arche_757

We don't know if his spine was injured, or if they are just taking the precaution of immobilizing his spine/neck so he doesn't injure it. Wonder what happened?

Yes. Now - I believe those ports mentioned above are mulling over a new container terminal on Pelican Island. Obviously a new container terminal designed to hold the Panamax class of container ships would be huge and cost a ton of money, it would also open up the quickest route to most of America from the Panama Canal via the Houston area. I think something like this will eventually happen, but who knows? The biggest obstacle is land connections - a new causeway and rail connections to the mainland would be needed, and this would also impact the Inter-coastal Canal business. http://www.chron.com/business/article/Galveston-s-Pelican-Island-may-get-ship-terminal-1711952.php Then there is the Chinese firm exploring a 4.5 billion dollar methanol plant (I believe) in/near Texas City. I believe it would be built out in the bay on "reclaimed" land. That would also be a huge asset for the area. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2014/07/22/texas-city-site-in-the-running-for-multibillion.html http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_8943475e-11c8-11e4-b644-0017a43b2370.html

I feel like the name: Studemont Junction deserves this as a mascot

^Also, if you *add* Port of Houston + Port of Texas City + Port of Galveston together the tonnage is clearly the biggest shipping port in the Western Hemisphere (passing up the Port of Louisiana). The Port and TMC were possibly the best things to ever happen to the City of Houston - very forward thinking by our former civic leaders. The "boom" is on going and will carry over for a few years in a number of areas, but like bachanon mentioned the region will take years to absorb all the new residents and retail required. We may see a sharp decline in commercial highrise construction (no doubt) but that doesn't mean all architectural activity will dry up - far from it. I still think Downtown/Midtown will continue to add people like crazy once all these residential projects finish up and the demand for goods and services increases making both neighborhoods the hottest around.

Pretty much. Houston is much more diversified than it previously was. We needn't fear 250,000 jobs gone almost overnight (or the % of that figure that would be for today's population).

Yes, we will see that. No doubt. But Houston proper - namely the big urban business zones inside and around the Loop will still be quite dense. And I still see the Loop as a very dense area, if only because of proximity to jobs + accessability via transit or walkability. Who knows how expensive transportation will be in 20 years? Could be cheap (doubtful) or very expensive (most likely - even if it isn't mostly oil based). I'm not saying we will have SF density everywhere, but certainly in some areas. Probably there will be more "slums" (if that is the right word) like Harwin than there will be high-end highrise zones full of rich folks... but there will still be density. Places like The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Pearland etc will also be quite populated and have dense cores (even if they're small) that radiate out only a few blocks.

LA has a growth boundary on the west side, but the town sprawls for 80 miles to the east.... Houston will densify. Its densifying now. In 26 years I'll wager the Loop will be a lot denser than what it currently is. Why? Because of the want for living in a city for some - not all - but some residents. If we add 6+ million (as we're projected to over those 20+ years) then why not see the Loop add the additional 400,000 ? What is Katy going to be a city of 300,000? Sugar Land a city of 500,000?

Russian made train = something I would most certainly be very comfortable riding in and not worrying 1 iota about my personal safety or life. Never!

Well, I'm talking about 6, and then 26 years from now. I'm sure surface streets will be reworked in some areas between now and then. Additionally, if Houston densifies similar to say... San Francisco or denser parts of Chicago or LA, then we can assume the population will "bulge" in certain areas. Add to the idea that transit options will be available by then (be it LR, subways or even better run bus systems) to ease vehicular traffic, and I think anything is quite possible. Realistically surface streets can handle nearly constant traffic - like NYC or Beijing. Constant gridlock is in Houston's future whether we like it or not, it is in some ways already here during working hours on certain roads. Its just part of being a really big city. I've come to accept it, though it is quite tedious at times. Also, by 2040 more of the neighborhoods throughout town will be necessity have all the "needs" you could want within easy reach. Sure there will still be trips to Montrose or Galleria or other places on ocassion (not unlike suburban enclaves currently experience), but most of the city will have services/goods/businesses within a reasonable distance to alleviate the need to sit in a car in July for 1.5 hours. At least that is how I see things progressing. This is particularly true if we do indeed grow to the "bigger" proposed population size of 14-15 million. I'll see if I can dig up the website and pdf from the City regarding long term growth patterns and what we can expect.

I don't know what the land that building is constructed on cost? In quite a few cases these properties were formerly single family homes that were probably purchased for quite a bit less than what 1 single townhome can sell for in many instances. These developers/contractors probably have several of these projects around, probably have another nearing construction. Big business inside the Loop this is. $225 per square foot covers contractor profit + all relevant construction related expenses. That price covers everything. Now, don't get me wrong, some of these townhomes or private homes may be spending more than $225 per square foot. Certainly homes in River Oaks or West U are more per square foot. No doubt the land was aquired cheaper than the cost of said building. The building was constructed as a 1 of 2, or 1 of 4 + buildings built on that land - so the developer/contractor is recouping their money, make no mistake.

Well... I'm just guessing - if growth continues as it is currently. I expect the Inner Loop to add about 75,000 people between the 2010 census and the 2020 census. That's a big number, and I believe it is easily possible. I expect a fair % of Houston's overall growth between now and then to be inside the Beltway where dense projects are much more common. Plus the infrastructure is mostly in place to handle that growth. 6 years is a long time. I imagine that by 2040 the 610 Loop will hold about 1,000,000 people and fully expect Houston to have easily doubled its highrise residential during that time and replaces tract after tract of Inner Loop land with mid-rises throughout. Places like the Heights, West U and River Oaks will be the rare acception to the rule when it comes to lower density residential. The Loop has mostly held steady since the decline in the 1960s, but I think the Loop will grow to its potential over the course of the next 6 years or so. And I must admit - I'm curious if the population figures include assumed numbers of undocumented immigrants? If not then the *real number is likely quite a bit higher. Would be interesting to know.

You know... I thought that was the issue! I remember reading about that a few years (or decade ?) ago in the HBJ. In the interests of not wanting to sound a fool I didn't mention it. Again - I was in need of quite a few cups of coffee this morning! Oh well.

Don't get me wrong I'm certainly glad the area is improving. I just don't much care for the linear "Energy Corridor" Brenham is the larger town (I think). If not, it feels larger. It also has a college and is sort of a reasonable distance between Houston and College Station. I like both towns and know that eventually they'll have their fair share of Houston commuters who drive in to Cypress/Cy-Fair or Westchase/Energy Corridor/Katy. Its coming.

Brenham is still somewhat of a smallish town, Columbus is the same. Both would do well adding 5,000 new residents, as the demanded services would be more than just a Starbucks. Think new grocers, new schools, new office spaces, new hospitals... it would be a boon for both of those towns. Add in their historic charm and locations along/near scenic areas and they would boom.

That's what it costs. I am in the business. Just click the link - that building listed IS $225 per square foot. And he is asking about the Montrose/Washington Ave area, not Katy. Certainly the burbs are cheaper! $225 per square foot is what it costs. If the price these days was $300 per square foot that is what it would cost. Again, you can find contractors and architects who can design and build something for less than that. You can tweak things downward. But in general that is what it costs. Land is land, construction costs area construction costs. We (my firm) just priced some things in Houston and its $225 right now +/- a little here and there. Office construction is cheaper, Kirksey just researched and found that it costs ~ $140 (I think that was the number) per sq ft for highrise construction. Not trying to sound condescending, so please don't think that my tone is meant that way.

There are architects who refuse to design buildings in countries where safety standards are minimal, if non-existant. Good article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/arts/design/22pogr.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 As for Zaha Hadid... I like her attempts at design, though I tend to find her work repetative in the same way I find Frank Gehry's work repetative. Neither are bad architects, far from it. I just think that both get a lot more "airtime" than they rightly deserve. Sometimes understated = beautiful. And honestly - the one project I've seen of her work up close was in Strasbourg, France and it really didn't look very nice. Of course it was a transit station. Also, I really loath architects who have schematic designs that are so.... "artsy" you (or me - an architect) have trouble reading them clearly. There is an art to the conceptual plan or rendering and some push their weirdness/artistic-ness too far. Rem Koolhaus and his weird collages is another one. Makes for a reasonable book, particularly since most of these architects no longer reside in the real world - like the rest of us - they're the Tom Clancy's and JK Rowling's of their world... everything they do is celebrated even if its not worthy of celebration.

^Close enough! I think Wedge is interesting... it is the garage portion that's ugly - or maybe a bit too random.

Really? Dallas has plenty of great architecture much of it very big and visable, Austin has a lot of small stuff that is great. Of course I do understand that people simply want Houston to have the same luxury hotels as the lesser cities in the state. Personally I'd rather have a few more interesting and unique boutiques over the W - but that is just me. Those will come in time.

$225 per square foot. That's what is roughly the "going" rate for construction today inside the Loop. You'll probably be able to tweak that figure a bit lower depending on what you want to splurge/add on etc. to the plans. That's not including land costs if you have to buy something, and that may also include demolition fees? And that available home is right at $225 per square foot. 3,300 sq ft x $225 = 740,000

I posted the link - from the city of Houston - about the Loop and realize its only about 7-8% of greater Houston (though it could be argued its one of the few neighborhoods that will be able to hold double its population over the next few decades without much being done to it infrastructure-wise). Metro primarily serves Houston. Park'and Ride services extend to the suburban areas and smaller communities outside of Houston, but the primary focus of Metro is Houston proper. This is something people should be able to consider if they want transit options. Eventually we will start to see transit options from others outside of Metro (already a few exist). Island Transit in Galveston County, The Woodlands Express in Montgomery County etc. I need more coffee before I can continue these deep conversations!

^Nah. (to both posts above me). If we remember Ritz was in Houston. It left because it was lacking in the numbers needed. I think people are more willing to spend on quality hotels now more than ever. Perhaps they will stay for fewer days, but spend more on a nightly rate. I've never thought the "W" was the end all, be all of hotels. Not sure why its so greatly desired? We'll get some more nice hotels. Fret not fellow Houstonians.

^Columbus is pretty cool. If it added 5-10,000 new residents that city would really take off. Same with Brenham. Bay City might have potential as well. All of those towns are just big enough that they're completely self sufficient, and adding a few thousand new people would make them more so with new services and retail required for the added masses.

To assume that 90% of Houstonian's do not want alternative transit is not accurate. http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Demographics/Loop610Website/population.html The 610 Loop has around 440,000 residents. Care to wager on how many more people will move into the Loop over the next 6 years? *Figures used in that website were figures from before the current boom, and census figures from 2010.

Well, the resort doesn't have to have a golf course+horseback trails and all that other stuff. There is room in or around the East Beach and also way out past the end of the Seawall for a resort. My guess is Galveston has simply not been very receptive to the idea? Since it is Galveston.

Very true! Opinions are like... well we know! I never thought Mickey Leeland was ugly either. Very underwhelming, although it has a fun plan. By far Houston's period of its ugliest buildings is the one from the late 1990s - early/mid 2000s (in my opinion).