Minute Maid Park Mixed-Use Development

[X.R.]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:52 PM, steve1363 said:

Could be that those radio hosts were stuck at NRG away from the action?  Does anyone know where the media stayed?  I guess it was Westwood One Radio that covered all the games.

Remember the group of teams playing did not make a buzz nationally.  Apparently the men’s final 4 was the opposite of the women’s final 4 where Caitlin Clark was the undisputed star of the tournament.  The announcers said they felt like they were defending the men’s college game all week.  The announcer made the comment in that context…said he could not get a feel for the excitement about the men’s games.  This was about 2:00 Saturday afternoon before the gates were open at NRG.

I saw a tweet today that the games were a windfall for the city of Houston…so there’s that.

They were probably in the Woodlands. Wanted to work on their golf AND work the games. Little did they know it meant they had to work to get to the games.

[Houston19514]

On 2/20/2023 at 11:06 AM, shasta said:

but they will NEVER put a patch on their jersey.

I'm a huge fan of the Houston Astros organization but the OXY patch is a bad move.

Any chance you’ve noticed you could not have been more wrong?  Indeed, as I told you would happen, the Yankees sold  advertising patches on their jerseys.  https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-add-advertising-patch-to-jersey-sleeves-worth-reported-25-million-a-year/amp/
 

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Houston19514

[hbg.50]

6 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

Any chance you’ve noticed you could not have been more wrong?  Indeed, as I told you would happen, the Yankees are wearing advertising patches on their jerseys.

Ok!  You get the gold star on the internet!  You were right!  Your "told ya so" internet persona is much less likeable BUT you were right!  🤣

And I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the Yankees, considering all the other perversions in this day and age that are now considered "normal!"

[Twinsanity02]

11 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Ok!  You get the gold star on the internet!  You were right!  Your "told ya so" internet persona is much less likeable BUT you were right!  🤣

And I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the Yankees, considering all the other perversions in this day and age that are now considered "normal!"

I agree with much that you say. But one should not be surprised by what the teams are doing. Millions of people pay for clothing which gives free advertisement for companies or celebrities. The teams at least are getting some compensation.

[shasta]

14 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Any chance you’ve noticed you could not have been more wrong?  Indeed, as I told you would happen, the Yankees sold  advertising patches on their jerseys.  https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-add-advertising-patch-to-jersey-sleeves-worth-reported-25-million-a-year/amp/
 

 

I was wrong.

 

Yankees = no names on the back of the jerseys because it's about the TEAM, not an Individual plus we don't want to mess with our classic look.

 

Also, the Yankees= yeah we will add a cheesy patch on our jerseys for money

[BigFootsSocks]

18 hours ago, steve1363 said:

Ok!  You get the gold star on the internet!  You were right!  Your "told ya so" internet persona is much less likeable BUT you were right!  🤣

And I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the Yankees, considering all the other perversions in this day and age that are now considered "normal!"

Curious what these other perversions are

[cspwal]

1 minute ago, BigFootsSocks said:

Curious what these other perversions are

In 2017 the Yankees actually put names on the back of their uniforms for “players weekend”

https://www.nj.com/yankees/2019/08/yankees-aaron-boone-tired-of-silly-players-weekend-jerseys.html?outputType=amp

[LosFeliz]

Sure wish this would have gotten out of the ground before Crane decided to tear down another historic home. 

[hbg.50]

2 hours ago, BigFootsSocks said:

Curious what these other perversions are

Some things are best left to the imagination…

[houstontexasjack]

3 hours ago, BigFootsSocks said:

Curious what these other perversions are

I invoke Rule 34.

[samagon]

On 8/5/2023 at 4:03 PM, BigFootsSocks said:

Curious what these other perversions are

this thread just got real interesting

On 8/5/2023 at 6:58 PM, steve1363 said:

Some things are best left to the imagination…

awww :(

[goofy]

From x:

https://x.com/iammarybenton/status/1720151483025362995?s=42&t=fsBYoidunkKl3Yr6apX4AQ

 

at the state of downtown address, the astros showed off renderings of the mixed use plans and said “soon”

Edited November 2, 2023 by goofy

[shasta]

Is it one building...not a village?

 

Doesn't look very baseball-ey (i.e the district around the St. Louis Cardinal's stadium

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by shasta

[jhjones74]

4 minutes ago, shasta said:

Is it one building...not a village?

Doesn't look very baseball-ey (i.e the district around the St. Louis Cardinal's stadium

That rendering suggests a new building and a parking garage - definitely good to see progress here but as you can see below that's only a small dent in the surface parking lot oasis that surrounds Minute Maid

 

[shasta]

So they scaled this project back? I was thinking it was going to be multiple blocks similar to these Baseball oriented  villages in other cities.

 

The rendering doesn't scream "Baseball" or "Astros" to me.

Just looks like a hotel the Houston Astros are investing in.

[texan]

41 minutes ago, shasta said:

So they scaled this project back? I was thinking it was going to be multiple blocks similar to these Baseball oriented  villages in other cities.

 

The rendering doesn't scream "Baseball" or "Astros" to me.

Just looks like a hotel the Houston Astros are investing in.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think of this as just the first phase. The rendering is also clearly VERY preliminary. Looks more like a massing and lighting study accompanied by a drawing and site plan.

Edited November 2, 2023 by texan

[mattyt36]

Just now, texan said:

I don't think it's unreasonable to think of this as just the first phase. The rendering is also clearly VERY preliminary. Looks more like a massing and lighting study accompanied by a drawing and site plan.

💯

It's obviously a conceptual rendering

That said, I fear it would imply they aren't that far along

[monarch]

^^^ come on HAIFERS, can we become a bit more realistic here?  this is not DALLAS, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, or wherever... this is HOUSTON!  we are supposed to be the "FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION"... yet, basically, everything that we do here construction-wise is seemingly ULTRA CONSERVATIVE... STOIC... LETHARGIC... and looking like something right out of the 80's.  oh, and guess what, DALLAS is supposed to be the "CONSERVATIVE" city... right?  please allow us a moment to say THANK U to @goofy for taking the initiative to share these LONG-AWAITED renders/concepts of the proposed astros new downtown development.  however, they are a bit on par as to what i was guesstimating.  i have long realized that it's time to start tempering my expectations when it comes to houston development, as there just does not seem to be any real MAGIC here anymore.  heck, i'm almost too afraid to open and focus my eyes upon the forthcoming new GEORGE R. BROWN civic center renovations/upgrades renderings/concepts that are supposed to be due out at some point this fall.  somehow, i just know that i'm going to be a bit disappointed... especially, in lieu of DALLAS getting ready to break ground upon a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR brand spanking new civic center.  my gosh, their respective downtown region is going to be amazing.  they seem to have everything over houston lately.  what in the holy hell are we doing here?  DALLAS has just constructed a brand spanking new rangers ballpark (that they really did not need).  they subsequently constructed a DALLAS LIVE entertainment district to accompany their new ballpark which is elegant, lively, and very posh.  heck, our ASTROS are two-time WORLD CHAMPIONS, and what do they have?  (a very aging ballpark and a few new lackluster renderings/concepts of a forthcoming hotel etc..)  sigh... 

[LosFeliz]

That looks awful. 

It is Green Street. Parking, a hotel, and retail that doesn't look to engage the streets at all. There's even a skywalk it looks like.

And I know it's early but we built a "throwback" park with brick and a nod to Union Station and the village looks to be a Galleria 5 from 1988?

Edited November 2, 2023 by LosFeliz

[shasta]

look like one of those international style housing block whereas the Cardinals one LOOKS like a Baseball Village!

How hard is it to continue the aesthetic from MMP?

Even the apartment across the street tried to match the stadium.

Come on Houston Astros!!

[hbg.50]

The Twitter post was deleted.  😂

Such whiners on HAIF…. ugh!

[jhjones74]

19 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

The Twitter post was deleted.  😂

Such whiners on HAIF…. ugh!

Haha what are the odds the author saw this thread? I could see central Houston not wanting that leaked from the event too

Edited November 2, 2023 by jhjones74

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/11/02/houston-astros-hotel-entertainment-center.html

"The project will include a 17-story, 300-key hotel with approximately 60,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space, Giles Kibbe, Astros senior vice president and general counsel, said at Central Houston Inc.’s 2023 State of Downtown meeting on Nov. 2. The team plans to break ground on the project by the end of 2024. The mixed-use project will be located on Texas Avenue directly adjacent to the Astros’ ballpark."

-No formal timeline or costs noted

-Noted as in the "design development" phase.

-Still seeking hotel flag, retail/restaurant partners

-Hines is working with Crane/Astros as developer, HKS is master plan architect. Still seeking architect of record.

Edited November 2, 2023 by ChannelTwoNews
link

[mattyt36]

1 hour ago, ChannelTwoNews said:

The team plans to break ground on the project by the end of 2024.

-Noted as in the "design development" phase.

-Hines is working with Crane/Astros as developer, HKS is master plan architect. Still seeking architect of record.

Bingo.  People are literally complaining about something that by definition will not be built as the renderings show.

The delay of at least a year from today (and, what, five years from when the land was initially acquired?), however, leaves me scratching my head--didn't Crane sign some sort of MoU guaranteeing development by a certain date when he moved those houses?  If they're waiting on the economic environment to improve, I'd say there's a great chance it will slip further.  I guess they'd need to break ground by then, however, if they want to ensure it is open for the World Cup.

[mattyt36]

2 hours ago, shasta said:

look like one of those international style housing block whereas the Cardinals one LOOKS like a Baseball Village!

You say "Baseball Village" as if it weren't some recently invented term essentially tied to the Cardinals development.  Why not just say "it doesn't look like the Cardinals development whereas the Cardinals development LOOKS like . . . the Cardinals development!"

With Hines and HOK involved, hopefully it'll set a new standard and one appropriate for Houston.  Having been to the Cardinals development, I can say it's absolutely dead when there isn't a game (haven't been to Truist when there isn't a game, but I honestly don't know why anyone would want to go there when there wasn't one . . . like the AT&T Stadium/Globe Life silliness).  It's essentially a glorified pre-game concession stand.

[JClark54]

Chron piece on the same issue as the above Biz Journal one. 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/astros-minute-maid-ballpark-village-houston-18459743.php

[shasta]

10 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

You say "Baseball Village" as if it weren't some recently invented term essentially tied to the Cardinals development.  Why not just say "it doesn't look like the Cardinals development whereas the Cardinals development LOOKS like . . . the Cardinals development!"

With Hines and HOK involved, hopefully it'll set a new standard and one appropriate for Houston.  Having been to the Cardinals development, I can say it's absolutely dead when there isn't a game (haven't been to Truist when there isn't a game, but I honestly don't know why anyone would want to go there when there wasn't one . . . like the AT&T Stadium/Globe Life silliness).  It's essentially a glorified pre-game concession stand.

I've been there also. It feels baseball.

As far as it being dead, that probably has more to do with St. Louis having one of the worst downtowns in all of America. 

[arche_757]

This is exciting.  I’ve been off this site for a bit (since things are slow) and I login this am and see this.  Was hoping for maybe a bit larger hotel, but they’ve probably done the numbers and this works best.  There is no timeline -as stated- but I wonder if they will push to complete in time for World Cup?  Seems doable if there is movement early in ‘24.  (Apologies if I misread something further up.)

[ChannelTwoNews]

11 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

You say "Baseball Village" as if it weren't some recently invented term essentially tied to the Cardinals development.  Why not just say "it doesn't look like the Cardinals development whereas the Cardinals development LOOKS like . . . the Cardinals development!"

With Hines and HOK involved, hopefully it'll set a new standard and one appropriate for Houston.  Having been to the Cardinals development, I can say it's absolutely dead when there isn't a game (haven't been to Truist when there isn't a game, but I honestly don't know why anyone would want to go there when there wasn't one . . . like the AT&T Stadium/Globe Life silliness).  It's essentially a glorified pre-game concession stand.

I recall going to downtown St. Louis before and after the project was completed and for what it's worth, the Cardinals project was built somewhat piecemeal. 

The "Village" portion originally consisted of the building and plaza known as Cardinals Nation. This was also the first part of the "Live!" branding. The Loews hotel, office building (apparently the first Class-A space they had constructed downtown in 30 years!?!) and apartment tower followed a few years later.

There is still surface parking immediately adjacent to that project and it does have parking gates - even along one of the primary streets through it. Maybe those lots will be integrated into the overall project one day with additional development.

I mention all of that because I was curious about who owned the large lot that combined blocks (100/120 - ADLA/Rusk/Crawford/Capitol) just north of the Marriott Marquis. That overview that was posted before showed a possible extension of a skybridge or something to it though nothing was presently proposed for it. 

[goofy]

12 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

You say "Baseball Village" as if it weren't some recently invented term essentially tied to the Cardinals development.  Why not just say "it doesn't look like the Cardinals development whereas the Cardinals development LOOKS like . . . the Cardinals development!"

With Hines and HOK involved, hopefully it'll set a new standard and one appropriate for Houston.  Having been to the Cardinals development, I can say it's absolutely dead when there isn't a game (haven't been to Truist when there isn't a game, but I honestly don't know why anyone would want to go there when there wasn't one . . . like the AT&T Stadium/Globe Life silliness).  It's essentially a glorified pre-game concession stand.

I can’t imagine we’ll get something horrible. With good connectivity to MULTIPLE stadiums and THE sports architecture firm involved I think it’ll be okay. I think everyone is in check-writing mode and I think everyone knows the expectations are high. They just broke ground on a new hotel nearby. Greenstreet got the new puttshack and Toms Watch Bar. This part of down town is primed to pop I just hope we get EVEN MORE nice residential. 
 

I was downtown at HOB the other day and was shocked how many people were rolling around downtown on a school night. Unfortunately the only place open to eat was the Palm (but the food was good). I hope more amenities means more folks living downtown and a brighter nightlife. I wish this plan included some residential.