Whiteco Residential is moving forward with plans for a 22 story apartment tower in the Galleria area. A late summer groundbreaking is planned for the site near the corner of Westheimer @ Sage.

Unfortunately, this thing has been scaled back big time. Original plans called for twin towers. They were to be 35 stories tall and sleek and contemporary. The new plans call for just a single tower that is being described as classical and traditional (which in Houston means beige tunnel form).

Features include;

22 floors
300 luxury rental units
6th floor pool deck and fitness center
parking on levels 2 thru 5

Info. gathered from the Houston Biz Journal print edition

That will be on that vacant lot next to the Walgreen's, I think.

A tad bit off-topic, but I saw Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life" last night, and it has some pretty amazing shots of downtown Houston. The movie itself is a bit long and drawn out, but for true Houston skyscraper fans, it's worth seeing for those shots. And to catch when they cut to shots in filmed in downtown Dallas, trying to make it seamless.

Swamplot: Midtown Arts Center

"Planned for the Midtown block surrounded by Main, Travis, Francis, and Holman streets: a new 90,000-sq.-ft. multi-tenant performing arts center that might look something like this. And after a city-hall vote this week, it seems more likely to be built: Council approved the sale of the property at 3400 Main St., currently a surface parking lot for the soon-to-be-former city permit office one block to the north, for $2.5 million.."

"The buyer and developer of the new building is the Independent Arts Collaborative, a consortium of local arts organizations — including Fotofest, Diverseworks, the Houston Arts Alliance, Musiqa, Suchu Dance, Opera Vista, Catastrophic Theater, Nameless Sound, the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, and Main St. Theater..."

All pics from Swamplot:

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...rner-close.jpg

This will be replacing a surface parking lot next to the rail

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...6/iac-site.jpg

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...tion-persp.jpg

Great news for Midtown. Innerlooped further expands on how this could attract further development:

"Bob Schultz, who developed some of 3600 Main and the site of four businesses on 3700 Main, plans to build office space, retail and some residential units on 3500 Main and the rest of the 3600 block of Main.
Schultz said he plans to expand on the concept of his nearby developments by bringing more independently owned boutiques and restaurants that are unique to Houston, such as the Tacos A-Go Go and Sig’s Lagoon. He envisions the developing blocks along Main becoming an arts district akin to South Congress in Austin or Magazine Street in New Orleans."

^
Thats awesome, its about time something new got build in Midtown along Main and the light rail. The area around HCC and midtown in general is pretty desolate and ghetto. This will for sure bring some much needed life to the area.

By the way, I found out that the speciality grocery store at the bottom of One Park Place, Phoenicia, is going to open in July 15th. So that will be awesome.

Desolate and ghetto?

Sure, there are vacant lots around, but that area is FAR from ghetto. Try going to the Farmer's Market or Breakflast Klub on a weekend around noon. You'll find a line wrapped around the block. Within just a few blocks of this proposal, you'll find HCC's Central Campus, the Calais Apartments, the Ventanna Apts, the Isabella Court Apts, the Ensemble Theatre, the Continental Club, Sig's Lagoon, My Flaming Heart, the Big Top Bar, Breakfast Klub, Mai's, Monica Pope's T'Afia, Natachees Supper and Punch, Tacos a-Go-Go, Crave Sushi, 24 Hour Fitness, Pizzolia, the Maple Leaf Bar, Julia's Bistro, etc...

From the Houston Chronicle;

Gables new development in Post Oak Park area (just inside the West Loop). This is already under construction. Set to open in 2012. 8 floors. 316 apartments.

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...espost-Oak.jpg
Nancy Sarnoff's Property Blog at www.chron.com

Dude come on, the area around HCC and the main street light rail line in downtown is pretty ghetto. If you dont believe me, lets take a drive down there. Ive had to walk from downtown to the Museum District at 1 am because I didnt get to the light rail line on time. It was pretty sketchy, theres not been too many times Ive worried for my safety, but that night walking the light rail from downtown to the Museum District was pretty scary.

Yay! More overpriced luxury apartments for the Galleria area! :banana:

/sarcasm

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see construction picking up again, but I really wish that every freaking apartment complex built wasn't planned as one of those luxury "apartment homes" places, whatever the hell that means. Usually winds up being so expensive that the rents are as much or more than a mortgage!

Aaron (Glowrock)

^
It is The Galleria area afterall, so thats what should be expected. But, at least its getting more dense in that area, which is always a good thing, even if you cant afford to live there unless you are the CFO of a company.

It's the Galleria. That block is one of the most valuable pieces of land in the city. Do you expect Section 8?

Yeah, given the desirability of the Galleria (though I just left the area) and property values, everything built here on in will be high end. It's only a matter of time before the two complexes on Yorktown are knocked down for something pricier.

I mostly agree with you and would say the area is still pretty sketchy and desolate in many places but it has seen quite a bit of new retail and residential built. Also, HCC and Midtown are teaming up to spend ~$20 million on streetscapes, infrastructure improvements, and a large plaza near HCC main campus.

Editor from HAIF:
http://web.me.com/artefaqs/filechute...ackground1.png

Wow, with that and the arts center it will make midtown pretty sweet and really clean it up.

Of course not, but there's a hell of a lot in between luxury overpriced units and Section 8 housing... ;)

How about something where you might be able to rent a 1 bedroom unit for under $1300? Maybe rent a 2 bedroom for less than $1700-1800?

Aaron (Glowrock)

Put on your big boy panties.

Did you get robbed? Mugged? Raped? Pistol whipped?

I am amazed you are alive to tell the tale of walking Main St. at 1 am.

I don't need to "take a drive down there." I live there. I work in the Third Ward. I used to work at 806 Main St. in the heart of downtown back when the Rice Hotel was nothing more than a urinal and remember a time when I road my bike to social work school at U of H through Midtown in the 1990s back before anyone even called it "Midtown!"

Last time I checked HAR.com, there were condos in that area that weren't very expensive. You wouldn't have to be a CFO or CEO. They were older complexes, mind you, but units can be fixed up with some cosmetic changes. I don't know how long you'll be able to find such prices, though.

When I looked at HAR.com, some of the high rises were shocking in that the prices weren't so bad, but the monthly dues were astronomical. Same with a high rise or mid rise in River Oaks. I thought "wow, I can live in River Oaks" until I saw the maintenance fees.

Thanks for the good update on Midtown. Nice to know about the progress. It's what I like most about Houston, in that so many areas are being upgraded very quickly, and the changes are usually for the better.

More good news for Midtown:

Pic from Jax on HAIF:

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8325/img8004v.jpg

This was taken outside of the Wheeler station. There is some discussion on HAIF to what exactly is proposed here.

Next, seems The Mix (retail development at Elgin and Louisiana) is adding 2 new restaurant tenets.

http://swamplot.com/artisans-filling...wn/2011-06-30/

Uptown news:

Seems the new BBVA bank right near the transco tower (it will always be that name to me) is really about to get started. Construction equipment arrived!

Pics from Golyadkin

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/f...s/DSC_0077.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/f...s/DSC_0078.jpg

http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/f...s/DSC_0079.jpg

when did Post Properties cancel their plans for their location near the Wheeler station?