HOUSTON | 609 Main at Texas | 752 FT / 229 M | 49 FLOORS - Page 5

DanielG425 · #81 Posted **Jul 28, 2013, 4:54 AM**

That's too bad. A truly urban setting had multiple buildings on one lot; new and old! Tearing it down would be a shame. I hope the base is made around it.

cloud713 · #82 Posted **Jul 29, 2013, 11:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielG425

That's too bad. A truly urban setting had multiple buildings on one lot; new and old! Tearing it down would be a shame. I hope the base is made around it.

That building is definitely going down. It's called the Texas Tower, and it's not much to look at so it won't be missed. I drove by it today and the entrance is fenced off and boarded up with no trespassing signs. I didn't realize it was empty. I guess they're getting ready to clear it out for the new tower.

Shasta · #83 Posted **Jul 30, 2013, 5:52 AM**

That building has been empty for years and the entrance has been boarded up like that for a long time. Nothing new to see there...

As for me, losing the Texas Tower would be a bad thing. Sure, it's not much to look at right now, but a refurbished 1930s tower, especially one converted into residential units, would be a more unique thing for downtown than another single block occupied by one tower and a massive parking structure.

cloud713 · #84 Posted **Jul 30, 2013, 6:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shasta

That building has been empty for years and the entrance has been boarded up like that for a long time. Nothing new to see there...

As for me, losing the Texas Tower would be a bad thing. Sure, it's not much to look at right now, but a refurbished 1930s tower, especially one converted into residential units, would be a more unique thing for downtown than another single block occupied by one tower and a massive parking structure.

forgive me as im pretty naive of the building. i didnt realize it had been boarded up for a long time. that tower is from the 1930s? i guess it deserves respect for its age but from the street level the design was really bleh. im not sure how well residential would work with one side of it facing into office windows.

KevinFromTexas · #85 Posted **Jul 30, 2013, 4:22 PM**

That area is sad looking. All those old buildings are gems. I wish I could move a few of those to Austin. We have so few old buildings like that. I really don't see why they couldn't build the tower next to the Texas Tower. They did it with BG Place down the street. It will be good to see some more height on that side of downtown. Houston has such a powerful wall of height on the west side of downtown, and then it steps down in places as you go east.

cloud713 · #86 Posted **Jul 30, 2013, 6:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

That area is sad looking. All those old buildings are gems. I wish I could move a few of those to Austin. We have so few old buildings like that. I really don't see why they couldn't build the tower next to the Texas Tower. They did it with BG Place down the street. It will be good to see some more height on that side of downtown. Houston has such a powerful wall of height on the west side of downtown, and then it steps down in places as you go east.

im not sure why they couldnt build the Hines tower next to the Texas Tower, but i guess they didnt want the podium being excessively tall, so they needed the whole block for space? it would of been cool for a more urban setting.. Hines potential new residential tower near Market Square would be a multi building lot, with 2 existing high rises on the east site of the lot, and the new tower going on the west side.

KevinFromTexas · #87 Posted **Aug 3, 2013, 12:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

No, it's a full observation deck that wraps around the whole building. You can see that floor when viewing the building. The windows are slightly taller. It's at about 760 feet up or so.

Anyway, here is the elevation that was posted earlier via HAIF.

I've asked someone who has some engineering friends/connections what the "OR" stands for. One of them said they think it means operations room.

Urbannizer · #88 Posted **Sep 3, 2013, 5:21 PM**

New renderings! Love this!

KevinFromTexas · #89 Posted **Sep 3, 2013, 5:33 PM**

Love the base. This one's going to be beautiful.

Urbannizer · #90 Posted **Sep 4, 2013, 10:23 AM**

The new renderings also confirm the Texas tower will be demolished to make way for 609 Main.

ltsmotorsport · #91 Posted **Sep 5, 2013, 5:14 AM**

A bit sad really. Like others have mentioned, you just don't find tall buildings on small lots anymore and it would be a perfect candidate for a condo renovation. Even with the fugly 70's entrance (which would go if the building were saved), you just can't get that original architecture and detail anymore.

AustinTay · #92 Posted **Sep 5, 2013, 5:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltsmotorsport

A bit sad really. Like others have mentioned, you just don't find tall buildings on small lots anymore and it would be a perfect candidate for a condo renovation. Even with the fugly 70's entrance (which would go if the building were saved), you just can't get that original architecture and detail anymore.

What detail? The art deco component was removed ages ago. Also art deco is hardly original. It's just an old building now and that's the only reason it has any character.

ltsmotorsport · #93 Posted **Sep 6, 2013, 5:38 PM**

And steel-framed glass box is original? It's not about what's left of the building currently, but what it could be if it was restored. Buildings just aren't and probably won't ever again be built like that so it's important to save good examples. I'm no preservationist, as I think many people take it way too far, but when there are quality buildings whose only problem is no true investment for a few years, it just seems hard to throw away an opportunity for something unique. Plus, I'm sure downtown Houston could use some higher-end units. I know my city sure could.

Design-mind · #94 Posted **Sep 6, 2013, 7:42 PM**

A very nice tower for Houston! I am excited to see this one go ahead. The cladding, general shape, and foyer remind me a lot of Eighth Ave Place in Calgary.

http://www.pickardchilton.com/mobile/eighth_avenue.html

AustinTay · #95 Posted **Sep 6, 2013, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltsmotorsport

And steel-framed glass box is original? It's not about what's left of the building currently, but what it could be if it was restored. Buildings just aren't and probably won't ever again be built like that so it's important to save good examples. I'm no preservationist, as I think many people take it way too far, but when there are quality buildings whose only problem is no true investment for a few years, it just seems hard to throw away an opportunity for something unique. Plus, I'm sure downtown Houston could use some higher-end units. I know my city sure could.

I never said a steel-framed glass box is original. You made the comment about the building having original architecture and detail which is not true. It's just old and that is the only thing it has going for it.

Urbannizer · #96 Posted **Oct 12, 2013, 10:40 AM**

47-Stories, 1.05 Million Square Feet
Final Design Completion: 4Q 2013
Construction Start: Jan. 2014
Website: http://www.colvilloffice.com/properties/609MainAtTexas/

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busi...890024.php#/10

Urbannizer · #97 Posted **Oct 16, 2013, 1:25 PM**

Update:

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAC on HAIF

Asbestos abatement and demolition start first week of November.

urbanactivist · #98 Posted **Oct 20, 2013, 7:53 PM**

As excited as I am about the new tower, it's a real shame to see the Sterling building go. The astrodome is part of the same cycle.... a building shuts down, and it sits vacant so long that people would rather knock it down than try to rehab it. Totally lazy IMO. Here's a picture of it from the 1930s, via houstondeco.org

Wattleigh · #99 Posted **Oct 24, 2013, 8:04 PM**

Press release from Hines.

Quote:

Hines Set to Begin Construction on 609 Main at Texas in Houston

Development of Downtown's Newest Iconic Landmark Underway

10/24/13

(HOUSTON) – The Houston office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today its construction schedule for 609 Main at Texas, the 47-story, 1,050,000-square-foot office tower under development at the corner of Main and Texas streets in Downtown Houston on the Main Street rail line. Site preparation, including the deconstruction of an existing abandoned structure, will begin the first week in November. Excavation and foundation activities will occur in March 2014, and after 36 months of construction, the building will be ready for occupancy.

609 Main at Texas is being developed by the Hines CalPERS Green (HCG) development fund, a partnership that focuses exclusively on developing sustainable office buildings throughout the United States certifiable through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Core & Shell (LEED®-CS) program. This is the same partnership that developed BG Group Place, an extremely successful office building also on Main Street. 609 Main at Texas is pre-registered LEED, and is expected to attain Gold or Platinum certification upon completion.

Hines President Jeff Hines said, “609 Main at Texas is a strategic follow-on to our success with BG Group Place. We are thrilled to start construction on our second major office tower on Main Street, especially with our partner, CalPERS. We saw the trend coming several years ago when we purchased two key blocks of land on Main Street, and now our strategy has been confirmed with the start of this iconic new landmark.”

“We have already had significant leasing interest among all the sectors that fuel CBD development,” said Hines Senior Managing Director John Mooz. “This project will be a true ‘next-generation’ office building, utilizing best practices we’ve learned from our previous developments in Houston and around the world. While 609 Main at Texas is designed to house multiple firms, there is obviously a significant and prestigious opportunity for an anchor tenant, including options for large trading floors and outdoor space.”

Designed by Pickard Chilton, 609 Main at Texas’ north and south facades will extend skyward, culminating in a dramatic diagonal crown, creating a new, highly visible Downtown landmark. The narrower east and west facades will be slightly recessed, and the subtly faceted exterior façade will be clad in floor-to-ceiling glass with brushed-stainless-steel accents. Vertical blades will be incorporated in the east and west facades, enhancing the tower’s silhouette and offering solar shading. Computer-controlled LED illumination within the east and west recesses, and the tower’s sloped crown will accentuate 609 Main’s presence on the nighttime skyline.

Jon Pickard of Pickard Chilton noted, “Our design for 609 Main at Texas is evocative of BG Group Place – it acknowledges and advances the contemporary tradition of the Houston skyscraper while respecting the historical vocabulary of Main Street’s classic architecture. The tower will continuously animate the Central Business District with its shifting palette of light.”

Amenities at the vertically integrated campus will include: a “hotel-style” lobby with a café and spaces for networking; a 7,000-square-foot high-performance fitness center; an 8,000-square-foot conference center; full-height windows allowing for an abundance of natural light throughout the building; a sophisticated underfloor HVAC system; and private roof gardens in select tenant spaces. Floor plates will comprise 27,500 square feet, and parking for 1,500 cars will be provided in an internal 13-level garage (11 above-grade and two below-grade floors). Situated on one of the most centrally located blocks in Houston’s CBD, 609 Main at Texas tenants will enjoy a variety of transportation options – connectivity to Houston’s tunnel system, and access to light rail, Park & Ride and mass transit. In addition, the Main Street area provides a myriad of restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as a burgeoning residential population.

Urbannizer · #**100** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 7:18 PM**

Hi-res renderings: