mkultra25 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 20 hours ago, houstontexasjack said: R.I.P. Mary Lou. She was a legend. Obituary: Mary "Mary Lou" Louise Henry And a link to 2017 Chron interview, from the VHA website: Urban density in Houston? Not really 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 3 hours ago, mkultra25 said: Obituary: Mary "Mary Lou" Louise Henry And a link to 2017 Chron interview, from the VHA website: Urban density in Houston? Not really Love her quote on Cottage Grove. It was definitely crappy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dewey Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 13 hours ago, Ross said: Love her quote on Cottage Grove. It was definitely crappy. That entire interview is great. Very insightful and should be required reading for Houstonians. Wish we could get more elaboration on her quote: "People talk about needing more density to support transit use. Well, we've fixed it so a whole bunch of the city can never be in the next 40 years dense enough to support transit." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 17 hours ago, mkultra25 said: Obituary: Mary "Mary Lou" Louise Henry And a link to 2017 Chron interview, from the VHA website: Urban density in Houston? Not really Very interesting interview. But the headline quote is kinda misleading. She was asked if she thought we would ever be as dense as "say, Chicago", to which she responded: "I think we'll have spots that are pretty dense. But as an overall city, I don't think so." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted March 24, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 24, 2023 I was wrong about them installing planter boxes on the north side. They are installing them. The lot that was slated to be a food truck park is off and will be somewhere else, I think the guy I talked to said it will now be in the parking lot across the street from the Ion. He said there were a couple food trucks in the other lot but nobody used them. Retail is on the south side of the parking garage and most of the windows have been installed. He also said they should be finished in about 6 weeks. The empty building they gutted will be a restaurant. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennyc05 Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 I drove past the garage a couple of days ago and those windows look great everything is starting to come together! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribomoa Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Q5 moving Houston office to Ion buulding. https://www.consulting.us/news/amp/8969/q5-moves-houston-office-to-the-ion-district Overall, tenant roster is looking decent. Microsoft still has their larger office in CityCentre; but they’re the largest tenant at the Ion building. Considering HPE is the largest technology company with its top office in Houston, it would be cool if they could become an anchor. But they have a close relationship with UH, so this may not be possible since ION is a Rice University project (not sure there). 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 004n063 Posted April 9, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 9, 2023 Plants peaking out 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 Okay, I need to follow up with a quick rant. After I took the photo above, I rolled over to the plaza in front of the main Ion building. It's a beautiful day, and it was just after 10AM. Had there been a café or something open, I would have happily patronized. As it was, nothing was open, but no worries - it's a lovely day and a lovely place to sit down for a bit (I had a place to be at 11). Within minutes of my sitting down, a security guard came up to me and told me to vacate the premises. You're not allowed to sit there unless you're a tenant, apparently. I can understand this if the site is under construction, but it isn't. If they're hoping for this to become a lively, pedestrian-oriented area, this policy has got to go. As it is, it's functionally just another downtown-office-tower "plaza" with a different building shape, and it'll remain as dead as all of those if they maintain anti-public policies like this. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 56 minutes ago, 004n063 said: Okay, I need to follow up with a quick rant. After I took the photo above, I rolled over to the plaza in front of the main Ion building. It's a beautiful day, and it was just after 10AM. Had there been a café or something open, I would have happily patronized. As it was, nothing was open, but no worries - it's a lovely day and a lovely place to sit down for a bit (I had a place to be at 11). Within minutes of my sitting down, a security guard came up to me and told me to vacate the premises. You're not allowed to sit there unless you're a tenant, apparently. I can understand this if the site is under construction, but it isn't. If they're hoping for this to become a lively, pedestrian-oriented area, this policy has got to go. As it is, it's functionally just another downtown-office-tower "plaza" with a different building shape, and it'll remain as dead as all of those if they maintain anti-public policies like this. If they let you sit there, then they have to let the homeless sit there, which paying tenants won't like. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 47 minutes ago, Ross said: If they let you sit there, then they have to let the homeless sit there, which paying tenants won't like. When paying tenants are there, the policy is not in effect (I know, because I've sat in that plaza dozens of times during business hours). Moreover, I don't really buy the logic there. You can respond to antisocial behavior without enforcing an antisocial environment. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 22 hours ago, Ross said: If they let you sit there, then they have to let the homeless sit there, which paying tenants won't like. They are "gun shy" about people loitering in that location due to the drug addicts and drinkers which would then begin to congregate there. Most people do not like the smell of urine, vomit, and other bodily ejecta especially if they are paying for the area. It was not too long ago in which that was happening. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 4 hours ago, Twinsanity02 said: They are "gun shy" about people loitering in that location due to the drug addicts and drinkers which would then begin to congregate there. Most people do not like the smell of urine, vomit, and other bodily ejecta especially if they are paying for the area. It was not too long ago in which that was happening. I really do get it. But if the goal is a lively public-facing space, you're going to have to allow people to actually be there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post X.R. Posted April 18, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 18, 2023 The landscaping for this garage is better than most luxury apartments. I'll try and grab a picture, but its quite robust, you have a tree every 8-10 feet or so with various foliage/plants that they were putting in. Once you have all that green planted and the green on the garage going, transformative may not be a strong enough word for how much that area was changed by the development. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted April 18, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 18, 2023 They added decorative fencing around the trees. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CREguy13 Posted April 18, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 18, 2023 I'm in the Common Desk here and we received an email last week about switching all tenant parking over to the garage in May. There's been more movement and chatter lately on the District... I'd put money on plans for Phase II being released in the coming months with a near-term timeline for construction to start. This area can't truly take off until the next phase gets underway. Berkadia's Q4 2022 report shows the visitor lot across from the plaza as proposed MF. My guess is that would be the first out of the ground, it alone would really help catalyze the area. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HNathoo Posted April 18, 2023 Share Posted April 18, 2023 3 hours ago, CREguy13 said: I'm in the Common Desk here and we received an email last week about switching all tenant parking over to the garage in May. There's been more movement and chatter lately on the District... I'd put money on plans for Phase II being released in the coming months with a near-term timeline for construction to start. This area can't truly take off until the next phase gets underway. Berkadia's Q4 2022 report shows the visitor lot across from the plaza as proposed MF. My guess is that would be the first out of the ground, it alone would really help catalyze the area. That would be great news for the area. Infill MF construction has been near impossible to pencil, but I imagine Rice can do whatever they want given their grand plan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ChannelTwoNews Posted April 24, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 24, 2023 https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/04/24/the-ion-leasing-update.html "The Ion District, Houston’s innovation hub at 4201 Main St. in Midtown, is quickly approaching 100% leased status. Ten new tenants have recently signed on to lease space in the Ion, accounting for a combined 35,000 square feet in the 266,000-square-foot building. With the new leases, the Ion is now 86% leased. Additionally, construction crews are currently working on building a new lab at the Ion. Rice University’s Nexus Lab will be designed for prototyping and scaling-up technologies, according to a news release." 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clutchcity94 Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 3 hours ago, ChannelTwoNews said: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/04/24/the-ion-leasing-update.html "The Ion District, Houston’s innovation hub at 4201 Main St. in Midtown, is quickly approaching 100% leased status. Ten new tenants have recently signed on to lease space in the Ion, accounting for a combined 35,000 square feet in the 266,000-square-foot building. With the new leases, the Ion is now 86% leased. Additionally, construction crews are currently working on building a new lab at the Ion. Rice University’s Nexus Lab will be designed for prototyping and scaling-up technologies, according to a news release." Do we know who the new tenants are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 004n063 Posted April 26, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 26, 2023 Never thought I'd say these words, but...this is gonna be one fine lookin parking garage. 18 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted April 26, 2023 Share Posted April 26, 2023 12 hours ago, 004n063 said: Never thought I'd say these words, but...this is gonna be one fine lookin parking garage. There is hope when one can turn a parking garage into something beside an eyesore. The one by the Wortham is also not bad looking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted April 26, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 26, 2023 On 4/24/2023 at 12:45 PM, clutchcity94 said: Do we know who the new tenants are? 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted April 27, 2023 Share Posted April 27, 2023 The diamond keeps shining 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 004n063 Posted April 29, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 29, 2023 Benches! Streetscape! 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted April 29, 2023 Share Posted April 29, 2023 (edited) I wonder if the Midtown TIRZ would be willing to consider a Fannin redesign à la Caroline or Bagby. The Ion vision for Eagle is great, and it was definitely wise of them to choose to focus on a side street, rather than a major street, but Fannin can be quite loud, and we've seen a lot businesses struggle to come to life because (or, rather, presumably partly because) of this. Obviously, Fannin serves a key decongestive function for Downtown car commuters, but I think the Midtown section of Bagby has been a good demonstration of how efficient traffic flow can be on a (reasonably) well-designed two-lane one-way street. I have no expertise whatsoever, but think you could see similarly effective overall traffic flow while reducing the number of cars exceeding 40mph. Edited April 29, 2023 by 004n063 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFubbles Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 On 4/29/2023 at 9:09 AM, 004n063 said: I wonder if the Midtown TIRZ would be willing to consider a Fannin redesign à la Caroline or Bagby. The Ion vision for Eagle is great, and it was definitely wise of them to choose to focus on a side street, rather than a major street, but Fannin can be quite loud, and we've seen a lot businesses struggle to come to life because (or, rather, presumably partly because) of this. Obviously, Fannin serves a key decongestive function for Downtown car commuters, but I think the Midtown section of Bagby has been a good demonstration of how efficient traffic flow can be on a (reasonably) well-designed two-lane one-way street. I have no expertise whatsoever, but think you could see similarly effective overall traffic flow while reducing the number of cars exceeding 40mph. If we need empirical evidence for improved traffic flow with a reduction in speed limits, I have a few cities skylines worlds to prove this 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted April 30, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted April 30, 2023 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted May 2, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted May 2, 2023 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post X.R. Posted May 2, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted May 2, 2023 On 4/29/2023 at 9:09 AM, 004n063 said: I wonder if the Midtown TIRZ would be willing to consider a Fannin redesign à la Caroline or Bagby. The Ion vision for Eagle is great, and it was definitely wise of them to choose to focus on a side street, rather than a major street, but Fannin can be quite loud, and we've seen a lot businesses struggle to come to life because (or, rather, presumably partly because) of this. Obviously, Fannin serves a key decongestive function for Downtown car commuters, but I think the Midtown section of Bagby has been a good demonstration of how efficient traffic flow can be on a (reasonably) well-designed two-lane one-way street. I have no expertise whatsoever, but think you could see similarly effective overall traffic flow while reducing the number of cars exceeding 40mph. Fanin is currently two-lanes at certain sections because of the construction and its not creating crazy traffic. I've taken it in the morning, the mid afternoon, and 5-6pm, and even with the construction its not bad. They could easily eliminate a lane. Doing a combo pedestrian/biking lane with ample trees along Fanin would do a lot for the area. People hit 45mph pretty easily on the street and its wide, feels almost like a feeder road at times. They don't even need a bike lane, but just taking some street away would do a lot for the feel of that part of Midtown. Its no surprise that once you pass 59, the street slows drastically. So if the Museum district can do it, so can Midtown! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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