HOUSTON | Development Thread II - Page 87

Wattleigh · #**1721** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 5:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CALMSP

for some reason, i just dont have any faith in the Turnberry tower getting built.........like someone else has stated.........starting at $1 million seems a bit much on any standards.

Considering the project isn't supposed to be complete until mid 2010, there's a while to go before I get a bit more pessimistic. 40 or so of the units have had deposits placed, which seems in step with the company's tactics of getting sales on the order of 2-3 per month and construction is still planned to begin this summer from what I'm aware of.

Plus, I doubt the company would want to make this the exception to their "We've never had a cancelled project" pitch to buyers.

urbanactivist · #**1722** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 5:32 PM**

Out of all of the downtown projects, which one do you think will cause the most impact? I am going with (hopefully!!) Houston Pavillions. If done well, this thing could be a rousing success.

Make sure to watch the med center as well. The construction scene there is already ridiculous!

Houston should have an inner-city CBD construction contest... which one will boom the fastest lol.

Dale · #**1723** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 5:51 PM**

The exciting thing about Houston, I should think, is that it is way behind the curve on downtown residential, so it's only just begun to tap into demand for downtown living. I would imagine that One Park Place is just the first of many such towers.

Great_Hizzy · #**1724** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 8:52 PM**

That leads me to my point that Discovery Green is positioned to really stimulate growth in that area of downtown, including residential. First, there's space around the park; two, the park has amenities that are appealing to urban residents; and three, there is already momentum in the form of new construction surrounding the park, with more to take place within the next few months.

Trae · #**1725** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 10:14 PM**

Hopefully that DT Convention Hotel gets some legs. Suppose to be 1,000+ rooms with condos on top. Maybe a Westin? Would be their first in Downtown.

rdavis4559 · #**1726** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 11:01 PM**

How about a Shangri-La or something?

CALMSP · #**1727** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 11:33 PM**

with the new park, we certainly need some more residential downtown........anything so we can pretend to be like Central Park in NY!!!

.....by the way..it appears that the temporary sales shack on Gray across from the Wetspot in Midtown has taken down the office. No more Casa di Modena????

Trae · #**1728** Posted **Mar 6, 2008, 11:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdavis4559

How about a Shangri-La or something?

A little too luxurious maybe. A Shangri-La may be nice for a separate hotel to take up another surface lot. They are only in four US cities (locations will be opening in a few years): Chicago, New York, Miami, and Las Vegas.

Shasta · #**1729** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 1:06 AM**

From this angle, Discovery Tower looks to be a 350 to 400 footer rather than a 500 footer.

Wattleigh · #**1730** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 2:01 AM**

6 Houston Center's soiree/preview was this afternoon and here are a few shots I took.

Debbie Wilson, VP of Leasing in Houston Center who announced the building's amenities.

To open on...

The website for the property also went active today and is still being fleshed out. www.6houstoncenter.com

Renderings from the site

photoLith · #**1731** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 3:43 AM**

I like it, thanks so much for the photos, I like to keep up with my city while Im gone.

Oh and also on the 6 center houston brochure it shows a proposed hotel going in right near Discovery Tower, any one know anything about that? Its not the LaQuinta, its at the corner of Crawford and Walker streets.

Shasta · #**1732** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 4:19 AM**

The proposal for the hotel would be another city/county funded convention hotel. The Hilton Americas has been wildly successful despite all of the naysayers who hate public/private ventures. The local government is now in a position to sell off the Hilton and make a profit. The profit from said sale would allow it to invest in a new convention hotel that would rise in that location. Early rumors are that it will have over 1,300 rooms and potentially have condos on top overlooking the new park. They envision a higher-end national brand coming in ala Westin or Renaissance.

Dale · #**1733** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 4:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shasta

From this angle, Discovery Tower looks to be a 350 to 400 footer rather than a 500 footer.

I'm not feeling it from this angle.

photoLith · #**1734** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 5:39 AM**

I like it, its better than nothing. Why dont you like it? ^^

Dale · #**1735** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photolitherland

I like it, its better than nothing. Why dont you like it? ^^

Cam't quite put my finger on it. Seems like the protruding face is attached to a slab. Maybe it'll grow on me.

rdavis4559 · #**1736** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 8:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

Cam't quite put my finger on it. Seems like the protruding face is attached to a slab. Maybe it'll grow on me.

For all the One Park Place praise, Six Houston looks a lot better than it.

rdavis4559 · #**1737** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 8:36 AM**

HKS Inc, the architecture firm that came up with the design for 6 Houston is the same firm that designed the Frost Bank Tower in Austin, which I've always liked. They've done quite a lot more as well, some of which is pretty nice, though nothing that comes as easily to mind as Frost Bank Tower.

http://www.hksinc.com/

rdavis4559 · #**1738** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 8:38 AM**

Something I just realized... I work for Shell and Shell owns the lot they plan to build 6 Houston on. It was a subsidized parking lot for Shell employees only... I wonder where those people will end up (I take the bus so no problem for me).

Xeelee · #**1739** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 3:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

Hopefully that DT Convention Hotel gets some legs. Suppose to be 1,000+ rooms with condos on top. Maybe a Westin? Would be their first in Downtown.

I think there are already condos at the top of the DoubleTree in downtown.

Wattleigh · #**1740** Posted **Mar 7, 2008, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeelee

I think there are already condos at the top of the DoubleTree in downtown.

He meant that could be Westin's first property downtown. In hindsight, it is somewhat interesting to see that the Four Seasons had the idea to do the condo thing at least 25 years ago while no one else has done the same in that part of town since. I think it's time for similar projects to start rising in the core.