HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[Double L]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

I believe that's an urban myth.

That is not an urban myth. Go inside the Chase Tower. They have a graphic telling you about the building in the lobby and they say that is true.

[Double L]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Bank of the Southwest Tower? Height restrictions did not kill it, the 1980s oil bust did. It also killed many other towers that were proposed to be well above 1,000ft.

Bank of the Southwest Tower was proposed in 1987, not 1982, he is referring to the Chase Tower.

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by Double L

Bank of the Southwest Tower was proposed in 1987, not 1982, he is referring to the Chase Tower.

Bank of the Southwest Tower was proposed in 82', and was to be completed in 86'. He was not referring to Chase Tower. He said "that's what killed the last proposal back in 1982"; Chase Tower stands today.

http://www.emporis.com/building/bank...houston-tx-usa

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by Houston Chronicle

Grocers Supply warehouse on Interstate 10 to become apartments, retail

Houston developers will build a mixed-use project, including upscale apartment and retailcomponents, on a 15-acre tract of desirable that is close in to downtown, replacing a large produce warehouse that occupied the space for decades.

Capcor Partners and Kaplan Management, which develop retail and residential properties, bought the land this week from Houston-based Grocers Supply, which has occupied the site at the corner of Studemont and Interstate-10 for 42 years.

Grocers Supply, a Houston-based wholesale supplier for independent grocery stores in Texas and Oklahoma, will remain in the location until its new facility is completed within the next two years. Jim Arnold, vice president of real estate at Grocers Supply, said the company has property under contract for the replacement site, but does not yet own the land. The company has not yet announced its new location.

Josh Aruh of Capcor, which specializes in retail developments, said it's rare to find such a large piece of land in the Inner Loop and the new project will make a "big footprint" on the area.

Aruh said he has already discussed possibilities for the property, including grocers, cinemas, restaurants and several big box retailers. The developers also are working with the city to expand a road to split the property and reduce traffic, he said.

Michael Kaplan of Kaplan Management, which specializes in multifamily developments, said he hopes to include up to 400 high-end apartments, on the land, on top of the retail and commercial uses, to meet the demand for housing in the area.

Full Article: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busi...hp?cmpid=btfpm

[Double L]

The Chase Tower was shortened when it was built due to the flight patterns coming out of Hobby.

[cloud713]

Originally Posted by Double L

The Chase Tower was shortened when it was built due to the flight patterns coming out of Hobby.

I heard the chase tower was actually increased in height.. That's why there is a sky lobby at the 60th floor, because that was the original planned roof of the building.

[Double L]

Maybe. The main reason for the skylobby is that from there you can quickly get to any level of the building. Increasing height is also very expensive and risky as you don't know whether or not you have the demand. Do you have a source for this?

Wikipedia backs up what I said.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPMorga..._%28Houston%29

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by Houston Chronicle

Ballpark apartments break ground

About a year after it was announced, the seven-story luxury apartment complex set to go up next to Minute Maid Park has broken ground, the developer said Friday.
The Finger Cos. is developing the new complex, which will be built on two blocks just west of the ballpark. One of the blocks used to house the old Ben Milam Hotel. The 10-story building was demolished last year.

The new apartment building at 500 Crawford are expected to have 380 units. It was designed by Atlanta-based Niles Bolton Associates. The design will mirror the style of the Astros’ home, with a stone, stucco and decorative iron exterior, the developer said.

Finger Cos., which also built the nearby One Park Place apartment tower, said the floors in the new property will be separated by six inches of concrete and insulated by double-paned sliding glass doors like in the tower. The units will be “virtually noise free,” the company said.

Renters will have access to such amenities as a sixth-floor “sports lounge,” an outdoor deck on the seventh-floor that will overlook the ballpark, swimming pools and a fitness center. The unit’s finishes will include wood and ceramic-tile floors and luxury-pile carpet, as well as gas-fired cooktops, hardwood cabinets and freestanding islands with under-the-counter wine coolers.

Leasing will start in May 2015.

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...nd/#19082101=1

[llamaorama]

Closing Grocery Supply will take the northernmost segment of the railroad tracks OST crosses along with it, right?

Seems like they could finally extend the Columbia Tap trail to at least Holcombe

[Urbannizer]

Crane is up for Astoria, the crane for BHP Billiton will be up by Jan 6th.

By Skylineview on HAIF:

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...nd/#19082101=1

Outstanding. More infill for downtown.

[East7thStreet]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

Outstanding. More infill for downtown.

This is smack dab in the middle of DT Houston and next to the ballpark....... but no ground level retail??? It's the most important thing an urban area needs....a human scaled experience at street level that is pleasant to the pedestrian. The extra people living DT is a bonus..... but it frustrates me that Houston continues to shun the pedestrian experience.

[Urbannizer]

Originally Posted by East7thStreet

This is smack dab in the middle of DT Houston and next to the ballpark....... but no ground level retail??? It's the most important thing an urban area needs....a human scaled experience at street level that is pleasant to the pedestrian. The extra people living DT is a bonus..... but it frustrates me that Houston continues to shun the pedestrian experience.

Downtown is no longer shunning the pedestrian experience. As seen from this rendering given by the article, the project will have ground floor retail. This link here also says it will have retail (#16): http://downtownhouston.org/site_medi...ects_11x17.pdf

[Urbannizer]

Southwestern Energy HQ: By cloud713

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Downtown is no longer shunning the pedestrian experience. As seen from this rendering given by the article, the project will have ground floor retail. This link here also says it will have retail (#16): http://downtownhouston.org/site_medi...ects_11x17.pdf

Nice sleight of hand. I think it also subtracted a story.

[cloud713]

Originally Posted by Double L

Maybe. The main reason for the skylobby is that from there you can quickly get to any level of the building. Increasing height is also very expensive and risky as you don't know whether or not you have the demand. Do you have a source for this?

Wikipedia backs up what I said.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPMorga..._%28Houston%29

I don't have a source, I read that on a post over on haif. They said they emailed one of the architects of the building and that's what they told them. Back in the early 80s before the bust demand was higher than it's ever been so an increase in height isn't far fetched

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by toxteth o'grady

Nice sleight of hand. I think it also subtracted a story.

Both views show 7 floors.

On another topic, the extension to the MetroRail Red Line opened yesterday...

http://www.chron.com/news/transporta...ee-5084594.php

[AustinTay]

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by Wattleigh

Both views show 7 floors.

On another topic, the extension to the MetroRail Red Line opened yesterday...

http://www.chron.com/news/transporta...ee-5084594.php

Nice to see a new red line extension open up. That being said, it drives me crazy that the corridors that need new service the most aren't likely to get it any time in the near to long-term future, that being Greenway/Uptown/Galleria. I understand that this isn't METRO's fault, but rather than the city and the rich uppity residents who live in a lot of these areas. METRO's problem is having to deal with a large percentage of Houstonians who simply refuse to acknowledge rail, heck even buses, need to exist in the first place. A line is desperately needed along Westheimer, but perhaps Alabama might work instead? And obviously a connection along Post Oak as well. Glad that U of H is going to be served shortly by the southern extension that will be opening relatively shortly as well, of course.

All in all, I'm glad Houston's finally making at least a LITTLE headway when it comes to rail, but unfortunately being street-level makes it incredibly slow as well. There are substantial areas that should have been elevated, no doubt about it.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Urbannizer]

*bump*