monarch Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 ok look, every since the unveiling of the newest rendering / concept as per hotel alessandra, i have been trying earnest to come to terms.. and learn to find this design appealing to some degree. however, as the truth be told.. this newest design often reminds me of a tall stick figure. straight as an arrow.. foreboding.. dark and with a slight hint of desperation. and yet, the longer that you continue to gaze at it... you just know that there is a warm beating heart glowing upon the inside. please midway cos., keep the spin machine spinning. at some point i shall get it! trust me, i am trying.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 (edited) *Throws hands up in the air and officially calls this thread, dead* Just so much complaining on here -.- Edited January 30, 2015 by Luminare 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTHONYHTOWN Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 SO can someone change the thread from 25 floors to 21? LOL!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrLan34 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 (edited) http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Design-for-planned-downtown-hotel-gets-a-revision-6048121.php#/0 - "As part of the design changes, the hotel's entrance is also moving from the interior of GreenStreet onto Dallas. The hotel's lobby will be moved to the second level, as compared to the initial plan that put it on the top floor. The ground floor will contain retail space." - Stephen "Jamie" Bryant, executive vice president of Midway, said the company is working with a "well-known tenant" and a restaurant to take much of the retail space that formerly housed Books-A-Million. - The company is also marketing some of GreenStreet's second-floor space to office tenants who want to be downtown but not in a traditional skyscraper. Edited January 30, 2015 by DrLan34 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moore713 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 In all our complaining (even mind) we forgot to think about what kind of retail this thing might pull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 I'm glad the hotel enterance will face the street and not the interior with other retail space. I'm not sure why large mixed use development would face the interior in the first place... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Design-for-planned-downtown-hotel-gets-a-revision-6048121.php#/0 - "As part of the design changes, the hotel's entrance is also moving from the interior of GreenStreet onto Dallas. The hotel's lobby will be moved to the second level, as compared to the initial plan that put it on the top floor. The ground floor will contain retail space." - Stephen "Jamie" Bryant, executive vice president of Midway, said the company is working with a "well-known tenant" and a restaurant to take much of the retail space that formerly housed Books-A-Million. - The company is also marketing some of GreenStreet's second-floor space to office tenants who want to be downtown but not in a traditional skyscraper. they need to aggressively market tech/software companies for the second floor office space. most traditional office users wouldn't touch it but you could really help create a nice vibe and a lot of millenials if they geared their efforts towards that end of the office using spectrum. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 This building is a middle age compromise in every way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) they need to aggressively market tech/software companies for the second floor office space. most traditional office users wouldn't touch it but you could really help create a nice vibe and a lot of millenials if they geared their efforts towards that end of the office using spectrum.Or, they could focus on renters in the art space. They already rented to an art gallery. They could market to artists or an art coop. Folks needing non- traditional space also close to rail. Edited January 31, 2015 by UtterlyUrban 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Stonian Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) Text herson: Midway Unveils New Details to Luxury 225-Room Hotel Alessandra at GreenStreet Slated to debut in late 2016, the luxury 21-story sky-rise hotel will be housed at GreenStreet – the mixed-use shopping and entertainment development whose anchor tenants include House of Blues and III Forks Steakhouse – and conveniently located just steps to nearby downtown destinations such as the George R. Brown Convention Center, Toyota Center and Discovery Green. Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but I find it strange that the press release highlighted anchor tenants House of Blues and III Forks Steakhouse rather than "House of Blues and Forever 21". Is Forever 21 going away or something? I'm always afraid of it failing because I never see it as busy as other locations such as the Galleria and Memorial City. Edited February 1, 2015 by 'Stonian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nole23 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I haven't heard anything about it going away, but I would assume marketing III Forks Steakhouse would be more appealing to your average traveler than a clothing store. Or maybe I'm just hungry right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 with as many new apartment / condo / loft developments rising up all over the cbd district, any clothing store (especially a female clothing boutique) would have to be crazy to just up and depart... unless their lease has not been renewed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but I find it strange that the press release highlighted anchor tenants House of Blues and III Forks Steakhouse rather than "House of Blues and Forever 21".Is Forever 21 going away or something? I'm always afraid of it failing because I never see it as busy as other locations such as the Galleria and Memorial City.Ya, me too.With the construction that will take place next door, I am uncertain what the impact will be on F21. But, if they leave, it will really suck. My wife shops there routine on the weekends. It is never mobbed but has a good flow. I buy the occasion tee there (upstairs has a small men's area).....I hope they make it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but I find it strange that the press release highlighted anchor tenants House of Blues and III Forks Steakhouse rather than "House of Blues and Forever 21". Is Forever 21 going away or something? I'm always afraid of it failing because I never see it as busy as other locations such as the Galleria and Memorial City. They didnt name NRG, Lucky Strike, Mia Bella, Andalucia, BCBG, McCormmick's, or Guadlajara ...are they leaving too? Nahhh ...I think they just picked names that would be most appealing to business clientele whom are most likely to fill their reservations. A Steakhouse and Entertainment sounds about the right mix to highlight in a press release about a new hotel in the middle of a city center. IMO, Forever XXI is likely safe as it always seems to have a steady stream of customers now. Imagine when Hotel Alessandra, Spring Hill Inn Humble Tower renovation, and 1111 Travis all are complete.... What will be interesting is to see what becomes of the Books-A-Million space... depending on who leases the space and with all the surrounding development ongoing, it could really help transform the Main St Gateway into GreenStreet. Cant wait to see how this all turns out. Stephen "Jamie" Bryant, executive vice president of Midway, said the company is working with a "well-known tenant" and a restaurant to take much of the retail space that formerly housed Books-A-Million. Edited February 2, 2015 by tigereye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Compare West Avenue with the wildly successful Hanover Rice Village. One embraces the street. Built extra wide sidewalks. Built a plaza that is open to the street. Put in restaurants that also "got it" and put patios out front to draw in people passing by. It also is adjacent to an area that people walk around (Rice Village) so it expands the footprint of where people perceive it to be safe to walk. The other turned its back on the street. There are no wide sidewalks along Kirby or Westheimer. There are no bustling patios filled with happy people eating long weekend brunches. To the person whizzing by in a car, unless you knew, you wouldn't know that there are some great places to go because the whole thing seems private. The neighbors are also hostile to pedestrians in their built form. Same could be said about Post Midtown Square vs. Green Street. The model of how to build a successful mixed use project in this city exists. It just seems developers here are a bit slow to take it all in... For the record, while the reference to "developers here" suggests it is Houston developers who are a bit slow to take it all in, neither Green Street (nee Pavilions) nor West Ave. were developed by Houston developers. On the other hand, the wildly successful Hanover Rice Village was developed by a Houston developer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota79 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 For the record, while the reference to "developers here" suggests it is Houston developers who are a bit slow to take it all in, neither Green Street (nee Pavilions) nor West Ave. were developed by Houston developers. On the other hand, the wildly successful Hanover Rice Village was developed by a Houston developer.Great reply! But we do like new ideas. Like the Regent Square (if it gets built in our lifetime) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Compare West Avenue with the wildly successful Hanover Rice Village. One embraces the street. Built extra wide sidewalks. Built a plaza that is open to the street. Put in restaurants that also "got it" and put patios out front to draw in people passing by. It also is adjacent to an area that people walk around (Rice Village) so it expands the footprint of where people perceive it to be safe to walk. The other turned its back on the street. There are no wide sidewalks along Kirby or Westheimer. There are no bustling patios filled with happy people eating long weekend brunches. To the person whizzing by in a car, unless you knew, you wouldn't know that there are some great places to go because the whole thing seems private. The neighbors are also hostile to pedestrians in their built form. Same could be said about Post Midtown Square vs. Green Street. The model of how to build a successful mixed use project in this city exists. It just seems developers here are a bit slow to take it all in... Excellent analysis. One correction is there there are sidewalks next to West Ave on the Kirby side, but of course the main entrances aren't along Kirby so they might as well have just landscaped right up to the building. I think West Ave is fixable and all it needs a nudge in the right direction where you begin to punch holes into the facade to open up both ends. Same could be said for Greenstreet as well. While it was a nice effort to try and replicate condensed corridors like you see in Europe it just comes off as forced or in our context it feels like an outlet mall. It's actually a great idea to create these interior spaces, but if they aren't connected in some fashion to the street or where people would naturally enter from then it's going to look as if the building isn't very inviting. The same could be said for that new development on Richmond and Dunlavy (which I just took pics of the other day) Once again a textbook case where the building completely ignores the street in favor of being it's own secluded thing. You want to talk about a place where GFR would have been very successful would have been on that corner. People walk in Montrose a lot and it was a golden opportunity to spark a new pedestrian culture in that area and instead it wastes it on a 2 story garage set back 25' from the street. I will give it some points for making the sidewalks nice, but other than that a missed opportunity. The Midtown midrises on Gray street are still my fav development that interacts well with the street and it's surrounding context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Is Forever 21 going away or something? I'm always afraid of it failing because I never see it as busy as other locations such as the Galleria and Memorial City. Forever 21 does not strike me as the kind of marquee retail destination that III Forks represents. It's like having Charming Charlie's as a signature tenant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timoric Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) - Edited July 8, 2019 by Timoric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxtethogrady Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Delia's is going out of business. The 'tween market is a cutthroat place to be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Delia's is going out of business. The 'tween market is a cutthroat place to be. Probably because one of the most glare demographic that isn't seen in downtown are families especially those families with younger children or teens. Downtown has singles, or couples, or newly married, or older professionals, but not a lot of families. Only the younger crowd shops at Forever XXI, but there is the biggest problem. There are very few people that live in downtown that are part of that younger demographic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) *double post* Edited February 3, 2015 by Luminare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Probably because one of the most glare demographic that isn't seen in downtown are families especially those families with younger children or teens. Downtown has singles, or couples, or newly married, or older professionals, but not a lot of families. Only the younger crowd shops at Forever XXI, but there is the biggest problem. There are very few people that live in downtown that are part of that younger demographic.And unfortunately the XXL Downtown isn't anything spectacular. I went there once to check it out. Actually none of the Houston area stores are anything compared to the selection at Willowbrook (surprisingly). Even the H&M is better there than the Galleria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) Only the younger crowd shops at Forever XXI, but there is the biggest problem.And here is where I call bullshit.Have you shopped there?Me (fifty something) and my wife (fifty something) BOTH shop there. And while I would agree that the demographic is geared toward a younger crowd, MANY of the folks in the store are OVER 35 if not over 40. Older buyers need to focus on "age appropriate clothing" and hunt for it in the store. It is not always easy to find but to say that "only" a younger crowd shops there is flat wrong and speaks to someone who is more prone to write about experiences that he (or she) has never actually experienced in person (hearsay) over multiple visits over many months (or more) than someone who has actually been three dozen times.Have you been to F21 downtown 30 times over the last 2 years? and, have you personally looked at the age of the shoppers at the downtown store? Or, are you just repeating what you have been "told"? Edited February 4, 2015 by UtterlyUrban 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTHONYHTOWN Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Per the business Journal, so they gave their version on why the changed the design, LOL!. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2015/02/behind-hotel-alessandras-extreme-makeover.html 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Per the business Journal, so they gave their version on why the changed the design, LOL!. http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2015/02/behind-hotel-alessandras-extreme-makeover.html I hate that excuse so much. we made it uglier because the area is ugly. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 From the article: "In terms of architecture, we think about context," Kifer said. "You look at the surrounding areas and look at the scale, and how the other windows and rooftops and details line up, so yours is compatible. That is what we did in the new design." Hmmmmmm. I was unaware that the scale and details of nearby buildings was of much aesthetic concern in the middle of a central business district. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 8% of the voters work for Midway. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 what was the initial inspiration as per the design architect? just think about it, there had to be something that inspired GENSLER to conceptualize the original HOTEL ALESSANDRA design... right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 "When asked if cost was a factor in the redesign, Kifer referred HBJ to Midway. Midway didn't respond to multiple requests for comment" I wonder why 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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