bobruss

What is really interesting is the feeling you get now when you walk around this area with all of the projects going up at once.

This is going to make the Eastern side of downtown look and feel so much larger. Along with the 28 story Catalyst, and Fingers ballpark apartments

the downtown will have a new outer ring of high-rises. When this is finished the drive in from 59 north or I-10 will be amazing.

I love the towers on the west side of downtown. its an amazing sight coming in on 45, but for my taste I like the east side. From the East, you can see all of Houston

from the smaller old buildings to the towers on the west. 

This new expansion will push it out even farther. Now we have a void in the middle to fill during the next growth spurt.

They have three more floors to go. Should be pretty impressive structure especially from the East side with that entrance.

Is that an optical illusion or a strange angle (photo, or design?

Exactly and that is why all of the efforts to get more people living downtown is really going to help the restaurant and neighborhood pubs survive. Also it will help to create more of a street life since the tunnels aren't open at night and they don't exist in many areas where housing is going in. I'm personally interested in seeing more gfr in these areas. There's plenty of empty retail spaces that will slowly be repurposed once more of this housing opens.

While were talking restaurants and bars, does anyone remember Ruby Reds and Willies Pub.

They had great burgers and served unshelled peanuts. The floor was always covered with the shells.

We used to play down there in the 70's

That was an El Tiempo hybrid restaurant in the early 2000's. Didn't last very long. Its interesting how we go through these cycles. Back in the late 90's and early 2000's this part of town was going crazy. There were restaurants and bars opening all of the time. It was pretty incredible to see so many people downtown most nights of the week and especially weekends. I was running Cabo's at night just across the street at the other end of Prairie and Travis. The Mercury room was going great and the dancing Marlin,Soleros, State Bar, along with several others in the Rice, Tryst, Deans, the Black Cat, along with all of the bars on the square and several on the north end of downtown that I can't even remember all of their names. And then everyone moved to Washington Avenue. Now they're back but more solid bars and restaurants seem to be hanging on. It will be interesting who has staying power, and how long before  the next cycle and where the new scene will take place. Trust me its always moving from Richmond to Shepherd plaza to Downtown to Washington to Midtown,and back to downtown. Wouldn't be surprised to see it jump over to Eado with all of the old warehouses. They already have several bars, and many more residents now. with the proximity to the super bowl parties at the Convention center it would be a natural.

It would be nice if they just got rid of all the old curtains.

Crane is going up 23-24 of December.

I agree to the stop sign. One of the hardest places to turn left on inside the loop.

I just called and spoke with a spokesperson for Houston Historic preservation and asked them what was going to happen to the Foley house. He said that the city was in the process of making the decision where in downtown to place the home. It will not be destroyed and it might end up in Sam Houston Park.

The problem is it is a large structure that might not fit physically in the park, but I reiterate that this person said it is safe and will not be destroyed, but re purposed somewhere downtown!

go have a cocktail. Thats where i'm going to start!

I give. Life's too short!

If you read my quote you would understand that I knew exactly which lake you were talking about. I guess I put the wrong persons quote in my quote. I described the lake you were talking about so relax. I know which one your talking about but what about it. Its newer has a  fountain and it was built when they added the bypass lane to fill in that unused strip. So what are you trying to say about this mysterious hidden lake that you just found. I'm on your side whatever it is. The East side of post oak.

No, I'm talking about the one next to the freeway not the one on the other side of Post Oak. 

I think you are misunderstanding his statement. There are the original lakes on Post Oak on the west side of Post Oak. That is where they just finished adding the last section of apartments to the south side of the lakes.

A few years ago they added the small lake that you can't see from the freeway with the fountain in the middle when they added the new bypass lane.

This is on the east side of post oak and next to the feeder just south of the exit that empties at the light near the Waterwall fountain. 

You can lump Randall in with Tilman. Both will say whatever it takes but neither one can be trusted.

Look at how Tilman was all over the news last night showing off his new casino in Louisiana.

One day he's crying doom and gloom and the next he's inviting everyone to bring all of their hard earned money

over to the new Golden Nugget and invest it. Two peas in a pod. 

Unfortunately for Tilman he might have gotten caught with his pants down now that all of the uber oil money is drying up.

Not the best time to be opening a casino in the oil belt.

I have no idea how old most of the optimistic Haifers on here are or if you were alive back in the eighties.

I think if you were you would have a better understanding of the dynamics of the oil industry. No matter what anyone tells you this city

Runs on oil.

When they lose 35% value and and their stock tumbles they tend to become very cautious and pull on the reins.

This creates a domino affect and everyone starts cutting back.

Less production, more mergers, layoffs, less jobs , less money.

There will be more projects put on hold or canceled. If they aren't already building they probably won't break ground.

I know this sounds cold and a real buzz killer but that is what happens.

How long and how deep depends on a lot of things that are out of anyone here's hands.

OPEC proved that last week when they failed to cut production. That's one of the reasons oil dropped so much.

Everyone will be affected by this in some way.

I remember reading that a pair of Indian investors were running this project. Hopefully this isn't another fiasco by the Dhanani Brothers who brought us the Wendys Oak tree takedown. Regardless this group seems to have bitten off more than they could handle.

Fortunately the CNB remake is really impressive. Maybe they'll finish it and move on to the Days Inn. I wish they'd at least tear out all of the old curtains and power wash it. The city needs to take some kind of action to get whoever owns that property to clean it up.

With everything else they're doing for the upcoming super bowl it would seem like the downtown district would want this eyesore cleaned up before all of those visitors come to town. 

i really doubt you'll find many reptiles roaming the streets of downtown Houston. Unless its a ball of those swarming moccasins reported on this site a while back.

We all know that never happens so I wouldn't worry about the snakes.

Went out there today and they have cleared and are staking out site. Images to follow. 

Taking the first section of the maps above from The Buffalo Bayou plan can someone overlay where this proposed 73 unit townhome

Community will be. I'm not exactly sure where this is. Hopefully it is in the area that they had shown as housing.

Thanks.

I realize that. I was in the business in the 80's and lost my job because of it. I was just trying to change the subject and to lighten the tone.

Anyone that doesn't understand the dynamics of the oil industry and its ability to alter the overall economy are not going to make sound decisions. 

We saw just last week one of the first effects of this downturn in the job cutting merger of Haliburton and Baker Hughes.

This changes peoples plans and dries up money rapidly. It like a domino affect.

I have relatives in the business and they are hoping the middle east quits playing games with the pricing structure.

On a positive note WTI did go up a dollar yesterday. Now everyone go to their rooms and take a time out!

Mollusk your absolutely right about the new drawing center, however I think they refrained from creating a space that was just about the building itself. I'm glad there is some interesting and challenging roof and ceiling changes. They just didn't go overboard.

I'm thinking of some of Gehry's latest attempts at art museums that are more about his structure than the  actual interior spaces that I've heard are difficult to curate shows in. I read an article that said it took a long time to finally come up with a solution for some of the Bilbao spaces and ended up using some of Richard Serra's large corten steel pieces. 

Thats why the Menil and especially the Twombly are so wonderful. He focused on the spaces where the art would be shown and created a unique design element to allow light to play such an important role.

In comparison the Rothko Chapel has never been as successful in my opinion due to the light issues.

They never have been able to solve that in this particular space.

Case in point. About six months ago they exhibited the extra set of Rothko paintings in the Menil and they looked  so much nicer in the Menils light. 

Just my opinion. 

Regardless of who owns the property, no one including LARGETEXAS, who prompted the question I asked, about his comment to the Surge person: "I'm sure you know about whats going on with the Sears site". 

I haven't heard a thing about the Sears site except for the ongoing discussion about who owns it.

I just wanted his inside knowledge of what is happening on the Sears site.

pretty close!