines market square

Marriot Marquis

Hampton Inns

Catalyst 

Mid Main 

Match

Buffalo Bayou

Herman Park

Memorial Park

Billiton

And a hundred other projects all over Midtown, Montrose, Galleria uptown, the Energy corridor and the Woodlands

I only scratched the surface, but how can anyone complain?