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

[Sunstar]

23 minutes ago, samagon said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_of_the_Century_(chess)

how could chess possibly have such an impact on basketball?

*Spoiler text*     I kid, I kid!!!

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was quite the chess player

[astros148]

I think discovery green did an amazing job and the festivals need to stay in downtown. Having them at herman park or buffalo bayou takes people away from downtown which should be our core mission. I think they could've fenced off a larger portion of the park and have had a bigger audience imo. 

[UtterlyUrban]

13 minutes ago, astros148 said:

I think discovery green did an amazing job and the festivals need to stay in downtown. Having them at herman park or buffalo bayou takes people away from downtown which should be our core mission. I think they could've fenced off a larger portion of the park and have had a bigger audience imo. 

I think that they fenced off the entire park.  Not sure though.

[nate4l1f3]

54 minutes ago, UtterlyUrban said:

I think that they fenced off the entire park.  Not sure though.

The entire park was indeed fenced off.  I think if we can somehow erase the embassy hotel and grab the block behind it in between four seasons then the park can be expanded to a weird shape.  

[Montrose1100]

36 minutes ago, nate4l1f3 said:

The entire park was indeed fenced off.  I think if we can somehow erase the embassy hotel and grab the block behind it in between four seasons then the park can be expanded to a weird shape.  

Or expand the park on the roof of the GRB.

[astros148]

once they finish the renvo work, wouldn't this be expanded anyways?

[Nucleareaction]

On 4/2/2016 at 3:11 PM, cloud713 said:

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?

 

I've dreamed of asking city hall for a permit to open a German style beer garden in Hermann Park or Memorial Park, maybe even Discovery Green now. Texas has a lot of German heritage, you could get a local brewery to be the supplier. Its win-win!

[lockmat]

On 4/3/2016 at 9:25 AM, astros148 said:

as a downtown resident jesus IT FELT ALIVE! Downtown has so much damn potential, Kendrick lamar murdered it yesterday.  check out the crowd for his performance

 

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/live-stream-kendrick-lamars-performance-at-march-madness-music-festival-new-video.37165.html

 

Downtown needs more events like this please!

Here's a question for people living downtown: Do you want downtown to be more like Times Square or simply a busy neighborhood?Of course, it could be both, but I don't think I'd want to live closer than three of four blocks from Times Square.

[lockmat]

On 4/4/2016 at 8:54 PM, art vandelay said:

Now if we could just get a rail line to connect downtown with one of the airports, would be a huge boost for hosting events.

Uber is our public transportation. I think most visitors would rather use it from the airport than a train that takes twice as long.

[downtownian]

8 hours ago, lockmat said:

Here's a question for people living downtown: Do you want downtown to be more like Times Square or simply a busy neighborhood?Of course, it could be both, but I don't think I'd want to live closer than three of four blocks from Times Square.

TriBeCa is my ideal urban neighborhood - relaxed, mature and historic. Downtown Houston will never be like that given our commercial business focus. However, I could see us being like the Chicago loop or New York's financial district which I both love.  When I lived in New York, I would avoid Times Square at all costs. 

[samagon]

12 hours ago, Nucleareaction said:

I've dreamed of asking city hall for a permit to open a German style beer garden in Hermann Park or Memorial Park, maybe even Discovery Green now. Texas has a lot of German heritage, you could get a local brewery to be the supplier. Its win-win!

This would be a really great idea. Since the sale of the Saengerbund land on Feagan street (where Bavarian Gardens/Garden in the Heights was), this town has been missing a place like this.

I'd love to find somewhere with a couple of really old Oak Trees and Build a German style beer garden. I had a lot of great childhood memories of that place, it was always fun, and I think with the right direction and formatting something like that would be very successful.

[enriquewx91]

Why not consider Eleanor Tinsley Park as a viable venue? Great view of downtown, ample space and it is already utilized for huge events.Seems like a good place to host SB events.

That or we should consider eliminating a lot of those surface parking lots on the southern side of downtown for another larger park near the Pierce Elevated.

Also, I don't know if you guys saw the iHeart Music Fest, they broadcasted the first part of the Maroon 5 concert Sunday with great shots of downtown Houston!

[Naviguessor]

St Arnolds has been talking about building a "World Class Beer Garden", to the East of their Brewery from some time now.

[Nucleareaction]

Oh, Tinsley Park would be good. The flooding kinda sucks for the amount of tables you'd have outside, but I guess you could bolt them down?

I'm thinking mostly of the Chinese Beer Garden in Munich as a guide: public park, trees surrounding, very popular area of town. I mean, we even have our own form of Oktoberfest in the Rodeo!

Anyone know someone in City Hall?

[H-TownChris2]

Wondering if the hotel portion is still going to be apart of the building, would compliment the building a lot!

8/23/14:

George_R_Brown_Avenida_#2-20140822-105301 by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

4/8/16:

George_R_Brown_Avenida_#2-20160408-085343 by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

Edited April 8, 2016 by H-TownChris2

[Mab]

Yes they are still working on finding a hotel company and the guy I talked to from Houston first say they hope to announced something in the next 2-4 months 

[Urbannizer]

Houston First Corporation (“HFC”) requests bids from experienced general contractors capable of timely and cost-effective construction of an approximate 12,000 square foot building, stage, surface parking and other facilities intended for use as an entertainment venue on a tract of land (the “Land”) located immediately south of the George R.

 

Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, Texas (“Project”). Work on the Project is to expected to begin on June 1, 2016 and must be completed within 150 calendar days.

 

http://www.houstonfirst.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=8tywV7JojOQ%3d&tabid=373&portalid=3&mid=1174

[Nate99]

Would that be the Polk/Clay/Hamilton/Chenevert block?

Edited April 8, 2016 by Nate99

[cspwal]

2 hours ago, H-TownChris2 said:

Wondering if the hotel portion is still going to be apart of the building, would compliment the building a lot!

8/23/14:

George_R_Brown_Avenida_#2-20140822-105301 by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

4/8/16:

George_R_Brown_Avenida_#2-20160408-085343 by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

 

They should relocate the lighted George R Brown Convention Center sign from the side of GRB to the side of the garage.  It would break up the boringness of the garage and make the sign visible again

[samagon]

doesn't the county own minute maid park? don't they have concerts there from time to time? There's no baseball going on in February, at least not the last time I checked. Seems like a great fit. Close enough to the GRB, and all that stuff.

[monarch]

^^^ may someone PLEASE explain that GOD awful HUGE white wall design/detail located upon the new marriot hotel exterior??  what on earth is the meaning of this shocking design??  i do not ever believe that i have seen such a strange design upon an ultra modern hotel venue.  i simply cannot understand why its designed in such a strange and disturbing fashion..... anyone??

[cspwal]

 

Found this image in the Marriot Marquis thread looking for a rendering of the north side of Marriot to see if that white wall isn't pernament.  I'd say the area has almost turned out better than this rendering - we only have one big empty lot left (between marriot and MMP) and the parking garage has a tower on it.  Granted the area for the Nau culture ceneter is still underwhelming, but it looks good!

[tigereye]

7 hours ago, Nate99 said:

Would that be the Polk/Clay/Hamilton/Chenevert block?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember some talk previously about Houston Food Truck Park possibly moving here.

 

Wonder what would they need a stage/entertainment venue for so close to Discovery Green? Especially if ADLA's reconfiguration can also be used for temporary stage setups as well. 

Edited April 9, 2016 by tigereye

[UtterlyUrban]

It seems odd to me that Houston First wants to build and entertainment venue on the block referenced.  I am curious as the the thoughts that led to this decision and the envisioned usage.

 

 

[Nole23]

The last we've heard was that Houston First wants this block to be retail/residential.

 

"Houston First Corporation is offering a premier downtown block next to the future hotel development near the George R. Brown Convention Center for residential and retail use."

 

http://www.houstonconventionctr.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=SzVHJ0n947E=&tabid=132

[tigereye]

13 minutes ago, Nole23 said:

The last we've heard was that Houston First wants this block to be retail/residential.

 

"Houston First Corporation is offering a premier downtown block next to the future hotel development near the George R. Brown Convention Center for residential and retail use."

 

http://www.houstonconventionctr.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=SzVHJ0n947E=&tabid=132

 

This is for block 100 behind Marriott Marquis.

 

The RFQ for the entertainment venue appears to be for block 287. 

[Nole23]

2 minutes ago, tigereye said:

 

This is for block 100 behind Marriott Marquis.

 

The RFQ for the entertainment venue appears to be for block 287. 

 

ahh okay, I missed that part. thanks for the clarification.

[tigereye]

23 hours ago, Mab said:

Yes they are still working on finding a hotel company and the guy I talked to from Houston first say they hope to announced something in the next 2-4 months 

 

I'd be ok with the hotel atop the garage ...if HouFirst didn't have block 161 (former Nau site) available with Jim Crane owning the Home Plate buildings and interested in future development. 

 

To me, a combined ballpark entertainment complex & boutique hotel sounds like it could have better potential then the hotel atop the garage.

 

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/03-30-16-astros-owner-gives-the-inside-scoop-on-his-two-new-restaurants-near-minute-maid-park/#slide=0

Edited April 9, 2016 by tigereye

[H-TownChris2]

From yesterday; I've noticed that this building has a more green colored glass, like the WFP.

Houston First Building by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

Houston First Building by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

 

Skybridge:

Houston First Building by Chris Rojas, on Flickr

[hindesky]

Southwest corner of the GRB's sidewalk now open.