HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[Michi]

Originally Posted by rdavis4559

An update on the Pavilions:

That "Art Deco" cladding really isn't doing anything for me...

Maybe I am one of the few who loves the facade of the Pavillions. Not necessarily the gray metal part, but the overall look and feel is very nice. I think that once more lights and signage are added, more texture will be given to the street scene to create an improved sense of place. If not, then yah, maybe it'll stay a little bland.

I think the Pavillions are/will be a great asset to downtown...I just think Houston could have come up with a better name than a cookie-cutter of what Denver calls theirs.

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by rdavis4559

That "Art Deco" cladding really isn't doing anything for me...

Looks like a freakin' barcode...

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

When I last went to Houston about 1 month ago I was appalled by the cladding on the outside of the pavilions. The eastern end of that cladding on the building is just god awful. It may even be worse looking then the parking lot that was there previously. It just doesnt look inviting to people looking to shop there. Is that section of the terrible cladding a parking garage or something? But as for the rest of the project I like it.

I believe what you are referring to is where the music venue House of Blues will be.

[Cory]

I must be a minority, because I do not think the office "tower" portion of the pavilions does not look too bad. The skin of it sort of reminds me of the Collaboratibe Research building going up in the Med Center.

[rdavis4559]

Originally Posted by Michi

Maybe I am one of the few who loves the facade of the Pavillions. Not necessarily the gray metal part, but the overall look and feel is very nice. I think that once more lights and signage are added, more texture will be given to the street scene to create an improved sense of place. If not, then yah, maybe it'll stay a little bland.

I think the Pavillions are/will be a great asset to downtown...I just think Houston could have come up with a better name than a cookie-cutter of what Denver calls theirs.

I really do hope that we'll see some texture shaping up as things progress. I do think the Pavilions are a good asset, and though I just wish the design was much more exceptional than it seems to be now, I don't quite think it completely ugly.

[rdavis4559]

Reviewing the renders of the Pavilions, I think they will turn out a lot better than I had been pessimistically expecting (I know these have been posted before but maybe another glance will change some others' minds):







Here is the house of Blues (it does look like a garage or mechanic shop):


What do you guys think?

Also, I must have missed this back in May and I don't think it was mentioned here:
"Lawry's cools off on Houston Pavilions project

A major tenant that had signed on for the $170 million Houston Pavilions project has pulled out of the downtown deal, while a handful of other retailers are delaying their openings until next spring.

Upscale steakhouse Lawry's The Prime Rib will no longer be a tenant in the Pavilions, a 700,000-square-foot, multilevel mixed-use project that is scheduled to open in October. The remaining anchor tenants in the project -- which will take up four city blocks and be bounded by Dallas Street, Polk Street, Main Street and Caroline Street -- include Pete's Dueling Piano Bar, House of Blues and Lucky Strike Lanes.

Lawry's officials could not be reached for comment, but the company told local restaurant trade publication My Table that the Pavilions location has been scrapped..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/s...05/story4.html

[rdavis4559]

NATCO to build R&D facility in Houston

Oil and gas equipment company NATCO Group Inc. building a new research and development facility across from its corporate headquarters in Houston.

Houston-based NATCO (NYSE: NTG) is relocating its research and development center from Tulsa, Okla., to Houston.

The firm plans to build the new 30,000 square-foot facility at 4901 North Sam Houston Parkway, directly across from its corporate headquarters.

The center will triple the size of NATCO’s current R&D operations, the company said, allowing additional space for large-scale pilot plants, technology developments, computer and scale modeling, and laboratory services.

The new center also will include space to display working demonstration models and computer animations, as well as state-of-the-art training and presentation facilities.

NATCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Clarke called the project an investment in his company’s future.

“To bring our research and development efforts right into the heart of our customer base presents a tremendous opportunity to continue to grow the business,” said Clarke.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/s...l?ana=from_rss

[Xeelee]

Originally Posted by rdavis4559

NATCO to build R&D facility in Houston

Oil and gas equipment company NATCO Group Inc. building a new research and development facility across from its corporate headquarters in Houston.

Houston-based NATCO (NYSE: NTG) is relocating its research and development center from Tulsa, Okla., to Houston.

The firm plans to build the new 30,000 square-foot facility at 4901 North Sam Houston Parkway, directly across from its corporate headquarters.

The center will triple the size of NATCO’s current R&D operations, the company said, allowing additional space for large-scale pilot plants, technology developments, computer and scale modeling, and laboratory services.

The new center also will include space to display working demonstration models and computer animations, as well as state-of-the-art training and presentation facilities.

NATCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Clarke called the project an investment in his company’s future.

“To bring our research and development efforts right into the heart of our customer base presents a tremendous opportunity to continue to grow the business,” said Clarke.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/s...l?ana=from_rss

AWESOME!

This is good news.

[rdavis4559]

"Swami Ramdev to set up centre in Houston"

60 Acres of Yoga?
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/3248125.cms

[Reverberation]

Originally Posted by Xeelee

AWESOME!

This is good news.

30,000sf means 2 or three floors. Still more jobs so a good deal for the metro.

[toxteth o'grady]

Speaking of awesome...

Houston: The U.S. Boomtown

It's the sound some cities haven't heard for months — the sounds of construction and growth ring out throughout Houston.

In 2008, new construction permits for the city are up 30 percent. At least 100,000 new jobs have been created, and Mayor Bill White just proposed a $4 billion dream budget, calling for more police and firefighters while lowering property taxes.

Houston's boom was set off, in part, by the skyrocketing prices for oil and gas, which are the city's central commodities. Here, million-dollar homes are in high demand.

"They're selling faster than they come on the market," said Martha Turner, local real estate agent in Houston.

Government figures show that existing home sales have fallen 4.7 percent in the United States since April. It's a trend that has completely passed over Houston...

[Xeelee]

Originally Posted by toxteth o'grady

Speaking of awesome...

Houston: The U.S. Boomtown

It's the sound some cities haven't heard for months — the sounds of construction and growth ring out throughout Houston.

In 2008, new construction permits for the city are up 30 percent. At least 100,000 new jobs have been created, and Mayor Bill White just proposed a $4 billion dream budget, calling for more police and firefighters while lowering property taxes.

Houston's boom was set off, in part, by the skyrocketing prices for oil and gas, which are the city's central commodities. Here, million-dollar homes are in high demand.

"They're selling faster than they come on the market," said Martha Turner, local real estate agent in Houston.

Government figures show that existing home sales have fallen 4.7 percent in the United States since April. It's a trend that has completely passed over Houston...

This is just the tip of the iceberg why Houston > *

[Wattleigh]

On the topic of residential real-estate, there was a pretty good report I saw on 11 last night with regard to the number of foreign buyers who are choosing to snap up properties in the area.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/stori....5ad14ad7.html

[Great_Hizzy]

I still worry some about foreign investment driving up real estate costs and pricing out longterm buyers (that is, some of the factors that took place in markets like Miami and San Diego).

Then again, maybe I'm overly sensitive because everbody's freely throwing the "B" word around again.

[Trae]

New rendos:



http://www.sppre.com/projects/projec..._RiverOaks.pdf

[TexasPlaya]

Looks very sleek and fancy. Definitely will be a great project if it all comes to together. I wish it was on the otherside of 610 to add some density to Uptown, but that's only wishful thinking. Are there any office towers by this project or is it removed a little bit from them? I wonder where the urban park is (the PDF mentions one); perhaps it will be on top of one of the low rise structures where the green is.

[Von]

OMG I love it ! what's the hold up on this project?

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Looks very sleek and fancy. Definitely will be a great project if it all comes to together. I wish it was on the otherside of 610 to add some density to Uptown, but that's only wishful thinking. Are there any office towers by this project or is it removed a little bit from them? I wonder where the urban park is (the PDF mentions one); perhaps it will be on top of one of the low rise structures where the green is.

Technically, the view is on top of a 16 story, 250k sf office building, so it's blocked out by the crop.

The talk recently has been for an early 2009 start for construction, so we shall see.

[rdavis4559]

[Complex01]

That looks good. It looks really tall from that angle. Very Kewl...