08/10/12 1:36pm

No, the Turnberry Tower luxury highrise planned for a prime Galleria spot next to the Water Wall Park never got off the ground, but office workers and shoppers nearby have been able to enjoy a good old-fashioned Houston-style sendoff for the project. The 5-year-old, 12,000-sq.-ft., multimillion-dollar sales center for the toilet-heavy tower at 5048 Hidalgo St. is being demolished. Hines, the new owners of the property, will have no use for the structure in the new 7-story One Waterwall apartment complex it’s building there and expects to complete in 2014:

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10/27/08 1:41pm

Proposed Turnberry Tower, Uptown, Houston

The rumor Swamplot reported late last week has now been confirmed from multiple sources: The 34-story Turnberry Tower luxury condo palace planned for the Galleria area — yeah, the one with the tombstone-shaped silhouette — is officially dead.

Rendering of Turnberry Tower Galleria: Robert M. Swedroe Architects and Planners

10/24/08 3:04pm

Proposed Turnberry Tower, Uptown, Houston

From the Swamplot rumor mill comes an unconfirmed and second-hand report: that the team behind proposed Houston Turnberry Tower — the 34-story luxury highrise planned to rest just behind the Williams Tower — “officially pulled the plug on their galleria deal yesterday.”

Could this be true? A lot of hard work — and a lot of plumbing design — has been poured into that project. It would be sad to see it all go down the toilet.

Late Update: The rumor has been confirmed.

Rendering of Turnberry Tower Galleria: Robert M. Swedroe Architects and Planners

06/03/08 9:58am

Plaza Level Pools, Turnberry Tower Residences at the Galleria, Houston

There will be a grand total of 652-and-a-half private bathrooms in Houston’s Turnberry Tower. Apparently this is the kind of attention to detail that’s needed to attract buyers who are flush with assets:

When meeting with buyers, Turnberry’s sales staff emphasizes the high life they’ll enjoy, said [Turnberry Ltd. vice president Jim] Cohen, with the 40-year-old condo tower developer.

They’re told, for example, that when they hang out by the pool, a Turnberry staffer will offer a cool towel for their neck and wipe sunscreen from their sunglasses.

Image of Turnberry Tower plaza-level pools: Turnberry Ltd.

01/23/08 11:52am

Plan of Top Floor Gramercy Tower Suite Penthouse of Turnberry Houston Tower Showing 9 and a Half Bathrooms

Do you experience the urge to urinate frequently? Do you suffer from recurring bladder infections? An enlarged prostate? And one more question: Do you have $8.5 million burning a hole in your (probably moist) pocket?

Well then, you’re certainly going to pee in your pants when you see the exciting floor plans for the two “Gramercy Tower Suite” penthouses on the top floors of Houston’s 34-story Turnberry Tower! Yes, this will be the height of luxury: 11,860 sq. ft. of living space on three separate levels of an Uptown highrise; an additional 3,535 sq. ft. of terraces; 4 bedrooms plus a Den, a Guest Suite, and a Staff Room for live-in help; a Media Room, two Lounges, and a 2-story Great Room; a private elevator entry; your own private pool and cabana; and so much more.

But forget all that. What makes this little pied-à-terre special is that even if all that space perched high in the sky (and the at-least-jaw-dropping panoramic views) gives you an unmistakable urge to evacuate, you’ll only be a few shuffling paces away from a toilet: Each unit comes with nine-and-a-half bathrooms. And if that’s not enough, there’s plenty of room to add more!

Read on for more of the scoop on where to poop: floor plans for the top two floors, with more porcelain palaces clearly marked. Plus: a closeup of Swamplot’s favorite Turnberry penthouse pit stop!

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08/21/07 8:00am

Turnberry Tower Residences at the Galleria Exterior Rendering

This wide headstone, set to rise behind the Galleria Waterwall like a giant radiator grille poached from a 1948 Packard Custom 8, is Houston’s Turnberry Tower. At 34 stories (marked down from 42 threatened previously), it’ll reach just above the groin of the adjacent landmark Williams Tower.

The 184 condominium units inside, which will range from $1 million to $8.5 million, go on sale in two weeks when the 12,000-sf sales center opens. The building is scheduled to be finished by the start of the next decade.

What’ll $8.5 mil get you? One of two 15,000-sf units at the top, each of which boasts four bedrooms and—no, we’re not shitting you—nine-and-a-half bathrooms. Why will residents need so many?

For the entry-level price of $1 million, you’ll have to make do with less than 1800 square feet. But all residences feature private elevators, 10- and 11-foot ceilings, a fireplace to keep you warm on chilly Galleria nights, and terraces with glass railings. The building will have a spa and fitness center, a theater room, social rooms including a tea room and library, and a swimming pool atop the four-story parking garage.

Uncomfortable with the communal parking? Don’t worry: Twenty-five private air-conditioned garages will also be available.

Image: Robert M. Swedroe Architects and Planners