Tag: Development Strategy

77007, Development Strategy, First Ward, Landscape, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Streets, Washington Corridor

Condos

09/05/08 10:00am

Cisterns and Balcony Bikes: What You’ll See at the Mirabeau B.

Construction Materials, Development Strategy, Environmental, Green Design and Development, Hyde Park, Montrose, Proposed Developments, Real Estate Marketing

7 Comments

Rendering of Mirabeau B. Condos, 2410 Waugh Dr., Hyde Park, Montrose, Houston

How could anyone hope to top the opening line of River Oaks Examiner reporter Kirsten Salyer’s story about the Mirabeau B. condos?

Pigs flew over Hyde Park as residents and developers came together to promote Houstonâ€™s first green condominium.

This full-priced condo building is slated for the former site of Half Price Books, at the corner of Hyde Park and Waugh in Montrose. The 4-story development will have 14 units, priced mostly from $400,000 to $600,000 — though one penthouse unit will go for a cool million.

If they can sell 6, developer Joey Romano tells Salyer, they’ll actually build it!

And here’s some of the promised greenishness: The Mirabeau B. will leave 5 large oak trees and a large open space on the site. There’ll be a green roof, a solar array to shade one of the walkways, and cisterns to capture runoff. Harvest Moon Development says it’ll use low-flow plumbing fixtures, low-E glass, and low-VOC paints. A single central heating-and-cooling system to save energy. Attention to natural light in each unit. An in-condo recycling area. And actual native plants!

Plus a few more things that go with the hoped-for LEED-Silver rating: 10 percent of all building materials will contain recycled content, and 20 percent will come from within 500 miles. Half of all construction waste will be recycled.

What’s the punchline? How about . . . the architecture firm is from Austin?

More images of the Mirabeau B. below!

77006, Condos, Construction Materials, Development Strategy, Green Design, Green Development, Hyde Park, Montrose, Proposed Developments

08/06/08 2:46pm

Lookout for Townhouses: What Do You Make of the First Ward?

Development Strategy, First Ward, Industrial Properties, Proposed Developments, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Marketing, Redevelopment, Townhomes

6 Comments

Bridge over Railroad Tracks, First Ward North of Edwards St., Houston

It seems son-of-a-son-of-a-guv Paul Hobby wasn’t quite clear at first what to do with a huge industrial site he bought in the First Ward:

Over the years, Hobby says, there was interest in turning it into an indoor soccer facility. There was also talk of growing lettuce inside the large warehouse. But a year ago, Hobby came up with the idea to create a data center in the space.

But that’s just the start of it. The site is the former Budweiser distribution plant Silver Eagle Distributors left behind when it built its new bunker further west on Washington Ave. Hobby bought the First Ward facility quietly from Silver Eagle in 2004 and leased it back to the company for a while before it left. The site stretches along Edwards St. from Sawyer to Silver, a few blocks north of Washington.

Indoor farm . . . server farm . . . why not? The possibilities are endless! But then, there’s always . . . townhomes!

A row of eight to 10 townhomes are slated to be built along Edwards Street. And an undetermined number of units are being considered for the eastern-most part of the property.

Of course! But it gets better . . .

77007, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, First Ward, Industrial Properties, Proposed Developments, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Marketing, Redevelopment, Security, Townhomes

Development Strategy

07/22/08 2:41pm

Why We Need the Grand Parkway Between 290 and I-10

Freeways and Toll Roads, Katy, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Sprawl

9 Comments

WHY WE NEED THE GRAND PARKWAY BETWEEN 290 AND I-10 “If the commissioners approve it, itâ€™s because they want new subdivisions built in the open space of the Katy Prairie. Weâ€™re building a highway for people who donâ€™t live here yet in hopes that developers will build houses for them and that they will want to live on a toll road 30 miles from Downtown in a world of $4 gas.” [Intermodality]

Development Strategy, Freeways, Grand Parkway, Katy, Proposed Developments, Sprawl

07/17/08 6:56pm

The Office Park Formerly Known as the Willowisp Country Club

Development Strategy, Fort Bend County, Leasing, Missouri City, New Construction, Office Buildings

Rendering of Lakeview Business Park, 14502 Fondren Rd., Missouri City, Texas

The Willowisp Country Club is being transformed — from not-loved-enough golf course . . . to tilt-wall paradise! First, the clubhouse was clubbed. Then somebody probably had to go around and remove all those holes. Now the first three buildings of Trammell Crow’s new 168-acre Lakeview Business Park are under construction, reports Amy Wolff Sorter in Globe St. They’ll be complete next year, and total 240,000 sq. ft.

Whether the remainder of the park goes spec, build to suit or a combination of both depends on the market. “We’re offering the buildings for sale or for lease, which is a little different from our typical program,” says James Casey, TCC’s managing director in Houston. TCC’s more traditional MO is to keep and lease what it builds.

“This method offers us greater flexibility since we have a lot of land for the business park,” Casey tells GlobeSt.com. “We’d like to get this park developed as quickly as we can and think offering these for sale will accelerate velocity of bringing users to the park.”

After the jump: a site plan, plus public-transit-friendly views of the first three buildings!

77489, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Fort Bend County, Leasing, Missouri City, New Construction, Office Buildings, Office Parks, Office Space

05/21/08 2:50pm

River Oaks Shopping Center Redo: Not Much of a Curve, but a Decent Wedge

Demolitions, Development Strategy, Historic Preservation, Houston Architects, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, River Oaks, Shopping Centers

3 Comments

Rendering of Proposed River Oaks Shopping Center Building at Shepherd and West Gray, Houston

And here it is: Weingarten’s two-story replacement for the northwesternmost River Oaks Shopping Center building at West Gray and Shepherd the company tore down last year.

One goal of this design seems pretty clear: Build a wedge building that helps forge a split between the two tiny groups that might otherwise join together to raise a stink about Weingarten’s larger redevelopment plans for that shopping center, the River Oaks Theater across the street, and the Alabama Theater Shopping Center further south on Shepherd. Preservation-preferring sentimentalists, ready to grumble that this isn’t the curve you expected or the black-and-white Art Deco-ish look you wanted, say hello to your design-elite friends, who are already breathing a sigh of relief that the new building at least isn’t going to be fakey retro. No, it’s not the cleanest Modern thing they’ve seen, but they know it’s the closest they’re likely to get from Heights Venture Architects. Look, Ma! No cornice!

There’s no sense catering to that second group too much though, because Weingarten will need them to be somewhat dispirited so the rest of the strategy can work. No, this wasn’t the wedge we expected, but hey, it’ll do! And it’s sure to draw attention away from the parking garage. Now remind us why we wanted to save that theater again?

After the jump: Close-ups! Site plans! Come back, Jamba Juice — all is forgiven!

77019, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Houston Architects, Landmarks, Preservation, Proposed Developments, River Oaks, River-Oaks-Shopping-Center, River-Oaks-Theater, Shopping Centers, Weingarten Realty

05/21/08 2:31pm

That Enormous Parking Garage Behind the River Oaks Shopping Center

Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Historic Preservation, New Construction, Parking, River Oaks, Shopping Centers, Trees

2 Comments

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!

Offer made for silence over River Oaks shopping center [River Oaks Examiner]
Weingarten Realty Investors Letter to Brentwood Residents (PDF) [River Oaks Examiner]
New River Oaks Shopping Center: a hazy deal? [Houstonist]
How To Demolish Houston Landmarks [Swamplot]

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

77019, Demolitions, Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Historic Preservation, Landmarks, New Construction, Parking-Garages, River Oaks, River-Oaks-Shopping-Center, Shopping Centers, Trees, Weingarten Realty

Apartments

05/16/08 10:03am

Hanover Apartment Tower at Boulevard Place: 37 Stories

Galleria, Highrises, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment

1 Comment

Hanover Company 37-Story Apartment Tower at BLVD Place, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz Today’s Chronicle has details on that apartment tower the Hanover Company has been planning for Boulevard Place, Ed Wulfe’s Post Oak redevelopment just north of the Galleria. Doing the math, your average 1,650-sq.-ft. apartment in the glass tower will rent for more than $4,000 a month.

That’s before it goes condo, of course.

At 37 stories, the 236-unit Hanover tower may end up even taller than the slender Ritz-Carlton planned directly to the south.

More info from Nancy Sarnoff:

Solomon Cordwell Buenz of Chicago is designing the building, which will have “boutique hotel style” amenities, including a concierge and bellman, as well as a lounge and catering kitchen.

A 19,000-square-foot rooftop pool terrace will be atop an attached parking garage.

The units will be similar to those in 7 Riverway, another Hanover project in the area. They will include stainless steel appliances, granite slab countertops, crown molding, hardwood floors and travertine tile, but will be larger and have additional features and amenities.

Hanover chose to design the building with larger units because it said there was considerable demand at 7 Riverway for oversized kitchens and living spaces.

After the jump: Where it’s going to land!

77056, BLVD Place, Condos, Development Strategy, Galleria, Highrises, Parks, Proposed Developments, Uptown

05/01/08 10:56am

That Nineties Retro Tower Coming to the West Loop

Development Strategy, Galleria, Green Design and Development, Highrises, Houston Architects, New Construction, Office Buildings, Proposed Developments

1 Comment

Proposed Office Tower at 1600 West Loop South, Uptown, Houston

From Ziegler Cooper Architects’ website: Renderings of a 20-story office tower the firm designed back in the early 1990s.

As we reported in February, the Novati Group plans to build the 500,000-square-foot spec tower, along with an 8-level parking garage, at 1600 West Loop South — next to Post Oak Motor Cars, on land purchased from Landry’s. The only changes from the original design will be adjustments so the building can qualify for LEED Silver certification.

So what if the design is old? Worrying that your brand new building already looks dated is so . . . last decade!

After the jump: the marble in the lobby will be old, too!

77027, Development Strategy, Galleria, Green Design, Highrises, Houston Architects, New Construction, Office Buildings, Office Space, Proposed Developments, Uptown

Apartments

03/31/08 11:52am

North Montrose and Memorial Heights: Look at Us Now

Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Development Strategy, Memorial Heights, Montrose, New Construction: Residential, Redevelopment

Alley Behind Townhomes Between Clay and W. Dallas, Houston

If you’re curious what the upper reaches of Montrose Blvd. look like from the viewpoint of an actual pedestrian, you’ll want to see blogger Charles Kuffner’s recent annotated photo walking tour of the area. Kuffner, who lived on Van Buren St. in the nineties, describes more recent developments on and around Montrose and Studemont — from West Gray north to Washington:

I did this partly to document what it looks like now – if you used to live there but haven’t seen it in awhile, you’ll be amazed – and partly to point out what I think can be done to make the eventual finished product better. . . .

My thesis is simple. This is already an incredibly densely developed corridor, and it’s going to get more so as the new high rise is built [see Swamplot’s story here] and several parcels of now-empty land get sold and turned into something else. It’s already fairly pedestrian-friendly, but that needs to be improved. And for all the housing in that mile-long stretch of road, there’s not enough to do.

Kuffner’s guide is a Flickr photo set. You’ll get the most out of it if you view it as a slideshow with the captions turned on (on the link, click on Options in the lower right corner, then make sure Always Show Title and Description is checked).

After the jump: A few more photos from Kuffner’s tour, plus an ID on those new condos behind Pronto!

77006, Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Development Strategy, Highrises, Land Sales, Memorial Heights, Montrose, Pedestrians, Redevelopment, Streets, Tours

Apartments

03/28/08 11:34am

Borlenghi: Houstonians Unclear on the European Concept

Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Parking, Real Estate Marketing, Retail, Shopping Centers

Arturoâ€™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.

Face to Face with… [Houston Business Journal]
Hotel Granduca

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

77056, Apartments, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Parking, Parking-Garages, Real Estate Marketing, Retail, Shopping Centers, Uptown, Uptown Park

Development Restrictions

03/14/08 4:00pm

Sunset Heights: Will Not Subdivide

Development Strategy, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Sunset Heights

6 Comments

Former Post Office at 2601 Baylor St., Sunset Heights, Houston

East Sunset Heights Methadone Clinic Ad

This Methadone Clinic graphic was posted today on the Medusa Properties website, and conveys in slightly different fashion the same news we received in our email from a Heights-area reader:

The oh-so-neighborly Mr. Jared Meadors did *not* receive the variance he requested for the Baylor St subdivision.

East Sunset Heights Community Methadone Clinic – Coming Fall 2008! [Medusa Properties]
Platting Activity – Section C (Items 88 – 90) (video) [HTV]
A Sunset Heights Lot Size Turf War [Swamplot]

Photo of 2601 Baylor St. and Methadone Clinic Graphic: Medusa Properties

77009, Development Restrictions, Development Strategy, Neighborhood Disputes, Planning Commission, Prevailing Lot Size, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Sunset Heights, Variances

Buying and Selling

03/14/08 8:44am

More Surface Deals Surface

Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Public Buildings, Real Estate Investing

From Abc13’s Wayne Dolcefino:

To get the winning hand, it helps to have the luck of the draw. Maybe that’s what Michael Surface has.

In January of 2005, one of his corporations buys an old H-E-B store on Antoine. The appraised value — $1. 2 million.

Two months later, Harris County announces it’s looking for a big building to replace Commissioner Lee’s Annex A in the same neighborhood that Michael Surface now owned his old H-E-B.

Maybe it was just a lucky hand for Mr. Surface. But years earlier, he was the guy in charge of Harris County’s building department.

(Hey, isn’t this the same guy who brought in the proposal to redevelop the Astrodome into a hotel? Good thing he’s outta there, so that deal can go forward!)

. . . tax records show [Surface] sold the [H-E-B] building and land to a corporation called HC5815 for $2.2 million. That corporation, in turn, got the winning hand months later. The head of that corporation was David Blumhardt from Dallas, who we’ve learned got the winning hand in at least nine Harris County real estate deals. His local representative on the Antoine project was the guy whose name we found on a worn out real estate sign — Jason G. Hall, Weston Partners, Ltd.

Where have I heard that name before?

Jason Hall used to work for Michael Surface at Harris County. Now, his real estate operation is located in Michael Surface’s offices.

When Jason Hall worked for the county, one of the projects he evaluated was 2525 Murworth. It’s now the home of Children’s Protective Services, part of a $35 million county real estate deal developed by Michael Surface just months after he left county government.

After the jump: a longer view!

77091, Buying and Selling, Commercial Real Estate, Development Strategy, Harris County Government, Public Buildings, Real Estate Investing

Construction Materials

03/04/08 11:47pm

Just Listed: Little Green Rehab in the Sixth Ward

Development Strategy, Environmental, Green Design and Development, Historic Preservation, Homes for Sale, Old Sixth Ward, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations

706 W. Sawyer St., Old Sixth Ward, Houston

It’s a little old bungalow on a small lot . . . but it’s clean and green inside! The sellers of this 2-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath, 960-sq.-ft. home say they’re trying to get this Sixth Ward home LEED certified:

The 1920 facade has been preserved, but when you open the door, its all about 21st century. The hm has been renovated using non toxic materials, low VOC paint & sustainable design materials.

A neighbor who watched the work reports the house was sold to the current owners as a teardown:

It was a nasty, dirty, filthy, funky house with a garage in the front yard. They tore the garage off the front, moved the house around on the lot a tad, and have done an outstanding renovation.

Plus: the neighbors are very very quiet, says our correspondent. The house is next to Glenwood Cemetery.

Read on for more pics, from before and after!

77007, Construction Materials, Development Strategy, Green Design, Green Development, Historic Preservation, Homes for Sale, Old-Sixth-Ward, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations

02/26/08 4:31pm

New West Loop Tower: Keeping the Uptown Office Market Up to Date

Development Strategy, Galleria, Green Design and Development, Highrises, Houston Architects, New Construction, Office Buildings, Proposed Developments