Houston Update with Joshua Vita: Hotel reopening, replica of Independence Hall, and NuHomes

Josh: Hello, and welcome to this edition of weekly update. This week we have the La Colombe d’Or Hotel prepares for reopening in Montrose, Houston Baptist University breaks ground on law complex, and Lennar to open NuHome community targeting entry level buyers. All this after the intro

Hello and welcome back to this edition of Houston's weekly update. My name is Joshua Vita I'm the local journalist for Construction Business TV in Houston, TX. If this is your first time to the channel, I welcome you. Also, if you like to hit that subscribe and bell icon right down there to stay up to date on what ‘s happening in construction business and will get on to our first story today.

OK, our first story up today is about that La Colombe d’Or Hotel with the hotel is now reopening after two years of renovations. Houston based Hines and Zimmerman family which owns the historic 1923 Mansion and the year 1923 when it was made have set March 29th as an opening date for the hotel. The hotel is located at 3411 Yoakum Blvd. The renovations took so long to complete because the contractors were required to preserve as many of the mansion existing plaster walls, finishes and hardware as possible and was given a complete overhaul of its plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems. Dan Zimmerman La Colombe d’Or principal said not a single wall of the mansions floor plan was moved. Renovations costed an estimated $10 million. Rottet Studio who oversaw the mansions interiors. While the design team includes design architects Munoz + Alvin and Paradigm Design Animations as well as Robinson and Co, which is a landscape architect of the project, each of which are based in Houston and Modern Builders Service is the general contractor who are also based in Houston.

OK, our next story up today is about the Houston Baptist University breaking ground on a $23 million Morris Family Center for Law and Liberty complex and they broke ground on March 2nd. The building will cover 2 acres and span a total of 37,726 square feet. The main building named Independence Hall covers 16,547 square feet. With two attached side buildings will be at 1351 square feet and a separate classroom building will be 18,477 square feet while second classroom is planned for the future, but no further details have been released yet on that one. Chris Hammons, Director of the Morris Family Center for Law and Liberty, said students will take classes in a replica of the very room in which the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted. What a better place to teach students about our nation's founding principles. Then the very room where they were forged. Jackson & Ryan Architects and the Bennett Design Group, both Houston based companies, serve as architects, and interior designer, while Houston based. Tellespen Builders is the general contractor. This to make completion of the project is July 4th, 2022.

OK, last story we have today is about Lennar Corporation building NuHomes for entry level buyers. So, another corporation is a Miami based home builder but has set its sights on Pearland and preparing to open a NuHome. News about in your community of lower cost single family homes. The community will be open on April 6 and is within Houston based Friendswood’s Development CO., Lake Savannah Masterplan Community near the intersection of Texas Highway 288 and Hwy. 6. Lennar offer six single- and two-story plans ranging in sizes from 1174 square feet to 2229 square feet lower prices will begin at $190,000 in range, but Lennar plans to offer buyers up to $6000 off home prices in order to cover the closing cost through the end of this year. The model home, which can tours located at 14406. Andover Birch Drive. The NuHome lines done brought home buyers with a more affordable option.

Thank you again for watching this edition of weekly update. If you like the video, make sure to give it a big thumbs up and I hope you'll have a wonderful weekend, and I will see you next week.