Houston19514

You got me. They shouldn't build anymore.

challenge for you. Read up about the building and why it is not a bad thing.

Why don't you just enlighten us? (And by the way, I never said the building was a bad thing or that "they" shold not build it; but it does seem like all this new office construction in Victory and Uptown serves to continue the hollowing out of the downtown core as an office market.)

FWIW, I'm a little skeptical that this 45 story building is actually "under construction." Sounds to me like they are just doing a little "site work" to get rid of the standing water and as a PR move to help their leasing efforts. I would be very surprised if they actually start construction before announcing a hotel operator, any office leases, or anything about residential component. Perhaps, as they said in the article, something will be announced soon and construction will truly start...

Does anyone know (I mean actually know, not just hope or dream) what the sales figures are for the W, the Starck House and the other residential buildings? Just curious how the market is holding up there.

Your right about the block, my apologies. It is very obvious with the curving of the road, and the angle of the Fullbrite(Chevron) Tower. But that block is currently a park (Called "Houston Center Garden Block"), and will become the future park (as seen in the renderings). According to their website, they "own 14 blocks of undeveloped land, which has been designated for the new convention center hotel". I don't think they've upated their website, because I'm guessing they're talking about the Hilton Americas.

But I honestly do remember this, and even another different design for 5 Houston Center.

Now I'm confused. You said I was right about the block but then say that "that block will become the future park" What block are you talking about? Again, the block adjacent to the Shops at Houston Center will NOT be part of the future park.

I'm assuming this will be Class A space. If that's the case, the Dallas CBD doesn't have a class A vacancy problem.

Year-end 2005 Class A Direct Vacancy Rate for the Dallas CBD: 19.1 % (Direct Vacancy Rate does not include phantom space that is currently available for sublease)

Seems like a problem to me...

Calpine replaced Rice-Rittenhouse garage. I think there was an auto repair shop and some other buildings where the cathedral will be.

Oh yes, I remember the Rice-Rittenhouse now.

I guess they cleared the block for the cathedral so long ago, it's hard to remember there was anything there ;-)

The pickup of surface lots from the private sector has been slower. Major former lots are Reliant Building, Houston Center, Enron II, and coming soon the Pavillions. (Hobby, Calpine, new Main Street garage, cathedral, and Christ Church weren't replacing surface lots).

What did Calpine replace? I thought it was mostly surface lots.

The Christ Church expansion on to the adjacent block is indeed replacing mostly surface lots. You can see them in the Google pic.

What was on the site of the new Catholic cathedral? I thought that was formerly surface lots as well.

It only appears so. The block adjacent to the park shops belongs to the park infront of the GRB. Besides, I remember this picture on skyscrapers.com as being 5 Houston Center before the current design was released.

I don't know which building is in that rendering, but, Montrose, you are incorrect as to the block adjacent to the Park Shops. The block adjacent to the Park Shops (which, incidentally changed its name a couple years ago to, I believe, The Shops at Houston Center), is NOT part of the park in front of the GRB.

At the time of the construction of 5 Houston Center, and I imagine when 6 Houston Center was being discussed, Crescent Real Estate owned that block adjacent to the Park Shops. I remember that during the construction of 5 Houston Center, Crescent was talking about going ahead with 6 Houston Center; I do not recall exactly what location they were thinking of. If that rendering is of 5 Houston Center, they did a really bad job of placing the building in its actual location.

One Victory Tower

Nice looking building. Is that already under construction? I cannot find anything online about a ground breaking or construction announcement. The only recent announcements I can find are last year's announcement of a partnership between Hillwood and Hines to construct an 18 story Victory Plaza office building.

Houston will grow and prosper quite nicely with or without a bowl game. But it is another one of those many little things that are nice to have. A bowl game brings thousands of people into town who may otherwise have never thought of visiting Houston. It makes Houston a focal point of interest for many thousands more fans of each team who do not make the trip. The thousands who do make the visit will go back home and tell their friends about their experience in Houston. It seems to me that Houston is perhaps the least well known major city in America (I often called it America's best-kept secret). And more importantly (and sadly) a lot of what people think they know about Houston just isn't true. Houston should jump at a chance to show tens of thousands of out-of-towners (and indirectly, hundreds of thousands) what a great city it is.

...if not now, then certainly this time next year when the 45 story building, just now beginning construction, nears topping out.

What 45 story building is going up?

I don't get it, why would having access to the sky loby be a security risk? I'm pretty sure that if they wanted to fly and airplane into Williams Tower they can do it from outside of the sky lobby.

Yes, because we all know that flying airplanes into buildings is the only tactic that terrorists have ever used or will ever use, so that's the only thing we should defend against...

The numbers posted on Emporis are US Census Bureau numbers. The dates Dominax posted for the various numbers are incorrect. The numbers posted as "July 2004" numbers are actually July 1, 2003 US Census estimates. The numbers posted as "July 2005" are actually the July 1, 2004 Census estimates. And the numbers posted as "April 2006" are the July 1, 2005 estimates.

As such, the latest estimates do not include any additions due to Katrina/Rita. Those will not be reflected until the July 1, 2006 estimates, the numbers for which will probably be released in March 2007 or so.

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of the Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division (containing 8 counties) and the Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division (containing 4 counties), for a total of 12 counties.

The Census Bureau also has the Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area ("CSA"), which includes those 12 counties, plus 6 more, for a total of 18 counties.

The NTCOG covers 16 counties, but they are not just a subset of the 18 in the CSA. The NTCOG includes 14 of the 18 CSA counties, but adds two that are NOT in the Census Bureau's definitions (Erath and Navarro Counties).

Also, the NTCOG numbers have the area growing somewhate faster than the Census estimates. I have no idea how the NTCOG comes up with their estimate, or why it differs from the Census estimates (it is more than just their selection of which counties to include... on a county-by-county basis, the NTCOG numbers estimate higher than does the Census.) According to Census estimates, the 18-county D-FW CSA would have a January 1, 2006 population in the neighborhood of 6,100,000.

So the South's Regional Headquarters which includes Texas will be in Atlanta. Although none of the stores that Macy's was before were based there. It should have been in Houston, Since Foley's was the main one in the South.

Rich's was based in Atlanta and it was re-branded as Macy's a couple of years ago. I believe Macy's already had a regional operation in Atlanta prior to the purchase of May Department Stores Co.

Thanks for the press release.

I did not read anything specific about the Foley's nameplate switching to Macy's. It did, however, mention that the Marshall Field's nameplate would switch to Macy's.

Maybe I was wrong about the Foley's name being done away with?

The Foley's name is definitely being done away with. That was decided from the very beginning of the merger transaction. They did not decide on the Marshall Field change until a little later in the process.

The plan, at least so far, is to keep all of the current Foley's stores in the Houston area (under the Macy's name of course).

Yes, I meant allusion. Anyway, I asked if we could move on, but you don't want to. I'm sorry.

LOL So move on with yourself already. (I guess you're impenetrable to dictionary defintions too.)

Here's another interesting bit of information about Bush IAH. It is the USA's 7th largest international passenger gateway.

I believe the only larger international passenger gateways are JFK (NYC), LAX (Los Angeles), Chicago O'Hare, Newark Liberty, Miami, and San Francisco.

I don't remember if this has been posted before. If I'm repeating, I apologize. But here is the link to the brochure describing the Master Plan for expansion of Bush Intercontinental Airport.

IAH Master Plan Brochure

Wait a minute, that's enough with the passive aggression dude. First of all, you were the one that started it. All I said was I felt the terminal can be a nightmare, which is an allusion by the way. The next thing I know you are bashing me with "whaa whaa's", and then all of a sudden I am spreading bile? Look again at the thread, show me the point where I started bashing you before you started bashing me.

Dude, just because everyone stuck up for you against Coog in the park thread doesn't give you free run on everyone that doesn't agree with your rosy view of the airport. I said iy once and I'll say it a final time. IT IS MY PERCEPTION OF THE TERMINAL. Sorry you don't agree, can we move on please?

Goodness, unhappy and with a temper too. Who woulda thunk it? Speaking of passive-aggressive...

(1) Who said anything about bashing? I did not accuse you of bashing. Nor do I think I did any bashing. The reference to your spreading bile was about your negative posts that have nothing to contribute, except to try to spread your unhappiness. You demonstrate you are clearly not attempting to contribute to a mutually beneficial conversation by your statements to the effect that you are impenetrable to facts or argument or reasoning. (And we've seen you say this in other threads as well.) (And you have certainly demonstrated that you are indeed impenetrable.) Why would you waste your time here if you are so insistent on being impenetrable, if not to just spread your unhappiness? Fair presumption, no?

(2) You tell us that your statement that "the terminal can be a nightmare" was an "allusion". An allusion to what? That does not even make sense. Perhaps you meant illusion? ;-)

A little perspective, please. That's all I'm saying. If a walk from the gate to the shuttle indeed ranks as a "nightmare" in your life, you must have lived one pampered comfortable life indeed. ;-)

You know what Matt Foley, you're right! The next time Continental drops me off at gate E20 at 10pm when they could have just as easily parked at gate E1 since it's 10pm and no other planes are in sight, I'm just gonna turn my frown upside down and pick up the pace just like you say. You're such a motivator.

Now go back to your van by the river and leave me to my dislike of Terminal E.

You are obviously determined to be unhappy (and I'm not just referring to Terminal E). It's a shame you are intent on spreading your bile.

OK, then I have the right to assume you're not a business traveler and do not know what it's like to work an 8 hour day in Boston, fight your way to Logan airport in rush hour, jump on a 100% full flight that may or may not depart at 6:55pm because it snows 9 months out of the year in Massachusetts, and arrives in Houston at 10pm. So, yeah, it is a freaken nightmare to have to walk another 20 minutes after that loaded up with a carry-on and laptop.

And, God, I can't believe I'm agreeing with MidtownCoog on something.

Yes, indeed you have the right to ASSUME anything you want. But your assumption would be wrong. I do indeed know that business travel can be a nightmare. I just think it's laughable to call a walk from your gate to the shuttle a nightmare (and I think you need to pick up the pace a little there buddy; I cannot imagine it has ever taken me 20 minues to make that walk). Fighting your way to Logan airport in rush hour, yes, that could be a nightmare. Flying on a 100% full flight can be annoying but I'd say less than nightmare status. Not knowing when or if you might make the flight because of weather etc. can certainly be a nightmare. But a walk from your gate? Get a grip, man. Would you really prefer having to change planes at a hub airport so that you can get to a smaller airport or smaller terminal in order to avoid your nightmare stroll? NOW, we're talking a nightmare... changing planes at a hub, especially late on a day when there are snowstorms around the country.

The facts of life are such that if you are arriving at a major hub airport (not just IAH), chances are pretty good that you might have a long walk from your gate. You guys living in Houston have the luxury of options. If the greatest nightmare of your life is the dreaded walk to the shuttle, quit yer whinin' and fly into Hobby or Terminal A. And here's another useful tool that many experienced business travelers use... carry-ons with WHEELS ;-)

You MIGHT have a reasonable argument that Terminal E should have had its own entrance/exit, but given the property and operational constraints, it's understandable that it does not. For one thing, the primary focus of the design of Terminal E is international arrivals - they of course go through the new FIS building.

HeightsGuy,

Don't mess with Houston19514.

I got in trouble for calling him out on the "New Downtown Park" thread.

So I do think he works for the city.

Calling me out??? You do live in your own little world there, don't you? One minute you think I work for Mr. Finger and now you think I work for the city... I'm really a double/triple undercover secret agent. I work for both of them AND the CIA.

Do you in fact work for IAH, cause you sure seem intent on defending their honor. Put lipstick on it if you want, but Terminal E is still a pig. Yes, blah, blah, blah, I love Houston, and Continental, blah blah, but I have a right to my own perceptions, and your facts will never penetrate my perception that Terminal E is way too big to not have it's own entrance.

No I do not work for IAH. Why do certain people presume that only those who work for an organization ever defend it or present facts about it? Odd. Very odd.

And yes of course you have the the right to your own perceptions.

And yes, I've seen before that you can be quite impenetrable to facts.

And I also have the right to mock your pereception that a walk from your gate to the shuttle at a major international hub airport (something that is far from an unusual requirement at major international hub airports) is a "nightmare". ;-)

I'm not exactly sure which cities will be available to a 787 from IAH versus the existing 18 777-200ER models. The 787 should get a few hundred extra miles, somewhere in the low 8000 nm range. Of course, just having more aircraft that can fly long distances will help tremendously towards adding destinations. I think Continental has plans to purchase ten 787s at the moment, the only US carrier to do so. However, I'm sure EWR will eat up some of those additional long range flights.

I don't think it's just a matter of having longer range than the currently available aircraft. I think it has more to do with the efficiency and the ultimate cost per available seat. I believe the 787 will be more fuel efficient and generally have a smaller seating capacity than the 777 and thereofore might open up additional international markets for service out of IAH.

Nope, would just be happier to have an airport that doesn't require a 20 minute walk from gate to shuttle bus. I don't need pretty, I need functional. In that regard, lil ol Terminal A beats the rest of IAH hands down.

Wahh, wahhh, wahhhh. This "nightmare" of yours is entirely within your control. If flying into Terminal E is such a freakin' nightmare then just fly on airlines that fly in and out of Terminal A, or Hobby Airport. Sheesh. I understood that you didn't like the "20 minute walk". With the destinations and flight frequency that living in a big city with a major hub airport affords you, come some inconveniences (relatively minor in this case).

And I return to my main point: if this constitutes a "nightmare" at Bush Intercontinental (the 9th busiest airport in America, 17th busiest in the world), then things must be working pretty darned well.

OK, just had to comment on this one....

The words easily and Terminal E should not go together. As pretty as the terminal is, it can be a nightmare sometimes. There is nothing quite like spending a long day in another city, only to arrive back at 10pm and pull into gate E20. When you get off the plane and figure out where you are, it makes you want to give up, grab a chair at the gate and just fall asleep there instead of making the trek back to the shuttle buses in Terminal C.

OK, just had to comment on this one.... ;-)

And that constitutes a NIGHTMARE to you? Maybe you'd be happier living in a city like Tulsa. ;-)

for the record all of you midtowners that talk about walking and supporting your midtown buisinesses on foot. i call bs and say no business can thrive in houston without appropriate parking. texans love their cars.

dream

Well, it's certainly hard to argue with that. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say that no business can thrive anywhere in the world without "appropriate" parking. ;-)