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bobruss

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Everything posted by bobruss

  1. bobruss
    We never can be sure how a project will look until it is completed. We can't even decide which side of the building this rendering is of. I think we should just sit back and wait for the final renderings of the total project for us to discuss/criticize. Also I think I read somewhere on this site where there were quite a few blocks in the southeastern quarter of downtown that were either parking lots or minimal structures on them so I don't mind a few 7 - 10 story apartment projects which will ultimately bring more people to downtown which will eventually create a need for more street level retail also. Theres still going to be plenty of room for the talls all over downtown. I do believe that midtown and most of eastern Montrose will mostly be 5 -10 story apartment buildings. It might take 10 years or so but it will happen. As far as the medical center and downtown meeting in the middle its not going to happen. The TMC is definitely moving south and east. They have large tracts of land to work with at much lower costs. My wife works for UT in the med center and they have plans along with most of the other institutes for future development to the south.
  2. bobruss
    Sorry about that. I just realized your caption stated that. I got confused with the page change. Relax, It was my mistake.
  3. bobruss
    The Shell building is under construction in this image and it was completed in 1971 so this image is probably 1970 /71.
  4. bobruss
    although some have managed to extend their stay my daughter said they were all supposed to be out by this last christmas. they left on the first of January. Also took some fine architectural parting gifts for memories.
  5. bobruss
    Does anyone know what the status on this project is? I see the picture of the front end loader, but that could mean anything from a drainage issue to a metro rail construction vehicle sitting out of the way. Can anyone update when this is supposed to break ground or if it is still a go.
  6. bobruss
    This does appear to be in that general vicinity, but I cant figure out where around there they would develop. You've got the CVS on the SW corner and all of the buildings on the NE and NW corners of Montrose. I can't think of the name of the developer who has developed all of those 8-10 story buildings around there. Maybe Hansen. The same people who are constructing the new building just west of Yoakum on Richmond. St. Thomas owns pretty much everything else to Montrose and Richmond, unless its the tract east of the Richmont apartments,(Menil holdings), or the SE corner of Montrose and Richmond where the Chase Bank is located. I guess it could be the property on the east side of Yoakum between the CVS and the new building going up there.
  7. bobruss
    Cloud 713 You did miss the Hanover Southampton, 12 stories in the Rice Village that's going up now.
  8. bobruss
    I think I just figured it out. That is the med center in the background with herman tower and hospital in the background.
  9. bobruss
    Skyline view Thanks for the images. I'm confused. It looks like this was taken from somewhere near the med center area, and I can make out the large reddish color building in the center as the hotel on SW Freeway. I think the large building in foreground is Hanover apartments in village and right behind is the project on Bissonet just west of Kirby. But the tall building in the background just to the right of the reddish Hotel ( Holiday Inn?) is confusing. It almost looks like the reliant building with the open top in downtown. I cant place it. I also don't recognize the whitish building that looks a little like the herman hospital with the turret on top. I usually can figure these things out but I'm totally confounded with this. Will you help me out and give me some bearings and identify the tower in the background.
  10. bobruss
    Here are images from today.
  11. bobruss
    The new drawing center looks great. I'll be able to watch it get built from my studio window. It's great living on the park and between the Twombly and Rothko. Now the drawing center behind us. Can't get much better, unless it was ours.
  12. bobruss
    On a related subject. They were going to remodel the house across the street from the Menil to create the space for the new cafe,' but apparently they felt the building would not meet code so they tore the house completely down and are going to start from scratch. I heard that it would be rebuilt as a bungalow like it was before, but with the new plans included.
  13. bobruss
    I have a couple of questions about the image of the excavation above. 1. What Is the hole to the left of the terraced sunken area with the yellow x across it? 2. Will the excavation clear the lot to the bottom of the terraced level. I know they'll leave the driveway in until they're finished with the excavation so the dump trucks and loaders can get out. This is going to be fun to watch. I count at least 7 cranes up once all these projects get going.
  14. bobruss
    Thats a good question for Bob Eury. He would know where we stand at luring one of those for the convention center area.
  15. bobruss
    Thanks for reminding me of the name. Thats the one!
  16. bobruss
    More opportunities for recycling of materials I would imagine also, but very interesting technique. I've never seen it done quite like this, however they did take the tower down on the southern end of downtown just a couple of years ago in somewhat similar fashion, I think Cherry did that one, one floor at a time.
  17. bobruss
    Sorry about the poor job of cutting and pasting, but this is about how tall it will look just before they top out the building with the 15 additional floors.
  18. bobruss
    I think it takes more than just orienting the buildings to the street to make an urban space. A good example of how things can change is the Cotswold project in the downtown historic district. First this is an area where the buildings already are oriented to the streets, I mean how urban can you get in a downtown, however up until they overhauled all of the east west streets from Commerce to Texas it didn't have much of an urban feel. Granted when all of the occupants run around in the tunnels all day it never will feel really urban. My only complaint about the tunnels is that it keeps the streets empty. Not until they addressed front end parking, took away two lanes of traffic, added trees and better lighting and useful signage did this part of town feel more urban and actually work for the businesses that operate on those streets. I know, I ran Cabos when it first opened and it changed the whole feel of that area. I don't think that the Uptown area will ever be able to accomplish that frankly. Its just too spread out, with way too many parking lots. The thing about huge parking areas is there dangerous hard to get across and create great barriers that stifle walking. Now if they say empty one or two and created a park, large plaza or a grand mall with gardens and fountains that might begin to help. Except for the waterwall there is no open space that can serve as a park and thats unfortunate. There has never been a conscientious effort made to create that type of an atmosphere in Uptown. Its all about the car and the buildings not interaction and relaxation.
  19. bobruss
    Thanks for the positive update. There are so many projects going up in Houston right now that by the time the fans come to the Superbowl that were here for the last one in 2000, will think they're in the wrong city. The whole city is getting a major overhaul and I think its going to blow everyone away. What a great time to be in Houston especially if you are into this kind of thing. Were going to look like a spread out Dubai with all of the cranes all over town. There's not an area of town that won't be affected in a positive way.
  20. bobruss
    I'm curious what kind of fee they had to pay to close down Morningside for a whole week? I work on Kelvin and traffic has been crazy this week.
  21. bobruss
    Oh my, people are actually going to have to go above ground to eat their lunch. What an absurd suggestion. That's one of the problems with downtown. It just seems so sterile with the lack of bodies on the surface to make it a more viable living city. I think everyone should be required to do their lunch hour above ground at least once a week. Hey a little sunshine or rain never hurt anyone.
  22. bobruss
    I think everyone must be suffering from project fatigue. Everyone is getting so short and angry. I visit a lot of different types of site and I must say there is more one up man ship and attacking going on here than most of the other serious blogs. Not counting the crap you see in the comment sections of the paper. I know these are life and death issues everyone is discussing here but I think the sometimes we take it a little too serious.
  23. bobruss
    Here are images from this morning. Cold day to be stuck up there trying to put together the crane!
  24. bobruss
    The ballpark hotel, Vic and Anthony's and Fingers project are right around there also, so there will be a great deal of pedestrian traffic, not to mention game days when the area is full of people. This will significantly change the east side. Service oriented businesses will start to pop up, followed by maybe a convenience store and grocery store, which is probably the most glaring necessity missing on that side. I know the Phoenicia is in the Fingers condo tower that faces Discovery Green but they are mostly import products. This side of town desperately needs a good grocery store and with all of these new projects along with the growth on the east side of 59 perhaps the numbers will justify one of the chains building on the East side.
  25. bobruss
    Texas Avenue goes between Annunciation Catholic Church on the south and the old train station in front of the south end of minute maid park. It continues under 59 and past BBVA Compass stadium on the east side and turns into harrisburg which runs all the way out to 225.
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