mollusk Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 They just ran a brief story on Ch. 11 with footage - it's one of the buildings in what used to be the Ramada Inn. Quote
IronTiger Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 Looks like the...Bestway Motor Inn? The fire looks like it's closer to the driver than Fingers is, and the driver is heading north. Quote
Montrose1100 Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 Well I'm sorry my reporting skills are bad. I just saw the fingers sign once I got close and could see mattress mack rolling with laughter on his marble floor. Quote
IronTiger Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 Well I'm sorry my reporting skills are bad. I just saw the fingers sign once I got close and could see mattress mack rolling with laughter on his marble floor. Yeah, but it's kind of a moot point anyway since Fingers closed that facility in 2012 (for good) and was finally finished off this year. Quote
Montrose1100 Posted July 13, 2014 Posted July 13, 2014 Yeah, but it's kind of a moot point anyway since Fingers closed that facility in 2012 (for good) and was finally finished off this year.He could still be rubbing his hands together whispering "good... good..." Quote
txn4art Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 The building that burned this evening was once known as the Magnolia Glen apartments. It has been vacant for a decade or do, but last year there were plans afoot to convert it into some sort of SRO residential facility. When I drove by a few days ago, it didn't look as if any work had been started. Quote
mollusk Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 Well I'm sorry my reporting skills are bad. Your skills aren't that bad. It wasn't the front building, it was immediately adjacent to Fingers, and you were navigating the Gulf Freeway. Besides, it's very likely that more people know where Fingers Magnificent Furniture Center on the Gulf Freeway* is than its next door neighbor, regardless of what its name is this year. *(Don't forget the appropriately stentorian tone when reading this title) 1 Quote
brhaltx Posted July 14, 2014 Posted July 14, 2014 Well I'm sorry my reporting skills are bad. Looked good to me. It certainly could have been Fingers. And the fire was closer to Fingers than to you. 1 Quote
Specwriter Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Yesterday about 9:15am I was driving north on the Gulf Freeway and noticed a motor coach parked under the canopy at the Finger's Furniture store. There were several pickup trucks nearby as well but nothing I could identify as belonging to a particular company or municipal entity. The fence is still up around the parking lot. Does anyone have information regarding what may be happening with this building? Talk about potential! 2 Quote
allynwest Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 @Specwriter, I've seen those same coaches parked there in the mornings on my commute in. Last I knew, Frank Liu bought that property and is planning to build a bunch of townhouses. (The Finger building would be torn down, naturally.) http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2014/02/finger-furniture-parcel-of-gulf-freeway-bought-by-houston-developer/ A private student dorm might be built across Cullen from that site. Quote
2005UHCougar Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Frank Liu bought the property earlier this year. From the Lovett commercial website looks to be redeveloping to retail, a grocery store specifically with the 156k sq ft old Fingers store as the anchor, and 3 standalone pad sites along the I-45 frontage road. If all develops according to plan and coupled with the new student apartments being developed across Cullen, this will be a HUGE game changer for Eado along with the rapidly developing UH campus nearby. Link to more information below, click on the pdf flyer and zoom in on the door front of the large retail site, notice the "GROCERY VESTIBULE & CART STORAGE" *fingers crossed its an HEB*http://www.lovettcommercial.com/Detail.aspx?idwebarea=36&webid=234 Edited July 25, 2014 by 2005UHCougar 1 Quote
allynwest Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Thanks for posting that link! I thought the whole property would be scraped. Selfishly, I'd love it if that anchor becomes one of the new-format HEBs (like the Montrose Market). That would not only make my life easier, but it would spell the doom for that Kroger on Cullen, which really needs to go. Quote
intencity77 Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Link to more information below, click on the pdf flyer and zoom in on the door front of the large retail site, notice the "GROCERY VESTIBULE & CART STORAGE" *fingers crossed its an HEB*http://www.lovettcommercial.com/Detail.aspx?idwebarea=36&webid=234The other vestibule says GM VESTIBULE. Is it possible this could be a general merchandise/grocery store hybrid, like a Super Target, and not solely a grocery store? Coincidentally, there was a big hoopla last week on Swamplot when they announced development plans Lovett had drawn up for its nearby Harrisburg/Lockwood plot. Their plans had included a Joe V's grocery store, shops, office space, pad sites and a garage. Only to find out later that those plans had fallen through and have since been deleted from their website. So take this current Fingers plan with a grain of salt. If the Harrisburg plot is any indication, I wouldn't bet on Lovett developing the Fingers property anytime soon, though I can foresee them demo'ing everything for the time being. Edited July 25, 2014 by intencity77 Quote
IronTiger Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Well, typically that might indicate Walmart, but they already have that one at the Oshman's site and Target doesn't typically build SuperTargets anymore. An HEB Plus seems likely at this point: big, but not too fancy. 1 Quote
NenaE Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Great plan for the reuse of the Fingers property. I hope to see it actually developed soon by some company. I've read so many posts about the need for updated grocery stores in the area. Quote
samagon Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 HEB would be awesome, but I think unlikely since there's the one at gulfgate already. It would be nice though. 1 Quote
NenaE Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Gulfgate HEB is a good ways away. I could see another one being built, especially with the UH status change/ growth and EE development.They should do it. The good thing about HEB is that they poll neighborhoods of each targeted area, to see what they want in a future store. Quote
intencity77 Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Maybe a Kroger Marketplace, replacing the nearby Kroger on Polk? There are none within the city, but if we are to consider HEB Plus, who have no inner city stores either and frankly haven't built any in a while, then a Kroger Marketplace could also be a possibility. Quote
txn4art Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Gulfgate HEB is a good ways away. I could see another one being built, especially with the UH status change/ growth and EE development.They should do it. The good thing about HEB is that they poll neighborhoods of each targeted area, to see what they want in a future store. Well, HEB didn't poll anyone in EaDo or the close-in East End neighborhoods when they reset the merchandising of their Gulfgate store a couple of years ago! Seems like the HEB Big Bosses wanted that location to compete with nearby Sellers Bros., Fiesta and all the small Hispanic supermercados..The resulting lack of selection in every department means that many of us who live in the East End now drive to Midtown or Montrose for weekly grocery shopping. As far as quality produce, meat, seafood at the new Walmart on I-45@Wayside -- no thanks! 1 Quote
Howard Huge Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Didn't this place burn up a few weeks ago?? Quote
NenaE Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 Didn't this place burn up a few weeks ago?? I believe the fire was next door, or very close to the Finger property. Quote
Specwriter Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 The fire was at an adjacent property. Thanks to everyone for the information and input. Whatever goes in I hope the medallion, now (or previously) located in the basement on the spot of home plate for the old Buffs stadium is preserved in some form. 2 Quote
KinkaidAlum Posted August 16, 2014 Posted August 16, 2014 Liu brings us sh&t once again. Big Box stores and pad sites! Yay! 1 Quote
Specwriter Posted August 16, 2014 Posted August 16, 2014 I don't know why they threw that in there. It's a Wal-Mart that's going to be built in Katy. You can see the street name is Falcon Landing Blvd, and on the top half, you can barely make out Westheimer Pkwy. Thanks, JM. That makes me feel much better. I did see the Falcon Landing wording on the site plan and it just didn't register in my mind. Also, I sent you a PM on another topic. 2 Quote
txn4art Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Liu brings us sh&t once again. Big Box stores and pad sites! Yay! Are you familiar with Houston's East End and what Frank Liu's companies have built recently in the area? What do you think would be the best redevelopment plan for the former Finger's site? Quote
KinkaidAlum Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Yes and Yes. I am also aware of what he put up at UH. Anything other than a massive big box complex with mounds of surface parking in the shadows of downtown and near a rail stop. Quote
intencity77 Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Liu's been buying up a lot of big and small properties around the East End for years now and from what I've seen, has done absolutely nothing with the majority of the properties except sit on them and let them deteriorate or become overgrown weed lots. I'm not holding out much hope for his other big property at Harrisburg and Lockwood. Even though that particular lot calls for something mixed use or dense, since it fronts the rail line, I'm betting when it's finally developed it will be some type of crappy suburban strip. Quote
Michelle C Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 I liked it better when it was Buff Stadium. 1 Quote
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