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txtiger

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    JPMorgan Chase Tower At 600 Travis St.

    in Downtown

    Posted · Edited by txtiger

    I'd still kill for a destination observation experience of some kind downtown, and something with real kinetics would be the kicker.  

     

    I'd demo Avenida de las Americas between Capitol and Texas (at the old, proposed Nau Center lot), and center a tower or wheel attraction on the pedestrian Avenida.  

     

    Dopey me would group it with a flying theater attraction ( a la "Wings over Washington":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTVVuin0VTw&list=PLZ4DzRrHWnmIzJZvn4MEUY2myD9LzMNwO&index=4 ), and a large, adventure mirror maze showcasing Houston history ( http://mirrormazesint.com/ ).  

     

     

    I'd otherwise love for Houston to get the first SkySpire:  http://www.usthrillrides.com/products/skyspire/. (or, via ThrillCorp, whose Thrillocity is intriguing: http://www.thrillcorp.com/products/ ) 

     

     

    Years back, a sorta-French Quarter-themed one was proposed for New Orleans:  https://www.cladglobal.com/CLADnews/architecture-design/Skyspire-and-Conrad-Hotel-touted-for-New-Orleans-World-Trade-Center-redevelopment/314620?source=grid

     

    And not surprisingly, a developer has been trying to get a "Skyplex" going in Orlando:  https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2017/12/14/skyplex-developer-look-to-2018-for-lots-of.html .

     

    • Like 3

    Discovery West: Mixed-Use Development Downtown By Skanska

    in Going Up!

    Posted

    5 hours ago, DrLan34 said:

    https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/10/18/bank-of-america-tower-developer-buys-downtown.html?iana=hpmvp_hstn_news_headline 

     

    Skanska paid $55 million in total for the properties, which were sold by a private citizen, according to an Oct. 17 press release. The parcels total around 3.5 acres, and Skanska plans to develop a mix of office, multifamily and retail on the land.

     

    The press release does not identify where exactly the parcels are located, but a spokesperson for Skanska confirmed that one of the parcels is a full city block bordered by Dallas, Lamar, LaBranch and Austin streets, with another just to the south and a third just to the east, wrapping around the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Downtown. There's also a small parcel in another adjacent block.

     

    Those four properties are all parking lots owned by MIPS Investments LLC and MIPS Parking LLC, according to the Harris County Appraisal District. Combined, they have an appraised value of nearly $30.06 million and span about 3.48 acres, according to HCAD.

     

    Skanska plans to begin the master planning process for the sites by the end of the year, which will help determine a development timeline and more details about the project, a spokesperson confirmed.

     

     

    ^The phrase "wrapping around the Embassy Suites…" is a key thing to acknowledge.  With that verbiage, suggests the electrical yard will be re-developed/re-incorporated elsewhere, or maybe somehow on the top of new construction?   Regardless, yes:  that's such a prime block to be wasted on ground-level utility.

     


    I still wish downtown would receive some sort of an indoor, ticketed attraction, or series of attractions, like our own Nickelodeon Universe (a-la the new one opening up in NY at the Meadowlands - https://www.americandream.com ), or at a smaller scale: a Legoland Discovery Center, Crayola Experience, and/or even a KidZania ( https://kidzania.com/en - the first of which in the States is of course going to the Dallas area, instead).

    How neat would a conditioned, indoor park - something like Galaxy Station, but Gulf Coast Texas-themed - be? - https://berjayatimessquarethemeparkkl.com/galaxy-station/ 

     

     

    Proper attraction(s) aside… at minimum, I hope a City Target concept gets developed somewhere soon 'round there.

    • Like 6

    Houston Zoo At 6200 Hermann Park Dr.

    in Museum District/Hermann Park/Rice University area

    Posted

    The new Texas Wetlands exhibit opened earlier this year at the Houston Zoo...  (May be worth an Admin merging that 'Wetlands' exhibit thread into this one, somehow.)

     

    Found some high-res images of the forthcoming 'South America's Pantanal' (opening next year) and 'Galapagos Islands' exhibits (opening in 2022) at a designer's website.  Scroll down a bit, here, for those:

    http://www.studio-hansonroberts.com/on-the-boards

     

     

     

     

    • Like 2

    AECOM

    in Architects, Developers, Builders, and Designs

    Posted

    AECOM's Themed Entertainment Index for 2018 is now available:

    https://www.aecom.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Theme-Index-Museum-Index-2018-2.pdf

     

    (^Houston Museum of Natural Science attendance showed meager growth, but still dropped to 10th place amongst museums in the US, and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island remains a decently-attended regional attraction.  Worldwide Observation Experiences have been added to this year's report.)

    • Like 3

    Grand Texas Theme Park At 23065 Highway 242

    in Other Houston Neighborhoods

    Posted · Edited by txtiger

    Latest aerial construction footage from 8/28, including the first large, "family raft" slide having gone vertical.  The "grained" mix of colored planks on the tower's walking surfaces look good...  Neat enough view, too, of the panel maze.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igi0sTuQ4iY

     

    That's the "Storm Surge" and "Comal Crush" attractions' tower:  https://c4c5h4b3jv11qq3kf399hf3c-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Low-Res-Big-Rivers-Storm-Surge-and-Comal-Crush-Raft-Rides.jpg

    Grand Texas Theme Park At 23065 Highway 242

    in Other Houston Neighborhoods

    Posted · Edited by txtiger

    The Development's website has been updated w/ Annual Pass and Single Ticket info., as well as the operating calendar for 2018 (including Halloween and Winter Holidays events), as well as a Park Map, etc.    http://bigriverswaterpark.com/tickets-and-passes/

     

    Seems to be received decently on other Social Media, thus far.

    I'm moving house this summer and will be operating out of my mom's place up in The Woodlands for the bulk of June and July, so I purchased passes.  Based on my order's numbers, looks like 129 others were sold within 30 minutes of the announcements on Facebook, ahead of my own few...

    • Like 1
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