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.
- A lifestyle as well as a home [Houston Chronicle]
- Tune In to the Turnberry Tower [Swamplot]
- Nine and a Half Bathrooms: The Turnberry Tower Penthouse Evacuation Plan [Swamplot]
Image of Turnberry Tower plaza-level pools: Turnberry Ltd.
Does anyone think we are just about saturated with uber-lifestyle condo towers?
In about 20 years, these monstrosities will be turned into executive condo leases and we will hear horror stories about plumbing issues and moldy roof-top swimming pools. I can see the doorman now, “Psst, wanna buy some high-life, buddy?” as he parks your 25 year old Escalade with 22″ rusty dubs.
I’m surprised they are still trying to build that tower. I don’t think that banks would finance them even with 50% pre-sales. And given the number of new highrise developments in Houston area, they’ve got some competition. And the fate of this new tower will not be too good – just look at the foreclosure listings at the older two towers half a mile to the south… Good luck to them (not).
Homeless people also have the luxury of peeing anywhere they desire; not really a selling point for me.
Unfortunately, Brad has neither the insight or the experience in real estate to deem every new development “future slums” or whatever cutesy term he deems anything reflective of the new in the city.
These projects are being built because there is DEMAND for them and beyond that, foreign dollars are what will be buying the most exclusive of the units. Why do you think the marketing for the project reflect broader, older images of Texas as a whole and not necessarily Houston? If you look at Turnberry’s record, there isn’t a project they haven’t cancelled in this arena and preliminary sales are always low with their projects.
European, Asian & other people’s money will be involved. Building this tower Uptown is one of the most logical things in terms of planning.