barracuda Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Has it really only been vacant for 13 years? I thought it'd been much longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Note two open Central Plaza topics merged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Why was this moved to Crater Houston Alliance? Isn't this forum for things that are being torn down? I'm going to move it to Midtown unless anybody has an objection. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 The original thread was in crater. Now that it has changed I'm sure it is fine to move it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrLan34 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) "Midtown Central Square LLC purchased Central Square Plaza, a 290k SF office building at 2100 Travis Downtown. Herbert Shapiro & Associates' Herb Shapiro and Bob Heard repped both parties."http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/90-old-central-bank-building/page-6#entry421799 Edited May 7, 2013 by DrLan34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/sarnoff/article/Buildings-new-skin-aims-for-sleek-look-4487900.php The 14-story building, Central Square Plaza at 2100 Travis, was built more than 50 years ago and has been vacant for about 13 years, the new owner said. Over time, the property was plagued by thieves, drug addicts and graffiti, receiving multiple citations from the city. Central Square Plaza, built more than 50 years ago, was developed by oil tycoon Glenn McCarthy. "Structurally it's in fantastic shape, but as far as the interior, it's like the 1970s in there," said Keeley Megarity, who purchased the building from an entity controlled by Alfred Antonini. "It looks like people just walked away from their desks 15 years ago and never came back." The nearly 300,000-square-foot building was developed by oil tycoon Glenn McCarthy, who also built the city's famous Shamrock hotel, which was torn down in the late 1980s and the property taken over by the Texas Medical Center. Megarity said he's going to put in all new glass, "gut it, take it down to its shell and completely redo it." But he's not sure if he'll convert it to a residential or commercial building. "We've already started cleaning the building," he said. "Hopefully we'll start on renovations in the next 30 or 60 days." Herb Shapiro and Bob Heard of Herbert Shapiro & Associates represented the buyer and seller. The purchase price was not disclosed. That was fast! 30 to 60 days?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/sarnoff/article/Buildings-new-skin-aims-for-sleek-look-4487900.php That was fast! 30 to 60 days?! I drove by yesterday and there were crews working in it. I was in shock considering I lived in MIdtown for five years and this place is finally getting renovated AFTER I move out. This building was always one of those places I hoped would be fixed up... I'm so glad to see that happening instead of a wrecking ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Honestly not trying to be rude to anyone but I'm not quite sure why the same Houston Chronicle article I posted on just the next page over is being posted again. Anyway, 30 to 60 days? Try now! Crews are gutting the building. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Honestly not trying to be rude to anyone but I'm not quite sure why the same Houston Chronicle article I posted on just the next page over is being posted again.My bad. Not sure how I missed your post. I guess I went to the latest page and didn't realize the previous had new posts too. party foul I guess 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I would love to see some of the vintage stuff they are pulling out. Dumpster dive anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brijonmang Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Honestly not trying to be rude to anyone but I'm not quite sure why the same Houston Chronicle article I posted on just the next page over is being posted again. Anyway, 30 to 60 days? Try now! Crews are gutting the building. I hope the new design incorporates the existing barbed wire. I really enjoy that Eastern Europe/Cold War era brutalist look. Not enough of it here in town IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 (edited) I hope the new design incorporates the existing barbed wire. I really enjoy that Eastern Europe/Cold War era brutalist look. Not enough of it here in town IMO.Ditto. It looks like it belongs in a Front 242 video. Somebody get them on the Telex, maybe they can play a tribute show. Edited May 9, 2013 by TGM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I hope the new design incorporates the existing barbed wire. I really enjoy that Eastern Europe/Cold War era brutalist look. Not enough of it here in town IMO. I know you are a Tech fan, but if you can stand it, take a drive up to A&M. They have an entire campus of Soviet bloc architecture up there, including a football stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I don't always stay in Amerika, but when I do... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brijonmang Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 I know you are a Tech fan, but if you can stand it, take a drive up to A&M. They have an entire campus of Soviet bloc architecture up there, including a football stadium. Oh trust me, I know. Seen it with my own eyes. I just didn't want to start some "my school/your school" crud on a thread incredible enough to showcase the pinnacle of Houston post World War II architecture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettSFA Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Does anyone know if this will soon be a re-dev? I drive by daily and see people doing general maintenance on it. They also have a trailer under the parking garage and were draining water onto Travis St. on Monday. old docs i found online from 2006 below.. I like how they mention that the Greyhound station will soon be relocated. Yeah right! Central-Square-Flyer (1).doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Yea it was recently purchased to be redeveloped. http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/90-old-central-bank-building/page-6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Yes - check out the above thread for the latest discussion and information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 I never thought this building would get renovated. I have a feeling that the southern side of downtown is going to be mostly residential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Dupe topics merged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Not much has changed... still gutting it out. I've noticed a lot of boarded up areas are now open. They've removed little things here and there all over the place. Hopefully my photos don't get too redundant. :S I'll see if I can get other angles of the building to show some of the things they've removed on the outside. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryDierker Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Redundant photos are better than no photos. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 If anybody spots an Osborne 1 tossed from the building I'm interested in purchasing it. (Hmm, is that you Mr. Kerry) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 I want one of these (not as portable, though!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djrage Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 It's great that Central Plaza will get a new lease on life, but I hate that all of these relics that have been inside as well as the interior of the building serving as a kind of time capsule will all end up in a landfill somewhere I want one of these (not as portable, though!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 i want those tiles on the side of the building................ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Does anyone know if this will soon be a re-dev? I drive by daily and see people doing general maintenance on it. They also have a trailer under the parking garage and were draining water onto Travis St. on Monday. old docs i found online from 2006 below.. I like how they mention that the Greyhound station will soon be relocated. Yeah right! a small blurb that caught my eye in today's business section---re: Bus station's location.Inviting other issues during the question-and-answer portion of her talk, Parker was asked if the Greyhound bus station would ever move from 2121 Main.She said the possibility is high on the agenda of Andy Icken, the city's chief development officer. But she acknowledged that finding a new place for the station would be a "NIMBY issue," referring to the "Not in my backyard" argument."You have to site it in an area where it won't cause pitchforks and burning tar to come from the neighborhood," she said. "And it has to be somewhere where it's accessible to the bus system."She said the city is "actively participating in discussions on what alternative sites could behttp://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Narrowing-the-distance-between-street-tunnel-4516479.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 a small blurb that caught my eye in today's business section---re: Bus station's location.Inviting other issues during the question-and-answer portion of her talk, Parker was asked if the Greyhound bus station would ever move from 2121 Main.She said the possibility is high on the agenda of Andy Icken, the city's chief development officer. But she acknowledged that finding a new place for the station would be a "NIMBY issue," referring to the "Not in my backyard" argument."You have to site it in an area where it won't cause pitchforks and burning tar to come from the neighborhood," she said. "And it has to be somewhere where it's accessible to the bus system."She said the city is "actively participating in discussions on what alternative sites could behttp://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Narrowing-the-distance-between-street-tunnel-4516479.php"actively participating in discussions" sounds like a cross of the attourney's "we'll take it under advisement" statement and the "we'll have to get together soon" comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) You mean I'll be able to go to the Randalls and not have to dodge random needles and feces? Edited May 16, 2013 by infinite_jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownMan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Yeah, would be great to get rid of the Parole Triangle: 1st Stop Greyhound (just released from prison) , 2nd Stop McDonalds to chow down, and 3rd Stop Texaco to get my smokes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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