The Driscoll - Connecting Your Neighborhood
Densification of the Urban Core
With the rapid growth of Houston and further densification of its urban core, let’s take a closer look at some recently completed high-rise mixed-use apartment projects to see what role they may be playing in our city’s urbanization. This new development provides the hustle and bustle of urban life that comes with the ability to walk where you need to go. Density allows you to also enjoy a high concentration of culture and convenience. However, it is still a pretty new concept to Houston. With it, lifestyle hounds are reexamining the suburban sprawl model and flocking to our inner-city neighborhoods.
Walkable Urban Living
Rising 32 stories, The Driscoll at River Oaks is designed in a crisp modern Art Nouveaux expression and stands out as a landmark building honoring the continued relevance of the prestigious River Oaks Shopping Center. Multi-family developer Hanover and owner Kimco recognize that sustaining a top tier neighborhood shopping center today requires reimagining the entire development as a symbiotic mix of uses that promotes walkable urban living. At street level, the design of the building retained 12,000 sf of retail space for the convenience of the residents which helps to activate the pedestrian experience of the shopping center.
Luxury Without Gridlock
Ideally located, The Driscoll offers residents the ultimate in comfort, lifestyle, and convenience. It is within a short stroll of world class shopping, entertainment, fine dining, restaurants, grocery store, coffee shops, galleries, and nearby parks. The Driscoll draws people seeking a minimalist way of life that retains the feeling of attachment to the River Oaks neighborhood they look out upon. While maintaining this sense of neighborhood charm and history, The Driscoll offers residents relief from the anxiety of freeway gridlock by affording a way to not use the car.
Large Scale Urban Districts
This developments is playing the key role of reinforcing the importance of neighborhoods to those searching for a more cultured, simplified, and convenient urban lifestyle. With Houston at an early stage of urbanization and densification, the design of mixed-use neighborhoods will continue to reshape our city’s skyline for years to come. This neighborhood becomes a part of larger scale urban districts that reinforce mankind’s fundamental need for social interaction and a sense of belonging. Our twenty-first century challenge is to create more walkable urban districts for a less auto dependent and more sustainable future.
About the Author
Scott Ziegler, AIA
As Founding Principal of the firm and leader of the Urban Architecture Studio, Scott’s design experience reflects his belief that inspirational architecture enriches people’s lives, uplifts the human spirit, and provides a constant vision of excellence. As Residential Senior Practice Area Leader, Scott plays an active role in shaping the urban landscape through the firm’s built works and his published writing in professional journals on the subjects of sustainable urban growth strategies and high-density mixed-use developments.