HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[Xeelee]

I scanned a black and white image from the competition's book and uploaded it to the previous version of this website... I can't find it anywhere on this new one.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Xeelee

I dont know about all those new buildings in westchase. When I see them all I see is... Blah#5... blah#6 blah7#... blah8#.

Im not sure about ya'll but I really don't see much of a difference between the buildings...

westchase = blah. so blah buildings only seem fitting for a blah area. i think there is a local ordinance in that part of town where everything is to be blah...including the people.

[Complex01]

Originally Posted by Boris

looking at the woodlands

I live by the woodlands, but once my lease is over i am so moving DownTown. The Woodlands is a great area, but just not for me...

[Cory]

Originally Posted by vjhe

I'm with you Xeelee, I am not moved whatsover with the designs of all of these new buildings on the Westside. I'm not saying they should be spectacles by any means, but all of these buildings are yet more examples of how when looking at the overall picture of building designs chosen for Houston in the past 10-15years, they have been blah at best. Why is that?

Why is so much vision given to Westchase anyway? Just out of curiosity, what would a cutting edge design do for the edge city that is Westchase but sprawl Houston's identity even more? Houston currently lacks identity because there is no focal point for places such as Boulvard Place, River Oaks District, Town and Country's City Centre, Regent Square, West Ave., etc. to exsist. While all these places are appreciated and so is the fact that around 70% of these projects are located in the innerloop, the atmosphere and excitement of these places will cease right when you step off the property of these destinations. Houston needs a continuous urban environment that will be left in people's minds and make this city have more of an identity rather than the one we currently have that we have to search for.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by WesternGulf

Why is so much vision given to Westchase anyway? Just out of curiosity, what would a cutting edge design do for the edge city that is Westchase but sprawl Houston's identity even more? Houston currently lacks identity because there is no focal point for places such as Boulvard Place, River Oaks District, Town and Country's City Centre, Regent Square, West Ave., etc. to exsist. While all these places are appreciated and so is the fact that around 70% of these projects are located in the innerloop, the atmosphere and excitement of these places will cease right when you step off the property of these destinations. Houston needs a continuous urban environment that will be left in people's minds and make this city have more of an identity rather than the one we currently have that we have to search for.

I think it is happening from Downtown to Midtown to the TMC on west to Greenway and north up to Uptown.

[vjhe]

Originally Posted by WesternGulf

Why is so much vision given to Westchase anyway? Just out of curiosity, what would a cutting edge design do for the edge city that is Westchase but sprawl Houston's identity even more? Houston currently lacks identity because there is no focal point for places such as Boulvard Place, River Oaks District, Town and Country's City Centre, Regent Square, West Ave., etc. to exsist. While all these places are appreciated and so is the fact that around 70% of these projects are located in the innerloop, the atmosphere and excitement of these places will cease right when you step off the property of these destinations. Houston needs a continuous urban environment that will be left in people's minds and make this city have more of an identity rather than the one we currently have that we have to search for.

Buildings will be built in Westchase. That's in stone. Houston has multiple skylines all over the city and they will continue to add office space. Since we know this is going to happen, why not choose a quality design? Millennium Tower at the Beltway and Richmond is a quality design and one of my favorites in the entire city. If there are going to be edge cities and buildings are going to be erected, why not put some thought into the design? Look at the recent tall ones going up in Buckhead. Should the architects have not cared because the buildings were going in Buckhead instead of Downtown?

To be quite honest, I'm not even really sure why you responded specifically to my post. I agree with you in that Houston needs a continuous urban environment but that wasn't the subject of my initial post. I was posting about the building designs of all of these new buidlings going up on the westside.

Houston was known across the world for it's architecture and skylines at one point (and really still is). Now it seems like for the most part in the past 10-15 years, that tradition of great, edgy building designs have gone by way of the toilet, imo. Simple functionality seems to be the phrase of the city now. Houston had a thriving "x" factor that showed it's face everywhere in the city but particularly in it's buildings. That seems to be gone. Look at Main Place. Look at 2727 Kirby. When those renderings were released there was almost a instantaneous consensus on those buildings. Houstonians at these skyscraper sites basically all liked the designs right out of the gate. Why is that? My point is, I would like to see more designs chosen for Houston where there is no question about the quality of the design just like there seemed to be no question about Main Place and 2727.

[Shasta]

While they might not physically fit your design tastes or mine, I do like the fact that green building is catching on. All of these projects are slated to be seeking LEED certification and that's a good thing.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by vjhe

Buildings will be built in Westchase. That's in stone. Houston has multiple skylines all over the city and they will continue to add office space. Since we know this is going to happen, why not choose a quality design? Millennium Tower at the Beltway and Richmond is a quality design and one of my favorites in the entire city. If there are going to be edge cities and buildings are going to be erected, why not put some thought into the design? Look at the recent tall ones going up in Buckhead. Should the architects have not cared because the buildings were going in Buckhead instead of Downtown?

To be quite honest, I'm not even really sure why you responded specifically to my post. I agree with you in that Houston needs a continuous urban environment but that wasn't the subject of my initial post. I was posting about the building designs of all of these new buidlings going up on the westside.

Houston was known across the world for it's architecture and skylines at one point (and really still is). Now it seems like for the most part in the past 10-15 years, that tradition of great, edgy building designs have gone by way of the toilet, imo. Simple functionality seems to be the phrase of the city now. Houston had a thriving "x" factor that showed it's face everywhere in the city but particularly in it's buildings. That seems to be gone. Look at Main Place. Look at 2727 Kirby. When those renderings were released there was almost a instantaneous consensus on those buildings. Houstonians at these skyscraper sites basically all liked the designs right out of the gate. Why is that? My point is, I would like to see more designs chosen for Houston where there is no question about the quality of the design just like there seemed to be no question about Main Place and 2727.

I guess I am just showing my frustration with the mega projects so far away from the core of the city and my general annoyance with edge cities such as the energy corridor and westchase when thinking about the full potential of our central business district. By the way, our these designs really that bad? I am with you when you say Houston has had some pretty drab and non progressive designs that have gone up lately, but I personally believe they wouldn't be half as bad if there were an urban element in place that made the buildings part of the community. As a matter of fact the new Westchase buildings probably wouldn't be half as bad if the latter were incorporated, but I understand there would not be a point since it is Westchase.

[Wattleigh]

For One Park Place-Here's the rendering they have on the front of the preliminary brochure. Haven't seen it anywhere else so far...

[Saddle Man]

This building looks great.

[Xeelee]

Originally Posted by vjhe

Buildings will be built in Westchase. That's in stone. Houston has multiple skylines all over the city and they will continue to add office space. Since we know this is going to happen, why not choose a quality design? Millennium Tower at the Beltway and Richmond is a quality design and one of my favorites in the entire city. If there are going to be edge cities and buildings are going to be erected, why not put some thought into the design? Look at the recent tall ones going up in Buckhead. Should the architects have not cared because the buildings were going in Buckhead instead of Downtown?

To be quite honest, I'm not even really sure why you responded specifically to my post. I agree with you in that Houston needs a continuous urban environment but that wasn't the subject of my initial post. I was posting about the building designs of all of these new buidlings going up on the westside.

Houston was known across the world for it's architecture and skylines at one point (and really still is). Now it seems like for the most part in the past 10-15 years, that tradition of great, edgy building designs have gone by way of the toilet, imo. Simple functionality seems to be the phrase of the city now. Houston had a thriving "x" factor that showed it's face everywhere in the city but particularly in it's buildings. That seems to be gone. Look at Main Place. Look at 2727 Kirby. When those renderings were released there was almost a instantaneous consensus on those buildings. Houstonians at these skyscraper sites basically all liked the designs right out of the gate. Why is that? My point is, I would like to see more designs chosen for Houston where there is no question about the quality of the design just like there seemed to be no question about Main Place and 2727.

Very well said.

[Wattleigh]

Another Endeavour project for the Clear Lake area, this one being Endeavour Seabrook.

Proposed are 259 hotel rooms & 61 Condos in a 23-story (based on rendering) hotel tower. The hotel would include a 2 story spa and would be managed by Minnesota-based Wischermann Partners.

Adjacent would be (again, based on the rendering) a 10-story, Class A office building. Both would be located along a boardwalk with 50k sq ft of retail located along the stretch and there would be access to a small marina.

[CALMSP]

awesome!!!

i recall someone from the area down there saying htey were going to make their own "downtown" with the amount of high-rises they have planned.

[Complex01]

Oh another one for houston. Hmm thats kewl...

[Great_Hizzy]

That seems quite ambitious for the Seabrook area. With the oncoming swell of condo highrises on the books, you wonder how traffic in the Clear Lake area is going to hold up in the future. It's already pretty hectic at the intersections of Nasa Road 1 and SH 146 and then SH 146 and FM 518.

[Xeelee]

Not too bad.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by Great_Hizzy

That seems quite ambitious for the Seabrook area. With the oncoming swell of condo highrises on the books, you wonder how traffic in the Clear Lake area is going to hold up in the future. It's already pretty hectic at the intersections of Nasa Road 1 and SH 146 and then SH 146 and FM 518.

Isn't SH 146 a freeway down there, or about to be? Also, is this area close at all to the commuter rail line proposed for that area. I really don't know Southeast Houston too well.

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by CALMSP

awesome!!!

It really looks like it wants to be downtown somewhere. Or perhaps over by Greenway Plaza.

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by Wattleigh

The CityWestPlace Proposals & Their Placement in the complex

And the rendering of Technip's proposed building in the Energy Corridor from today's Chron. Kirkwood @ the Katy Freeway.

I guess my frustration is that there have been quite a few of these 15-25 story proposals getting floated within the last six months, but no indication that they're moving into construction. Now I know there are plenty of cranes up around town, but they don't show up in the photos. Maybe in about nine months that will change.

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by toxteth o'grady

I guess my frustration is that there have been quite a few of these 15-25 story proposals getting floated within the last six months, but no indication that they're moving into construction. Now I know there are plenty of cranes up around town, but they don't show up in the photos. Maybe in about nine months that will change.

Probably because many of the projects mentioned in the recent past (regardless of size/height) are slated to begin in 2008 or later. My take on it anyway.