hindesky Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 While I was talking with the Arcosa/Cherry Demolition guys at the Fairfield Waugh they mentioned they have a job coming up in downtown at Texas Ave. & Congress St. I'm thinking to myself that those two streets don't intersect and are parallel streets but didn't say anything. Today I saw which building they were talking about. The Gulfstream Legal Group building at 1300 Texas Ave. It is fenced off. Assuming they will go here when finished at the Fairfield Waugh building. Curious what might be built here? I'm guessing it could temporarily be for the lay down yard/construction trailers for the contractor who will be building the new hotel across the street. https://gulfstreamlegal.com 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhjones74 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 This is interesting - looks like 1300 Texas isn't owned by the group building the hotel, unless it changed hands recently. The address listed on property records is a home in tanglewood. Seems like the building is vacant, with gulfstream legal having moved offices. Could the builders of the Holiday Inn have worked out a deal with the property owners to demolish and use the site during construction? Hopefully this doesn't end up turning into another surface lot that the hotel will be replacing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 I just recently noticed this building the other day and it never occurred to me how much of an eyesore it is. Even if it does turn in to a temporary parking lot, I think it's better than this thing still standing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATH Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Did the fence go farther south down Caroline in front of the three story building which was originally constructed for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company? At one time, the same people owned both buildings. It would be a shame if the Ridgway's Building was also being demolished. It's a stout cast in place concrete building originally designed by Robert Cummins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 5 hours ago, ATH said: Did the fence go farther south down Caroline in front of the three story building which was originally constructed for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company? At one time, the same people owned both buildings. It would be a shame if the Ridgway's Building was also being demolished. It's a stout cast in place concrete building originally designed by Robert Cummins. I think it's only this building 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 9 hours ago, ATH said: Did the fence go farther south down Caroline in front of the three story building which was originally constructed for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company? Only around the Gulfstream building and the parking lot behind it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 Blocking one lane of Texas Ave., a crew is doing asbestos abatement. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 Demo plumbing permit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 25, 2023 Author Share Posted March 25, 2023 Talked with a Arcosa/Cherry Demolition worker who the heavy equipment is expected to come on Monday after they finish at the Fairfield Waugh. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 29, 2023 Author Share Posted March 29, 2023 The Arcosa/Cherry excavator has shown up and the placed plywood in front of the light poles to protect them from debris. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Good to see something happening with this building. I walked past it while navigating the detours around the marathon earlier this year. Based on the way it was constructed, it looks to me like it might have been a bank at one time. Not one of those Greek-inspired bank buildings, but one built in the 80's, which might make sense because of the green marble accents. It's funny how brass and green marble fell out of fashion so quickly, and I learned to hate that style. Now I'm starting to think of it as historic and worthy of preservation. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Wait.. what? 3 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 2 hours ago, Nate99 said: Wait.. what? Houston's secret weapon against Austin... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 31, 2023 Author Share Posted March 31, 2023 Building demo permit. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 They were smashing on it today for the entertainment of the Final Four hotel guests. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 4, 2023 Author Share Posted April 4, 2023 https://ballisdevelopment.com/1300-texas-ave-615-caroline-st/ https://ballisdevelopment.com I wonder if these are their current plans for the two properties they seem to own/manage or plans have changed? 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 On 4/4/2023 at 1:20 PM, hindesky said: https://ballisdevelopment.com/1300-texas-ave-615-caroline-st/ https://ballisdevelopment.com I wonder if these are their current plans for the two properties they seem to own/manage or plans have changed? I think you're right! This looks to be their future plans while incorporating the little old building next door. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amlaham Posted April 6, 2023 Share Posted April 6, 2023 (edited) On 4/4/2023 at 1:20 PM, hindesky said: https://ballisdevelopment.com/1300-texas-ave-615-caroline-st/ https://ballisdevelopment.com I wonder if these are their current plans for the two properties they seem to own/manage or plans have changed? The new building looks almost identical to the old building, from where the main/how the entrance is, to the height difference between the two buildings :/ hopefully this was the original plan before they decided to tear down the building. Extremely boring/ bare minimum design. Hopefully plans change. Edited April 6, 2023 by Amlaham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 6, 2023 Author Share Posted April 6, 2023 1 hour ago, Amlaham said: The new building looks almost identical to the old building, from where the main/how the entrance is, to the height difference between the two buildings :/ hopefully this was the original plan before they decided to tear down the building. Extremely boring/ bare minimum design. Hopefully plans change. Plans must have changed and something else is now planned. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 6, 2023 Author Share Posted April 6, 2023 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofy Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 I wonder what the plan is for the older smaller building on the lot if the original plans to renovate this structure are dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATH Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 The developer's renderings indicate that the building at 615 Caroline is going to be saved. It's got a very nice history, having been built for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company in 1940. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 12, 2023 Author Share Posted April 12, 2023 The building is gone but they still have to dig up the basement. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 14, 2023 Author Share Posted April 14, 2023 Arcosa worker I talked with said the basement area is 15' deep. He said he thinks it's going to be a parking lot and they were originally going to demo the other building but plans changed and now Ballis Development is going to renovate it instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amlaham Posted April 14, 2023 Share Posted April 14, 2023 I swear this city takes 1 step forward, 5 steps back 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhjones74 Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 God I hope this isn't true. The city should really disincentivize creating surface parking lots like this, one way could be by taxing them at a higher rate than land with buildings. Because the free market really breaks down here - the owners of the land likely will make enough money on parking (particularly with the Astros season starting up) to justify destroying the building that was there, and not developing anything else. It's interesting that Gulfstream Legal Group, the tenants that were previously in the demolished building, now list their headquarters at 720 N Post Oak Rd. I was hoping that was just a temporary space while they were constructing a new headquarters, but it seems likely now that could be their new home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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