Houston hotelier finishes renovations on mixed-use space in historic downtown buildings (Victoria: real estate, 2014)

[Double L]

Houston hotelier finishes renovations on mixed-use space in historic downtown buildings

After nearly two years of construction, a project to renovate a collection of historical buildings downtown into mixed-use space Main&Co is complete.

The Zimmerman family — behind the Montrose hotel La Colombe d'Or — finished restoring the exterior and redesigning the interior of the three-story Raphael and five-story Dorrance buildings, at 110 and 114 Main St., respectively, according to a press release. In total, the buildings offer nearly 17,000 square feet of office space on the second, third and fourth floors — and all of it is available for lease.

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...ations-on.html


New Form Real Estate | Properties

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by Double L

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...ations-on.html

New Form Real Estate | Properties

Now that is what Houston ... SHOULD'VE COULD'VE did more of sparing more of OLD Houston. Much more Character and street-level attributes to complement the new (though nothing helps this huge parking garages). What they call the Historic District on and off a Main Street block PROVES IT TOO. Best part of Main Street with the most street-level offerings too.

Still Houston left much be lost for just them garages to be built... Seems like no preservationist had much organization. Great some Old Houston left ..... gets some appreciation more finally.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Now that is what Houston ... SHOULD'VE COULD'VE did more of sparing more of OLD Houston. Much more Character and street-level attributes to complement the new (though nothing helps this huge parking garages).

Are you kidding? That perpetuates the subdivision of the city block instead of fixing it. Unlike Chicago, Houston doesn't have a unified streetscape in its older downtown buildings due to the old developer's trick of subdividing blocks to increase profitability.

Houston doesn't have Victorian-era "skyscrapers" like the Bradbury Building in L.A. or the Rookery in Chicago. That example is an early 3-5 story strip mall with a fresh paint job and gutted interior. Nothing much to preserve.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Are you kidding? That perpetuates the subdivision of the city block instead of fixing it. Unlike Chicago, Houston doesn't have a unified streetscape in its older downtown buildings due to the old developer's trick of subdividing blocks to increase profitability.

Houston doesn't have Victorian-era "skyscrapers" like the Bradbury Building in L.A. or the Rookery in Chicago. That example is an early 3-5 story strip mall with a fresh paint job and gutted interior. Nothing much to preserve.

Yes and no.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Are you kidding? That perpetuates the subdivision of the city block instead of fixing it. Unlike Chicago, Houston doesn't have a unified streetscape in its older downtown buildings due to the old developer's trick of subdividing blocks to increase profitability.

Houston doesn't have Victorian-era "skyscrapers" like the Bradbury Building in L.A. or the Rookery in Chicago. That example is an early 3-5 story strip mall with a fresh paint job and gutted interior. Nothing much to preserve.

Houston still had plenty of old Houston these buildings are remnants that somehow survived the needless replacement of so much for just parking garages alone.

Philly also was a city that subdivided its first street-grid in the Nation in its core. Developers got alley-sized streets for more row-homes outside the core post 1700s early grid.

OMG too the Rookery is like the second skyscraper built and another oldest now a boutique hotel. The the first official one was lost. Chicago still lost some very noteworthy buildings. But would have lost a WHOLE LOT MORE if not for fights by Preservationist finally by the 80s. I noted things like the cities old Library on Michigan Ave. Now the city's Cultural center and architecturally significant .... but almost lost. The Iconic today Chicago Theater and marquee. Almost lost.... and other Old movie Palaces. Now theaters for Live Plays venues with millions in restoration.

Many buildings needed saving for destruction for another decade at least .... till the restoration bug took hold. Just last year the Federal government own two old skyscrapers on State Street the first constructed in 1913 that they expected to be demolished and appeared on the most endangered Chicago buildings list 100-years later in 2013. Developers finally took them off the governments hands and announced last summer they would be converted into 429 apartments.

https://chicago.curbed.com/2017/6/28...ing-renovation

Here on Rush and State St.... the building on the right looks like a old building with a shiny blue-glass building behind it. But actually just the façade of the old hotel was saved and rebuilt with a new building with that blue-glass.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9025...7i13312!8i6656

This below has some new residential skyscrapers and looks like two older low buildings ..... the Walgreens building yes is old. But the other smaller one is new and part of those new tall ones. Close-up its the same exterior. But breaks up just high-rises.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9001...7i13312!8i6656

Here again ... the old 3-story buildings are preserved among the newer high-rises. Not everything leveled for new.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8949...7i13312!8i6656

Again, a older building spared among high-rises with the retail/coffee shop components.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8975...7i13312!8i6656

SEE NO REASON MORE 3-5 STORY HOUSTON OLDER INTERESTING BUILDINS NOT SAVED NEXT TO NEW.

Many other examples. Houston has some to its credit. Some most architecturally worthy especially. But sooo much lost.

[edwinpa7]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Now that is what Houston ... SHOULD'VE COULD'VE did more of sparing more of OLD Houston. Much more Character and street-level attributes to complement the new (though nothing helps this huge parking garages). What they call the Historic District on and off a Main Street block PROVES IT TOO. Best part of Main Street with the most street-level offerings too.

Still Houston left much be lost for just them garages to be built... Seems like no preservationist had much organization. Great some Old Houston left ..... gets some appreciation more finally.

Lol much more character? You must not live in Houston or get out much.

Houston has plenty if character.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by edwinpa7

Lol much more character? You must not live in Houston or get out much.

Houston has plenty if character.

I did not say anything on city character. But the point was these smaller 3-5-story buildings a poster mentioned .... not much to preserve.

That example is an early 3-5 story strip mall with a fresh paint job and gutted interior. Nothing much to preserve.

I'm just not sure what that strip mall was? But the thread is on the example 3-5 story buildings saved for a hotel across the old Houston remnant buildings i....

This is another little building with some character and some color transformations over the decade ....

2007 to 2010 here

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7612...7i13312!8i6656

2013

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7612...7i13312!8i6656

2014 -

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7611...sw!2e0!7i13312!

2016 and 2017 here.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7612...7i13312!8i6656

Will it survive being even in a so called historic district? I won't speculate. Maybe some unique history behind it? Maybe newer then I might think? Next door high-rise blank wall says to me maybe won't survive.

Kinda reminds me of this one below .... a older-style podium high-rise behind it (low-character) butted up to the Older buildings with the retail component street-level and ..... CHARACTER. They seemed intended to be kept. Though a better job incorporating the two could have been better.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8975...7i13312!8i6656

The high-rise behind the older Houston example.... may have no intension of the older remnant being saved in the future? IMO

I know I should not bother posting. But Houston will be what developers give it.