HOUSTON | Development Thread II

[Complex01]

I say, if you want pine trees in Houston go North of downtown and if you want plam trees go south of downtown...

:yes:

[vjhe]

I say, if you want pine trees in Houston go North of downtown

But you better be quick about it because pine trees, at least large groups of them in a single place, on the north side are disappearing at an alarming rate. Clear cutting is a sport in Houston.

[rdavis4559]

They just planted a lot of pine trees on either side of 249 in between the beltway and grant road. Hopefully they will do the same going further north. It will look nice in about 10 years.

[rdavis4559]

Hyatt Regency Houston is planning a $35-million revitalization project at the downtown hotel.

The project will include the transformation of all 900 guest rooms, the addition of new, high-tech meeting space and a Shula's fine-dining steakhouse.

Greenwich, Conn.-based Starwood Capital Group LLC is responsible for the multimillion project, which is expected to be complete in late October.

Steve Trent, managing director of the Hyatt, said the project represents a rebirth of the downtown hotel. He said it's especially timely given the new downtown attractions currently under way at Discovery Green and Houston Pavilions.

The guest rooms will be renovated to include the signature Hyatt Grand Bed, work desks and wall-mounted consoles for Internet connectivity.

Guest room baths will include a walk-in shower, black marble-top vanity and matching black marble flooring.

The project also calls for the expansion of the hotel's meeting space. Specifically, 30 guest rooms on the hotel's sixth floor will be transformed into nine meeting rooms and three high-tech boardrooms.

Shula's America's Steakhouse will replace the hotel's two existing lobby level restaurants.

The Hyatt Regency, located at 1200 Louisiana, opened in 1972 and was the city's first atrium-style hotel.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/01/14/daily14.html?ana=from_rss

[Wattleigh]

An early rendering of 6 Houston Center from Crescent's Q1 Investor presentation (http://www.secinfo.com/dsvrp.ua8u.b.htm). The report itself is from last year... but it's something.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w208/houtosme/HouConstruction/6HouCtr.gif

[Metro Matt]

I really hate palm trees in Houston.

Why?

Houston is considered a major inland city on the Texas Gulf Coast region of the state, its even connected to the ocean via the Houston Ship Channel. Tropical plants & palms grow very well here because of the high humidity.

Now palm trees in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or any other part of the state not near the coast just look so out of place its not even funny.

I'm in Beaumont right now & theres a lot of palm trees all around this city too.

[CALMSP]

hey..........palm trees look better here than they do in Oakland, California!!! I was shocked the last time I was in OAK and saw palm trees!!!

.............although, there were not guns hanging from the trees!!

[TexasPlaya]

Why?

Houston is considered a major inland city on the Texas Gulf Coast region of the state, its even connected to the ocean via the Houston Ship Channel. Tropical plants & palms grow very well here because of the high humidity.

Now palm trees in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or any other part of the state not near the coast just look so out of place its not even funny.

I'm in Beaumont right now & theres a lot of palm trees all around this city too.

I don't think of palm trees when I think of Houston. They look more natural alongside the coast in my opinion and Houston is around an hour from the coast (depending on where you are coming from). Thats just my opinion and it doesn't bother me at all if you like palm trees in Houston. I don't get out of my car and start screaming at palm trees when I see one. I just think they look out of place.

[TexasPlaya]

I say, if you want pine trees in Houston go North of downtown and if you want plam trees go south of downtown...

:yes:

I live in southwest Houston around the Sharpstown area and I never see palm trees (that I can remember) around southwest and west Houston. I know Ive seen a street lined with them around the Galleria area and of course occasional house will have one.
I don't have a problem with an individual palm tree, but I dislike them when they are used for decorative purposes outside of a mall or business or whatever. It just looks out of place to me.

[Reverberation]

Palm trees in Houston make perfect sense. Technically, we are further south than San Diego and Jacksonville. Right in the heart of America's groin.

[Complex01]

:previous:

I was just basing what i said on driving down I-45. Its just something i thought of one day when i had to drive from Texas City to The Woodlands. Palm and Pine tress, their they are...

:yes:

[Bailey]

Palm trees in Houston make perfect sense. Technically, we are further south than San Diego and Jacksonville. Right in the heart of America's groin.

I agree- palm trees are perfect for a hot humid climate. They are tall enough to provide shade but they do not block prevailing winds. Air movement is very important in our climate so palm trees are actually recommended.:tup:

[Xeelee]

What's the status of 6 Houston Center?

[Wattleigh]

6 Houston Center is supposed to break ground on 2/7

Also, a first look at the proposed Ritz Carlton for BLVD Place

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/ritz-tower-view-up.jpg

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/ritz-tower-view-down.jpg

More at: http://swamplot.com/a-first-look-at-the-ritz-carlton-hotel-tower-at-boulevard-place/2008-01-16/#more-1011

[Complex01]

:previous:

:worship:

Now that is a TOWER. Look at that baby, she is bueatiful. Ohh man, very nice find. To HOT.......


:banana:

[rdavis4559]

Nice

[c4smok]

:slob: :worship: :notacrook: :cheers: :yes: :tup:

[pm91]

Omg Omg Omg Omg Omg!!!!!!!!!!! That Is Hottt!!!! We Need A Drawing/diagram Of That Pronto!!!

[KevinFromTexas]

Sweet looking tower.

[Shasta]

So, Hanover is planning on building a very HIGH END apartment tower that is rumored to be 55 stories tall at BLVD Place and now a 200 room plus Ritz Carlton with 150 plust condos on top is also planned? WOW.

If this Ritz-Carlton turns out to be the rumored 66 story tower for Uptown, then Wulfe's BLVD Place will be HUGE.

If all pans out, Hanover's Tower could come in around the 625 to 675 foot mark and the Ritz (if 66 stories) could come in around 750 to 800 feet. NIFTY NIFTY NIFTY...

[Xeelee]

This is good news. At first I thought this was for West Blvd. inside the loop off of Kirby so my hear skipped a beat. Then I realized this is for outside the loop so my heart sank. Still good news on a very nice looking tower. :)

[Pandemonious]

I count 60 stories (not counting any mechanical penthouse), plus there are clearly many mezzanine levels in there as there are quite a few double/triple height floors in there. 66 total levels sounds about right.

Ritz is definitely over 800 feet, perhaps closer to 850 feet. Don't recall the height info. It is good that Williams Tower will now have some tall company. Those are just teaser renderings.. I have seen some really sexy ones.. this tower will be pretty awesome.

[c4smok]

Have you heard any word of a mega project(1,000 ft +) going up in Uptown that will be taller then the Williams tower? HAIF is a buzz with it, but nobody is saying anything really if its true or not..

[TexasPlaya]

This is good news. At first I thought this was for West Blvd. inside the loop off of Kirby so my hear skipped a beat. Then I realized this is for outside the loop so my heart sank. Still good news on a very nice looking tower. :)

Keep in mind this in the Galleria area, so I think it'll add nicely to the Uptown skyline. It was missing height. Like Pandemonious said, it will give the Williams Tower some company. Can't wait to see some more renderings.

[Xeelee]

I will search for more.

[Xeelee]

Have you heard any word of a mega project(1,000 ft +) going up in Uptown that will be taller then the Williams tower? HAIF is a buzz with it, but nobody is saying anything really if its true or not..

I think there was a 2000 foot tower proposed by some turkish dude last year... I think that was just some wild publicity stunt.

There was another even bigger tower proposed a year before that. But that was just some forumer photochopping stuff.

Post links if you have them. :)

[Surrealplaces]

Seems like there is alot of activity in Houston, considering the housing market is supposd to be down.

[Trae]

I think there was a 2000 foot tower proposed by some turkish dude last year... I think that was just some wild publicity stunt.

There was another even bigger tower proposed a year before that. But that was just some forumer photochopping stuff.

Post links if you have them. :)

The guy actually just eliminated LA from his list of cities, so it is only Houston and Chicago remaining.

Seems like there is alot of activity in Houston, considering the housing market is supposd to be down.

The housing market isn't down in Houston.

[Wattleigh]

Have you heard any word of a mega project(1,000 ft +) going up in Uptown that will be taller then the Williams tower? HAIF is a buzz with it, but nobody is saying anything really if its true or not..

"Rival" and "Taller Than" are two different things. So far, nobody's said 1,000ft + or anything like that. Just that...

I don't think this is any stage except that a conceptual design has been established and possibly some meetings. I know the land has been purchased, but whether or not something is built on it is a question mark. From what I understand it could be a couple of towers, one that might rival Williams tower, again this right now is pure speculation.

and

Just a small briefing on this project, if this materializes it will be dramatic. I have not seen the renderings but they do exist, and the explaination of them is really quite stunning. Think tall, very tall.

The thread in question: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/index.php?showtopic=14547&hl=

Also, The Titan's sales office opens tomorrow. I'll fill everyone in on what I find.

[c4smok]

Think tall, very tall.


When I hear that... I think 1k+ =X

[Complex01]

When I hear that... I think 1k+ =X

I second. 1K all the way...

[Saddle Man]

1000 feet would nice, but that's not was said though.

[c4smok]

6 Houston Center is supposed to break ground on 2/7

Also, a first look at the proposed Ritz Carlton for BLVD Place

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/ritz-tower-view-up.jpg

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/ritz-tower-view-down.jpg

More at: http://swamplot.com/a-first-look-at-the-ritz-carlton-hotel-tower-at-boulevard-place/2008-01-16/#more-1011

I count 60 stories (not counting any mechanical penthouse), plus there are clearly many mezzanine levels in there as there are quite a few double/triple height floors in there. 66 total levels sounds about right.

Ritz is definitely over 800 feet, perhaps closer to 850 feet. Don't recall the height info. It is good that Williams Tower will now have some tall company. Those are just teaser renderings.. I have seen some really sexy ones.. this tower will be pretty awesome.


Ok enough with those rumors, just stand an awe of this a lil more heh

Some street level view would be nice =)

[KevinFromTexas]

I thought so. So this Ritz could end up being really tall then. That rendering seemed to show it as being quite tall, in the 700 to 800 foot range. At least that shot looking down did. I just got the feeling it was supposed to be tall. Awesome! :cool:

[toxteth o'grady]

I count 60 stories

You have good eyes.:worship:

If those two towers get built, Uptown is gonna rock!:banana:

[toxteth o'grady]

Seems like there is alot of activity in Houston, considering the housing market is supposd to be down.

It's all relative. Houston's down but not DOWN, which is an important distinction in a month when the US housing market had its worst month for housing starts since (gulp!) 1992...

Plus there is all that oil bidness and Medical Center activity propping up the local economy.

[TritonHouston]

I think there was a 2000 foot tower proposed by some turkish dude last year... I think that was just some wild publicity stunt.

There was another even bigger tower proposed a year before that. But that was just some forumer photochopping stuff.

Post links if you have them. :)

That proposal from that Turkish-American businessman is still in the planning stages and, whether it is Houston or Chicago, it will be over 3,000ft. tall.

[CALMSP]

the way the city is building these townhomes inside the loop, Houston is not down in the housing market...........I fell for it and just bought one!!! Houston seems to be the only market that is not seeing a downturn. Hard to have a downturn when you live in a city that is built with oil, and the medical field!!!

[TritonHouston]

News: there are now rumours of a 80 story office building near Williams Tower. If that is so, it could possibly be the new tallest for Houston since the JP Morgan Tower is only 75 stories.

[Complex01]

:previous:

Hmm, i wander. I guess we will have to keep a look out for something...

:yes:

[Xeelee]

There was another proposal a year or two back. It was a black tower and it was really really tall. In a rendering it was shown right next to Williams Tower. Anyone have that by any chance?

[Xeelee]

News: there are now rumours of a 80 story office building near Williams Tower. If that is so, it could possibly be the new tallest for Houston since the JP Morgan Tower is only 75 stories.


It wont be the tallest if it has a smaller lobby... or the floor to ceiling heights are smaller. :happysad:

[Wattleigh]

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/index.php?s=&showtopic=14547&view=findpost&p=223258

Two towers in the galleria area by Williams tower, one office building 80 floors, one residential 50 floors. Right now only in the planning stages, it may never get built, but if it does it will take off within the next 18 months.

:fingerscrossed:

[Trae]

Aw hell. I would want the tallest to be in Downtown.

[Xeelee]

Yes I concur.

[rdavis4559]

But you have to agree that it would be nice to have the two tallest buildings outside of a CBD (in the US) both be in Houston and both be within miles of each other.

[Trae]

Uptown just needs some rail now. Also, redevelop the strip centers and have the store fronts along the street (with awnings over the sidewalks and have the sidewalks a little wider). Then, put the parking garages in the back.

[rdavis4559]

Land Tejas Cos., developer of Houston's Canyon Gate Communities, and General Electric have finalized an agreement to build Houston's first master-planned community to incorporate GE's ecomagination program.

The new program will be launched in spring 2008 at the Land Tejas community of Discovery at Spring Trails. Its aim is to create a living environment that is more cost-effective than traditionally built communities.

In addition to mandating builder cooperation community-wide, Houston-based Land Tejas will apply efficiency and conservation principles to the design of the community and to the energy and water technologies used throughout its common areas.

"Land Tejas is committed to developing environmentally responsible communities that are more energy efficient, less emissive and more self-sufficient," said Land Tejas co-founder Al Brende.

The first phase of lots in Discovery at Spring Trails, located in Montgomery County, is under construction, with anticipated delivery to builders slated for late February 2008. Home prices will range from the $170,000s to the high $300,000s, with both gated and non-gated neighborhoods available.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/01/14/daily43.html?ana=from_rss

[Xeelee]

Where is this "spring trails" place?

[rdavis4559]

Not sure, but this is under construction right near my house on the NW side:
http://beltwaylakes.com/

[TritonHouston]

Where is this "spring trails" place?
I live near it. It's just northwest of Old Town Spring.

[Pandemonious]

You have good eyes.:worship:

If those two towers get built, Uptown is gonna rock!:banana:


As I said before, I have seen other renderings and models, and was told it was over 800'.

[c4smok]

lol guess they are going to build that community in a well known flood plain.

[CALMSP]

Uptown just needs some rail now. Also, redevelop the strip centers and have the store fronts along the street (with awnings over the sidewalks and have the sidewalks a little wider). Then, put the parking garages in the back.

come on now.....................are you serious?? That would just make way to much sense for someone making the big bucks to think of!!!! :haha:

I would like to see what Metro has planned for that area with all hte new construction.

[rdavis4559]

For a skinny and unglamorous tract of land sandwiched between railroad tracks, an abandoned freight rail right of way in northwest Houston has attracted a lot of interest.

The city wants to extend a planned hike and bike trail along an old railbed from Shepherd Drive to Hempstead Highway.

The Texas Department of Transportation is planning a stormwater detention pond through much of it.

And the Metropolitan Transit Authority has looked into using the space for commuter rail to the northwest suburbs.

TxDOT's proposed V-shaped channel would run more than a mile between White Oak Bayou and a Union Pacific overpass on Hempstead Highway.

It also would use up 60 feet of the city's 100-foot right of way for the trail, and that has residents worried.....

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5468333.html

[Trae]

come on now.....................are you serious?? That would just make way to much sense for someone making the big bucks to think of!!!! :haha:

I would like to see what Metro has planned for that area with all hte new construction.

It is so SIMPLE. It is happening though with some of these strip centers being redeveloped (BLVD Place for one). You don't even have to add too much retail space (to avoid some vacancy). Uptown may be taking a bit away from Downtown though.

[Xeelee]

come on now.....................are you serious?? That would just make way to much sense for someone making the big bucks to think of!!!! :haha:

I would like to see what Metro has planned for that area with all hte new construction.

Knowing them, nothing.

[Trae]

Knowing them, nothing.

I guess you don't know METRO too well.

I just wish METRO would have a subway down Post Oak, and have it pop up somewhere after the Williams Tower. They are already putting it into a subway from Uptown Park until just south of I-10 (where Post Oak's median is wide). It may cost more to double the length of it, but they will benefit in the future (where they don't have to modify it above intersections because of slow downs).

As a subway, you could have stations:

1. Uptown Park. This could connect to the office buildings on the other side if 610
2. San Felipe. This could serve BLVD Place, Four Leaf Towers, and other possible redevelopments.
3. The Galleria/Westheimer. This would obviously serve the Galleria. After entrances inside the Galleria and by the Dillard's across Post Oak. It could then pop back up and have another station somewhere south.

It just takes $, but it would be smart to just do it now. Inflation is going to happen in the future, and it would be more expensive to do.

[rdavis4559]

Houston already has pretty bad traffic and expansion of roads can only go so far... with the expected increase in population, a subway as well as a huge expansion of metro rail routes will have to take place (or maybe I am too hopeful).... unless people just keep expanding further out toward the outlying suburbs, which will end up meaning commuters coming to central Houston from places as far as Conroe (which some people already do).

[toxteth o'grady]

News: there are now rumours of a 80 story office building near Williams Tower. If that is so, it could possibly be the new tallest for Houston since the JP Morgan Tower is only 75 stories.

That's a lot of office space. :banger: Who's going to fill it?

[toxteth o'grady]

There was another proposal a year or two back. It was a black tower and it was really really tall.

Were there apes dancing around it?:jester:

[toxteth o'grady]

Aw hell. I would want the tallest to be in Downtown.

No city in Europe has its tallest downtown.

But then cities in Europe are way older than Houston.

[rdavis4559]

Here are some nice pics and a video of the Montagu implosion.
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/index.php?showtopic=14585

[Xeelee]

Nice.

[Xeelee]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/xeelee/P1010006.jpg

[Xeelee]

^^^Anyone know what's this going to be?^^^

[Xeelee]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/xeelee/P1010020.jpg

[Wattleigh]

^^^Anyone know what's this going to be?^^^

If I'm not mistaken, this...
http://www.zieglercooper.com/images/proj237.jpg

http://www.zieglercooper.com/projects.asp?indid=41&projid=7

I think they were either installing another series of skybridges from Houston Pavilions or reinforcing the framework that was already in place from a while back. Either way, part of Fannin has been blocked off for a while this weekend.

[Complex01]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/xeelee/P1010020.jpg

Kewl pic...

[Complex01]

Here are some nice pics and a video of the Montagu implosion.
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/index.php?showtopic=14585

Nice. Sorry i missed it, would have been awesome to watch in person...

:yes:

[rdavis4559]

The city is considering plans to bring a second convention center hotel to downtown, in an effort to take Houston one step closer to becoming a top convention destination.

Officials involved said Houston gets scratched off the lists of a lot of convention planners because it has a limited number of downtown hotel rooms.

"The current convention center hotel is filling up, and Houston can attract more conventions if it had more hotel rooms in the Central Business District, and specifically, close to the George R. Brown Convention Center," Mayor Bill White said Monday.

The plan is in its early stages, with input being collected from groups that include the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city's Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department and the Houston Convention Center Hotel Corp.

"We're trying to figure out what it would cost and how it would get financed," said Richard Campo, board chairman of the hotel corporation.

The nonprofit group developed the city-owned $316 million, 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston convention hotel......

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5473167.html

[Wattleigh]

:previous:

3 possible new hotels in DT + Omni renovation...

WIN. :D

[Wattleigh]

Something worth noting in a Globest.com article about a few Uptown properties that were bought by a CA firm...

Chris Dornin, chief investment officer for Newport Beach, CA-based Chase Merritt, says there is an opportunity to add an office tower to the site. "We're trying to fine-tune what's feasible, but the opportunity to build one there is very real," he tells GlobeSt.com.

http://www.globest.com/news/1077_1077/houston/167607-1.html

[Xeelee]

Nice.

[Wattleigh]

Finally, a color version of The Titan rendering from their advertising inserts.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w208/houtosme/TitanColor.jpg

A sales packet will be mailed out to the "First Choice Club" members in the next two weeks or so. I'll let you know what I find when they hit the mailboxes.

[Xeelee]

nice

[TXLove]

the Titan is a nice building....should stand out with that spire

[KevinFromTexas]

That's in Uptown isn't it? Is that the Cosmopolitan next to it?

[Wattleigh]

That's in Uptown isn't it? Is that the Cosmopolitan next to it?

Yes it is, and the building next to it is 1200 Post Oak which is an apartment building. The upper floors of the Cosmopolitan would actually be the location the photo was taken from based on the rendering.

[Cory]

That's in Uptown isn't it? Is that the Cosmopolitan next to it?

Yes that is uptown. No that is not the Cosmopolitan. That is the 1200 Post Oak apartment tower that was built in 2004. Looks like Titan might be taller. edit:Wattleigh beat me.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yeah, I wasn't sure about it. I had a feeling it wasn't Cosmopolitan. 1200 Post Oak is 359 feet tall, so The Titan looks like it's around 450 or so with the spire. Should be nice, spires are pretty rare in Houston.

[toxteth o'grady]

The city is considering plans to bring a second convention center hotel to downtown, in an effort to take Houston one step closer to becoming a top convention destination.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5473167.html

For a long time, I've heard that downtown has too many hotel rooms. It's a good sign that the city-sponsored hotel is filling up at might. Maybe the city fathers are getting some nice revenues off it...:tup:

[Complex01]

nice

Yup very nice...

[Great_Hizzy]

I had no idea that the Titan would/could be that tall with the Spire. It makes sense now that I think about it but I'd never really considered it until Kevin pointed it out.

[Xeelee]

There was an insert in one of the magazines they have at the Central Market regarding the titan. It was in color I think and had some views. I threw it away by mistake. :( On the other hand Avrim Baykal is cute though. Next time I'm there I will check to see if they still have it.

[rdavis4559]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/IMG00332.jpg

[Wattleigh]

:previous:

Only 20 more floors to go! :P

I'm interested in seeing how those penthouse level outdoor pools are built on The Titan. I'm curious about the engineering issues, even though it does look like there's a larger seperation between the regular floors and the penthouse levels.

[SkyHigh]

That's One Park Place, right? Anyone know what the move-in rental rate PSF might be?

[Xeelee]

I don't think they are for rent...

amirite?

[rdavis4559]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/IMG00333.jpg

[Wattleigh]

I don't think they are for rent...

amirite?

It's an apartment building.

I'm not certain if they've figured out the Cost PSF at the moment, but they've said in the past that most of the costs should be figured and the first demo model should be complete by summer.

[SkyHigh]

It's an apartment building.

I'm not certain if they've figured out the Cost PSF at the moment, but they've said in the past that most of the costs should be figured and the first demo model should be complete by summer.

Cool. Thanks! Here's the website for anyone who wants a better idea of what the finished product will look like:

http://www.oneparkplacehouston.com/

[Xeelee]

Ah ok... Rent huh? Strange...

[TexasPlaya]

Maybe because of the tightening credit market it is luxury rental.

[Xeelee]

Hrm...

[rdavis4559]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/IMG00336.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/rdavis4559/IMG00337.jpg

[Xeelee]

nice pics... :)

[Wattleigh]

Maybe because of the tightening credit market it is luxury rental.

It's been pitched as a rental project over the entirety of it's existence during the past few years. Since the demand is currently on the side of rental DT rather than ownership (Ex: occupancy rate at Houston House around 90%+ at the moment), this should provide some relief to that area's mid/upper level apartment market.

Also, it looks like they've been adding 2-3 floors per month here so it should be a while before it's topped out. Any bets as to when? :haha:

[Wattleigh]

Since the article isn't available online to the public, I scanned in the piece from today's business journal.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w208/houtosme/Medistar1_phixr.jpg
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w208/houtosme/Medistar2_phixr.jpg

[Wattleigh]

Good News about HP!

Jan. 22, 2008, 5:28PM
Developer's gravity-defying design begins to take shape
Retail, office complex slated for October finish


By BETTY L. MARTIN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Almost a year after the Valentine's Day 2007 ground-breaking on The Houston Pavilions, an entertainment, retail and office complex in downtown Houston, the heavy construction has begun over San Jacinto and Fannin to create its gravity-defying design within seven city blocks.

Ninety-foot-long trusses of 15 to 18 tons recently were carried through the air and put in place by crane. They will become the foundation for part of the mixed-use, $170 million center expected for completion in October.

The center — 360,000 square feet of retail, 200,000 square feet of offices and a parking garage with 1,600 spaces headquartered at 1001 Fannin St. — is already about 65 percent leased, said William Denton, co-developer of the development team with partner Geoff Jones.

Signed up so far to fill the retail space are the House of Blues, Lucky Strike Lanes, Forever 21, Books-A-Million and seven restaurants, including Lawry's, the Prime Rib, McCormick & Schmick's and the Red Cat Jazz Café.

"We have three city blocks under construction now ... (for) a retail building that has a common pedestrian mall running through it. To connect those three city blocks, we have connecting blocks and bridges over the streets," said Denton, who recently moved to the River Oaks area.

The structural trusses and two connecting blocks will support the retail building that is hung from them, as well as support the walkway sky bridges over San Jacinto and Fannin, he said.

The trusses with pedestrian walkways over the major downtown streets will be "a signature of the project, an architecturally designed roof uplighted at night and seen as you drive toward town from either direction, a stunning feature," said Denton, 56.

The Houston Pavilions is similar to a project Denton and Jones developed in downtown Denver, where Denton said he developed the "pavilions concept" in which the retail building projects out to bisect project space.

Architect on the Houston project is Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum; general contractor is Harvey Builders.

The Houston site is particularly fortunate given its neighbors, including Metro's light rail line, a planned central park and the 37-story, 346-unit residential high rise under construction, One Park Place.

Denton first became familiar with Houston when he developed Deer Park and Willowbrook malls in the early 1980s. After seeing Houston's oil-bust decade at close range, Denton left unimpressed. When he returned a quarter of a century later to consider it as a spot for the new project, he found a different, more impressive and more vibrant city.

"A close family friend convinced me at the time to come back to downtown. I was reluctant to come, but when I got here I was pleasantly surprised," Denton said.

That was when Minute Maid Park was still under construction and the Toyota Center was still a dream, "and now we are putting a major component into Houston, the fourth largest city in the country," he said.

The city of Houston and Harris County have provided, in total, $16 million to The Houston Pavilions for infrastructure improvements in the form of cash and future tax abatements.

Denton said he was so impressed with the changes Houston has made over the quarter century he decided live here.

betty.martin@chron.com