Hess Tower: Office Skyscraper At 1501 McKinney St.

[TheNiche]

no genius. look where discovery tower will be. i know it says one park place but look at the pic and you'll see what im talking about.

The greyed out buildings are conceptual only. This drawing was done for the Finger Companies. Trammell Crow has nothing to do with it.

[Guest danax]

green is atleast the new fade, and is something that should be looked at in all cities. I think it adds to the community and appeal, but more so it adds to teh community engagement to really recreate an area that molds together.

This building could end up being "green", since CB Richard Ellis bought Trammell Crow this year and has plans to "go green" in the near future and reduce or eliminate any carbon dioxide producing energy consumption by any of their buildings. In light of that, you would think that this building would be somewhat in line with that plan.

What that means in terms of architecture, who knows. This whole green trend seems still very wide open and experimental, which might be a good thing in terms of the possibility of getting something creative and, maybe even beautiful. I think potential clients might be more willing to lease in a building that is a tad on the wacky-looking side if they felt that they were somehow helping the environment and being responsible world citizens.

Here are a few greenscrapers designed for other cities.

Dubai

Miami (Sponge Bob Tower)

Dubai Lighthouse

[woolie]

I personally think 'green' would be several blocks of 5-10 stories, mixed use, spreading out the density more to help create the 'critical mass' of residents and area that serves as the anchor of a new urban district.

[Houston2010]

I have seen the rendering of their building. Picture a very shiny grey glass box intersected with with a facade that faces the park being lighter in color with some horizontal banding with some stonework or precast. Think BMC light or 1000 Main. No curves.

[Triton]

I have seen the rendering of their building. Picture a very shiny grey glass box intersected with with a facade that faces the park being lighter in color with some horizontal banding with some stonework or precast. Think BMC light or 1000 Main. No curves.

Forgive me for asking, but where have you seen these renderings and why should I believe you?

[lockmat]

The tower is to break ground in a couple of months.

I'm assuming that's some sort of insiders knowledge? Or was it printed somewhere?

[pm91]

i'm kinda disappointed now. that just sounds like a grey box. thats not a jewel or a landmark from the sounds of it. but maybe thats just my imagination and it will be a jewel or a landmark if someone could post a rendering...

[ENGcons]

When you are saying that the building is "green" I assume you mean the building is going to be designed and built according to LEED standards. Do you know at what level they are going to design the building for?

Currently the largest Platnium LEED project in the country is going up in Houston.

Edited July 30, 2007 by ENGcons

[Jax]

Looks like it's going to have retail.

Playing off the name of the park, the company's Discovery Tower will have 871,000 square feet of space. A parking garage will be built on an adjacent block to the north.

Designed by Gensler to attain a rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, the project will have retail space on the ground floor and is expected to have a sky bridge connecting it to another building with tunnel access.

[ChannelTwoNews]

There was also a rendering of this building in the print article about MainPlace. Anyone have a version of it already loaded or shall I scan the one from the paper in?

Edited August 22, 2007 by ChannelTwoNews

[Trae]

Scan that bad boy!

[ChannelTwoNews]

[Trae]

Nice. I wish they would have went with the street curve though.

[Mister X]

Discovery Tower is more interesting than I thought it was going to be. I was all prepared for a standard box design, but at least there is something funky going on at the roof to give this building its own presence. Still, I would love to see another 10 floors added to the height.

[Trae]

This building in Atlanta (1010 Peachtree) is the design I would have liked (for Discovery Tower to curve):

Check this out, too (from today):

Edited August 22, 2007 by Trae

[GovernorAggie]

I Like It!!

[HtownWxBoy]

I like it

[Triton]

Wow! I'm impressed!

I didn't realize it would be so beautiful. Well, at least it wasn't a regular boxy building like I feared.

Great job, Houston. We're ready for lift-off.

[Deut28Thirteen]

I like it. I thought from some of the post it was just going to be a tall box. It is simple but has class. In some cases simple is better.

[pm91]

i think i like but im not sure because i cant quite tell what it really looks like. so as soon someone has a clearer image i wont be sure... but i do apreciate you channeltwonews for getting the rendering up. i give you mad props for that.

[roadrunner]

Like everyone, looks better than I was expecting. Where is the retail? I assume it will be facing the park.

It's too bad a parking garage is being built on one of the blocks caddy-cornering the park. You would think that could turn into a better result once that area gets going.

[Guest Marty]

i think i like but im not sure because i cant quite tell what it really looks like. so as soon someone has a clearer image i wont be sure... but i do apreciate you channeltwonews for getting the rendering up. i give you mad props for that.

Another beautiful building like MainPlace. I like to see what it looks like with both towers in the Houston skyline.

Edited August 23, 2007 by Marty

[Montrose1100]

I'm not a fan of the top, but I won't complain.

[ricco67]

Like everyone, looks better than I was expecting. Where is the retail? I assume it will be facing the park.

It's too bad a parking garage is being built on one of the blocks caddy-cornering the park. You would think that could turn into a better result once that area gets going.

The thing is, you should look at it as a positive, not only would the parking be available for the stadium(s?) nearby, but could be close enough to use for Valet Parking for the various businesses in the area with the potential (but I doubt) of some ground level businesses. It might be expanded even more like the parking lot close to courthouse.

Either way, I hope they follow Mainspace's lead and put a park on the top level of the garage.

[Nate99]

Just a random update, I walk across the surface lot that takes up the space that DT is supposed to be built on (the block surrounded by Walker, LaBranch, McKinney and Crawford, IIRC) on a regular basis, and I noticed at least two perfectly circular holes about five or six inches in diameter near the corner of LaBranch and McKinney with markings spray painted on the pavement around them.

I'm guessing these have something to do with soil samples that the builders might be taking. They probably showed up in late August/early September, if memory serves.

Those who know more about the process can chime in as to what these might mean.

[shasta]

Does anyone have a timeline for when they plan to start construction for this one?

[Houston19514]

Does anyone have a timeline for when they plan to start construction for this one?

I believe it's January 2008

[HtownWxBoy]

Does anyone have a timeline for when they plan to start construction for this one?

I thought I read they were supposed to begin in early 2008... january, february or march maybe.

[roadrunner]

Word is that there will be wind turbines on the top of this building.and no street retail, which sucks

[Jax]

Where did you hear that? I read in the Chron that in order to help it get the LEED certification, they decided to put in retail.