GreenStreet: Mixed-Use Development At 1201 Fannin St.

[dbat_01]

Does anyone know who the civil engineer on this project is? Also, do you know if they have began to move dirt on the sight?

[Daniepwils]

One thing those pics don't show are the mass bus stops on the corners with people standing there....and the disgusting loud busses that are waiting to pounce on people as soon as they walk across the street.

One more thing (at the bottom of the list I am sure) that needs to be improved are how loud those busses are and the how they are driven.

They have not began to move dirt yet, there are still parking lots there.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Daniepwils

[skwatra]

One more thing (at the bottom of the list I am sure) that needs to be improved are how loud those busses are and the how they are driven.

aren't they transitioning to CNG buses? i've seen a few out there and those are much quieter. not going to help with the driving skills but it's a start.

[NewMND]

So I guess as we get closer to May, they'll be revealing additional tenants here and there? I've never eaten at an Emeril's but it seems like one of those might work there. Oh, and a M&M World. And maybe a GameWorks

[WesternGulf]

So I guess as we get closer to May, they'll be revealing additional tenants here and there? I've never eaten at an Emeril's but it seems like one of those might work there. Oh, and a M&M World. And maybe a GameWorks

Tourist trap.

[C2H]

Man, i'm so excited about this for Houston, makes me wanna try to move down there again like i was considering doing in 2004. I live about an hour away from Denver and everytime i go up to Denver to chill, i see all the excitement going on at 16th Street MAll. The Denver Pavilions is the big focal point there, it's been the focus of alot of stores coming to 16th Street Mall such as The Paramount Cafe, WolfGang Puck (No big deal), Virgin Records, Nike Town, ESPN Zone and all other sorts of restaurants and retail just bustling to the heart of downtown Denver. It's exciting to watch a city like Houston in the making to progress. I'm so excited for Houston all the way up here in Colorado so much i might just be ComingtoHouston again real soon.

Oh and...

Tourist trap.

what's wrong with that? Houston doesn't get talked about enough as it is, i say any kind of recognition whether it be tourist or the other, i say is a greater stride for Houston to becoming a world class city.( Just my 2 pennies! )

Edited January 27, 2006 by C2H

[WesternGulf]

Oh and...

what's wrong with that? Houston doesn't get talked about enough as it is, i say any kind of recognition whether it be tourist or the other, i say is a greater stride for Houston to becoming a world class city.( Just my 2 pennies! )

True but they are rarely used by the citizens of the community.

[DJ V Lawrence]

True but they are rarely used by the citizens of the community.

Doesn't really matter. So long as the community still benefits, right?

[MidtownCoog]

One thing those pics don't show are the mass bus stops on the corners with people standing there....and the disgusting loud busses that are waiting to pounce on people as soon as they walk across the street.

No buses on Main. Just Fannin.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Southbound buses on Fannin. Eastbound buses on Dallas and northbound buses on San Jacinto.

[MidtownCoog]

I catch my bus on Travis underneat the old Humble Oil building.

I don't think they are all that dangerous. A car is more likely to run up the sidewalk than a bus is.

[hokieone]

Running up on the sidewalk is less likely than a METRO bus just outright running a red light. That is more their specialty. Once cameras go up everywhere, i'll be curious to see the effect on the bus drivers. Time and time i see them pick up some people at a stop, the light changes, they just go anyway. Its a pretty safe way to operate in a downtown area.

[C2H]

this will definitely redefine the urban core of dt houston. i just hope it will spark the minds of better transit options.

Denver's light rail is currently underconstruction all the way down from downtown Denver all the way pretty much throughout along the entire metro alongside interstate 25 running north and south. That was all i really noticed under construction but i'm sure there's more routes.

It's a shame that a city as big as Houston which is at least 2-3 times the size of Denver is having so much trouble getting a extensive, reliable transportation option such as: more rail.

Edited January 27, 2006 by C2H

[VelvetJ]

Doesn't really matter. So long as the community still benefits, right?

I'm with you DJ V Lawrence, Houston doesn't really have a tourist trap at all and IMO that's not a good thing for a city our size. It's time for Houston to drop the small town mentality and be the city it's suppose to be. Houston has a extremely low tourist element, you know, things that make visitors to the city go "wow that's cool". But hopefully the Pavillion will be a key into turning that around. Maybe this will be the thing that will open our eyes into WHY a city our size should have a stronger tourist element and how it can help the city on so many levels.

[eelimon]

I would have loved to have been at the press conference. I would like to know if the model for the building is on display any were in the city?

[ghost]

Does anyone know who the civil engineer on this project is? Also, do you know if they have began to move dirt on the sight?

I don't know who the CE of record is, but I do know that nothing has begun yet. People are still parking in those lots and on the streets. I parked there for the Mavericks game and will do so again when I go to the Heat game on Sunday.

dbat - Are you a CE? I assume you might be because of your thread on detention ponds.

[pwright1]

Tourist trap.

This will be far from a tourist trap than probably any big city in america. We all know Houston is not a tourist city. As I said before, this is the start of something great.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I'm with you DJ V Lawrence, Houston doesn't really have a tourist trap at all and IMO that's not a good thing for a city our size. It's time for Houston to drop the small town mentality and be the city it's suppose to be. Houston has a extremely low tourist element, you know, things that make visitors to the city go "wow that's cool". But hopefully the Pavillion will be a key into turning that around. Maybe this will be the thing that will open our eyes into WHY a city our size should have a stronger tourist element and how it can help the city on so many levels.

Thanx, VJ

More than anything, I'm in anticipation to see the buildings around the Houston Pavillions site get renovated as well. They as a whole could use the retail.

[RedScare]

I don't know who the CE of record is, but I do know that nothing has begun yet. People are still parking in those lots and on the streets. I parked there for the Mavericks game and will do so again when I go to the Heat game on Sunday.

dbat - Are you a CE? I assume you might be because of your thread on detention ponds.

My brother told me yesterday that the core sampling is going full bore.

He said the amount of activity has increased from a week or so ago.

Tourist trap.

I think that is kind of the whole point. Tourists, whther they be from out of town or from Sugar Land and the Woodlands, add life to an area. And they spend money. The point of MMP and Toyota Center was to draw people downtown. Once they are there, you must entertain them, or they leave. This is meant to capitalize on that.

Besides, what's wrong with tourist watching?

[WesternGulf]

I don't mind stores that bring in people from outside downtown or from the burbs. Sort of like the House of Blues, but I would rather see some traditional retail such as soft goods retail like clothing stores rather than an M&M world and video game arcade facilities. If Pavilions were filled with the latter how satisfied would you be?

[bachanon]

Tourists, whther they be from out of town or from Sugar Land and the Woodlands, add life to an area

who you callin' a tourist?!

[nmainguy]

Besides, what's wrong with tourist watching?

...or trapping for that matter?

[NewMND]

but I would rather see some traditional retail such as soft goods retail like clothing stores

But the thing is, the Galleria area pretty much already has all the clothing stores covered, so why would someone go all the way downtown for something they could get in Uptown? It's just my opinion, but I think the Pavillions needs those big flashy places like HOB and ESPN Zone to draw in people from around the area, and I agree it also needs retail, but stuff you don't see much of in Houston, such as NikeTown, Virgin Records, H&M, and whatever else. Me personally, I would be satisfied if it was filled with that type of stuff, but I get into that cheesy stuff and think it would be fun, but I live near Memorial City Mall so that's where I go when I need traditional retail. BUt once Pavillions succeeds in bringing in people to downtown, maybe the other retails sites sitting vacant in the area will start filling up with more traditional stuff. But also, the place is covering like three blocks or something, so I'm sure there will be enough for room for the flashy and the traditional retail.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

^Depends on where they live. If they live out in Baytown, or more Northeast/East Houston, then they will have a shorter commute. The West/Northwest/Southwest Houston would have a shorter commute going to Uptown.

The Pavilions would be great with:

HOB

ESPN Zone

Virgin Megastore

Niketown

and stuff not around Houston, or this region of Texas (much like you said NewMND).

Edited January 28, 2006 by CincoRanch-HoustonResident

[WesternGulf]

But the thing is, the Galleria area pretty much already has all the clothing stores covered, so why would someone go all the way downtown for something they could get in Uptown? It's just my opinion, but I think the Pavillions needs those big flashy places like HOB and ESPN Zone to draw in people from around the area, and I agree it also needs retail, but stuff you don't see much of in Houston, such as NikeTown, Virgin Records, H&M, and whatever else. Me personally, I would be satisfied if it was filled with that type of stuff, but I get into that cheesy stuff and think it would be fun, but I live near Memorial City Mall so that's where I go when I need traditional retail. BUt once Pavillions succeeds in bringing in people to downtown, maybe the other retails sites sitting vacant in the area will start filling up with more traditional stuff. But also, the place is covering like three blocks or something, so I'm sure there will be enough for room for the flashy and the traditional retail.

Exactly. I would love to see a Virgin & Niketown at Pavilions and like you said more stuff you cannot find around the metro area. American Apparel at the Sakowitz is a start. I rarely find myself at the Galleria and that is a choice rather than convenience.

[pwright1]

Who would go all the way downtown to shop? Me for one. Some people make it seem like downtown is 30 miles away. Besides so what if the Galleria has everything. In a city of over 2million people why should Houston have 1 stop shopping. Downtown Houston deserves to have it all. Big name retail, high end, low end, local. Think big people. Many cities have more than one major shopping district.

[firstngoal]

Who would go all the way downtown to shop? Me for one. Some people make it seem like downtown is 30 miles away. Besides so what if the Galleria has everything. In a city of over 2million people why should Houston have 1 stop shopping. Downtown Houston deserves to have it all. Big name retail, high end, low end, local. Think big people. Many cities have more than one major shopping district.

Amen brother. Hey, I live in the Montrose area... and rarely - very rarely - make my way outside of the loop for shopping. I'm already at the Angelika very frequently, and will be at the Pavilions often when open. Houston's population inside the loop is as large as Denver's population within the city limits... and they have a vibrant downtown shopping/entertainment scene - and the Cherry Creek area (much like Houston's Galleria). Additionally, Denver is ringed with new lifestyle centers - as Houston is getting. And c'mon everyone... Houston's MSA population is twice Denver's!!! There is no reason why H-town can't have a vibrant retail scene throughout the city... including downtown.

[CincoRanch-HoustonResident]

^Houston's MSA is more than the whole state of Colorado.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I don't mind stores that bring in people from outside downtown or from the burbs. Sort of like the House of Blues, but I would rather see some traditional retail such as soft goods retail like clothing stores rather than an M&M world and video game arcade facilities. If Pavilions were filled with the latter how satisfied would you be?

I think Houston Pavillions will at this time target the tourist retailers that we've mentioned earlier (Niketown, ESPNZone, etc.) However, I am assuming that once Houston Pavillions fills up their retail space more, the next target will be for traditional retailers to fill up the buildings directly surrounding the Pavillions' three city blocks. Check out this video I posted in page 18...

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=3846399

It's briefly mentioned in there that this is very well what Houston Pavillions organizers plan to do. I think it will be vital for the surrounding buildings to have that traditional revenue to help downtown living become self-sufficient. I think there needs to be a 24-hour Randalls Signature or Krogers Signature store across from Houston Pavillions. It can be urban-style. May not sound glamorous. But if you live downtown, wouldn't you want a grocery store nearby?

[RedScare]

There won't be a grocery store downtown for a long time, if ever. Randall's is only a half mile away in Midtown, and it is on the rail. Any downtown resident will tell you that is not far. A mini-mart that is clean and up-to-date would be useful, and more likely. Has the basics...beer, smokes, bread, ravioli, coffee. Maybe some of the corner markets will see the light and upgrade.

Pavillions very likely will spur redevelopment of the entire Main Street Square area. It is THAT big. Property owners in that area have been waiting a long time for renewal of this area. To skimp or wait now is to miss the train. Local restaurants and retailers who have been waiting on Downtown to show signs of life will look again, too. Where the northern end of Main has become a club district, this area will likely be more tourist driven, both out-of-town and suburban (yeah, bachanan, that means you ).

The thing to remember is 350,000 square feet and $200 million. The developer will not let it flounder. It will be promoted relentlessly. Smaller fill-in shops that give an area a comfortable feel need these big promoters to bring in the crowds. They then feed off of the strays.

Overall, THIS is why Houston built the GRB 20 years ago, and expanded it in 2002. THIS is why they built MMP and Toyota and the Hilton nearby. Visitors can come to a convention and never leave downtown, and still have plenty to entertain them. When the University line is complete, a visitor can find entertainment in the club district, theater district, museums, Reliant, Pavillions and the Galleria...all without ever getting into a car. Bus service from the stations will allow them to also hit Montrose, W. Gray, Kirby, Rice Village, Westheimer/Richmond, and Memorial Park within a few minutes. Assuming MLS builds a stadium with HISD at Delmar, that is also accessible by BRT. Anyone who cannot find something to entertain them in that wide array of neighborhoods and activities frankly, should have stayed home.