HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[photoLith]

It looks just ok, its much better than just another bland suburban styled gated apartment complex, of which Houston has way too effing much of.

[lockmat]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Yeah, its the federal building, dont know about the tavern.

Tavern is the Hanover W. Gray project. See pics here:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3559

[weatherguru18]

Anybody?

[Double L]

I know there are three abandoned skyscrapers downtown that are all owned by the same guy, a real esatate mogul in New York who is waiting until they are ready for a renovation. I don't know if that is one of those three buildings.

[YakuzaIce]

I recall seeing a rendering of the building with plans to turn it into condos, but obviously nothing came of that. HCAD says Beanmont Medical Center Hotel LLC own it. Apparently they still owe about $23k on this year's taxes.

EDIT: Actually the rendering is still in this very thread.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...67&postcount=1

[photoLith]

^
That would be pretty cool and would bring a whole bunch of new residents downtown. Im in my apartment right now and that piece of crap although is always staring me in the face out my window. It really is ugly and depressing.

[TexasPlaya]

Look like the new convention center hotel is starting to pick up speed:

It's full speed ahead for new convention center hotel and it's going to be Texas big

PDF by Houston First

Plans to build a second convention hotel in downtown Houston are moving ahead as organizers have begun an official search to locate a hotel developer.

The hotel, to be built just north of Discovery Green park near the George R. Brown Convention Center, is expected to have 1,000 rooms, making it one of the largest hotels in Texas.

The new hotel would join the Hilton Americas-Houston as an important part of the city's convention package. Officials say Houston has an inadequate number of downtown hotel rooms, so it is eliminated from consideration on the shopping list of the nation’s largest meetings and conventions...

The hotel project could also be accompanied by residential and retail development if the private developer chooses to add those elements to the project, Houston First said in a “request for qualifications” document...

The organization’s long term plan, stretching out to 2025, calls for four new hotels to be built around the George R. Brown.

There is already work being down to expand and beautify the roads and infrastructure in this part of downtown.

[TexasPlaya]

Metro Ridership Has Increased from an email the Editor of HAIF received

More people are riding METRO buses and rail more often.

METRO ridership is on the rise for a sixth consecutive month, recording a 5.2 percent increase to 6,357,131 boardings in January 2012 compared to 6,043,280 in January 2011.

“Thanks to our focus on smart service and service changes to improve the system, we have been able to take advantage of the improving economy to deliver first-class transit to our community,” said METRO President & CEO George Greanias.

Upward METRO Ridership Trend Continues for Sixth Consecutive Month

Local bus and Park & Ride - January, 2011: 5,277,229
Local bus and Park & Ride - January, 2012: 5,455,106

MetroRAIL - January, 2011: 766,051

MetroRAIL - January, 2012: 902,025


METRORail ridership posted a 17.7 percent increase to 902,025 boardings compared to the 766,051 recorded in the same month last year. Park & Ride and local bus service jumped to 5,455,106 boardings versus 5,277,229 in January 2011.

[TexasPlaya]

Not sure if this just a proposal, but this could be a Disco Green 2.0

Midtown Superblock: Future Park?

Specifically, the park will have 140 underground parking spaces, as well as 7,000 square feet of new restaurant and retail space. The rendering also shows a water feature/splash area type thing, and appears to be from the McGowen@Main corner looking towards Camden Travis. Even more interesting… poking through the trees appears to be a new apartment building looking down upon the park. We were told that you can expect this awesomeness Spring 2014.

PDF with park and bagby st improvements

Here's a pic of what Bagby St in Midtown will look like from Innerlooped

[photoLith]

Glad to see light rail ridership increase, that will give the city even more incentive to expand the lines in the future.

[lockmat]

pics from two other developments:


the Village at Meyerland http://goo.gl/NVGFE

Archstone Tescano apts: http://goo.gl/s5ETr

[lockmat]

Construction updates for, Skanska Post Oak, BBVA Post Oak, Zayed Med Center building, Gables Post Oak and High Street: http://www.goingupcity.blogspot.com

[shakman]

Excellent update. I am sure I would not reckognize Houston ever since I left in 1987.

[llamaorama]

I recall seeing a rendering of the building with plans to turn it into condos, but obviously nothing came of that. HCAD says Beanmont Medical Center Hotel LLC own it. Apparently they still owe about $23k on this year's taxes.

They could just blow up that eyesore old days inn. Those prefab concrete buildings suck so much. One can only imagine the super low ceilings.

The 17-story Plaza Hotel in College Station is the same thing and in the same state but should be imploded this summer for a HUGE urban infill project(ground floor retail, the works) that will be a million times better than if they redid the nasty tower-in-the-park(ing lot) like originally planned.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by shakman

Excellent update. I am sure I would not reckognize Houston ever since I left in 1987.

I visit Houston maybe every six months or so, and every time I go things are different.

[JoninATX]

Houston opens it new Apple store.



http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2012/...-the-new-ipad/

[kingkirbythe....]

The new Apple Store is quite handsome.

[vjhe]

It's about time Houston got a stand alone Apple Store for those of us who loathe going to the malls. It's open design actually fits in very well in the palm lined Highland Village environment. Plus it's right next door to Sprinkles Cupcakes. :-)

[rdavis4559]

Originally Posted by vjhe

It's about time Houston got a stand alone Apple Store for those of us who loathe going to the malls. It's open design actually fits in very well in the palm lined Highland Village environment. Plus it's right next door to Sprinkles Cupcakes. :-)

You've got to be kidding me. I loathe the parking lot and garage next to the Apple Store. Undoubtedly worse to make a trip there than to go to a mall.

[photoLith]

^
I love that part of town, it feels very much like a part of LA, the people too mostly all seem like uppity douchebags like youd find in certain parts of LA also.