A modern-day wildcatter, Randall Davis doesn’t speculate for oil, but the next best thing in Texas—real estate. Randall, who by his admission, has spent “too many” years in real estate development, has seen every boom and bust cycle the wily economy has thrown our way. He has more than just survived; he has thrived, adding one luxurious building after another to the Houston skyline.
Starting right out of college, Randall got his feet wet as part-time help in apartment development. He then moved on to working on historical buildings in the Houston area. Boasting “true loft lifestyle living,” Rice Lofts and Dakota Lofts, both located downtown, are examples of Randall’s earlier work.
More recently, however, he set his sights on high rise condominiums.
“Over time, after I kept converting several historic buildings where the units were for lease, I always had people asking me if I would build a high rise so they could buy their unit instead of lease it. I decided I would build the Metropolis, which was the first high rise condominium built in Houston in over 20 years,” Randall says.
The Metropolis might have been his first foray in high rise condominiums, but it certainly wasn’t his last.
He has amassed quite a portfolio both in and out of Houston. Randall’s newest development, The Paramount, will be located at 3723 Westheimer Road. The 50-unit high rise condominium will have a classic design with art deco flair and include two penthouses with 24-foot ceilings.
“The Paramount will have great unobstructed views towards either downtown or the Galleria. Everyone loves views, and, in this building, residents will be able to pick which way their unit faces,” Randall says.
“We are breaking ground in April 2020, and although construction will take two years, the sales office will be open in November of this year.”
Low housing prices in Houston keep homeowners in their homes longer, forcing developers to up the ante on more ways to attract would-be buyers. Higher ceilings, Vegas-style pools and as many on-site amenities as you can think of are now customary in luxury high rise living.
“Right now, it is an amenities arms race. Everyone is trying to come up with better designed and newer amenities. The newest thing we’ve seen hit the market are dog parks and dog baths. I’ve seen some weird ones; I’ve seen rooms with coolers where you can store your meat,” a bemused Randall says. “I think the amenity that is going to make Paramount different is its indoor pool, which will be really nice for swimming laps and kids or grandkids.”