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Houston19514

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Everything posted by Houston19514

  1. Houston19514
    By and large, these new residential developments will not be connected to the tunnel system. The 39 story tower that is the subject of this thread may be a rare exception (I say it may be a rare exception because it is not certain that this building will be connected to the tunnel system.) Of the other residential developments in the works, the only one I can think of that might be connected to the tunnels is the old Texaco building.
  2. Houston19514
    Not sure I buy that story about Trammel Crow promising making such a promise. And (a) even it was in the Chronicle, that doesn't necessarily make it so, and ( some would consider the Costco and associated development to not be a step down in quality from the former structure. ;-) I do recall that they had announced plans for a more urban-ish mixed use development but changed the plans when Costco basically made them an offer they couldn't refuse. As we all know plan announcements are not promises. Rather ironic that the Dallas Sam's development is also a Trammel Crow development. FWIW, here's a pic of the former HISD building:
  3. Houston19514
    Cool pics! Thanks for posting. I have to confess I couldn't resist driving by the site on my way home tonight (not really on the way, but had to see).
  4. Houston19514
    Sorry to muddy up a good rant with facts, but the incentives (both state and city) were based on job creation (not necessarily relocation). The incentives were not based on the construction of a new building. Further, the city's incentive is a tax abatement on a portion of the increased value of the property arising out of the construction of the new building. No new building -- no abatement.
  5. Houston19514
    I see. And you are clearly right that it is not just those within city limits. (Houston has approximately 57,000 hotel rooms inside the city limits. Dallas has approximately has not quite 32,000.) Having said that, I wonder how they defined the market. There are more than 20,000 hotel rooms in the Houston metro area outside the city limits. So I wonder how they came up with a market of 74,700 rooms. (Houston city 57,000 plus Houston outside the city 21,000 = 78,000)
  6. Houston19514
    They built a Costco at the corner of Richmond and Weslayan, the former site of the HISD administration building.
  7. Houston19514
    Riiiiggghhhtttt... Two office buildings to be demolished to make way for Sam's Warehouse Club near downtown Dallas. ;-)
  8. Houston19514
    No... the chart says "top ten U.S. cities". So it might be just city limits. ;-)
  9. Houston19514
    In other (arguably more apropos) comparisons, it's about 2/3 of the distance from downtown Chicago to Six Flags Great America; about 1/2 of the distance from downtown Cleveland to Cedar Point; less than 1/2 of the distance from downtown NYC to Six Flags Great Adventure; 1/3 of the distance from downtown Boston to Six Flags New England.
  10. Houston19514
    Forshey liquidated their Steinway piano inventory last year and and has switched to German Schimmel pianos in Houston TX. I think both brands have always been too pricey for the "casual" piano shopper ;-)
  11. Houston19514
    Existing buildings are eligible for the downtown living incentives just as much as new buildings. See, for example, the renovation of the old Texaco building. And, I think there are some other incentives available for developers to restore and renovate existing buildings. There are historic site tax exemptions and adjustments to building codes (I believe both Houston and Harris County). Of course there are the federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.
  12. Houston19514
    That ship has sailed. It was rumored that Kroger was sniffing around at buying Safeway, but Cerberus/Albertson's has a deal to buy it. If Kroger wanted it, they lost out.
  13. Houston19514
    N. San Jacinto and Baker St., I believe.
  14. Houston19514
    The city jail will be eliminated when the county completes the jointly-funded Processing Center. In November, when we voters approved the new processing center, it was said that the new center would be open in 3 years, so roughly November 2016.
  15. Houston19514
    It doesn't and the article didn't say that. The City bid on the site in order to keep its options open.
  16. Houston19514
    What downtown projects have been pushed back?
  17. Houston19514
    Because there is already an area named "Highlands".
  18. Houston19514
    Understood. I merely point out the misstatement of fact because it reflects on the reliability of the source.
  19. Houston19514
    No sir. To be absolutely and technically correct, neither JP Morgan Chase nor any of its predecessors either owns or has ever owned any part of JPMorgan Chase Tower (nee Texas Commerce Tower), either by fee simple title, capital lease or otherwise. They are and have always been nothing more than a tenant with naming rights.
  20. Houston19514
    There might be a kernel of truth in there somewhere, but there is enough misinformation to cast doubt on the whole story. Texas Commerce Bank never owned JPMorgan Chase Tower and JPMorgan Chase Tower never became the property of JPMorgan Chase.
  21. Houston19514
    Drove by the site this evening. The fence/barricades are up and there is a backhoe on site!
  22. Houston19514
    ROFL LOVE the renderings.
  23. Houston19514
    It's a free world (or at least a free city). Anyone of us or them has the option of buying a property in West U or deeper in a deed restricted neighborhood if not having a 20+ story tower next to their single family house is high on their priority list. Allowing this tower does not in any way set a precedent. Not allowing this tower would set a precedent. Anyone who bought a house along Bissonnet knew they were buying on a collector street that also has commercial properties and rental properties (the residents of Maryland Manor were every bit as transient as will be the residents of the new building.) Do you think the houses that line Bissonnet commanded the same premium as those further away from Bissonnet do, with or without this high-rise? Do you think a house on Wroxton Court that backed up to Maryland Manor apartments was as valuable as one 5 blocks away? If you've invested a few million into a historic home on South Boulevard without checking on the status of deed restrictions on your lot and neighboring lots, either you don't care about what's built next to you or you are a damned fool. If your house backs up to a lot that is not deed restricted you probably should worry about what is going to be built behind you. That's why houses at the edges of neighborhoods generally go for less money. (For that matter, even if you live in a zoned city, if your house backs up to property that lines a collector street, you probably should worry about what is going to be built behind you.) This building may actually raise the values of nearby houses because it removes the nearly-blighted Maryland Manor apartments and gives them certainty as to what will be on that property for the long-term. The closest residents bought houses that were to one degree or another close to a property that was not deed restricted (and lines a collector street Guess what? They probably paid less for their houses because of that. Having gambled and failed they relied on political connections to try to impose their desires on the property of another.
  24. Houston19514
    Yes, it's an annual Urban Land Institute competition sponsored by the Hines organization. This year's competition was to propose a development vision that promotes healthy living for the residents of Nashville’s Sulphur Dell neighborhood. 2013 was to create a practical and workable scheme for a section of the Downtown East neighborhood in Minneapolis. In 2012, of course, the competition focused on creating a practical and workable scheme for the best use of approximately 16.3 acres owned by the United States Postal Service (USPS). The competition focused on the USPS property since it is considered by many stakeholders to be a key site to reconnect the theater district, the historic district, and the greater downtown to the Buffalo Bayou. It's not some nefarious scheme to provide Gerald Hines with free conceptual design.
  25. Houston19514
    Pretty cool. But FWIW, it is not a Hilton Garden Inn.
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