arche_757

^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 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.

Well, the CN tower is impressive but I wouldn't exactly call it beautiful. In my opinion the Space Needle is the only one of these sort of things that's remotely attractive. I see what you're saying... I think something like this would be best in an area where it wouldn't be surrounded by a bunch of other buildings almost as tall (if not taller - JP Morgan and Chase Tower). Why not on Main Street just north of the Museum of Fine Arts? Would provide a nice view of the town and would be close to some other attractions of note?

We have a number of towers that are quite tall used for the purposes (or similar) of the CN in Toronto, down in Missouri City. Observation towers like CN are probably a thing of the 1970s.

I've deleted what I originally posted to keep this from getting into yet another long drawn out argument between Slick Vic and Iron Tiger. Sorry.

Don't like it. The stone... looks just terrible!

^How much is thru-traffic versus commuter/cross-town traffic? That's the question. Since we all know someone driving from San Antonio to New Orleans isn't going to stop and ride commuter rail/light rail/whatever rail through Houston. That's not the target.

I'm not advocating punishing anyone. I'm saying "IF" this were to happen, I think what I have proposed (rather than tolls on all freeways) would perhaps be a better way to go. This is not about punishing sprawl, hurting those who can't live inside the Loop, or causing people to have a mass suburban exodus - it is only about repairing the roads/bridges/tunnels/etc. through a tax of some sort. Probably the easiest thing to do would be to simply increase the gas tax. Not for any of these but if they happened because we have crumbling infrastructure then I can't argue that it isn't in the nations best interests.

Didn't say that - never mentioned wealth. Its just taxing people based on how far they commute. And its not an exorbitant rate like the tolls would eventually be. A flat - no frills tax that's easy to round and the money used only* for infrastructure repairs. Presumably most River Oaks residents wouldn't ever pay tolls for the roads either. So there's that.

But the developer (who is foreign) is doing just residential... Would not make sense for a 79 floor residential tower to be taller than 1000' Unless there is some decorative fin or something? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One57 One57 is a ~90 floor (apparently only 75) residential tower in NYC - where there is actually demand for that sort of building. IT is only 1,004' tall. Unless there is a significant office+hospitality component to this I don't see how it could work in Dallas' downtown right now. And offices are out as there is a high vacancy rate there. If anything the Toyota move to their downtown would have maybe driven this, but that's happening in Plano. Oh well. Good for Dallas. Should fit their ego. I'll take what we're getting instead. Eventually the demand will be there for a taller residential building.

Well, Harris County Baker Street jail is 9 floors already. I like the idea of maybe a two block 15 floor each jail. Set aside another block for a future 20 or so floor addition. In the mean time use it for something else? Would be a much greater use of the land. Again the problem is the County. Although Harris County is pretty well off (so I've heard), perhaps they could be persuaded to selling that land and doing something else - a joint venture with the City of Houston?

I thought I did? $1.75 x 2 = $3 per day $3 x 5 = $15 per week $15 x 4 = $60 per month $60 x 12 = $720 a year That's just a single toll plaza exchange on the North Sam Houston tollway. Some on-ramps have a lower charge of $0.75 per axle. And there are some free on-ramps (quite a few in fact). In all likelihood the average Houston tollroad user spends $1000 a year... if all freeways were pay for use then I would expect that number (in the early years) would be double that at around $2000. Eventually it would increase in cost and eventually it would reduce the number of people who would drive on those freeways. Something that might be easier to implement: A workplace toll. The government would ask employers to simply take out an additional tax (like social security, medicare, federal income tax) that would charge people a fee off of how far removed from work they are. Those fees would be nonexistent for people who live 5 miles from work. 10 miles out they would be $100 a year, 15 $150 a year, 20 $200 a year and so on. Maybe that's the way to go? Those fees would then be used strictly for road/bridge/infrastructure repairs. The less you drive and use infrastructure the less you would pay for them. Maybe you get a sort of tax refund if you use transit? Just a thought. Not sure what others might think of that?

The $700 figure was what I used for when I travel on the toll road from I-45 to 290. There is one plaza, one toll. It is $1.75. Sure there are other fees that other drivers pay, but generally the tolls are set up so most only pay the one plaza fee + maybe an on ramp fee. Its not the biggest figure, but its a fine enough figure to do the math. Multiply it x 2 or 3 and then run the figures again and I'll still wager the number won't be enough of an impact to really change things very much. I see you glazed right over my point earlier about my work commute + the commute of my wife. Right now she is 3 miles from work (probably almost* an idyllic number for many) and I'm 25 miles from my work. If we moved closer to my work she would be further... which would result in zero gain on anything commute+mileage wise. There are likely many people that have similar work options where one partner works fairly close while another commutes. It is not ideal, but it is realistic. I understand where you are coming from Slick - I do - you and I agree on transit and the desire for an overall denser city. I don't think we see eye-to-eye on the idea of livability. As someone who used to SCREAM that its the urban way or the highway I can see both sides very clearly. I used to insist that I would never live outside the Loop. Life happens, reality changes perception and while the Inner Loop is still great and the epicenter of all things in this whole region, I've been faced with working elsewhere and having to become one of "them" and locate myself outside the core.

^It would make the most sense to move HPD and the jails, however those are county jails, not city. Probably cheaper to build a new jail complex than retrofit a post office, which really isn't all that big considering those jails hold 9,000 inmates. I'd also like to see Franklin gone from the north side of the Bayou. No need. Just use Preston and go ahead and run Washington back across the Bayou and connect onto Commerce Street.

Franklin would likely be re-worked somehow - perhaps even removed. Considering the scale of the work being talked about on here its easy to see a street changing quite a bit to accomodate something. I mean we're talking about MOVING all the county jails+private jails+digging a canal between White Oak and Buffalo Bayou. Versus removing 400' of street that's probably in bad shape anyway overhanging part of Buffalo Bayou... which one sounds easier to you.

Those jails aren't going any where. If put to a vote - voters aren't going to approve spending $200 million on new jails given the age of the ones we have already. Plus the buildings off Top St are private jails (I do believe). Obviously the site at the "bend" is far better frontage - but its not up for sale - the post office is.

Stairs are cheap, and they've been done elsewhere along the Bayou recently.

This is the site - right? https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=29.765514,-95.36342&spn=0.008885,0.010836&t=h&z=17

I'm saying that a lot of people already spend $700+ a year on tolls and it doesn't seem to matter much. That's all. I agree for quite a few that will be the tipping poing, but I doubt that it will cause a mass exodus to the core or next to other major job centers.

I think you bring up some great points... We will witness in the next decade a sharp rise in home based offices as telecom advances have allowed us to work/live/play differently. Imagine an ipad (or similar) with 500gb or 1tb? Think of that. I can easily see my work - small architectural firm - running a work out of home style business a couple days a week if transit became such a hassle. Outside of office updates and the occasional call (which could be easily re-routed to cell or home lines) I don't really need to be in the office every day. I imagine there are quite a few businesses like this out there as well. Personally I wouldn't mind it. Even a reduction of just 1 day at work would be a nice savings for me on the car. The trick is accountability. If employees would and can work well from home and accomplish what needs to be done, then that's possible, otherwise I think we may see a sharp decline in productivity.

1) It is a simple question... but I think one could even informally take a poll (on here) if people would rather ride rail or bus. 2) Setting aside ROW (that process could take years in and of itself) is a good idea. I doubt that density will take 30 years (that would be 2044) to get there in the areas where I'm thinking - and I'm speaking mostly of inner Beltway areas. 3) Well, like I've said in however many posts I've made about this subject... building now (meaning start setting aside land/row/whatever start the design process, then getting bids for construction, then starting construction) will take years to progress. That's why I want to start now in some areas. The university line (for example) down Richmond or where ever needs to be done, but that process (to do it correctly) should and will take many years to achieve. 4) Higher density = higher property costs, which is not always true but generally a given. I don't see an event that will happen in the future of this country that will make things cheaper in regards to construction costs/land costs etc. If that event does happen we probably aren't worried about getting to and from job centers as much as we are simply worried about jobs, or health and home. Again ***and I stress this emphatically*** any worthwhile transit line, whether it is bus or rail, should take at the least half a decade to design and implement (rail will obviously take longer). I am not advocating that we go out in June and spend $2 billion. I'm saying that the process needs to - no must - begin as soon as possible. Phase it out if need be. Study the heck out of it, but study it. Right now I'm guessing there's a little room somewhere in METROs HQ that has 4 peons working on this, where they ought to have 40. The way I see it we won't have a fully system until 2044 - but I'll wager we will need it well before that.