POST: Mixed-Use Development At 401 Franklin St.

[BeerNut]

I think the original plan was to convert the "tower" into an office.  With the current glut of office space hopefully they turn it into residential. 

[004n063]

5 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

I think the original plan was to convert the "tower" into an office.  With the current glut of office space hopefully they turn it into residential. 

It'll be interesting to see what direction they go in their next phases - more of an "enclosed" neighborhoody feel (like East River) or more suburbanite-friendly like the current layout.

But my bet is that no matter what direction they go, the next thing they'll do is build a parking garage.

[Houston19514]

16 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

I think the original plan was to convert the "tower" into an office.  With the current glut of office space hopefully they turn it into residential. 

I thought the original plan for the "tower" was hotel.

[BeerNut]

3 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

I thought the original plan for the "tower" was hotel.

You're right supposed to be a boutique hotel.  

14 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

But my bet is that no matter what direction they go, the next thing they'll do is build a parking garage.

I hope not.  There is parking in the area if you walk a couple of blocks.  

[004n063]

2 minutes ago, BeerNut said:

You're right supposed to be a boutique hotel.  

I hope not.  There is parking in the area if you walk a couple of blocks.  

I would assume they'd want to develop the current parking lots into something more space-efficient long-term, but would want to preserve the easy access for drivers.

Obviously my own selfish preference woukd be that they just develop the land without replacing the parking spots, but I don't think there's any chance of that.

And honestly, this is a regional "tourist" draw, and we have basically no regional transit. I'm fine with a big garage here, at MinuteMaid, at GRB/DG, and at Ion (I've come around on that one). It's the soul-sucking non-mixed-use south Downtown garages - and the adjacent surface parking lots - that really depress me. 

[BeerNut]

Lyric garage and Theater District garage nearby. There is also street parking. I usually take Metro and walk but the few times myself and friends parked wasn't an issue.  The people that probably complain the most are people from the suburbs that can't find parking by the entrance.

 

I would like for them to integrate Amtrak terminal with Post.  They could have a small office for Amtrak needs and passengers would be potential customers.   Removing elevated 45 would open up area currently used for parking.   

[004n063]

1 hour ago, BeerNut said:

The people that probably complain the most are people from the suburbs that can't find parking by the entrance.

Well, yeah. And like you, I'd personally rather that POST focus on trying to really be a part of Downtown, emphasizing walking connections and deemphasizing suburban style drive-right-up parking. But I don't see that happening. While I know for a fact that there are some Downtown businessfolks who do walking meetings to and from POST, I still think that it, like the Aquarium and MinuteMaid, draws most (or at least a huge chunk of) of its business from suburbanites who will view immediately adjacent parking as a borderline necessity. (Heck, they already complain about having to pay!)

Again, I'd love for it not to develop in such a car-centric way, but I just don't see that happening. And a garage - especially a mixed-use garage - is better than the acres of surface parking that moat it now.

[hbg.50]

So now we are demonizing “suburbanites.”  I guess it’s human nature to want to feel superior to someone.  🤮

[004n063]

5 hours ago, steve1363 said:

So now we are demonizing “suburbanites.”  I guess it’s human nature to want to feel superior to someone.  🤮

I wouldn't call it demonizing, but I'm sorry for offending you.

The reality of life in Houston, however, is that a lot of the steps many of us want the city to take toward urbanization are held back by the tendency to constantly cater to a car-centrism that is very suburban in nature. 

The truth is, we're pretty much all pretty much suburbanites, because the whole city is pretty much a suburb.

But when we use the term derogatorily, it's to refer to those who insist we keep it that way.

[hbg.50]

6 hours ago, 004n063 said:

I wouldn't call it demonizing, but I'm sorry for offending you.

The reality of life in Houston, however, is that a lot of the steps many of us want the city to take toward urbanization are held back by the tendency to constantly cater to a car-centrism that is very suburban in nature. 

The truth is, we're pretty much all pretty much suburbanites, because the whole city is pretty much a suburb.

But when we use the term derogatorily, it's to refer to those who insist we keep it that way.

I’m not offended and I wasn’t calling you out specifically.  I’m a proponent for open dialogue and there are always multiple points of view.  A dialogue is more productive when we don’t demonize.  Based on my observations many of the people who comment on these forums don’t live downtown (the only true “urban“ environment in Houston) and they are not car-less or mass transit users either.  Again, I realize this doesn’t apply to you (or Cuevas and a few others)!  
 

I haven’t made it to Post Houston yet but I’m anxious to visit when time allows.

[IntheKnowHouston]

Does anyone know more about Loy Loy? It's a food stall / vendor selling dim sum and bento boxes. It's coming to Post Market, the food hall at Post ( 401 Franklin St ). 

[j_cuevas713]

On 2/21/2023 at 11:21 AM, steve1363 said:

I’m not offended and I wasn’t calling you out specifically.  I’m a proponent for open dialogue and there are always multiple points of view.  A dialogue is more productive when we don’t demonize.  Based on my observations many of the people who comment on these forums don’t live downtown (the only true “urban“ environment in Houston) and they are not car-less or mass transit users either.  Again, I realize this doesn’t apply to you (or Cuevas and a few others)!  
 

I haven’t made it to Post Houston yet but I’m anxious to visit when time allows.

I don't agree that downtown is the ONLY urban part of Houston. There are many urban neighborhoods in this city that are only getting more urban with time, but I do understand your point. On my walks through Upper Kirby on any regular day of the work week, you can def tell who lives in inner city Houston and who doesn't. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by j_cuevas713

[gene]

Just a reminder that my best friend's band Blue October has 2 shows at Post HTX/ 713 Music Hall this friday and saturday!

Hope to see you there! 

713 Music Hall at Post HTX

Upcoming Events - April 7 & 8!

• 

  FRI APR 7

  The BUZZ Presents Blue October

   

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/05/05/lovett-commercial-frank-liu.html

"But they’re ambitious. Tell us about why you saw an opportunity in creating the Post Houston entertainment complex and now this art and music education campus.

I’m going to get a little emotional. My younger son, Frank Jr., passed about a year and a half ago. Both Kirby and Frank see the world a little bit differently. They came up with the name Post Houston both because it was the old post office but also because the idea was “post-Houston,” meaning the next stage of Houston.

The road was very hard from the time we bought the post office building in 2015. There was the oil and gas situation and then Covid. But we are happy with the momentum.

Because both boys were always really into art — my younger son was very much a musician — they wanted to create an interesting, creative campus for Houston.

How has leasing been at Post Houston?

Well, the office market is a challenge. We have a lot of momentum on the food front. The food hall has pretty much filled up, and we have some more sit-down-type restaurants coming in.

But it’s been tough. Construction costs have gone through the roof. No one can get a loan right now. So, pretty much everything you see at Post Houston, we put up.

It’s very entrepreneurial. Pretty much all these restaurants in the food hall have to do is bring their pots and pans. But in that way, the owners reflect the demographics of the customers, very entrepreneurial and reflects the startup scene.

Financially, it's been tough, but people seem to like it. And I'm getting many, many people from different parts of the country, different parts of the world coming to check it out."

[TacoDog]

2 hours ago, ChannelTwoNews said:

And I'm getting many, many people from different parts of the country, different parts of the world coming to check it out."

I think this is great news. Houston isn't well-known as a tourist city, but people are visiting Houston all the time, so it is good to see something new become a place for people to check out.

[BEES?!]

Some new places at POST:

Loy Loy Dim Sum (No site that I could find)

Twisted Grilled Cheese (already has a couple of locations in Houston, this one is listed as ‘Coming Soon’)

[IntheKnowHouston]

7 hours ago, BEES?! said:

Some new places at POST:

Loy Loy Dim Sum (No site that I could find)

Twisted Grilled Cheese (already has a couple of locations in Houston, this one is listed as ‘Coming Soon’)

Other Post Market additions (either recently open or coming soon):
 

• Houston Skateboard
• Paleta Del Sol

Post Market is located within Post HTX at 401 Franklin St.

[Urbannizer]

On 5/8/2023 at 6:56 AM, ChannelTwoNews said:

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/05/05/lovett-commercial-frank-liu.html

"But they’re ambitious. Tell us about why you saw an opportunity in creating the Post Houston entertainment complex and now this art and music education campus.

I’m going to get a little emotional. My younger son, Frank Jr., passed about a year and a half ago. Both Kirby and Frank see the world a little bit differently. They came up with the name Post Houston both because it was the old post office but also because the idea was “post-Houston,” meaning the next stage of Houston.

The road was very hard from the time we bought the post office building in 2015. There was the oil and gas situation and then Covid. But we are happy with the momentum.

Because both boys were always really into art — my younger son was very much a musician — they wanted to create an interesting, creative campus for Houston.

How has leasing been at Post Houston?

Well, the office market is a challenge. We have a lot of momentum on the food front. The food hall has pretty much filled up, and we have some more sit-down-type restaurants coming in.

But it’s been tough. Construction costs have gone through the roof. No one can get a loan right now. So, pretty much everything you see at Post Houston, we put up.

It’s very entrepreneurial. Pretty much all these restaurants in the food hall have to do is bring their pots and pans. But in that way, the owners reflect the demographics of the customers, very entrepreneurial and reflects the startup scene.

Financially, it's been tough, but people seem to like it. And I'm getting many, many people from different parts of the country, different parts of the world coming to check it out."

I don’t have access to the article, but it sounds like future phases aren’t happening anytime soon.

[CREguy13]

I think the move is shifting the strategy to largely all residential, some hotel, and lot more retail - forget office.  It's just too removed from downtown and the tunnels to make it work + a lot of the creative companies/startups are preferring Montrose, Heights, Eado/East End, Ion District, etc.

If they can get it to pencil, lots of highrise residential with access to the food hall, sky lawn, BBP, walking distance to downtown, just up the street from lower Washington, etc. makes a ton of sense. Also, it's clear people want to spend money here so integrate a bunch of retail, potentially 1-2 larger stores (HEB🙏🙏)

[BEES?!]

The food hall seems to be doing quite well, and as soon as we started going regularly, I wondered if they would ever consider expanding it somehow- like, could they get a couple of sit-down concepts on the second floor? And I can’t remember which place wanted to get one of the rooftop spaces, but that’d be so cool. 

I think they’ve done a good job programming the space. I’ve gone to a couple of their markets and they are fantastic and have a nice diversity of shops to check out. The one they had back at Christmastime was very nice and I got some cool gifts.

[nate4l1f3]

This was my dream for Houston Center Shops but it works here too 🤤

https://youtu.be/Vdb1CqZhFuY

[hindesky]

[BEES?!]

Oh, hey, cool, they have shaded tables on the roof now, it looks like! Nice, I was just thinking it'd be nice for them to better utilize the space up there.

Now for the weather to not be so hellish so I can go enjoy it! Haha, NOT!

[nate4l1f3]

2 hours ago, BEES?! said:

Oh, hey, cool, they have shaded tables on the roof now, it looks like! Nice, I was just thinking it'd be nice for them to better utilize the space up there.

Now for the weather to not be so hellish so I can go enjoy it! Haha, NOT!

I’ve honestly mostly been disappointed with the rooftop. After going up there once what’s the appeal to go back up there again? There’s really nothing to do but stroll. They could easily replicate the lodge at Bryant Park in NYC up there and that would do wonders. 

[Houston19514]

1 minute ago, nate4l1f3 said:

I’ve honestly mostly been disappointed with the rooftop. After going up there once what’s the appeal to go back up there again? There’s really nothing to do but stroll. They could easily replicate the lodge at Bryant Park in NYC up there and that would do wonders.

It's clearly a work in progress. They built spaces up there that could accommodate such activities.

[editor]

36 minutes ago, nate4l1f3 said:

’ve honestly mostly been disappointed with the rooftop. After going up there once what’s the appeal to go back up there again? There’s really nothing to do but stroll. They could easily replicate the lodge at Bryant Park in NYC up there and that would do wonders. 

Agreed.  I was up there a couple of weeks ago when they had the craft fair.  Even the urban farm seems mostly dead, except for some rhubarb.  I wish I had their light and space for my garden!   I'm harvesting bell peppers these days, and all I have is a balcony.

The food court is good, but the craft market was lame.  These were the vendors:

• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• T-shirt guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• Home-made jewelry lady
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Home-made jewelry lady
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Salsa stand

At least it was well-attended, but I didn't see anyone buy anything except from the food court.

I got a couple of pictures from the roof:

 

[BEES?!]

Dang, that sucks. I went to whatever it was they had in December, and there was a good variety of vendors with all kinds of different wares.

[nate4l1f3]

7 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

It's clearly a work in progress. They built spaces up there that could accommodate such activities.

Yeah they do those mini concert things up there that do well (I went to the Beatles one), but hopefully they add something more permanent. You seem to have more faith than me so I’m hoping you’re right. 

[Houston19514]

On 6/28/2023 at 2:41 PM, editor said:

 

The food court is good, but the craft market was lame.  These were the vendors:

• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• T-shirt guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• Home-made jewelry lady
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Home-made jewelry lady
• Sneaker guy
• Candle lady
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Another t-shirt guy selling the same t-shirts as the other guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Sneaker guy
• Salsa stand

At least it was well-attended, but I didn't see anyone buy anything except from the food court.

Just got back from Post and their H-Town Market.  Those who follow Editor will not be surprised to learn that he wildly misrepresented the variety of vendors.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Houston19514

[JBTX]

10 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Just got back from Post and their H-Town Market.  Those who follow Editor will not be surprised to learn that he wildly misrepresented the variety of vendors.

Was there tonight too. Agreed completely. Held my tounge earlier cause I actually know a few of the vendors and didn't wanna seem biased, but, yeah...