HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[weatherguru18]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

I am all in favor of new urbanist type developments like the one above but why do they have to build them in such random places? Why couldnt they have decided to build something like this in an already built up place like inside the Woodlands? So, that is pretty much just sprawl. They need to revitalize parts of town, not ignore run down areas and just expand out.

My question is...why not build it? It's convenient to The Woodlands, IAH and at a soon-to-be major intersection between the GP, 45 and the Hardy. It's not built inside The Woodlands because there is nowhere else to build. Second, The Woodlands is its own city (or soon will be) and clearly this 'master planned community' will be in direct competition with The Woodlands. The developers are out for their own successful 'Woodlands.' With Exxon-Mobile setting up shop very near this site, it only makes sense to capitalize on the thousands of employees that could potentially call the area home.

[skys the limit]

This new major proposed development, called "Springwoods Village", is located in the Houston suburb of Spring, TX.

Spring, TX is right next door to The Woodlands, another Houston suburb.

With Exxon-Mobil's upcoming exit from downtown Houston into its planned suburban office campus of 3 million square feet anchoring the I-45 corridor of Springwoods Village this development proposal is a pretty sure bet to happen for Spring, TX.

The Woodlands is going to benefit enormously from the development as well.

[weatherguru18]

Here's more information on the coming project and a tid bit about Exxon.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/7234185.html

[Trae]

Originally Posted by skys the limit

This new major proposed development, called "Springwoods Village", is located in the Houston suburb of Spring, TX.

Spring, TX is right next door to The Woodlands, another Houston suburb.

With Exxon-Mobil's upcoming exit from downtown Houston into its planned suburban office campus of 3 million square feet anchoring the I-45 corridor of Springwoods Village this development proposal is a pretty sure bet to happen for Spring, TX.

The Woodlands is going to benefit enormously from the development as well.

Exxon-Mobil isn't leaving Downtown. The Downtown offices and Exxon-owned buildings are safe and employees won't be moving. All others (Greenspoint, ALL of Fairfax, Virgina, and possibly Irving) will be moving to the shiny new corporate campus.

Originally Posted by photolitherland

I am all in favor of new urbanist type developments like the one above but why do they have to build them in such random places? Why couldnt they have decided to build something like this in an already built up place like inside the Woodlands? So, that is pretty much just sprawl. They need to revitalize parts of town, not ignore run down areas and just expand out.

How would they build this in The Woodlands? Besides, at least they aren't building further out, but filling in the gaps between North Houston/Spring and The Woodlands. And Coventry has owned the land since the 1960s. Springswoods Village looks really nice from the renderings though. Exxon bought land from Coventry for the campus, and now Coventry has unveiled their big plans for the rest of their land. I highly doubt they build this if Exxon does not move to that location. The northern side of the metro is getting a lot of new things, between Exxon/Coventry development and EarthQuest.

[weatherguru18]

So in the rendering, is the 'corporate offices' hatched in purple near the freeway the Exxon campus?

[Trae]

Originally Posted by weatherguru18

So in the rendering, is the 'corporate offices' hatched in purple near the freeway the Exxon campus?

Yep. It has to be. That's the exact location where Exxon is slated to build their new campus.

[weatherguru18]

Houston loses out BIG TIME. Exxon-Mobile has scrapped plans for a campus in Houston.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/m...t_houston.html

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by weatherguru18

Houston loses out BIG TIME. Exxon-Mobile has scrapped plans for a campus in Houston.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/m...t_houston.html

Houston losses out on a corporate HQ relocation. I'm pretty sure this means that DFW will keep the corporate HQ. I doubt Exxon is going to move it's ~30,000 employees out of Houston and I don't think this means Exxon won't be consolidating it's offices in Houston (besides the HQ).

[Trae]

Originally Posted by weatherguru18

Houston loses out BIG TIME. Exxon-Mobile has scrapped plans for a campus in Houston.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/m...t_houston.html

Read the article. Houston only lost on the possible relocation of the Exxon corporate HQ, which was a slim chance anywhere. The campus (and Springwoods Village development) are still happening.

[latennisguy]

Was in Houston this past week and took some pictures:







This building looks soooo old (even though it's brand spankin' new)



I also really like all the infill going on throughout the midtown area:

[Complex01]

Fancy. Love the Houston...

[photoLith]

How bad does Embassy Suites look from Discovery Green laten?

[weatherguru18]

It looks awful. The renderings were very deceiving. I'd almost prefer nothing being built there at all.

[kingkirbythe....]

Me too. It's horrific.

[Llyod Banks]

I noticed there was a construction site on Westheimer heading towards Highland Village..anybody have a clue on whats going up in that area...

[weatherguru18]

The Houston Chronicle reports: 'Galleria area could get new office tower.' See story below!

http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty...r_ponders.html

[photoLith]

Ok, I just found out some info while reading some stuff on HAIF.

From the Niche on HAIF

The block is divided between only two owners. Embassy Suites has the land that Embassy Suites is on; someone else has everything else. Check out HCAD's facet map and also check ownership records.

Although the site is not rectangular, as per usual, there would be no problem at all with the physical feasibility of a tower with an odd footprint. Eyeballing it, I don't think that there is a single cross-section on the surface lot with less than 60 or 65 feet of width. In fact, the shape of a prospective floorplate and the placement of stairwells and elevator banks, etc., is pretty intuitive. The only limiting factor, if there is one, would be the layout and flow of a parking garage.

Thank magical flying unicorns that building could be covered up at some point in the future by another tower facing the park. Makes me feel a lot better.

The green outline I made is land owned by some other developer. Theres plenty of room to build another building, I envision a sweet curved glass building covering up Embassy Suites.

[weatherguru18]

What? The proposed skyscraper is not for that block. It's in uptown near the Galleria. The two proposed highrises are back on the table per the Chronicle. The 'Ritz' and the highrise condo tower PLUS another highrise/skyscraper at BLVD. Place. None of the aforementioned is for downtown.

Article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/7321800.html

[photoLith]

^
Huh? I wasnt referring to any tower. I was just saying that at some point in the future some developer could cover up the architectural travesty that is Embassy Suites.

[weatherguru18]

I am sorry. I thought you were talking about the possible new 'scraper in Uptown.