Houston Endowment Corporate Headquarters At 3683 Willia St.

[freundb]

They have a facebook post from 2 weeks ago but I don't know how to share it, so I just grabbed the pic they posted. The past few days I have seen people in business attire inside and on Tuesday they had a photographer taking pictures. You can see inside and it looks like its about ready to be up and running. 

Edited September 30, 2022 by freundb

[MidCenturyMoldy]

How much does one have to hate Houston to make this mistake? From the Chicago Athenaeum website, 2021 Awards::  https://www.chi-athenaeum.org/the-2021-awards/?page=13

 

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by MidCenturyMoldy

[springcityparts]

Will this building house anything for park users like a coffee shop or cafe?

[mkultra25]

20 hours ago, MidCenturyMoldy said:

How much does one have to hate Houston to make this mistake? From the Chicago Athenaeum website, 2021 Awards::  https://www.chi-athenaeum.org/the-2021-awards/?page=13

This must be the real meaning of "Don't California My Texas".

[hindesky]

"The work of Kevin Daly Architects, Productora of Mexico City and TLS Landscape Architecture, this modern structure will launch a new era for the endowment, which just finished moving from its longtime office space on the 64th floor of the JPMorgan Chase Tower. One more in a series of modern office and residential towers, this new Houston Endowment is a signal that — at least architecturally — Houston has taken another big step into a new age."

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/home-design/article/Houston-Endowment-building-17487069.php

[freundb]

I really wanna get in there and tour it.

[hindesky]

[Houston19514]

The more I read about this building, the less I like it, particularly the move by the Houston Endowment.  From the first announcement, I didn't like the move because it seems to be entirely contrary to the vision and wishes of the man who made the endowment possible (Jesse Jones). Few people (perhaps no one) in our history have been more committed to or done more for downtown Houston than Jesse Jones.  For his Endowment to move out of downtown to me seems disrespectful.

Now, they are green-washing themselves in the glories of their environmentally responsible, sustainable, blah blah blah new building.  How is it remotely environmentally sound and sustainable to build a new building for yourself (on formerly greenspace), leaving existing space vacant (in a market with tons of vacant existing space).

[Houston19514]

On 10/2/2022 at 4:36 PM, emmanume said:

Will this building house anything for park users like a coffee shop or cafe?

 

On 9/21/2022 at 12:06 PM, freundb said:

I know the designs that came back in the competition all had park improvements, but I would really love to see them come to life. I know it's a bowl and it's always gonna hold water, but when it rains now it turns two portions of the paths to mud. just some better drainage and grading would help there. 

 

On 9/20/2022 at 5:47 PM, Luminare said:

I believe that's an eventual phase to this. Lets just say I'm familiar with the original RFP that was sent out to design firms.

 

On 9/15/2022 at 7:34 PM, freundb said:

Now we just need to get Spotts Park some updates.

From Houston Endowment's FAQs:

-- Will Houston Endowment maintain the adjacent park?

The Houston Endowment headquarters sits adjacent to Spotts Park. The park, and all
equipment on its property, are managed by the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

 

-- Will you open the building to the public?

Like most office spaces, the building will not be open to the public. It is designed to be a workspace for our team and invited collaborators.

-- Can nonprofits or other organizations rent space for meetings or events?

The building may not be booked to hold meetings for activities not related to Houston Endowment business. Houston Endowment plans to host convenings and gatherings in collaboration with its community partners that will be on an invite-only basis.

-- Are you having a grand opening event for the community to see the space?

We will not host a grand opening. We plan to put the building straight to work. Moreover, construction on our event space will continue through the end of the year.

 

All of that, after, on the same page of their website, patting themselves on the back for being "immersed in the developing neighborhood bordered by Buffalo Bayou, Montrose, and the Houston Heights. The centrally located space allows the Foundation, a perpetual institution, the opportunity to have a permanent home and to contribute to the growth of the neighborhood."

I'm afraid the Houston Endowment may have gone seriously astray.

[Luminare]

29 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

The more I read about this building, the less I like it, particularly the move by the Houston Endowment.  From the first announcement, I didn't like the move because it seems to be entirely contrary to the vision and wishes of the man who made the endowment possible (Jesse Jones). Few people (perhaps no one) in our history have been more committed to or done more for downtown Houston than Jesse Jones.  For his Endowment to move out of downtown to me seems disrespectful.

Now, they are green-washing themselves in the glories of their environmentally responsible, sustainable, blah blah blah new building.  How is it remotely environmentally sound and sustainable to build a new building for yourself (on formerly greenspace), leaving existing space vacant (in a market with tons of vacant existing space).

Its called corporate speak and yes even non-profits do this. This is a clear case of what happens when you don't remember this and try to place your own expectations on what they are saying or have been saying. This was never supposed to be a community center. The original RFP specifically stated that this was supposed to be their HQ and for their use only....and of course their "stakeholders" which is basically the same as a shareholder except not only does the non-profit function like a corporation, but is tax exempt, but also the funds that go to the non-profit count as donations and are also tax-exempt. When they say "the neighborhood" they mean what "they" think the neighborhood should or will be. When they say "the bayou" its what "they" think the bayou should or will be. When they talk about their mission they are talking about their mission "now" not "Jesse Jones vision". When they use any kind of environmentalist or progressive jargon....what they really mean is...please give us money because we are one of you (meaning people with money). This is the nature of mission companies, corporations, and non-profits. One can like it or not, but this is just how the game is played and how things work. In this current day and age they aren't doing anything out of the ordinary than what every one else is doing which is finding what narrative and position will give them the best chance to succeed, and most importantly give them the most money (although its tough to know with how warped social media interpretations of what is popular or not, or manipulated, but that's a discussion for another thread). If you don't like the direction this organization is heading then make it known, and not just with your voice, but with your wallet. These groups are not as ideologically adherent to one thing as people might think. A non-profit needs two things to exist, a crisis or situation that is never resolved or finished, and your money.

[Houston19514]

40 minutes ago, Luminare said:

Its called corporate speak and yes even non-profits do this. This is a clear case of what happens when you don't remember this and try to place your own expectations on what they are saying or have been saying. This was never supposed to be a community center. The original RFP specifically stated that this was supposed to be their HQ and for their use only....and of course their "stakeholders" which is basically the same as a shareholder except not only does the non-profit function like a corporation, but is tax exempt, but also the funds that go to the non-profit count as donations and are also tax-exempt. When they say "the neighborhood" they mean what "they" think the neighborhood should or will be. When they say "the bayou" its what "they" think the bayou should or will be. When they talk about their mission they are talking about their mission "now" not "Jesse Jones vision". When they use any kind of environmentalist or progressive jargon....what they really mean is...please give us money because we are one of you (meaning people with money). This is the nature of mission companies, corporations, and non-profits. One can like it or not, but this is just how the game is played and how things work. In this current day and age they aren't doing anything out of the ordinary than what every one else is doing which is finding what narrative and position will give them the best chance to succeed, and most importantly give them the most money (although its tough to know with how warped social media interpretations of what is popular or not, or manipulated, but that's a discussion for another thread). If you don't like the direction this organization is heading then make it known, and not just with your voice, but with your wallet. These groups are not as ideologically adherent to one thing as people might think. A non-profit needs two things to exist, a crisis or situation that is never resolved or finished, and your money.

You sound like a "corporate-speak" apologist, or maybe practitioner.  😉  They are of course free to practice corporate-speak and we are free to call them out on their nonsense and hypocrisy.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Houston19514

[Luminare]

3 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

You sound like a "corporate-speak" apologist, or maybe practitioner.  😉  They are of course free to practice corporate-speak and we are free to call them out on their nonsense and hypocrisy.

You sound like a person that imagines a world as it "should" be. I see a world for what it is. There are many things we can do to better it. My thinking on matters like this is, if you have an opportunity to change the rules of the game then change it. If you can't change then rules master them, bend them when you can and play to win. I'm a pragmatist. Not an idealist. I have to work within constraints to get what I want in my field. Only those without constraints can afford to be idealist (the very young, and the very wealthy). If you aren't any of those then the most effective approach to a world that doesn't make sense is to be a pragmatist. Read what I said again. I say "One can like it or not, but this is just how the game is played and how things work." is very different from me promoting this practice or supporting this. I don't know if you know this but a poor person has never approached me to build anything. My discipline plays by a clients terms (typically they are wealthy or have money to build something). Not mine.

You are also free to call out nonsense and hypocrisy, as I do all the time on this forum and real life, but don't forget that these organizations don't care about hypocrisy or nonsense either. They care about their social position and money. Once you have that in mind you can approach these matters in a way where you aren't motivated by emotion (because an abstract organization isn't a human being with emotion), but by reason. Reason that maybe can push organizations to change. You sound like someone who wants change. Maybe actually look at what brings change. Know how the game is played, then master it, then change it.

[hbg.50]

Feels like a manufactured crisis.  😀

[Skyboxdweller]

The tone of the statement on the use of the facility is all wrong. It has a dismissive quality and reeks of high self-regard that one might have heard in a statement that came out of the mouth of Leona Helmsely a decade ago.  The theme is :

 We're too busy with  our very important work  to shape  your community's future to actually get to know you and have you interact with our staff on a regular basis.  When we want to hear from you we'll schedule a meeting at a time and place convenient for us.

The Endowment could have gotten the information across in a way that does not make it seem like an insular, elitist institution walled off from the community it purports to serve.  The PR rep or communications officer should be given a lesson in how to "howdy". Unless  I am all wrong and the institution prides itself  as a place where one passes the Gray Poupon. 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

Just found this from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/dec/05/houston-texas-jesse-h-jones-the-endowment-headquarters

Edited December 13, 2022 by MidCenturyMoldy

[hindesky]

"The 40,000 square-foot building, which sits opposite Spotts Park and relocates the Endowment’s private office space from the JPMorgan Chase Tower downtown, was designed by an architectural team whose members share a love of Houston and won the Endowment’s 2019 international design competition."

https://www.houstoniamag.com/home-and-real-estate/2022/12/new-houston-endowment-building

[Triton]

It actually has some nice views

3683 Willia by Marc longoria, on Flickr

3683 Willia by Marc longoria, on Flickr