3009 Post Oak: Office Building At 3009 Post Oak Blvd.

[asubrt]

Maybe it's just the proximity to Williams Tower, but this building feels really small for ~17 floors, especially when coming from the south or east. Still, it's highly visible from those directions, so that's good.

[VelvetJ]

ArchFan and Gary have echoed what I have been saying here for years. People would literally travel from around the world at one time to Houston just for the architecture. So to see the designs overall that have been chosen to rise here in the past 20 years have been heartbreaking on some levels. Mediocrity has quietly become a part of Houston's culture.

[Montrose1100]

ArchFan and Gary have echoed what I have been saying here for years. People would literally travel from around the world at one time to Houston just for the architecture. So to see the designs overall that have been chosen to rise here in the past 20 years have been heartbreaking on some levels. Mediocrity has quietly become a part of Houston's culture.

 

I've observed that most of our new buildings' designs seem to be a few years behind. The entire Memorial City skyline looks like it was designed in the late 90's. Calpine Center sticks out in my mind as well. All of these buildings were being built across the country over a decade ago.

[Mister X]

Mediocrity has quietly become a part of Houston's culture.

 

Not really, but incessant, pointless whining on the internet sure has.  

[swtsig]

If they had built this in Sweden, I imagine they would have designed it differently.  However, they are investing in Houston, so they planned things according to what they think will be most profitable in this market.  <sigh>

this is spot on. these building have been designed to maximize efficiencies, square footage and ultimately profits. and in all honesty the tenants who are leasing significant amounts of space in these buildings want the same. the more a developer spends on designing, building and operating a building the more they have to charge for rent (and often times operating costs) and those get directly passed thru to the tenant.

back when money was free (late 70's early 80's) is was easy to build grandiose projects but unfortunately, in Houston at least, those projects just aren't feasible w/o the owner/developer taking substantial risks. Companies (tenants and landlords) in houston have become a lot more prudent since the architectural heyday 30 years ago.

[Houston19514]

I've observed that most of our new buildings' designs seem to be a few years behind. The entire Memorial City skyline looks like it was designed in the late 90's. Calpine Center sticks out in my mind as well. All of these buildings were being built across the country over a decade ago.

Then I guess we're not doing so bad... Calpine Center was built a decade ago.

[H-Town Man]

this is spot on. these building have been designed to maximize efficiencies, square footage and ultimately profits. and in all honesty the tenants who are leasing significant amounts of space in these buildings want the same. the more a developer spends on designing, building and operating a building the more they have to charge for rent (and often times operating costs) and those get directly passed thru to the tenant.

back when money was free (late 70's early 80's) is was easy to build grandiose projects but unfortunately, in Houston at least, those projects just aren't feasible w/o the owner/developer taking substantial risks. Companies (tenants and landlords) in houston have become a lot more prudent since the architectural heyday 30 years ago.

 

It's a matter of pride.  Ken Lay had some problems, but he also had a unique civic sense in that he thought building a great building would benefit not just his company but also the city.  So in the late 90's he held an architectural competition to see who could produce the best design for Enron Center South.  Cesar Pelli won - the biggest name architect to come to Houston in thirty years.

 

When the Transco Tower was built in the early 80's, the CEO Jack Bowen agreed to make his top-floor employees go through the inconvenience of changing elevators halfway up so that the building could have a slimmer profile and thus be more striking.  It cost more money and reduced convenience (and thus rents), but the result was something to be proud of.

 

If it is true that there are hard fiscal reasons why such architectural pride is not possible today, you'll have to explain to me why the same energy executives seem to have lost none of their pride in building mansions, buying expensive cars, eating at five-star restaurants, and covering their wives in high dollar clothing and jewelry.

[swtsig]

If it is true that there are hard fiscal reasons why such architectural pride is not possible today, you'll have to explain to me why the same energy executives seem to have lost none of their pride in building mansions, buying expensive cars, eating at five-star restaurants, and covering their wives in high dollar clothing and jewelry.

seriously???

[Montrose1100]

Then I guess we're not doing so bad... Calpine Center was built a decade ago.

 

Let me be more specific...Calpine Center was completed in 2003. Buildings similar in facade were going up else where in the late 90's, so 4-6 years. Anyways, just a simple delicate flower. This 3009 Post Oak is another example, 6-7 years too late.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Montrose1100

[H-Town Man]

seriously???

 

I didn't mean to challenge you, I just want you to explain a little more.  Why did these people want to show off in what they built thirty years ago, and not now?

[Houston19514]

It's a matter of pride.  Ken Lay had some problems, but he also had a unique civic sense in that he thought building a great building would benefit not just his company but also the city.  So in the late 90's he held an architectural competition to see who could produce the best design for Enron Center South.  Cesar Pelli won - the biggest name architect to come to Houston in thirty years.

 

That's a bit of an odd thing to say.  There were quite a few Cesar Pelli-designed buildings in Houston prior to his coming to Houston for the Enron Center South building.    And is Cesar Pelli a decisively bigger name architect than Philip Johnson, IM Pei?  I would think not.

 

Many on this board seem to think that all (or nearly all) buildings being built elsewhere are architecturally significant and that all building built in Houston in the 80s were architecturally significant.  Neither is true.  In almost all places, the beauties are far outnumbered by the ho-hum.

[H-Town Man]

That's a bit of an odd thing to say.  There were quite a few Cesar Pelli-designed buildings in Houston prior to his coming to Houston for the Enron Center South building.    And is Cesar Pelli a decisively bigger name architect than Philip Johnson, IM Pei?  I would think not.

 

Many on this board seem to think that all (or nearly all) buildings being built elsewhere are architecturally significant and that all building built in Houston in the 80s were architecturally significant.  Neither is true.  In almost all places, the beauties are far outnumbered by the ho-hum.

 

I don't think Pelli is bigger than Philip Johnson or I.M. Pei either.  Unless I'm wrong, it's been about 30 years since either of those guys did an office building in Houston.  I did overlook the Chapel of St. Basil that Johnson did in the 90's, so I guess you've got me there, though it seems a small point to quibble over.

 

Yes, Pelli did prior buildings in Houston.  Doesn't really affect what I said in any substantive way.

[fernz]

I just think that there are some big oppurtunities being missed during this boom.

Keep in mind this building was planned and designed in 2010. There was no boom then, just crisis.

[fernz]

I just think that there are some big oppurtunities being missed during this boom.

Keep in mind this building was planned and designed in 2010. There was no boom then, just crisis.

[LarryDierker]

This 2008 looking building will really be an eye sore amongst all the other great buildings in uptown that people come from all over the world to see.

[VelvetJ]

Not really, but incessant, pointless whining on the internet sure has.

And apparently so has following me around this site. Are you sure you want to continue to do that?

[Mister X]

Are you talking to me? Who's following who? You get what you give. I respond to whoever and however I see fit and so do you -  so get over yourself.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Mister X

[lockmat]

13 teased a segment about their tour of a galleria highrise opening tomorrow. I'm assuming its this one. Guess ill find out in a minute

[lockmat]

Nm, it was for bbva. Nothing revealing

[tangledwoods]

The building just sold. Hopefully this is positive news for their other projects moving forward.

[Golyadkin]

The building just sold. Hopefully this is positive news for their other projects moving forward.

 

Sold? I was not aware Skanska was even trying to sell it.

[LarryDierker]

Any details of the transaction?

[tangledwoods]

From the Press Release:

 

Skanska is selling the office property at 3009 Post Oak Boulevard in Houston, Texas. The selling price amounts to USD 112 M, about SEK 730 M and the buyer is Post Oak Building LLC, a subsidiary of the anchor tenant alliantgroup. The transaction will be recorded in the third quarter 2013.

The 3009 Post Oak project is Skanska’s first completed commercial development project in Houston. It is a twenty story, 28,000 square-meter office building with 12 stories of office space sitting atop an eight story parking garage, located in the premiere Uptown/Galleria submarket of Houston.

The building is LEED pre-certified at Platinum level and includes high efficient glass façade, energy recovery wheel and occupancy monitoring systems that focuses on maximizing energy efficiency and operational savings. In addition, the building has a sophisticated lighting control system for the office and garage areas as well as water savings with a rainwater collection system used for landscape irrigation.

Edited September 27, 2013 by tangledwoods

[ClutchCity]

The building just sold. Hopefully this is positive news for their other projects moving forward.

What you forgot to mention was that it was 92% leased! Got a nice sized lease right before they unloaded it.

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/09/skanska-sells-galleria-area-office-tower/

[cloud713]

i never noticed the fins that stick out from the corners on the post oak side until today. kind of cool looking. 

the site/parking lot on the corner across the street to the south, just north of the pond/next to 610, had a green fence up around it like construction was going on there. does anyone know what that will be?

[fernz]

What you forgot to mention was that it was 92% leased! Got a nice sized lease right before they unloaded it.

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/09/skanska-sells-galleria-area-office-tower/

The large lease before selling was actually by the buyer. Edited September 28, 2013 by fernz

[swtsig]

The large lease before selling was actually by the buyer.

Yes they had a right to purchase in their lease.

[LarryDierker]

IMG_0954 by Not.Larry.Dierker, on Flickr

[bachanon]

This 2008 looking building will really be an eye sore amongst all the other great buildings in uptown that people come from all over the world to see.

 

....it could be worse!  howard hughes corporation is placing 4-6 of these babies from 8-12 stories on prime lake front property in the woodlands.  be glad for your pretty glass box with painted garage.  

[houstontexasjack]

The "a" next to "alliantgroup" is very eye catching at night. The buidling and signage are a bit 'moo' during the day, but at least I can't look at them and say: "well that looks hideous."