What do you think of the "thing" at Memorial City? (Katy: hotel, construction)

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I'm talking about that fugly building that has wings on it at the top that look like the fins of a 1950's Pontiac at Gessner and I-10. What the heck is it supposed to be? I heard that when Ike came through, one of the fins broke off and was hurled into the interior of the building next to it and was also going to be condemned by the city until changes were made.

I was thinking it was going to have some sort of light pointed to the sky, like the Luxor in Las Vegas. Obviously I am not an Architect, and thus cannot appreciate the beauty of it, but it just looks dumb there, makes the otherwise nice campus look goofy.

What is the purpose of it? They should at least light it up with different colors. Is it a viewing tower? A massage parlor? Who knows what the owners will do with it. Let's suggest some names for it, any takers?

The Westin Hotel going up next to it will be nice though.

[houston-nomad]

Agree, that place got hit with an ugly stick.

[Mom2Feebs]

I think it's kinda neat. I never heard about any damage that bad though (during Ike).

[TVC15]

Are you talking about the tall building with the crystal glass looking thingy on top??? If you are it is the new Neuroscience Center being built for Hermann Hospital. The glass thingy on top are the offices for the people who own and manage the building. I work for Hermann and during orientation this information was disclosed to us along with photosof it...I also wondered what the heck that building and glass thingy was until I went to the orientation. The entire construction there is going to be a mini Medical Center away from the big Texas Medical Center. Very cool indeed!! The money to build it came from a very wealthy family who also donated to build The Mischer Neuroscience Institute in the Texas Medical Center. The Mischer family donated the money.

[Metro Matt]

I think it looks like Optimus Prime from Transformers.

[TX_AGGIE13]

Can we get a photo posted of it????....

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

I think it looks like Optimus Prime from Transformers.

Heh, yeah that's kind of what I think of when I see it too. It's like a giant Mech is buried waist-deep, something right out of Anime. Or perhaps the architect is about my age, and played with Shogun Warriors when he was a kid (Godzilla and Shogun WarriorsI Mattel I 1979 I Godzilla's Gang I Plaidstallions.com)...

anyway, Here's a rendering:



And a construction view... although it's pretty much complete now, I can't find a recent image...


It was too far inland to suffer any real damage from Ike.

[Metro Matt]

The backside (Southside for those familiar) of this building is what really kills its design much like The Mercer in Uptown.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

I think it looks like Optimus Prime from Transformers.

This is exactly what it reminds me of now! They just need to add round black plates of glass, and a straight black line on thing to give it a "living" look. I would say a smily face, but with those fins, it has to be a menacing looking character.

[KWPN]

I worked for Memorial-Hermann for about a year (Katy), and those God-awful things on the roofing is supposed to be some B.S. "Zen" thing.

The Good Ol' Boys of Memorial & Hermann would be rolling in their graves if they knew the hospitals looked like some kind of transformer, or alien space contact hub!