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Friday, October 10, 2008

Packing Them in at the 99 Ranch

October 10, 2008 – 4:39 pm

Former Fiesta Mart at I-10 and Blalock, HoustonFiesta Mart closed its I-10 and Blalock location when the Katy Freeway was expanded because too much of its parking got eaten up by the wider freeway. So how is the new 99 Ranch Market going into that space going to deal with the parking problem?

Suzanne Anderson, a regional leasing director with Weingarten, says the parking lot will be restriped to maximize the number of available parking spaces.

“We’re going to have to re-lay out the parking,” she says. “It’s still going to be under what the typical grocery store might have.”

99 Ranch Market is owned by Tawa Supermarket and is the largest Asian American supermarket chain, with 25 stores in California. The 84,000-sq.-ft. store opening on Blalock next summer will be the company’s first store in Texas.

Photo of former Fiesta Mart at 1005 Blalock: Weingarten Realty

4:39 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Freeways and Toll Roads, Leasing, Neighborhoods: Spring Branch, Parking, Retail
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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The Old West Side of Studewood

September 3, 2008 – 2:12 pm

Drawing of Allegro Builders Building at 1003 Studewood, Houston Heights

This too-cute-for-Disneyland drawing depicts Allegro Builders’ new Wild Wild West-y development at the northwest corner of Studewood and 10th in the Heights. It’s going up just north of Allegro’s headquarters building, which is home also to the Glass Wall restaurant, and is known for its vaguely-historicist facade of valet-parked SUVs.

A few vans may front the new building at 1001 and 1003 Studewood, but it’ll only be in 2 spots of handicapped parking: The main lot is in back. That’ll likely be a relief for local filmmakers, who are no doubt eager to film Universal Studios-authentic spaghetti-western-style gunfights off those front balconies.

All of which makes this new retail-with-office-above confection an ideal location for Robert Gadsby’s new restaurant, Bedford, named after the chef’s birthplace in . . . uh, England.

After the jump: The interior is gonna be . . . modern!

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2:12 pm | 8 Comments | Read more about Homebuilders, Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, New Construction, Parking, Restaurants, Retail
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Head of the Titans: Cosmopolitan Pissoirs on Post Oak

June 18, 2008 – 9:43 pm

Giant Fountains on Parking Garage, Cosmopolitan Condominiums, Post Oak Blvd., Houston

A reader sends photos of some recent construction on the garage podium beneath the Cosmopolitan tower and asks:

What are those three giant urinals affixed to the east exterior wall of Randall Davis’ latest glass-clad erection, the one on Post Oak where James Coney Island used to be? . . .

Where is the Colossal Statue of Constantine when you need him? (Well, he’s in Rome, but that’s no help to Post Oak Boulevard!)

Sure, there’s the vaguely Roman theming going on with the marketing for Davis’s next tower across the street, the Titan. But these new constructions might be something much more contemporary . . . think Marcel Duchamp by way of Claes Oldenburg: The big fountains!

Below: the Colossal Head of Constantine . . . and the Colossal Heads of the Cosmopolitan, on display!

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9:43 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Art, Condos, Highrises, Neighborhoods: Galleria, Parking, Public Art, Real Estate Marketing
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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Galleria Whole Foods Parking Puzzle Solved

June 5, 2008 – 4:16 pm

Proposed Whole Foods on Post Oak Blvd., Blvd. Place, Galleria, Houston

Yesterday’s brief Uptown Whole Foods parking mystery has been solved by one of our most helpful tipsters . . . who points to an older but more complete set of Boulevard Place plans. Shoppers, there is no need to worry. You will be able to park above, below, near, or yes — right in front of Whole Foods . . . and you won’t get stuck having to sneak your whole-grain-laden shopping cart past Hermès. Just imagine what awkward social situations that would have caused!

Below: 5 levels of out-of-date Blvd Place site plans explain it all!

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4:16 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Neighborhoods: Galleria, Parking, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Retail, Shopping Centers
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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Regent Square Developers: Parking Garages Scared Us Straight

May 22, 2008 – 9:38 am

Axonometric of Proposed Regent Square Development, North Montrose, Houston

Those of you still wondering why Regent Square’s quaint crooked street was axed from the project’s most recent plan — along with a few lush-looking inner courtyards — will be interested to read this explanation unearthed from a variance request submitted to the Planning Commission for today’s hearing:

After careful value engineering, it was determined to eliminate the below grade parking and replace that parking in additional structured garage parking. In addition, the diagonal private street that bi-sected the site has been modified and now runs perpendicular to Dunlavy. This also provided for a more efficient design of the structured parking garages.

After the jump: The new plan. When . . . and what?

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9:38 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Montrose, Neighborhoods: North Montrose, Parking, Proposed Developments, Streets
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

That Enormous Parking Garage Behind the River Oaks Shopping Center

May 21, 2008 – 2:31 pm

Landscape Plan for River Oaks Shopping Center

In case it hadn’t already become obvious from watching the construction, that uh . . . “stealth” four-level parking garage in back is the real game-changer for the River Oaks Shopping Center.

Clearly, what’s unfolding is a strategy even more ingenious than anyone could have imagined. With a new monster garage looming behind the next targeted would-be landmark, Weingarten will soon have people begging it to rip down more of the north side of the center and build something taller, just to screen those four stories of cars from West Gray. Meanwhile, focusing attention on the complaints of a few pesky neighbors in back is a classic outrage-bait move. Throw in a little hush money to make sure those protests aren’t too loud, but then make sure news of the offer gets leaked, so the decoy works. Send in the demo crews, redevelop, and repeat!

The site plan above comes from a Weingarten variance request that will go before the Planning Commission on Thursday. The city’s landscape ordinance apparently requires the new development to switch out some of those existing sickly-but-iconic palm trees for live oaks. Naturally, Weingarten wants to save the palms!

River Oaks Shopping Center landscape plan: Heights Venture Architects, via Houston Planning Commission

2:31 pm | 2 Comments | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Historic Preservation, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, New Construction, Parking, Shopping Centers, Trees
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Friday, May 2, 2008

Opening Box 13 on Harrisburg: New East End Art Venue

May 2, 2008 – 11:53 am

Box 13 ArtSpace, 6700 Harrisburg Blvd., Houston

Tonight’s art opening at the new Box 13 ArtSpace will serve as a grand opening for the new East End art venue as well.

The space is a 2-story former furniture store on the corner of Harrisburg and Cesar Chavez (or — as the organization’s website uh, “artfully”(?) calls the street — “Cesar Chivas”). It features 13 studio spaces for artists in residence, three interior galleries, a storefront-window display space, and an “outdoor performance exhibition space,” known more conventionally as a parking lot.

The artist-run nonprofit intends to acquire a second building, at 6701 Capitol (directly behind the 6700 Harrisburg building), within a few months. “The Capitol building lends itself toward sculptors and installation artists,” declares the website.

After the jump: A quick tour of the new facilities!

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11:53 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Art, Institutional Buildings, Openings and Closings, Parking
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Friday, April 25, 2008

More Evidence Parking Lots Are the New Main Street

April 25, 2008 – 11:47 am

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Are you an architectural renderer struggling to bring life to yet another vast Houston shopping-center parking lot in the drawings developers have commissioned you to create? This video should bring you inspiration! Go ahead and draw in that parade — that street festival — that touching moment of parking-lot excitement. You won’t be faking anything!

Today’s baton-twirling parking-lot-parade marshal was photographed by Jason of the Around Town Houston blog — as he waited in the drive-thru at Burger King on Westheimer, just east of Highway 6, just around the corner from the West Oaks Mall.

Practice makes perfect!

11:47 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Attractions, Neighborhoods: Alief, Parking, Streets
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Monday, March 31, 2008

Logos and Lines: Cypress Outlet Mall Reader Reports

March 31, 2008 – 5:46 pm

Houston Premium Outlets, Cypress, TX

Reader photos and reports from the Houston Premium Outlets opening on 290 last weekend:

I had heard somewhere that the mall was supposed to have a Southwest theme, but with all the logos plastered over the entrance towers, it looks like they might have been aiming for Early NASCAR. Aside from that, though, it’s a surprisingly nice place. Yeah, there were lots of people there, but once you get out of your car, the mall handles crowds well. It’s much nicer than a lot of Houston non-outlet malls, and a whole lot less cheesy or pretentious.

After the jump: those logo-festooned towers and more on-the-spot pix! Plus: Chicken Now: Here. Now!

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5:46 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Malls, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Parking, Restaurants, Retail, Shopping Centers
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Friday, March 28, 2008

Borlenghi: Houstonians Unclear on the European Concept

March 28, 2008 – 11:34 am

Arturo’s Uptown Italiano Restaurant in Uptown Park, Houston

Interfin Companies president Giorgio Borlenghi, who developed Uptown Park and the Hotel Granduca, explains how it’s done:

. . . developers must not forget the principles we Houstonians like so much such as ease of access to the various components of the building and plentiful and readily available parking. As an example, when we planned Uptown Park, we decided to keep it exclusively retail to allow our patrons to park directly in front of the shops and restaurants without having to deal with multistory parking structures.

Keeping Uptown Park “exclusively retail,” of course, meant that his luxury hotel had to go across the street:

I created Hotel Granduca as a unique, elegant and extremely exclusive boutique hotel for the Uptown/Galleria area. I wanted it to be very different from all the other hotels: It had to feel very Italian, of course, and to have a true residential setting, so that it could be someone’s home away from home. What surprises me is that a number of people in Houston are still not understanding this very European concept and somehow think that Granduca is not a regular hotel, but some type of apartment building.

Photo of Arturo’s Uptown Italiano restaurant in Uptown Park: Flickr user heyjebbo

11:34 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Hotels, Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Galleria, Parking, Real Estate Marketing, Retail, Shopping Centers
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Monday, March 24, 2008

Sanctioned by the Congregation: The Office Building Next to First Baptist

March 24, 2008 – 11:25 pm

Rendering of Proposed Hines Office Building Adjacent to First Baptist Church, Houston

A reader directs our attention to this proposed 16-story office building facing the south side of the Katy Freeway, just outside the Loop — on the current site of a Houston’s First Baptist Church parking lot.

Hines plans to build the office building and an 11-level, 1,500-car parking garage on the lot, which the developer would lease from the church. The congregation has already voted to authorize church representatives to finalize and sign a 99-year ground lease for the property.

The garage would help solve the church’s chronic parking problems: According to the HFBC website, 300 cars currently park off-site on weekends. With the Hines development, the church would lose the 480 spaces in the lot now available during the week, but gain 1,500 spaces for church use on weekends and after office hours.

Below the fold, lots more images of the proposed office building and garage on HFBC property.

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11:25 pm | Add a Comment | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Houston Architects, Neighborhoods: Bayou Woods, Neighborhoods: Memorial, Office Buildings, Parking, Proposed Developments
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Greenway Commons: Gas Station Too!

March 5, 2008 – 11:42 pm

Greenway Commons Costco at Richmond and Weslayan, Houston

Didja know that the new Costco going up on the former site of the HISD headquarters building at the corner of Richmond and Weslayan . . . is gonna have its very own gas station right out front?

Costco liked the idea of coming inside the Loop so much . . . it decided to bring all its friends! The city just issued a building permit for the new Costco Fuel station. But that’s just the latest addition to Greenway Commons, which is turning out to be quite a mix: A 45,420-sq.-ft. LA Fitness is going above the Costco, next to a 4-story parking garage which is connected to a 2-story retail strip center. It’ll all be protected from the busy surrounding streets by more than 500 surface parking spaces and 2 corner pad sites slated for “banks.” In back: a 550-unit Morgan Group luxury apartment complex . . . with two more separate garages!

After the jump, more drawings and plans of this surprising development.

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11:42 pm | Read more about Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Neighborhoods: Greenway Plaza, New Construction, Parking, Proposed Developments, Retail, Sprawl, Strip Centers
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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Hoa Binh: The Lasting Legacy of the Original Strip Mall

February 19, 2008 – 9:37 am

Hoa Binh Center at 2830 Travis, Midtown, Houston

Wielding a copy of Stephen Fox’s Houston Architectural Guide, transit buff Christof Spieler writes in to report that the vacant and graffiti-laden Hoa Binh Center in Midtown — targeted by Camden Property Trust for a new apartment complex — has an important story behind it. He quotes from Fox’s writeup of the shopping center, which was built in 1923:

What distinguishes this building is that it was the prototype of the 20th century American suburban shopping center: it introduced the concept of off-street parking, toward which the grocery store itself was oriented.

Spieler adds:

In other words, Camden may be about to tear down the world’s first strip mall. Now that’s a historic building.

And it’s certainly worth at least a nice plaque somewhere on those new apartments going up on the site!

But before all you preservationist types get up in arms about the impending demolition of the mother of all strip malls, keep in mind that an equally important part of this structure’s history and legacy will almost certainly be preserved, cherished, and celebrated. Sure, the building will probably end up in a pile of rubble off Loop 610. But all those historic off-street parking spaces? They’ll be moved into a nice new garage at the Camden Travis, where residents of the new apartments and their guests will be able to enjoy them for generations to come.

After the jump: Spieler spills more Hoa Binh history!

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9:37 am | Read more about Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Demolitions, Historic Preservation, Neighborhoods: Midtown, Parking, Proposed Developments, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers
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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Heights Village: Parking Lots Are the New Main Street!

December 13, 2007 – 3:01 pm

Heights Village Parking Lot on Yale St., Houston Heights

Looks like a lot of pedestrian action going on in these marketing drawings for Orr Commercial’s new Heights Village, a five-acre restaurant, retail, office, and “upscale housing” development slated for the current site of the Sons of Hermann hall just south of I-10, between Heights Blvd. and Yale St. and an adjacent parcel abutting railroad tracks to the south.

Why, with all those people in the drawings walking to and fro, it looks like this development will have all the charm of a small old-town Main Street . . . or at the very least all the charm of an old small town that decided to build a multi-level parking garage, but still turned its Main Street into a parking lot anyway, just to hedge its bets.

After the jump: more parking-lot pedestrians!

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3:01 pm | Read more about Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Neighborhoods: Washington Corridor, New Construction, Parking, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers
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Thursday, December 6, 2007

Stanford Lofts: Your Parking Lot Is Safe from the Dynamo

December 6, 2007 – 10:54 am

Balcony of Stanford Lofts Unit 409

A resident of the Stanford Lofts just east of Downtown writes in to make sure everyone knows, after all, that the building’s view of Minute Maid Park is not going to be obstructed by . . . a view of a new soccer stadium for the Houston Dynamo directly across the street.

No, no official deal’s been announced. But this tidbit from a Chronicle story has allowed condo owners to breathe a sigh of relief:

The Dynamo first set sights on land owned by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority just east of Minute Maid Park and U.S. 59, but have since decided against the property, which the Astros lease for stadium parking.

“We know for a fact (the property) is no longer being considered,” said Sports Authority head Kenny Friedman, who added that the Sports Authority is not actively involved in the negotiations.

The team might be looking to purchase private land near the same general area as the county-owned property, although Luck declined to confirm or deny it, saying only that a downtown venue is still planned.

So where will the Dynamo stadium go? Keep reading below the fold:

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10:54 am | Read more about Condos, Lofts, Neighborhoods: Downtown, Parking, Proposed Developments
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