Elev8: Multifamily High-Rise At 1801 Smith St.

[Houston19514]

19 hours ago, hindesky said:

I have yet to see any Houston media about this project. I've emailed the Houston Chronicle and Downtown Houston about this.

I was searching yesterday for media coverage of this.  Our media has to be the worst of any major metro area.  How does this kind of project not even get a whisper of coverage?  Inexcusable.

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 7/12/2022 at 2:54 PM, hindesky said:

I have yet to see any Houston media about this project. I've emailed the Houston Chronicle and Downtown Houston about this.

Not surprising that local news organizations and digital publications haven't covered this. If it's not in a press release, there won't be anything reported - at least that's what it seems. I've disclosed how I sent tips to reporters and freelancers coverings Houston's dining and nightlife scene. Weeks or months later the news MAY end up being published. And if it is, it's usually due to one of three things:

- received a press release for the developer or business owner
- it's become a hot topic in whichever neighborhood foodie group on Facebook
- another local media outlet finally picked the news up, which means other publications piggyback off their news often doing little to zero research of their own to verify or gather additional details


That being said, I appreciate you and everyone else for keeping up abreast on what's happening around town. 


 

On 7/13/2022 at 10:33 AM, Houston19514 said:

 Our media has to be the worst of any major metro area. 

Agreed to a certain extent, especially with local news stations - both their online and on-air content. 

Dining and real estate coverage aside, Houston Chronicle (paywall site/newspaper) does a pretty good job.

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by IntheKnowHouston

[editor]

On 7/13/2022 at 1:43 PM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Dining and real estate coverage aside, Houston Chronicle (paywall site/newspaper) does a pretty good job.

As a near-daily reader of the Chronicle's dead tree edition, it's my observation that:

• The very few reporters the Chronicle has are generally tied up on the very big stories.
• The bulk of the news is written by Hearst people, in New York, or somewhere else.  Which is why so much of it is press release regurgitation.
• The Chronicle does a lot of restaurant and food news compared to other newspapers I read.
• The Chronicle does a pretty good job with its feature pieces. It's nice to live in a town that has regular reporting on the ballet, the symphony, gardening, birds, religion, and other topics that are usually the first to be jettisoned when the budget axe swings.
• The Chronicle runs a lot of stories from the co-owned San Antonio newspaper, and the reporters work together on stories. 
• The Chronicle hides its lack of local reporters by not printing datelines.  Instead just putting "Staff reporter," which can mean anything.  Could be someone in New York, or New Delhi, or even an intern. 

[Nate99]

It would be interesting to see this site's stats and how many hits it gets from lurkers. Stories like this probably get a "hey, that's cool" kind of reaction from the mildly curious if/when they do a search to see what is going on, but these stories strike me as something you have to actively find rather than something a news company would want to put in front of its audience in these days of rage clicks, pooled reporters and reduced local coverage.  

On this and a zillion other topics, there are places on the web to find the precise facts about what someone with a niche interest might find relevant, and slogging through a journalist's interpretation leaves you worse off as often as not. 

[editor]

5 hours ago, Nate99 said:

It would be interesting to see this site's stats and how many hits it gets from lurkers. Stories like this probably get a "hey, that's cool" kind of reaction from the mildly curious if/when they do a search to see what is going on, but these stories strike me as something you have to actively find rather than something a news company would want to put in front of its audience in these days of rage clicks, pooled reporters and reduced local coverage.  

On this and a zillion other topics, there are places on the web to find the precise facts about what someone with a niche interest might find relevant, and slogging through a journalist's interpretation leaves you worse off as often as not. 

For what it's worth, this thread has had ~2,000 people read it this year.

[hindesky]

Finally got acknowledgment from Realty News Report in an email thanking me for bringing this project to their attention. But as others have said until they get a press release they don't seem to report it. We will see if they investigate it further to add it to their report.

[hindesky]

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 7/16/2022 at 6:36 PM, editor said:

As a near-daily reader of the Chronicle's dead tree edition, it's my observation that:

• The very few reporters the Chronicle has are generally tied up on the very big stories.
• The bulk of the news is written by Hearst people, in New York, or somewhere else.  Which is why so much of it is press release regurgitation.
• The Chronicle does a lot of restaurant and food news compared to other newspapers I read.
• The Chronicle does a pretty good job with its feature pieces. It's nice to live in a town that has regular reporting on the ballet, the symphony, gardening, birds, religion, and other topics that are usually the first to be jettisoned when the budget axe swings.
• The Chronicle runs a lot of stories from the co-owned San Antonio newspaper, and the reporters work together on stories. 
• The Chronicle hides its lack of local reporters by not printing datelines.  Instead just putting "Staff reporter," which can mean anything.  Could be someone in New York, or New Delhi, or even an intern. 

I didn't respond earlier because I didn't want to derail the discussion. I don't know where else I can address this, so, I suppose I'll reply here:
 

• I am very aware Houston Chronicle has limited reporters devoted to in-depth and investigative reporting. However, following up on tips, other news sources, and the like is also part of a reporter's job. Most of the reporters for the Chronicle have lots of contacts who are willing to share information about upcoming projects. And even if they don't, being that they're the Chronicle gets them further into the door than other news organizations (with the exception of news stations).
  
   
• Also, very aware much of the news on Houston Chronicle comes from other Hearst publications and Associated Press. Still, that has zero to do with the Chronicle's dining, business, and real estate staff's local coverage. 
  
   
• I keep up with dining and nightlife news around the country, and respectfully, I disagree with your assertion about the Chronicle reporting a lot of local dining news. The Chronicle does well with recipes, its barbecue features, and Alison Cook's reviews (though its dining coverage on its paywall-free site Chron.com has become slightly better under the leadership of food editor Emma Balter). However, its coverage of food and beverage trends, new restaurants, restaurant closures, upcoming chefs and bartenders, the pop-up restaurant scene, new food trucks, and more is severely lacking. If it's not an inner loop eatery or bar with a big name involved, chances are there will be zero to little coverage about it. And if there is coverage, it's usually reported months or years later Case in point: the Turkey Leg Hut. I kept informing Houston Chronicle and Eater Houston about it long before the restaurant's move from Washington Avenue to Almeda and they wouldn't cover it. They only covered it once Hollywood's African-American stars began dining there and sharing their experiences on social media. The same goes with press releases, which is about 98% of what Chronicle's food editor Greg Morago mainly reports. 
  
   
• I never said or implied the Chronicle's feature pieces weren't great. The features are wonderful and why I'm still subscribed to the digital paper.  But this also goes back to my first point: Houston Chronicle has limited reporters devoted to in-depth and investigative reporting. It's not surprising in this new era of shrinking newsrooms. Although there are few tasked with in-depth and investigative reporting, business, real estate, and especially dining staff could publish more local and timely news. Even more features, be it weekly or twice a month, would be great.
  
   

 

[editor]

One other thing to consider if that some newspapers completely, or near-completely outsource their real estate reporting to third parties.

I used to work with a guy who was in this business.

The entire real estate section of certain newspapers are actually the product of people like him who buy an entire section of the newspaper to write puff pieces about their own advertisers, and very occasionally publish very bland, very safe real estate trend news.

To my knowledge, this isn't one of his clients, but as an example, here's the front page of this past Sunday's Real Estate section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Most people will never notice the small "Advertising section" text in the upper-left corner that indicates this isn't journalism, but a big fat ad disguised to look like a real section of the real newspaper.

(I only choose the LVRJ because it's something I have easy access to at the moment.)

It's worth looking for subtle clues like this in the Chronicle to see what its real estate staffing is like, or if it has any commitment to covering the real estate industry.  It already publishes a half-section advertisement like this every Sunday headlined "Careers," that is ostensibly part of the Business section.

 

[Brooklyn173]

I'm wondering if the dark glass cladding on the lower levels will remain. It sort of looks like a late add on to the current building.

[Montrose1100]

17 hours ago, Brooklyn173 said:

I'm wondering if the dark glass cladding on the lower levels will remain. It sort of looks like a late add on to the current building.

It looks to remain in the renderings.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[BEES?!]

Are they being called condos because that’s just the technical term, or are these actually condos?

[hindesky]

I wonder if that is painted or just power washed on the top portion?

 

[ChannelTwoNews]

On 8/19/2022 at 6:57 PM, hindesky said:

I wonder if that is painted or just power washed on the top portion?

 

I'd guess it's the earliest part of the paint job. 

 

[hindesky]

IMG_5602 by David, on Flickr

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

I was going to ask if this is the building occupied by the Harris County DA's office, but, since they called me yesterday to interview me about a wreck I was in last June, my question was answered... it's next door.

[hindesky]

https://www.bdcnetwork.com/converting-office-buildings-apartments-cheaper-greener-building-new

"Converting office buildings to apartments is cheaper and greener than tearing down old office properties and building new residential buildings."

[BEES?!]

I imagine a lot faster too. Probably why the DRA wants to facilitate quicker conversions of these underutilized buildings into something that’ll bring more life downtown

[hindesky]

[Brooklyn173]

Northeast side

Southeast side

[hindesky]

I guess that indicates this will get the orange trim around the window.

 

[X.R.]

What a difference a paint job makes. 

If the downtown authority can get another conversion going, their program is already a success since it feels like they are making something out of nothing at this point. 

[Big E]

15 hours ago, X.R. said:

What a difference a paint job makes. 

If the downtown authority can get another conversion going, their program is already a success since it feels like they are making something out of nothing at this point. 

What other building could they renovate that would be economically feasible and is mostly empty?

[wilcal]

11 hours ago, Big E said:

What other building could they renovate that would be economically feasible and is mostly empty?

*winks in Heaven on Earth Days Inn*

[kennyc05]

56 minutes ago, wilcal said:

*winks in Heaven on Earth Days Inn*

I was thinking the same thing yesterday!

[BEES?!]

14 hours ago, Big E said:

What other building could they renovate that would be economically feasible and is mostly empty?

From the DRA’s meeting, it sounds like they may have a couple in mind. Not sure which ones though

[Big E]

3 hours ago, wilcal said:

*winks in Heaven on Earth Days Inn*

Is that building even structurally sound?