capnmcbarnacle Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I have seen a sign for this for awhile but they appear to breaking ground. This project at the corner of Dunlavy and Fairview looks interesting. This lot has been vacant for years and was used to store construction equipment for Perry Homes during the Townhome Boom of 1996-98. Or as Obi Wan Kenobi would have called it, The Dark Times. Anyway, Kaldis has done some good work around here (Hugo's, Paulies) and I'm happy to see this happening. I'm all for mixing up the uses and being a little unconventional. I think those of us who live around here can sense that big changes are happening (on the commecial development front, especially) and the next couple years will determine what the neighborhood will be for the next decades. The new project on Westheimer between Dunlavy and Woodhead, the Origin Place (former Martha Turner bldg.), and whatever goes where Antique Emporium used to be will set the stage. I think there is a real chance for sensible, interesting development that fits in with what Montrose is. An awesome strech of walkable retail, residentail, offices, bars and restaurants is feasible. It is there now and it is possilbe for new development and redevelopment to build off of it and augment it without sucking the life out of the place. Of course, that may just be the sunshine-pumping Montrose stoner talking. Anyway, take a peek... http://www.kaldis.com/theterraces.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 An awesome strech of walkable retail, residentail, offices, bars and restaurants is feasible.i've not heard fairview described as you do but it will be interesting to see the results, particularly where this is proposed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satriela Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I live VERY close to that building and I'm kinda excited to see what it will look like also. I agree with you about what Fairview is about to turn in to: I think it started with The House of Te. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidegate Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 thank goodness. that lot is a big eyesore and brings the whole street down just looking at it. the concept looks wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capnmcbarnacle Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 Clicked a few of this as it is going up. I like the idea of this kind of commercial space in the area. http://www.kaldis.com/theterraces.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidegate Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Very disappointed in how this turned out. This is a walkable area with a lot of pedestrians. Instead of placing potentially interesting commercial storefronts at street level they are stuck up on the second floor, with a stucco wall and a dark parking area on the bottom. Maybe the designers were skittish about flooding. Or they just didn't care. Either way it's a missed opportunity for the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dguet Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Very disappointed in how this turned out. This is a walkable area with a lot of pedestrians. Instead of placing potentially interesting commercial storefronts at street level they are stuck up on the second floor, with a stucco wall and a dark parking area on the bottom. Maybe the designers were skittish about flooding. Or they just didn't care. Either way it's a missed opportunity for the area.Yes it can always be better, but I am pleased with the building. The site is attractive and made an effort to not disturb or damage the large oak tree. Pedestrian rightaway not signficicanly impacted. I was VERY afraid it would be more god-awful townhomes and that the tree would be damaged.I do, by the way, live right around the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidegate Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Yes it can always be better, but I am pleased with the building. The site is attractive and made an effort to not disturb or damage the large oak tree. Pedestrian rightaway not signficicanly impacted. I was VERY afraid it would be more god-awful townhomes and that the tree would be damaged.I do, by the way, live right around the corner.I'm not too far away - a couple of blocks south of Westheimer just off Dunlavy. I'm happy to see any redevelopment in the area of course, and yes it had the potential to be worse. I just wish there were a little more predictability in how new structures relate to each other and the street/sidewalk, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capnmcbarnacle Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 I'm not too far away - a couple of blocks south of Westheimer just off Dunlavy. I'm happy to see any redevelopment in the area of course, and yes it had the potential to be worse. I just wish there were a little more predictability in how new structures relate to each other and the street/sidewalk, that's all.I'm disappointed. But I'll also say it could be much, much worse. I think they had an interesting dillemma with where to put parking for a small office/commercial building and chose to use a method that you see (and which I've always kind of liked) around here in the 60s of putting the parking below the building on street level. Considering the intersection has the Royal Bakery, another small office building and some apartments on the corner, I think this probably fits in pretty well. If this were on Westheimer or Alabama I'd be considerably more upset, but I never think of Fairview as much of a pedestrian, commercial street. I think my gripe has more to do with the aesthetics. I thought it might look really cool but it just seems blah to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidegate Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I don't know. I consider those few blocks of Dunlavy on further north to have all the raw materials to develop into a bustling pedestrian-driven commercial area. At the minute the street front is just such a patchwork of residential, commercial and, frankly, nothing in particular. Some people see that as a virtue of this city's, but I don't take that POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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