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arche_757

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Everything posted by arche_757

  1. arche_757
    That is the property I am referring to - please excuse my lazy real estate terminology. Yes, I realize these are newer apartments and it is highly unlikely these will be torn down and redeveloped. My point was it would have been better for development of this project to continue all the way to West Dallas. I’m just thinking out loud…
  2. arche_757
    I know Gillette is the thru street… it would have been a boon for this development (and area) if the developers could have bought the land all the way to West Dallas. I wonder if there is any long term thinking on possibly buying that last parcel(s)? Perhaps a little more mixed used will continue to inch along on West Dallas in the next few years?
  3. arche_757
    I’ve gotta say I am hoping the screens for the open parking garage some how pull this one together. I think the contrast between the green and blue glass is just too much. Also, the designers should have worked to get a softer transition between the vision panels and the opaque panels in the curtain wall system. But hey, it ain’t my money! This does however look like something that belongs in Memorial City and not in/around the Museum District.
  4. arche_757
    We have very similar rainfall compared to Atlanta. What we have that they do not is a 💩-ton of heavy industry. I believe that eastern Houston/greater Port of Houston is the largest continuous heavily industrialized area in the country.
  5. arche_757
    I think something like an InterUrban line that has stops at maybe 5 places with a terminus at the 25th Street & The Strand (thereabouts) would be fantastic! There are a lot of off-isle workers in Galveston (unfortunately for Galveston) who would probably use something like that provided they could access it from League City and/or Webster. The big issue with any heavy rail transit here in Houston, is it would need to connect to a decent local-level service. Island Transit would work for Galveston but there’s nothing in the Clear Lake/League City areas. The added connection to HOU and Downtown would be a solid plus. Then go ahead and run it to IAH and The Woodlands. Maybe the right-honorable-judge Mark Henry will jump on this as soon as Galveston’s troops return from securing the southern border 🧐! I mean, if he can pay for that nonsense then they can cover costs to convert some existing rail line to passenger service!
  6. arche_757
    Here is a link to a Building Design+Construction trade magazine about this project. If this isn’t allowed, Mods please let me know, and I will correct it! https://www.bdcnetwork.com/texas-am-university’s-new-engineering-medicine-program-receives-new-unique-space *This is a free publication for building construction and design professionals, though I’ll wager those of you not on the professional side can subscribe to this magazine as well?*
  7. arche_757
    I remember when the Subway reopened there at the Law School… I ate many a decent sandwich, I also remember the last time I ate there. One of the workers making the sandwiches motioned for her manager to come over, manager comes over, she motions towards the loaf of bread. The manager asks “did he see it?”. The worker answers “no he did not!” Mind you this is my sandwich! I asked “what was wrong with the bread?” They both look up at me and just stare through me with utter contempt. I asked again “was something wrong with the bread?” (I was being 100% polite, I wasn’t angry, just concerned). Again, they didn’t answer me but just continued to stare through me as if I weren’t there. They did this another two times before I decided I wouldn’t eat that loaf of bread! So I decided to play it safe and walk away, and not eat the: roach wing/rat dropping/drop of human blood/booger (who knows!)! The real kicker is the girl behind me blissfully accepted the same loaf even though she witnessed everything and even commented to me about it! A new law school building is greatly needed!
  8. arche_757
    Flooding was partly the reason San Antonio built the River Walk. Obviously they don’t know how to flood like we do!
  9. arche_757
    Yes, I went to that website. What I can tell is that House & Robertson specialize in being the architect of record/project architect for many flashy design firms (Jean Nouvelle, Frank Gerhy etc.), as you can see by perusing their website they didn’t actually get accolades for designing some of those structures. They did however make them work - which is an art form into its own right. So, I am sorta thinking that maybe they’re not the designers(?), but the project architect… but hey, if they are good for them! They are similar to a firm here locally - Kendall Heaton. That firm served as the project/architect of record for the Beck Building for Rafael Moneo among others. http://www.kendall-heaton.com
  10. arche_757
    As I understand… there is a searchable image that’s on Pinterest. Who is the design architect? It isn’t Munoz + Albin still by chance?
  11. arche_757
    Yes, but then it states that in 1960 Houston had 2 buildings. Neither were apartments/residential buildings. Also, the other 60+ buildings aren’t all residential. So the assumption was @pacarlson was also mentioning ALL buildings over 400’ ?
  12. arche_757
    Yes. I was wondering that, but the list called out buildings taller than 400’ post-2015 onward and it was not included. And I think 609 would be one of the only commercial towers built in that time frame aside from Texas Tower that is 400’+, BG Group was pre-‘15, and only BHP Tower would be close to that threshold if I’m not mistaken? Wasn’t certain. Maybe I missed the forest for the trees?
  13. arche_757
    Shouldn’t 609 Main be included as well…? 🤔
  14. arche_757
    Oh, I know! I was for it at the time because it would be a positive to have any high rise residential tower in downtown - almost regardless of location! The fact it never came to be did bode well for MMP and the skyline view in the long run; and yes, sitting further East does afford a better view of newer buildings. The other place @Twinsanity02 mentioned resembled something you would have expected to see in Vegas at a King Arthur themed casino-hotel. If I am remembering correctly there were some on here that expressed some level of discontent at lone freestanding McDonalds getting demolished to make way for it…? As for downtown being “dead”… I guess several things are in play. 1) The pandemic is not over. People are still getting sick, and only 1/2 are vaccinated, so many are likely hesitant to go and venture out into the world. 2). There are still a lot of people who are working from home I will wager.
  15. arche_757
    If nothing else the parking could be made partially permeable to allow some water retention. It’s insane how much parking is surrounding this complex. It’s unnecessary. Make more people park and take LR for events. Benefits other neighborhoods, since no one going to that complex is spending a dime outside of the event center. Zero. Its possible it is the worst example of urban planning in this city.
  16. arche_757
    So then the question we should be asking is this: “How do we make the whole Harris County Sports and Exposition Complex nicer?” And yes, I know that’s not the name - but it is what those building actually are. I agree the Dome should be repurposed, but the whole complex is garbage urban design.
  17. arche_757
    My only complaint is it blocks 609 Main from view from the northern approach via I-45.
  18. arche_757
    Not necessarily. The old Oriental Textile Mill in the Heights was repurposed/renovated, and the condition wasn’t too much different than the structure you’ve posted an image of. A shame, there are solid restoration architects here in the area (despite what one might think) and it is possible to salvage structures. It just takes a developer who is 100% behind saving as much of the building as possible. There aren’t too many developers in Houston interested in that, they know it’s easier to demolish a building and start with a clean slate. *EDIT: I beg your pardon* You are probably correct that the above would not have been renovated in Houston, but there are examples of similar structures being saved and restored locally - even if they are few and far between. I think the ease with which someone can tear down a building is the issue here in Houston. We don’t have enough people with money interested in saving properties. I wonder if that is partly due to how many people have moved here since the ~1970s, and the fact many don’t have historical roots in this area? At least until recently.
  19. arche_757
    I would imagine it does occur in other cities, it’s just that you happen to have greater familiarity with Houston so you take notice of things like that here.
  20. arche_757
    I was half-kidding 😏. That said, one would have hoped that in the 20+ years since opening there would be 8-10 new residential high rises within that view. There are not. I would never consider advertising within the ballpark to be a change to the city scape.
  21. arche_757
    This view has changed only a little since 2001! A shame Ballpark Place never was realized 😂 😂
  22. arche_757
    I think there is merit to the idea that “if you build it, they will come”, at least in the sense that providing BETTER walking areas = higher usage potential. If our sidewalks were better - more people would feel inclined to use them. Sadly, I’ve driven my family (young kids) around what I otherwise would have traversed by foot because the sidewalks were either absent, or looked a hot mess. I’m glad we are evolving! It has been long overdue.
  23. arche_757
    The argument that it’s hot so we cannot walk here must somehow not apply to: Jakarta, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, Cairo, Lagos etc. Yes, I realize our style of living here in America is different, but I’ve really grown weary of the absurd “its too hot to walk in Houston” argument. No hotter than New Orleans, or Miami or Atlanta… we are cooler than Phoenix, and Vegas (and Portland right now 😬)! Much of China has incredibly hot summers. Shanghai (for instance) right now has pretty much the exact same weather we’re having. Down to the dew point!
  24. arche_757
    Midtown development was really thrown an obstacle when the super block park wasn’t fully realized. There really isn’t a single cohesive area within Midtown where development could be focused and grown outward. Perhaps Rice’s ION will fulfill that void? That said - if you were a developer with financing likely for a large project and Montrose, or “River Oaks” was available... you go where there is money. Midtown will come around. Eventually.
  25. arche_757
    Oh Midtown… such promise, such disappointment time and again.
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