I think Atlanta has three too.

Tourists, take note: Galveston is planning face-lift
 

GALVESTON — An effort to transform a tract of wetlands on the east end of Galveston Island into a world-class ecotourism park is one of several projects expected to make the city more attractive to tourists.

Other projects include a skateboard park with a distinctive feature that is expected to attract skateboarders nationally, a new beachside gymnasium, a new tourism information center and a rebuilt city golf course.

Each plan came about for its own set of reasons rather than as part of a master plan, but together they may give Houstonians and others a new set of reasons to spend a weekend on the island.

The plan for an ecotourism park evolved after the federal government turned over the 230-acre former U.S. Coast Guard Loran Base property to the city, which combined with city-owned land forms the 686-acre East End Lagoon property, city spokeswoman Alicia Cahill said.

To get the federal property, the city agreed to undertake a master plan that will include a nature center and trails for public access, she said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/5530069.html

I agree and it just keeps on growing. Very Kewl...

:yes:

A couple of the construction projects from yesterday...

One Park Place - It looks like they're on the 19th floor now with windows and panneling beginning to appear on several of the floors.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../OPP21008A.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../OPP21008B.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../OPP21008C.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../OPP21008D.jpg

Legacy at Memorial - A large piece of drilling equipment has been placed on site in the past few days so excavation should begin in short order.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...n/DSC02535.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...n/DSC02531.jpg

Looks like it is located on top of some soft soil.

I just got an email informing me The Titan's sales center is now open.

It opened last month.

They sent out the sales packet to all of the "First Choice Club" members over the past week, and it has all 21 of the floorplans included. Construction should begin by July, but before then the sales team is having a cocktail party on March 5 to present the property to interested buyers.

Strange. I signed up for this "First Choice Club". Perhaps I should check my mail box. :( Any chance you could scan any of the pics from your literature?

:previous:
That's odd... I signed up for it as well and I got the little "invite" for the launch of the project and I exchanged some emails with one of the brokers there. Maybe, if you can't find an email, you could call the # they have in their ads. They keep a list of who has signed up and could help you out from there.

As for photos, there really aren't any in what I got. Pretty much just all of the floorplans and the letter I mentioned. I think new renderings and the video should be out within the next week or so.

Embassy Suites
 

http://www.houstonx.com/houstonprojects.gif

Anyone know status of Embassy Suites here? I heard about it a few months ago but things have been quiet ... is it going up?

(hat tip to c4smok for the map)

I think it's still in the design phase. I could be wrong though.

Yep, that's the story with the Embassy Suites at the moment. Making good money as a parking lot/company parking for One Park Place. Also, if I'm not mistaken, 6 HC will have a secondary garage a block below the old federal reserve building on that map.

Something interesting on the piece of land Uptown acquired by a firm from Dubai... the full article should be online within a few days, and I'll see what I can dig up in the print copy of today's paper.

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houst....html?ana=e_ph

In brief...

Friday, February 15, 2008

Dubai tower looms on horizon
Development firm of distinction buys prime tract of land
Houston Business Journal - by Jennifer Dawson Houston Business Journal

A Dubai developer known for constructing conspicuous commercial and residential towers has acquired land in Houston.

Deyaar Development could build the company's first U.S. project on nearly six acres at the corner of Post Oak Boulevard and Richmond Avenue, south of the Galleria mall.

The tract acquired by Deyaar in January has changed hands three times in the past two months, and price of the dirt has nearly doubled in the spate of sales activity (see related story).

Deyaar dubs itself as the fastest-growing real estate company in Dubai. The firm's Web site lists 14 residential and five commercial projects in various stages of development in the United Arab Emirates.

jdawson@bizjournals.com

^
While It would be great to see a tower there, if that rendering with the article is of the actual project, I am not too impressed by the design at all. I am a fan of flashy, edgy, unusual, asymetrical type designs, and Houston hasn't seen a lot of that in it's recent history.

Though this is a early rendering, if it is indeed the project, so far it seems a bit boring to me.

On HAIF they are stating that the rendering is of the Burlington in Dubai, not the Houston project:

http://cll.bizjournals.com/story_image/110451-400-0.jpg


http://www.gowealthy.com/realestate/...gton/index.asp

I'm sure they could come up with something more exciting. Perhaps like this:

http://birukan.fc2web.com/cj4n-nkmc/x-seed4000.jpg

This would look nice in Houston.

Here are a couple of stories from today's Houston Business Journal. I know the articles will come online in their entirety within the next few days, but I'm sure you wanted to read them ahead of time. :)

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../Uptownmap.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...me/Dubai1A.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...me/Dubai1B.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...me/Dubai2A.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...me/Dubai2B.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...Renderings.jpg

i certainly look forward to something that Houston could be identified with!!

Yeah but i would like to have it downtown. But oh well its something right. But the news is great. Lots to look forward to...

:cool:

It would stand out more in Uptown, which is a plus. Downtown is getting the infill it needs.