[dizzyedge]

They're on Southfork/Dallas a mile west of 288.

2 massively gigantic huge mansions right next to each other.

Doesn't look like anyone lives there anymore. I see a car every once in a while at the "small" one using one of it's 10 car garages.


Anyone know anything about those..it's history? Who built them? Are they haunted?

This post has been edited by dizzyedge: Monday, June 25, 2007 at 3:42 PM

[dizzyedge]

Naa..he lived in Sugarland for the longest time & last year he bought a historical mansion in Clear Lake


http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...aded&start=

[jbmurrah]

From what my realtor told me when I was looking at buying in the Southfork area, originally that subdivision was slated for other mansion types on a golf course but the sales were slow to nonexistant, resulting in a bankruptcy. The subdivision was then bought and further subdivided into the lots that are now being sold. The end result is some out of place homes in the subdivision.

Brian

[njvisitor]

dizzyedge, on Monday, June 25th, 2007 @ 3:38pm, said:

They're on Southfork/Dallas a mile west of 288.

2 massively gigantic huge mansions right next to each other.

Doesn't look like anyone lives there anymore. I see a car every once in a while at the "small" one using one of it's 10 car garages.


Anyone know anything about those..it's history? Who built them? Are they haunted?

YES! I can see these from behind my house. There are 2 HUGE ones. One has 10 garages. The other one has a deck overlooking what used to be open pasture (now its a southern trails construction site). And there is another huge house under construction next to those 2.

[12thManFan]

jbmurrah, on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 @ 12:35am, said:

From what my realtor told me when I was looking at buying in the Southfork area, originally that subdivision was slated for other mansion types on a golf course but the sales were slow to nonexistant, resulting in a bankruptcy. The subdivision was then bought and further subdivided into the lots that are now being sold. The end result is some out of place homes in the subdivision.

Brian

I think you're thinking of the subdivision a little further down 288. I think it used to be called Rio Somethingoranother.....the place with the big rock formation as you turn in off of 288.

[HoustonRealtor]

12thManFan, on Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 @ 7:18pm, said:

I think you're thinking of the subdivision a little further down 288. I think it used to be called Rio Somethingoranother.....the place with the big rock formation as you turn in off of 288.

12thManFan, I think you are referring to Rodeo Palms, which has a custom section with dozens of (poorly maintained) lots, but only about 4 homes. A new one was recently started, which is odd considering that the section almost looks abandoned. When it finally builds out, it may be nice, but I wouldn't invest $500k+ in what appears to be a dud right now.

However, that is not where the 2 ridiculously large homes are. Both are on County Road 59. One is currently on the market at $3.7M (reduced from $5M)for 31,696 square feet. That will get you 13 bedrooms, 15 full bath + 6 half-baths, and a 7-car garage (all according to the listing). For the curious, it can be seen at www.har.com/7531757. Take note of the drop ceiling throughout. How fancy!!! HA HA HA! The home is owned by Dr. Ulysses Watkins. The property next door is owned by Family Care Medical Clinic, which Dr. Watkins is affiliated with and likely owns. This home is over 60,000 square feet. It is said to have 20 bedrooms and a 13-car garage.

[UrbaNerd]

Wow...what a disgusting residence...

[sevfiv]

yuck!

and the tax records show that in 2004 the place was owned by "Family Care Medical / Ulysses W. Watkins, M.D."
was it maybe used as a clinic?

[HoustonRealtor]

sevfiv, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 9:58am, said:

yuck!

and the tax records show that in 2004 the place was owned by "Family Care Medical / Ulysses W. Watkins, M.D."
was it maybe used as a clinic?

I think it's always been residential, but it's big enough to be a dorm. Maybe someone will make it into some type of rehab facility. There are plenty of bedrooms.

[gnu]

that has to be the most "plain jane" mansion kitchen in existence.
the house seems very ummm... maybe the word is utilitarian.
the space is there but decor does not fit "mansion".
the inside looks like a 1980's community center or something (from the har pictures anyway)

[rajuncajun]

gnu, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 11:03am, said:

that has to be the most "plain jane" mansion kitchen in existence.
the house seems very ummm... maybe the word is utilitarian.
the space is there but decor does not fit "mansion".
the inside looks like a 1980's community center or something (from the har pictures anyway)

Clearly this was used for something other than a personal residence; the builder's package fixtures, the dropped ceiling w/ flourescent lighting, the conference room,the office, the game room looks like a break area, th pool area looks like a public facility. I am thinking that this was some sort of group home. Man that's some TRASH!!

[sevfiv]

i searched a little for "family care medical" in manvel, tx but didn't come up with anything.

i agree with my original guess and others' thoughts - that from the looks of it (rooms, cielings) it was some sort of "facility"

sevfiv, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 9:58am, said:

yuck!

and the tax records show that in 2004 the place was owned by "Family Care Medical / Ulysses W. Watkins, M.D."
was it maybe used as a clinic?

here's the tax record, too:
http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/Clien...?prop_id=168057

[gnu]

[sevfiv]

gnu, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 12:42pm, said:

i don't think it's in manvel:

i wouldn't know where exactly that is (a bit far out), but i got Manvel from the HAR listing and google maps

[KinkaidAlum]

Oh MY GOD.

All I can hope for is that this was NOT built as a single-family home.

The drop ceiling. The lighting. The cabinets. The wall-to-wall 1982 carpeting in the living room and DINING room. The furniture even has plastic covering!

VOMIT.

[sevfiv]

this sure looks like an employee lounge rather than a "sports bar in your own home"



and gotta love the fluorescent ambiance

This post has been edited by sevfiv: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at 2:31 PM

[hbcu]

Watkins' clinic was/is off of South Post Oak by Windsor Village...he also had healthcare products in a factory that adjoins the site...Watkins also owned UW Entertainment Center off of Almeda

But his first house was in Briargate behind me and it was a regular house but he added on to it and it had flourescent lighting in it...

didn't know he splurged like that.......

[12thManFan]

This post has been edited by 12thManFan: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 12:48 PM

[musicman]

ghetto.

[gwilson]

wtf drop ceiling?

[sevfiv]

is it off the market already?

[houstonmacbro]

UrbaNerd, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 9:48am, said:

Wow...what a disgusting residence...

How come the link didn't work for me...? Has it sold...?

sevfiv, on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 @ 2:29pm, said:

this sure looks like an employee lounge rather than a "sports bar in your own home"

That first picture looks like some bad nightmare of a classroom.

[HoustonRealtor]

The listing was terminated and the property was re-listed under Country Homes / Acreage. Here is the new listing:

www.har.com/2149005

This post has been edited by HoustonRealtor: Monday, July 2, 2007 at 7:19 PM

[musicman]

HoustonRealtor, on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 @ 7:16pm, said:

The listing was terminated and the property was re-listed under Country Homes / Acreage. Here is the new listing:

www.har.com/2149005

i see photo update in progress. i sure hope so.

[houstonmacbro]

HoustonRealtor, on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 @ 7:16pm, said:

The listing was terminated and the property was re-listed under Country Homes / Acreage. Here is the new listing:

www.har.com/2149005

That's a very nice picture of the realtor.

[gwilson]

The pictures are up. There are drop ceilings throughout the ENTIRE house.

I...just don't know what to say. 31,000 sf of drop ceiling (less pool).

What in the flying f...

[houstonmacbro]

gwilson, on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 @ 11:21pm, said:

The pictures are up. There are drop ceilings throughout the ENTIRE house.

I...just don't know what to say. 31,000 sf of drop ceiling (less pool).

What in the flying f...

It certainly makes sense in the board room/office, but ... the bedrooms? Ick!!!

[Cook911411]

.... somebody is going to lose their a$$ on that one!

[TJones]

I almost literally fell out of my chair, I was laughing so hard.

Now, if you wanted to start your own CULT, this is without a doubt, THE best place in the Houston Metro-area to do it. If David Coresh would have been around, I think he would have moved from Waco. Man, i still have the giggles. This house just proves that the good Doctor's taste is all in his mouth.

[sheeats]

Soooo.... It's still on the market. Surprise!

http://swamplot.com/neighborhood-guessing-...zed/2008-08-07/

[Timnwendy]

The way they advertise "institutional" as one of its possible uses worries me a bit. Especially since I live nearby this big boy.

[bsienk]

Timnwendy, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 7:07am, said:

The way they advertise "institutional" as one of its possible uses worries me a bit. Especially since I live nearby this big boy.

When I look at the photos, especially the interior, the first thing I think of is "retreat center" followed by "rehab center". Both are "institutional," but nonetheless basically benign for neighbors.

[Timnwendy]

bsienk, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 7:46am, said:

When I look at the photos, especially the interior, the first thing I think of is "retreat center" followed by "rehab center". Both are "institutional," but nonetheless basically benign for neighbors.

My overactive imagination is quick to picture scenarios of psychotic escapees wandering onto my street. I beg the indulgence of all HAIF'ers while I struggle with this paranoia.

[sarahiki]

Timnwendy, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 8:27am, said:

My overactive imagination is quick to picture scenarios of psychotic escapees wandering onto my street. I beg the indulgence of all HAIF'ers while I struggle with this paranoia.

Being in that house would likely make someone psychotic if they didn't start out that way, so I think you're right to be paranoid! I looked at the pictures after reading people's responses, and I was still struck dumb by the ceilings. I

t also seems very weird to me to spend millions on a house and not purchase at least one little tree to put around it.

[marmer]

And notice all the TINY windows, if you look at it. You can really see it on the side view on Live Search.

Here's a teaser. The one on the left is the one in the HAR listing.

[Timnwendy]

I just had lunch with a licensed inspector who is familiar with this property. I asked him about it. Among other things, he said the grounds have alot of standing water after rainstorms. Evidently, little or no thought was put into drainage before the mansion(s) were constructed. A somewhatr perplexing and noteworthy fact, considering the amount of money put into these builds.

This post has been edited by Timnwendy: Friday, August 8, 2008 at 12:21 PM

[njvisitor]

Timnwendy, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 12:10pm, said:

Evidently, little or no thought was put into drainage before the mansion(s) were constructed. A somewhat perplexing and noteworthy fact, considering the amount of money put into these builds.

Little or no thought was put into the whole damn thing!

Though in other news, the beige property a few houses down (right behind the new fountain / stream) is coming along nicely.

[TexasVines]

I think one of those houses is for jim and the other is for tammyfey

[NenaE]

TexasVines, on Saturday, August 9th, 2008 @ 11:40am, said:

I think one of those houses is for jim and the other is for tammyfey

Do they have air-conditioned dog houses out back? That's the clincher.

[Vertigo58]

marmer, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 11:16am, said:

Looks like Auschwitz or Dachau concentration camps from above. Scary

Just needs encircling barbed wire, gaurds etc

[PapillionWyngs]

Shotgun mansions?

[PapillionWyngs]

PapillionWyngs, on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 @ 10:30am, said:

Shotgun mansions?

Is the 60,000 foot one for sale? Is in on HAR?

[stresident]

PapillionWyngs, on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 @ 9:38am, said:

Is the 60,000 foot one for sale? Is in on HAR?

HoustonRealtor, on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 @ 6:16pm, said:

The listing was terminated and the property was re-listed under Country Homes / Acreage. Here is the new listing:

www.har.com/2149005

[pestofan]

Timnwendy, on Friday, August 8th, 2008 @ 7:07am, said:

The way they advertise "institutional" as one of its possible uses worries me a bit. Especially since I live nearby this big boy.

Then nursing home/assisted living would be the most likely conversion. I've never heard of a case where elderly facilities were a nuisance.

This post has been edited by pestofan: Friday, August 22, 2008 at 12:50 PM

[PapillionWyngs]

That's the 31,000+ square foot one. I meant the larger one- someone said it was 60,000 square feet.

[JLWM8609]

I first saw the thing about 5 or 6 years ago. It's HUGE and ugly. if I've found the correct building on HAR, it's 31,000sq ft. Here's a pic of it. It has a 7 car garage.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...113207547169807

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...415094339622645

It's now for sale, but the question I have is, who built this thing?

[sevfiv]

Is it one of the places discussed here?
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=11746

edit - Swamplot had a post on it too:
http://swamplot.com/neighborhood-guessing-...zed/2008-08-07/

No idea on the architect, but I think it might have originally been built as a medical-related facility..

[JLWM8609]

Thanks.

[sevfiv]

So this is still for sale after almost two years? Not a surprise, I guess. Now how to find out who designed it..

oh, topics combined

[blizzy]

i drive by these 2 houses every day and it never ceases to amaze me how from the side they are just as ugly as the inside. the first time i saw them i thought it was a boarding school from the size and looks of it. the larger house (i believe) has some damage to the side of it and i'm wondering if it was from the hurricane. i'm also wondering if they are ever going to fix it and get rid of it. there are too many people with no where to live to have a house this size and ugliness vacant! :-)