Two is better than one

ZaZa doubles the fun with new luxe hotel in Houston

Two is better than one. And Houston is about to get double the ZaZa fun when construction of the second location of the luxe hotel chain, Hotel ZaZa Memorial City, at Interstate 10 and Bunker Hill Road, is completed and doors open on December 1.

Sister property, Hotel ZaZa Museum District, has been a hub for celebrities, from Madonna to Jennifer Lopez to Jay-Z and Beyoncé, since it launched in 2007. While the snazzy new outpost at Memorial City will bolster the brand’s reputation for lavish rooms and amenities, it will also differ in several ways, including a unique vibe to match its 77024 ZIP code.

"Our Museum District location fits the neighborhood. It's very dramatic yet classic. Here [at Memorial City], it's lighter. It's more midcentury modern and has its own distinct flavor," Matthew Nuss, president of Z Resorts, told CultureMap.

At a media preview of the space, CultureMap got an inside look of what’s to come. The 14,000-square-foot building offers 159 rooms on floors 1-10, including eight of Hotel ZaZa’s trademarked Magnificent Seven Suites.

The themed suites on the 10th floor include The Beach House Suite, The French Connection Suite, The Godfather Suite, The Master Plan Suite, The Black Gold Suite, The Breathless Suite, Asian Beauty, and Passage to India Suite.

You can also count on signature ZaZa perks like the ZaSpa and stylish on-property restaurant, called “Tipping Point,” along with a rocking pool scene, complete with several private cabanas, and thought-provoking art pieces scattered throughout the hotel.

Also setting the Memorial City locale apart is the addition of apartments in the mixed-used building. Seven floors of the 17-story high-rise have been set aside as rental apartments. Dubbed The McCarthy, 133 apartments, including 80 one-bedroom units, 38 two-bedroom units, and 15 efficiencies, are available for lease beginning in January 2018.

The units, spanning floors 11-17, come with 10-foot ceilings, private balconies, scenic views, premium finishes, and stainless-steel appliances. Residents can indulge in hotel conveniences, including ZaSpa and the Tipping Point restaurant.

Hotel ZaZa also has a property in Dallas, with Hotel ZaZa Austin slated to open the first quarter of 2019 at 400 Lavaca St.

The new outpost at Memorial City will bolster the brand’s reputation for lavish rooms and amenities.

Houston news, Hotel ZaZa Memorial City, November 2017

Courtesy photo

The new outpost at Memorial City will bolster the brand’s reputation for lavish rooms and amenities.

hotels

DART News

DART receives $7 million federal grant for new low-emission buses

Gillig

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has received a grant to update its fleet of buses. According to a release, the agency was awarded a $7.094 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to support the purchase of new buses as the agency phases out its fleet of older model vehicles.

The grant awarded to DART is one of 165 transit projects across the U.S. funded with more than $2 billion in federal grants.

In February, DART purchased 476 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses from Gillig, a California-based manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses, to fulfill their goal to modernize their transit system over the next decade — particularly via new buses and light-rail vehicles to replace the oldest units in their aging fleet.

The phase-in of those new vehicles is expected to be executed through 2027.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses are a near-zero emission option, which was a key component in DART qualifying for the federal grant. Gillig has already delivered the first buses ahead of a Spring 2026 timeline — meaning that DART riders will get to start riding the upgraded buses on routes by the end of December 2025.

In a statement, DART President & CEO Nadine Lee says the timing is perfect.

“The timing of this grant couldn’t be better as we begin to receive early delivery of new, state-of-the-art vehicles from Gillig and as we move ahead with preparations to provide service to the massive crowds we expect next year with the FIFA World Cup," Lee says. "We are grateful to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, FTA Administrator Marcus Molinaro, and our entire congressional delegation for valuing their strong federal partnership with DART, recognizing the need to find additional funding to support transit programs in one of the fastest growing metro areas in the nation."

This new grant is in addition to $103 million initial federal grants, bringing the total federal support for DART’s purchase of new buses to more than $110 million – reducing the overall cost to DART and member cities.

U.S. Congressional delegates, representing communities across Texas, were instrumental in securing the funding for the grant. The purchase of 476 buses is one part of DART’s Transform, a $2.5 billion 10-year plan to modernize and upgrade the DART system.

transportation