I really hope that the Ritz decides on Downtown. It would be great if it could find a spot close to Discovery Green.

Elan Heights: New design, floor count bumped up from 7-floors to 10-floors.

http://swamplot.com/how-the-apartmen...wn/2014-05-21/

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...-rendering.jpg

This picture cropped up on BisNow. CORE Park West. Don't know any details, but would not be surprised if it was posted here earlier.

https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/pr...evelopment.jpg

And in the pages of the Chron is this project - Flats on Fairview...

Upscale residential builder developing Mod midrise

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...ts-600x165.jpg

It was a record 12 months...

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...Untitled-1.jpg

Construction permit values in Houston set record in April

They could, if they had wanted to, have covered it in hanging garden plants. Not necessarily ivy, but something that would either cover or accent the concrete. But that's just me - and the designers of the parking garages at National and Dulles Airports in Washington, DC.

One last post - Balfour Beatty (the people who are peddling Parsons Brinckerhoff to the highest bidder) is set to build 6 Houston Center.

Crescent hires GC to break ground on downtown tower this summer

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/...er-600x411.jpg

This is one gorgeous concept! I just love the scale as well as where it is located.. right along a busy freeway. Reminds one a bit of Atlanta. Simply grand.

New Census numbers are out, and Houston continues to gain on Chicago (probably not for 20 years, though).

Population Rankings 2013

I get annoyed when people bring this up and boast about it, not saying you were doing that. It's a shallow victory, for those who care, considering the size differences.

A new development that consist of three condo towers (Skye, Rise and Egde) may be on the way.

http://swamplot.com/why-our-condo-to...em/2014-05-22/

http://www.elevatedhouston.com/

http://www.stopvoting.org/

*Edit* All private registration is with a Canadian firm based out of Toronto, so it looks like this is being proposed by a Canadian developer.

uh, daayyummmn.

that is all.

This would be amazing for Downtown if those condo towers get built! I've always felt like Downtown Houston was lacking in condos, so this would be great.

Uh, so where is this super fancy condo tower going to be, they didnt really elaborate.

I recognize Keller Williams, but I thought they were local to Houston.

A couple of things stand out. The price point is $300K, presumably for an entry-level unit, yet they are promising all sorts of amenities. The question is how much skyscraper and how many luxuries will $300,000 buy? And what's the top end?

I also can't figure out where they are proposing to build these three. Presumably downtown, but so is everything else.

I guess we'll know more on June 2.:rolleyes:

On Edit: One of the websites opened the registration on May 8 and mentioned prices as low as $200,000. The video mentions June 2 and $300,000. Curious.

Also, the building designs in the video are slightly different from the designs on the Stopvoting website.

Why June 2nd? What's the relevance of that day?

What intrigues me is the continuing suggestion that Houston is running out of developable land. BisNow mentions there's no more room for new office buildings, there is no more room for warehouse development, the number of lots that can be turned into homes is very limited, and this presumably extends from Conroe to Katy to Galveston. Anyone know how this state of affairs came about, is the continuing densification inside the Loop going to be pushed along by the lack of developable open space, and why isn't anyone proposing to reuse those empty auto showrooms that line the North Freeway?

Only the developers know for sure.:shrug:

And if I thought I could get one of those for $300K, my name would be on the list in a heartbeat.

I feel that we all should be extremely wary as per those just announced condo towers supposedly being developed as per Downtown Houston. I for one, fully believe that this is some "silly season" hoax. Upon my view, the whole concept just reeks of fragility.. upon it's overall appearance, illustrations, as well as it's conspicuous timing. "Silly Season" indeed!

:yuck::yuck::yuck:

That video made me vomit halfway up my throat.

:yuck::yuck::yuck:

I'm thinking somewhere off of Yonge or Bloor in Toronto. ;)

Aaron (Glowrock)

And closer to Earth, another day, another midrise...

New mid-rise building breaks ground near Grand Parkway

Job growth forecasts for Houston are being revised upward. This is what a slowdown in the energy industry looks like?

Houston area 'is hitting on all cylinders'

The Cafe Express at 3200 Kirby Dr. will be closing May 29th to make way for The Kirby Collection.

http://swamplot.com/cafe-express-on-...ay/2014-05-22/

http://swamplot.com/wp-content/uploa...irby-flyer.jpg

Updates by Triton

1111 Travis

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/...8cfb9d71_b.jpg

Central Bank Building

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/...5120d009_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2927/...12284c17_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5079/...9f8ce5e2_b.jpg

Alexan Midtown

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/...a4aaa506_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5035/...d09f1094_b.jpg

MATCH

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/...bcdbab7c_b.jpg

Pearl Midtown: By Jax

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5566/...c1dcf1ea_b.jpg

2929 Weslayan

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5564/...972455a0_z.jpg
Construction 2014.05.21 4275-7 by ThirdCoastRyan on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5037/...85675750_c.jpg
Construction 2014.05.21 4293-5 by ThirdCoastRyan on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/...e1c0ab8b_c.jpg
Construction 2014.05.21 4299-301 by ThirdCoastRyan on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/...b450a013_c.jpg
Construction 2014.05.21 4308-10 by ThirdCoastRyan on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/...492aa39c_z.jpg
Construction 2014.05.21 4317-9 by ThirdCoastRyan on Flickr

Axis Apartments:
http://bizjournals.com/houston/news/...rose-area.html

For those that are new. This is the apartment complex that completely burned down while under construction in March.

It was a money scheming scam.

No more need to wait and find out what happens June 2nd. People that signed up on their site are likely on the brink of losing their personal money though. So there is that.

Here's the second office tower to The Perennial project:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/...221fd6f9_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/...4187c036_b.jpg

That's #115.

The backside looks kind of like the Enron buildings.

Looks like the child of the Wells Fargo tower and the Wilshire Grand Tower in Los Angeles.

"at the time of the fire, JLB Partners told Click2Houston.com that it expected to rebuild, even though the loss was expected to cost about $35 million. Johnston told HBJ the company does not know exactly how much it will cost, but he confirmed that the building was insured."

The way JLB was hedging, I thought maybe they weren't insured. If insurance is refunding the $35 million, they'll have the money to rebuild, though they could simply take it and run. Still, there's a shortage of lots in the city - supposedly.

As always, credit to Urbannizer for the boatload of updates today. I'll add in the Perennial Residential Tower too.

Broadstone Skyline:
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...e-Skyline1.jpg
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...e-Skyline2.jpg
Alexan Wilcrest:
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...-Wilcrest1.jpg
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...-Wilcrest2.jpg
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/Galle...xan%20Wilcrest

Block 73:
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...-LaBranch1.jpg
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...-LaBranch2.jpg
http://www.ediarchitecture.com/Galle...0at%20LaBranch

Broadstone Midtown Phase II:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5314/...1615e5c3_b.jpg
http://edi-international.com/default...e%20Boards.pdf

Perennial's Gables Post Oak Residential Tower:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/...b850aaae_b.jpg

I like it!

The Empire State bld seems to be in the background of one of the scenes. That or Atlanta, I'm thinking cone head skylines.

I'll take those 6 story buildings Downtown as long as they bring in more residences.

Updates by skylineview - 5/24

Astoria

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/...1a756425_b.jpg

BHP Billition

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/...8c652da8_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/...03856037_b.jpg

Thanks for the updates. Where will Broadstone Skyline be located?

So do I! Houston really has some nice residential towers going up at the moment!

Looks like right outside DT in Montrose.

There's two of them.

Skyline North:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3743/1...870995ea_b.jpg
Skyline South:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/1...0a24beca_b.jpg

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/h...near-downtown/

"6-Story Wood Type III Construction, Concrete Frame"

Hmm, flammable.:runaway:

Then again, that could be Philip Johnson's cathedral building.

http://www.ediarchitecture.com/defau...-Wilcrest2.jpg

Curiously, the logo for the Houston Community College is on the marquee. What gives?

I'm also not too thrilled that all these buildings (with the exception of the Perennial) look very similar. It's like creativity died out in the design of wrap-arounds.

This one's on Wilcrest near I-10. If memory serves me right, there's an HCC campus right there on the feeders of I-10. Probably trying to lure students to the apartment.

Given the circumstances that this is like 15-20 miles at least from DTH, I think the design is fine for that area especially, which could use redevelopment.

My guess is that when a bigger opportunity abounds 30-40 years from now that Houston leaders wouldn't bat an eye before demolishing these for something else. All these serve greatly for much needed INFILL. I don't view them as anything more than that at least.

I flew into Houston a few days ago.

You can't escape construction in this city it looks like. I saw 3 cranes at Hobby. Saw 8 cranes in Westchase. I saw like 4 in City Centre. Saw 3 or 4 in Greenway. Saw some crane looking things, at least 2 on Upper Kirby. Saw a pair of cranes next to Rice Village. Saw 4 or 5 cranes in DTH. I lost count of how many I saw on the right from I-45 north and also I-10 west in Energy Corridor. I saw the Methodist hospital site in SL under site prep (digging) so there'll be a crane or cranes there soon. Saw a few in Neartown too.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/1...db8e32da_b.jpg

i am really praying, that there may be some more UPDATED renderings as per this proposed development. currently as it stands.. it looks dated, dark, foreboding, and genuinely tired. surely, such a prestigious proposal upon one of the trendiest blvd's upon all of america.. can do much better than this.

Thanks for the two updates, much appreciated.

A lot of these developments are also very sizable. I'm impressed with the tall, bulky towers going up. Normally not a fan of skinny residential towers, but these developments are packing some nice unit counts. Dallas too might I add is full of cranes. Texan cities are definitely rising. Houston on the other hand is growing so fast. It added so many new residents in the last couple of years and appears to be accelerating. Point being, this is definitely the right trend that we want our cities to be experiencing. This is like pre 2008 all over again. :cheers:

EDI Architecture generally throws out crappy renderings, but the final product looks much better in person. However, most of the mid-rises they design are pretty bland; look the same. EDI is my least favorite Houston-based architect.

*bump*