11/29/07 8:56am

Construction at Intersection of Elgin and Louisiana, Midtown

A reader who frequents Midtown sends photos showing the progress of the new building at 3201 Louisiana, along with comments.

Took this from near the corner of Elgin and Milam. Steel’s all up, and then some. 24 Hour Fitness is supposed to be moving into the top floor. The parking garage [in the foreground] was already there but was shuttered for a long time, has been painted and dressed up. Will be great to have an actual new three-story building with retail in midtown, instead of the usual strip centers and drug stores.

After the jump, plans and fancy renderings of the finished building, plus: our correspondent gets snarky!

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10/29/07 11:07am

Belle Meade at River Oaks Elevation Drawing

Belle Meade at River Oaks on Westheimer

A permit was issued late last week. And so sitework begins for the 119-unit, 168,398-square-foot Belle Meade at River Oaks, on Westheimer between Ferndale and Sackett, developed by Grayco Partners:

The project is a 6-story epicore (light steel) construction on top of a 2-story podium garage. The boutique building will resemble the look of turn of the century, old New York hotels in brick with cast stone details, while spacious interiors will include such amenities as hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and individual wine chillers. Community amenities will include conditioned interior corridors, heated pool, fitness facility, business center and a resident recreation room.

Grayco is also developing Museum Place, at Fannin and Oakdale in Midtown—a “contemporary design” also on a two-story podium. And Braeswood Place, on North Braeswood just east of Stella Link: the more usual four-story stick apartments hugging a parking garage, but it’ll also include 21 townhouses. It’s meant to look like Rice. All three properties will be managed by Camden Property Trust.

10/26/07 8:25am

This Old House by Aerosol Warfare at the Diverseworks Satellite Space

DiverseWorks gave graffiti collaborative Aerosol Warfare free reign to paint the arts organization’s satellite space at the corner of Alabama and Almeda in Midtown, and this is the result.

You remember this house, right? It’s the one that used to have giant Sesame Street characters airbrushed all over it.

08/22/07 10:36am

Demolition of the Fu Kim Grand Palace, Midtown Houston, June 2007

Christus Foundation for HealthCare, liberated a year ago from ownership of St. Joseph Hospital downtown, is planning a new family health center in Midtown at the corner of Fannin and McGowen. That’s the recently cleared lot where the Fu Kim Grand Palace complex used to stand.

Foundation president Les Cave tells the Chronicle the new building will be

a 55,000-square-foot “super clinic” designed to keep the uninsured out of emergency rooms whenever possible while giving them specialized care in everything from cardiology to orthopedics to dentistry.

The San Jose Clinic, the oldest charity clinic in the country, will move into the new facility from its current location under Highway 59 near Minute Maid Park, along with social services functions from Associated Catholic Charities.

Photo of Fu Kim Grand Palace demolition: Flickr user Dan Sandler