Should the Texas Medical Center build a new employee housing tower? (Houston: 2014, apartments)

[Vicman]

Previously the Texas Medical Center had the Favrot Apartments, Texas Medical Center - Parking at Favrot but they closed in 2012 Housing | Houston, Texas USA | Texas Medical Center and were demo'ed in 2014. https://www.emporis.com/buildings/20...houston-tx-usa

I understand that the TMC probably wants/wanted a building of higher utility at 6540 Bellows. Also, I never lived there nor knew anybody who did, so I don't know what the housing quality/atmosphere was like. However I like the idea of the TMC building a *new* tower for employee housing. Perhaps some people want to be very close to work, or have the institution take care of their housing. Therefore I wonder if the TMC could build a new housing tower.

A few things:

• If possible have it be placed in the Pershing Middle School zone - Favrot was zoned to Cullen Middle, which wasn't attractive. Yes, people building institutional housing need to take school zoning into account. Florida State University's report on its former graduate school housing compound, Alumni Village, described the statuses of the schools that served that complex. http://its.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/imp...43b870d2c7.pdf (see PDF pages 154 and 155)
• Having a playground and/or a rooftop/similar swimming pool would make it more attractive to families.
• I wonder how the complex could attract singles and childless couples; I wouldn't suggest going whole Michael Pollack Colonial Park Apartments style, but taking cues from swanky Midtown/Montrose complexes could help.
• Since the Medical Center Kroger was demo'ed, it would be good to have ground floor and/or second floor space for a new supermarket and/or an attached parking garage with guest spaces. That way things would be super-convenient for tenants.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Previously the Texas Medical Center had the Favrot Apartments, Texas Medical Center - Parking at Favrot but they closed in 2012 Housing | Houston, Texas USA | Texas Medical Center and were demo'ed in 2014. https://www.emporis.com/buildings/20...houston-tx-usa

I understand that the TMC probably wants/wanted a building of higher utility at 6540 Bellows. Also, I never lived there nor knew anybody who did, so I don't know what the housing quality/atmosphere was like. However I like the idea of the TMC building a *new* tower for employee housing. Perhaps some people want to be very close to work, or have the institution take care of their housing. Therefore I wonder if the TMC could build a new housing tower.

A few things:

• If possible have it be placed in the Pershing Middle School zone - Favrot was zoned to Cullen Middle, which wasn't attractive. Yes, people building institutional housing need to take school zoning into account. Florida State University's report on its former graduate school housing compound, Alumni Village, described the statuses of the schools that served that complex. http://its.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/imp...43b870d2c7.pdf (see PDF pages 154 and 155)
• Having a playground and/or a rooftop/similar swimming pool would make it more attractive to families.
• I wonder how the complex could attract singles and childless couples; I wouldn't suggest going whole Michael Pollack Colonial Park Apartments style, but taking cues from swanky Midtown/Montrose complexes could help.
• Since the Medical Center Kroger was demo'ed, it would be good to have ground floor and/or second floor space for a new supermarket and/or an attached parking garage with guest spaces. That way things would be super-convenient for tenants.

Favrot's purpose was as a dorm for students, not really for employees.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by bu2

Favrot's purpose was as a dorm for students, not really for employees.

Based on the housing application it probably mostly had students but employees could also stay there Wayback Machine

Your letter of acceptance, or a letter signed by the Dean or Registrar, stating that you are/will be a full-time student at the school is required on or before you move in. If you are not a student, a letter from the institution stating your position or affiliation with the institution is required on or before you move in.

I am aware UT Health Science Center had, and currently has, its own student housing.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Based on the housing application it probably mostly had students but employees could also stay there Wayback Machine



I am aware UT Health Science Center had, and currently has, its own student housing.

They allowed some employees just to fill it up when there were vacancies. Mostly it was TWU and Prairie View nursing students. Its intent was as a shared dorm. Any employees were incidental.

[Vicman]

Even if, say, a new iteration of Favrot was just as focused on holding nursing and/or grad students as the previous one, it could IMO still be important to consider locating it in the Pershing zone: my experience is that grad students often bring families over, although I don't know if it's as common with nursing students.

I once lived in a graduate housing compound and I knew many of the students had families with them.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Even if, say, a new iteration of Favrot was just as focused on holding nursing and/or grad students as the previous one, it could IMO still be important to consider locating it in the Pershing zone: my experience is that grad students often bring families over, although I don't know if it's as common with nursing students.

I once lived in a graduate housing compound and I knew many of the students had families with them.

I believe UT medical school has that type of housing on their property south of OST. Don't know what that is zoned to.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by bu2

I believe UT medical school has that type of housing on their property south of OST. Don't know what that is zoned to.

The addresses of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston housing compounds are: 7900 Cambridge https://www.uth.edu/housing/future-r...0Cambridge.htm and 1885 El Paseo. https://www.uth.edu/housing/future-residents/Phase II-1885_El-Paseo.htm Based on HISD's school zoning tool Find A School in HISD / School Search they're all zoned to the folowing:

• Whidby Elementary: http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/T.../Whidby_ES.pdf
• Cullen Middle: http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/T...s/Culen_MS.pdf
• Lamar High: http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/T...s/Lamar_HS.pdf

Lamar scores fine but Cullen doesn't perform as well (Whidby seems to be at the statewide average)

• Whidby scores: https://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/s...12/school.aspx
• Cullen scores: https://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/s...32/school.aspx
• Lamar scores: https://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/s...12/school.aspx

[Vicman]

Sorry... I misspelled the filename for the Cullen MS zone: http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/T.../Cullen_MS.pdf