X Houston: Residential High-Rise At 5501 La Branch St.

[004n063]

It could be a lot worse. There's no surface parking, there's street-level engagement, the footprint is less than a full block, it's walking distance from a red line stop, and it adds density and helps mitigate the inflation of older housing stock.

That said, the building sits on a truly horrifying behemoth of a parking podium, and personally I am grossed out by such monuments to car culture. I also think it's a bit of an eyesore aesthetically, but I care less about that part. A good mural could go a long way.

But yeah, it's tough for me to muster much enthusiasm for this. I know it's a net good to build more homes for rich people, but personally, I'm more excited by, like, the new sidewalks on Hawthorne.

[Montrose1100]

Y'all can like this Big Ugly Box on La Branch. I'm going to criticize it.

It's missing a thin brick arch near the entrance. Randall Davis Co presents: "The Aqueduct".

[cityliving]

It may not be the most architecturally attractive structure but I still enjoy photographing it simply for capturing the development of Houston, plus the views of the city are pretty cool too. 👍

Edited September 1, 2023 by cityliving

[monarch]

 

https://youtu.be/ZbZSe6N_BXs

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[hindesky]

 

[cityliving]

[cityliving]

[X.R.]

On 9/1/2023 at 7:12 AM, 004n063 said:

It could be a lot worse. There's no surface parking, there's street-level engagement, the footprint is less than a full block, it's walking distance from a red line stop, and it adds density and helps mitigate the inflation of older housing stock.

That said, the building sits on a truly horrifying behemoth of a parking podium, and personally I am grossed out by such monuments to car culture. I also think it's a bit of an eyesore aesthetically, but I care less about that part. A good mural could go a long way.

But yeah, it's tough for me to muster much enthusiasm for this. I know it's a net good to build more homes for rich people, but personally, I'm more excited by, like, the new sidewalks on Hawthorne.

I would say that first paragraph of your outweights the second to me. Add in some semblance of retail and the podium isn't too bothersome. But I do generally agree with the second paragraph, podiums suck and I'm hoping they cover the other side (after talking to some people at the project while walking by, I think they are?).

Boone Manor's landscaping and dog friendliness changed the neighborhood, at least in my eyes. Lots of people dog walking, kids playing, and people stopping and talking to each other. That did not happen when old lady boone's hostel/bike shop/etc was there. Boone is a magnet for people interactions. If the landscaping is even just passable at the X, again, its better than what was there before, and if there is retail then we add another potential magnet for people interractions. Layering different walkable experiences on top of each other to make a neighborhood. Hoping the X does that. Just finish that podium 🫠

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[strickn]

U R 2 hy N D sky

Edited September 23, 2023 by strickn
👀

[sailor]

Noticed that all work has stopped since last week. Financial problems ??

Also, scaffolding on North wall needs to be taken down.

[ChannelTwoNews]

On 9/24/2023 at 9:13 AM, sailor said:

Noticed that all work has stopped since last week. Financial problems ??

Also, scaffolding on North wall needs to be taken down.

Hmm...

Their initial tower under construction in Phoenix has come to a stop. A second tower there is still slated for a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow. Different contractors and vendors involved there though.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2023/09/22/construction-halted-downtown-phoenix-tower.html?cx_testId=39&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

[cityliving]

They did a concrete pour yesterday and the tower crane was moving around today when i took pics, so some activity is going on.

[hindesky]

They are working, I saw several workers and could hear machinery running. Plus the tower crane has it's block lowered which is a no no if not using the crane.  I count 30 floors.

 

[stuckINdallas]

This thing looks atrocious.

[stuckINdallas]

Uh-ohh! Not sure what this means for this project. 

https://www.abc15.com/news/business/downtown-x-phoenix-tower-construction-shuts-down-owners-wont-comment?fbclid=IwAR0dwKczto1NSIJ5ukWyGE5qXIUzBI-jy3ayQW_e0VYq4QAtLc7BBRQjtbY_aem_AURTqQReTmlUWsh6BmyykBFETJFwDdyeYrfX4hHjEM-qs3LZuSAGv2EH7X2lvJCYCwY

[Triton]

Does anybody know when they plan to demo this tower?

[Nate_56]

I'll take this tower over a surface lot any day.

[BigFootsSocks]

18 hours ago, Triton said:

Does anybody know when they plan to demo this tower?

Right after the Holiday Inn in downtown

[Triton]

This is an architecture forum that has a focus on design and I'd rather take a neighborhood park over this eyesore. 

[Nate_56]

42 minutes ago, Triton said:

This is an architecture forum that has a focus on design and I'd rather take a neighborhood park over this eyesore. 

Ehhh good infill development lmao

[houstontexasjack]

1 hour ago, Triton said:

This is an architecture forum that has a focus on design and I'd rather take a neighborhood park over this eyesore. 

But it wouldn’t be a neighborhood park. The site was previously a parking lot. 
 

Getting good architecture, in my view, is a lot like panning for gold and separating it from the sand. You need lots infill to motivate folks to stand out from the crowd.

[LosFeliz]

I'd MUCH rather have a surface parking lot than an exposed towering parking garage that kills street life. 

A surface parking lot has future potential. This is going to age like hot milk.

 

[houstontexasjack]

28 minutes ago, LosFeliz said:

I'd MUCH rather have a surface parking lot than an exposed towering parking garage that kills street life. 

A surface parking lot has future potential. This is going to age like hot milk.

 

The first floor on this one has retail space planned. And, if the sidewalks around Boone Manor nearby are an indication, the updated sidewalks around this will be a substantial improvement.

The exposed garage is not attractive but there is at least the potential for a mural on it (developer indicated they were going to do that).

[Brooklyn173]

I've always been of the mind that a mural is the sign of a failed design. Lipstick on a pig.

[Triton]

8 hours ago, LosFeliz said:

I'd MUCH rather have a surface parking lot than an exposed towering parking garage that kills street life. 

A surface parking lot has future potential. This is going to age like hot milk.

 

Exactly. With so much concrete wall everywhere, it will eventually start looking like this crap that was demo'd. We all love infill on this site, we can agree about that, especially when it takes a parking lot away. But we absolutely must accept when there's an eyesore being created that we're going to have to live with... Just like we've been talking about the eyesore that is the Mercer Condominiums in the Galleria on this site for almost 2 decades now on HAIF. 

 

[Ross]

7 hours ago, Triton said:

Exactly. With so much concrete wall everywhere, it will eventually start looking like this crap that was demo'd. We all love infill on this site, we can agree about that, especially when it takes a parking lot away. But we absolutely must accept when there's an eyesore being created that we're going to have to live with... Just like we've been talking about the eyesore that is the Mercer Condominiums in the Galleria on this site for almost 2 decades now on HAIF. 

 

When that building(the old Shell Services/computing center) was built, it was the epitome of current thinking. It was definitely a good example of Brutalist design. Tastes change.

It is a fact that any high-rise residential structure in Houston is going to have a parking podium. There just aren't that many people who would rent in a building that does not have parking.