Houston City Centre

[Montrose1100]

i think it is an interesting building, and a unique aspect would be added to the skyline. If every building is the same, the city begins to look boring.

True, and it is pretty tall.

[MyEvilTwin]

Btw, this is at a standard four-way intersection, like exist in hundreds of other places downtown. For a square to work as a square, there must be a place for people to congregate.

Actually, isn't this one of the blocks of Main Street that's part of the "Main Event" where they block it off to pedestrian-only traffic on weekend nights? Does that still exist? If so, there's your place for congregation.

...Or did they stop doing that?

[musicman]

Actually, isn't this one of the blocks of Main Street that's part of the "Main Event" where they block it off to pedestrian-only traffic on weekend nights? Does that still exist? If so, there's your place for congregation.

...Or did they stop doing that?

this was only for special events. main is open on weekend nights.

[dgreco]

True, and it is pretty tall.

and that is always important don't you hate old buildings that just aren't tall enough.

[NewMND]

Someone mentioned it earlier, but the rendering does look like the one for the Mandarin in Chicago. We could be getting a Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Mandarin Oriental Residences downtown. Of course this is just one rendering, but let's let the rumors fly!

[H-Town Man]

So what's with the giant tv at the bottom? That looks a tad weird.

[Mister X]

At last! A building everybody likes and a sure fire hit. What a godsend!

Edited April 4, 2007 by Mister X

[fernz]

Just like everyone else I hope this one is for real, but something tells me it's not.

Architects typically will not publish their designs without owner's approval, and that happens once the project has been anounced or canceled. As secretive as the potential developers for the next DT towers have been - especially Hines - I doubt they would let the rendering to be made public.

Did anyone notice how most projects on that site are renderings? Architects love to post renderings of projects that never made it past schematic design because they are still their original design, before the owner and marketing gurus mess it up.

[Highway6]

Did anyone notice how most projects on that site are renderings? Architects love to post renderings of projects that never made it past schematic design because they are still their original design, before the owner and marketing gurus mess it up.

Good point.

It looks like they like to keep their 3d rendering/modeling people busy. Some of the videos they have are great... Even have animated people and vehicles. All their renderings are wonderful.

Does anyone care to take a look at their projects and determine how many have actually been built. We may be getting all hyped up for nothing.

[dgreco]

So what's with the giant tv at the bottom? That looks a tad weird.

looks like just an advertisement to me.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Don't you all wish these things could go up as fast as the homes on the Extreme Home Makeover show?

[HtownWxBoy]

Don't you all wish these things could go up as fast as the homes on the Extreme Home Makeover show?

Or like skyscrapers in Dubai!

[TheNiche]

a little off topic, but since houston has so much more room, and NYC is basically at capacity, do you think houston could ever catch and pass NYC in total towers/people, also when? and how about the other chicago and LA as well.

Not in the forseeable future for NYC, LA, or Chicago. But anything could happen in the span of a century.

[nmainguy]

Btw, this is at a standard four-way intersection, like exist in hundreds of other places downtown.

Ummmm...no. It's a three way intersection like exists in tens of other places downtown. But when did my little rhinestone ever let facts stand in his way?

Edited April 4, 2007 by nmainguy

[bachanon]

mandarin oriental development webpage

the dallas location at victory park looks similar to the rendering.

i can't get excited about the rendering until an announcement is made. i would hate to have the same exact building as the dallas location.

[TheNiche]

Ummmm...no. It's a three way intersection like exists in tens of other places downtown. But when did my little rhinestone ever let facts stand in his way?

My point stands.

[Mister X]

If the Chicago Mandarin rendering and the Dallas Mandarin rendering had a baby - it would grow up to look like the Houston City Centre rendering.

Isn't it funny that all three have one large tower with a similar roof top, similar observation spot and similar small tower right next door?

Only thing is - there is no mention of any new Mandarin coming to Houston any time soon on their list up upcoming projects. Let's hope this rendering is brand spanking new to the kobi/karp website. Is there any clue how long the rendering has been there?

This must be pretty new considering that the Shamrock was scrapped relatively recently.

Edited April 4, 2007 by Mister X

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

a little off topic, but since houston has so much more room, and NYC is basically at capacity, do you think houston could ever catch and pass NYC in total towers/people, also when? and how about the other chicago and LA as well.

I hope not!!

I like the tall towers to be built here, but never on the scale of NYC. The NYC skyline only looks good under the cover of darkness. Those amount of towers here would certainly have a negative affect on wind and wind force. Those things magnify the effects of wind and generate thier own wind patterns.

I also never want to see the population of NYC placed here either. The larger the number of people the larger the chances of idiots and degenerates flowing into the city.

[shasta]

That looks like a great design for that site!!

I always thought that the two most valuable sites downtown are 1) Texas and Main (historic, dense, rail line, close to Minute Maid and the Theater, etc ) and 2) the site at the base of the new park (Discovery Green, GRB, toyota center, hilton, etc.).

I would have to say that based on the renderings -this design understands what it takes to translate the energy of the site and all that is around to the building form.

I really hope they make this building really interactive and busy at the ground level (tv's, plenty of shopping, restaurants, etc). This building could offer alot of potential- offices, hotel, residential?? Who knows what else. Great news for downtown if this happens.

I bet the people doing the Pavilions are going to wish they had included the residential portion because it's going to be a very competitive market as to what part of downtown is the most exciting.

I feel as if the park site really lost some of the momentum in transfering the site with the conservative design but hopefully we will get something downtown for everyones' preference.

[Vertigo58]

Maybe this is the secret project the mayor was all giddy about a couple months ago?

That's what I mean, so many times they get everyone all worked up & excitied then nada. We want to live to see it.

Seeing is believing!

Like Kat'z says...I can't help it I gotta tell ya!

[KinkaidAlum]

Just like everyone else I hope this one is for real, but something tells me it's not.

Architects typically will not publish their designs without owner's approval, and that happens once the project has been anounced or canceled. As secretive as the potential developers for the next DT towers have been - especially Hines - I doubt they would let the rendering to be made public.

Did anyone notice how most projects on that site are renderings? Architects love to post renderings of projects that never made it past schematic design because they are still their original design, before the owner and marketing gurus mess it up.

You should do more research. Kobi Karp is HOT right now in South Florida and in Vegas. Here is a break down.

COMPLETED IN THE LAST 5 YEARS (15 towers)

42 floor LaPerla in Sunny Isles Beach

21 floor Bridgewater in North Bay Village

13 floor Los Suenos in Miami

27 floor Meridian in Sunny Isles Beach

14 floor King David Condos in Sunny Isles Beach

18 floor Bel-Aire on the Ocean in Miami Beach

26 floor Grand Venetian in Miami Beach

13 floor Hilton Marina Bay in Sunny Isles Beach

20 floor twins at the Parc Central in Aventura

25 floor twins and a 17 floor bldg at the Intra Coastal Yacht Club in Sunny Isles Beach

12 floor Golden Bay Club in Sunny Isles Beach

15 floor twins at the Vue in Fort Lauderdale

UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW (15 towers)

26 floor twins at the Tao in Sunrise

20 floor twins at the ONE in Las Vegas

15 floor Nobe Bay in Miami Beach

53 floor Jade in Sunny Isles beach

24 floor Sole in Sunny Isles Beach

22 floor Mei in Miami Beach

20 floor Eloquence in North Bay Village

18 floor The Lexi in North Bay Village

26 floor Star Lofts in Miami

19 floor Caribbean

25 floor twins at the Duo

19 floor St. Tropez

APPROVED (14 buildings)

One West with 34, 32, and 32 story towers

Sapphire with twin 12 floor towers

Tiziano with 15 floors

Belaire on the Bay with 15 floors

Prisma Lofts with 16 floors

1101 Brickell with SEVENTY FLOOR floors

Brickell FlatIron with SEVENTY floors

St. Tropez with two more 19 story towers

The Chelsea with FIFTY THREE floors

The Park Lane with 33 floors

The DaVinci with 27 floors

PROPOSED (16 buildings)

41 floor Lima

32 floor Ocean Resort

30 floor Westin Diplomat

15 floor Driftwood

22 floor 5th Avenue Lofts

70 and 50 floor South Biscayne Blvd

twin 31 story Arts Condos

twin 19 story St. Tropez

twin ONE HUNDRED and SIX story Empire World Towers

41,33 and 22 floor Electra Towers

[Trae]

^^Add in Houston City Centre .

[c4smok]

Updated Project map =)

[Pumapayam]

You should do more research. Kobi Karp is HOT right now in South Florida and in Vegas. Here is a break down.

PROPOSED (16 buildings)

30 floor Westin Diplomat

Westin Diplomat is complete, I was just there this past weekend.

YOU should do more research!

[KinkaidAlum]

Westin Diplomat is complete, I was just there this past weekend.

YOU should do more research!

They're adding an expansion tower to the existing property. Boo-Ya.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Thanks for the map!

[TheNiche]

They're adding an expansion tower to the existing property. Boo-Ya.

They *might*. But that's not at all clear. Finger also has an option on a parcel of land that is across from or catty-corner to One Park Place, but no one is going to finance either of these until their respective markets have been proven up.

[Houston19514]

They *might*. But that's not at all clear. Finger also has an option on a parcel of land that is across from or catty-corner to One Park Place, but no one is going to finance either of these until their respective markets have been proven up.

Look at Post #55 more carefully. Kinkaid was referring to the Westin Diplomat

[TheNiche]

Look at Post #55 more carefully. Kinkaid was referring to the Westin Diplomat

Ah, never mind.

[dgreco]

Updated Project map =)

do you have any project maps with more of the developments? I keep seeing projects, over 19 pages of renderings, but not really sure where any of them are. thanks.