HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by JManc

Does anyone know what's going to happen on the corner of Montrose and lower Westheimer where the Half Price Books used to be?

I think that project is the one referred to as WestMont.

Funny you mention it as they share the same developer - Skanska.

Currently it's the home to the Montrose Marketplace on weekends. They wanted to keep the site at least somewhat active until they're ready to build.

Renderings from HAIF . They used to be on architect Perkins Eastman's website on a project page but that page has been removed. Renderings haven't though...

[JManc]

Whoa, that's a great project. How did they miss that? Yes, I saw all the marketplace stuff when I drove by. Looks like that stretch of Westheimer is creeping back to life since Covid. I hadn't seen that active in years.

Looks like something is planned for the former Disco Kroger spot too. As long as they leave the SBUX across the street alone. That's where my wife and I first met.

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by JManc

Looks like something is planned for the former Disco Kroger spot too. As long as they leave the SBUX across the street alone. That's where my wife and I first met.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...e-17547765.php

Montrose's 'Disco Kroger' site to become $100M apartment project

Marissa Luck,
Staff writer
Nov. 2, 2022
Updated: Nov. 4, 2022 5:44 p.m.

A Georgia real estate firm is entering the Houston market by developing a well-known parcel in Montrose at the site of the famous “Disco Kroger.”

Southeastern Company is planning a 330-unit multifamily midrise at 3300 Montrose Blvd. The site previously housed a Kroger grocery store that was nicknamed the “Disco Kroger” after it became a haunt for late-night revelers in the LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood.

When Kroger wanted to shutter the store a few years ago, the grocer pitched the land as a development parcel to Southeastern, a commercial real estate developer that previously worked with Kroger on other real estate projects, noted Mary Senn, vice president at Southeastern.

Kroger sold the site to an entity tied to Southeastern in 2021. The site is now vacant after the grocery store was demolished.

Southeastern is working through the permitting process before breaking ground on the new apartment complex sometime in the first half of 2023, Senn said. The entire development is expected to cost an estimated $100 million, including land and labor, she added.

Although Southeastern has developed other projects in Texas, this represents its first project in Houston, but probably not its last, Senn said.

“We’ve been looking at doing a lot more out in Texas and it just made sense to go to Houston," she said. "You guys have good job growth, and it’s a strong market."

Southeastern typically develops in unique areas, such as waterfront properties or places surrounded by highly-sought after cultural attractions, so the firm thought the Montrose location would be a good fit, Senn noted.

“We don’t just want to build anywhere. In the Montrose area, it’s just a neat neighborhood with art galleries, restaurants, bars and everything. Clearly it just looked like it would be a nice place to live,” Senn said. “This gives us the opportunity to enter in the market and provide something a little different.”

The seven-story apartment project would include two levels of parking capped by five levels of residential space. With a planned opening expected around 2025, the market-rate apartments would range in size from 580 square feet to almost 1,300 square feet, and include studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Indoor amenities include a cyber lounge/coworking area, a game room/club room, a dog washing station, package lockers and modern fitness facility.

Rendering from article

[Double L]

Great projects. Houston is a city which is always improving its built environment lately. Not every city can say that.

[JManc]

That's some serious density for that lot and that whole area has totally transformed. Let's hope whatever Kroger replacement is called, it better have "Disco" in the name.

[colemonkee]

Apparently there was a disco Kroger in Atlanta as well.

[Wattleigh]

1550 On The Green

c/o cityliving on HAIF





Autry Park

c/o cityliving on HAIF









Houston Methodist Centennial Tower

c/o Highrise Tower on HAIF











TMC Helix Park

c/o TMC Instagram

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by Wattleigh

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...e-17547765.php



Rendering from article

Why are many of Houston's apartment complexes so big and blocky with interior corridors?

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by DCReid

Why are many of Houston's apartment complexes so big and blocky with interior corridors?

Looks pretty similar to the apartments being built here in Austin. Isn't it called a Texas doughnut?

[Dariusb]

Loving the photo updates.

[Montrose1100]

Originally Posted by DCReid

Why are many of Houston's apartment complexes so big and blocky with interior corridors?

Weather, convivence, and security. A lot of these are built on former garden style complexes or warehouses that were huge tracts of land.

Personally enjoy the densification of the inner loop. Amazing to witness the quiet transformation taking place.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by DCReid

Why are many of Houston's apartment complexes so big and blocky with interior corridors?

They’re being built everywhere, not just Houston. Not even just Texas. It’s the current trend in major apartment developments. If it seems like Houston has more than its fair share, it’s because Houston is going through its densification now, instead of earlier like so many other cities.

This is in San Francisco:

[Wattleigh]

Originally Posted by Montrose1100

Weather, convivence, and security. A lot of these are built on former garden style complexes or warehouses that were huge tracts of land.

Personally enjoy the densification of the inner loop. Amazing to witness the quiet transformation taking place.

Originally Posted by bilbao58

They’re being built everywhere, not just Houston. Not even just Texas. It’s the current trend in major apartment developments. If it seems like Houston has more than its fair share, it’s because Houston is going through its densification now, instead of earlier like so many other cities.

To me, I think this is what's being missed when people consider (or don't) the amount of development in Houston as of late.

I always get a kick out of those who think that things are slow or have dried up construction-wise over the past few years when literally dozens of 4-6 story complexes have sprung up over the past decade - and in spots that wouldn't have been imaginable just a few years ago. This is in addition to the office towers, condos and apartment towers that happened to rise at the same time.

If anything the volume of development has pushed the ceiling of these lower-rise developments upward in height especially inside the loop. There tend to be more 10-15 story buildings being proposed left and right it feels like lately - pretty much all of them residential. It almost feels like they've been coming so fast they sometimes get buried in this thread under discussions and we don't recall them until the crane goes up soon after.

[Wattleigh]

Speaking of similarly scaled developments...

London House

Courtesy of Sanders Studios
A rendering of boutique mid-rise condominium complex London House, slated to open in River Oaks next year.

https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/...m_medium=email

Builders Break Ground On Another River Oaks Mid-Rise With Condos Starting At $1.5M

River Oaks is gaining another mid-rise made up of multimillion-dollar condominiums with the groundbreaking of Randall Davis Co.'s London House.

The 12-story, 70K SF tower at 2323 San Felipe St. is already 35% sold, according to the property's website. Randall Davis announced that construction began Tuesday, and the project is set to deliver in mid-2024.

The building will have 23 units — 19 standard and four penthouses — that range from 2.7K SF to 4.2K SF, according to a news release. All units have at least three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Standard units start at $1.5M and penthouse units start at $3.8M.

Amenities include a four-story parking garage, a dog run and pet washing station, along with an option to customize units, including the addition of an outdoor kitchen for early buyers. The design of the mid-rise draws inspiration from the neighboring River Oaks townhomes and London’s Chelsea neighborhood, the release states.

“It’s our goal to bring a smaller, more exclusive residence to River Oaks and provide those seeking a luxurious lock-and-leave lifestyle with unobstructed views of the fabulous neighborhood, high-quality design and state-of-the-art amenities,” said Randall Davis, who is developing London House with his daughter Natalie.

Less than a half mile away at 2419 Mimosa Drive, Pelican Builders expects to break ground this quarter on The Lexington, an eight-story, 114K SF condominium complex with 40 units ranging in starting price from $1.7M to $4.3M. The project should be delivered about 18 months after the start of construction, placing its completion around the same time as London House.

But there seems to be a robust market for these types of units in the River Oaks area, as Pelican Builders’ The Revere, also less than a half mile from London House, opened in summer 2020 and sold out in August.

[Wattleigh]

TMC Helix Park


https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...r-17708570.php

A rendering of the new Dynamic One building at TMC Helix Park, a 37-acre life sciences complex in the Texas Medical Center. The building will house Baylor College of Medicine, which on Tuesday was announced as the first official tenant of the complex.

Courtesy of Beacon Capital Partners

New 37-acre Texas Medical Center life sciences complex signs Baylor as first tenant

The school will serve as the anchor tenant of the Dynamic One building, occupying 114,000 square-feet of space for labs and start-up companies.

Julian Gill,
Staff writer
Jan. 11, 2023

Baylor College of Medicine was announced Tuesday as the first tenant at TMC Helix Park, formerly known as TMC3, a 37-acre life sciences campus designed to encourage collaboration in the medical center.

The school will serve as the anchor tenant of the Dynamic One building, occupying 114,000 square-feet of space for labs and start-up companies, according to a news release from the Texas Medical Center and developers Beacon Capital Partners. The building is expected to open later this year.

For Baylor, which receives more funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other Texas institution, the goal is to expand its research portfolio and industry partnerships, “as well as entice newcomers to join in the life sciences growth in Houston,” the news release said.

“Our researchers and scientists will have the opportunity to access the uniquely concentrated research environment being developed at TMC Helix Park, facilitating the continuing advancement of innovation and compassionate care,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, the school’s president, CEO and executive dean.

The life sciences complex remains under construction just south of the heart of the medical center. That project, and other planned developments, are expected to help solidify Houston’s foothold in the life sciences market by bringing together medical entrepreneurs, leading biopharmaceutical and health care companies, as well as academics, researchers and health professionals.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by Wattleigh

Speaking of similarly scaled developments...

London House





https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/...m_medium=email

What is 'London' abut that building?

[Wattleigh]

WestMont



A tease of things to come c/o wilcal on HAIF

Heard some movement is starting to happen. We'll probably get some public info in a month or so.

Height comparable to Hanover Montrose/La Colombe d'Or

Hanover Montrose is '326 while Residences at La Colombe d'Or is '452

Also something on this project about a mile west...

Residences on Westheimer / 2311 Westheimer



The existing businesses should have vacated the existing structure on this site by this time next week. In the meantime, COH permits are starting to go out on this one.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by Bailey

What is 'London' abut that building?

Who the hell knows. The developer is infamous in Houston for his ridiculous buildings. At least this one doesn’t have gargoyles or caryatids. I’m not joking about the gargoyles and caryatids.


ETA: Maybe it’s London, Ontario.

[AviationGuy]

Getting excited about my move to the Houston metro this summer. While I won't be able to afford to live in the city, I'll be able to live near family in Cypress, which has something like six hospitals and tons of medical and other facilities. That's something you have to think about at this age. I'll rent until I can sell my Austin house, and then buy down there. There are a lot of neighborhoods similar to where JManc lives in Kingwood (including the pine trees). Since I love the architecture of Houston so much, I'll plan to make at least one trip per week into the city. I'll be doing that anyway to have a weekly lunch with a parent. So all in all, I'm looking forward to the big change. It's where I lived for the first 18 years of my life, so I guess it will be "going back home".

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Bailey

What is 'London' abut that building?

The top floors look like bad British teeth.

Btw, I just noticed this thing is replacing the Meredith Long Gallery, pretty reputable art gallery.