HOUSTON | Downtown Development Updates

Double L · #1 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 9:06 AM**

I thought I would start this one up.

Does anybody have any thoughts on the Houston Pavilions? Do you think it will be successful enough for downtown?

Xeelee · #2 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 1:56 PM**

Yes I think it would lend a positive air perhaps not as soon as one might think. With the stagflation as it is now, I think it will not have as big an impact as we would like it to have. I, for one, will likely frequent it since I live right down the street.

Complex01 · #3 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 2:40 PM**

I think its good for DT. Needs a lot more, but one day at a time rite...

Saddle Man · #4 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 3:02 PM**

How about that 5 Allen Center. It could be nice.

Xeelee · #5 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 5:14 PM**

Yes. Whatever happened to Houston's sky needle thing? The one that was supposed to go just north of downtown?

Wattleigh · #6 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeelee

Yes. Whatever happened to Houston's sky needle thing? The one that was supposed to go just north of downtown?

They moved it to Kemah and called it the "Boardwalk Tower".

Seriously, I think that's what eventually happened after the big original design, and the city council didn't want it Downtown.

Anyway, HP is obviously going to be a boon to that part of the core. I think the key is to market it to, other than locals, conventioneers. I'm not sure if it's just this summer, but I've noticed a ton more people coming from the GRB and milling about DT. You can tell who they are since they all seem to have the same type of plastic or canvas bags on them and they just have a touristy vibe to them. They do manage to get to at least the Shops in HC, but if they were aware of the options in the Pavilions, I think they might want to walk a few extra blocks.

I've said it before, and I know others are of the same mindset anyway, but I think the real key is Discovery Green itself. In addition to the families and school groups that are there on a daily basis, I see more people getting guided tours from people I'd assume are in the convention constituency. Add in the development of One Park Place, Discovery Tower, Embassy Suites & a possible second Convention Center Hotel, and the park has the potential to be surrounded within the next few years. Blocks surrounding those in a few more.

Waves are being made, so I am very optimistic in both the short and long term outlook.

urbanactivist · #7 Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 6:29 PM**

Yeah, Discovery Green is really essential, and in such a perfect spot!! The cool thing about HP is that serves kind of as a link to the east and west sides of DT. I don't think convention visitors are aware of everything in downtown, b/c you can't see it all (Bayou Place, for example). Most people probably don't know about how good our theatre companies are either. The marketing forces for downtown are just not doing a great job. I'm glad we're getting on foot with the developments, but Houston has got to stop being "isolationist", "bashful" or whatever you call it... and start BEHAVING like one of the largest cities in the US. We're a hell of a lot more then oil wells and Applebees!

Texas Tuff · #8 Posted **Jun 27, 2008, 11:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkirbythegreat

How about that 5 Allen Center. It could be nice.

Ditto to that. It is supposed to be about 50 stories so if it gets built it would definitely make an impact on the skyline.

JManc · #9 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 1:47 AM**

do we really need two houston threads here? the other one isn't updated very often as it is.

KevinFromTexas · #10 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 3:41 AM**

Yeah, is it really necessary?

Saddle Man · #11 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:09 AM**

There are San Antonio Suburban and Metropolitan and San Antonio Downtown threads that are both stickies. Why not Houston?

Saddle Man · #12 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:15 AM**

And Austin has two sticky threads, and the transportation doesn't get much posting either.

KevinFromTexas · #13 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:22 AM**

It's fine, as long as one gets downtown topics and the other non-downtown topics. Just don't want the two to have the same topics, or have it be confusing to people.

Saddle Man · #14 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:27 AM**

The new downtown Houston thread should be a sticky then.

Double L · #15 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 8:56 PM**

I intended this to be a conversation about downtown Houston. Will Ben & Jerrys open? Will the Houston Pavillions and Discovery Green work to spur development? etc. etc.

Trae · #16 Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 9:20 PM**

A newsletter from the GRB:

Bringing new business to Houston

In selecting the GRB for their annual conventions in the years to come, several groups have cited the addition of the adjacent Discovery Green park, the growing strength of the Houston's downtown hotel inventory and the forthcoming Houston Pavilions entertainment complex (set to open in October 2008) as contributing factors in saying yes to Houston.

The Texas Conference for Women, hosted by Texas Governor Rick and Anita Perry, will be held in Houston for the first time this fall in the GRB. Some 10,000 attendees are expected for this one-day event on October 16.

Specialty Coffee Association is coming in 2011 with 3,000 coffee growers and other industry insiders. This will be a "great smelling show," according to sales manager Beverly Peterson, CMP (read more about Beverly below).

The Texas Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching will be held here in 2012. Estimated attendance is 6,000.

The American Legion will be using the entire GRB - all 1.8 million square feet - when its members come to town in 2013 for its national convention. Anticipated attendance is 10,000 and they will require 19,000 total room nights, all in downtown hotels.

richyb83 · #17 Posted **Jun 29, 2008, 6:24 AM**

Construction at The Houston Pavillions skybridge over Fannin
(*taken a couple weeks ago)

Complex01 · #18 Posted **Jun 29, 2008, 9:13 PM**

Hmm i think i liked it better when there was just one Houston thread. Oh well, what can you do. Change it happens every day.

I think its time for some more DT pics, i should head down there and take some pics...

Wattleigh · #19 Posted **Jun 29, 2008, 11:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double L

I intended this to be a conversation about downtown Houston. Will Ben & Jerrys open? Will the Houston Pavillions and Discovery Green work to spur development? etc. etc.

I'm not sure if you were asking it as a real question or using it as just an example, but the Ben & Jerry's has been open for a while in the base of the Rice Lofts. Nice stop during a midday walk from what I've found.

urbanactivist · #20 Posted **Jun 30, 2008, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

A newsletter from the GRB:

Bringing new business to Houston

In selecting the GRB for their annual conventions in the years to come, several groups have cited the addition of the adjacent Discovery Green park, the growing strength of the Houston's downtown hotel inventory and the forthcoming Houston Pavilions entertainment complex (set to open in October 2008) as contributing factors in saying yes to Houston.

The Texas Conference for Women, hosted by Texas Governor Rick and Anita Perry, will be held in Houston for the first time this fall in the GRB. Some 10,000 attendees are expected for this one-day event on October 16.

Specialty Coffee Association is coming in 2011 with 3,000 coffee growers and other industry insiders. This will be a "great smelling show," according to sales manager Beverly Peterson, CMP (read more about Beverly below).

The Texas Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching will be held here in 2012. Estimated attendance is 6,000.

The American Legion will be using the entire GRB - all 1.8 million square feet - when its members come to town in 2013 for its national convention. Anticipated attendance is 10,000 and they will require 19,000 total room nights, all in downtown hotels.

Good article.

Don't forget about the Latin Grammys in October... this will be a worldwide event, perhaps one of the most strategically important events for Houston's tourism industry.