Houston19514

if houston had zoning, land planning, etc., the speculators wouldn't have snapped up the land with zero intention to develop it.

Why would you think speculators would not operate if we had zoning? I'm not following your logic.

and the second tallest building in Houston is also taller than the tallest building in Dallas.

Set-backs on Main, Fannin and Elgin are 10' in that area.

What are the parking requirements for that area?

Anything that could be done to improve civic/public architecture in this city would be a big help. IMO, it is consistently mediocre to awful. Exhibit A: The new civil courts.

I've said it before, but Houston used to have a reputation for good architecture. We've totally lost that. It's not necessarily an issue of expense, but faux-historical Jiffy-Lubes are just second rate design, and they aren't always the cheapest for that matter. Big cities aren't ashamed to invest in good design.

I don't know that Houston EVER had a good architectural reputation re: civic/public architecture. I rather doubt it. I have to agree the new fire station is underwhelming and disappointing.

As for serving their customer base, give me a break. CVS is worried about one thing and one thing only; market saturation.

They might also save time avoiding the City of Houston's permitting process by having to petition to go against the stupid set-back rules that almost mandate the type of crappy development our city sees.

I think CVS is actually more "worried" about making a profit than they are about "market saturation." Market saturation is merely a means to an end. And a far more important means to that end is "serving (and growing) their customer base".

Having said that, you hit the nail on the head re: the "stupid set-back rules." Why in the world do they still have those set-back rules in mid-town and the TMC areas? Query: Is anyone on this board active in the midtown organizations or any other organization that might work with the city to get rid of regulations that encourage inappropriate development for Midtown?

NMainguy blames it on the lack of zoning. This case appears to have nothing to do with zoning or lack thereof. (Houston's lack of zoning gets the blame for an amazing amount of negative development that it would do nothing to stop or change.) In this case, I don't see or hear anyone objecting to a drug store locating on this site, which is all that a zoning code would do (either allow or disallow commercial usage). Houston already as other land-use regulations (such as set-back requirements, parking requirements, etc.), and as in so many cases, here those regulations hurt more than help.

It thus seems that two of the hottest office markets in Houston are Downtown and the Energy Corridor. I hear The Woodlands, Bay Area/Clear Lake and Greenspoint are doing pretty well too.

The TMC is in a world of its own.

Uptown/Greenway seems to be struggling a little bit or at least stagnant. Am I wrong?

See Post #8

^^^i don't know why everyone is trying to call themselves getting offended. It's been talked about on this forum and public before on how some of Houston's freeways could stand to use a facelift. Yes, the only noise reduction walls that i've noticed are on West Katy Freeway and South Loop near Bellaire. Some areas of I-45 look junky and if they're not going to get rid of them, maybe build some noise reduction walls off the freeway to hide the crummy areas a little. Show off the areas that make Houston shine such as the Bayous, Parks, and Skylines.

Lighten up. I did not try to call myself getting offended, whatever that means. I understood your point and in fact largely agreed with it vis a vis I-45 being ugly. Just having a little fun with your over-the-top "sick to my stomach" comment.

There are noise reduction walls along Southwest Freeway too.

I notice Houston's freeways don't have that many noise reduction walls either. Only off Katy Freeway and West Loop. I- 45 makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm a little confused by this. Are you saying the only noise reduction walls are at the intersection of Katy Freeway and the West Loop?

I agree I-45 is not too pretty, but my goodness you must have an easily upset stomach. ;-)

It did in the 90's but that's not the case any longer. What are your sources? Here are mine:

From the city of Austin - this article talks about the "slow but steatdy population growth rate" in the first half of the decade which is down from about 3.5% in the 90's and is now closer to 1.3%:

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/census/download...wth%20rate'

From 2000 to 2004 the US Census Bureau shows the following growth rates for Tx Cities with populations over 500,000:

FW grew by 11.5% with an increase in population of 61,998 (which does not include the 37,000 FW added in 2005)

San Antonio 7.4%, increase of 84,978

Dallas 1.8%, increase of 21,804

Houston 2.5%, increase of 55,743

El Paso 5.0 %, increase of 28,442

Austin 3.3%, increase of 21,520

In terms of % increase, FW is the fastest growing Texas city, followed by San Antonio, El Paso, Austin, Houston, and then Dallas.

However, in terms of raw population increase - which is the one that really affects the ranking of city sizes - San Antonio is the fastest growing, followed by FW, then Houston, El Paso, Dallas and Austin... Austin is the slowest growing large city in Texas.

Furthermore, FW is set to overtake Austin population-wise in the next year or two. Fort Worth's annual population increase doubled last year from about 20K per year to almost 40K just for last year alone. FW's current population is 661,850. Austin has, on average, added less than 8,000 per year in recent years. FW's population is more than likely within 40,000 of Austin's now. At currrent growth rates, FW is on track to top 800K by 2010.

Source for your 2005 Ft Worth numbers?

June 4, 2006

National Perspectives

How a Park Changed a Chicago Neighborhood

By ROBERT SHAROFF

CHICAGO

MILLENNIUM PARK, the $475 million modernist playground that opened at the edge of Lake Michigan here two years ago, has quickly become one of the city's leading tourist attractions. What is less known, however, is that the 24.6-acre park

The source is a compilation that includes The U.S. Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization Survey as well as the FBI reported crime statistics. The use of just one source has proven to be grossly under reporting of actual crimes and incidents.

Any chance you could give us a link so we could see the realtor crime statistics?

"It sucks. Robert Stern, I thougth you were better than that..."

Actually, he is better than that. He designed the Hobby Center... but Houston's own Morris Architects designed the parking garage for the Hobby Center (which is such a blight on the bayou and also mars the skyline from I-45). We don't have to go far to address our disappointment. Shame on Morris... and shame on the Hobby Center directors who approved this travesty. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership tried desperately to demand a better garage design... but unfortunately it fell upon deaf ears. It really is too bad their isn't a design review committee in Houston (if only for downtown, to start with).

I always park under Tranquility Park while attending the Hobby Center... and would encourage everyone NOT to use the Hobby Center garage. I would love to see that eyesore unprofitable - and ultimately leveled... and the promenade along Buffalo Bayou expanded.

One can only hope....

I agree. Everyone boycott the Hobby Center garage. Not only is it ugly and badly-located. It's apparently very poorly designed, logistics-wise. The first time I attended a show at the Hobby Center I parked in the garage (only because we were running late). After the show it took something like 30-45 minutes to get out of the garage!! Never again! Tear it down and build a cafe back there overlooking the bayou...

BTW, BEAUTIFUL PICs Travelguy. Thanks for sharing.

Very good Kimosabe. Nice observation that I may NOT be using HPD numbers based upon their beats. See I was talking about zip codes, people move into zip codes not police beats. If one has any modicum of intelligence they check these things out through what, yes a realtor, not a cop shop. When one checks for themselves or though a realtor they can get all of the information about their prospective neighborhood.

Things like school district ratings, income, community make up, crime etc. You know all of the things that make up the community.

Tip of the day: Check out Gunspoints zip codes stats vs. say, Humble, that's it; Humble and you'll see a different picture (it may not be the one HPD wants you to see).

Where do you suppose the realtors get their crime statistics?

Doesn't one of the new buildings at TMC have a roof garden? I'm thinking of that one building that was LEED certified.

I continue to be the resident skeptic on Greenspoint. If they couldn't significantly reposition it, (heavy emphasis on significantly), with the recent whole "Cityview" deal, then what would create a renaissance? You can't say they haven't tried. They've had the Management District, the gutting and rehabbing of almost the entire apartment district complete with elaborate marketing campaigns to attract more upscale clientele, landscaping, parks & other upgrades. They've done about everything you could do. Yet still it is what it is. Woodlands, Willowbrook & Deerbrook have taken much of the original clientele base going north, and once Northline gets a Gulfgate style rehab, it will probably have at least some level of drawing power against GP, certainly more than it has now anyway. That will create a new competitor, albeit a small one, that hasn't been in the equation before.

There was talk at one point of Greenspoint becoming some sort of convention type facility. I have no idea how viable that would be. I will not be surprised to see it reinvented into some other use, possibly like they did with Westwood. I could easily turn out to be wrong on this one, but I bet I'm not.

But none of that "Cityview deal, the Management District, the gutting and rehabbing of almost the entire apartment district complete with elaborate marketing campaigns, landscaping parks and other upgrades" did anything to upgrade, rehab or reposition Greenspoint Mall. In fact, you can say they have not tried to reposition the mall, because in fact nothing has been attempted at the mall prior to this.

the park shops are nothing more than an glorifed food court. It always has been that way and probably will remain. I find it hard to believe that the pavillion will happen. There just seems to be little demand for retail downtown outside of food service.

You might take a look at this...

2006 Retail Demand Study

That is funny since they are developing one in Dallas as we speak. It is being developed in conjunction with Crescent and is being build right across the street from the Crescent Hotel. The Ritz Carlton is very interested in building a new hotel in Houston and I would not be suprised if it is developed as part of the Post Oak Projects. The Glass is half full again !!!

I meant another hotel beyond the one under construction in Dallas (sorry if I was unclear). And when I say "I learned" that there will be no additional Ritz-Carlton's in Texas EVER, I was being sarcastic. That is what we were told in another thread by a certain board member who is a resident of a certain Texas metro area.

Personally, I have no doubt that there will once again be a Ritz-Carlton in Houston, probably within 5 years or less.

As for those who see the glass half empty. . .can you blame them?

I know I've been seeing only half-empty glasses ever since I learned that Ritz-Carlton will never ever open another hotel in the entire state of Texas. ;-)

Semi-old news. The Houston Business Journal mentioned it in January, but they said that "Uncle Funky's" was a hair salon.

See also this topic.

Darn! I thought I'd found some hot news... :-(

Since you know all that, do you know if someone lives up there or not?

Nope. I don't know. ;-) But I have never heard that before and would very much doubt it .

the building is owned/was built by Texaco... I mean there could be some truth to that rumour... would love to know for sure.

The building was not built by and is not, and has never been, owned by Texaco. Texaco was just a tenant.

I just saw this on the Houstondowntown.com website:

"Wulfe has wooed fashionable tenants such as American Apparel, local retailer Uncle Funky

Think seller financing. That may be where the confusion is.

But if that were the case, one would expect a mortgage (or deed of trust) to be recorded. I don't find anything.

Much like Bank of America is still headquartered in San Francisco, but has a building named after it in Downtown Houston.

Is Wachovia the biggest corporation that calls Charlotte it's headquarters?

I believe Bank of America, which at one time was another local North Carolina bank (North Carolina National Bank, or NCNB), is the largest.

Bank of America (formerly NationsBank, formerly NCNB, formerly North Carolina National Bank) is headquartered in Charolotte, not in San Francisco, and is indeed the largest company headquartered in Charlotte.

Mosaic will be built before this building is built

Wow, you're really going out on a limb with that prediction. . . Isn't Mosaic already under construction?