HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[guess]

Orion to finally blast off as Asbury at River Oaks apartments (http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/01/08/story7.html)

[Great_Hizzy]

Just so people aren't confused, the new development will be midrise buildings and not the oppulent twin giants originally planned. Disappointing on one end but a positive impact overall, as it shows the continued movment towards multi-unit living inside the loop.

[Cory]

I actually can say I'm not mad about the Orion.

[Shasta]

I liked the look of the towers.

That said, I am glad the project flopped. That would have been a disaster to the area. There is just ONE way in and out of Asbury and that is Memorial Drive. The traffic is already wicked bad and I was never too keen on what would have been the impact on the Buffalo Bayou.

A midrise is a much better solution.

[guess]

some recent stuff

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/5032/cosmofq5.jpg


Anyone know what this is. East side of downtown
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/3345/eastend1tb4.jpg

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/420/eastend2fu2.jpg

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9373/heartqw7.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/8798/mosaic1dg7.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9641/mosaic2eo6.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/632/mosaic3bh2.jpg

Near Mosaic??
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/5259/whatbj4.jpg


http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/390/medcentergn3.jpg

[LordElPaso]

oh man - i hope they made that train crossing a quiet zone

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/420/eastend2fu2.jpg

[Xeelee]

oh man - i hope they made that train crossing a quiet zone

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/420/eastend2fu2.jpg

I doubt it. I sometimes drive through there and if it's not the blaring train alarms, it's the thunderous massive train itself. Trains are no quiet beast.

[LordElPaso]

yeah, i lived on the east side for a year - until i got an awesome little sound machine about 4 months in, living there was a nightmare - blaring trains at 4/5am, some nights every hour!

[rdavis4559]

i wasn't aware we were in a race but i will say this...we have way more corner drug stores than you guys in miami could ever hope for. :frog:

"Since the middle of 2006, the frenzied condominium market here [D.C.] and in several other big cities like Las Vegas, Miami and Boston has collapsed. Once roaring sales have slowed to a trickle, sparse inventory has mushroomed into a glut and soaring prices have flattened out and started falling."
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/realestate/16rentals.html?ei=5065&en=c551d19d50f5b8bd&ex=1169528400&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print)

[Cory]

Thanks for the updates. The East DT project is the Canal Street apartments I believe.

[rdavis4559]

Heres another shot of discovery green from the roof of the magnolia hotel
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Dsc05196.jpg
and heres two pics just for fun
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Dsc05203.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Dsc05204.jpg

[Xeelee]

nice

[Shasta]

The people who are developing the Endeavour Clear Lake in Pasadena (a 30 story tower with 80 condos) are going to be busy. The Endeavour Clear Lake will be finished in mid 2007. Here's the rendering...
http://www.endeavourcondo.com/images/endeavour-clear-lake.jpg

Adjacent to this property, the Endeavour Group has already broken ground on the Endeavour Marina at Parkside. This will be a mixed use development with close to 100,000 square feet of space and plenty of boat storage capabilities. In April of 2007, they will break ground on The Endeavour Parkside. The E.P. will be 34 floors tall and house 146 condo units. Completion is anticipated in late 2008. Here's the rendering...
http://www.endeavourcondo.com/images/endeavour-parkside-lg.jpg

Now the group is planning to develop another marina with mixed-use space, including to residential "loft" towers. No details have been announced on the towers but here's an early rendering. This will be located on Clear Lake but in the town of Seabrook...
http://www.endeavourcondo.com/images/endeavour-lofts-clear-lake.jpg

Finally, the group is proposing a $100 million development called Endeavour Poretto Beach in Galveston. This multi unit condo/hotel project will be located on the Seawall. No other details have been released yet though.

[texasboy]

Nice stuff coming to the lake. ^^


WesternGulf, empty out some of your private messages so I can write you back. I'm giving you my cell # and tell me the exact date your coming to town.

[Cory]

It only makes sense being on the Fannin South station and all.

Jan. 21, 2007, 9:05AM
AstroWorld site's transformation surges ahead
Group seeks city designation to aid in acreage's development

By NANCY SARNOFF
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The investment group that bought the former AstroWorld site is moving forward with plans to redevelop the 104-acre property.

Angel/McIver Interests is seeking the creation of a municipal management district for the site.

The special district would help finance infrastructure, such as roads and drainage systems, as well as parking facilities, landscaping and security, according to Robert Randolph, an attorney working with the Conroe-based company that bought the acreage last summer.

The investment group is planning a mixed-use transit-oriented development for the former theme park land. It would include high-density residential units, offices, shops and a hotel.

The management district would sell bonds to build the facilities, as well as collect taxes, user fees, parking revenues and potentially levy special assessments on property owners to pay for the bonds.

Part of the plan includes a proposal to reroute the light rail line through the property.

A Metro spokeswoman said the Metropolitan Transit Authority has requested a proposal from Angel/McIver, but it has not yet received it.

Management districts are meant to promote employment, economic development and public welfare in commercial areas.

Other Houston-area districts include downtown, Uptown, Greenspoint, Upper Kirby, Westchase and the Energy Corridor.

The Legislature approves the districts and initially appoints their boards.

Angel/McIver could not be reached for comment.

AstroWorld closed in 2005 after 37 years in business. Park attendance had been waning, while the value of the real estate had risen.

Angel/McIver signed a contract last year to buy the site from Six Flags for $77 million.

To be sure, the area has been in transformation.

While there are still numerous industrial developments there, townhome builders have been adding new housing and investors have been snapping up parcels and betting on the area's future potential.

Located just outside of the 610 Loop between Fannin and Kirby, the former AstroWorld site is near Reliant Park, the Texas Medical Center and Metro's light rail line.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/4484877.html

[Reverberation]

Great news! The city pushes south.

[Great_Hizzy]

That would indeed be a great stimulus for southern development. It would help increase the city's overall density and provide infrastructure to an area that sorely needs it.

And it could lead to the eventual development of yet another skyline district. Of course, it all depends on how it's handled both by the city and the private group seeking to redevelop the land.

[Houston Proud]

I don't know this true, or not. But, I've heard Astroworld, or some other theme park brought over one hundred of acres out in Katy and it will be finish by 2010.

Where I got this source? From my brother that works for Chervon downtown. They told him about what's going on with Astroworld, and the reason why they moved.

[Mopacs]

I don't know this true, or not. But, I've heard Astroworld, or some other theme park brought over one hundred of acres out in Katy and it will be finish by 2010.

Where I got this source? From my brother that works for Chervon downtown. They told him about what's going on with Astroworld, and the reason why they moved.

Weren't there also rumors of Disney gobbling up some land in or near Katy? Of course there are rumors of Disney just about everywhere (including Austin, some years ago).

However, I have no reason to doubt the posibility of a Six Flags near Katy... lots of available land, good access to an interregional freeway, and plenty of young families to draw from on the west side. Time will tell.

[Houston Proud]

ALLEN HOUSE BECOME MIXED-USE PROJECT

Allen House, long a local residential icon, will soon be gone, replaced by a mixed-use project of housing, offices and retail
From the ground up

ALONG scenic Allen Parkway and five minutes from downtown, the Allen House Apartments are a local institution, a place college students, seniors, actors and journalists have called home.

The owners of the property want to make it a different kind of local landmark.

On Tuesday, residents there were told that the Boston-based real estate firm that has owned the complex for two decades plans to turn the 24 acres of prime land into Regent Square, a mixed-use urban village housing apartments, condominiums, shops and a boutique hotel.

For Houston, known for its suburban sprawl, Regent Square will be something different: an open, walkable neighborhood for living, working, shopping and dining.

The developer, GID Urban Development Group, a division of the General Investment and Development Cos., has hired seven architecture firms to design the project.

GID owns 12,000 apartment units nationally.

The first phase, scheduled to start construction in September and to be completed in 2010, will offer 740 apartment units, 230,000 square feet of retail, 60,000 square feet of office space and a hotel on two city blocks.

A future phase of the project GID hopes to complete by 2014 could have 1,000 more residential units, including three condominium towers, more apartments and another 100,000 square feet of retail space.


Other plans rumored
It's not the only major mixed-use project being proposed locally. Wulfe & Co. already announced its plans for a 21-acre BLVD Place near the Galleria, and others are rumored to be in the works.

Even among such projects, however, Regent Square may be unique. Most local mixed-use proposals are to be on massive square-block sites, whereas Regent Square is on an irregularly shaped property that aims to blend into the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.

John Darrah, vice president, GID Urban Development Group, said he hopes to create a "symbiotic relationship" with nearby River Oaks Shopping Center to encourage shoppers to visit both districts on the same trip.

Regent Square will be bordered on the north by Allen Parkway, south by West Clay, east by Dunlavy and west by Tirrell.

Darrah would not disclose the project's cost.


Conventional wisdom
A mixed-use project like Regent Square goes against the conventional wisdom of Houston developers, said Michael Swartz, a project manager at David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, the Washington, D.C., firm that is doing the master plan.

"In Houston, there's a mind-set of: You make your return on investment in three years," but with Regent Square, Swartz said, "you have an owner who's committed to a project for a very long term. They've owned the property for 20 years
and expect to keep it for
20 years or more.

"An early exit strategy wouldn't work with a project like this."

Schwarz has designed other mixed-use projects in Texas. They include West Village in Dallas, Southlake Town Square outside Fort Worth and Ameriquest Field/Ballpark in Arlington.

Houston-based Morris Architects is the project's executive architect. It will oversee the design and construction of the project in collaboration with design firms, including Schwarz, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Aponwao Design in Miami and B&D Studio in Parma, Italy.

In the first phase, most of the buildings will be traditionally styled, between four and eight stories, while a few prominently featured structures will be contemporary.

Urban mixed-use projects reflect a national trend and are increasingly popular among empty nesters and young professionals, particularly those who are tired of long automobile commutes, said Michael Beyard, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute.

Regent Square's location "couldn't be much better" for an urban-style mixed-use project, said Kent Dussair, president of CDS Market Research, a Houston-based professional consulting firm. "Allen Parkway is one of Houston's gems."


Right circumstances
Many people want to live near downtown, given the right circumstances and environment and residential unit price, he said.

"I think it will be very exciting for the northern end of Montrose. The design, from what I saw, is really very exciting," said Sue Lovell, at-large city council member.

The city will likely have to grant variances for the project, she said. It will look at potential negative effects from the new development, such as more traffic congestion.

"The beauty of their project is there's a lot of entrances and exits, as opposed to other projects in Montrose sending lots of traffic out one way into very busy streets," she said.

New streets will be constructed on the site: a main north-south thoroughfare and another going east-west, parallel to and south of Dallas.

About 30 percent of Regent Square will be devoted to public space, such as wide sidewalks and a public square.

There will be underground, street level and above-ground parking.

The 896 units in the Allen House complex are nearly full.

Christine Covelli, who rents a one-bedroom apartment at Allen House, said she'd live there forever if she could.

"At least now it's moderately priced," she said.

Allen House, which was built in the 1960s, has been a close-knit community, she said. The six-year resident often barbecues in the courtyards with other tenants.

Notices of the impending apartment demolition were sent Tuesday to the 600 residents in the part of the complex that will be developed first.

They will not have to move out until June, Darrah said, and longer-term residents will receive various move-out benefits, relocation help and discounts on rent if they choose to move into Regent Square.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4494021.html

[Cory]

Great news. Love the rendering.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8986/311xinlinegallery0yq.jpg

Also, High Street definitely looks like its a go. Seems like they are trying to lay out the "streets" on the site.

Here are some new renderings.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/3001/highstreet29et.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8784/highstreet35pq.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/720/highstreet49wq.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/2847/highstreet57ch.jpg

[Complex01]

They look like really nice projects. I likes them very much...

:yes:

[Shasta]

The Regent Square is really nice. I love how the taller buildings look like they will front Allen Parkway and offer Buffalo Bayou views. Should make for a nice little cluster with the Royalton, America, Wortham, and other towers nearby. Also, Stern architects here in Boston builds some amazing projects. Their work is top notch and I am glad to see them come to Houston. Maybe they will show Houston developers how to build a high quality mixed-use project.

My other thought on the matter was that with this much retail built into the project, hopefully some of the West Gray shopping center (River Oaks Theater) can be saved...

[Great_Hizzy]

Boy, Regency Square really does look impressive by design. However, I'm already prepared for the scaled down version. I can't imagine the project looking like that from day one. Maybe eventually, though, in stages.

[KevinFromTexas]

Hey, Houstonians, TraeSlab713 wanted me to do a compilation list for Houston like what I did for Austin and San Antonio.

Example, Austin:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=124346

And San Antonio:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=77107


What do you think?

[Great_Hizzy]

Sure, that'd be cool. I don't know how long it would take you, though.

[buildergeek]

Courtesy of Shasta on the Texas / South Central thread:

New Houston Residential Tower:

The Sterling Memorial Villages -

27-story tower located in West Houston (Voss Road) will be a condo project for seniors and retirees. 166 units starting at about $400,000. The project is expected to be done by 2010.

Full rendering from sign on the property

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f272/taylorich/sterling.jpg

[Trae]

Doesn't look bad. We need to get more projects off the ground.

And thanks Kevin for the soon to be new look!

[Shasta]

MetroNational's remake of the Memorial City area had a huge announcement today. Two new hotels will be built and the old Radisson will be renovated and rebranded.

The biggest news is the announcement of The Westin Houston Memorial City. This hotel will feature 250 hotel rooms and 65 for-sale condos to be built on the top floors. Ground breaking is set for summer 2007. This will be built next to the new 35 story Memorial Hermann Tower that is now rising.

The second new hotel will be the Sheraton Houston Memorial City. This 155 room hotel will be built next door to Baseball U.S.A.

The Radisson will be renovated and turned into a Four Points by Sheraton Houston Memorial City. The renovated hotel will feature 170 rooms.

No word yet on building heights but I'd imagine the Westin to come in at 20 plus floors and the Sheraton around 12 floors.

Also, the old Warwick Hotel in the Museum District is now officially the Hotel ZaZa Houston. Rooms are available for reservation. Can't wait to try it out on my next trip down there.

[Trae]

Where did you get the news from? And Memorial City is forming a new skyline.

[Shasta]

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/01/29/daily43.html?jst=b_ln_hl

as well as at...just click on the first story unders news...

http://development.starwoodhotels.com/

[Great_Hizzy]

MC's developing quite the little skyline now. Still not quite at WC's level but not far behind. Perhaps MC will eventually be taking Greenspoint's place in the overall Houston Skyline Hierarchy.

BTW, has anyone noticed the new projects in Chinatown? In addition to the office building already going up, I believe they've broken ground a new hotel as well.

[Complex01]

Well it is nice to see more stuff going up around MC. I only really drive by that area, once in a great while. But its nice the way that area is turning out...

[Complex01]

I just saw this and wanted to share.


Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Houston Rush Hour

The shot from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor deneyterrio (http://www.flickr.com/photos/deneyterrio/).

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/376479929_4a4d89a54c.jpg


"Sometimes these long-exposure shots of traffic seem gimmicky. Not in this case. It is a great angle and captures I-45 looking northeast towards the Lyric Center. Also, the hazy orange coloration that is sometimes created in foggy/misty situations is a common part of the Houston rush hour experience for many people. The only thing about this shot that seperates it from being completely iconic is that, unlike most rush hours, the cars seem to be moving."

From:
http://www.houstonist.com/
2-1-07

[Trae]

WesternGulf said on another site that the three-parking lots will be closed for good after this afternoon. Pavilions ground breaking on Monday maybe? Also, here are some House of Blues renderings from the House of Blues website:

From Carolina St.
http://www.hob.com/pics/venues/clubvenues/houston/pr_header.jpg

From Dallas St.
http://www.hob.com/pics/venues/clubvenues/houston/pr/pr_dallasstreet.jpg

From inside the Pavilions
http://www.hob.com/pics/venues/clubvenues/houston/pr/pr_interiormall.jpg

[Complex01]

Very nice, they look great...

[Cory]

WesternGulf said on another site that the three-parking lots will be closed for good after this afternoon

Well I woke up early Saturday morning to catch the train to downtown and those mofos, the cars, were still there. So I thought I would wait 'til this morning to see and it is the same sight as Friday.

[Great_Hizzy]

Clearly, no ground breaking today. Personally, I'd stop driving myself crazy trying to anticipate an actual date. It's like a watched phone.

Also, the Feb. 5, 2007 date was never concrete. It was a "scheduled" ground breaking.

Although, I can understand how annoying it is to keep waiting for a project of this size and impact to get going. I'd focus on Discovery Green for the time being (even with the controversial name).

[Xeelee]

Well I woke up early Saturday morning to catch the train to downtown and those mofos, the cars, were still there. So I thought I would wait 'til this morning to see and it is the same sight as Friday.

Somehow I knew this would happen... Ugh.

[houston19514]

Somehow I knew this would happen... Ugh.

Good News on the Houston Pavilions project. The city approved the building permits at City Council meeting on January 31, 2007.

[Great_Hizzy]

Why, don't bring up actual facts, 19514. It's better to sit and fall apart because a tentative ground breaking date yielded no results.

Keep up, bub!

;)

[Cory]

Courtesy of DJ V Lawrence

Rendering of AstroWord mixed use plan.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5963/newastroworldjp1.jpg

[Trae]

That thing looks pretty big. I hope it gets filled up and the land behind it gets developed. The south side needs some help.

[Cory]

I don't think you can do too much with the land of office parks.

[Shasta]

A major 300,000 square foot lease in the former Texaco Heritage Plaza (called 1111 Bagby now) is just another sign that a new building may be on the way...

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4539237.html

[Great_Hizzy]

12.5% DT vacancy rate! The magic number, baby!

[Complex01]

Nice, maybe we can get another tall one, soon. We need another one in the DT.

[Houston Proud]

A couple of highly anticipated downtown real estate projects are expected to get started this month, lifting a cloud of uncertainty that often hangs over much-touted developments — some of which never see the light of day.

Finger Cos. will officially break ground in March on the first new ground-up apartment tower to be built in this area in decades with the pouring of its slab, but construction trucks were set to be on-site by today, according to Houston developer Marvy Finger.

The 37-story One Park Place will contain 346 upscale apartments overlooking the new city park Discovery Green, which is being developed across the street with fountains and gardens as well as two restaurants run by the Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group, creator of Cafe Annie, Cafe Express and Taco Milagro.

The high-rise at McKinney and Austin is expected to have a specialty grocer, wine store, coffee shop and cafe.

The city has granted a foundation permit for the project and plans for the structure are still in the review process, according to Wes Johnson of the city's public works and engineering department.

A nearby development set to transform three blocks is also moving closer to reality.

The Houston Pavilions is scheduled to break ground by the third week of this month, according to its developers.

"The project will be completed in October of 2008 as originally planned," William Denton and Geoffrey Jones said in an e-mail.

It should have received a foundation permit late last week, Johnson said.

Bounded by Dallas, Polk, Main and Caroline, the project is planned as a retail, entertainment and office destination.

The developers said about half the space has been leased. House of Blues and the Lucky Strike bowling concept, along with McCormick & Schmick's, Red Cat Jazz Cafe and Lawry's, the Prime Rib, have signed up for space.

Houston Pavilions won't have a residential component as once envisioned, but another nearby property — the long-vacant Texaco Building — is said to be the next residential conversion project with more than 400 units.
The broker involved with the building couldn't be reached for more details.

Real estate observers say the new projects will give a major boost to downtown's residential market.

"It'll be a real turning point for downtown residential," said David Cook, a real estate broker with Cushman & Wakefield who's active in the area.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4542550.html

[Houston Proud]

Research building started
Construction has started on the Methodist Hospital Research Institute building in the Texas Medical Center.

The 420,000-square-foot advanced medical research facility will have five floors of laboratory space, imaging equipment and operating rooms for research.

In early 2004, Methodist's board approved $100 million to create an endowment to launch the institute.

Later that year, the board committed an additional $30 million to fund a neurological institute as part of the research center.

The project is being built next to the Methodist Hospital on Bertner Avenue and it should be completed in 2009.

http://images.chron.com/photos/2007/02/08/5085841/311xInlineGallery.jpg

[Xeelee]

Well blow me down!

[Great_Hizzy]

I'm becoming more and more intrigued by the possibility of the old Texaco Building moving forward again as a loft conversion. That could really have a nice integrating effect on the eastern edge of DT and the critical mass developing along Main Street. Having such a "large" residential component would seem to contribute to the newfound desire to make Main Street more of an upscale corridor rather than just a weekend hangout. In other words, such a conversion would go a ways in helping to make that area of DT feel more like a neighborhood.

[Trae]

http://www.globest.com/newspics/hou_almedaspanishtrail.jpg
Almeda @ Spanish Trail

JV Plans 304-Unit Mid-Rise in Medical Center

By Amy Wolff Sorter

HOUSTON-Two Texas companies have joined forces for the first time to develop the luxury mid-rise Almeda at Old Spanish Trail. Groundbreaking on the first phase, 304 units in the Medical Center, is scheduled to take place in the coming months.

The project will be situated on a little more than eight acres at the intersection of Almeda Road and Old Spanish Trail. It is being funded through Crow Holdings' Realty Partners IV LP's $850-million fund. Houston-based Simmons Vedder & Co. is the developer. Almeda at Old Spanish Trail is the first ground-up multifamily project for the Dallas-based fund.

The construction cost for the Almeda at Old Spanish Trail isn't unavailable, but area sources suggest it could range from $160 per sf to $180 per sf for comparable mid-rise product. The one-, two- and three-bedroom units, averaging 916 sf, will sit on half of the development site, according to Simmons Vedders' website. The Almeda was designed by local architect, Steinberg Design Collaborative. Calls to Crow Holdings and Simmons Vedder were not returned by press time.

Colliers International principal Teresa Lowery and vice president Saul Keeton, neither of whom is involved with the deal, tell GlobeSt.com that Almeda at Old Spanish Trail is a property whose time has come due to tightening supply of and increasing demand for multifamily product. "The Texas Medical Center employs 75,000 in one location and continues expanding its boundaries," Lowery explains.

In addition, single-family home prices in the area are on the rise, with existing multifamily properties having gone the condo conversion route. "There's most definitely a short supply of apartment units," Lowery says.

Keeton adds that another aspect to the development is a high barrier to entry, most notably the lack of available land on which to build. He points out that Simmons Vedder also owns a nearby five-acre tract at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and Kirby Drive. The developer also has demolished a Garden Ridge and Target to build Kirby at Old Spanish Trail, a four-story 293-unit apartment slated to begin construction in March. "To find good tracts of land in that area," he says, "developers and investors are looking for functionally obsolete real estate."

http://www.globest.com/news/844_844/houston/152954-1.html

[Trae]

Midway discloses CityCentre components
Houston Business Journal - 3:27 PM CST Thursday, February 15, 2007

After more than two years of silence, Midway Cos. Thursday revealed details about its $500 million CityCentre development in west Houston.

The Houston-based firm started construction last month on the mixed-use project at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and Beltway 8, former site of the Town & Country Mall. Specifics were outlined today at a private luncheon at RA Sushi, a restaurant in the Highland Village Shopping Center that will be one of the tenants at CityCentre.

The project will include 500,000 square feet of office space; 400,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space; a 217-room luxury hotel topped with 16 condominiums; 375 apartments; 250 urban lofts; 40 brownstones and a 140,000-square-foot fitness facility.

CityCentre will be able to boast several "firsts" for the Houston area when it opens in 2008.

Houston-based Valencia Group will build its first hotel in the Bayou City in a joint venture with Midway. Restaurants Eddie V's, Z Tejas and Brio Tuscan Grille will open their first Houston locations in CityCentre.

Minnesota-based Lifetime Fitness is building its first urban concept in the country there -- a three-story, 140,000-square-foot fitness center.

And Dallas-based Studio Movie Grill will build its first ground-up location in Houston featuring first-run films and a full menu.

The Michigan State Public Employees Retirement System, represented by L&B Realty Advisors LLP of Dallas, is providing $124 million of CityCentre's funding. Midway invested an undisclosed amount in CityCentre, and the firm has various development partners in the project.

[Trae]

In the span of a few weeks, the Park Tower, Houston Pavilions, and City Centre have all begun. Don't forget about BLVD Place which is just around the corner. I think all the developments we've been waiting for have finally kicked off.

[Great_Hizzy]

BTW, in addition to the Mosaic(s) and the new complex that Trae just posted, Almeda's getting quite a bit of infill. There's a huge development across from the Mosaic(s) that's coming along. Anyone (WG?) know what it's going to be? Looks like a Phase II to the complex located next door.

But as I said over at HAIF, we merely shrug our shoulders at TMC developments nowadays. ;)

[Cory]

I have passed that site many times and I still do not know what it is to this day.

[Great_Hizzy]

Apparently, the mixed-use development at the corner of Westheimer and Kirby is underway, too. It was reported by LargeTexas and others over at HAIF yesterday, and yesterday evening on the way home I also was able to confirm construction equipment being on site, including bulldozers and steam shovels.

So add that one, too.

[rdavis4559]

Here are some far off pics of progress on discovery green and broken ground on the tower.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/DG01.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/DG02.jpg

[guess]

I have passed that site many times and I still do not know what it is to this day.

I don't see any signs on site but here it is anyway:
http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4223/what1ep0.jpg

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4914/what2xe3.jpg

other stuff:

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/4369/tower2by6.jpg

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/5024/camden1sb7.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5567/camden2fh6.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/86/camdenedgeeq5.jpg

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/9113/edge1yd1.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/2893/edge2en1.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1139/edge3ez1.jpg

[Trae]

I have heard that the Park Tower is about ten feet deep now. What does the Pavilions look like now?

[rdavis4559]

have they broken ground on the pavilions? i thought they had passed the groundbreaking date with no work being started?

[Shasta]

The Planet, formerly EV1.net, is moving its headquarters from Dallas to Houston and leasing 70,000 square feet of space at the new Bayou Place office extension. They will also be opening some type of 10,000 square foot retail/showroom space.

www.houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/02/19/story3.html

[Trae]

The vacancy rate keeps on falling. Good news for Houston. Another company to add to its portfolio, too.

[Great_Hizzy]

Whiteco Development has plans to construct twin 35-story towers in Uptown, according to this blurb from the HBJ (it's a subscription-only article).

The success of the Dominion Post Oak apartment building has inspired the developer to add another pair of posh residential towers to the Galleria skyline.

Whiteco Residential LLC plans construction of two buildings, each up to 35 stories tall, with a total of 550 rental apartments.

[Great_Hizzy]

have they broken ground on the pavilions? i thought they had passed the groundbreaking date with no work being started?

The February 5, 2007 date that was mentioned back in November was an estimate, nothing official, as they still needed to secure permits to commence with construction from the C.O.H., and the subsequent meeting that was to have allowed for that was backlogged with other issues and they put it off until the following meeting at the end of January. This caused the ground breaking to shift. As of now, next week is the expected "official" ground breaking.

They've roped off the parking lot furthest east (as well as taken up the fare kiosks) and have closed off some parking spots in the middle lot for work crews and the like. So work will certainly be beginning in the not-so-distant future.

[UrbTransPlanner]

The Pavilions groundbreaking is supposedly 2/27/07...at least I think that's what's on HAIF.

I saw some workers on the easternmost (House of Blues) lot last weekend.

[rdavis4559]

I have heard that the Park Tower is about ten feet deep now. What does the Pavilions look like now?

yes, i saw the park tower site today and its about 10 feet. from the same view, part of discovery green looks more like 15 feet

[Cory]

Turnberry rendering

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/8076/63581367fn5.png

[Xeelee]

The Planet, formerly EV1.net, is moving its headquarters from Dallas to Houston and leasing 70,000 square feet of space at the new Bayou Place office extension. They will also be opening some type of 10,000 square foot retail/showroom space.

www.houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/02/19/story3.html

I used to work at EV1 in greenspoint..

[JManc]

Turnberry rendering

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/8076/63581367fn5.png

uninspiring but hey, at least it's tall. where is this thing going exactly? between the foley's garage and the waterwall?

[Great_Hizzy]

That sounds about right, as far as the location goes.

And I keep laughing because that's pretty much exactly how I pictured the building. It's maybe a little wider than I'd envisioned but everything else--vertical lines, the crown, etc-- are as expected.

[H-Town]

The rendering for the Turnberry is very similar to the Dominion Post Oak, which in and of itself is not bad, but with the owners of Dominion planning on two more towers, we could end up with relatively the same four towers within several blocks of each other.

I'm personally hoping for a little more glass in the final design.

[Shasta]

It looks pretty much like 90% of all of Turnberry's highrises. It's neither good nor bad. It is just sort of there.

That said, this looks a lot nicer to me than the Dominion. The Dominion and the 1200 Post Oak just look like apartment complexes to me (which they are).

[rdavis4559]

here is the park tower site... lots of stuff going on. you can't see the pit in the pics i took (can't get close enough, everything is fenced off)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/PT01.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/PT02.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/PT03.jpg

[Trae]

I'm liking it. Were you able to swing on over to the Pavilions site?

[rdavis4559]

no but i will try to tomorrow

[JManc]

The rendering for the Turnberry is very similar to the Dominion Post Oak, which in and of itself is not bad, but with the owners of Dominion planning on two more towers, we could end up with relatively the same four towers within several blocks of each other.

I'm personally hoping for a little more glass in the final design.

dominion? are you sure you don't mean 1200 post oak? the building near four oaks place. dominion is narrow(er) and has a pitched roof. either way, where would the two new buildings go?

[H-Town]

dominion? are you sure you don't mean 1200 post oak? the building near four oaks place. dominion is narrow(er) and has a pitched roof. either way, where would the two new buildings go?

Dohh! I've been spouting out "Dominion" all day and it's the 1200 Post Oak. I was on HAIF this morning and started on a thread regarding the owners Of Dominion and got my wires crossed.

Anyway I believe the Turnberry will be on Hildago, just West of the water wall and across the street from the newly constructed Empire.

[Great_Hizzy]

Man, I drove through the Warehouse District east of DT and they're really putting together a rash of new residential over there. It's kind of like where Fourth Ward was in 1999. If I had a scanner, I'd post pictures.

The down side is that a large percentage of the new townhome construction (not so much the warehouse conversions) are Perry Homes developments.

[texasboy]

That will look funny so close to Williams and the waterwall will have development on all four sides. I bet these guys will still get their car out the Turnberry garage and drive to Nordstrom next door. :D I forgot what is on the east side of the lawn. The Park Tower was pretty quick. What's Finger's secret?

[Great_Hizzy]

Another image of CityCentre:

http://cll.bizjournals.com/story_image/71626-400-0.jpg?rev=2

[rdavis4559]

Here are some better shots of the discovery green/park tower area
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Discovery_Green_01.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Discovery_Green_02.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Discovery_Green_03.jpg
and here are shots of the three lots the pavilions will be at... sorry to say that theres nothing to show yet, only one of the lots has gone as far as being fenced off :(
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Pavilions_01.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Pavilions_02.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/Pavilions_03.jpg
and heres a pic taken from the bus stop
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/ChaseTower.jpg

[c4smok]

http://i13.tinypic.com/490984n.jpg

Cranes spotted on top of Chase Tower. The Image is from Montrose on the HAIF boards.

No clue what they are doing... Anybody have an idea?

[Trae]

I don't know.

[Trae]

Texas will buck national economic slowdown, economist says
Austin job growth will rise to 4 percent, he predicts.

By By Claudia Grisales
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Friday, February 23, 2007

Houston is probably the state's biggest economic hot spot, Shankar said, thanks to its sheer size and broad-based growth and booming energy industry.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/02/24/24economy.html

[Shasta]

The Morgan Group will build a 326 unit apartment complex on the Corner of Washington Ave @ Yale Blvd.
http://images.chron.com/photos/2007/02/20/5227109/311xInlineGallery.jpg

36Sixty is now open on Richmond in the Greenway Plaza area
http://www.texasexplorer.net/36sixty.jpg
http://www.texasexplorer.net/36sixtyint.jpg

Pics of the recently completed BelAir on Allen Parkway
http://www.texasexplorer.net/belairth1.jpg
http://www.texasexplorer.net/belairpoolth.jpg

[Trae]

The Sterling at Memorial Villages

http://www.thesterlingmemorialvillages.com/

1395 S. Voss Road

Being developed by Sunrise Senior Living, The Sterling at Memorial Villages is scheduled to open in 2010.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/792/sterlingmemorialvillagesq7.jpg

[Great_Hizzy]

I really like the Bel Air the more I see it. I had a chance to go in a take a look out the window from one of the units. The views aren't bad at all.

[Complex01]

Anchors to be revealed at Houston Pavilions groundbreaking

Houston Business Journal - February 23, 2007

Two new anchor tenants for the Houston Pavilions will be announced on Feb. 27, the day the project officially breaks ground.

The mixed-use project from developers William Denton and Geoffrey Jones will finally begin construction almost a year behind schedule.

The development also has changed in scope from the original vision, with 140 planned condominiums no longer part of the mix, a change that reduced the total value of Houston Pavilions to $170 million from $200 million.

North Houston Bank is providing $120.6 million in construction financing.

The three-block project bounded by Dallas, Polk, Main and Caroline in downtown Houston will contain 360,000 square feet of retail space and 200,000 square feet of office space. Developers also have a 60-year master lease on 1,600 spaces in an adjacent parking garage.

Tenants that have already been announced include House of Blues; Lucky Strike bowling center; Lawry's, The Prime Rib; Tuscany coffee shop; Yao's Restaurant and Bar; Antica Osteria Italian restaurant; Red Cat Jazz Cafe; and McCormick & Schmick's seafood restaurant.

A grand opening is expected in October 2008.


Hope this gets started. We shall see...

[Cory]

Sooooo, they say the 140 planned condos are not part of the project, what about the apartments?

[Great_Hizzy]

As I said, it's so much better to speculate as to what or who will be part of the Pavillions District (I'm gonna go ahead and start calling a "district" in honor of the myriad districts that comprise DT Houston currently) rather than whether or not the Pavillions actually gets built.

It's really starting to look like ground zero, too. Went by the site earlier during lunch and things are slowly loading into place--back hoes, bulldozers, etc, etc.

[Cory]

Nevermind me, for some reason I thought apartments were suppose to be part of the project. I probably meant the hotel. I am pretty sure that is a no go.

[H-Town]

http://i13.tinypic.com/490984n.jpg

Cranes spotted on top of Chase Tower. The Image is from Montrose on the HAIF boards.

No clue what they are doing... Anybody have an idea?

So is there any word on these cranes?

[c4smok]

seems they were just replacing some stuff up there from what I heard..

[Great_Hizzy]

The lighting at the rooftop llooks a bit different now as well.

[Shasta]

The new Catholic Cathedral nearing completion downtown
http://harpictures.marketlinx.com/MediaDisplay/63/hr1866463-2.jpg

The Mosaic can be seen rising on the horizon towards the left side of this pic
http://harpictures.marketlinx.com/MediaDisplay/63/hr1866463-3.jpg

[Cory]

Here is a pic I took of the Mosaic last week. Had no idea they would start on the second tower so late. Not saying that they already started.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5628/398801729972ab008abbnc5.jpg

[Xeelee]

Here is a pic I took of the Mosaic last week. Had no idea they would start on the second tower so late. Not saying that they already started.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5628/398801729972ab008abbnc5.jpg

So have they started the second one? This is good news. :)

[Shasta]

Great pic. You almost never see a view in that direction. The Moody Towers stand out more than I thought they would. Also, is that a smoke stack billowing smoke just to the left of the Moody Twins?

[Cory]

No I was saying they have not started on the second one. I just thought they would have by now.

I am assuming the smokestack is near the port.