Ion District In Midtown

[wilcal]

On 10/17/2020 at 6:01 PM, HouTXRanger said:

I think the effect is going to be very severe in the 3rd ward once construction on the BRT starts. It'll be 5-10 minutes away on the line, and by far the cheapest area along the entire length. It's going to be targeted heavily for new apartment/condo construction for sure.

 

Have you seen the home prices in the 3rd between TSU and the highway? Renovated homes are already $300+.

 

I wonder how long it'll take to get a building over 5 stories in the 3rd! I would imagine BRT is planned for Alabama, so maybe corner of Alabama @ Emancipation?

 

3 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

The biggest issue I have is that some of the most vocal supporters of the CBA won't hold MRA accountable.  If you aren't confronting an organization that's supposed to build affordable housing and already owns 100+ acres of unkept property in Third Ward why should I support the CBA you want...

 

I'm very much not an expert at the situation, but the buy and hold strategy is coming from above (and it's dumb). 

 

Can't believe they haven't instituted a community land trust and/or done some multi-family. 

[HouTXRanger]

7 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

The CBA in my opinion has always been DOA. The only people willing to entertain this idea was Rice (only because they have a guilty conscious), but with all the pull this thing is already getting, they don't need anything from this coalition because they don't need them for anything. In fact, just looking at it from a pure negotiation/political stand point. Its the coalition that needs The Ion, not the other way around, yet at the same time its the coalition trying to make all the demands. Not exactly a wise business strategy. The dynamics of the surrounding neighborhoods have been changing for awhile now, and will continue to change. If one focuses on the actual dynamics it just looks like a last ditch bid for the power brokers, and those who hold a political stranglehold on the 3rd Ward, are gradually going to lose their influence and authority because the demographics are going to shift, and they want to find a way to keep that going. I just don't see it happening.

If they approached them in a way that was an assist or offer, rather than a demand or a sense of entitlement then they probably would have gotten something a long time ago. Its not a great look to be pushy especially when this development doesn't exactly need the existing political authority to get any influence for itself, or bring in business. In fact The Ion is doing that naturally on its own.

In their meetings, they very much felt like they were approaching things from a "demand" point of view, and when people talked about how really they wanted to work with Ion not against them, it felt like a second thought. You're right in that the CBA has exactly zero leverage over the Ion, so I'm really not sure why they feel like they have such ground to stand on.

Most of the motivation from the CBA group is that they see what happens to other cities when big tech gets in to a neighborhood (incredibly high gentrification), and they genuinely fear for what's going to happen to the 3rd ward if the Ion outgrows Rice's land . . . which it will.

 

 

10 minutes ago, wilcal said:

Can't believe they haven't instituted a community land trust and/or done some multi-family. 

From what I heard at the Ion meeting, a land trust is already trying to get off the ground. I'm sure they need more money and buy-in though, and they're rapidly running out of time before land prices get out of their reach.

 

12 minutes ago, wilcal said:

 

Have you seen the home prices in the 3rd between TSU and the highway? Renovated homes are already $300+.

 

I wonder how long it'll take to get a building over 5 stories in the 3rd! I would imagine BRT is planned for Alabama, so maybe corner of Alabama @ Emancipation?

All that's kept the place from exploding with townhomes is the "reputation" 3rd ward has. They're already encroaching in the northern corner . . .

The only reason prices are that high is because of proximity to downtown, the med center, and the universities, right? Well . . . imagine how quickly the place is going to explode when there's also a rapid bus to TSU/UH, 10-20 minute rapid transit connection to Wheeler (and the red line), Greenway Plaza, the Galleria (and all the other connections at the Uptown transit center). I honestly think it's going to be one of the best connected neighborhoods in the city, and I think it'll make east downtown look like nothing.

[clutchcity94]

30 minutes ago, HouTXRanger said:

In their meetings, they very much felt like they were approaching things from a "demand" point of view, and when people talked about how really they wanted to work with Ion not against them, it felt like a second thought. You're right in that the CBA has exactly zero leverage over the Ion, so I'm really not sure why they feel like they have such ground to stand on.

Most of the motivation from the CBA group is that they see what happens to other cities when big tech gets in to a neighborhood (incredibly high gentrification), and they genuinely fear for what's going to happen to the 3rd ward if the Ion outgrows Rice's land . . . which it will.

 

 

From what I heard at the Ion meeting, a land trust is already trying to get off the ground. I'm sure they need more money and buy-in though, and they're rapidly running out of time before land prices get out of their reach.

 

All that's kept the place from exploding with townhomes is the "reputation" 3rd ward has. They're already encroaching in the northern corner . . .

The only reason prices are that high is because of proximity to downtown, the med center, and the universities, right? Well . . . imagine how quickly the place is going to explode when there's also a rapid bus to TSU/UH, 10-20 minute rapid transit connection to Wheeler (and the red line), Greenway Plaza, the Galleria (and all the other connections at the Uptown transit center). I honestly think it's going to be one of the best connected neighborhoods in the city, and I think it'll make east downtown look like nothing.

Is the BRT going to be on Wheeler or Alabama?

[wilcal]

2 minutes ago, clutchcity94 said:

Is the BRT going to be on Wheeler or Alabama?

 

They haven't said. Wheeler was actually going to be cut off from NHHIP but community rallied to have it kept and revised.

 

With Alabama's larger ROW it'll have to be there I'm thinking.

[HouTXRanger]

6 minutes ago, clutchcity94 said:

Is the BRT going to be on Wheeler or Alabama?

It'll be on Wheeler to connect with the Wheeler transit center, but I expect that it'll turn north to use Alabama at some point before it crosses 288. There simply isn't enough ROW on Wheeler that far over, and even if there was, TSU pedestrianized over half of Wheeler street so they'd have to go north to Alabama at that point anyway.

edit: just realized, that would make the BRT go right in front of Yates High School. How cool would it be to go to school on a BRT?

Edited October 21, 2020 by HouTXRanger

[BeerNut]

26 minutes ago, wilcal said:

I wonder how long it'll take to get a building over 5 stories in the 3rd! I would imagine BRT is planned for Alabama, so maybe corner of Alabama @ Emancipation?

I'm sure the BRT will follow a similar route to the old university LRT map. 

28 minutes ago, wilcal said:

I'm very much not an expert at the situation, but the buy and hold strategy is coming from above (and it's dumb). 

 

Can't believe they haven't instituted a community land trust and/or done some multi-family. 

 

It's a vanity project for Coleman and source of questionable spending.  $3 million for annual landscaping with no accountability, $300,000 for a mural, $23 million for a "think tank", land purchases from a single family, no bid contracts, etc

 

25 minutes ago, HouTXRanger said:

All that's kept the place from exploding with townhomes is the "reputation" 3rd ward has. They're already encroaching in the northern corner . . .

 

The reputation is still somewhat deserved...  On the positive the amount of gunfire heard at night has been decreasing and it's been a while since calling police for hood shit(people getting jumped, people walking around with guns, etc).  

[clutchcity94]

So where should I narrow my search to in HAR? Lol!

[Luminare]

1 hour ago, HouTXRanger said:

In their meetings, they very much felt like they were approaching things from a "demand" point of view, and when people talked about how really they wanted to work with Ion not against them, it felt like a second thought. You're right in that the CBA has exactly zero leverage over the Ion, so I'm really not sure why they feel like they have such ground to stand on.

Most of the motivation from the CBA group is that they see what happens to other cities when big tech gets in to a neighborhood (incredibly high gentrification), and they genuinely fear for what's going to happen to the 3rd ward if the Ion outgrows Rice's land . . . which it will.

 

Because like all these "coalitions" they depend on other institutions which they feel they either already control, or should control. They over estimated their influence with Rice University, but Rice seems to have hired people that aren't crazy, and are checks on them. They over estimated their influence with publications like the Houston Chronicle, who they thought would simply get out the word for them for free because they thought the Chron would be sympathetic to their cause. Turns out, the Chron is like others in this city, money talks and bs walks. So this means they aren't crazy as well. They over estimated their influence with those in City government, who are normally sympathetic to these sorts of things, but it turns out Mayor Turner is pretty based. Again money talks and bs walks with him. They assumed way to much. Thats why they thought they could make demands. They really thought they had the "social" capital to swing negotiations.

 

You are right, "gentrification" is going to happen, but again this is a battle for political futures in these areas. Just look at the maps. It goes way for both establishments. When you see demographics change in an area who normally elect particular candidates or build particular machines and power bases, thats when you see people on one side say, "gentrification", and on the other side you hear "not in my back yard".

[hindesky]

[Avossos]

16 hours ago, hindesky said:

so.... the “original part” has brown granite, and the “new” part has rough gray granite?

 

I think that feels a little too forced... I’d of preferred the brown all the way around. Just an opinion.

[cspwal]

At least on this side, the new part is the glass, and the grey and brown was the art deco that was hiding under the 70s cladding

[HouTXRanger]

2 hours ago, Avossos said:

so.... the “original part” has brown granite, and the “new” part has rough gray granite?

 

I think that feels a little too forced... I’d of preferred the brown all the way around. Just an opinion.

I'm not sure honestly . . . the white goes fantastically with the art deco decorations on the northeast side, it would look way worse with brown. Was it really brown originally?

[cspwal]

Here's a photo showing the northern facade with most of the cladding taken off.  You can see the upper part is a brigh grey, and the lower part is brown/pink granite.

On 5/24/2019 at 7:01 PM, Highrise Tower said:

Don't think I've posted in this thread before?

 

 

 

For reference, here's a photo of it before

https://www.chron.com/business/retail/article/Sears-to-close-iconic-Midtown-location-12266913.php#photo-12760016

[Houston19514]

I think the brown is probably going away.

[BuildingCrazy]

The brown would have been removed by now with an early 2021 turnover. Building is looking great! Can't wait to see the rest of the glass fins when they extend them up to the fifth floor. 

[Houston19514]

27 minutes ago, BuildingCrazy said:

The brown would have been removed by now with an early 2021 turnover.

 

Yeah, you may be right.  I was thinking that too, but the brown looks incongruous to me, so I was kinda hoping. . .  But the renderings do seem to show it staying.

[Avossos]

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

 

Yeah, you may be right.  I was thinking that too, but the brown looks incongruous to me, so I was kinda hoping. . .  But the renderings do seem to show it staying.

 

4 hours ago, HouTXRanger said:

I'm not sure honestly . . . the white goes fantastically with the art deco decorations on the northeast side, it would look way worse with brown. Was it really brown originally?

 

I think this is my point. Kind of surprised they are highlighting this difference even more. Maybe it will be better in person, but it feels a little overwhelming to have both stone materials in this building. While I think i prefer the gray, i would have chosen 1 stone, over 2 - for the whole building, whichever stone that was.

[hindesky]

Looks like a combination of the 2 colors of granite will be used according to this from the IG.

[HouTXRanger]

It looks much better when it's broken up with that line of gray in between.

[Houston19514]

That is making more sense.

[hindesky]

I'm more interested in what that huge structure is going to be in the background of their InstaGram pic. Space X future headquarters maybe? 

Edited October 29, 2020 by hindesky

[BeerNut]

10 hours ago, hindesky said:

I'm more interested in what that huge structure is going to be in the background of their InstaGram pic going to be. Space X future headquarters maybe? 

 

Houston's newest supertall....

[Highrise Tower]

[Highrise Tower]

[wilcal]

Drove by yesterday, and there was a weird twoish story metal skeleton structure with a bunch of plants hanging on it in the NE corner of the parking lot along San Jacinto. Wish I could have grabbed a pic. 

[HNathoo]

3 hours ago, wilcal said:

Drove by yesterday, and there was a weird twoish story metal skeleton structure with a bunch of plants hanging on it in the NE corner of the parking lot along San Jacinto. Wish I could have grabbed a pic. 

I believe that’s a mock up of the garage facade. There are some pics within this thread a few pages back. 

[hindesky]

8 hours ago, wilcal said:

Drove by yesterday, and there was a weird twoish story metal skeleton structure with a bunch of plants hanging on it in the NE corner of the parking lot along San Jacinto. Wish I could have grabbed a pic. 

I took these pics on 7/12/20, I was able to talk with the 2 workers, they confirmed this was a mock up of the parking garage.

[hindesky]

They installed a fence on the north side delivery area a couple of weeks ago. Homeless people were sleeping there.

 

[Highrise Tower]

Chevron at ION.

 

[wilcal]

Midtown Houston has several videos on their FB story where they were taking a tour of the ION.

 

I think that these only stay up for 24 hours? So it's going to disappear by like 6pmish today. I'll download them and post them here with the stills.

 

They did say that the north face of the building would be restaurants. 

Their post: https://www.facebook.com/stories/2112030015480802/UzpfSVNDOjEwMTYwNTUyNzU3ODEyMjI4/

 

Here are the same vids that I downloaded and then reuploaded to imgur

 

The stills: