Tag: Mixed Use

10/24/08 10:10am

Go-Aheads for Sonoma

Condos, Financing, Land Sales, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Rice Village, Streets

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GO-AHEADS FOR SONOMA Randall Davis’s Sonoma development couldn’t get financing for its first phase, but the condos-and-retail project’s sales team is now saying it has financing for its second phase, planned for the south side of Bolsover St. And requirements for taking over the block of Bolsover between the two projects have been fulfilled: “In an e-mail sent Saturday, sales team member Keith Kaposta said groundbreaking at the Rice Village site was still expected in February following the expiration of Walgreensâ€™ lease on the property at 5313 Kelvin St. In another development, the city of Houston said Tuesday that ~~developer Randall Davis~~ property owner La Mesa Corp. had successfully completed all work that was required by the extended deadline of Oct. 27. . . . [Public Works Department spokesman Alvin] Wright said even if the work covered under the letters of credit was not completed by the deadlines, the city would not get the property back. [West University Examiner; previously]

77005, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Financing, Land Sales, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Randall Davis, Rice-Village, Sonoma, Streets

Apartments

10/21/08 11:22am

Putting Off the Ritz: Boulevard Place Towers Stalled

Financing, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment

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Aerial View of BLVD Place, Showing Proposed Ritz Carlton and Hanover Apartment Towers

Remember the two 30-plus-story towers planned for Boulevard Place on Post Oak — the Ritz Carlton Hotel and the Hanover apartment tower? How have they been surviving the rumbling credit crunch?

A HAIF user last week

got slight confirmation that both the hanover tower and the ritz are going to be delayed at least slightly… they still expected both to happen, but they will be phased in.

Then yesterday came another comment:

i can confirm this in regards to hanover.

dont expect their tower to be built anytime soon.. i would consider it postponed indefinitely rather than slightly.

Followed by this:

As a sub on this project I will also confirm this. We have been told at least 6 months of delays.

But they still look great on ~~paper~~screen!

77056, Apartments, BLVD Place, Condos, Financing, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Uptown

Downtown

10/17/08 9:20am

A Soft Opening for Houston Pavilions

Malls, Mixed Use, New Construction, Nightlife, Office Space, Openings and Closings, Retail, Shopping Centers

6 Comments

House of Blues at Houston Pavilions, Downtown Houston

Walkways at Houston Pavilions, Downtown Houston

At the new House of Blues last night: Jay-Z. And three blocks away, Books-A-Million and a roman-numeral flagship version of Forever 21 are now open! But between them in Downtown’s brand-new mixed-use street-hovering mall? Not much going on . . . yet:

The developers of the three block long Houston Pavilions said the pavilions will be the place to go, but for now it’s mainly a lot of space.

“It’s different because you don’t have a lot of nightlife down here. But with the restaurant, the Foundations Room, and the music hall at the House of Blues, we are going to bring people to the Pavilions,” [said] Deb Eybers, President of the House of Blues.

They wonâ€™t just bring people. Tenants will also be coming to the area. But for now there are just a handful of businesses.

More are slated to come on line in December and even more in the spring. Then the complex will be at 60 percent capacity.

The complex extends from Main St. to Caroline between Dallas and Polk — only a few surface-parking-lot blocks from the Toyota Center and Discovery Green.

77002, Downtown, Houston Pavilions, Malls, Mixed Use, New Construction, Nightlife, Office Space, Openings and Closings, Retail, Shopping Centers

10/15/08 6:20pm

Extremely Well Furnished in Katy

Homes for Sale, Katy, Mixed Use, Retail

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Entry to Living Space, 2006 Fry Rd., Katy, Texas

Dining Room, 2006 Fry Rd., Katy, Texas This place is huge! 6000 sq. ft. of living space, reads the listing:

Includes 4 Big Bedrooms, 2 full baths, Large Formal Dining, Huge kitchen w/gas cooking, Granite Counters, Porcelain sink, walk-in pantry, breakfast bar, serving bar and tile floor. Living/Family area w/gas fireplace, wood laminate floors. large inviting entry. Study or 5th bedroom.

That’s a lot of home! How could anyone furnish it all?

Not a problem!

77084, Commercial Real Estate, Furniture, Homes for Sale, Katy, Mixed Use, Retail

10/09/08 9:42am

Will the Village Get Its Bolsover Back?

Condos, Financing, Land Sales, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Rice Village, Streets

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The West U Examiner‘s Michael Reed points out that Randall Davis has a looming deadline to complete some work on the block of Bolsover St. in Rice Village that was purchased from the city:

A condition, passed by the Houston City Council at the time of the sale, specified that some changes to the site of the high-end condo over retail project must be completed within one year.

The block was sold in August of last year so that Davis could use it as part of his Sonoma mixed-use development. Since then, Davis has run into problems finding financing, and the project has changed considerably. He now wants to build the smaller second phase — on the south side of the street — first. But the Walgreens currently on that site has a lease that won’t be up until January.

What needs to get done by the end of October?

The plugging and abandonment of the 8-inch water line within the street, and the relocation of the existing storm sewer inlets to Bolsover and Morningside.

The developer is â€œrequired to eliminate the appearance of the public streetâ€ at the intersections of Bolsover and both Kelvin and Morningside.

Bolsover deadline at hand [West University Examiner]
Previously in Swamplot: Sonoma: Bolsover Bulldozer, Sonoma Holdup: We Need Some Money, Council Bowls Over, So No More Street

77005, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Financing, Land Sales, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Randall Davis, Rice-Village, Sonoma, Streets

09/09/08 12:25pm

Sonoma: Bolsover Bulldozer

Condos, Demolitions, Development Strategy, Financing, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Rice Village, Streets

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Demolition on Bolsover St., Rice Village, October 2007

Having torn down an entire block of buildings in the Rice Village for a condo project the company can’t get financed, Randall Davis has a better idea: Why not demolish the buildings on the other side of Bolsover — so they can build the second phase instead?

The Chronicle‘s Nancy Sarnoff reports that Davis and company have been unable to get a $100 million construction loan for the Sonoma mixed-use condo development he’s been marketing for a couple of years. Hey, that’s no problem! Just move on to the next project, and double down on the demo:

Now they’re negotiating for a $70 million loan with 40 percent equity to build the smaller second phase of 85 units.

“Hopefully they’ll respond positively since we have so many sales,” said Davis.

The sales, however, are for the first phase of the project, which has been 50 percent pre-sold.

And the second phase is on the south side of Bolsover, where Walgreen’s has a lease until January.

After the jump: marginal views of phase two!

77005, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Demolitions, Development Strategy, Financing, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Randall Davis, Retail, Rice-Village, Sonoma, Streets

Homebuilders

09/03/08 2:12pm

The Old West Side of Studewood

Houston Heights, Mixed Use, New Construction, Parking, Restaurants, Retail

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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!

77008, Homebuilders, Houston Heights, Mixed Use, New Construction, Office Space, Parking, Restaurants, Retail, Theming

08/18/08 11:47am

Sonoma Holdup: We Need Some Money

Condos, Financing, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Retail, Rice Village, Streets

2 Comments

Plaza on Former Bolsover St., Sonoma, Rice Village, Houston

“Sonoma is mystery,” proclaims Randall Davis near the end of an excruciatingly long promotional video posted at the project’s recently updated website. Part of the mystery, of course, has been when — or whether — construction might actually begin on the 7-story condos-shops-and-parking Rice Village layer cake. Since the buildings on the site were demolished and the block of Bolsover between Kelvin and Morningside was fenced in last fall, not much has happened.

Nancy Sarnoff has some details on the delay:

Sonoma, an upscale condo and retail project planned in Rice Village, was supposed to break ground in April.

The land has been cleared to start building, but the developers have a loan commitment for just half of what it will take to build it.

“We’re ready to put a shovel in the ground,” said Julie Tysor, president of Lamesa Corp., owner of the project. “The speed of the changing lending markets wasn’t really anticipated by any of the people involved.”

Builders hit by credit crunch as banks tighten cash flow [Houston Chronicle, via HAIF]
Experience Sonoma [Randall Davis]
Previously in Swamplot: Sonoma Units Available?, Council Bowls Over, So No More Street, It Takes the Village: New Mixed Use

Rendering of Sonoma: Ziegler Cooper Architects

77005, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Financing, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Randall Davis, Retail, Rice-Village, Sonoma, Streets

Condos

07/15/08 11:06am

Regent Square Ghost Tower: I Come from the Future

Mixed Use, Montrose, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

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View of Proposed Regent Square, North Montrose, Houston, Showing Ghost Tower in the Distance

This updated rendering of Regent Square’s central square, showing a ghost-like tower looming in the not-so-distant distance, has been posted to CBRE’s leasing page for the project, notes sharp-eyed HAIF user ChannelTwoNews. A reader sent it to us, too.

What is it?

Two condo towers are planned for the first phase of the project. In a rendering leaked to us back in May, the condo towers are are drawn as shadowy boxes. But this new ghost tower isn’t one of them.

After the jump: the ghost of Regent Square’s future!

77019, Condos, Mixed Use, Montrose, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Regent Square

Hotels

07/14/08 2:02pm

1634 Westheimer: New Bunkhouse Hotel in Montrose

Mixed Use, Montrose, Proposed Developments

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Drawing Showing Planned Hotel at 1634 Westheimer, Montrose, Houston

Concept drawings for the new “boutique” hotel on Westheimer mentioned here on Friday are out! A tipster sends us to a HAIF post pointing to the Bunkhouse Management website, where Liz Lambert and company — the team behind Austin’s too-cool slow-mo Hotel San Jose rehab and Jo’s Coffee — have posted sketches of a 5-story, 75-room hotel complex planned for 1634 Westheimer, between Dunlavy and Mandell.

Yes, that’s the long-vacant failed-condo site next to Buffalo Exchange, across the street from the Leopard Lounge. Bunkhouse describes the site as a “blank slate,” but they’re likely to find a number of poured-then-abandoned piers on the property.

Bunkhouse’s plans show a restaurant, patio, and retail space fronting Westheimer. The hotel, wrapping around a pool, is in back, reachable from the front patio and a car entrance along one-block-long Kuester St., on the east side of the property.

Below: More drawings, including a site plan.

77006, Hotels, Lower Westheimer, Mixed Use, Montrose, Proposed Developments

Chinatown

07/09/08 10:43am

Park 8 Chinatown Condo Project: Parked?

Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Highrises, Medical Buildings, Mixed Use, Parks, Proposed Developments, Strip Centers

2 Comments

Crane for Park 8, Beltway 8 Near Arthur Storey Park, Houston

Lou Minatti notes that the construction crane parked on the site of the Park 8 condo tower project on the west side of Beltway 8 between Bellaire and Beechnut has at long last been dismantled and removed. Is it time to say goodbye to the Land of Oz?

More bad news for fans of the 3-tower (plus hospital and strip center) project: The video originally embedded in our story about the project from last year is down too. But don’t worry . . . YouTube has a copy! See it again — and relive some of that Oz highrise magic — after the jump.

77072, Canceled Projects, Chinatown, Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Highrises, Hospitals, Medical Buildings, Mixed Use, Parks, Proposed Developments, Retail, Strip Centers

Galleria

06/05/08 4:16pm

Galleria Whole Foods Parking Puzzle Solved

Parking, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Retail, Shopping Centers

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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 HermÃ¨s. Just imagine what awkward social situations that would have caused!

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

77056, BLVD Place, Mixed Use, Parking, Parking-Garages, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Retail, Shopping Centers, Whole Foods

Apartments

06/04/08 3:08pm

The Sleek Strip, the Ritz Tower, and the Path to Whole Foods: A Closer Look at Boulevard Place

Commercial Real Estate, Condos, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers

7 Comments

Post Oak Blvd. Parking, Blvd Place, Uptown, Houston

Sure, the super-Mod architecture, elevated sidewalks, artistically moistened streets, and glistening rotunda in the new Boulevard Place renderings make the place look pretty swank, but what’s with the token strip of parking spots out front? Is this gonna be pay-to-display valet? Some kind of shopping-center twist on a velvet rope line? Or just a stab at maintaining Houston street cred: Sure, Post Oak Blvd. might be going urban upscale, but this is one development that won’t be forgetting its strip-center roots!

Updated views of Blvd Place, including the new Ritz-Carlton and Hanover towers — plus a site plan and a Whole Foods puzzle! It’s all below:

77056, Apartments, BLVD Place, Condos, Galleria, Hotels, Mixed Use, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Uptown, Whole Foods

Mixed Use

05/27/08 11:23am

The New Regent Square: Details and Drawings

Montrose, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

7 Comments

Aerial View of New Regent Square Square, Houston

Thanks to two helpful readers, we have a solid update on Regent Square, now that the GID Urban Development Group has straightened out that kink in its plans. First comes word of updated drawings, panned in dizzying Ken Burns-worthy passes on the development’s website. And then: more of the scoop!

It’s all waiting for you, after the jump: a report on presentations at last week’s meeting of the North Montrose Civic Association, plus stationary images of the new Regent Square, lovingly stitched together for your at-a-glance perusal by another Swamplot correspondent.