Tag: Proposed Developments

Stadiums, University of Houston

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Let’s do 2: As construction at U of H on the $105 millionÂ no-name replacement football stadium plows on, the regents have decided to go ahead and redo the basketball arena, too. It probably won’t look like this; the rendering shown here has been circulating since February. No, the regents’ decision this past Monday really means that other, newer designs will be undertaken to freshen up the 43-year-old Hofheinz Pavilion — where fashion mogul and Houston real estate player Hakeem Olajuwon first honed his shakes before opening his DR34M store in the old Jim West Mansion in Clear Lake.

The Houston Chronicle reports that, if approved, the project — which some reports have costing as much as $77 million — would introduce nicer locker rooms for the players and “premium seating” for fans, as well as a new sound system and video boards above the court. UH athletic director Mack Rhoades tells the Chronicle that as many as 9 other schools in the newly formed American Athletic Conference have, or are building, new arenas.

UH board approves first phase of Hofheinz renovation project [Houston Chronicle]
Board of Regents approves design phase of Hofheinz Pavillion [The Daily Cougar]
UH set to vote on possible Hofheinz renovations [KHOU]
Previously on Swamplot: New UH Football Stadium Will Point Team in a Slightly Different Direction, Hakeem Olajuwon Launches New Showcase Clothing Store in Former NASA Moon Institute, Goodbye, Robertson Stadium: Replacement UH Football Venue Gets Go-Ahead, UH: Fundraising for Robertson Stadium Replacement Halfway There

Rendering: UH Athletics

77004, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Stadiums, University of Houston

Demolitions

05/15/13 10:00am

Houston Club Tunnel Tenants Making Their Escape

Downtown, Office Buildings, Openings and Closings, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Restaurants, Retail

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HOUSTON CLUB TUNNEL TENANTS MAKING THEIR ESCAPE The last 2 restaurants in the tunnels underneath the 18-story former Houston Club Building on Rusk St. are preparing to get up and out of there, reports Prime Property’s Nancy Sarnoff: The below-ground Skyline Deli and KoKoro Sushi will have sold their last lunches by the end of May, in advance of what a rep from new building owner Skanska says will be “selective interior demolition and abatement.” And that demolition is about to become much less selective, adds Sarnoff, since Skanska says it’s designing an office tower for this Downtown lot bound by Rusk, Capitol, Travis, and Milam. [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Silberman Properties

77002, Demolitions, Downtown, Downtown Tunnel System, Office Buildings, Openings and Closings, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Retail

Hermann Park

05/14/13 11:30am

Sketching the Growth of the Hermann Park Garden Center

Museum District, Parks, Proposed Developments

16 Comments

This is what Hermann Park says it would like to look like when it turns 100 next year: This drawing of Centennial Gardens from Chicago landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt shows the blossoming of the currentÂ 15-acre Garden Center that’s between the museums and golf course along Hermann Dr. Looking forward to its centennial in 2014, the park conservancy has also recruited Peter Bohlin, the architect behind the Highland Village Apple Store, to design a new entrance:

77030, Gardens, Hermann Park, Landscaping, Museum District, Parks, Proposed Developments, Public Space

Land Development

05/14/13 10:00am

Sunset Heights Microbrewery of Steel Resolves Setback Setback

Proposed Developments, Sunset Heights

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A new site plan from Town in City Brewing Co. was approved by the planning commission last month, finally clearing the way for that brewery that would be made out of a trucked-in kit to be put together. The microbrewery, taproom, and outdoor garden on this lot near 1125 W. Cavalcade in Sunset Heights were all supposed to be done by now — or so brewers Justin Engle and Steven Macalello were telling their investors in November, when the Houston-fabricated steel parts first came rolling onto their 9,714-sq.-ft property. But the required 25-ft. setback from a major thoroughfare like W. Cavalcade threw a wrench in their plans.

77009, Breweries, Land Use Restrictions, Proposed Developments, Sunset Heights

05/09/13 4:30pm

The Confusing Continuing Story of the Gramercy Place Apartments

Demolitions, Museum District, Proposed Developments

9 Comments

There sure have been some conflicting reports coming in lately about Gramercy Place. Since the old apartments on the 200 block of Portland St. behind the Museum Tower were sold last month to an LLC controlled by Hungry’s Cafe and Bistro owner Fred Sharifi, we first heard that they’d be torn down and replaced by 2 midrise residential towers.Â Around that same time, it seems, a real estate agent was sending aÂ letter to Gramercy Place tenants claiming something similar and offering to help everyone findÂ a new place to live.

77006, Apartments, Cotswold Court, Demolitions, Museum District, Proposed Developments

Demolitions

05/06/13 11:30am

So Long, Shell Tech Center: Southside Place Homes Up Next

Homebuilders, Institutional Buildings, Proposed Developments, Southside Place

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Does the green fence mean go? It looks like demolition is just a shot away for this westernmost building of the former Shell Technology Center. Lovett Homes has said it plans to build 39 3-story homes —Â scaling back after some Southside Place residents raised concerns at public hearings its original plan for 45 3.5-story ones —Â on the 3.2 acres here at the corner of Braes and Bellaire Blvd.

77025, Demolitions, Homebuilders, Proposed Developments, Southside Place

05/03/13 12:00pm

Living in the Shadow of the Ashby Highrise

Boulevard Oaks, Highrises, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Southampton

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LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE ASHBY HIGHRISE Though the demo of the Maryland Manor apartments at 1717 Bissonnet has already started, a group of homeowners still seems intent to stop the Ashby Highrise from going up in their place, filing a lawsuit this week against developer Buckhead Investment Partners that argues the building will cast a shadow — literally — over the neighborhood: Among other concerns about traffic and privacy, the suit alleges that the 21-story tower would deprive neighborsÂ of sunlight and rain, limiting theÂ enjoyment of their yards and making the maintenance of their gardens impossible. [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot] Photo:Â Candace Garcia

77005, Apartments, Ashby Highrise, Boulevard-Oaks, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Southampton

05/03/13 11:15am

The Skylane Is Falling in Woodland Heights

Buying and Selling, Proposed Developments, Real Estate Investing, Woodland Heights

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The low-lying Skylane Central apartments beside the Taylor St. bridge are about to be sold to Greystar, whichÂ saysÂ it plans to tear them down and put up something like this parksideÂ 8-story complex — but that’s justÂ one of several renderings the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the developer is considering for the site near White Oak Dr. at the southern end of theÂ Woodland Heights. The deal should be done by September.

Aging apartment complex near downtown to be replaced with luxury building [Houston Chronicle]

Rendering: Meeks + Partners

77007, Apartments, Buying and Selling, Demolitions, Proposed Developments, Woodland Heights

Commercial Real Estate

05/02/13 3:00pm

The Next Office Park Planned for Spring

Land Development, Office Buildings, Office Space, Proposed Developments, Spring

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Count ’em: That’s a 9-building office park proposed to go in near the Walmart and Splashtown in Spring, south of the ExxonMobil campus. Finial Group is developing — that is, clearing the trees away from a 13-acre parcel just behind all that freeway retail at Whitewood and Louetta Rd.

Public Buildings, Quicklink, Reliant Park

77373, Commercial Real Estate, ExxonMobil, Office Buildings, Office Parks, Proposed Developments, Spring

Comments

05/02/13 1:00pm

Comment of the Day Runner-Up: Looking for a Multi-Dome

by Swamplot

9 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY RUNNER-UP: LOOKING FOR A MULTI-DOME “I also remember how impressive it was to see the bare-steel framework during construction. So, the ‘strip it down to structural elements’ idea does resonate with me. In any case, most of the non-demolition proposals Iâ€™ve read about are for a single use facility of one kind or another. In contrast, I think our best hope for success is to remake it into a facility that serves different aspects of the public that have different interests. The domeâ€™s footprint is big enough to accommodate a variety of multiple uses. Iâ€™ve tossed about ideas for some possibilities for different parts: hotel, golf driving range and/or putting greens, artificial ponds for fishing, tropical gardens (this might require the roof + AC), additional meeting-room and display space for conventions. These are just some thoughts, all of which have worked elsewhere, but may or may not work here. My main point is that we should be considering multiple uses, not just one that could sink the entire projectâ€™s success.” [Guido, commenting on Astrodome Stripped Bare by the Architects, Even]

77054, Astrodome, Comments, Proposed Developments, Public Buildings, Redevelopment, Reliant Park

04/29/13 10:00am

The Last Stand of the Ashby Highrise Impediment Apartments

Boulevard Oaks, Demolitions, Highrises, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Southampton

58 Comments

There they go: TheÂ Maryland Manor Apartments received their demolition permit on Friday, clearing the ground for the Ashby Highrise.Â Salvaging work inside these 10 structures at 1717 Bissonnet St. is reported to begin today, prepping the fought-over Boulevard Oaks corner for the 21-story, 228-unit residential tower. The final few tenants were seen moving out of Maryland Manor at the end of March.

77005, Apartments, Ashby Highrise, Boulevard-Oaks, Demolitions, Neighborhood Disputes, Proposed Developments, Southampton

Land Development

04/26/13 2:00pm

Is This Southwestern Energy’s New Springwoods Village Headquarters?

Master-Planned Communities, Office Buildings, Office Space, Proposed Developments, Springwoods Village

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A poster on HAIF has leaked this rendering that might show whatÂ Southwestern Energy is planning to build to consolidate its employees in Springwoods Village. It was first reported to be a 10-story office building on 22 acres at I-45 and the future Grand Pkwy., just south of the ExxonMobil campus.

77389, ExxonMobil, Office Buildings, Proposed Developments, Springwoods Village

Lower Westheimer

04/26/13 11:35am

More To Come at the Corner of Westheimer and Dunlavy

Montrose, New Construction, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Retail

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A rep from Edge Realty Partners says that that new retail centerÂ that’s now under construction at Westheimer and Dunlavy will have 2 tenants. The primary one, occupying 3,600 sq. ft. of the new building’s proposed 4,800, will be aÂ well-bread pastry cafe from Roy Shvartzapel, the globe-trotting chef profiled recently in Eater Houston. A TABC permit application, filed April 17, suggests that the cafe will be called Leaven & Earth.

And the other tenant? The Edge rep says that names can’t yet be named, but that a lease is all but complete for a “boutique” retail shop that’s already in Montrose to relocate inside the remaining 1,200-sq.-ft. suite that’s depicted in the rendering here as right next to Agora.

Images: Edge Realty Partners (rendering); Allyn West (building)

77006, Lower Westheimer, Montrose, New Construction, Proposed Developments, Restaurants, Retail

Buying and Selling

04/25/13 10:00am

New Owners of Central Square Plaza Want To Make Something of It

Commercial Real Estate, Midtown, Office Buildings, Proposed Developments, Renovations

28 Comments

Central Square Plaza has been sold, and new owner Keeley Megarity, whose LLC closed on the 1-acre Midtown property at 2100 Travis St. about a week ago, says that a decision about how to renovate these buildings — and what to renovate them into — will be made in the next 30-45 days.