sevfiv Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 to Boris: yes, that is the block - everything is set to go except Stowers here are some more pictures for reference: retail between Super Stop and Montagu Super Stop: Beatty-West (and its proximity to Stowers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 i'm all about new towers. yet, that looks like it could have been an interesting block. the street level will lose some character. guess it won't bother me so much when the cranes go up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Thx Sevfiv. So, we're going to lose this one as well? Too bad, I liked the red fire escape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 (edited) i'm all about new towers. yet, that looks like it could have been an interesting block. the street level will lose some character. guess it won't bother me so much when the cranes go up. it has a lot of history, from Stowers Furniture, to Beatty-West (James M. West) building, to the Aragon Ballroom - and the West Building is a city of houston historic landmark. I know that Hines has the expertise to have redevloped this into something neat. Just not the vision, i guess. Thx Sevfiv. So, we're going to lose this one as well? Too bad, I liked the red fire escape? yes - that's the Montagu, nee Hotel Cotton http://hotels.arch-ive.org/montagu/ Edited August 24, 2007 by sevfiv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkjones98 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 it has a lot of history, from Stowers Furniture, to Beatty-West (James M. West) building, to the Aragon Ballroom - and the West Building is a city of houston historic landmark. I know that Hines has the expertise to have redevloped this into something neat. Just not the vision, i guess.yes - that's the Montagu, nee Hotel Cottonhttp://hotels.arch-ive.org/montagu/ I definitely want to witness this little gem go down. I wish it could have been converted into another hotel, but there are plenty other historic buildings to either side that need work too. I imagine that the old Texaco building and the one next door will soon have new life.Please keep us posted on when the dynamite will go off. I've always wanted to see an implosion. >I definitely want to witness this little gem go down. I wish it could have been converted into another nice hotel (as opposed to a defacto brothel), but there are plenty other historic buildings to either side that need work too. I imagine that the old Texaco building and the one next door will soon have new life.Please keep us posted on when the dynamite will go off. I've always wanted to see an implosion. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt16 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Yeah maybe that's it. Always more people standing around that corner than other ones. I didn't notice the sign until now.There's a little corner store across the street that attracts a certain kind of "undesirable crowd". There's always a lot of panhandling going on that block. Although the people in the picture posted look like honest people waiting for a bus. I wonder how this building will impact the neighboring buildings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 Please keep us posted on when the dynamite will go off. I've always wanted to see an implosion. > Doubtful that these buildings will be imploded, due to their proximity to utilities, other buildings, tunnel system, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 i'd like to see that ratty corner store knocked down as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EspersonBuildings Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 They need to rebuild Rusk with concrete like McKinney & Lamar. The stretch between Main and Fannin is in horrible condition..........asphalt on top of asphalt on top of asphalt. It will only stand out even more with a shiny new tower facing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 The Repaving will probably only be done after construction is over. The abuse of the road that the construction would give it would simply prematurely age the road. Just a bit of patience as far as that goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 reluctantly...yes. MainPlaceIt is kind of silli, but I assume the name will change when they line up a lead tenant. Nice design though. Somehow it seems like the "garden" should be facing west however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 reluctantly...yes. MainPlaceI don't think MainPlace is such a bad name... Philly's two tallest towers (before Comcast was built) are called Liberty Place (one and two Liberty Place)... everyone up there seems to like those names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 I don't think MainPlace is such a bad name... Philly's two tallest towers (before Comcast was built) are called Liberty Place (one and two Liberty Place)... everyone up there seems to like those names.No, "Main Place" isn't a bad name, but the trendoid "MainPlace," as if it were one word, is vaguely annoying. It's like the propensity developers have for (mis)spellings like "towne" and "centre". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 (edited) name='Subdude' date='Sunday, August 26th, 2007 @ 2:30am' post='194597Nice design though. Somehow it seems like the "garden" should be facing west however.That would make that level of the tower cooler in the afternoon. Edited August 26, 2007 by Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 No, "Main Place" isn't a bad name, but the trendoid "MainPlace," as if it were one word, is vaguely annoying. It's like the propensity developers have for (mis)spellings like "towne" and "centre".Yea, I can see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T 2 THA C Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 me also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 I agree that there would be a better view if the garden was facing west. I think the view to the West is much more impressive. The east end of Houston isn't exactly beautiful (lots of parking lots, then a highway, and then lots of old warehouses). The view of the more impressive buildings downtown plus the bayou would be more interesting I think. I know the new park will be nice, but will it be that interesting from the 40th floor?I wonder if this building will have a public sky lobby or observation deck? That would be cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double L Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 ^^^^1. There will be a clearer view of the design features of the balcony when looking at the building from the east.2. Over time, more things will be built there. You never know, in 2025 that balcony may be one of the best views in the city. Perhaps not the neighborhoods east of 59 but in the downtown area there will be lots of demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewMND Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 This is just out of curiosity, but with maybe 4 new building proposals for downtown, does anyone know if there are any office tower proposals for Uptown? I have no idea what the vacany rate is for Uptown, it could be ridiculously high for all I know, it just seems there hasn't been a new office building built in Uptown in forever. I rather see new towers going up in downtown, but since we have Uptown, might as well build them there also. I guess I just want to see the skylines of both downtown and uptown grow and change. Oh well, downtown gets the office towers and uptown gets the condo towers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 (edited) Uptown is getting more on the residential side. I think BLVD Place includes an office tower (or two) though. Edited August 26, 2007 by Trae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Why are there always people hanging out on that corner? Is there a bus stop, or something? I always see people just standing around on this corner, but why?Those are mainly homeless people hanging around the convenient store (or crack shack as I call it). They now have everything boarded up and the store on the corner is out of inventory, which is why the block is so much cleaner now.Has anyone notice people aren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Those are mainly homeless people hanging around the convenient store (or crack shack as I call it). They now have everything boarded up and the store on the corner is out of inventory, which is why the block is so much cleaner now.Has anyone notice people aren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 it has cleared out quite a bit - the Super Stop had a "almost everything's a dollar sale" the other day...the ceiling in there is neat looking - i wonder if it is the original Liggett's Drug Store ceiling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I noticed on the weekend they were boarding up the last remaining sketchy convenience store on that block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 all the permits have been issued - will be interesting to see how the demolitions are carried out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 It seems to me that this tower is a win, win situationn regardless of whether it has retail or not. What I mean, is that this tower will house a few thousand workers, which in turn will inject money into the surrounding Main street area. Main already has a number of boarded up retail spaces, so this could help revitalize those locations... At least during the work week.I disagree. Main Street does not need a soulless glass tower. 46 stories of glass with a diminutive entrance at the bottom does not encourage pedestrian life. If anything, the way the lobby entrance is recessed from the facade discouragesstreetlife. Even if you throw in a few fast food eateries, I don't think it's much help unless the facade is somehow changed.Someone tell me how this design would be any different if it were going on the West Loop feeder road rather than Main St. It looks like they put more thought into the 43rd floor than the first floor. This is our signature boulevard... time to start expecting better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 I disagree. Main Street does not need a soulless glass tower. 46 stories of glass with a diminutive entrance at the bottom does not encourage pedestrian life. If anything, the way the lobby entrance is recessed from the facade discouragesstreetlife. Even if you throw in a few fast food eateries, I don't think it's much help unless the facade is somehow changed.Someone tell me how this design would be any different if it were going on the West Loop feeder road rather than Main St. It looks like they put more thought into the 43rd floor than the first floor. This is our signature boulevard... time to start expecting better.Where have you seen a rendering showing the lobby entrances on Main Street recessed from the facade? Are you sure you aren't looking at the renderings showing the Rusk Street facade? Not that a recessed entrance would in any way destri ir even discourage pedestrian life.)And FWIW, a 46 story office building with street level retail will clearly encourage pedestrian life. First, we obviously have no idea what the retail tenants might be, but even if they are just fast food, fast food customers are pedestrians too. And to the extent they are restaurants of any type, they may very well have sidewalk dining areas. What exactly is it that you want in a building? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Where have you seen a rendering showing the lobby entrances on Main Street recessed from the facade? Are you sure you aren't looking at the renderings showing the Rusk Street facade? Not that a recessed entrance would in any way destri ir even discourage pedestrian life.)And FWIW, a 46 story office building with street level retail will clearly encourage pedestrian life. First, we obviously have no idea what the retail tenants might be, but even if they are just fast food, fast food customers are pedestrians too. And to the extent they are restaurants of any type, they may very well have sidewalk dining areas. What exactly is it that you want in a building?You make a good point which I neglected to mention - that the entrance is actually on Rusk, with only the side of the building and parking garage on Main. I guess Main wasn't important enough for the primary entrance.When I say "encourage pedestrian life," I mean encourage it architecturally. Of course having a big building there with some shops will add some pedestrian traffic to Main Street, but the architecture does little to make an interesting street-level environment. The same could be said of Houston Center and the Park Shops... sure they might add some incidental pedestrian traffic, but the buildings weren't really designed to encourage it.I'll ask again... how would the design of this building be any different if it were on the West Loop feeder road? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 Here is an example of using architecture to enliven the street environment. Notice how the first four floors are not merely a continuation of the rest of the facade, but that the architect considered the streetscape (in addition to the skyline) in his design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorAggie Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 While I agree that it would be better with some street treatments, the tower could easily be retrofitted with retail space and openings later. In fact, I'd say even moreso BECAUSE the entrance is on Rusk. For instance, 1000 Main wastes a lot of space on the entrance on Main. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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