HOUSTON | Development Thread II - Page 218

photoLith · #**4341** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 6:32 AM**

A few of those things are off. 13 has already started, and 12. It was my understanding from a few months back that a new office tower will not be built on that site, instead the Houston club building will be preserved and restored. But it won't surprise me one but if a developer destroys yet another piece of Houston's history instead of developing a vacant lot.

photoLith · #**4342** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 5:44 PM**

Bike-sharing program kicks into high gear

Quote:

Houston's small bicycle- sharing system will expand from three stations downtown to two dozen in several neighborhoods under a partnership announced Wednesday by Mayor Annise Parker.
Parker said the $750,000 collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will encourage a healthful transportation option and confirm Houston as a bike-friendly city.

"Providing more transit and transportation options has been a priority for me, but bikes have a special significance," Parker said. "Bikes are freedom, bikes are movement, bikes are transportation, bikes get you to and from a job."

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...ar-4181173.php

TexasPlaya · #**4343** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 9:18 PM**

Camden, Midtown piece together plans for long-awaited Superblock downtown development

Quote:

Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT) and Midtown Development Authority are finally working out plans to break ground on the Midtown Superblock property in the third quarter of 2013.
The property, which is divided almost evenly between the developers — 3.14 acres for Camden and 2.98 for Midtown — will eventually include a seven-story multifamily development with close to 300 units overlooking a park. The Midtown Superblock is bound by Main, Anita, McGowen and Travis streets.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=29.74...h&z=18&iwloc=A

Boom! Now this is a major step for Midtown having the largest vacant block developed, that is right next to a light rail station at the northern end. The Midtown Management District will likely build the park with underground parking, think a smaller Discovery Green. Per the article:

Quote:

Initial plans for the park include 8,500 square feet of retail, with 250 underground parking spaces to support those businesses. Thibodeaux said groundbreaking plans will likely begin to roll out in March.

Finally the land around the light rail is starting to be developed in a meaningful way. Thousands of apartments have been developed in the western portion of Midtown along Bagby and W Gray, hopefully with this and the Pearl apartment going up we've turned the corner.

photoLith · #**4344** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 9:37 PM**

I think they will tear down that ugly suburban strip mall too on that superblock, at least I hope they will. With the addition of that park it will really help out the area along the light rail line.

lockmat · #**4345** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 10:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Can someone make a list of what's happening in Houston (under construction, approved, proposed)? The first page hasn't been updated in years.

I made a google map with the locations/links etc. I still have some on the west side I need to add.

link: http://goo.gl/R2K8g

TexasPlaya · #**4346** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 11:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I think they will tear down that ugly suburban strip mall too on that superblock, at least I hope they will. With the addition of that park it will really help out the area along the light rail line.

Yes that land is either owned by Midtown or Camden.

Shasta · #**4347** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 1:16 AM**

My niece is moving from downtown Denver to Houston for a new job. We went downtown today at lunch time to explore the streets and tunnels and look for apartments.

There were ZERO available units at the Humble Tower or Hogg Palace and only studios at the Rice Lofts. One Park Place had a few units available, but they were large two bedrooms.

Will someone PLEASE finally convert the 3 building Texas Company block into apartments already!!?!?!?!

TexasPlaya · #**4348** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 6:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockmat

I made a google map with the locations/links etc. I still have some on the west side I need to add.

link: http://goo.gl/R2K8g

Great work! Seems it's concentrated in Uptown, Greenway Plaza, and north Montrose.

photoLith · #**4349** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 11:07 AM**

Shasta, look at Houston House, I'm sure they have units available.

JoninATX · #**4350** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 2:37 PM**

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busi...ts-4160260.php

DanielG425 · #**4351** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 12:42 AM**

New Air China flights to Beijing!

JManc · #**4352** Posted **Jan 16, 2013, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielg425

new air china flights to beijing!

nice!!

diskojoe · #**4353** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shasta

My niece is moving from downtown Denver to Houston for a new job. We went downtown today at lunch time to explore the streets and tunnels and look for apartments.

There were ZERO available units at the Humble Tower or Hogg Palace and only studios at the Rice Lofts. One Park Place had a few units available, but they were large two bedrooms.

Will someone PLEASE finally convert the 3 building Texas Company block into apartments already!!?!?!?!

Did you look in EaDo? I have a friend that has a warehouse that rents out condos if yall are interested. Its right across the street from last concert cafe.

Shasta · #**4354** Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 11:42 PM**

The new(ish) Hines tower on Main St, BG Group Place, just secured another lease bringing occupancy to 92%. Not bad for a building built speculatively.

TexasPlaya · #**4355** Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 4:37 AM**

Uptown Not Waiting for Light Rail, Planning Bus System Along Post Oak Instead

Quote:

...METRO’s Uptown/Gold Line nowhere in sight, the District has developed a $177-million project featuring light rail-like BRT to update Post Oak — a street “that has long outlived its original use,” says John Breeding, the District’s president...

Quote:

...The district includes 23 million sq. ft. of commercial office space, 5 million sq. ft. of retail, and more than 7,000 hotel rooms. In the next 2 years, almost 3,000 residential units will be added, says Breeding...

Quote:

...The BRT system, though, is just one part of the proposed project; the District’s also working with TxDOT to build HOV access lanes to Loop 610 and U.S. 59., which the buses would take to get to and from two proposed transit centers...

TexasPlaya · #**4356** Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 4:43 AM**

I think this is a very practical solution to the lack of funding for the near future construction of light rail. It will show us if the congestion of the Galleria area will overcome the bus stigma. I think it can if it does in fact connect to the park&ride lots as shown in the above picture. Downtown does pretty decent with its bus usage among commuters so I think connecting those two proposed transit centers to the HOV system so buses can go to and from the core to the 'burbs.

Trae · #**4357** Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 8:50 AM**

So sad that this city can't get a competent rail system, but I guess this is better than nothing. Traffic here is worse than I remembered.

tawfiqmp · #**4358** Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 11:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

So sad that this city can't get a competent rail system, but I guess this is better than nothing. Traffic here is worse than I remembered.

This is where Houston lags behind other major cities. I know how much this city relies on the oil & gas industry, but damn, our public transportation needs to get better. I always envisioned a rail system that would go into some of the suburbs of our city in the future, but I can't see it getting done when they can't even agree upon things within city limits.

AviationGuy · #**4359** Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 3:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

So sad that this city can't get a competent rail system, but I guess this is better than nothing. Traffic here is worse than I remembered.

I do think the line from downtown to Reliant is competent, and the new lines being built will be fine. But as an outsider, I'm totally perplexed that the city doesn't already have lines to both airports, to the suburbs, and to areas like Uptown. I feel the same way about Austin, which is way behind. Somehow Dallas got way ahead.

TexasPlaya · #**4360** Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 4:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

I do think the line from downtown to Reliant is competent, and the new lines being built will be fine. But as an outsider, I'm totally perplexed that the city doesn't already have lines to both airports, to the suburbs, and to areas like Uptown. I feel the same way about Austin, which is way behind. Somehow Dallas got way ahead.

The issue is you and many others perceive having a lot of rail or more rail as automatically being advantageous. Quality of the line is just as important because there are quite a few lines that under-perform.

With that said, all Texas cities are pathetically behind in terms of the % of people using transit. Houston in particular has had incompetence and corruption ruin its plan.