HOUSTON | Development Thread II - Page 449

JoninATX · #**8961** Posted **Jun 18, 2015, 3:17 AM**

That's awesome. It's going to add more density in that area.

Urbannizer · #**8962** Posted **Jun 18, 2015, 4:42 AM**

609 Main at Texas

Curtain wall going up.

6/15 by Nate99 on HAIF

Aloft Downtown

Another sidewalk being blocked off in Downtown. The Stowers Building is now under redevelopment from a vacant boutique office building to an Aloft hotel.

6/17 by Nate99 on HAIF

Marriott Marquis

6/15 by Nate99 on HAIF

Market Square Tower

6/9 by Nate99 on HAIF

Catalyst

http://texas.pepperconstruction.com/...talyst-houston

GRB Convention Center Redevelopment

https://www.facebook.com/GRBHouston/...type=1&theater

toxteth o'grady · #**8963** Posted **Jun 18, 2015, 7:39 PM**

This was in the San Antonio Business Journal. At the end of the day, GE will probably stay in Connecticut, but GE Oil & Gas has a big presence in Houston, so they ought to make a pitch.

San Antonio should plug into General Electric relocation talks, leaders say

toxteth o'grady · #**8964** Posted **Jun 18, 2015, 7:42 PM**

An interesting headquarters swap is occurring, involving two Houston retail chains with expansion on their minds...|

NO DELI, NO DEAL

"...Mattress Firm and Stage Stores, two Houston-based firms, are both dropping from multiple locations into one HQ. Mattress Firm is moving 350 employees from two Houston offices to fill the entire 130k SF 10201 S Main St (pictured), which is currently occupied by Stage Stores. (The latter will exit in Q4, and Mattress Firm will take up residency in June 2016.) CBO Karrie Forbes, who’s leading the relocation, says the firm especially targeted location, convenience and size. Mattress Firm has been in fast growth mode over the last two years. The new office has nearly double the number of workstations and leaves space for future expansion...

...Stage Stores (which operates as Palais Royal locally) hasn’t announced where it’s going, but SVP Randi Sonenshein tells us it's got a lease signed for about 190k SF near the Galleria. (The move, which also vacates a building in Meyerland, is expected to cost $12M.) She says the biggest driver was bringing employees under one roof. 900 employees will go to the new office and about 50 will remain in the Meyerland office because that division has specific building height requirements. Stage Stores has a big growth plan ahead of it, Randi says, and being together helps it execute more efficiently..."

toxteth o'grady · #**8965** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 1:45 AM**

I'm not sure if this was was posted previously. More development in Springwoods, by Martin Fein. The Mark at CityPlace:

toxteth o'grady · #**8966** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 2:16 AM**

When, not if. I personally think the Houston growth rate in 2015 will slow from 2014, so stretch out the timeline:

Houston poised to become country’s #3 city

photoLith · #**8967** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 4:24 AM**

Chicago still will best Houston density wise. But hopefully someday Houston will have a dense skyline all the way from the CBD to the Galleria Area. It's filling in quite nicely as of late. Give it a few more decades and Houston will have as grand of a skyline as Chicago, just with less history. And it will be just in time for the robot overlord takeover.

JManc · #**8968** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 6:57 AM**

Houston being the 3rd/4th largest city only matters for trivia on the city's web page. What really counts is Houston's metro area which knocks it down to 8th or 9th place overall with Chicagoland at #3 and about 3 million people more than Houston.

toxteth o'grady · #**8969** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Houston being the 3rd/4th largest city only matters for trivia on the city's web page. What really counts is Houston's metro area which knocks it down to 8th or 9th place overall with Chicagoland at #3 and about 3 million people more than Houston.

That's also changing, as both metro Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth are growing fast enough to overtake Chicago in less than three decades. Neither city is going to overtake New York and Los Angeles; New York could add more than half a million residents this decade.

As for density, there are many, many cities that can claim to be denser than Houston. But the density is increasing, as the lots get smaller and the highrises get more numerous inside the Loop.

Urbannizer · #**8970** Posted **Jun 19, 2015, 6:33 PM**

3400 Montrose

By hindesky on HAIF

Hanover Southampton

toxteth o'grady · #**8971** Posted **Jun 20, 2015, 4:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

http://www.pccpllc.com/index.cfm?fus...n=11&pr_id=168

The Chronicle says groundbreaking is next month.

Wilshire developer secures loan and announces groundbreaking

toxteth o'grady · #**8972** Posted **Jun 20, 2015, 4:37 PM**

Another bit of good news, sort of, is that Houston created about 14,000 jobs in May after losing 1,500 in April, according to the Texas LMCI. While a letdown after three years of job gains exceeding 100,000 per year, the annualized gain of 62,000 could have been far worse, given the job losses in the oil industry.

Local jobless rate edges up

TTU Arch · #**8973** Posted **Jun 20, 2015, 9:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Houston being the 3rd/4th largest city only matters for trivia on the city's web page. What really counts is Houston's metro area which knocks it down to 8th or 9th place overall with Chicagoland at #3 and about 3 million people more than Houston.

Agreed. While it is an impressive milestone, by present day standards I put that stat in the same argument as when cities / news magazines evaluate growth rates based on percentages. (i.e. 10% growth on 100,000 people still pales in comparison to a 5% on 1,000,000). It is a marketing tool that any jurisdiction will market hard because it can attract new investments / businesses. Amazing things are happening in Houston that is off the charts and quite impressive. With that said, Houston MSA would need DFW MSA to stop growing for about 4-5 years to become the largest MSA in this region and 4th in the US. Eventually both metros will pass Chicago MSA. The Bay area and Philly will be up there as well. Depends how long Texas will enjoy the benefits of affordable housing, low tax / business friendly environments and when the areas in Illinois / NE and CA become more creative to compete with Texas on that front. Till then I believe Texas will continue to see amazing growth for the foreseeable future. Long term - Politicians in Texas need to get a much better handle on schools and transportation to keep that edge.

Urbannizer · #**8974** Posted **Jun 21, 2015, 8:45 PM**

Block 365

Block 334

Eado Station

The Hamilton

Capella Museum District

Oaks on Caroline

Photos by hindesky on HAIF

Central Bank Plaza

Photos by Houstonishome on HAIF

Lost Lake @ Buffalo Bayou

The Monroe

Photos by HoustonMidtown on HAIF

Urbannizer · #**8975** Posted **Jun 22, 2015, 12:10 PM**

River Oaks District

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/busi...#photo-8178822

Urbannizer · #**8976** Posted **Jun 22, 2015, 5:53 PM**

https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/...o-revamp-47167

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bisnow

HERE ARE 3 MAJOR BUILDINGS BROOKFIELD WANTS TO REVAMP

Brookfield has its eye on a wide swath of renovations, first and foremost updating Allen Center. Paul tells us it’s in the early stages of designing a $50M revamp there that’ll kick off this time next year. (It’ll upgrade green space, which is the largest private green space in the CBD and larger than the green space in New York’s Rockefeller. Other areas of focus will be the lobbies and building entrances.) Brookfield’s also contemplating improvements to 1600 Smith’s lobby/common areas, Paul says—it’s close to hiring an architect, and will probably launch work next year. It’s also eyeing a major renovation of the Downtown Club at the Met, which hasn’t gotten a refresh in 15 years, and Brookfield’s adding a fitness center into 1201 Louisiana soon, including locker and bike rooms.

toxteth o'grady · #**8977** Posted **Jun 23, 2015, 12:27 AM**

A bit more good news/bad news. Skanska lures a major tenant...to an Energy Corridor office building they're developing.

IHI to relocate to new Energy Corridor digs

But there's more sublease space on the market...

Report: Sublease space on the rise

toxteth o'grady · #**8978** Posted **Jun 23, 2015, 12:36 AM**

I-45 at North Main looks like the site of a new Holiday Inn Express. It's sort of unexpected, as these midrise hotels tend to spring up farther out in the suburbs or in office parks; in this instance, the proposed hotel would be just north of downtown and not far from a new live music venue.

But something's gotta go first:

The Casa Grande Takedown Has Begun

The Best Forumer · #**8979** Posted **Jun 23, 2015, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by toxteth o'grady

This was in the San Antonio Business Journal. At the end of the day, GE will probably stay in Connecticut, but GE Oil & Gas has a big presence in Houston, so they ought to make a pitch.

San Antonio should plug into General Electric relocation talks, leaders say

Yes. Houston leaders should definitely make a pitch to GE. The business environment is better here than anywhere else on this planet.

TexasPlaya · #**8980** Posted **Jun 23, 2015, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Best Forumer

Yes. Houston leaders should definitely make a pitch to GE. The business environment is better here than anywhere else on this planet.

GE would be a perfect match for Houston. With the amount of office space coming online, causing it to become a tenants' market, Houston should be actively pursuing HQ relocations.