Mixed-Use Parking Garage At 820 Main St.

[KinkaidAlum]

The garage is neat if you are one for simple utilitarian design. I sometimes appreciate things that don't try to hide what they are truly built for. That said, to place this thing on Main Street in the heart of downtown facing the Metrorail, downtown's most exclusive residential building, the water features in Main Street Square, and just a few blocks away from Macy's and the new Pavilions is very short-sighted.

If any place deserved a "hidden" garage it would have been this lot. I would have appreciated an attempt such as Congress Plaza (serves the courthouses) or the new McGovern Garage (serving the Texas Med Center). The latter's water wall feature would have balanced nicely with the water features in Main Street Square.

[lockmat]

I don't mean any offense to anyone here, but I am amazed how little architectural knowledge there is among the members of this forum, especially for a forum about architecture.

Anyone who has seen this building or pictures of it and still thinks that they might add a skin to it has no understanding of the significance of what is called exposed concrete, or even better, architectural concrete.

Even though they did a terrible job with this building, the concrete on the facade, with the little holes and the defined reveals and pattern, is considered a premium finish. Yes, Hines paid a premium for this concrete. It is not raw or unfinished as suggested by some. It is a premium, architectural grade concrete wall. It will not be covered up by any skin (unless Hines holds the contractor responsible for doing such a bad job on the concrete finish and makes them cover it up)

And yes it is plain concrete, it could be much better, but is not half as bad as described previously. I for one think it is much better than that fake stone looking parking garage attached to the Commerce Towers, and better than many parking garages in the city. It is clean, modern, honest and makes no apologies. It is a parking garage than is not disguised as something else, and it reflects the true identity of the city, one that is 100% car centric.

I'm more surprised there aren't more architects in this forum. If there are I haven't seen them claim it. But I'm also not surprised of the lack of architectual knowledge, as having an interest in architecture does not require knowledge about it. Beauty doesn't always need to be taught.

And although I'm not any more knowledgable than the next guy, I thought by looking at that picture that the finish may indeed have been the final intentions. But if you look at it, the corners and sharp edges are very pleasing to this eye's beholder. At the same time, unless someone has any knowledge that this type of concrete finish is actually a style, they might hold this technique as ugly. It's funny that a little knowledge of how things are held in regard or supposed to be can change ones opinion, as seen from the response of HAIFers. Opinions aside, I would bet that if most knew this concrete finish was en vogue and respected by architects, their appreciation for it would be different, as well as their reaction.

And if anything, this forum might be change to Houston Development Info Forum as that seems to be the main interest of most here, while the architecture of it is important but still secondary.

Edited July 17, 2007 by lockmat

[mls1202]

My guess...this parking garage was done on the cheap to serve an immediate need with minimal investment and act as a placeholder. Should the real estate landscape change, it would be fairly easy (in my uneducated opinion) to demolish this for a higher value project.

Maybe I'm deluding myself

[TheNiche]

My guess...this parking garage was done on the cheap to serve an immediate need with minimal investment and act as a placeholder. Should the real estate landscape change, it would be fairly easy (in my uneducated opinion) to demolish this for a higher value project.

Maybe I'm deluding myself

Nope, this is way too expensive a placeholder, and its value as parking is immense as a stimulant of downtown office demand. If demolished, it would only have to be rebuilt somewhere else.

[GovernorAggie]

Nope, this is way too expensive a placeholder, and its value as parking is immense as a stimulant of downtown office demand. If demolished, it would only have to be rebuilt somewhere else.

Good point, but does anyone know if it was built strong enough to possibly hold a building in the future?

[violet]

The lights don't look nearly as intrusive as made out to be. Perhaps an actual picture from a Commerce Tower resident, from their window - so that we can truly feel their pain?

Since Friday, July 13th, the lights on the roof and half of the parking garage had been shut off after 8pm. The glare that you now see are a fraction of what it was for the first week. It would seem, the collective grumblings of a lot of people had some people listening. Of course, that may all change when the garage is officially opened.

[jt16]

If it were clean looking it might work a bit better but that still doesn't explain the smudges all over it, particularly the lower part. That really adds to the unfinished look. By the way the 3rd photo didn't work.

So to the connoisseur of architectural concrete, it looks fine, but to the layman, I still think the building looks strange and unfinished.

The overall design doesn't bother me too much. It actually reminds me a bit of the El Paso building (if you squint and pretend there are windows).

It's just the "architectural concrete" with smudges look that bothers me as seen in the Highway's photo above.

I just got busted at work squinting and staring at this screen.

[dalparadise]

I just got busted at work squinting and staring at this screen.

Any development along the rail line has the potential to be an interesting and constructive addition to Downtown. It just takes a little vision. We often dismiss things too quickly because of an over-zealous desire for Manhattan-style developments.

[mls1202]

Looking at the picture above ^^^, is that street level retail in the bottom right?

[Mister X]

Thanks for posting that photo. I was expecting something much much worse from all the negitive comments. I think you guys prepared me for something so incredibly bad that this garage just couldn't live down to it. Don't get me wrong, it's not pretty, but I can handle this. This sinks into the background at least. It could have been much worse, it could have been ugly AND stood out from a distance. It's so boring, I'm very surprised it's getting this much attention. Must be because of the hype.

[musicman]

Any development along the rail line has the potential to be an interesting and constructive addition to Downtown. It just takes a little vision. We often dismiss things too quickly because of an over-zealous desire for Manhattan-style developments.

concur.

[sevfiv]

Looking at the picture above ^^^, is that street level retail in the bottom right?

yes - here is a view from main and walker:

Thanks for posting that photo. I was expecting something much much worse from all the negitive comments.

imo, on the main street side it actually blends a little because of Battelstein's, but on the Travis side not so much (next to 801 Travis (?))

[Jeebus]

We often dismiss things too quickly because of an over-zealous desire for Manhattan-style developments.

I agree completely. I feel as Houstonians we are still in the "beggars aren't choosers" stage of urban planning & development. Hey, we got a nine-story garage on the downtown Main St. corridor. This will only promote more growth for downtown.

Thanks for posting that photo. I was expecting something much much worse from all the negitive comments. I think you guys prepared me for something so incredibly bad that this garage just couldn't live down to it. Don't get me wrong, it's not pretty, but I can handle this. This sinks into the background at least. It could have been much worse, it could have been ugly AND stood out from a distance. It's so boring, I'm very surprised it's getting this much attention. Must be because of the hype.

I again agree that the negative hype definately softened the blow for what I was ultimately expecting. It honestly doesn't look that bad. We're going to be in denial if we think for whatever reason we could redevelop downtown with out at least a handful or so of these popping up before its all said & done.

Edited July 18, 2007 by Jeebus

[violet]

Thanks for posting that photo. I was expecting something much much worse from all the negitive comments. I think you guys prepared me for something so incredibly bad that this garage just couldn't live down to it. Don't get me wrong, it's not pretty, but I can handle this. This sinks into the background at least. It could have been much worse, it could have been ugly AND stood out from a distance. It's so boring, I'm very surprised it's getting this much attention. Must be because of the hype.

Possible, but I don't know if the photos can really translate this garage. It's symmetrical, parallel, and functional....it's a giant parking garage. However, notice that there is very little concrete b/w the floor and ceiling...meaning that when this is used, all that will really be seen are the entirety of the cars. The retaining wires are all that comes b/w us and them. Also, try viewing this thing at night. There is no blending, anywhere...the lights are intrusive, and ridiculously bright. It looks really out of place when viewed next to the Esperson.

[Jax]

Nobody expected a nice parking garage until Hines said it would be "architecturally significant", what's what caused all of the hype. It's not like people would be talking about just any parking garage. I agree that at least it has retail. Now let's see how long it takes to fill that retail in with something nice.

[GovernorAggie]

It kinda makes me think "U.S.S.R"

[Trae]

Even SA can get a nice looking parking garage:

It is the one under construction.

Edited July 18, 2007 by Trae

[musicman]

Even SA can get a nice looking parking garage:

It is the one under construction.

Even SA? that doesn't look nice either IMO.

[Deut28Thirteen]

^we do have some nice ones this is in the TMC.

[musicman]

^we do have some nice ones this is in the TMC.

i like the one with the double water wall in TMC.

[MidtownCoog]

SA might have a "nice" parking garage, but that Drury Plaza Hotel sign kills everything. So tacky.

[Jeebus]

SA might have a "nice" parking garage, but that Drury Plaza Hotel sign kills everything. So tacky.

Exactly. It's subjectively tit-for-tat when it comes to judging each city's ability to build architecturally pleasing environments.

[Jax]

I noticed that the Mosaic rental center is made out of this same type of concrete, but it appears to have been painted (or stained?) a uniform grey color and it actually looks kind of nice and very clean. I wish I had a photo to show the comparison, but when I look at this, it makes me almost sure that they are going to at least paint it or do something with the garage on main, especially with the new tower going up across the street.

Is there any more news from the residents of Commerce Towers? Have they changed anything lately?

Edited July 27, 2007 by Jax

[Trae]

Yeah, that looks nice:

If this was built Downtown (with some ground floor retail), it wouldn't be all that bad:

[violet]

Did you ever think you'd live to see news coverage of a parking garage on TV? Check out Fox 26 tonight (Friday) at 9 pm.

[Jax]

Here's the link.

[Guest Marty]

I notice several things in this video.

#1 The light fixtures does not have a shield that blocks the light from going horizontal.

#2 The headlight's should not be a problem since they will have to put up the barricade that stops the vehicles from going over the edge.

#3 That would drive anyone insane with 24/7 sunlight shining into your windows.

[dalparadise]

I notice several things in this video.

#2 The headlight's should not be a problem since they will have to put up the barricade that stops the vehicles from going over the edge.

Nope -- those cables are the barrier, I believe.

[houstonsemipro]

Who cares how a parking garage looks! All you doing is parking your car and getting the hell out.

Whomever came up with this topic was really bored.

[Jax]

I take for granted you didn't read much of the discussion then, Houston Semi Pro.