No tenants? Worry about that later: PageSoutherlandPage is designing a 25-story spec office tower for the West End. Dubbed 22 Waugh, the proposed 220,000-sq.-ft. building would sit just south of Washington Ave. A rep from PageSoutherlandPage, which is partnering with Stream Realty on the project, says that the building would be located on the corner of Waugh and Barnes. It appears that it would be directly behind that Bank of America branch. The Houston Business Journal reports that the building could begin going up as soon as November.
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- Exclusive: Renderings surface of new office tower near Heights [Houston Business Journal]
Renderings: PageSoutherlandPage
That first rendering is vaguely reminiscent of the Prudential building. I kinda like it.
“That first rendering is vaguely reminiscent of the Prudential building. I kinda like it.”
You’re right. It looks like the Prudential bldg pasted on to the Kaiser bldg. in Oakland.
http://www.oaklandmofo.com/photos/oakland/ordway-kaiser.jpg
It looks like they input “something 1950-1960 under 40 floors” into a software program.
That is a lot of building to put on a lot with no good access from the south (Waugh is one way SB at Barnes). Would have worked much better on a lot that is between the NB and SB lanes of Waugh.
Great addition to the neighborhood.
Assuming 200 SF per worker, we’ll have room in the City for 1,100 new workers.
Looks like an old 52 inch TV with the big speakers at the bottom.
At lease this developer releases a rendering, unlike some of our downtown developers.
Hmmm, no tenants, no financing to speak of, yeah, this is going to get built
Reminds me a little of the Prudential Building that was torn down at Holcombe & Main by the Med Center. Don’t know how this will fit in as the neighborhood is still a little freaky
stupid location. stupid houston. stupid city. no zoning makes for stupid locations for buildings. bring the buildings out to the street and give this god forsaken place an urban feel for cryin out loud.
I wish they would build it downtown.
@CD: Please pack up and leave then.
Hmmm … another FrankenBuilding like the new BBVA Compass tower on Post Oak.
At first, I didn’t understand the references to “the Prudential Bldg” (i.e., which one, which city?). But, come to think of it, it does look like the masonry part was taken from the corpse of the old Prudential Bldg. on Fannin.
Hold the phone. I swear all those Walmart haters from the Heights promised that this neighborhood was going to go straight ghetto the day after Walmart opened its doors.
Now only TWO BLOCKS away we’re looking a proposal from a seasoned and successful real estate developer who wants to build a brand new, 220,000 SF, class-A office building that will probably cost $44 million to design/build.
I am so confused…
As a resident of the area.. seems like a difficult location as far as traffic flow is concerned. BUT growth in the neighborhood has been impressive over the past two years. In my opinion, only good can come of companies wanting to invest in the area. Washington is a rapidly changing area of town with multiple lots available and easy access to downtown. Doesn’t really surprise me.
Shannon, Stream Realty has some of the deepest pockets in Texas. If they want to build it, it will get done.
1. I thought (according to many Swamplot commentators) the Washington corridor was destined to be the next Richmond strip?
2. With respect to Bernard’s comment about the Wal-Mart; I was against the Wal-Mart because I’m a classist snob, not because I thought it would destroy the neighborhood (at least I admit it and own it). I’d bet if, instead of a Wal-Mart, it had been a Bergdorf’s anchoring the center, all the Heights residents would have been tripping over themselves trying to thank the developer.
3. While the proposed building isn’t as architecturally interesting as I would like, its still a positive for the area.
What smart developer, no matter the “deep pockets” invests 100 million+ without a major tenant, it reminds me of all the “deep pocketed” developers with I was a kid in the 80’s that bankrupted themselves and every bank in Texas by building buildings with the wing and a prayer of, if we build it, they will come –only no one came and half the city went ghetto
Dumb. This type of stupidity happens here because Houstonians are more willing to fly to other places in order to experience/vacation/honeymoon/sightsee in great cities than to demand one of their own. Imagine if this and Ashby and dozens of others were built in the vast hundreds of city blocks in downtown and midtown, we might be on to something. Instead we get a continuing hodgepodge of nothingness.
Looks like a mullet to me… business in the front… party in teh back.
Whats with building a 25 story office tower in a residential area. One way street, secondary street hardly passable now. Another dark shadow being cast on residential properties in Houston.
alan s is spot on. The surrounding streets are not adequate, nor could they ever be. Plus the site isn’t large enough to support a 25 story office tower and the parking that would be required to sustain it. Stream really needs to put some more information out there.
Has anyone heard what’s happening with this location/development plan now? As of July 31, all of the rendering signs have come down, the security fencing has been removed, and the realty company now managing the property is listed as CBRE.
The property is being marketed by CBRE for sale, so it looks like the plans have been scrapped. Too much office space already in the works. I’ll bet that was a painful decision.