A towering new master-planned development could be coming to Houston near Rice University in the Texas Medical Center. Though details are currently scarce, a number of images posted online show concepts by two of the world's most notable architecture firms.

Saint Nicholas School, II and Brays Bayou, image retrieved from Google Street View

What's known so far, courtesy of Forum contributor urbannizer, is that Springwoods Realty Company purchased a sizeable parcel of land at 7200 Main in 2006. Lying on the outskirts of the largest medical center in the world, the site is currently occupied by Saint Nicholas School, II and a large grassy field. It borders Brays Bayou and its Greenway Trail, representing a unique opportunity for developments proposed on this lot.

7200 Main, image via HOK

Years later, renderings depicting numerous towers at 7200 Main made their way online. The concept was drafted by HOK, the prestigious architecture firm that has developed a range of master plans in cities around the world, including Dubai, Moscow and Istanbul. The images show four highrise towers, including a potential supertall building in the centre of the site. That building would implement a diagrid exoskeleton attached to a glass facade. Multiple podiums would be erected on Main Street while the greenery at the back of the site would be maintained.

7200 Main, image via HOK

Gensler also submitted a concept for the site which envisioned a mixed-use complex with a significant ground-level retail and tree-lined streets. The developer purchased the remaining plots of land in December 2015, and two months later, the school announced they would relocate to a property much further south by 2018 as part of a new mixed-use project. Whatever the future holds for this site, it looks like some more details could be expected soon.

The Gensler concept, image via Gensler

We'll be watching this project closely and you can too by visiting the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment below.