Tag: Proposed Developments

Museum Park Plans

77004, Apartments, Hermann Park, Highrises, Museum Park, Proposed Developments

Bayous and Waterways

12/02/14 2:45pm

Comment of the Day: Why the Water in Your Naturally Filtered Bayou-Side Swimming Hole Is Going To Be Brown

Bayous and Waterways, Comments, Proposed Developments, Water Features, Water Quality

Comments, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Water Quality

15 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHY THE WATER IN YOUR NATURALLY FILTERED BAYOU-SIDE SWIMMING HOLE IS GOING TO BE BROWN Illustration of Proposed Houston Swimming Hole “Iâ€™ll bite. Hereâ€™s a very simple engineering analysis. Problems with stream-fed swimming pools in Houston are going to be three-fold: 1) Silt (in engineer-speak, Total-Suspended-Solids or TSS). TSS is treated with sedimentation basins. That can be a large pool (that people donâ€™t swim in) adjacent to the real pool. In water/wastewater treatment plants, a coagulant like alum is usually added to sedimentation basins to make TSS precipitate out quicker. If youâ€™re going to do this with no chemicals, youâ€™ve got to be willing to accept either VERY long treatment times, or only partially successful results. The tiny diameter of the clay particles that make up the TSS in our bayous just flat out wonâ€™t come out of suspension without a coagulant, so the water WILL be brown. Itâ€™s not necessarily a deal breaker — the water in Galvestonâ€™s brown too. 2) Bacteria (in engineer-speak, total coliform count). See here.Â Usually these are E. Coli, algae, and some protests. ALL streams/lakes/oceans in the entire world have this, even the cleanest and clearest. Realistically, to get an insurance policy to operate, the waterâ€™s going to have to be disinfected to some degree. That means chlorination (chemicals), ozonation (chemicals), or UV disinfection. More on UV in a minute. 3) Dissolved oxygen content. You donâ€™t want the water to turn anaerobic.Â If thereâ€™s enough carbon-containing compounds dissolved in the water, the bacteria naturally in the water will eat it rapidly, causing the bacteria to use up all the oxygen thatâ€™s already dissolved in the water. This leads to any/all fish in the water suddenly dying off, as well as noxious smells and other really terrible stuff. You can make sure the dissolved oxygen doesnâ€™t drop by filtering out carbon containing compounds (takes chemicals), or using aerators. A dual-way to solve the #2 and #3 issues is by passing the water over a very shallow (less than 6-in. deep) bed of rocks at a fast speed. Think rapids. This lets the water simultaneously re-oxygenate and also absorb huge amounts of UV. This might be the sort of silver bullet that makes this possible in Houston. So: This is going to be expensive, but itâ€™s probably do-able. However, the water is still going to be brown. Sorry.” [Ornlu, commenting onÂ Bayou Swimming Hole Promoters Jump To Kickstarter To Jumpstart Project] Illustration: Houston Needs a Swimming Hole

Bayous and Waterways

11/26/14 12:15pm

Bayou Swimming Hole Promoters Jump to Kickstarter To Jumpstart Project

Proposed Developments, Quicklink

30 Comments

BAYOU SWIMMING HOLE PROMOTERS JUMP TO KICKSTARTER TO JUMPSTART PROJECT Proposed Central Houston Swimming Hole Just how feasible would it be to build a 3-acre self-cleaning swimming hole somewhere near the center of Houston, so you could take your ownÂ bathing-suits-and-skyscrapers pics like the one shown here — without resorting to Photoshop? If enough people donate to the Kickstarter for the Houston Needs a Swimming Hole campaign, you may get to find out. Promoters Monte Large, Evan O’Neil, and Jeff Kaplan are hoping to raise $30,000 from contributors for a feasibility study for their proposal — including a preliminaryÂ site selection component. The study would be conducted by Sherwood Design Engineers, whose Houston branch is a tenant in office space connected to Kaplan’s New Living store on Kirby Dr. The swimming hole, meant to serve as a centerpiece of Houston’s growing our-bayous-are-our-parks system, would be patterned on the natural swimming pool model common in Europe, where adjacent plant-filled “regeneration zones” filter the water, and no chemicals are needed. [Kickstarter; more info] Photo: Houston Needs a Swimming Hole

Bayous and Waterways, Proposed Developments, Swimming Pools

Adaptive Reuse

11/24/14 3:46pm

Ronnie Killen Putting New Burger Joint in Old Pearland Gas Station

Pearland, Proposed Developments, Restaurants

8 Comments

killens-burgers-loopnet

Exxon marks the spot for Ronnie Killen’s latest foray into the Pearland meat market: A burger joint, going in aÂ derelict Exxon station at the corner of S. Main St. and Broadway St. and sharing a busy intersection with Whataburger and folksy Pearland institution the Busy Bee Cafe.

Killen had teased readers of his social media sites earlier this month with snapshots of the gas station, but on Friday, he at last confirmed it as the future home of Killen’s Burger on the Killen’s Barbecue Facebook page:

77581, Adaptive Reuse, Pearland, Proposed Developments, Restaurants

11/20/14 3:15pm

Construction Set To Begin on the Luxury Jewel Box, the Galleria’s Chi-Chi Pad Site

Galleria, Malls, Parking, Proposed Developments, Retail

21 Comments

Galleria-blue-lot-jewel-box

As of December 1, Galleria tenants and workers who park in the Blue GarageÂ fronting Westheimer (labeled “Construction Zone” in the above site plan) will have to find another place to stash their rides. Explains an official “communiquÃ© from the management office” of Unilev, operators of Galleria Tower II: “This relocation is to due to impending construction by Simon Properties of a free-standing retail structure that will be erected on the surface lot directly above the Blue Garage.” That structure will be going on the 14,000-sq.-ft. pad site in front of the portals to the Cheesecake Factory; it’ll be known colloquially as theÂ “luxury jewel box.”Â Simon Properties intends the building to house up to 3 high-end retailers.

A user going by the name of JJ18 postedÂ these renderings of the proposed structure to HAIF back in March:

Bling!

77056, Galleria, Galleria Mall, Proposed Developments, Retail

Condos

11/14/14 10:00am

Here’s a First Glimpse of the Actual Design for the 100-Unit Condo Tower Randall Davis Wants To Put at the End of GreenStreet Downtown

Downtown, Highrises, Proposed Developments

32 Comments

Rendering of the Marlowe, Proposed Condo Tower at 1211 Caroline St., Downtown Houston Yesterday the Downtown Management District approved funding under the city’s downtown living initiative for Randall Davis’s planned downtown condo tower. But before Swamplot could receive any additional entries in the impromptu design competition for the project initiated by a reader, the developer appears to have gone ahead and dropped a view of his own proposal. Here, in all it’s blanc-et-noir-ish splendor, is an actual rendering of the Marlowe as its developer intends it. The 100-unit building is shown hovering over a Photoshop-white blanket atop an aerial map of the block bounded by Polk, Caroline, Austin, and Dallas streets, across the street from the House of Blues at the eastern end of GreenStreet, the renamed Houston Pavilions.

The Marlowe

380 Agreements, 77002, Condos, Downtown, Highrises, Mixed-Use, Proposed Developments, Randall Davis

College Station

11/12/14 1:00pm

Here Comes College Station’s Answer to CityCentre, Right Across the Street from Texas A&M

Development Patterns, Mixed Use, Uncategorized

30 Comments

century-square-rendering

Amid much local hullabaloo Â in Aggieland today, Houston’s Midway Cos.Â unveiled its plans for a newÂ campus-adjacent mixed-use complex. By fall 2016, Midway hopes that Century Square will feature anÂ outdoor concert space, a midrise office building and conference center, an apartment building, shopping and dining outlets, and, at least judging from the site plan below, ample space for a pad site or six along busy University Dr. Â Not one but 2 new boutique hotels are also slated to go up at the corner of College Ave. and University Dr. across the street from Texas A&M’sÂ polo fields and Emerging Technologies BuildingÂ and the local IHOP.

neo-urbanizing aggieland

77840, College Station, Hotels, Mixed-Use, Proposed Developments, Texas A&M

11/12/14 12:00pm

A New Park Is About To Sprout by the Freeway in the Fifth Ward

Fifth Ward, New Construction, Parks, Public Housing

10 Comments

Proposed Community Park at Kelly Village Housing Development, 3118 Green St., Fifth Ward, Houston

Signs are now up along the feeder road of the East Fwy. near Gregg St., a reader tells Swamplot, announcing an impending construction project on the site where last year demolition crews removed 63 units belonging to the Kelly Village Apartments that had been left to decay after sustaining damage from Hurricane Ike. Scheduled to go up soon in its place is the $800,000 freeway-side park illustrated above, which was announced last year. The 3-acre site near the confluence of I-10 and Hwy. 59 will include a playground, jogging and walking trails, exercise spots, and a community garden.

Previously on Swamplot:Â Mom’s Letter Leads City To Raze Derelict Fifth Ward Housing

Rendering: Houston Housing Authority

A Park at Kelly Village

77020, Fifth Ward, New Construction, Parks, Proposed Developments, Public Housing

11/07/14 10:00am

A New Sign of Future Development Appears on Heights Hike-and-Bike Trail Site

Houston Heights, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments

43 Comments

surge-homes-sign-emes-place

Here’s the sign that a reader says went up earlier this week along the south side of the Heights hike-and-bike trail just south of the Freeland Historic District, at the ends of Frasier St. and E. 5th 1/2 St. Does the promise of “future development” mean that another developer is taking a turn trying to develop the 1.4-acre parcel of land where a proposed 80-plus-unit condo project known variously as Emes Place or Viewpoint at the Heights stirred up a fair amount of neighborhood opposition when it was last in the news a couple of years ago?

77007, Freeland Historic District, Heights Hike-and-Bike Trail, Houston Heights, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments

Surge!

11/05/14 1:00pm

Fancy San Felipe Townhome Project Downsizes from French to English

Proposed Developments, Real Estate Marketing, Townhomes, Upper Kirby

3 Comments

saint-honore-rendering

What happened to that Fortress French development of enormous $2.2-million-plus townhomesÂ (pictured at top) planned for the former site of Urban Retreat across the street from River Oaks on the corner of San Felipe and Revere St.? Builder Rohe & Wright has scrapped plans for the 10-unit Saint HonorÃ© at 1900 Revere St. — in favor of a reconfigured development that will lack its predecessor’s continental pretensions:

Wilde Associations

77019, Proposed Developments, Real Estate Marketing, Townhomes, Upper Kirby

Apartments

10/29/14 4:30pm

The 8-Story Apartment Building Kicking El Tiempo 1308 Cantina Off Montrose Blvd. Won’t Touch U-Plumb-It or Gibbs Boats

Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Retail

9 Comments

El Tiempo 1308 Cantina, 1308 Montrose Blvd., North Montrose, Houston

El Tiempo 1308 Cantina, 1308 Montrose Blvd., North Montrose, Houston If future residents of the new 8-story apartment building that’s being planned to go up in place of the El Tiempo 1308 Cantina and quite a few of its neighboring buildings don’t want to wait around for management to fix their leaky faucets, they won’t have far to go to find spare washers or other plumbing parts. Neighboring fix-it-yourself plumbing supply store U-Plumb-It will likely still be around to sell them parts and hand out advice — because it won’t be included in the redevelopment. But everything north of it, on the block bounded by Marconi St., West Clay St., and Montrose Blvd. will. Developer Sunrise Luxury Living is planning to build 5 stories of apartments — 220 units in all — over 3 levels of parking, a source tells Swamplot. Plans currently include some sort of retail component on the bottom floor, facing Montrose Blvd.

More Redevelopment Details

77019, Apartments, Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Restaurants, Retail

Apartments

10/29/14 10:15am

El Tiempo Says Multi-Story Apartments Will Replace Montrose’s 1308 Cantina Early Next Year

Buying and Selling, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Restaurants

22 Comments

Rear Entrance, El Tiempo 1308 Cantina, 1308 Montrose Blvd., North Montrose, Houston

El Tiempo’s Roland Laurenzo reports that the land under his family’s El Tiempo 1308 Cantina on Montrose Blvd. is being sold by the owner for a “multi-story apartment project development.” The restaurant, which leases the space, is looking for another Montrose spot where it can relocate after it closes early next year. Greg Morago’s report in the Chronicle doesn’t provide any additional detail about the proposed apartments, but the 1308 Cantina, bounded by West Clay St., occupies the northern third of a long block capped on the southern end by the for-sale and shuttering Gibbs Boats at West Gray St. Between those 2 properties are a tire shop and the U-Plumb-It supply store. The 1308 Cantina took over from a restaurant called Sabor, a mid-aughts upscale replacement for La Jalisciense at the same 1308 Montrose Blvd. spot.

Update, 4:30 pm:Â Here are some more details on the apartment development replacing the 1308 Cantina and many of its neighbors.

El Tiempo 1308 Cantina may soon close [Food Chronicles]

Photo of El Tiempo 1308 Cantina from Marconi St. parking lot:Â Bill Coatney [license]

Getting Ready To Move

77019, Apartments, Buying and Selling, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment, Restaurants

Development Regulations

10/28/14 1:45pm

Goode Company Planning Armadillo Palace Expansion on Kirby, Including a New General Store Around the Corner

Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Upper Kirby

2 Comments

Goode's Armadillo Palace, 5015 Kirby Dr., Upper Kirby, Houston

The Goode Company 4-restaurant fiefdom on Kirby Dr. near Westpark is planning another expansion. Plans submitted to the city show the local chain is seeking to expand Goode’s Armadillo Palace with additional covered patio space, a new courtyard facing Bartlett St., and covered walkways connecting them — all on the current parking lot directly across the street from Goode Company BBQ. In addition, a new Goode’s Armadillo Palace General Store is planned for the far eastern end of the site, with a raised covered porch in front of its entrance facing Bartlett St. The single-story structure housing the store, according to the documents, would be built in a “traditional German country style.”

Moving Around the Corner

77098, Additions, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Upper Kirby, Variances

10/23/14 12:00pm

New Cabela’s Will Show League City What Dead Wildlife Looks Like, and How To Get It That Way

League City, Proposed Developments, Retail

8 Comments

Cabela's Store in Buda, Texas

Cabela's Store in Allen, Texas What should League City expect with the first Houston-area Cabela’s, set to open in a year’s time near the Big League Dreams Sports Park off the Gulf Fwy. and Big League Dreams Pkwy.? All the wonders of wildlife and its stalkers brought indoors, for your perusal and entertainment. That means vast arrangements of deceased but realistic-looking animals mounted in museum-like displays, a “gun library” where you’ll be able to check out the latest in classic, antique, collectible, or just plain hoard-able firearms, an indoor archery range, a fudge shop, and other tourist attractions. Plus, for local flatlanders who may never have seen one, an actual mountain replica. All displayed as it should be, in a big-roofed, fully air-conditioned space not far from Kohl’s and H-E-B.

At 72,000 sq. ft., the store will only be one-third the size of the chain’s behemoth in Fort Worth, but it’ll be bigger than the outposts in Waco and Lubbock. A company press release says the store will feature log construction, as well as other outdoorsy-store mainstays such as metal roofing, wood siding, and stone add-ons.

Cabela’s Announces Plans for League City, TX, Store [Cabela’s]

Photos of Buda (interior) and Allen (exterior) stores: Cabela’s

Outdoors Indoors

77573, Critters, League City, Proposed Developments, Retail

Condos

10/22/14 1:15pm

Here’s a First Entry in an Impromptu ‘What Randall Davis’s New Downtown Condo Tower Will Probably Look Like’ Design Competition