HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[The Best Forumer]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

I loved the original design, but I’ll take this one.

This new one is a significant step down i think... but ill take it too i guess... the original was a real head turner for sure.

[Urbannizer]

701 Richmond

701 Richmond Apartments

Address: 701 Richmond Ave. Houston, TX 77006
Montrose Neighborhood
Owner/Developer: Avid Living 713, LLC
Architect: Meeks + Partners


15-story apartment building with 416 units (167,710 SF). Level 1-5 parking with 3,600 SF of retail space at Level 1. Pool and terrace (9,000 SF) at Level 6, a sky lounge (1,300 SF) located at Level 14, and a roof-top amenity space (2,500 SF) located at Level 15.

The existing site is 1.0931 acres and includes a two-story office building, 2 surface parking lots, and 3 single-family residences.

[The Best Forumer]

Looks cozy... I like the location. Something that pops out and makes a statement would have been ideal here. But it's not bad at all...

[TexasPlaya]

I like it, nice little mid rise to add to the area.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by JManc

Is that where Mattress Firm/ Half Price Books are? That shopping center? As nice as this is, I am torn because underneath is an art deco façade that could be brought back to life. Still, that is an amazing project.

It is.

I hear ya but this has been such an underwhelming shopping center for decades. Another major project is well underway catty-corner from this (HAIF:Montrose Collective). Two mixed use projects plus the two high rises by the Greek Church, this area of Montrose/Westheimer getting a major update. Maybe they'll have upgraded this stretch of Westheimer by 2030...

[TexasPlaya]

Mixed Use Kirby Collection

Completed last year but filling up with tenants. Looks like office component landed lead tenant. Pics from Highrise Tower on HAIF:



Some cool neighborhood pics from MidCenturyMoldy on HAIF:

[AviationGuy]

There are many areas of Houston city proper that I love, but Upper Kirby ranks near the top, especially the residential side streets.

[Twitter1]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Mixed Use Kirby Collection

7-Story condo building in Upper Kirby will break ground this week.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

There are many areas of Houston city proper that I love, but Upper Kirby ranks near the top, especially the residential side streets.

It's pretty unique with bungalows, big brick houses, art deco, and modern townhouses. I think the big thing is the Upper Kirby management district has done a great job of updating streets and sidewalks.

[The Best Forumer]

I didnt know there was such a thing.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by The Best Forumer

I didnt know there was such a thing.

Yeah, a lot of Houston neighborhoods have a management district; Heights, Kirby, Montrose, etc. I agree about the Kirby area, if I could swing it, I would have a townhouse around the Virginia St./ Ferndale area.

[Urbannizer]

’Disco Kroger’ Site Sold for Montrose Redevelopment

HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – The so-called “Disco Kroger” store in the Montrose area has been sold to a Georgia-based real estate developer that will demolish the empty grocery and build something new.

The Kroger store, located in the heart of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, was operated 24 hours a day at one time. After the Montrose area clubs closed for the night, the grocery store would often have a steady stream of late-night shoppers, including cross-dressed customers in the early morning hours.

Disco Kroger closed earlier this year. The windows are boarded up. Graffiti grows quickly. The wrecking ball arrives soon. Kroger headquarters says the store did not generate enough profit.

The property was acquired by the Southeastern Real Estate Group, which is based in Augusta, Ga. Southeastern representatives did not return messages left Tuesday afternoon.

However the firm is expected to develop retail and multifamily on the site.

[The Best Forumer]

Originally Posted by JManc

Yeah, a lot of Houston neighborhoods have a management district; Heights, Kirby, Montrose, etc. I agree about the Kirby area, if I could swing it, I would have a townhouse around the Virginia St./ Ferndale area.

Thanks for the info on the mgmt districts...

And yes... the area you mention is quite nice.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

’Disco Kroger’ Site Sold for Montrose Redevelopment

Awesome, this corner of Montrose is finally turning a page. I used to live a few blocks from this Krogers about 10 years ago and they were putting the finishing touches on the remodel. Then HEB came and ate their lunch.

[JManc]

It's cool and sad at the same time; Montrose was a pretty funky area back in the day (hence Disco Kroger) and now it's become a rapidly overpriced and sterile area. The developments are awesome but something is still lost in the process. My wife and I went on our first date at the Starbucks across the street.

[HouinLooper]

Who says Houston is slowing down? $1.9 Billion in downtown construction alone.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...a-chron-result

[photoLith]

Originally Posted by JManc

It's cool and sad at the same time; Montrose was a pretty funky area back in the day (hence Disco Kroger) and now it's become a rapidly overpriced and sterile area. The developments are awesome but something is still lost in the process. My wife and I went on our first date at the Starbucks across the street.

Even when I lived downtown in 2010-12, Montrose was still fairly funky but I recently went back and all the old bars and cool art studios I used to hangout in are mostly gone. I never got to see Montrose in the 90s or 80s but I bet it was super cool and also run down Id imagine.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Even when I lived downtown in 2010-12, Montrose was still fairly funky but I recently went back and all the old bars and cool art studios I used to hangout in are mostly gone. I never got to see Montrose in the 90s or 80s but I bet it was super cool and also run down Id imagine.

I was a kid in the 80's but remember it being pretty eclectic and then moved back down here in the late 90's when they still had the Westheimer Street Fest and when the Pride Parade was still there before it was moved downtown and became a giant commercialized event.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by JManc

I was a kid in the 80's but remember it being pretty eclectic and then moved back down here in the late 90's when they still had the Westheimer Street Fest and when the Pride Parade was still there before it was moved downtown and became a giant commercialized event.

In the 70s, there was a stretch of Westheimer in that area that was lined with very good ethnic restaurants. My parents took me to a Greek restaurant on that stretch. It was really good, and the dancers made us all blush.

When I would come home from college in the 70s, I would escape in the evenings and head right for Montrose. There was a bar called the Farmhouse that use to be a huge mansion. That's where I saw Paul Lynde, who was totally obnoxious and not funny like on Hollywood Squares.

At that time, a lot of Montrose didn't feel safe and looked pretty seedy. Some parts were not bad at all, like where my grandparents lived on Vermont, across the street from Dan Rather. It's a nice area now, but definitely not funky like it was.

[TexasPlaya]

From my experience, Lower Westheimer / Montrose is a seedier environment with Rice Village demographics but you can still bar hop. Going back to the management districts, Montrose's has been notoriously corrupt and ineffective. The state of Lower Westheimer is pretty inexcusable, it's not just the broken sidewalks but the awful street lighting.