Am I the only one excited for POST HOUSTON? (River Oaks: tenants, high school)

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

The worst thing about GS was its timing - opening as the economy went off the cliff. But, its design also didn't help. It was inward-focused, and for that matter difficult to see into. Your average passerby just isn't going to wander into that. Think of the wings of malls that go around a corner without a defined destination...shoppers don't go there. (Or maybe didn't go there, nowadays they go to malls less period, mystery wing or not.)

Texas was still booming during the '08 recession; Houston benefitted from the high gas prices in the late 2000's.

The design was following the trends at the time; the mall became passé a couple years before and the lifestyle center was in. It was risky because it was a large alleyway cutting through the middle of the block. In the urban setting, pedestrians did not perceive it as safe due to its inward focus and numerous corners that easily conceal muggers.

I have always been skeptical of lifestyle centers in the hot & humid summer climate. The air conditioned mall would be appropriate in our climate and be more conducive for lingering shoppers making impulse purchases.

And they may have planned to have the Macy's as a "shadow anchor" - and of course that went away.

Actually that Macy's needed a complete interior gutting because of the indicative vinegar smell wafting throughout the 5 shopping floors. The ground lease was going to expire in several years (and the landowner wanted to build a skyscraper, so no renewal) which rendered the rebuild being economically infeasible. Along with the lack of reliable public transportation (shoppers hate parking fees!!!) and the lack of attraction from not having flagship store status eventually killed the historic store.

The architecture grew colder to the public as the decades wore on. Streamline moderne eventually became dated and in the 21st century perspective, the lack of windows are more indicative of a prison-like/fortress setting.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

We mentioned

-POST Houston
-Rice Innovation District (including the Ion and Greentown Labs)
-East End Maker's Hub

Other big projects opening

-Houston Farmer's Market complete rennovation
-Montrose Collective
-Texas Tower (may open by the end of the year, but could move to next year)

There's also a lot of hype around Autry Park, but to me its a mere urban residential center, which we've seen plenty of. Definitely an exciting year in Houston in terms of new developments.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

The worst thing about GS was its timing - opening as the economy went off the cliff. But, its design also didn't help. It was inward-focused, and for that matter difficult to see into. Your average passerby just isn't going to wander into that. Think of the wings of malls that go around a corner without a defined destination...shoppers don't go there. (Or maybe didn't go there, nowadays they go to malls less period, mystery wing or not.)

Also, it tried to do a lot of mall-type clothing / accessories retail, when that sector a few short years later started going into mass distress. Same for the bookstore. And they may have planned to have the Macy's as a "shadow anchor" - and of course that went away.

It's a shame about the residential. From what I understand, the issue was providing parking for those potential residents - the market wasn't (and may still not be) ready to accept upscale residential without dedicated, separate, secured parking of at least 1.3 spaces per unit (maybe more). The number of units in no way would have been sufficient to support retail but it would have added living bodies to the site, and living bodies attract other living bodies just as an animating force.

Exactly. The developers clearly had no inspiration behind the Pavilions/Green Street. I believe they were trying to recreate 16th street mall in Denver and somehow ended with the dull design we still have to this day. And like you said the type of stores they decided to put there was doomed to fail. A books-a-million when they probably would have been better off inserting a Barnes & Noble specialty store. Then Forever 21 popped up which made no sense. Their biggest consumer is High school & college students. What students are living in downtown for Forever 21 to be in demand like that?

When these other projects are completed I really hope they do something with Green street. Tear the exterior down and make it more inviting to the public. Make it open space with outdoor seating. Add more entertainment options. House of Blues/ Lucky Strike and Pete's Dueling Piano Bar are cool. Now just add more. I know they have a fitness center coming and a hotel which are good. Bottom line Greenstreet could still work but they really need to capitalize off the location. That stretch of Main st. is one of the most walkable areas of downtown. Most pedestrian friendly area. I wouldn't even be mad at if they copied a LITTLE bit of that Time Square vibe. Dallas did it with AT&T district and so far it's a success downtown.

Originally Posted by SugLandDAd

To stay in business, it will need to draw thousands every night..... hopeful, but not confident it can do that. We will see.

If you build it they will come. It's that simple. Listen to what people want, build it and they'll come. This is why Discovery Green is a success. Even the small food halls downtown are a success even during a pandemic. People have been begging for things to come to downtown Houston for decades and when developers and the city actually listen and build it....what do you know IT WORKS!

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Texas was still booming during the '08 recession; Houston benefitted from the high gas prices in the late 2000's.

The design was following the trends at the time; the mall became passé a couple years before and the lifestyle center was in. It was risky because it was a large alleyway cutting through the middle of the block. In the urban setting, pedestrians did not perceive it as safe due to its inward focus and numerous corners that easily conceal muggers.

I have always been skeptical of lifestyle centers in the hot & humid summer climate. The air conditioned mall would be appropriate in our climate and be more conducive for lingering shoppers making impulse purchases.



Actually that Macy's needed a complete interior gutting because of the indicative vinegar smell wafting throughout the 5 shopping floors. The ground lease was going to expire in several years (and the landowner wanted to build a skyscraper, so no renewal) which rendered the rebuild being economically infeasible. Along with the lack of reliable public transportation (shoppers hate parking fees!!!) and the lack of attraction from not having flagship store status eventually killed the historic store.

The architecture grew colder to the public as the decades wore on. Streamline moderne eventually became dated and in the 21st century perspective, the lack of windows are more indicative of a prison-like/fortress setting.

Houston was the last U.S. metro to go into recession (late 2008), but 2009 was definitely a bad year here.

If lifestyle centers are so sketchy here, why have multiple mall areas (The Woodlands, First Colony, Baybrook) added outdoor sections that are perceived to be the more successful areas now? By your logic, they would be equally as sketchy in the northern parts of the country where the cold months are equally as inclement for shoppers.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

We mentioned

-POST Houston
-Rice Innovation District (including the Ion and Greentown Labs)
-East End Maker's Hub

Other big projects opening

-Houston Farmer's Market complete rennovation
-Montrose Collective
-Texas Tower (may open by the end of the year, but could move to next year)

There's also a lot of hype around Autry Park, but to me its a mere urban residential center, which we've seen plenty of. Definitely an exciting year in Houston in terms of new developments.

I don’t know if you’re dismissing Autry Park or not but I feel that along with Regent Square down the road could be very dynamic. I was riding down there in November and researched that area. Then down the parkway, you have the Allen development. I wonder if all three become successful, would they actually turn Allen parkway into Allen avenue. That’s going to be many pedestrians especially those across the street at Buffalo Bayou Park.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by Spade

I don’t know if you’re dismissing Autry Park or not but I feel that along with Regent Square down the road could be very dynamic. I was riding down there in November and researched that area. Then down the parkway, you have the Allen development. I wonder if all three become successful, would they actually turn Allen parkway into Allen avenue. That’s going to be many pedestrians especially those across the street at Buffalo Bayou Park.

Autry Park is great. We have plenty of upscale urban villages. The more the better. But the projects I mention all seem to serve a purpose to really set up to have an overall impact.

Rice Innovation District is not just about being an innovation district. It's not even the first in Houston, but it's the first legit one.Considering its Rice behind the development, this explains why its legit. It has a similar model as Stanford Research Park.

East End Makers Hub... While RID is an technology innovation hub, EEMH is a technology appliance hub. All industries here will benefit from having a hub particularly made to get behind the material engineering.

POST Houston, see above. An actual anchor to an area already thriving with nightlife.

Montrose Collective - Somewhat like the POST Houston, a new anchor in a busy area. Right next to Katz's Deli. But this one was really needed with Montrose basically running out of space. Library.

Houston Farmers Market Revamp... Not that the farmers market was particularly bad... But with the renovations, it puts it up there with the best of its kind.

Texas Tower - Ok, this one is just a tower, and we have plenty of those. But it's one that will heavily impact the skyline. The biggest impact since 609 Main.

Autry Park is beautiful, but kind of behind on the impact these will serve ^. Supposing all open in 2021 (as its looking like), this is an exciting year as far as developments go.

[labanjohnson]

I'm excited about it! I've been carrying their news on HoustonNewMedia.org's facebook page

[htownliving]

I'm not too excited about it. The writing is on the wall with the oil and gas industry. If more tech companies move here, that would make me more excited. Clean energy and tech is the future. I believe that in the short to mid term we'll be just fine but we're screwed long-term unless the Houston economy diversifies better.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...t-houston.html

A 5K capacity concert hall is under construction here.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Opens tomorrow