Some neighborhood news from Swamplot.
Details on the 6-story mixed-use building being planned for the corner of Studewood and 11th 1/2 St. in the Heights will be announced “very soon,” a representative of the new property owner promises Swamplot.
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They’re planning a cast-in-place concrete structure with an all- or mostly masonry exterior, containing apartments or condos and “some retail.” Also included: some multi-level parking and some “really cool green space.” Car entrances will be on both Studewood and 11th 1/2. The architect is from San Antonio; a local historical consultant is working to make sure the design is what the developer considers “period appropriate.” The long-vacant site is the former home of the Globe Laundry; the new project is registered under TCEQ’s Dry Cleaner Remediation Program, which the developer says doesn’t appear to require any solvent cleanup on the site. Vita Nuova plans to put a sign up soon announcing more details in the next 30 days.
Pictures and more discussion are there and at The Heights Life, which was first to note the activity. As with the other Heights highrise in the works for White Oak, I’m basically OK with this. Viula thinks six stories is a bit too tall for the area, but I don’t. I wouldn’t want to go much taller than that, but I think it’ll be all right. I’m not too worried about the traffic impact – the Starbucks drive-thru that one of the Swamplot commenters is rooting for would be much worse for traffic, as anyone who’s gotten caught in the snarls at the drive-thru on Shepherd just north of Westheimer can attest – though I do wonder how they’ll fit enough parking in. I also wonder if the ground floor retail will include a restaurant, as they are all the rage these days as development anchors. All in all, I think this will be fine and I look forward to seeing what they build.
By the way, we found out recently that the developer behind the White Oak highrise is an old neighborhood friend of Tiffany’s. Houston is such a small town sometimes.
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