arche_757

I hate names with direction. I hate the east this and west that.

Uptown is already a name that plays off of downtown so we would be naming it after a place named after place. So it would be that place east of that place up of downtown?

Sorry, just my preference, but I like unique names for areas developing into its own area but still keeping some identity to the bigger area. That's why I like the Highland Village/ Highland Oaks name.

Mid lane is a double no no for me. Because it has that mid, up, east, sodo thing plus lane makes it seem quaint. It is a large area rapidly increasing in density, so mid lane doesn't do it justice. West creek is a double no no for the same two reasons.

I think that people will begin to see the area as an extension of highland village anyway.

I was kidding about UpEast.  Personally I would rather call it something - since its not Uptown and it isn't River Oaks.  And Highland Village is a shopping center same as River Oaks District and High Town or High Life (whatever the heck its called).  They aren't proper neighborhood names... or are they?

Mid Lane is an actual road that is roughly half-way between Highland Village and the other developments - hence why I thought that would be ok?

UpEast?  As in Uptown East?

How about Mid Lane?  Kinda close to this area - and its sort of the "middle" between River Oaks/Upper Kirby and the Galleria/Uptown?

^Cool.  Not sure if I agree that CoDallas needs to be a 20% partner on this (if I'm reading right?).

What do you think Dallaz, as a resident of the Big D?

Also, I agree these are trophy towers but I don't think they're any where near 300meters in height.  If this does come to fruition I'll be glad since it makes sense either Dallas or Houston would have the tallest residential towers in the state and not Austin.

I'm not sure what the South Canal is, but on the Downtown Development Timeline graphic that was posted on HAIF North Canal construction is plotted from approx Q3 2015 through the end of 2016.  

Look close you can see it just above the bottom of the page

On the second page of BBP Masterplan "eastern sector" is the map with the South Canal clearly labeled.  I thought this was common knowledge?  Hence why its called the North Canal and not just "the canal" ...unless I mistakenly read your post incorrectly?

Also, would be fun to brainstorm suggestions to improve the exterior...

This looks promising?  Maybe it lacks a long enough boom, but you could nip away at the base until it fell over!  Would be fun!

Fake boat idea was just tossing around an idea...clearly some of you missed the "Nah..." added at the end...

I read that.  However, I'm so against using a "fake" anything for any site - when you can find an actual working boat (or just build a cool building over the water without making it look like a giant Captain Benny's Seafood that I responded that way.

North Canal (and South Canal - there are two remember) are probably a decade+ from happening.  In fact I would go so far to say they're the next big "boom" cycle in Houston development away.

This is presently an option for a great mixed-use development.  Throw in the potential to tie-into rail/transit in the future and this is a massively important site that is FAR more valuable than being the HQ of HPD (do they really need 12 acres?) and booking facilities for the city jail.

I agree with Subdude that it will be a long time before the big county jails are relocated.

I should add I was saying "NO!" to the idea of building a "boat-like structure"  NEVER build a fake boat.  NEVER!  How sad would it be for one of the worlds largest ports and port cities to build a fake boat?

And why turn it into a lake?  It would merely be a shallow basin in a part of the bayou.  Too small for real boats, it would just be a wide part of the bayou.

Another idea would be to expand the bayou and build a permanently-moored (like, a boat-shaped building that is surrounded by water but resembles a boat) boat of some sort, preferably one of a past design (1800s river steamer?) with a restaurant or something on it. 

NO!

And to Subdudes idea of a permanent fairgrounds... I'm not following why you would want something like that?  I'm envisioning something tacky - can you elaborate?

I think the best idea is to let a "Midway Cos" type of developer turn it into something.  They could work in apartments, condos, retail and office space and leave plenty of room for park-scape facing town and the Bayou.

Is it weird if I don't really consider this a part of downtown?  Downtown to me is the area surrounded by I-45 and 59 and the Bayou.  This is some other part of town, some other "district" if you will.

^I would do the opposite I think.  2 lanes sunken, with 1 lane for the shopping center traffic not much different from major "life style" centers these days any way.

Though I don't know if there is room?  Maybe a 1 lane (each way) sunken portion, and a 1 lane ground portion (each way) with widened sidewalks and landscaping - though I don't know if going to a 4 lane road here from a 5/6 lane road would be good?

I know how tight things are in this area with traffic - hence my suggestion for a larger/longer tunnel option.

^eventually a traffic lane could be taken and used for lightrail?

I moved the distances back so far on this tunnel because I don't want to have any issues with the major retail centers that are around and under construction.

I think Mid Lane and Suffolk as the entrances to the underpass would be ok. 

I've thought some on the park idea....  I don't think it would be as great as we think.  Discovery Green works because there is stuff around it.  Imagine a park with a Freeway on 2 sides, a railroad bisecting it, and a bayou separating it from everything else nearby.  Add to that the lack of residential that's close and I just don't see this being the "grand" park others think it may be.

Add a little residential and make 6-7 acres the park and you'll have a successful area with a "grand lawn" facing town that people are talking (wishing) about.

Yep.  Think of it as a pass-through for buses and through traffic.  It is a bit much (I realize), but it would ease traffic congestion in that area.

Since all of this is hypothetical any way - why not envision something grand?  Why not tunnel under some of the most heavily congested areas in Houston to alleviate traffic issues when that is absolutely possible?  Since the option of building a road overpass tall enough to clear the train tracks would be an eyesore and cause additional traffic headaches, why not tunnel below?  There wouldn't need to be any road closures (except at the tunnel entrances) and the retail in the area wouldn't be harmed by construction and the visual blight of a big TexDot style road overpass (replete with Texas states stamped into the pre-cast concrete).

I guess they could have simply built parking lots - since they have quite a bit of land?

Ok.  So... that leaves a tunnel option for the vehicular traffic.  Put the tunnel entrance heading west at Edloe Street, place the exit a 1000' east of Chimney Rock.  Traffic problems for people wanting to travel through that area without intentions of stopping would be eliminated.  Thoughts on that idea?

If the idea were to build an underpass under the tracks, is it not the case now that the required length of approach ramps would cut off much of the new developments from traffic on Westheimer?  Not only residents in Afton Oaks, but wouldn't developers also fight to stop an underpass?  Besides, having cars stuck in traffic presents an opportunity for bored passengers to inspect the nearby shopping opportunities.  I can easily see a convergence of interests to ever do anything along here.

An underpass for the train.  Not the cars.  At least that's what I'm curious about.

Wow.  I would rather have steadily moving traffic than have traffic back ups down Richmond due to the train!

Never said it was nefarious.  Developers ought to attend/schedule these sort of competitions more often.  It would at least spur on more adventurous thinking for large - catalyst projects like this (or similar).

Still a sort of "free" conceptual design idea that proposes things developers may have thought about (not just Hines) yet been too cost conscious to inquire about.

Ah... Afton Oaks.  Screwing themselves over since the 1980s.  How unfortunate if they actually did fight to keep the rail from being lowered!  Why?  Why would they fight against that?  I just don't understand it.  Now there will always be a big, loud, potentially dangerous (remember the chemical spill near West U about a decade ago?) train track on grade with most of the homes in that neighborhood.

A shame.

It can still be trenched, though I suspect the costs would be a lot higher than in the 80s.

I've always like the deep dish "hanks" from Star and they have a decent basic margarita.  Pinks I found to be vastly overrated and wouldn't imagine paying for it myself (friends bought it).

^Yeah, I thought that was interesting Hines sponsored that; though I believe they may have sponsored other similar competitions?

Free conceptual design.  I think the one image you posted is about as "grand" of a project that one could expect in this town for that site.  In fact I would be beyond thrilled if that's all it ended up being.  I wish we had visonaries that would produce something truly fantastic - like some of the images Bachanon posted - but I just don't see it.  To be honest if we ended up with something 1/2 as good as the above image cloud713 posted on the 13th of October 2013 then I'll be happy.

i could have sworn that i recall a statement, regarding a proposed "sky attraction" slated for downtown during SUPER BOWL LI.  maybe something if forthcoming..  who knows for sure.

I remember that as well.  I'm not sure if it was something temporary or a permanent addition?  Probably the later, as I believe it is to be located in Discover Green.

Hopefully its not a rocket looking tower!  That would be really hokey, but I wouldn't put it past officials in this town to come up with some hairbrained idea like that.  Jesse Jones and Judge Roy are rolling in their respective graves at the "vision" current Houston developers/leaders show when given the chance.

Why wouldn't a rail underpass work here?  I would think a sunken rail here - with park space atop would be a plus for River Oaks, Highland Village, Westheimer and every where else.  Perhaps THIS should be Houston's "big dig" - rather than some far fetched (though interesting and doable) I-45 tunnel between I-10 and I-69 @ Downtown.

Actually quite surprised that something like Ritz or W hasn't surfaced given the jump in hotel demand in this town.

I'm also a bit surprised more discount chains (La Quinta as an example) haven't shown up in Midtown in and around the Spur and Main Street?  Perhaps that is next (although quite a few places already have committed to Downtown).  I suppose there is greater demand closer to GRB at this time, and the property values are still not to the level that would deter a mid-level hotel chain from building a 10-15 floor building?

So Miami has this in the works... or at least it was at one time planned/proposed!

I like it.

I think the idea of a tower that serves multiple purposes - perhaps one that generate electricity or some other service + has an observation deck and restaurant et cetera would be interesting.  I think it would have to be attached to a hotel (or close to one) - so the idea that something like this would pop-up around MMP/GRB makes sense in that train of thinking.

I like the idea of the sweeping superstructure that hang over an outdoor venue of some sort.  Perhaps a music venue maybe seats a couple thousand?

http://www.exmiami.org/index.php/berkowitz-plans-1000-foot-skyrise-miami-observation-deck/

Yep.  That was Beaumont though... Houston just courted the businesses and professionals to move their HQ's here.  Helped we had more rail connections and that Houston was a bigger city any way.

I think a tower would be fine, I like the idea of putting it over near the Post Office site.  It would need to stand apart from other big buildings - placing it too close to anything as tall or taller would make the view from the observation deck less impressive.  And I think something around 600 - 800' would be plenty tall.  Any taller and it really does just become a transmition tower with a observation deck (or two) stitched on.

Look at San Antonio's Hemisphere as a case in point.