While it opened for Memorial Day weekend, it will not be completed until July. Many of the rides are still being tested or are under construction.

BLVD Place
Apache buys land in BLVD Place

Apache Corp (Oil&Gas) bought some land...

So office building(s) along Post Oak with Whole Foods (which I believe will be along Post Oak as well).

More info about the phases:

This is with (as the article mentions) Hanover's high rise in the western portion of the property.

New renderings of River Oaks district:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/7...90ccba3c_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/7...31528ca7_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7...ed026bc4_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7...08cf98c6_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7081/7...7616c422_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7...0705ac15_b.jpg

Check out the River Oaks District Sites Plans and the River Oaks District Brochure, both have been updated as well with additional information.

I don't think that's Regent Square. Perhaps High Street?

Sorry I meant to say River Oaks District.

I really hope this ends up looking like the rendering. I certainly don't mind it being scaled back, but I do wonder how many apartments it will have, the amount of office space, retail space, and if they nixed the hotels.


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/7...31528ca7_b.jpg

The High Street development, which was scaled back as well, is well under construction at the bottom in the pic above. This area is about to get a lot of apartments and retail. Growth has really picked up east of 610 and west of River Oaks along Westheimer and San Felipe, not to mention all the new retail added in Highland Village.

Too bad this development doesn't acknowledge high street at all. Just a wall of parking garage.

It would have been nice if they just mixed it together instead of separating the 2 projects. Anyways does anyone have any updates of the rail expansion?

Texas leads nation in refugee resettlement

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...nt-3623614.php

So, the River Oaks District lost the high rise W Hotel + Condos, the 30+ story apartment tower, the 16 story Meridien Hotel, and the 10+ story office tower.

Good news though, looks like we're getting more 4 story apartments with bleh exteriors.

This thing looks boring. I cannot believe they are tearing down solid brick apartments with beautiful courtyards to build this bland piece of crap. Oh, and what stores are going to fill these spaces? Less than a mile to the West, you'll find the freaking Galleria and less than half a mile to the East, you'll land in Highland Village!

Without the towers and landmark architecture, there is NOTHING about this development that will draw people from the outside in. This thing is a big, fat FAIL.

Lots of new development in old freedmans town going on.

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/e5aa624f.jpg

Geeze, did the developer and/or the architect run over your dog?

It's a bummer this ambitious project got scaled back, but considering there have been quite a bit of apartment construction east of 610 near the Galleria/Uptown/River Oaks area, more retail is probably needed.

I like the sound of this...not only because it means new types of people will help Houston escape the idea that it's a city of suburbs, but I also think that new ethnic enclaves will add a layer of vibrance to this city that's just coming of age in a lot of ways. The great American cities are known for being diverse and having several "Little ___s" that make them unique.

Are there already any major ethnic populations in Houston?

^
Yeah tons, we have huge Chinese/Japanese/Indian sections in Bellaire, Viatnamese northwest of Bellaire, Middle Eastern enclaves east o.f Bellaire, and large Viatnamese communities in Galveston where they pretty much run the shrimping industry. Then of course half the city is Latino. Houston is probably one of the most diverse cities in the nation. Its just not as visible as in places like NYC because they are spread out over such a huge sprawling area.

i agree with him. at this point, what's replacing those apartments (which are quite nice) is a pretty big disappointment.

We'll yes it's a big disappointment, but how is this a fail like Shasta said? The economic outlook globally isn't positive which affects a major sector of Houston's economy.

Also consider the Skanska development in Uptown calls for another office and a hotel in the next phase. Not to mention the rumblings at BLVD place. Seems when considering the big picture this scale back was a good move in general but I do question the amount of apartments to retail (now that I think about it more). High St. is going up next door already and will have a bit of retail. Overall, though good for developer but sh*tty for us urban/architecture buff.

I believe you are mixing up Skanska with BBVA. BBVA will have a hotel in the next phase, but Skanska is strictly an office building development.

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/22f7e723.jpg
Compass bbva

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/12172d93.jpg
Gables at tanglewood apartments and retail.

Oooo very nice. I look at BBVA every day on the web cam.

:yes:

Ah, yes.

can't speak for him but i always thought the existing complex was quite nice (almost moved there) and whatever replaced them had to be be exceptional and it was but it has since been "value engineered" to mediocrity.

Well i can dig that, but I guess we are just being subjective at this point. I think these apartments look better than most of what is going up and what it is replacing, but that's just my opinion.

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/1f91719d.jpg

I always forget the name of this apartment building but whatever, it's right off westheimer next to that crappy CVS.

From my blog, a few pics:

Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Building for Personalized Cancer Care
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxREjPY9Yg...0/IMG_8007.JPG

Heights Wal-Mart
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KEE6j5nlms...0/IMG_7984.JPG

High Street
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AU1zKK1Zua...0/IMG_8046.JPG

Washington & Sawyer apts
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7padEZWSrg...0/IMG_7976.JPG

^
Beavers, my favorite place in Houston, the bar tenders at Sunday brunch are fucking hilarious. As much as I hate Walmart, that Heights walmart will make things much more convenient for me in getting random shit I cant find at Randalls and Whole Foods; like contacts.

I might be moving up the street from that BEavers joint.

^
Man, you totally should, that would be a hell of a lot better than living out in the boondocks. You should look into some of the kick ass old Victorian homes in the old 6th ward.

some pics from my blog

Gables Post Oak

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nx4qWabahN...0/IMG_8049.JPG

The Pearl at Greenway

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tg6QBY8Af2...0/IMG_8029.JPG

2525 McCue

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixvWqu9B-4...0/IMG_8065.JPG

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/f3208ab3.jpg

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...d/018110f1.jpg

New development in city center.

Where is the 6th ward? Guess I could look it up but there might be others who would like to know, too. Sounds interesting.

re photolith's most recent post: that's one of the nicest/coolest looking developments i've seen going up anywhere in a good while. it'll be interesting to see finished.

The old 6th ward isnt that big, like 9 blocks of old houses. Its right across 45 from downtown, near the theater district.

Astoria sales center trailers have been placed on Post Oak Blvd Mcdonalds.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/7...70957460_b.jpg
Skanska office building cranes from my apartment way in the distance. Theres another crane on the left side of the photo but Im not too sure what thats for.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7...4b94ffb5_b.jpg
Site of the soon to be super exciting daycare center. I hope it at least goes up to the sidewalk and isnt like some suburban styled daycare center.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7223/7...141c2c40_b.jpg
They are about ready to reclad this brown turd with shiny new glass. Not too sure whats going on though. Ive been watching them put these metal brackets on for months now. I thought when a building is reclad they usually take the old cladding off but it looks like they will just be putting glass over the old cladding.

Next phase of West Ave. perhaps? I believe it broke ground last month and seems to be in about the correct spot.

Yes, it's West Ave phase II. I can finally see your pics at work Photolith! What did you do different? You take great pics, you need to give me lessons!

I didnt do anything different. Well the last 3 I took with my real camera, and not my crappy iphone camera but I dont see why you couldnt see em, weird. Thanks though :)

Great updates!

Broadstone W Dallas progress from my blog

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YS3vyFFO2a...0/IMG_7962.JPG

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/7...7b5fbec3_b.jpg
New development near Beavers on Douchington Avenue and Sawyer.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7...0df2e784_b.jpg
Brand new houses in The Heights on Ashland and W 17th St. The entire block is being built in historic New Orleans architectural styles, which is pretty awesome.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7...81a9581c_b.jpg
New mid rise on Studewood and E 11th St in the Heights.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7...1da2a28c_b.jpg
Same development

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7...1fcdc931_b.jpg
Northern extension of the Main Street light rail line near UH downtown.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/7...53bdd3be_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7...727e55b8_b.jpg
Building restoration and loft conversion is almost done on this beautiful 30s building downtown.

^^Thanks for the updates. I like the Heights development a lot and would point out to folks that the mid rise is actually on a major intersection near retail.

Great updates! Yeah, those New Orleans style houses look really cool!

Glad that they are moving so fast on renovating that building downtown.

Finger apartments next to the W. Dallas Whole Foods (more pics at blog)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tJMpE-SK2u...0/IMG_7954.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j_Vo5tm8Sj...0/IMG_7952.JPG

Hanover W. Gray

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-963fCeKmxZ...0/IMG_7923.JPG

what did it look like before?

That crane is definitely for the next phase of "West Ave" but according to the sign, Gables wont be calling this building West Ave. I can't remember what it is (Gables Upper Kirby, Gables River Oaks, Gables Ferndale... something like that) but I will check it out tmrw. My mom lives a block away.

They're calling it "Kipling"

http://www.zieglercooper.com/project...=41&projid=174

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarkin...6c7bcf9515.jpg

It was pretty bad.

The first photo above was a rather eye-opening one for me..I had NO idea that, of all the new urban infill going up in Houston, ANY of it was this nice. After I saw this, I went on a Google Streetview rampage and realized that several other close-in Houston neighborhoods have similar projects. Only in America do we still build homes and full neighborhoods that are this lovely. The variety of the architectural styles in Houston is one-of-a-kind too. Well done! :tup:

This loft conversion is awesome too, I can't wait to visit this city one day.

The building looked like it was in disrepair, all of the windows & doors were all seal up with bricks, it was horrible. Now it looks real nice and can't wait to get back to my hometown :-).

Heres a picture I took of the Wilson building from about a year ago.

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...irdboy1/f5.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7...727e55b8_b.jpg
And now