And now that the former Art Institute of Houston at 1900 Yorktown and Inwood has been smashed to pieces, the Finger Companies can get going on these new apartments. Accurately, if not creatively named 1900 Yorktown, the complex will comprise 262 units spread out among 8 floors, whose shape seems to welcome a cat’s cradle of laundry lines hung above its U-shaped courtyard. In Uptown, this is just a few blocks north of the Westheimer bank building where Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is relocating from Richmond Ave.
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The Art Institute vacated this building in 2011, moving east into that glassy space near Greenway Plaza.
- Coming Soon [1900 Yorktown]
- Previously on Swamplot: Richmond Ruth’s Chris Moving to Westheimer Bank Building, Daily Demolition Report: Minus De Milo, The Art Institute of Houston Brings an End to River Oaks Plaza’s See-Through Years
Images: Finger Companies (rendering); Moody Rambin (1900 Yorktown)
Better have first floor retail and more than 262 luxury apartments with this real estate boom. needs at least 600 more apartments.
Good Gawd: Another BORING(read bland design)Finger apartment project.Marvy builds quality projects,but for the love of really GOOD architecture,Marvy be distinctive. Yet,Marvy is building done to death Mediterranean styled edifice on Dunlavy@W.Alabama(the sleek HEB across Dunlavy will make that project look sooooooo out of place).
We have watched the building go down, just down the block from the Courtyard restaurant that is closing in November. Maybe they will turn that great space into parking for the apartments.
I would love to see an example of the architecturally-interesting apartment buildings that everyone wants. I don’t particularly care for the design either, but I’m having a hard time picturing what other options are out there. Anyone with links to other projects around the country/world?
JD – here’s a couple:
http://56leonardtribeca.com/home/
http://www.newyorkbygehry.com/#!new-york-by-gehry
This project actually looks cool and will be on a cool little oxbow loop street which will add to a private feel but it will be a tad beyond normal walking distance from the ultra-cool BRT line.
I think my second link got gunked up. Here it is again:
http://www.newyorkbygehry.com/index.html
Walt, you realize those are going to be some incredibly expensive residences even for New York, right? So maybe if you complained about the architecture of the Belfiore you’d be more in line – though I think 2727 Kirby looks pretty cool.
@Walt: Both of those examples are awesome except they are not the same product type. High Rise Condos vs Mid Rise Apartments.
I’m not sure what the per unit cost for the 56Leonard or NYbyGehry but the fingers are probably building their apartment complex somewhere between the $125-175,000/unit. No way the two examples are in the same cost structure if you discount land cost. I agree with JD that I would like to see other examples of apartments that are built around the same cost per unit but are architecturally innovative.
I came across this project by Greystar (I know…) in Austin called The Tree. It looks a little different b/c they are saving some big live oak trees for a common area on one corner of the property; however, the apartment is still a box with different materials on the outside.
I agree that the links I posted on this post are comparing apples to chickens, but I was just throwing them out as a “here’s some interesting stuff being built” type of comment. And yes, they are both at the VERY top end of NYC real estate. Here is the link to a listing for a penthouse at 56 Leonard ($5,283/sqft):
http://www.corcoran.com/nyc/Listings/Display/2562877
I like 2727 Kirby as well. And as a I recall, the one going up at Alabama and Weslyian is kind of interesting as well.
Here’s a project by Gables Residential in Midtown Atlanta that is somewhat more interesting design-wise. Gables is active in the Houston market as well.
http://gables.com/find/apartment/1041-gables-midtown-atlanta-ga
56 Leonard is one ugly building.
@ Ross…well, it ain’t a boring box at least.