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arche_757

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Everything posted by arche_757

  1. arche_757
    Looks ok. Like I said before - far from being the masterpiece it was lead on to be by "those" and "them." I think the AMEGY sign does indeed take away from what is otherwise a clean edifice. Thankfully we don't have too much signage on towers in Houston.
  2. arche_757
    When I worked downtown the options to avoid the rain made my commute longer than need be, so I just brought a slicker or kept a good umbrella with me! That way I didn't need to worry about the tunnels. I actually prefer walking outside than underground. I find the argument about the heat to be the most compelling reason to use them - but even then I still think they aren't needed.
  3. arche_757
    The tunnel system is not needed. At all. Its superfluous. Completely unnecessary! It would be like having a subway that runs under the RED Line - with the same stops! Except that they're harder to get to, take more time and energy to find, and they actually only would run about 2 of the 7 miles of the RED Line. Oh, and the subway wouldn't cross from Point A to Point B in the shortest distance - it would traverse from Point A to Point B in roughly twice the distance winding around in a way that makes one think "This system wasn't ever planned - ever!" ...even though its been around since what the 1970s? 40 years!
  4. arche_757
    I'll add - I'm always amazed at how angry we get sometimes at each other on here! Never ceases to amaze me.
  5. arche_757
    Said the anonymous person on an internet forum.
  6. arche_757
    Yes, but developers - such as the ones interviewed - won't go belly up in a year. They also (I would think) would be the first to draw back amid any fear of regional recession talk? They have the money to wait it out, but wouldn't be preaching optimism (or at least not preaching pessimism) if they really had a need to worry. We won't know the full scale and depth of the current "crisis" until its over and we can study it.
  7. arche_757
    See. Amegy (or their "handlers") are toying with people's feelings! Not cool Amegy, not cool!
  8. arche_757
    Those guys moved very fast though! And that building - while decent - is hardly an architectural gem. Its actually a shame something better wasn't built in that location and that 20something corporate tower wasn't built ...I don't know... a block or two south on an empty lot! Oh well
  9. arche_757
    Since this is an architectural forum - we're entitled to have opinions on architecture. I'm sure the architects and developers working on the Memorial Hermann Tower at Memorial City Mall thought that they too were working on greatness? We all know how that turned out. Swtsig... you're a smart guy. You can "catch my drift" in my post saying Amegy is playing a "dangerous game" right? You're right I should have placed the blame (if that's what it is) at the people posting about how great this thing is - and not Amegy since they've been fairly mum on this topic as you pointed out? Still, you can understand what I'm saying. Expectations are seldom reality. Particularly here in Houston. Designs are always "tweaked" until construction starts (and then guess what - changes still continue to happen as the need arises). That's the business! That's how it is. I worked at a major firm here in town (not locally based) for 3 long years and saw some really great buildings there get V.E.'d until they were no longer great! I also worked on stuff that -when I worked on it- I thought it was great. Sitting back with some context I can tell you it wasn't. That's also the nature of the business.
  10. arche_757
    My guess is you aren't just a little biased, are you? Who cares about the above reference? Its radio. Lopez is a huge Spurs fan (from SA). Nick likes LeBron James. Go figure.
  11. arche_757
    414 sq. ft. for over $146,000 is not a good buy anywhere - let alone Houston. I wouldn't spend that kind of money on something smaller than 1,000 sq ft. in this town ever.
  12. arche_757
    People who work on projects tend to think they're much more important and of greater value than they actually are. You can use whatever verbiage you'd like, but you catch my drift. I'm just saying I think it is silly Amegy hasn't put a rendering out there. Their choice. A bright, fancy new highrise is an advertising icon for any company - much less a bank that relies upon an image of "energy" and "vibrancy," and drawing new customers to itself.
  13. arche_757
    I'm curious... have you looked at a house rental? There are areas in town where you can find a pretty well cared for home for $1,000-1,500 per month. Perhaps you could find a roommate (other than your child) to help with costs? I've rented a home before (over an apartment) and found it to be a much better experience - of course landlords are the rule of the day: you'll either get a good one, or a bad one. Plus with a home you'll get more than 2 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom. It really depends on what area of town you're interested in, and end up working in? If you find a job in the Katy/Westchase area, then you'll want to find a lease out that way (to avoid traffic and added commuter costs). If you find a job in Conroe, then you'll want to live up that way... central Houston (Inner Loop) then you'll be looking inside the Loop for a place to live. again if you want to avoid a long commute.
  14. arche_757
    I've never understood the vitriol that people reserve for talk-radio. If you don't like it, don't listen! I'll say that to hbcu's point: Houston does need better coverage of local teams, though I really don't think a city with all but one major professional sport present + UH, Rice, A&M, UT, Baylor, Tech, TCU etc. have a need to cover much in the way of high school sports. A mention or two is sufficient for most of the shows, maybe a local sports on Sunday night or something? I do think Houston needs more diversity (and radio-ready) people in the local airwaves, certainly couldn't hurt. And the off topic stuff does get to be too frequent, not to mention the clear sexism regarding females. A little of that goes a long way! They need to tone it down.
  15. arche_757
    So you're saying HL3 will be released in the next 14-18 months?! That's fantastic! Seriously though, I fear Amegy is playing a dangerous game... They've built, and built, and built up this building to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and we've seen zero. I still will assume this thing will be far from the great work of architecture folks are thinking it will be, and far from the wonderful building the Amegy Bankers think it will be. Hope I'm proven very wrong with that opinion!
  16. arche_757
    New Orleans has a W Hotel...or did. New Orleans and Houston (downtowns at least) aren't on the same planet when it comes to hospitality. What is the obsession with the W brand?
  17. arche_757
    Yes, but if we're remaking things - why not remake the entire pool complex? No one wants to use an old pool over a new one.
  18. arche_757
    ^Interesting. However, shouldn't there also be an area where people can just float around and swim casually with their kids and friends? Still, good to see ideas like this taking root in this town!
  19. arche_757
    ^But overall Houston is less affordable now than it ever has been. Obviously new housing development(s) will help with the costs somewhat, but the average price of a new home in Houston jumped some $80,000 (maybe a bit more)? Inner Loop Houston is not affordable. It isn't. While we love all the High Streets, River Oaks Districts etc, those developments have erased garden apartments that were affordable just a few years ago. The good news is other areas will start to see the influx of people who can't afford a $600,000 townhome, or $2,500 a month in rent (which is $30,000 a year) moving into and helping transition other inner loop neighborhoods into more welcoming/livable places. Areas around UH, the East End etc. will see this happen. Yes, its gentrifying the area(s) by forcing the poor out - but many of these places were middle income neighborhoods originally - odd how things come full circle. I find in interesting that "Inner Loop" means just the areas west of 288, and west of I-45. There is a lot more land north, east and south of those areas that is inside the Loop! Many Houstonians seem to forget that.
  20. arche_757
    Call City of Houston Permitting http://www.houstonpermittingcenter.org/ They're really good about answering questions (compared to much smaller cities with far less construction ongoing). Who knows, this development may have changed things and the inspector may have missed them?
  21. arche_757
    Should of fought this way earlier in the process, notices or not. You can tell by the number of plumbing risers going up if its multiple homes or not, and the scale of construction didn't just sprout from 20'-0" to 60'-0" overnight! Is it really 60'-0" from the ground to the top floor? Typical floor-floor heights would be 12-14' so that's a 5 floor home! Are they 5 floors? I think CoHouston has a height limit on residential construction in some neighborhoods? In fact I thought CoHouston actually had a 34' foot occupied floor height of single family residences (or townhomes)? Maybe that's West U? Not sure?
  22. arche_757
    USPS might lose out on a better price for the land, but big developments like this site have potential to offer us - take time. Could be this thing works through all the kinks and problems over the time we're in a "down" economy (at least due to oil). Will remain to see if the overall health of the US economy due to lower oil prices will drive other industries in Houston - it could very well do that.
  23. arche_757
    Gotta be the De Havilland Comet. At least in terms of commercial aviation. 747 is a big flying monster. Not pretty, but very impressive.
  24. arche_757
    ^True. At least its an example of what not to do... I mean it would work in a tighter development area - like in/around the old part of Downtown. It would still be pretty blah, and pretty bad architecturally, but it wouldn't be so visible and such a blight on the surrounding area. Not to sidetrack this thread, but does anyone actually know anyone who lives there? In the Mercer? It may be a pretty nice place to live?
  25. arche_757
    You're right. I was thinking there are more stops along the eastern coast of Mexico prior to the Yucatan. I forget at just how big of an expanse the Gulf is. I had thought perhaps cruises would take people along the Gulf Coast and Florida over to Cuba? Maybe that would work.
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