George R. Brown Convention Center Redevelopment, Office Building & W Hotel

[bobruss]

55 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

^  Why is it almost impossible to add tunnels to the east side?

Okay, maybe not impossible, but it would be much more difficult and cost prohibitive.

[Houston19514]

Is there some reason tunnels are more difficult and cost-prohibitive on the east side of downtown compared to the west side of downtown?

[arisegundo]

I hear this in regards to making the existing tunnels ADA-compliant, "too expensive." What's changed since the initial excavations? More underground infrastructure? Environmental regulations?

[mollusk]

Some might be too expensive to retrofit, some aren't.  For example, trying to replace the circular staircase from the tunnel to Two Houston would undoubtedly be quite an undertaking, and would cost an arm and a leg.  However, many of the non compliant areas will also get fixed with the passage of time and renovations sufficient to trigger the update.  Examples:  An ADA compliant ramp was installed right on top of the existing stairs between the McKinney Place Garage and 1001 McKinney.  The Houston Club building had stairs going north into Chase and south into Esperson; it's reasonable to expect that whenever that tunnel hub reopens it will no longer have them.

[samagon]

On 3/22/2016 at 1:55 PM, Houston19514 said:

Is there some reason tunnels are more difficult and cost-prohibitive on the east side of downtown compared to the west side of downtown?

the tunnels were built years ago?

are new buildings that weren't already part of the existing tunnel system spending the time/money to connect to the tunnel system?

is anyone building out the tunnels where none existed previously?

when was the last time the tunnel system was expanded?

Is 609 main, which is right across from a building that is connected to the tunnels (601 travis) connecting to the tunnel system? If that building, which is only across the street from a connection to the tunnels isn't going to connect in, how are buildings in the east going to connect? 

in any event, there won't be skyway connections either, there is a connection into discovery tower (hess, whatever) that makes its way to the shops, but the Marriott hasn't built a skyway connection to disco tower, so it isn't going to happen.

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2012-06-15/2012_Above__Below_Map.pdf

but, as it is, you will be able to walk inside, via skyway, from the Marriott down to the Hilton parking garage, so you only have to cross 1 street on the surface to get to the Toyota center.

Edited March 24, 2016 by samagon

[Houston19514]

2 hours ago, samagon said:

are new buildings that weren't already part of the existing tunnel system spending the time/money to connect to the tunnel system?  In the case of office buildings, almost always.  I can't think of an office building built in the last 20 years that is not connected.  Not so much for hotels and even less so for residential buildings.

is anyone building out the tunnels where none existed previously?  Yes

when was the last time the tunnel system was expanded?  BG Group Place

Is 609 main, which is right across from a building that is connected to the tunnels (601 travis) connecting to the tunnel system? Yes

If that building, which is only across the street from a connection to the tunnels isn't going to connect in, how are buildings in the east going to connect? Premise is false because that building (609 Main) is going to connect to the tunnel system.

in any event, there won't be skyway connections either, there is a connection into discovery tower (hess, whatever) that makes its way to the shops, but the Marriott hasn't built a skyway connection to disco tower, so it isn't going to happen.  In general, it does not seem as important to hotels to be connected to the tunnel system as it is for office buildings.  Office buildings struggle to lease if they are not connected to the system (either via tunnels or skyways)

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2012-06-15/2012_Above__Below_Map.pdf

but, as it is, you will be able to walk inside, via skyway, from the Marriott down to the Hilton parking garage, so you only have to cross 1 street on the surface to get to the Toyota center.

 

[ddt]

I wish that instead they'd build the curved metal awnings like the ones at MMP all over east downtown.

[hindesky]

Building the stage for the music portion of the NCAA Final Four @ Discovery Green.

Edited March 27, 2016 by hindesky

[Urbannizer]

Renovations to the convention center are on pause due to Final Four. Work will resume April 8th

[Nate99]

Another shot of the GRB preparing to celebrate amateur athletics.

 

[cspwal]

That poor lawn

[tigereye]

4 hours ago, Nate99 said:

Another shot of the GRB preparing to celebrate amateur athletics.

 

Final Four will be the Final nail in the coffin for that lawn. 

[Texasota]

yeah, it might be time to figure out some other permeable pavement and abandon this (probably pretty expensive to maintain) lawn.

[cspwal]

Perhaps when the GRB renovations are done, a lot of the events that are on the lawn right now will be in the plaza in front of GRB

As a downtown resident, having that lawn is important - we have too many large paved areas, even if it's permeable

[samagon]

have they considered any trample proof grass?

[tangledwoods]

We could always do astro turf!

[Houston19514]

On 3/27/2016 at 4:10 PM, Urbannizer said:

Renovations to the convention center are on pause due to Final Four. Work will resume April 8th

NM

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by Houston19514

[Nate99]

ADLA is packed with trucks an trailers. It's fenced off, but they don't seem to care too much if you walk back there looking like you know what you are doing.

 

 

[gene]

i dont know why am so excited about all this convention center news...maybe because i always thought this building was such an eyesore...so its just so cool to see that its becoming something better than it was. thanks for all the awesome updates and photos!!! 

[Montrose1100]

Looks like I might be going to the "Destroy the Lawn at Disco Green Event" this Saturday  I'll post some pics if I go.

[gene]

I think i will be there as well this weekend! I will take some photos if able and will try not to ruin the grass too much i promise!!!

Edited March 31, 2016 by gene

[cloud713]

I was thinking of going out there on Saturday too. Should be great weather. Kind of lame I can't bring my camera bag in though..

[BigFootsSocks]

Hoping to see K.Dot if it's not too packed...

[Urbannizer]

1 hour ago, BigFootsSocks said:

Hoping to see K.Dot if it's not too packed...

It's going to be jam-packed that's for sure. Considered going tomorrow but not likely now for me.

[BigFootsSocks]

I guess the question is whether I want to sit through shitty early-00's bands to watch Cornrow Kenny but idk if it's worth seeing Houston fail to sing the first half of m.a.a.d. city again.

[cloud713]

I couldn't find any threads dedicated to the Final Four events, but I'm out here at "The Backyard" and this place is pretty damn cool. Why can't this be a permanent fixture in downtown?

[monarch]

^^^ well done cloud713!

[tigereye]

Didn't get any pics of this but some portions of ADLA are semi-completed on the northern side by the Mariott Marquis. New street layout & wider sidewalks with new pavers and spots for landscaping (yet to be added). I also spotted a few light fixtures here that may be part of the project too. Gives a good idea of what to expect when completed. 

Interior lower concourse of GRB also shows some work in the form of lighting & ceiling work in an attempt to modernize the look of the place. Some portions by Hall E looked complete (or close to) whereas other spots were clearly still a work in progress.

I really like what I saw and can't wait to see the finished products of ADLA, GRB, & the Mariott Marquis. 

Edited April 3, 2016 by tigereye

[cloud713]

I noticed those new pavers on the north side too (it seemed like only a narrow portion was complete though.. from the renderings I thought it was supposed to make more of a "plaza", extending closer to the Disco?). I guess i missed the new lights though. And I didn't make it into the GRB (were you allowed to go in without a pass?), but I did get a peek into the GRB/GHP skybridge and snapped a picture above Rusk.

[tigereye]

1 hour ago, cloud713 said:

I noticed those new pavers on the north side too (it seemed like only a narrow portion was complete though.. from the renderings I thought it was supposed to make more of a "plaza", extending closer to the Disco?). I guess i missed the new lights though. And I didn't make it into the GRB (were you allowed to go in without a pass?), but I did get a peek into the GRB/GHP skybridge and snapped a picture above Rusk.

The northern portion partially completed opens up to meet a 4 lane ADLA layout north of McKinney. But it is cut down from the sea of 8 useless lanes that used to be here, thus wider new sidewalks! The plaza area you're referring to is currently closed off and begins around the new main GRB entrance extending over to Hilton Américas. The lights fixtures were nothing fancy, black posts & canisters with slotted openings. I'll be in the area tomorrow and tweet out some pics. 

As for GRB - Final Four Fan Fest is being held here tbrought Monday. $10 a pop, free if you're a CapOne cardholder. 

Edited April 3, 2016 by tigereye