htownproud

Are they going to punch windows in the upper floors?  I continue to believe that the lack of windows will make this a hard sell for 20-year old innovators (note that the buildings pictured above have tons of windows).  

No doubt young innovators will be drawn to a windowless 1940's building. . . . .

The corner of Wheeler and Main had gotten better for about a year, but it is now back to being a huge homeless encampment again with addicts everywhere and garbage littering the street.  An out-of-town guest drove by there over the weekend and commented that he couldn't believe the city allows a corner like that to exist.  Hopefully Rice does something with the area soon.  

Back in the day, Berryhill Sunday's rocked (2006 time frame; start at La Strada, then to Berryhill around 4:00, then around 7:00 to wherever you could stumble to next).  But that parking lot sucks, so unless the restaurant is really good, I'm driving to the next taco stand.  

21 hours ago, bobruss said:

Shell

Shell 2

Pennzoil Place

Texas Commerce

Republic Bank

Callpine

BG 

609 Main

Aris 

801 Texas Ave. (Chronicle site)

 

Pretty good track record for downtown !

 

 

Also 1100 Louisiana (Enterprise)

I don't think you can use hotels in the Galleria as a comparison.  Most business visitors and guests I know that stay in the Galleria rent cars; most people I know that stay downtown--business or other visitors--don't.  Again, just my observations and two cents.  Like I said, I hope it does well.  

First off, let me say that I love the design and hope that this gets built.  That said, if I were an investor, I would be a bit hesitant about the location (not counting Allen Pky Village next door).  The main issue I see is that other than Buffalo Bayou Park and Pass & Provisions, there is nothing in easy walking distance.  If this was just residential, I don't think that would be a problem -- people love to live near the park and they can drive to work.  But this is also going to be a hotel.  I assume that most of the hotel guests will be in town for business downtown, and I would suspect that most of them would rather stay at one of the nice hotels downtown where they can walk to their offices, as well as a variety of restaurants, bars, and entertainment.  The office aspect of this project is probably okay with the location -- single office buildings abound.  But if a business is looking at Class A space in this general area, I would suspect that many would rather be downtown than this location, which will be somewhat of an island.  

Like I said, I like the design and hope it gets build.  Just putting in my two cents.  

Caydon just posted a job on Linked-In for senior legal counsel.  From the job description, it looks like it is to oversee all legal aspects of this project.  That's just my speculation, but I'm not sure what else Caydon has going on in the Houston area. . . . 

51 minutes ago, swtsig said:

 

jesus dude these places have barely been open 3 weeks... give them a little breathing room before etching their tombstone.

Hence why I asked a question.  Go grab some coffee or something . . . 

Great to hear they are thriving!

Has anyone been down in this area or gone to any of the restaurants since the Super Bowl?  I haven't, but I'm concerned it's a ghost town and these places aren't going to last . . . .

On the picture above, you can see the sky pool, and it doesn't appear to have a glass bottom.  I assume they will change that.  

3 hours ago, cspwal said:

 

Houston seems to love 4 lane streets even when there could be a better configuration with less travel lanes

Take Westheimer for example - lower Westheimer could work better as a 2 lane street with parking on both sides and left turn lanes at the lights, since that is what people treat it as now anyway

i disagree that would work better.  such an arrangement would be similar to Westheimer near Woodhead, and on the weekends in nice weather, the stretch to the east of that intersection is to be avoided at all costs.  i don't see any traffic issues on west gray or lower Westheimer at this time.  let's not create them.   and putting the towing issue aside (which should be fixed), how hard is it for people to walk 30 feet to the stoplight and cross like they do in every other city.  

4th Ward stopped at Taft.  

It must suck to hate the most walk-able, mixed-use area inside the loop.  and encouraging people to park in the designated garages instead of causing traffic on the surrounding streets and in the parking lots -- oh my, the horror!!

If we're playing make believe, they should have said it was going to be 80 stories to make everyone go into a tizzy.  

Embassy Suites is happy to see this hotel completed.  It makes it look good.  

This building is ugly.  A big disappointment.  

Saw a sign today that Travis next to the site will be closed next weekend.  I assume that's for the foundation pour or crane installment.  

They have all moved to Main near Wheeler.  They hangout under 59 by the Wendy's.  

On 7/19/2016 at 3:37 PM, Houston19514 said:

 

I missed that announcement.  Do you have a link or source?

 I saw there was an article in the Chronicle about this today.  Here's a blurb:  

Chevron is selling two of its larger Houston-area real estate holdings, including more than 100 acres on the west side of town and a 10-story office building in Bellaire. The Bellaire facility at 4800 Fournace Place near the West Loop is being sold as part of an effort to "maximize our office space usage," Chevron spokesman Cam Van Ast said in an email Friday.

Employees who work in the building will move by the end of 2017.  The Bellaire facility at 4800 Fournace Place near the West Loop is being sold as part of an effort to "maximize our office space usage," Chevron spokesman Cam Van Ast said in an email Friday.  Chevron is selling two of its larger Houston-area real estate holdings, including more than 100 acres on the west side of town and a 10-story office building in Bellaire.“

Texas "remains the global center for our upstream business and other functions and we expect to continue to be a long-term partner to the city and state," Van Ast said.”

7 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

 

I missed that announcement.  Do you have a link or source?

Internal Chevron email a few weeks ago.  They are leaving the Bellaire facility and moving people downtown (a few will go to Briarpark facility).  

I'm sure we all want the new building built, but let's not kick a gift horse in the mouth.  Chevron is the only major that has remained downtown.  Two weeks ago they announced they were closing facilities father out to concentrate their employees downtown.  Be happy they didn't do the opposite and move people farther out, like every other company in Houston is doing.