texas911

Just an update, they are not tearing it down, they are doing some mondo updates to it. When I drove by, they had stripped the brick of the bottom and put a fresh layer of Tyvek. At least its safe from the wrecking ball. We need more Darth Vader houses and less Spanish/Mediterranean/Italian/French crap in Houston.

Strake Jesuit is in Sharpstown, Sharpstown gave them the land, and its doing fine. I was a Sharpstown mall rat in high school, and am saddened to see it go under. But can understand, today, First Colony Mall is what probably what Sharpstown was back in the 80's. I don't see how light rail will do anything for Sharpstown. In my opinion, it would be better to bulldoze the mall and start over, maybe make it an outdoor town center type place.

Drove by today and there was a giant moving van, loading boxes and furniture. Hmmmmm.

So I drive by Darth Vader's house, that's what my kids call it, on the corner of Buffalo Speedway and University, and there is temporary fencing around it. Like its going to be demolished. Anyone know what's going on?

Yup, went to few great parties and ate at the restaurant up on the top floor when it was the Innova building. Freaking fantastic building before it was converted to an office building.

The Black Lab has Wifi, but is it still considered the Museum district?

Yup, spring break, took my kids to HMNS and Children's Museum. It was crazy! Took 30 minutes just to find parking! But had a great time, weather was perfect and we also went to Herman Park and just soaked up the scenery. HMNS needs to hurry up and start that expansion because they could really use it! Still the kids had a great time, they're used to being around crowds, like at school.

The location was right in the neighborhood. I just an extra lot the developer had. Not on a major street and at the time not around any businesses.

Pershing is very contemporary. The Y is an abomination Spanish colonial, complete with red tile roof. The Mcgovern Library is a beautiful piece of architecture, with a butterfly roof, that pays homage to all the mid century modern houses that surrounds it.

The new Braes Heights fire station is finally going up. And from the look of the steel frame, its very contemporary. I'm glad. We don't need another stupid spanish colonial piece of crap life fire station 1. Its on Stella Link just south of Bellaire across from Pershing. That corridor is really shaping up to be a nice neighborhood. Only a few run down businesses remain.

Nevermind, here is the rendering, its not as contemporary as I had imagined. Another fake red brick fire station. Looks like David Weekly designed it. Terrible.

The Panamera is awkward looking in photos, but I'm sure that when it goes down the street it won't be mistaken for another make. And that's the idea behind it.

Gut the inside and turn it into the world's largest dog park.

My friend help design it!

I heard they also want to get rid of the basement and the stuff they have there.

I haven't read the whole thread but everytime I pass by I shout in my head "What the heck was the hurry to demolish Astorworld"? So that it could sit vacant for 4 years? Ridiculous. They should have just kept it open until they had a real buyer. Houston got screwed.

I'm glad UST can't buy anymore land to expand. Great architecture happens where there are boundaries. Eventually they'll have to infill their campus instead of having it spread out. My one gripe about UH is that its got the case of urban sprawl. They need more infill projects. Heck you almost have to sprint across campus to make it to classs with the 10 minutes they give you in between!

This will show how old I am, but I remember when Cafe Artiste used to be Chicago Pizza. Loved that place, only because they served beer to an under-aged me!

They also own the giant apartment complex Richmont Square.

They should just build a TRex restaurant. Same concept and company but with Dinosaurs. They have one at Disney World. Real fun when the meteor strikes!

Palm trees are so california wannabe. Houston should stick with oak trees.

I love the GRB. At the time it was built, it was a bright, refreshing piece of architecture. And as everyone said, it pays homage to Houston's oil industry. The giant steel columns on the ground floor are replicas of oil platform bracing. The only negative I have about it, is that it essentially destroyed the old Chinatown, by cutting it off from the rest of downtown. It took 20 year, but Houston finally has a front worth of GRB. Way to go Houston!

Nice pictures. Thank you Gerald Hines for investing in Houston.

I see your point. But even back when the Gothic cathedrals were going up, people thought it didn't look religious enough, and the term Gothic was actually a slight against it. So maybe it will grow on you.

Well, to architects, it is a big difference.

When you start recreating past design, you walk a tight line between "historical" and cheap Disney. Anyway, a church should reflect the time it was built.

Here's Zemanek's new house...

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories.../24/focus1.html