Nau Center For Cultural Heritage Museum

[LarryDierker]

Does the whole world watch the super bowl?

 

Not really.

 

In recent years, the number of people who have watched the Super Bowl has varied from around 80-100 million people. That’s extremely impressive, but perhaps less so on a global scale when you consider that an estimated 98% of those viewers are from North America, with about 97% of that amount coming from the United States.

 

http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/is-the-super-bowl-really-big-outside-the-u-s/

[BigFootsSocks]

As if there are people outside of the U.S. important enough to pay attention to

[toxtethogrady]

A lot of them move to Houston. God bless the EB-5...

[UtterlyUrban]

I am struggling with this museum and its location. I will likely routinely draw school field trips once it is up and running. That's good. But I am struggling with the link to the convention center. I have been to a lot of conventions in my day and I have never visited a museum as part of my trip. I am just not sure how many will. On pure business travel, I haven't been to a museum either.

So, given that, I am unsure why downtown is the best location for this. It is certainly not an adverse use of land but I am wondering if a better location for it would have been down in the museum district..... Get the agglomeration effect.

Hopefully, I am dead wrong and the museum and visitor center is packed to the gills day and night with out of town tourists...... We shall see. Either way,mother local field trips will likely keep it full and vibrant. But, wouldn't it have been great if the kiddos could have gone to this museum then walked a few blocks to the science museum or art museum or something?

[Moore713]

It meant to supplement the convention center, not the museums. Think something to do while you wait for your convention to start..While I'm sure it will pull plenty of school interest it main purpose seems to be to boost downtown rather weak tourist attractions

[capnmcbarnacle]

I think downtown makes great sense. I don't think conventions and events come to Houston -- I think they come to Texas.  I can't tell you the number of disappointed clients I've had who have paid visits, expecting to see hats and boots and eat steak 3 meals a day.  The image, perhaps myth, of Texas is alluring to people from out of town and this museum will cater to that curiosity.  There aren't many other states I can think of where this would work.  Museum of South Florida history?  Tennessee Center for Cultural Heritage?  Nah.  This is a chamber of commerce museum, something for conventioneers to spend a couple hours and buy a buckle to take back home.

 

 

[Gator Purify]

Having something like this opened in time for the Super Bowl makes sense.  Hopefully, Nau Center is more than just two rooms with a bunch of pictures, attached to a small house.  Cuuuz, that's kind of what it looks like right now. 

 

Since the mission here is to entertain conventioneers and Super Bowl visitors, Houston First could easily have dedicated half or all of the ground level on their new building (right next door) to "Houston's present and future" and made Nau Center "Houston's history."  The facades could stay the same.  The footprint would increase dramatically.  And, it would actually connect to the Convention Center.  Am I crazy?

[toxtethogrady]

Those kids from HSPVA are going to have any number of reasons to play hooky - the Green, the Marriott, the Hilton, the Convention Center, the ballpark, the Nau. To say nothing of SuperBowl Week. It's going to be tough keeping them indoors on a nice Spring day.

[UtterlyUrban]

It meant to supplement the convention center, not the museums. Think something to do while you wait for your convention to start..While I'm sure it will pull plenty of school interest it main purpose seems to be to boost downtown rather weak tourist attractions

And this is the point I am really struggling with. I have attended a lot of conventions over the years. Never once have I personally popped into a visitor center/cultural center before, during, or after my convention. I have e also travelled extensively on business and never once have gone into a visitor center between, say, a 10am client vist and a 1pm client visit. I hope that I am the odd ball.

One thought is that the conventions I have been to are all very business oriented and tied to business meetings breakfast lunch and dinner. Perhaps conventions/events like that huge quilting convention and that large Volleyball tourneyment last hear have a bit more of a leisure focused attendee.... They might have more time to stop, and walk in. Hope so.

[UtterlyUrban]

Having something like this opened in time for the Super Bowl makes sense. Hopefully, Nau Center is more than just two rooms with a bunch of pictures, attached to a small house. Cuuuz, that's kind of what it looks like right now.

And this is the other bit I am struggling with. I sure hope that this doesn't feel like a State-line visitor center on an interstate. If it is designed to be a real destination (rather than a place to use the facilities, look at some pictures and grab some brochures - like on the freeway), it is going to need a lot of thought. Hopefully the folks who do this for a living are going to build a terrificly engaging experience. We shall see!

[UtterlyUrban]

I think downtown makes great sense. I don't think conventions and events come to Houston -- I think they come to Texas. I can't tell you the number of disappointed clients I've had who have paid visits, expecting to see hats and boots and eat steak 3 meals a day. The image, perhaps myth, of Texas is alluring to people from out of town and this museum will cater to that curiosity. There aren't many other states I can think of where this would work. Museum of South Florida history? Tennessee Center for Cultural Heritage? Nah. This is a chamber of commerce museum, something for conventioneers to spend a couple hours and buy a buckle to take back home.

Fair points. I hope that you're correct!

[Dakota79]

Fair points. I hope that you're correct!

Hey, I've lived in Houston forever, and I may visit it too. Also, when I have out of town guests or clients we could have lunch on DG, then walk over there and give them ideas of what to visit. Nau is extremely bright, talented and has the $$$ to make it work. They may have to tweak it as they see how it's used, but I will absolutely check it out. I know Houston very well, but the center may get me out of my urban comfort zone and give me day trip ideas for my kiddos.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Dakota79

[Mab]

New rendering in video at 0:19

 

http://youtu.be/x7uwVFyEprU?t=19s

[monarch]

props for sharing mab!  if one should blink, you could easily miss it.  however, updated rendering is very nice!

[tigereye]

New rendering in video at 0:19

http://youtu.be/x7uwVFyEprU?t=19s

That rendering appears to match the site plan you posted earlier. Which means only the Cohn house survives as Houston gets rid of another Downtown Foley's (the house)

EDIT: Doing this from a mobile, if someone can get a better screen grab, do it.

Looks like Cohn house's position would be reoriented to face SW towards the entry plaza, with the left side of the house now facing ADLA. Not sure I like this design revision. I liked the previous design, what had better street presence with both homes' front porches facing ADLA. Not to mention the Foley house is the better looking of the two.

Edited December 3, 2014 by tigereye

[Luminare]

And who said they are getting rid of the other house? Or is that your claim? I didn't hear anything in regard to 'we are going to destroy this other house we aren't using.' Quite possible they will just relocate the house somewhere else. Make it a monument and call it a day.

[tigereye]

And who said they are getting rid of the other house? Or is that your claim? I didn't hear anything in regard to 'we are going to destroy this other house we aren't using.' Quite possible they will just relocate the house somewhere else. Make it a monument and call it a day.

A. No one has said anything about the Foley house. And it's not my claim, I do not have insider information. I'm just connecting the dots based on the Foley House's disappearance from all recent renderings. Nothing more.

B. Who said they were relocating the Foley House? Or is that your claim? I didn't hear anything in regard to 'we are going to relocate this other house we aren't using'

[por favor gracias]

Nice catch Mab, thanks!

[Luminare]

A. No one has said anything about the Foley house. And it's not my claim, I do not have insider information. I'm just connecting the dots based on the Foley House's disappearance from all recent renderings. Nothing more.

B. Who said they were relocating the Foley House? Or is that your claim? I didn't hear anything in regard to 'we are going to relocate this other house we aren't using'

 

yeah you got me

[bobruss]

I just called and spoke with a spokesperson for Houston Historic preservation and asked them what was going to happen to the Foley house. He said that the city was in the process of making the decision where in downtown to place the home. It will not be destroyed and it might end up in Sam Houston Park.

The problem is it is a large structure that might not fit physically in the park, but I reiterate that this person said it is safe and will not be destroyed, but re purposed somewhere downtown!

[LTAWACS]

Hopefully somewhere where it can be seen and appreciated.

[tigereye]

Hopefully somewhere where it can be seen and appreciated.

That's why I really thought it was perfect next to the Cohn house facing ADLA. But instead, since it appears the entrance to the student section for Nau Center is on ADLA, it looks like the Texas Ave side will end up with a big wall facing the ballpark instead of a view of the historic Foley & Cohn houses fronting a center for cultural heritage.

As for where Foley could go now - if not Sam Houston Park, for a much shorter distance, they could put it in the green space above Kinder Lake (by Monument Au Fantome sculpture - flat green space in between the hill and the stage) in Discovery Green. I'd imagine the Foley house front porch there would make a good backdrop for photos during wedding or quilting conventions lol

Edited December 5, 2014 by tigereye

[Triton]

Hopefully somewhere where it can be seen and appreciated.

 

Midtown?

[UtterlyUrban]

It would be pretty ironic if they built this cultural center then ended up bulldozing the foley house.

[tigereye]

So after another look at the rendering, I think the floor plan is incorrectly labeled. In both the floor plan and the new rendering, the house on site at Nau Center depicted appears to be the Foley House, not the Cohn House as labeled.

Note: the longer protruding section in the back of the house that extends into the student section of Nau. This matches the rear of the Foley House.

Edited December 5, 2014 by tigereye

[LTAWACS]

Midtown?

 

I didnt mean for the bums... I meant for us.

[Houston19514]

Here's the scoop, received directly from Houston First Corporation in a newsletter email this morning:

 

110-year-old William L. Foley House off the premises at the corner of Avenida de las Americas and Capitol Street and to a parking lot across the street. The two-story blue residence will be moved the week of December 8-12 but the exact date is still be determined.

 

Built in 1904, this is the former residence of the founder of Foley Dry Goods Company, the precursor of the now defunct Foley Department Store chain. The home is one of the final residences of the Quality Hill neighborhood in downtown. (The other is the Arthur B. Cohen House, which will be incorporated into the Nau Center complex.)

 

Houston First is donating the Foley House to Incarnate Word Academy and Annunciation Church. The stately home will eventually be restored and relocated behind the church, which is the oldest in Houston dating back to 1871.

[H-Town Man]

If they put a gift shop in the first floor of the house were you could buy and sell old Foley's memorabilia, it would get visitors. Demolishing the store last year has only made the Foley's brand more iconic in this town, potentially on the level of rainbow Astros gear.

 

[UtterlyUrban]

Here's the scoop, received directly from Houston First Corporation in a newsletter email this morning:

110-year-old William L. Foley House off the premises at the corner of Avenida de las Americas and Capitol Street and to a parking lot across the street. The two-story blue residence will be moved the week of December 8-12 but the exact date is still be determined.

Built in 1904, this is the former residence of the founder of Foley Dry Goods Company, the precursor of the now defunct Foley Department Store chain. The home is one of the final residences of the Quality Hill neighborhood in downtown. (The other is the Arthur B. Cohen House, which will be incorporated into the Nau Center complex.)

Houston First is donating the Foley House to Incarnate Word Academy and Annunciation Church. The stately home will eventually be restored and relocated behind the church, which is the oldest in Houston dating back to 1871.

Oh, for heavens sake! What on earth will the church do with it an, exactly how will they restore it and maintain it?

"Hey, we got all this money to build a cultural center! But the historic foley house won't fit! Whadda we gonna do?"

"I know! give it to the church's to stick behind their building.... Ya.... That's it! Great place for it..... Great place...."

Edited December 5, 2014 by UtterlyUrban

[H-Town Man]

Oh, for heavens sake! What on earth will the church do with it an, exactly how will they restore it and maintain it?

"Hey, we got all this money to build a cultural center! But the historic foley house won't fit! Whadda we gonna do?"

"I know! give it to the church's to stick behind their building.... Ya.... That's it! Great place for it..... Great place...."

What are you afraid they're going to do to it? It should be right on Texas Ave., great visibility, and they have 143 years experience at preserving historic buildings.