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POST: Mixed-Use Development At 401 Franklin St.


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  • 2 weeks later...

This single property may well be the most impactful development in downtown after Discovery Green as it could combine traditional retail, residential, entertainment, and commercial in ways that seamlessly connect pedestrians to the Water, trails, rail, and to Downtown.

 

i am exceedingly hopeful that we don’t get Greenstreet version 2.

 

 

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2 hours ago, UtterlyUrban said:

This single property may well be the most impactful development in downtown after Discovery Green as it could combine traditional retail, residential, entertainment, and commercial in ways that seamlessly connect pedestrians to the Water, trails, rail, and to Downtown.

 

i am exceedingly hopeful that we don’t get Greenstreet version 2.

 

 

I'm just hoping something even happens. 

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  • 2 months later...
2 hours ago, Timoric said:

How long has this thing been in the first phases of development? Feels like most of the almost ended decade

 

The "first phases of development" sounds very euphemistic, as in, somewhere between "the last tenant is packing to move out" and "we're working on the final draft to pitch to investors".  

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18 hours ago, MarathonMan said:

This project is so strange to me.  I have no idea what the developer is actually striving for.  I worry that this project will be underwhelming when complete.  A missed opportunity, if you will.

Lovett is working with similar companies that Midway is with East River. I have hopes that this will be a great development because this project will be a statement from Lovett if they do it to right. They need this to be a success as it is a huge gamble for them, which could be the driving force for something amazing. It could also be the reason why they’re taking so long, because they want to make sure they’re doing it right. 

 

I won’t judge until the plans come to life. 

Did not mean to quote you, Marathon Man. My post was intended in general for the conversation. 

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40 minutes ago, pablog said:

Lovett is working with similar companies that Midway is with East River. I have hopes that this will be a great development because this project will be a statement from Lovett if they do it to right. They need this to be a success as it is a huge gamble for them, which could be the driving force for something amazing. It could also be the reason why they’re taking so long, because they want to make sure they’re doing it right. 

 

I won’t judge until the plans come to life. 

Did not mean to quote you, Marathon Man. My post was intended in general for the conversation. 

I appreciate your perspective.  And I hope you’re right.  This parcel is a very strategic gateway to downtown from the Washington corridor.  Fingers crossed!

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1 hour ago, MarathonMan said:

I appreciate your perspective.  And I hope you’re right.  This parcel is a very strategic gateway to downtown from the Washington corridor.  Fingers crossed!

I agree, and I think a company of that size understands the importance of this site as well. 

Fingers crossed!

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It used to be the Southern Pacific station, and two active tracks and a platform remain that are serviced by the Amtrak Shack on the other side of 45.  It was looked at as one of the possible locations for the Houston terminus of the TCR train, but was ruled out after the environmental impact report by the FRA.  One of the issues would be extensive modifications of different historic sites between 610 and downtown on the UP line that runs through the heights (south of 10)

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5 minutes ago, Timoric said:

Is it accessible by rail? Could a line but put there easily? Texas Bullet train end stop be good?

 

If by accessible you mean the Red Line (which is on Main Street, about 3 blocks to the East), then technically yes, it just would not be a direct light rail connection.

 

And as for the Bullet Train, unless things have changed, I believe they are still planning on using the NW Mall site (just outside of the 610 loop near 290).

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22 hours ago, intencity77 said:

Hate to say I told y’all so but Lovett was the wrong developer for this project. Hell, Midway had a later start on East River and it’s already starting to make more headway than Lovett is on this project. Sad. 

 

Several Lovett projects around town are currently stalled, with few signs of progress: Houston Post building at Polk/Emancipation, Fingers Furniture redevelopment at I-45 and Cullen (Coogs Crossing I think?), this project, etc. I wonder if they’ve taken on too many projects all at once and overextended themselves (financially or otherwise)?. 

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Well a big delay in the project was getting the historic tax credits approved while allowing modifications such as skylights punched in the roof...

 

There are a few tenants signed  up already. 

 

 

The fingers furniture site (or can't remember if Macy's site) I don't believe isn't being developed but they are putting some pad sites in front (Fast Food/Commercial Tenants).

 

They aren't in a rush and have recently acquired acquired some other big lots recently. They function in a long term land bank strategy. They own so many lots of Harrisburg for example, was there a rush to put in Baker Ripley or the CVS?  It's not even 1/5th developed. 

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Based on Lovett’s development experience, I’d say they’re a JV team trying to play in a Varsity league, and they’re sputtering.  Post HTX is more than a strip mall, neighborhood warehouse revamp, or suburban Walmart shopping center.  It is a16+ acre piece of real estate in downtown Houston.  A very rare thing.  Their portfolio would suggest the scope of work far beneath what that sight deserves.  I’m not expecting a $20 billion development anchored by a mega-sculpture like NYC’s Hudson Yards (which is 26-28 acres, btw), but I’d wish for something more than a few skylights, a roof garden, a fresh coat of paint and some pretty landscaping on and around an obsolete post office building.

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5 hours ago, iah77 said:

 

 

They aren't in a rush and have recently acquired acquired some other big lots recently. They function in a long term land bank strategy. They own so many lots of Harrisburg for example, was there a rush to put in Baker Ripley or the CVS?  It's not even 1/5th developed. 

 

That’s part of my reasoning. I lived across the Harrisburg/Lockwood lot for nine years. According to HCAD, they’ve owned it since 2007. In 12 years all that’s been developed on that lot is a CVS and recently the Baker Ripley campus. Even so, 2/3’s of it still remains undeveloped today and derelict like many of the numerous properties they sit on for years and years. Mind you this is light rail fronting property. 

 

My other reasoning was their inexperience in large scale, high density, urban projects, which is the most blantantly obvious choice of redevelopment for the downtown Post Office site. They have no proven track record in this kind of large scale urban redevelopment. Only townhomes, suburban retail strips and small urban strips like Sawyer Yards. All of which at least to me would be inappropriate for the Post Office site. 

 

These are the two reasons that have made me doubt this project from beginning. 

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They will need to partner with someone who has an inkling of what they're doing for this project to really succeed, as it is evident they do not.  I think the best we can really hope for is another Bayou Place style development.  And that stinks for the location, particularly given the quality developments around town that have sprouted over the past ~10 years.

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The thing is, the people who know what they're doing had a chance to bid on it and for some reason they didn't, or else didn't bid as much. There may be issues with the building and/or site that we don't know about.

 

I am not terribly worried, the worst that happens is that it sits there while downtown gets better and better development becomes feasible there, and then someone makes them the right offer. It might be better if this doesn't get developed until after the I-45 rebuild happens. Lots of other ways to improve downtown until then.

 

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

Maybe more details and finally official renderings of Post HTX or Post Houston at 401 Franklin may be on the way.

Their Instagram page posted half of the development's name in a grid layout. Well, more like their torturing us with a post once a  week until the name is spelled out.  

The website is still asking for photos. 

Who know? Lovett Commercial may surprise us with an update very soon. But if they're posting a teaser once a week, I doubt we'll hear anything until after the 4th of July holiday.

 

...so is this the Fyre Festival of developments?

Edited by Luminare
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17 minutes ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

Here are a few updated images and renderings of Post Houston ( or Post , Post HTX ). This is the readaptive use of the old Barbara Jordan US Post Office in downtown Houston at 401 Franklin. The project is from Lovett Commercial ( Frank Liu and Kirby Liu ) , possibly designed by Rem Koolhaas' Office for Metropolitan Architecture ( OMA ) .

These are all from screenshots from a recent video spotlighting Kirby Liu of Lovett Commercial.

These may or may not be updated renderings. It's possible, these could be older, but the video these screenshots were taken from is recent. The video was uploaded this month.

A site model of Post Houston ( or Post , Post HTX ).


pZ5oxvS.jpg
 

 

This is considerably less ambitious than earlier renderings. Some skylights and grass on the roof, but no new footprint, and no engagement with the bayou. 

 

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2 minutes ago, Angostura said:

 

This is considerably less ambitious than earlier renderings. Some skylights and grass on the roof, but no new footprint, and no engagement with the bayou. 

 

 

This is literally just phase one and there's no engagement with the bayou because the city nor DT TIRZ were being cooperative in making it happen. For some reason Turner is putting all his eggs with Midway... and by for some reason I mean $. 

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