Styling the Bistro Vino Condo Tower: Low Voter Turnout

Style Possibilities for Proposed InnerLoopCondos.com Condo Development on West Alabama St., Houston

Remember back in July, when the folks from InnerLoopCondos.com sent out a survey about a new development proposed for 819 W. Alabama — the former site of Bistro Vino — and wanted you to help them choose which of six funny costumes the new condo building should wear? The company is now saying it’ll likely build 6 to 8 stories on top of at least 3 parking-garage levels, producing 80 condos priced from $190,000 to $400,000.

Best of all, InnerLoopCondos.com — a subsidiary of Montreal’s Group LSR — plans to break ground . . . in maybe only 18 short months!

What the thing will look like, though . . . is still up to you! “We’re very sensitive to what people are saying on the survey,” InnerLoopCondos.com’s Andre Julien tells the Chronicle‘s Betty Martin. So how are the votes tallying?

The company won’t start planning until the survey had received about 50 responses, the minimum needed to gauge what prospective condo buyers want, Julien said.

What? Fewer than 50 votes!???

Readers, the ballot box is still open. You have six colorful theming choices. Do you need to hear that lecture again about how important your vote is?

Images: InnerLoopCondos.com

9 Comment

  • I’m wondering if they already have financing secured? This group has shown to be able to build mid-rise buildings. They were smart to stay away from their old high-rise proposal for uptown. It’s an easier market for the lower priced condos.

    If it moves forward, then great!

  • Low votes because they are all ugly. I mean, really ugly.

  • Same old, same old, faux modern, faux mediterranean, faux been there already. At the present rate of building mid-rises, they should be absorbed, by, oh, 2020 when hindsight…well you know.

  • What’s wrong with the faux modern, Mediterranean, etc. designs?

    Why does every project have to meet some unimaginable architectural standard?

    If every new building or structure met this standard, then there would be truly no unique and great buildings. Having a sea of average designs only make the better ones stand out more. Not every building can be a Gehry, Calatrava, I.M. Pei.

  • frustrating. where’s the frikin’ link to vote?!?!

  • Maybe people wanted to vote “none of the above” but there wasn’t a choice for that?

    I can’t see how any of those styles actually fits on the tiny Bistro Vino lot.

  • What’s the difference between this and 1717 Bissonnet? Same traffic problems, same question of “aesthetics” and yet no one seems to have said one word.

    Guess none of the V&E attorneys live in the area. Which includes some homes that are worth more than many of the homes in Southampton and Boulevard Oaks. At least Bissonnet has some aesthetic appeal despite everyone saying it doesn’t.

    This one so far should be condemned before it’s even built.

  • I’ll vote for the bottom right, but only if they promise to build the mountain in the background.

  • @mmeads:

    Try the second link at the bottom of the story.