Travel observations and new developments of other cities and countries

[donNdonelson2]

I’ve been lured out of retirement (temporarily) for a month of work with Houston Ballet. Here are two photos from the small fifth floor patio of their downtown office and studios facility.

The brown brick building on the right is the Worthan Theatre Center. This two theatre complex is home to performance spaces for Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet. Much like TPAC, other performances are scheduled around the offerings from the two primary resident companies. (Their Broadway tours are presented at the nearby Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.)

The view in the opposite direction is looking across the bayou to Post Houston, the renovation of the former Barbara Jordan Post Office complex. It is scheduled to open on November 13.

Edited October 22, 2021 by donNdonelson2

[markhollin]

Mobile, Alabama:
 

[nashvylle]

Madison, Mississippi (just north of Jackson) has strict building standards... in particular to the fast food chains, convenience stores, and... cell towers (last pic). It's a beautiful city (equivalent in size to Brentwood) with fantastic restaurants. Can be a model for Nashville in a lot of ways in particular areas of town. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by nashvylle

[Rick Dalton]

2 hours ago, nashvylle said:

Madison, Mississippi (just north of Jackson) has strict building standards... in particular to the fast food chains, convenience stores, and... cell towers (last pic). It's a beautiful city (equivalent in size to Brentwood) with fantastic restaurants. Can be a model for Nashville in a lot of ways in particular areas of town. 

I have cousins in Madison. The main problem when comparing Madison to Brentwood is that Madison sits in the Jackson metro (compared to Nashville). I’m not sure if you’ve been to Jackson lately, but it’s nearly third world.

[nashvylle]

Just now, natethegreat said:

I have cousins in Madison. The main problem when comparing Madison to Brentwood is that Madison sits in the Jackson metro (compared to Nashville). I’m not sure if you’ve been to Jackson lately, but it’s nearly third world.

Did not know Madison was in the Jackson metro. The Brentwood comparison was mainly for distance comparisons between downtown Nashville -> Brentwood and downtown Jackson -> Madison, as well as the very good schools in Madison/Ridgeland. 

I do think Jackson has a lot of potential, but is held back in part by same issues some people use to describe Memphis. 

[Rick Dalton]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

Did not know Madison was in the Jackson metro. The Brentwood comparison was mainly for distance comparisons between downtown Nashville -> Brentwood and downtown Jackson -> Madison, as well as the very good schools in Madison/Ridgeland. 

I do think Jackson has a lot of potential, but is held back in part by same issues some people use to describe Memphis. 

Trust me, I'm on the same page. Jackson is significantly worse than Memphis, which is disappointing because my extended family is from the area. 

[carolina1792]

Raleigh is now one of the first cities to adopt protected bike lanes as part of the standard (UDO) street design requirements for all avenues. These are European-style above the curb, protected bike lanes and not the lame painted bike lanes on motorways that are dangerous and discourage biking. However all street projects already in the works will not need to meet these new requirements but any new avenue project or renovation submitted in November and beyond will have to incorporate protected bike lanes.  Does not apply to state-owned roads unfortunately.  'Main street' protected bike lanes requirements will be next--which includes most of downtown Raleigh! What other city in the South has this? Raleigh can't be the first right? 

[markhollin]

San Francisco announcement for a mass timber project (nearly 3 times as tall as our 1030 Music Row):  960 Howard, 14 story mixed use, mostly residential, some office and retail (courtesy of YIMBY Bay Area):

[markhollin]

New York City's  295 5th Ave./Textile Building (circa 1920), is getting a major overhaul  of its 700,000 sq. ft. of office space, 12' to 18' ceilings.  Also includes a new 34,000 sq. ft. 2 story penthouse addition (courtesy of YIMBY New York):

 

[KJHburg]

Here are a couple of great photos of the Raleigh skyline.  While not as impressive as Nashville or Charlotte's skyline,  this metro area is growing faster than both.  They are working on their 2nd beltway loop now and Bus Rapid Transit.  And they are attracting lots of jobs like with Apple and biopharma.  They just completed this 19 story office building for Pendo a software company and another 20 story mixed used tower downtown is under construction called 400H.  Plus another 18 story office tower is in the wings.  Raleigh Durham as a combined metro which it was before and currently 2 separate is larger than metro Nashville.  

first two photos taken by @Mgelbach from Charlotte visiting Raleigh and 3rd photo from Dylan Bouterse of Raleigh. 

[markhollin]

Sacramento, CA:
 

[nashvylle]

wow Sacramento looks beautiful 

[Bark At The Sun]

On 10/22/2021 at 7:18 AM, markhollin said:

Mobile, Alabama:
 

Nice shots of downtown Mobile! I was born in Gulfport MS and grew up spending summers down there...........Ive always thought, that if not for taking the brunt of a major hurricane every 15-20 years, it would be close to the size of Mobile.   

[chris holman]

Some pictures I took in Las Vegas 

Edited October 30, 2021 by chris holman

[donNdonelson2]

Great shots, Chris

[markhollin]

Miami's proposal for 710 Edge:  55 stories, 650', 100 luxury condo units, heliport on roof (courtesy of YIMBY Florida).
 

[dmillsphoto]

"Okay, Guys. Guys. Great idea.

 

Let's put a rectangle. On top of a cylinder!"

[markhollin]

NYC: Claremont Hall, 41 stories, 165 condos, as well as Union Seminary being incorporated into the structure on their land.  AM Stern Architects did the design (courtesy of YIMBY New York).
 

[KJHburg]

Taken by one of our local Charlotte pros @Mgelbach this shows our new Lowes Tower (100% preleased to Lowes Inc. for their technology group) and it also shows uptown our new 41 story 600 foot plus high Duke Energy Plaza in the distance.   Southend to uptown Charlotte.

 

[nashvylle]

Charlotte is a beautiful city. 

[markhollin]

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (the capitol, with 2.8 million people, and one of the commerce centers of the continent):

[nashvylle]

Praying that civil war does not break out... 

[markhollin]

Renderings for 210 North Morgan in West Loop of Chicago: 33 stories, 380', 204 units (courtesy of YIMBY Chicago):

[markhollin]

Rendering and current work being done on Manhattan's H Hotel  at 58 West 39th St . 29 stories, 447', 65 rooms, 41,500 sq. ft. of commercial space (courtesy of YIMBY New York):

[donNdonelson2]

Houston’s new & still under construction Texas Tower has been mentioned on another thread. Today I took a walk while on my lunch break to see the building up close. It’s going to be a beauty! (The first photo is from the front of the Houston Ballet building where I’m working temporarily, offering just a peek of the tower’s crown.)

Edited November 8, 2021 by donNdonelson2