Highland Tower is a Go...

A construction permit for Pelican Builders’ Highland Tower was approved by the city last week. Its a nice one...


:tup:

A rendering from Swamplot...

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...tower-full.jpg

i need help. how do you get pics from your "My Pics" to here?

Use www.photobucket.com


it's free. :)

not too bad.

Most be a slow week in Houston development, hasn't been a post in three days. We need to start to some bickering about building designs, why HP won't help downtown, etc. in order to liven up this thread. That is, unless, someone has some news about a Houston a project.

I wish it would but it's not going to help downtown... UGH

LOL.

Heh.

Well, Houston Pavilions is replacing parking lots, so I guess it can't make downtown any worse. On the other hand, I don't like the final design. A two story building fronting Main, yeah, that's a great use of prime real estate.

I was looking forward to the residential component, not because I cared how it would effect the retail, but because it looked like somewhere I would like to live. And I don't understand the attitude of saying it might be a good thing that the Pavilions is smaller because it ups the chance of developments on other empty lots.

New retail downtown will help, but it doesn't change the fact that the Pavilions final design is a disappointment from what it could have been. And I don't think there is anything wrong with pointing that out. I actually think that two or three different projects on those blocks would have been a better plan.

Yes, the side wall on the Pavilions is just atrocious, I was in Houston about a month ago and One Park Place was looking good but I was very disappointed with the pavilions. Im sure it will liven up the western end of main but still it could have been so much more. I do like how there are overpasses over the street though, it makes it seem more enclosed and more like a dense development.

I remember when I first moved to Houston about 10 years ago and since then downtown has totally transformed from a hobo infested crapper to having a wonderfully lively night club scene in just a few years. Theres still tons of hobos and crappy areas but that will change, especially if the Dynamo stadium comes in too. I wish I was still living there to take pictures and to see the transformation, but alas, I am stuck in redneck Arkansas for now.:help:

I just don't think we'll have a significant residential population in downtown when there are so many options outsides of downtown (heights, washington blvd, midtown, eastside, etc.). Just too much competition in my opinion.

I think people would rather live downtown, at least some would because those other areas are way too congested with traffic to get around anywhere. So, if they built more residential downtown, that is affordable, I think people would much rather live there. Im moving back to Houston most likely in a few years and I know Ill be looking for something downtown or close to it.

I doubt it. Different strokes for different folks. Some people would like to live in a highrise condo in an urban setting next to a rail line. Others might like a town home, or single family home next to a rail line. For me personally, if I had a choice between Midtown or Downtown, Downtown would be my choice.

True, but I believe it would cost more to build residential in downtown, which would put some buyers/renters out of the price range. I believe our downtown population will grow, but way more slowly than it's immediate surrounding areas.

I don't really think Midtown is exactly cheap either. Downtown will definitely be the slowest, but not too slow. A lot of projects are coming online in Downtown.

But now that I think about it, if Regent Square had a rail line near it, that would be my number one choice.

:previous:

That is very true. I like the location of regent square. It would be nice to live there...

:yes:

City to oversee huge sports multi-use complex

The City of Houston on Thursday is expected to unveil plans for a major multi-use recreational project in South Houston adjacent to State Highway 288.

The complex, on an 80-acre site owned by the city, will include as many as 18 outdoor soccer and athletic fields with natural and artificial turf. Part of the facility will house a practice field for use by the Houston Dynamo professional soccer club that would include site improvements paid for by the team.

The site is bordered by Sims Bayou on the south, Highway 288 to the east and Kirby Drive to the west.

Houston Community College is studying the feasibility of building an expanded campus on part of the site, just south of the college's Willie Lee Gay Hall campus on Airport Boulevard.

In addition, Wesley AME Church is expected to construct a new church building and possibly a charter school on a 30-acre portion of the site.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/s...l?ana=from_rss

The "Black Hole" continues to see development. Let's see if retail starts to come on line as well.

There is rendering, althrough not a very good one, of 5 allen center. At the current time the floor count is 50.

"This hazy image of a new office tower planned for the northwest corner of Downtown, unveiled from the depths of the interwebs by HAIF user nate, is apparently meant to be the new Five Allen Center. It’s listed as a 1.2-million-sq.-ft. “near-term future development” in a Brookfield Properties document from this month."

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...r-shrouded.jpg

Taken from Swaplot. 6-25-08

This is good.

Sweet!!! According to HAIF it will be an all-glass LEED Gold-Certified building. I'll be looking forward to some more renderings.

:yes:

Here are two new views of FKP project's in Houston's Texas Medical Center.

The 8 story addition to the Feigin Research Center at Texas Children's Hospital (total of 20 floors)
http://www.fkp.com/upload/feiginexpansion_52610.jpg

The new Texas Children's Hospital Maternity Center. This project appears to be 16 floors according to their website, however some of that might be underground parking? The rendering appears to show 14 floors above ground but the text on their website says 16 floors... anyone know for sure? Future expansion will add twin 28 story towers and an additional 2,000,000 square feet!
http://www.fkp.com/upload/tchmaternity_75644.jpg

The Feigin Tower now sticks out in the skyline from the south/southwest and I'm impressed how well the expansion has panned out, at least from the outside. Next time I'm walking in the area, I'll take a few photos.

As for the Maternity component, I'm going to guess that one side's site hasn't been updated in a while. That said, I'm not actually certain and I've not heard of the 2 28 story towers before. I can see where they might go nearby, though they are rather tight pieces of land.

^ I like that 8-story building very much.

It's pretty damn badass.

Can anyone explain why this may be...

According to HAIF, Discovery Tower is going to cost $300 million, yet also according to HAIF, Williams Tower and its garage sold for $271.5 million this year.

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/...very_Tower.php
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/...iams_Tower.php

The 28 story twins for the Texas Children's came on FKP's website. Said the current Maternity Center was being built to be able to accomodate future twin towers. One tower would house maternity and the other pediatric care.

Here are two new views of WHR Architects projects for the Methodist Hospital at the TMC.

Outpatient Care Center. 25 stories. HUGE. Here's a cool view that I haven't seen before...
http://www.whrarchitects.com/_fileli...hodist_002.jpg

Methodist Hospital Research Institute. This one was announced as being 10 stories above ground, but the rendering and WHR's website now say 12 floors above ground. If so, it's another one for emporis to add!
http://www.whrarchitects.com/_fileli...ri/mhri001.jpg

Man, the medical district is getting more towers than anywhere in Houston, soon it will be competing with downtown. i love it!

I really like the design of the Methodist Outpatient Center, and it is big no doubt! BTW, check out the link below for an apparent re-design of the Texas Children's Neuro Institute. It has a really cool "twisting" design on one corner of the building (I would post the pic myself but don't have a photobucket account, flickr, etc.)


Here's the link:

http://www.texaschildrens.org/Web/2010/01Neuro.htm

Added!

Also, here is the Jan & Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute that tuffaso mentioned.

http://www.texaschildrens.org/Web/20...s/NRI_1107.jpg

Here are the first renderings I have seen for 3800 Main Street. This is a medical tower being proposed for Midtown near Main @ Alabama. Plans call for a 20 story, 570,000 square foot tower and a detached multi-level garage for 1,500 cars. Studio Red is the architectural firm of record.

http://www.w3eye.com/studio/images/s...untitled-2.jpg

http://www.w3eye.com/studio/images/s...untitled-1.jpg

Very nice designs.

I meant the building with the 8-story addition of course. ;)

Wow, looks like the TMC is moving towards the 21st century with their designs. I absolutely love the future neurological research institute, it perfectly fits in the with the whole "neurological" theme in my opinion with the twisting front.

I didn't know there was a medical tower being planned for Midtown, I'm pretty excited to hear this. However, I feel that building might stick out like "a sore thumb" all by itself in between Downtown and TMC. Also, what's the building below the pic of the proposed Midtown medical tower?

it usually costs more to build than it is to buy an existing building becuase of the costs that go with construction.

whoa... where did that ring/cirlce skywalk/way come from? eh?

I remember this from a year or two ago. I'm glad it's back.:cheers:

I'm impressed not only with the look of things, but also for the fact they're going with an architect based in Midtown. Nice to use the local folks when possible. Plus with this going in and the pieces of land to potentially be developed on the superblock and near the Continental Club, there could be a lot to keep an eye on in the future.

Any idea on the timetable in terms of construction/completion? The Chronicle article from last year said some time in '09, but I don't see that happening at the moment.

There's a parking tower proposed to go with the Midtown medical tower. Early speculation is that it will be situated on the lot west of the medical tower on Alabama (Alabama @ Travis), right next to Spur 527.

Right now anything sticking out like a sore thumb in midtown would be good. :) I t would add the vibrancy, density, and the skyline....

It's been in the plans the entire time. Two stories (I think) with a green roof.

Green roofs are great. I can't wait.

While not the biggest project around, here are some pics from har.com I found from The Edge.

I really like the decorative work on the streets and sidewalks
http://images-27.har.com/e1/mediadis...r2170627-1.jpg

Pretty nice view over the Cullen Center
http://images-27.har.com/e1/mediadis...r2170627-9.jpg

This area shows The Rise (taller on far left), The Edge (middle), Camden City Centre (top middle and far right) and some condos (top left). Does anyone know what is going in on the cleared parcel of the lot with The Edge?
http://images-27.har.com/e1/mediadis...2170627-10.jpg

That definitely is odd. Maybe a gas station with a "corner store" to boot. *knocks on wood*. Hopefully parking is already built for this project.

It might be parking. It does look like a gas station use to be there.

My friend Richard is a store manager for CVS. He tells me there are plans to build one on that lot.

It looks to be a parking garage. You can see it under construction in the Google Street View trip around that block.

there's no reason to put a parking garage there........

whoever was teh designer for this is very stupid..........the placement of the pool will eliminate teh sun after about 130pm.

I'm sure some residents will have exciting views of a parking garage.

I just hope nothing suburban goes in there. That would be extra stupid.