hindesky Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 The Hilton Americas ground floor retail is getting a monster sized Starbucks with special evening service perks including adult beverages. Its supposed to be a tourist attraction. Its going in the northeast corner of the Hilton, right across from the GRB! I think this is gonna be AWESOME!http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/04-06-15-houston-to-get-a-monster-sized-new-starbucks-with-special-evening-service-perks-a-tourist-draw/?utm_source=sf_facebook 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Say what you want about Starbucks, national chains, blah blah blah, but this is exactly the kind of stuff our downtown needs, TOURISTY DESTINATION stuff!These are the kind of retail options that are going to draw people in, as cheesy as they are, these are the kinds of places that tourists, convention goers, and hotel guests like to visit. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 nice! i agree. downtown needs destination type stores. i first misread this as it going in the bottom of the Marquis. cool that the Americas is getting more GFR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 nice! i agree. downtown needs destination type stores. i first misread this as it going in the bottom of the Marquis. cool that the Americas is getting more GFR!Yea, couldnt find the old hilton thread so I put this here since its part of the GRB redevelopment/retail plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryDierker Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 20150418_165927 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr 20150418_170030 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr 20150418_170404 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr 20150418_170419 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 larry, these illustrations are simply unbelievable! also, it is high time for city officials to get those old museum houses out of downtown. enough is indeed enough! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctaf Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 what is the historic significance of that blue house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 what is the historic significance of that blue house?From 2002:http://www.houstonpress.com/2002-07-25/news/this-old-house/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted April 19, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 19, 2015 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 GRB FB Page: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I'm all for preservation, but what is the point in keeping it in that area? That area is long gone. The house would be better suited near the others at Sam Houston park. The old neighborhood is gone, and these wooden structures just look weird in that area. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I'm all for preservation, but what is the point in keeping it in that area? That area is long gone. The house would be better suited near the others at Sam Houston park. The old neighborhood is gone, and these wooden structures just look weird in that area.exactly. if the museum isn't happening, move them to Sam Houston Park (i guess the white[?] one is staying with the Church as some sort of administrative offices or something). not that i think a bunch of old houses should be in Sam Houston Park either, but thats a whole nother story..IMO Sam Houston Park could be so much better without those houses and with a fresh reno. and get a proper connection from the new bike lane across the street to Sam Houston Park and have potentially two signature parks bookending downtown.where could the houses go that wouldn't be taking up prime CBD property? too bad they built that mediocre low income(?) housing development along the bayou, across 59 from downtown, however many years ago. the houses could of gone on the other side of 59 while still keeping them in a somewhat original/historical location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I think it's too abstract to picture what houston was like 100 years ago based on those two houses. Maybe move them to that proposed botanical garden in the east end. That's a more natural setting more reminiscent of Houston when those buildings were built Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 exactly. if the museum isn't happening, move them to Sam Houston Park (i guess the white[?] one is staying with the Church as some sort of administrative offices or something). not that i think a bunch of old houses should be in Sam Houston Park either, but thats a whole nother story..IMO Sam Houston Park could be so much better without those houses and with a fresh reno. and get a proper connection from the new bike lane across the street to Sam Houston Park and have potentially two signature parks bookending downtown.where could the houses go that wouldn't be taking up prime CBD property? too bad they built that mediocre low income(?) housing development along the bayou, across 59 from downtown, however many years ago. the houses could of gone on the other side of 59 while still keeping them in a somewhat original/historical location.Come on Cloud! I know we are not Europe but as far as history these houses are as good as it gets for this city. I think it would have been cool to have this house encased in some ultra modern glass box as a part of the museum, but the Museum's architecture was a joke from the beginning. Sam Houston Park would be a good fit, since my idea will never take flight. But I don't think we should get rid of it or any other tiny speckle of history this city has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) Come on Cloud! I know we are not Europe but as far as history these houses are as good as it gets for this city. I think it would have been cool to have this house encased in some ultra modern glass box as a part of the museum, but the Museum's architecture was a joke from the beginning. Sam Houston Park would be a good fit, since my idea will never take flight. But I don't think we should get rid of it or any other tiny speckle of history this city has.Heh. Didn't mean to offend anyone. Believe me, I'm all for preservation, but really, what attachment do those houses hold to that particular block of downtown? What's the big deal in scooting them across i69? Were those other houses at the Sam Houston Park location there before it was turned into a park?The glass box idea would of been awesome but unfortunately they didn't have that vision (or money).I just feel like if we're going to keep them around, there needs to be some established museum type thing to them. Not just scatter a bunch of old houses on each side of downtown. Visitors probably have no idea what the hell the significance of them is or what they're doing in the middle of the CBD. In their current state it almost feels like they are holding back progress for that part of downtown and any redevelopment opportunity to Sam Houston park. Edited April 20, 2015 by cloud713 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I don't understand why the best use for one or both of these homes isn't on the others idea of downtown in Sam Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 The convention center is going to look so much nicer when this is complete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 i cannot wait to see the facelift and all the new amenities...i just wish they would take away some of the features that make it look like a cruise ship as i know that is what they were originally going for when built but now it just makes it look outdated. but again, not to end on a bad note, i am super excited about this project! i love this area of Houston! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Heh. Didn't mean to offend anyone. Believe me, I'm all for preservation, but really, what attachment do those houses hold to that particular block of downtown? What's the big deal in scooting them across i69? Were those other houses at the Sam Houston Park location there before it was turned into a park?The glass box idea would of been awesome but unfortunately they didn't have that vision (or money).I just feel like if we're going to keep them around, there needs to be some established museum type thing to them. Not just scatter a bunch of old houses on each side of downtown. Visitors probably have no idea what the hell the significance of them is or what they're doing in the middle of the CBD. In their current state it almost feels like they are holding back progress for that part of downtown and any redevelopment opportunity to Sam Houston park. Maybe you should visit the Houston Heritage Society. It's been in Sam Houston Park since 1954. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Maybe so? I've only walked around the houses for FPSF and what not. But that "heritage society" isn't very inviting or well displayed. I knew there was an organization behind the houses but I've never been intrigued enough by the mediocre visual appeal of the place to actually go visit the society. I don't mean to knock on our history, I'm all for preserving what little we have, I just think in their current state the houses on either side of downtown are impeding the type of development most of us would like to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I don't mean to knock on our history, I'm all for preserving what little we have, I just think in their current state the houses on either side of downtown are impeding the type of development most of us would like to see.I agree Sam Houston isn't very inviting. It looks/feels exclusive and private (another Design thread)? But that last statement has me scratching my head...Sorry Mods, feel free to move this discussion appropriately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Heh yeah sorry for getting this so sidetracked. Those houses on the east side are sitting on a block of land right next to a brand new light rail station, in between Minute Maid and arguably the most mixed use building Houston has ever seen (GHP Building). Some really neat development could go there and create a more seamless flow down ADLA rather than having the odd break at that block with random old houses.And it's hard to picture Sam Houston Park as anything noteworthy with the houses/society in its current state.Maybe I just lack the vision of how to integrate these houses into an urban 21st century downtown district, i just think they might be better off across 59. Wasn't that area part of Frost Town too? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparrow Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Put the house inside the Dome since we can't decide what to do with either one. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 can't we just bring them to the cemetery. i mean, yea that..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Maybe so? I've only walked around the houses for FPSF and what not. But that "heritage society" isn't very inviting or well displayed. I knew there was an organization behind the houses but I've never been intrigued enough by the mediocre visual appeal of the place to actually go visit the society. I don't mean to knock on our history, I'm all for preserving what little we have, I just think in their current state the houses on either side of downtown are impeding the type of development most of us would like to see. The Heritage Society is a non-profit charity. I'm sure they are always looking for help and contributions. Here's the Get Involved link. Here's the Membership link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Just looked at the web cam and part of the garage is already going up on the piece of land closest to 59. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 isn't the naming of the new hotel forthcoming... as in this month? anyone? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I would think that's dependent on the negotiations, so I'd expect the date to be fluid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mab Posted April 27, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 27, 2015 If you've been following developments at the GRB (subscribe to BUILD -- see preceding post -- if you're not) then you know we're adding permanent restaurants at both ends of the building. No eateries have been announced, but workers are making way for them on Avenida de las Americas in front of the convention center. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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