Houston, TX

Following other recent Hospital closings in Houston I blogged about, another hospital operator is calling it quits.

Renaissance Healthcare Systems, a Houston-based owner of five general hospitals in Texas including one in Houston, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. The company hopes to continue operating its local facility, Renaissance Hospital Houston - formerly Houston Community Hospital - at 2807 Little York Road.

Renaissance ran into financial trouble last year as it tried to redevelop and reopen a community hospital in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie. Cost overruns and the collapse of capital markets drained the system's resources. RHS brought in Atlantic Health Group, a Houston-based health care facility management firm, to try to help Renaissance regain its financial footing.

In addition to the Houston hospital and the still-unopened Grand Prairie facility, Renaissance operates hospitals in Terrell, Dallas and Grovers, which is near Port Arthur. Renaissance acquired its first hospital in Houston in 2001, renaming it Renaissance Hospital in January 2005.

Specifics about a proposed office tower in the Galleria area are slowing leaking out while the developer Lasco/Hicks Ventures Ltd. strives to keep all of the particulars under wraps. A 400,000-square-foot office building is planned to be constructed on three acres on Post Oak near Richmond.

Information about the project was also included on a general direct-mail piece from Houston-based Michael Berry Properties, which is not involved in the project. The mailing advertises a 26-story office building to be constructed at 3100 Post Oak that will have a ground-floor restaurant overlooking the waters of the Lakes on Post Oak office complex.

The site is adjacent to a six-acre parcel acquired earlier this year by a development firm from Dubai. Deyaar Development, a builder of commercial and residential towers in the Middle East, has not announced plans for its Galleria site. A source says those details probably won't be forthcoming because Deyaar agreed not to develop anything on the prime corner until after Lasco/Hicks builds its building.

Lasco Development, which has been in business for more than 20 years, specializes in retail development. The firm is involved with the Riverstone Shopping Center and The Shops at Riverstone in Missouri City.

Lasco/Hicks could be in position to develop the first Class A office building to be built in the Galleria area in the last 25 years. Real estate professionals say more office space is needed in the Galleria area to keep up with demand. Second-quarter 2008 information shows that roughly 90 percent of all office space in the area is occupied.

The Royalton is Houston's most popular luxury condominium high-rise!

Located one mile west of downtown Houston with spectacular views of the skyline! There are 252 GORGEOUS condo's in this 33 story building.

From the moment you pull up to the formal porte-cochere entry you feel like you are at a 5 star resort, complete with white-glove service and world class style.

3333 Allen Parkway

The Royalton features one, two and three bedroom condos ranging from 900 square feet to over 4,000 square foot penthouse units.

You can either buy or lease a unit.

You will be greeeted by a very friendly doorman! Free Valet service.

24-hour manned entrance and Concierge service

Secured Entry into the building.

Beautiful foyer with 3 elevators.
There also is a delivery entrance for loading and unloading
with use of service elevator.

Beautiful infinity edge resort pool!

24-hour, 3000 square foot gym.

Starbucks coffee, tea, a coke machine, bottled water, popcorn machine,fresh fruit, daily newspaper and an array of magazines are some of the amenities offered in the kitchen / resident lounge area.

Enjoy your cup of coffee and read the newspaper in the resident lounge area.

Location:

Across the street from Buffalo Bayou jogging trails and park.

Easy access to 610 and I-45.

Accessible to The Galleria, Greenway Plaza, Uptown, Midtown Museum District, Theater District, River Oaks, Memorial Park and The Texas Medical Center. Conveniently located to some of Houston's finest restaurants, entertainment, sporting events and shopping!

Other features include:

• private climate controlled wine room
• 
• large conference and dining rooms
• 
• banquet/ballrooms with a service kitchen
• garden cocktail terrace
• 
• recreational game room with a huge screen TV
• private theater
• Outdoor Gas Grill by the pool area
• Service Runners
• Limo service

Looking to buy a house or sell your home? Contact Pippa MAC, your ReMax REALTOR for more information on homes for sale in The Woodlands, Spring and Houston, TX.

A free home buyer/seller workshop will be held from Wednesday, September 10th from 7 to 9p.m. at La Madeline in Town and County, 700 West Houston Parkway, Suite 100 at Kimberly and Sam Houston Parkway. Cindy Blustein, ABR, CRS, GRI with Keller Williams Realty will present the seminar along with Marcy Wolf, with Action Mortgage.

The seminar will cover the home-selling and home buying process and how to avoid the costly mistakes that often go unnoticed; preparing a home for sale; pricing; marketing; understanding contracts; inspections; home warranties; and the negotiation process. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Seating is limited. For reservations, e-mail cindy@soldbycindy.com Include your name, telephone number and number of reservations. Or leave reservation information at 832-877-9393. A free credit report will be provided for buyer's that get pre-qualified for a loan.

The mission of Crossroads at Harris County Youth Village in Seabrook,TX is to prevent or reduce youth involvement with the juvenile justice system by fostering positive mentoring relationships between youths and volunteers. Screened and trained volunteers are matched with children between the ages of ten and seventeen who have primarily been referred by juvenile probation officers or judges. For more information, please contact Volunteer Houston Bay Area at 281-282-6035 or www.volunteerhouston.org

www.StagingSmartNSold provides Houston home staging expertise to promote a rapid and profitable house sale for Realtors and homeowners. The owner is also a volunteer in the Houston Bay Area.