Downtown Real Estate

[Guest danax]

The Franklin Lofts are at 201 Main and was formerly known as the First National Bank. They suggest that they are the first "skyscraper" in Houston (built in 1904). The lofts occupy 3rd-8th floors. These were beautiful large lofts but also a little pricey (270's - 700's). The views of downtown and north to UHD and Buffalo Bayou were nice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My son and I took the MetroRail to the car show on Saturday and checked out the Franklin Lofts on the way back to the car. That old building is cool and I liked the fact that they had sound-proofed the walls and floors. It was so quiet in there.

I did try out Tropioca also. The hot green chai with vanilla soymilk was good.

[Lowbrow]

I stopped at the car show after hitting a few places in midtown too. I still like the Park Lofts at Crawford and Elgin. I wish it wasnt such a walk to the rail from there (my calves are pretty tight today). I wimped out on Tropioca... it was the only place open that I saw that morning. My sister brought me some lime tea thing with the tapioca balls in it once.. it didnt sit with me well.

The car show was a blast but I somehow missed out on 3 of the cars I wanted to see the most: Aston Martin DB9, Vanquish, and the Audi RS4 wagon. Guess I walked thorugh too quick. Loved the GT40 and the 2000GT... oh and the hemicudas.

[bachanon]

what a strange coincidence. i went to the car show and had tapioca too(at the shepherd teahouse location). my nephew and i had chai cream tapioca.

funny.

[111486]

Who will be the first to spark residential development in the parking lots near the Toyota Center and other parts of downtown? Maybe I am unaware about the residential development that will be happening in downtown for the future, but it seems like other than Shamrock Tower, there is not much going on in that field.

I have a feeling that downtown could have a greater residential boom than nearby midtown, but developers are not giving it a chance. If one developer comes in, that could spark interest for developing the rest of the land near the convention center, but I still fail to see that. There are several residential developments on the outskirts of downtown such as Sabine Street, Lofts at the Ballpark, and the 2 new Sterrett Street projects, but look where they are are located. They might as well be in midtown. None of these projects will really have a direct impact on the core of downtown, which is really needed for a city the size of Houston.

Downtown has made some drastic changes latley to become more of a neighborhood rather than another office park, but in order for this to happen, we need people. I don't know, I just wish Houston would stop catering to suburban Uptown and worry about the areas that can really change the face of the city. Downtown has too much potential, with surface lots waiting to be used, but developers fail to realize that.

[KinkaidAlum]

Shamrock Tower seems to get all the attention but there are others in different stages that include...

1) A proprosed 30 story tower by the Clarion Corp. located near the public library.

2) Ballpark Place still hasn't officially been called off. Plans have changed from for sale condos with office space to a fully rental residential building standing 29 floors above street level

3) Initial interest in converting the shuttered Days Inn Hotel into condos

4) A 5 unit condo/brownstone development proposed for Leeland

5) Franklin Towers at 32 floors. This is a mystery but a rendering is floating around out there on the web

6) Washington Place Lofts III, a proposed 12 story loft development just on the other side of the bayou from UH Downtown

7) Conversion of Randall Davis' St. Germain from rental to for sale condos

8) The Herrin Lofts conversion of the Herrin bldg just to the East of US 59

9) The Edge, which will stand in the shadows of the Pierce Elevated

10) Rumors of Post Properties adding to their Midtown development (just across I-45 from downtown proper

11) talk of adding a residential/hotel tower to Bayou Place

[Subdude]

There is also a chance that the Texaco building will end up as at least partly residential, since the hotel concept seems to be not happening in the short run. I apologize for not having the source, but I thought I read (HBJ maybe) at some point that, while an "official" announcement wouldn't be made, that Ballpark Place was indeed cancelled. We can only hope on that one.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[jt16]

It's the land on Bagby across from the Heritage building and the Allen Center. It's currently a surface lot.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[Guest danax]

what a strange coincidence.  i went to the car show and had tapioca too(at the shepherd teahouse location).  my nephew and i had chai cream tapioca.

funny.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have yet to try the tapioca deal. The car that stole the show, in my opinion, was the four-twelve concept car (Chrysler?). What a beautifully designed machine.

[Lowbrow]

Yep, the Chrysler ME412. 850 hp. top speed of 248mph and 2.9 seconds 0-60. sick.

But its really a Mercedes.

[The Great Hizzy!]

No, a Mercedes-Benz is really a Chrysler.

[77017]

It really chaps my ass there's no gas station in dt proper (besides leeland@hamilton, I'm talkin bout the heart of dt). Man if I was asian or middle eastern (nice stereotyping huh?) id be gettin rich off a dt gas station. So there's a reason no one opens one right? Land prices? Who knows.

[MidtownCoog]

There used to be an Exxon inside downtown a few years back.

Smith at St. Joseph, I think.

Bad idea jeans. Leave them in Midtown.

[Subdude]

There used to be one on the ground floor of the Exxon parking garage on the Milam side, but it closed so they could fit in more parking. It was probably the most expensive gas in the city! A gas station downtown would be nice, but at least the Chevron in Midtown isn't too far away.

[Houston19514]

There is also a chance that the Texaco building will end up as at least partly residential, since the hotel concept seems to be not happening in the short run.  I apologize for not having the source, but I thought I read (HBJ maybe) at some point that, while an "official" announcement wouldn't be made, that Ballpark Place was indeed cancelled.  We can only hope on that one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The plans for the Texaco building have always included a residential component; both when it was originally slated to be a Ritz-Carlton and in the second iteration when it was slated to be a Renaissance.

[UrbaNerd]

Was the Chrysler Firepower there?

[The Great Hizzy!]

1) The completion of construction on Commerce, particularly between Fannin and Milam, has provided a very charming corridor that makes the Spaghetti Warehouse building look a lot less isolated. It also does a decent job of psychologically tying in Main Street with the Allen's Landing area. People are more willing to park near here and stroll up Main Street. I was surprised last night by the number of people walking from Spaghetti Warehouse to places like Empire Bar.

2) It's a good sign for the area when El Rey is open late (like after 11:00PM) on a Thursday night.

3) Weather is very important to downtown's vibe. If there's even a hint of rain, you can expect things to slow down. Last night proved the opposite; a bit chilly, yes, but clearer skies give people more confidence to head out. Last night looked almost as busy as last Saturday night, which is pretty cool.

4) Curse be upon the owners of the entire "Jefe" indignation. They have no clue what to do with the site and it is ruining the flow of action on Main Street between Preston Station and Texas Avenue. It doesn't help that two units down, on the other side of Grasshopper, is another empty storefront that seems to be screaming for some type of shop or eatery as well. This will all probably look a lot less conspicuous once Glo opens across the street.

5) Azumi's (sp?) presence in the Rice is great. Along with Sambuca (and Bossa across the street, this section of Texas Avenue looks very cool and upscale, and it's great watching people hang out under those hanging lights from the balconies at the Rice.

6. I didn't realize that the Calpine Center had the potential to house ground level retail. There are about two units on either side of the main entrance that appear to be waiting for someone to move in, and they're not offices, or at least I don't think so.

7. I'm now in favor of a residential project in Phase II of Bayou Place. A 200-unit dwelling of some sort, with units priced mostly around $180 - $250K. The disconnect of Bayou Place from its surroundings will probably be best eliminated if you have people in the area who have a vested interest in being there on a consistent basis. The theater crowd is there but they're only there for certain nights and only for about three or four hours. Residents have a lot more reason to stroll over and take advantage of what the complex has to offer. As for Bayou Place, it's also too bad that Jones Plaza isn't used much between November and March. That really amplifies the lack of activity at Bayou Place compared to Main Street or Market Square.

8. The Shamrock would really complete the urban landscape of Main Street in northern downtown. It's absence is conspicuous, and just like the Jefe Bar fiasco, there is a disconnect in place between one section of Main Street's action and the rest.

All in all, a lot to like. One thing that is without dispute, Main Street is very well lit, and the streetscape is very appealing for the pedestrian. It's too bad that Main Street can't look like it did this past Thursday night on Mon-Wed as well.

[Lowbrow]

I did the Alley theatre on tuesday (Arthur Miller play) and walked around this area after the show. Ate at the Market Square Pub or Bistro or whatever it is. It was cold but very enjoyable. Wanted to pull my cohorts around and tell them about all the plans for the area but funny how I'm rather alone in my excitement. Oh well... was fun.

[Sunstar]

One of the biggest challenges is going to be tying North Main to Main Street Square. Once you get south of Rusk, things change quite a bit. The redevelopment of the West Building as well as the new CVS pharmacy and the businesses in Commerce towers should help quite a bit (has Stallone's opened yet?).

[Houston Retail]

Stallone's is tied up in permit hell.

I like your observations Hizzy. I worry about that north west quadrant of activity. Franklin St coffee is very cool, Ive met cool people who hang out there. Actually one of the guys I met told me that he had lived in the Bayou lofts for 2 years and never met or talked to his neighbors before Franklin was opened. It really goes to show how retail can bring together a community. Other than that and 6 degrees, there isnt much there and people who are walking north on main typically turn around once they hit the huge mosque because they dont see any activity. I guess that gives the retailers on the north character and a seperate identity from the club scene.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Someone mentioned that the mosque is moving because they can't handle the rent (or something to that affect). If that's true, what do you all think would work in that building? It looks a tad too big for a club but also doesn't look like a good setup for residential or a hotel.

Thoughts?

[VelvetJ]

Someone mentioned that the mosque is moving because they can't handle the rent (or something to that affect). If that's true, what do you all think would work in that building? It looks a tad too big for a club but also doesn't look like a good setup for residential or a hotel.

Thoughts?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard the mosque was considering moving because parking was a issue. I'm not sure, but not meaning to offend anyone, I have always thought that was a terrible location for a mosque, and if it's true it is moving to another location, I'm pleased.

This may sound a little corny but I think a mixed use restaurant in the lines of something by Monica Pope would be nice there. When I say mixed use, I mean during the weekdays it is a restaurant and on Friday and Saturday nights, it is converted to a nice club. The restaurant could close on Fridays and Saturdays at 10pm and open as a club from 11-2. The bar would already be there and they could just remove the dinner tables and place a couple of cool pieces of furniture in the corners and people could dance in the middle. The hour it is closed could be used to transform the place.

If any of you guys remember, there was a restaurant in the Montrose on California street called Sanoma. It was a restaurant until Midnight, where it became a gay dance club. The first time I went there, my friend didn't tell me, and we are sitting at the table finishing our drinks when the waiters all came out and began removing the tables. They said we could stay until we were done, and before you knew it, the sounds of Madonna filled the room and Drag queens were coming up the stairs.

Just an idea.

[VelvetJ]

Or how about a much smaller version of a entertainment center like Dave and Busters with a couple of pool tables, some video games, a snack area, etc. A Dave and Busters or a Jillians in a downtown?

I suppose turning it into a movie house with 2 or 3 screens that only show old or classic movies is out, due to the close proximity of the Angelica.

To be quite honest, I have no idea how large the place is in terms of open space, or if it even has a second floor. Either way, I hope the space is used wisely.

[Lowbrow]

Yeah, parking was the issue I had heard about that sight. I think the lot adjacent to it will only hold 15 or 20 cars.

I wouldnt mind seeing something like a museum or something of that nature at that location. I'd like to see more reasons to go downtown during the day.

[ssullivan]

Parking wouldn't be an issue for that building if people were willing to stop being lazy and walk a block or two. There's only a few thousand parking spaces within four blocks of that building.

[Lowbrow]

On a similar note, I heard that little parking lot on Franklin across from the Franklin Lofts, designated for jurors I beleive, was slated to become a green space.

Pretty damn small green space, but I'm not complaining.

[The New Juniper]

The plans for the Texaco building have always included a residential component; both when it was originally slated to be a Ritz-Carlton and in the second iteration when it was slated to be a Renaissance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Texaco Building is going condo in the near future. A little bird told me....

[uncertaintraveler]

Which one is the Texaco building? Is that the same as the Heritage building--the one that is intended to look like an aztec/mayan temple?

[The Great Hizzy!]

No. The Texaco Building is a much older building sitting on a block bounded by Fannin, San Jacinto, Capitol and Rusk. It's the block across from the new Club Quarters.