Sheraton-Lincoln Hotel At 711 Polk St.

[KinkaidAlum]

Wedge has been contemplating a second tower for about 7 years now. 1401 Louisiana would be the address. Very initial renderings can even be found on the web for it...

[TheNiche]

Wedge has been contemplating a second tower for about 7 years now. 1401 Louisiana would be the address. Very initial renderings can even be found on the web for it...

If you want to be technical about it, they've been contemplating Tower Two since Wedge Tower was completed, back in the 80's, but the extent and seriousness of their contemplation has varied over time.

[MidtownCoog]

Oy vey!

At any rate, it's one nasty block as it stands to be in the "skyline district".

What a silly name. Always with the names.

[foxmulder]

http://houstonist.com/2007/07/25/new_life_for_do.php

[Willsatx]

Will have to check the place out I will be Houston this weekend and want to see what the place looks like.

[Vertigo58]

Will have to check the place out I will be Houston this weekend and want to see what the place looks like.

Pack a hazmat suit if going near. Just kidding...asbestos comments from above.

It really needs to be razed and started over.

[Willsatx]

I will drive by the sheraton and that's it, is the whole building still there?

[EatSleepMOD]

http://houstonist.com/2007/07/25/new_life_for_do.php

AWESOME!! Great info.

[Subdude]

This is really great news. I hope they make an effort to preserve some of the mid-century touches, like the fountain in the porte-cochere, but I'm not hoping for much. I'm glad the Houstonist credits HAIF!

[chrisngrod]

I was at the Hyatt and remember there was parking at the old Sheraton. I decided to use the Hyatt's valet parking though. That was earlier this month.

http://www.google.com/maps?q=717+Polk+St,+...mp;t=k&z=19

[Willsatx]

Just got in from Houston and walked around the building and was amazed that it has sat empty for so long, glad something is being worked out on it.

[northbeaumont]

Just got in from Houston and walked around the building and was amazed that it has sat empty for so long, glad something is being worked out on it.

Yes, in most cases when a building is left vacant, homeless people usually break into it, making it to where nobody wants to buy or lease it.

[Willsatx]

I had seen that building so many times and never thought it was that hotel, it amazing how that has been vacant for so long and no movement.

[ToolMan]

I recieved this weekly email from the Houston Downtown Management District:

The wow power of the soon-to-be completed Houston Pavillions project, scheduled for a fall 2008 opening, continues to draw additional development to the area.

The latest exciting announcement is the redevelopment of the former downtown Sheraton at 711 Polk by Omni Hotels and Songy Partners. The transformed property will be just a few steps from the Pavilions, which is taking shape as a retail and entertainment hub with future tenants such as House of Blues, Lucky Strike Lanes, Forever 21, McCormick & Schmick's and Yao's Restaurant and Bar.

The Omni project will feature more than 400 luxury suites, 30,000 square feet of meeting space and a variety of restaurants. A complete wellness center on the fourth floor will be accessible through a separate, private ground floor entrance for neighboring Houstonians and nearby office workers.

The 13,000-square-foot wellness center will offer a state-of-the art fitness facility with a Mokara Salon & Spa, personal trainers and nutritionists who will be available to create customized wellness and fitness regimens.

Redevelopment of the structure is scheduled to begin later this year, and the property will open for guests in 2009.

[HtownWxBoy]

More good news for Downtown

[houstonfella]

... and more good news: Microsoft Corp. partners will be in Houston for the 2008 annual meeting/conference. There's about 7,600 of those booking 50,000 room nites. HBJ reports.

[matth1231]

Ahh, I work at Hyatt and I've heard rumors about this for a while. (It was addressed at our state of the Hotel address) Alot of the employees park there, everyone calls it the ghetto garage. They re-routed the traffic so you enter from Louisiana instead of Milam so the valet could easily access cars there and drive them quickly to the Hyatt. If you park there you'll notice that there are the orriginal signs telling you to go one way and small cheep signs recently placed telling you to go the opposite. If you've never parked their before its really confusing. If you take the elevator, which I only advise you taking if you are extremely exhausted, there is a metal serial number for the elevator with Sheraton's logo. I never really understood the building though because when you get to the ground floor there is an unusually small elevator bank (for a hotel) and I never understood how it was encorporated with the hotel lobby. It makes sense now, this must have been the elevator bank for the offices. There is an emergency exit door that I then take to get to the street. Usually I spook someone who is sleeping on the ground when I exit.

If anyone is REALLY curious, the parking attendant usually goes off duty around 10 am, so you can drive in and look. I'm not positive that this is the schedule but thats just what I've observed. If you want to enter the garage from the street you walk in the vehicle entrance and WALK down the ramp. There is no other way down. Its really ghetto, and will require alot of work.

As far as demand, downtown can probably support another large hotel. It's not uncommon, especially in the fall, for the Hyatt and Hilton to be completely booked. I'm not sure about other properties.

FYI - The Hyatt Regency Downtown is about to undergo a 35 million dollar renovation. Every room will be renovated, which is BADLY needed. There are some rooms that still have carpet in the bathroom! Every room is going to have plasma televisions, Hyatt grand beds, contemporary furnature, wood appointments. Lobby, restaurants, and bar totally redone. This is all starting in November.

Its really exciting to be downtown right now!

[Subdude]

The elevators serving the hotel floors opened into the lobby. You are correct that the small elevator lobby was only for the office floors.

[Vertigo58]

I hope they never remove the piano/music in that lobby, this is what gives the Hyatt real class!

The word ghetto is so popular these days. I swear its in almost every forum.

[ricco67]

FYI - The Hyatt Regency Downtown is about to undergo a 35 million dollar renovation. Every room will be renovated, which is BADLY needed. There are some rooms that still have carpet in the bathroom! Every room is going to have plasma televisions, Hyatt grand beds, contemporary furnature, wood appointments. Lobby, restaurants, and bar totally redone. This is all starting in November.

Its really exciting to be downtown right now!

I heard about the renovation occuring a few days ago and it seems timely. One customer complained that the $230+ room should be charged for the quality of a $150 room. His hasn't been the only one that I've heard that complaint about.

But I was under the impression that the renovations had already started, doing two floors at a time. What are they planning on doing to the exterior? I saw them taking some serious measurements over the past couple of months and again within the past few weeks.

Currently, the Four Seasons is undergoing a major Renovation as well. They're doing it in a odd way, they closed half of their rooms.

A few of us are debating as to who was doing it better, cost-effective way.

[northbeaumont]

I heard about the renovation occuring a few days ago and it seems timely. One customer complained that the $230+ room should be charged for the quality of a $150 room. His hasn't been the only one that I've heard that complaint about.

But I was under the impression that the renovations had already started, doing two floors at a time. What are they planning on doing to the exterior? I saw them taking some serious measurements over the past couple of months and again within the past few weeks.

Currently, the Four Seasons is undergoing a major Renovation as well. They're doing it in a odd way, they closed half of their rooms.

A few of us are debating as to who was doing it better, cost-effective way.

I don't have a major credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, etc.). Sometime I plan to stay one night at the Hyatt Regency or some other hotel. When I go to check in, will the desk clerk call the police if I hand him/her cash?

[Boris]

Long-vacant downtown hotel to be renovated

DAVID KAPLAN

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

A downtown building that's been vacant since 1988 will get a $100 million face lift and be turned into an Omni luxury hotel.

The 28-story Sheraton-Lincoln Plaza tower at 711 Polk and Louisiana was acquired for $15 million.by Songy Partnersin a joint venture with Omni Hotels

The redeveloped hotel will have about 450 suites, fine dining restaurants and more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space.It will also feature a 13,000-square-foot wellness/ fitness center with a spa and salon.

The lower levels of the building will be opened up with glass, to make it more accessible to pedestrians, said David Songy, CEO of Songy Partners. Gensler & Associates is the project architect.

The renovations are scheduled to begin in late 2007 and the hotel is expected to open by mid-2009.The Sheraton-Lincoln Plaza opened in 1962 as mixed-use hotel and office building.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5117516.html

Edited September 8, 2007 by Boris

[Boris]

This story in the HBJ states they will invest 130 Mil:

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

[Subdude]

Merged dupe topics

[N Judah]

What the heck? Either DT is in a slump or it isn't.

[TheNiche]

What the heck? Either DT is in a slump or it isn't.

What aspect of downtown? For the most part, it's doing very well.

Office is booming.

Chain hotels are booming on account of more business travelers.

Boutique hotels are slow going on account of a weak market for leisure travelers.

Aside from One Park Place, residential is nonexistent. Office demand has driven land prices beyond what the residential market can bear.

Retail is good, not great. Still lots of vacancy at street level.

Industrial is all but non-existent anymore.

[ricco67]

You know, the Chronicle mentions that DT Houston has 4,751 hotel rooms, while San Antonio has about 12,000. Now I understand that SA is mostly a tourist town, but does the difference in the numbers surprise anyone else?

I know Hilton, Hyatt, and Four Seasons have had high occupancy over the past few weeks, but I also wonder about the other hotels (Magnolia, Club Quarters, Alden). I kinda' keep track at the Hyatt and Hilton regularly, but not the other chains. Anyone have a clue?

[DTG]

The drive through area is still there and the parking garage still functions as a parking garage...

Construction is scheduled to start early 08. It will be an Omni Hotel.

[ricco67]

I guess no one has a clue.

Anyhoo....

Turns out the exterior is starting to decay a bit faster than anyone realized.

A couple of small chunks fell from the 4th or 5 floor a couple of days ago (One measuring about 10 inches long and 4 inches thick) and they might have to put something to protect the people walking underneath it.

I just happened to talk to a gentleman walking by inspecting said damage and commented that it's STILL not a sure thing. something about making the numbers work.

[Subdude]

I'm sad, but not surprised, that it isn't a sure thing. A number of other redevelopment proposals for the property have fallen through.

It's also not the first time chunks have fallen off the building. You can see where there is a large hole in the back, and there is also damage on the Louisiana side dating from when the building was gutted.