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  #21  
Old Posted Jul 9, 2013, 3:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Design-mind View Post
How they kept this a secret for so long is amazing. A very nice project indeed.
agreed, though technically there were rumors for this thing for months like o'grady said. now im starting to wonder if the rumors of corporate relocation into Exxonmobil, or buying out the property and rebuilding, in the next few years is going to come to fruition like the Chevron tower rumors did.

if you count the floors there are 50 floors in the tower portion, with the bottom (top of the podium) and top floors being two levels high, and a 4 story podium that appears to be double height floors as well, meaning the tower will be about the height of a 58 story building.
     
     
  #22  
Old Posted Jul 12, 2013, 5:21 PM
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Second quarter of 2014 start. Next year is going to start off busy.
     
     
  #23  
Old Posted Jul 19, 2013, 1:53 PM
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Quote:
City Veto of Abatement Could Hinder $12M State Grant to Chevron

By Mike Morris and Nancy Sarnoff
8:37 AM


The Houston City Council could veto a $12 million state grant to help Chevron build a 50-story tower downtown if it fails to add some city money to the pot.

Few on the council appear inclined to vote down a $2.7 million tax abatement for the oil and gas giant, but some have questioned the wisdom of the proposal, noting Chevron long has had plans for the tract at 1600 Louisiana.

Program rules for the Texas Enterprise Fund, an economic development tool run by Gov. Rick Perry's office, from which the $12 million would be drawn, require a local match. Perry spokesman Rich Parsons said a City Council rejection would not automatically torpedo the deal, however.

Precisely what Houston would need to do to satisfy its role is unclear. The only written guidelines are on a state website, stating deals require "community involvement … primarily in the form of local economic incentive offers."

Chevron, which reported a first-quarter profit of $6.2 billion, announced it would buy the tract at 1600 Louisiana - next door to the former Enron towers, which the firm also owns - five years ago, saying the purchase would allow "flexibility and options for the future."

The Texas Enterprise Fund also requires the company receiving the funds to be considering whether to invest in Texas or another state. Chevron stated it was deciding between California or Houston, Parsons said.

Chevron, which has said it plans to create 1,700 new jobs in Houston over the next eight years, said it considered other locations for those positions.

"We evaluated a number of factors - including the potential for incentives - in the decision to locate them in Houston and build new office space to accommodate this growth," Chevron spokesman Russell Johnson said in an email Thursday. Other factors, he said, included "the availability and quality of space, economics, and the locations of businesses that these jobs would support."

Early this month, Chevron announced its intention to build the downtown tower, creating an "urban campus" for its growing ranks of employees. The building, Chevron said, would allow the company to consolidate workers from nearby leased space. It also would house the 1,700 new workers.

Councilman Dave Martin said the tower will be built because it makes business sense for Chevron, not because of tax breaks.

"I don't understand why you're giving financial incentives or inducements to people who have already stated that they're coming," Martin said. "They have a couple of buildings over in that area now, so it makes sense if they want to build something else, they'll build it right there. You think $270,000 (a year) to a corporation like that means a hill of beans? That isn't squat."

Mayor Annise Parker alternately embraced and distanced herself from the deal.

"Chevron is a great corporate citizen," Parker declared. "They're going to be building a huge commercial tower in the middle of downtown Houston, which will generate much more money than potential rebates coming back to them through this arrangement."

Asked whether Chevron would have done so without tax rebates, Parker first said, "You're going to have to ask the governor's office about that, because they initiated this one," then said, "We believe it meets the 'but-for' clause, and we support the state of Texas analysis of that."

The "but-for" clause refers to the idea that the project would not occur without the incentives.

Houston's chief development officer, Andy Icken, said Chevron will spend at least $2.7 million on public amenities, and must spend at least that much to move a storm sewer that runs through the property.

University of Houston economist Steven Craig said taxes are a small consideration to a firm like Chevron in comparison to the presence of refineries, equipment and a trained workforce. And, he said, tax abatements are difficult to do effectively.

"If you happen to be on the cycle of your physical infrastructure when you need a new building, you get a subsidy? If Chevron gets a subsidy, what about Exxon and Shell and Apache and all these other guys?" he said. "We don't want them to grow at the expense of Shell. That doesn't make the local area any better off."
Full Article: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news...te-4673789.php
     
     
  #24  
Old Posted Aug 7, 2013, 4:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HBJ
Houston City Council passes downtown tax abatement for Chevron

Houston City Council passed the ordinance designating the Chevron U.S.A. Inc. tax abatement reinvestment zone at its meeting Wednesday.

It passed unanimously without discussion, the Houston Chronicle reports.
On July 24, the council held a hearing regarding the item, weighing the benefits of creating the zone related to its planned 50-story tower in downtown Houston.

The Tax Abatement Reinvestment Zone would encompass two acres at 1600 Louisiana.

It could mean $2.7 million to $3 million for the company, according to the Houston Chronicle. That money would be in addition to the $12 million it could receive from the Texas Enterprise Fund, which Gov. Rick Perry's office announced in July.

The fund is a pot of money meant to attract outside firms and businesses to the state.
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/b...-downtown.html
     
     
  #25  
Old Posted Aug 7, 2013, 7:27 PM
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Unanimous. Seemed like there was more drama in the speculation than there was in teh actual council vote.
     
     
  #26  
Old Posted Aug 8, 2013, 9:31 PM
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the word is that this one will be around 830 feet if a mod wants to edit the title.
     
     
  #27  
Old Posted Aug 8, 2013, 9:41 PM
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I'd rather not use an estimated height so that we aren't spreading a rumored number. I'd rather wait until we have a confirmed height from the source, either the architect, developer or seeing the building elevations.

Maybe some of you Houston peeps could do that? Make sure to ask for the height to the main roof and to the mechanical penthouse. Sometimes building heights are only listed/published for the main roof height. The reason is most cities only require developments to obey height permissions/zoning rules for the main roof and things like mechanical penthouses are either exempt or are allowed extra height up to a point. In Austin developers get an extra 15 percent in height for the mechanical penthouse above the approved building height. So as a result a lot of building heights are only first reported for the main roof. It's why I always ask for both heights so there is no doubt.
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  #28  
Old Posted Aug 8, 2013, 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas View Post
I'd rather not use an estimated height so that we aren't spreading a rumored number. I'd rather wait until we have a confirmed height from the source, either the architect, developer or seeing the building elevations.

Maybe some of you Houston peeps could do that? Make sure to ask for the height to the main roof and to the mechanical penthouse. Sometimes building heights are only listed/published for the main roof height. The reason is most cities only require developments to obey height permissions/zoning rules for the main roof and things like mechanical penthouses are either exempt or are allowed extra height up to a point. In Austin developers get an extra 15 percent in height for the mechanical penthouse above the approved building height. So as a result a lot of building heights are only first reported for the main roof. It's why I always ask for both heights so there is no doubt.
understandable. the number comes from someone who is a "source", per se for a different forum, but i couldnt tell you how they know itll be about 830'. either way, official or not, i think its a pretty accurate estimate given the tower will be closer to the height of a 60 story building when you count the podium and double height floors.

Last edited by cloud713; Aug 8, 2013 at 10:41 PM.
     
     
  #29  
Old Posted Aug 9, 2013, 3:35 AM
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an elevator subcontractor that the "source" works with, who is familiar with the plans told him the height.
     
     
  #30  
Old Posted Aug 9, 2013, 4:24 AM
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Still that number sounds rounded up. It could even be a few feet taller than that. Doesn't Houston put building/project plans on their website for the public to review? That's how I've been able to get the heights for nearly every project in Austin down to the inch.
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  #31  
Old Posted Aug 9, 2013, 1:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cloud713 View Post
an elevator subcontractor that the "source" works with, who is familiar with the plans told him the height.
We wait until the official announcement.
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  #32  
Old Posted Sep 1, 2013, 10:27 AM
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The commons facility (podium in the rendering) is 4-stories. Chevron is planning for the building to achieve LEED Platnium Certification.

According to one of the reliable sources on HAIF (same person who first told us about this tower), Chevron has more land earmarked downtown for another tower.
     
     
  #33  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2013, 3:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Urbannizer View Post
According to one of the reliable sources on HAIF (same person who first told us about this tower), Chevron has more land earmarked downtown for another tower.
So if they build that one, they'll have how much space? That's a major campus downtown for one employer. I've got to believe that additional tower would only come about if there's a headquarters move.
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  #34  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2013, 7:07 PM
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Originally Posted by toxteth o'grady View Post
So if they build that one, they'll have how much space? That's a major campus downtown for one employer. I've got to believe that additional tower would only come about if there's a headquarters move.
Major expansion of various divisions could also initiate the need for a fourth tower. It is to my understanding 1600 Louisiana will have expandable space for future needs.
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  #35  
Old Posted Sep 9, 2013, 3:49 PM
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New post from Swamplot also reports that the tower will rise to 830' feet. The number comes from an event where the guy that snapped a photo of the rendering below was later asked to leave. At that height, it will be the 3rd tallest downtown and the 4th tallest in Houston.



http://swamplot.com/louisiana-elevat...09/#more-69873

Last edited by Urbannizer; Sep 10, 2013 at 1:36 PM.
     
     
  #36  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2013, 4:01 PM
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  #37  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2013, 10:11 PM
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Still, we should work on finding the actual height. Typically mechanical penthouses ar not counted in zoning requests for height, so this building could end up being 10 feet taller and we'd never know it. Things like mechanical penthouses are typically exempt from height restrictions since they sometimes aren't even visible from the ground since they can be hidden by screens or parapets.
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  #38  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2013, 10:55 PM
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Can't wait until March!!! Super exited about this one being built
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  #39  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2013, 3:02 AM
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great design i love it. it will have a huge impact overall.
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  #40  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2013, 3:08 PM
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Nice looking complex! Houston is getting some serious skyline density in the coming years.
     
     
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