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Market Square Tower: Multifamily High-Rise At 777 Preston St.


Urbannizer

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Actually, it would be a PERFECT place for a dog/cat store. More and more people will be moving to downtown and you can bet your bottom dollar there will be a lot of dogs. Unless I am wrong, there's no place to buy pet food, get your pet groomed, have access to a vet, leave your pet at a pet hotel, etc... in downtown. 

 

Hmmm.....

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There's an article somewhere when it was first announced saying they were hoping to land a grocer. I guess they wanted the building set back from the park so the 40 story tower wasn't as imposing, and also wanted the lower pool to overlook the park. Though they still could of put retail below the carportish thing and had the drive way on the other side or the front entrance, a la JW Marriott.

Edited by cloud713
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Incidentally, that post card is from before Warren's... IIRC, it was in the white building in the middle.  He did not move across the square until forced.

 

FWIW, I was very, very young at the time.  My parents brought my pre-adolescent self to Market Square in its heyday, as well as the Quarter in NOLA.  No, they weren't giving me and my brothers gin intravenously, they were teaching us responsible fun.  Thanks, publicly, Mom and Dad, who I've never been scared of as long as there was no blood or broken bones (actually, they could handle cops... prolly better than was necessary).

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33 months is the estimated completion for this thing.  By my count we're down roughly 2 of those, so 31 months remaining.

 

Good to see someone get started on a proposal.  This developer wanted to get a jump on some of the other high-rise residential proposed for DT.

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According to the Houston Business Journal, a grocery store is indeed what is desired:

http://m.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2014/07/16/new-details-revealed-in-market-square-tower.html?page=all&r=full

 

Wait, I'm confused. In the article Burney says they hope to add a grocery store in 3 to 5 years, implying that would be separate from the 22k retail space they are building now. Perhaps they want to repurpose the existing parking garage in the future?

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I'm going to make the presumption that the repurposing for the garage will be done over the course of a few years. They have stated that they were going to incorporate the existing garage to the new building, but were going to downsize it. That might mean that whatever other additions to the garage (maybe this market) will be done then. Just pure speculation!

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Had lunch at Treebeards today and then played Blanket Bingo there later in the afternoon:

15368109228_8484a65f1b_h.jpg

Market Square Tower by marclongoria, on Flickr

 

15368110258_e982f10441_h.jpg

Market Square Tower by marclongoria, on Flickr

 

Down to one lane

15530541396_8300d4778f_h.jpg

Market Square Tower by marclongoria, on Flickr

 

15367631069_bbca2e9cf7_h.jpg

Market Square Tower by marclongoria, on Flickr

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I know.

I took it as sarcasm that we already know they are building a 40 story high rise there that will cover up that wall?

The 40 story highrise that's going up across the street from the grey wall of the Houston ballet building will only block the view of the wall from the east. I am talking about a residential building being built directly next to the Houston ballet building on the vacant parking lot surrounded by Preston St., Lousiana St., and Congress St. No Sarcasm.

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Woah, that wall is the Houston Ballet building? It looks great from the other 3 sides.. What happened here?

Oh, I just realized the ballet center just sits on half a block. do they not own the other half of that block, or have future plans for an expansion or something? I guess that would explain the bare wall facing the parking lot if they can't control what will eventually be built there, or have future plans for that plot themselves..

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The ballet originally owned the entire block.  I believe they sold the eastern half to help fund the construction of the Ballet Center.  I know there was talk of a residential high-rise on the eastern half, but I think that plan died in the recession.  IIRC it was sold to an Atlanta residential developer.

 

Did a little more digging.  It turns out that the parcel was indeed sold to an Atlanta residential developer.  The Novare Group, developers of the SkyHouses...   But it appears that it is now again owned by the Houston Ballet Foundation.  Looks like Novare let it go back to the bank from whom they had a mortgage loan.  The bank then sold it back to Houston Ballet Foundation.  Maybe they'll sell it again and make even more money this time.

Edited by Houston19514
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The 40 story highrise that's going up across the street from the grey wall of the Houston ballet building will only block the view of the wall from the east. I am talking about a residential building being built directly next to the Houston ballet building on the vacant parking lot surrounded by Preston St., Lousiana St., and Congress St. No Sarcasm.

Well then. Thats awesome news!
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