SYNC Med Center: Multifamily At 2950 Old Spanish Trl.

[houstonranger]

Anyone know what is going up on OST, just west of 288, and just north and a bit west of the Yellowstone Urban Loft Townhouses? Its a relatively small piece of land...Drove by the other day and it caught my eye....

Looks like apartments or offices? Could even be more townhouses?

That area certainly seems to be developing....Proximity to TMC no doubt a factor, although it seems the area could benefit from some more retail outlets etc

[TheNiche]

Anyone know what is going up on OST, just west of 288, and just north and a bit west of the Yellowstone Urban Loft Townhouses? Its a relatively small piece of land...Drove by the other day and it caught my eye....

Looks like apartments or offices? Could even be more townhouses?

That area certainly seems to be developing....Proximity to TMC no doubt a factor, although it seems the area could benefit from some more retail outlets etc

I don't know what it is that is under construction, though I drive by frequently.

Strange thing about trying to put retail in that area is that because there are so many students that live around the Astrodome, it throws off the demographics. If you compare educational attainment to household income, it really shows. Lots of college-educated people, many with graduate degrees, but relatively low earnings. Add to that the diversity, as well as the large black population immediately to the east, and it becomes such a muddled mess within which retailers have difficulty successfully targeting any one group or justifying their presence.

That may be why the retail center at Almeda and OST has been slow to lease up.

[houstonranger]

Well, there is large amount of wood in the area, that's for sure....

Pretty sure its on OST - near to the new restaurant that is about to open.

Doe anyone know??

[Vertigo58]

Well, there is large amount of wood in the area, that's for sure....

Pretty sure its on OST - near to the new restaurant that is about to open.

Doe anyone know??

Not really, but since we are on the subject of OST, and again I dont know if anyone has a post on this, but OST must have had a surge in popularity at one time. If someone from the area or a good historian can divulge OST's beginnings.

There are only vague reminders of swank nightclubs, movie theaters, cool designed motels (like the Tee Pee & The Alamo styled ones) and lots of old restaurants. The boulevard was wide and spacious so it could have been fantastic for development. It is a real shame that the city apparently went West? and this area was left high and dry.

The numerous old hotels must have gone up before the Astrodome was opened so OST was the place to be for some reason? There are several websites out there but none speak specifically of the Houston section of OST and the nightlife. I saw a couple of photos somewhere that showed celebrities like Bob Hope attending grand openings of some popular dance club that featured heavy set women. My mom said that was the rage because the women were heavy but pretty (1940's).

Drive down OST towards the U of H/MacGregor area and then turn back west and see what a beautiful scene it must have been especially when the sun is setting. More than likely people that stayed at the old Shamrock Hotel would venture east too? not just north and south Main?

There is still an old BIG movie theater standing now a gospel revival place but I do remember when it was showing mostly movies like Shaft & Blacula. Sevfiv can you provide a photo??? Tks

Wait! ...Lets try this! http://cinematreasures.org/theater/12116/

[sevfiv]

There is still an old BIG movie theater standing now a gospel revival place but I do remember when it was showing mostly movies like Shaft & Blacula. Sevfiv can you provide a photo??? Tks

haha, yes:

[MidtownCoog]

It's very simple. OST is Alt. 90, and Alt. 90 was the "alternate" to US Route 90.

[sevfiv]

yep. the southern route 66

http://www.drivetheost.com/

[Subdude]

Not really, but since we are on the subject of OST, and again I dont know if anyone has a post on this, but OST must have had a surge in popularity at one time. If someone from the area or a good historian can divulge OST's beginnings.

There are only vague reminders of swank nightclubs, movie theaters, cool designed motels (like the Tee Pee & The Alamo styled ones) and lots of old restaurants. The boulevard was wide and spacious so it could have been fantastic for development. It is a real shame that the city apparently went West? and this area was left high and dry.

The numerous old hotels must have gone up before the Astrodome was opened so OST was the place to be for some reason? There are several websites out there but none speak specifically of the Houston section of OST and the nightlife. I saw a couple of photos somewhere that showed celebrities like Bob Hope attending grand openings of some popular dance club that featured heavy set women. My mom said that was the rage because the women were heavy but pretty (1940's).

Drive down OST towards the U of H/MacGregor area and then turn back west and see what a beautiful scene it must have been especially when the sun is setting. More than likely people that stayed at the old Shamrock Hotel would venture east too? not just north and south Main?

There is still an old BIG movie theater standing now a gospel revival place but I do remember when it was showing mostly movies like Shaft & Blacula. Sevfiv can you provide a photo??? Tks

Wait! ...Lets try this! http://cinematreasures.org/theater/12116/

OST in Houston was built in the late 1930s as a bypass route. For more information, look here, or here, or here.

[Vertigo58]

Job well done, pretty much summed it all up I must say!

I still think it's ashamed the city progressed west and left this a barren waste land. At least not a very profitable and inhabitable one. (Speaking for east side of OST towards MacGregor area) Unless Donald Trump comes to the rescue and builds a mega-casino?

Edited February 12, 2007 by Vertigo58

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I still think it's ashamed the city progressed west and left this a barren waste land. At least not a very profitable and inhabitable one. (Speaking for east side of OST towards MacGregor area)

I find the area quite habitable. It's definitely underserved by retail, but quite habitable nonetheless. It's very convenient (0-10 minutes) to enough retail outlets (Gulfgate, Pearland, Meyerland, Midtown, Galleria) that the lack of retail in the immediate area is not that big a deal.

There is definitely a good amount of vacant land in the area, but it's still home to tens of thousands of people.

I would say that it's very habitable, and in fact, the available land would seem to make it a profitable area as well. I know there are new homes going up in every neighborhood around us...South Union, Foster Place, Riverside Terrace, Scott Terrace. That ain't for charity!

BTW, closer to the original topic, I noticed this weekend that there is finally some construction activity on the old Ranger Motel site. The site has been cleared, and I believe there are some utilities in the ground.

Steve's Cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant, just opened up next to Guy's Meat Market. I haven't eaten at that location yet, but I've been to the one on Scott Street at UH a number of times. It's not the best I've ever had, but it's good and definitely convenient.

Edited February 12, 2007 by Original Timmy Chan's

[TheNiche]

BTW, closer to the original topic, I noticed this weekend that there is finally some construction activity on the old Ranger Motel site. The site has been cleared, and I believe there are some utilities in the ground.

Simmons Vedder. They're also undertaking an apartment and retail project at OST & Kirby.

[Boris]

I didn't see where this was mentioned anywhere else. If so, please delete.

..............................

JV Plans 304-Unit Mid-Rise in Medical Center

By Amy Wolff Sorter

HOUSTON-Two Texas companies have joined forces for the first time to develop the luxury mid-rise Almeda at Old Spanish Trail. Groundbreaking on the first phase, 304 units in the Medical Center, is scheduled to take place in the coming months.

The project will be situated on a little more than eight acres at the intersection of Almeda Road and Old Spanish Trail. It is being funded through Crow Holdings' Realty Partners IV LP's $850-million fund. Houston-based Simmons Vedder & Co. is the developer. Almeda at Old Spanish Trail is the first ground-up multifamily project for the Dallas-based fund.

http://www.globest.com/news/844_844/houston/152954-1.html

[Subdude]

Note merged two topics on this project.

[musicman]

Located within the Texas Medical Center, one of the largest and most prestigious medical treatment and research centers in the world, this 304-unit apartment development enjoys spectacular amenities and easy access to all of Houston's major business centers.

This development is located at the southeast corner of the Texas Medical Center, across the street from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. It is convenient to major highways such as State Highway 288, Loop 610, and Highway 59, as well as local thoroughfares such as Almeda Road and Old Spanish Trail. The centralized location of the property affords residents easy access to any major Houston location in a minimal amount of time.

Equinox info

[lockmat]

Do we have a thread on this already? I am pretty sure we do for the other two projects this company has going. Maybe we left this one out.

[lockmat]

They've added another phase to this project and another, totalling 600 units.

http://www.rampartconstruction.net/portfolio.html

They've also got another in the planning phase called Cypresswood. It'll be 362 units.

Edited February 29, 2008 by lockmat

[Subdude]

Located within the Texas Medical Center, one of the largest and most prestigious medical treatment and research centers in the world, this 304-unit apartment development enjoys spectacular amenities and easy access to all of Houston's major business centers.

This development is located at the southeast corner of the Texas Medical Center, across the street from the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. It is convenient to major highways such as State Highway 288, Loop 610, and Highway 59, as well as local thoroughfares such as Almeda Road and Old Spanish Trail. The centralized location of the property affords residents easy access to any major Houston location in a minimal amount of time.

Equinox info

Is it actually "within" the Med Center? Wouldn't "close to" be more accurate? I suppose they are concerned that publicizing the OST address might put some people off.

[lockmat]

The developers website:

http://www.simmonsvedder.com/projects/projectequinox.asp

[The Great Hizzy!]

I see that they also have a project that's part of the Town & Country center redevelopment. Their Domain @ Kirby seems like a tight fit but it's coming along gradually.

[TheNiche]

Is it actually "within" the Med Center? Wouldn't "close to" be more accurate? I suppose they are concerned that publicizing the OST address might put some people off.

Technically, it is not within the TMC, but it is catty corner to it (VA Hospital).

[woolie]

Why is the development on Almeda so *yawn.* Nice to see a 4 story facade over such a long distance (of course, single-use residential with no pedestrian amenities.. this is Houston, right?), but geez, it's a little bland in the design department.

Something interesting, plz.

site plan

aerial

Edited March 1, 2008 by woolie

[HtownWxBoy]

Why is the development on Almeda so *yawn.* Nice to see a 4 story facade over such a long distance (of course, single-use residential with no pedestrian amenities.. this is Houston, right?), but geez, it's a little bland in the design department.

Well, it's better than the dump of a lot that was there before.

[TheNiche]

Why is the development on Almeda so *yawn.* Nice to see a 4 story facade over such a long distance (of course, single-use residential with no pedestrian amenities.. this is Houston, right?), but geez, it's a little bland in the design department.

Something interesting, plz.

Be happy that it's four stories coming right up to the street. They managed to beat off the 25-foot setback ordinance.

This site really isn't well-suited to pedestrian retail. Pedestrian activity pretty much stops at the Johnny Quick, and its not the type that the developer would want to attract further west down OST.

[woolie]

Be happy that it's four stories coming right up to the street. They managed to beat off the 25-foot setback ordinance.

yes, that is nice. I'll try to post some photos once the facade gets off the ground.

This site really isn't well-suited to pedestrian retail. Pedestrian activity pretty much stops at the Johnny Quick, and its not the type that the developer would want to attract further west down OST.

Sure, I recognize this, I know the area well. But we have to take the first steps. Here's what I think: there's a metric ____ton of 4-6 story zero-lot-line apartment buildings all over town now. Each one made this assumption, and so we still have fenced off or concrete street levels even where the density really could support first-floor commercial. No one does it, so no one wants to be the first, excluding a few like Post Oak Midtown, which seems to be successful whenever I'm in that area.

[TheNiche]

Sure, I recognize this, I know the area well. But we have to take the first steps. Here's what I think: there's a metric ____ton of 4-6 story zero-lot-line apartment buildings all over town now. Each one made this assumption, and so we still have fenced off or concrete street levels even where the density really could support first-floor commercial. No one does it, so no one wants to be the first, excluding a few like Post Oak Midtown, which seems to be successful whenever I'm in that area.

Per my sources at Post Properties, Post Midtown has had some tenants complain that taking out garbage is difficult because they have to use front doors, but for the most part it has been a success.

But they had two things going for them that most developers don't: 1) they developed land on both sides of a moderate-trafficked two-lane one-way street, so their streetscape was integrated and cozy as opposed to being just anomalous (a mixed-use Equinox along a six-lane thoroughfare facing a self-storage facility wouldn't have been as compelling), and 2) the design concept is enough of a novelty and they offer little enough retail that it wasn't going to be difficult to find enough interested tenants--more sophisticated and creditworthy tenants (i.e. chains) proved difficult to lure.

[woolie]

Per my sources at Post Properties, Post Midtown has had some tenants complain that taking out garbage is difficult because they have to use front doors, but for the most part it has been a success.

But they had two things going for them that most developers don't: 1) they developed land on both sides of a moderate-trafficked two-lane one-way street, so their streetscape was integrated and cozy as opposed to being just anomalous (a mixed-use Equinox along a six-lane thoroughfare facing a self-storage facility wouldn't have been as compelling), and 2) the design concept is enough of a novelty and they offer little enough retail that it wasn't going to be difficult to find enough interested tenants--more sophisticated and creditworthy tenants (i.e. chains) proved difficult to lure.

My fellow vampire, the night beckons blah blah blah blah... Anyway, I'll probably put up a vanity thread about it next month, but I'm halfway through buying a house (finally). A tin shack in midtown, near Baldwin park, on a cute street. You seemed interested in my real estate decisions the last time I brought it up a year or so ago. /end thread hijack.

Edited March 3, 2008 by woolie

[lockmat]

Per my sources at Post Properties, Post Midtown has had some tenants complain that taking out garbage is difficult because they have to use front doors, but for the most part it has been a success.

But they had two things going for them that most developers don't: 1) they developed land on both sides of a moderate-trafficked two-lane one-way street, so their streetscape was integrated and cozy as opposed to being just anomalous (a mixed-use Equinox along a six-lane thoroughfare facing a self-storage facility wouldn't have been as compelling), and 2) the design concept is enough of a novelty and they offer little enough retail that it wasn't going to be difficult to find enough interested tenants--more sophisticated and creditworthy tenants (i.e. chains) proved difficult to lure.

People sometimes tend to want the entire ground floor to be full of retail/food. I think it would be a good start if some of these places just started putting maybe two to four retail spaces for one building. Put one on one or more corners. No need for the entire floor to be retail, but one or two wouldn't hurt. Are there problems w/ making that happen?

And then when it really starts to get dense, the last ones building in those areas could include more retail, which I'm sure would be more than enough for those areas. That's what I think will happen. When it's very dense in an area and developable land is scarce to that location, retail will come, and it'll be enough. The people already there will have to wait though.

[bpe3]

And then when it really starts to get dense, the last ones building in those areas could include more retail, which I'm sure would be more than enough for those areas.

THAT is the key. It's just like the suburbs. You have to build the homes first. The retail will follow the rooftops. A 300-unit apartment complex cannot support ground level retail on it own, but if you build 7-8 complexes in close proximity, the 9th and 10th complexes can have a healthy retail component.

bpe3

[lockmat]

THAT is the key. It's just like the suburbs. You have to build the homes first. The retail will follow the rooftops. A 300-unit apartment complex cannot support ground level retail on it own, but if you build 7-8 complexes in close proximity, the 9th and 10th complexes can have a healthy retail component.

bpe3

And I think the people that do and will live in these areas probably want the walking proximity to retail, but they don't need it right now. They have cars. They're used to it. The coming retail will become and added luxery to them.

It's not as if they're in the middle of NYC w/ no retail and no car.

[bpe3]

Whether the tenants want or need nearby retail matters little. The question is, can they support it? I'm sure everyone at Post Midtown is happy to have Farrago, The Fish, Christian's Tailgate, Cyclone Anaya's, etc. right outside their front door, but the bottom line is that ALL of these businesses rely on MUCH MORE than the residents of Post Midtown, AMLI Midtown (old name), and that other place next door (Oakwood?) to stay in business. These businesses draw from a much larger trade area than just Midtown.

Equinox is was it is. It's workforce housing for the Texas Medical Center and to a lesser extent, downtown. This is not a strong retail location. The demographics to the east are weak. The bayou and the Med Center are huge access barriers to anyone trying to travel to the site from the west.

HAIF is like a broken record sometimes. Every time a project is announced, about 10 posters want to know it there will be street level retail and then lament the fact that it doesn't materialize. I'm not here to stifle anyone's enthusiasm. We all want Houston's core to be as great as it possibly can be. At the end of the day though, each new project needs to stand on its own two feet economically. Retail just isn't feasible everywhere.

bpe3