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Demolished: 509 & 517 Louisiana St.


Urbannizer

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I agree it's not right to "force" something onto anyone. Just seems like I've seen you in other renovation threads hating on the people who think we should save our history, like 800 Bell.

Do 50 parking spaces (for valet I assume?) really bring in more revenue than two buildings that could be repurposed? I guess some of us appreciate the character old buildings add to our city more than others..

Unfortunately there aren't many old buildings left, so you should hopefully be able to understand our displeasure towards destroying what little history remains in Houston.

Do you appreciate that character enough to make a sacrifice for it? Personally I don't appreciate it enough to even look into what it takes to start a gofundme campaign for it. These buildings aren't even worth the time it would take me to look up gofundme on google and find out. I wonder how long it would take to do that. Is there anyone in this discussion that even cares enough to find out? If so post your results here.

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Just as I suspected. I assume from your comment that you don't care enough either. How much are you willing to put up? I stated my amount. State yours.

I could probably donate $300, would be more if I didn't just donate to a coworker's family who was involved in a murder suicide. Not that you care, just letting you know since you're hell bent on asking for a figure.

I mean come on Jgriff, are you so pro-property rights that you are blinded to long term benefits of having older buildings still function?

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I could probably donate $300, would be more if I didn't just donate to a coworker's family who was involved in a murder suicide. Not that you care, just letting you know since you're hell bent on asking for a figure.

I mean come on Jgriff, are you so pro-property rights that you are blinded to long term benefits of having older buildings still function?

I know what the benefits are. I'm asking how much you are willing to sacrifice to have the benefit of keeping these buildings. Now we know.... $300. Since you are willing to do that, certainly you would also be willing to set up the gofundme account and put in the first $300. I'll be waiting for the link.

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I know what the benefits are. I'm asking how much you are willing to sacrifice to have the benefit of keeping these buildings. Now we know.... $300. Since you are willing to do that, certainly you would also be willing to set up the gofundme account and put in the first $300. I'll be waiting for the link.

Challenge accepted. Any HAIFers want to help me estimate to total cost to buy & renovate the properties so I can get the go fund me started? Anyone else I should reach out to for funds besides the Kinder Foundation? What shall we call ourselves? United Citizens for Houston History? Or Commie Scum Who Care About Houston? Taking ideas.
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Challenge accepted. Any HAIFers want to help me estimate to total cost to buy & renovate the properties so I can get the go fund me started? Anyone else I should reach out to for funds besides the Kinder Foundation? What shall we call ourselves? United Citizens for Houston History? Or Commie Scum Who Care About Houston? Taking ideas.

Excellent. Apparently when I'm a jerk I can be very motivating.

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Actually I think the first step should be finding out if the Lancaster is willing to sell.

And Jgriff you're not a jerk. You're something else, but the forum rules don't allow me to elaborate. Use your imagination.

Right back at ya.

At least now we're on the path to finding out how much people value these buildings.

I'm sure the owners will sell if we come up with enough money.

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Right back at ya.

At least now we're on the path to finding out how much people value these buildings.

I'm sure the owners will sell if we come up with enough money.

Will you allow me the time to work on this tomorrow? Should have a link for you by the end of the week.

Edit: do we have a deadline for demolition? Or is this something to find out?

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Go Fund Me?

 

You can't be serious. Two buildings in downtown, even on a small parcel, would be a multi-million dollar project. You don't do that with GoFundMe. I think you know that but are hell bent on trying to prove a point. Also, nobody in their right mind would sell to an unorganized group with no official organizational structure. You think they want that hot mess as a neighbor? Grow up. 

 

 

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Wouldn't it be nice to feed those hungry children in a historic building in Houston, next to the Lancaster?

 

So long as a majority of society doesn't care what happens to old buildings in Houston, then Ross is right, they shouldn't be forced.

 

Focus on changing the mind of society so they will decide not to give any business to this hotel if they don't preserve. When it's in the best interest of the business to do the right thing, they will do the right thing. If they can make more money demolishing, then so be it. Hopefully, people let them know that demolishing will result in less people wanting to stay at their hotel, which will mean it would make them lose money if the demolish.

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I'm not understanding why you think it would be unreasonable for the owners to make a profit. Are you saying that the owners should suck it up and make less profit simply so you can enjoy looking at a couple of mediocre buildings with no real historical significance(they are merely old, not historic)?

 

 

Weren't you here for the first round of these arguments back before Christmas? I answered everything you just said back then. And yes, as it happens, I think that the interests of preserving a city's history should be put in front of whatever profits can be made by destroying it.

 

Also, if you're going to sit here and say they're "mediocre" and "merely old, not historic," please name for me the new buildings going up downtown that have the level of detail in their brickwork as the building in the above picture. There are at least a dozen buildings going up, so it shouldn't be that hard for you.

 

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Weren't you here for the first round of these arguments back before Christmas? I answered everything you just said back then. And yes, as it happens, I think that the interests of preserving a city's history should be put in front of whatever profits can be made by destroying it.

 

Also, if you're going to sit here and say they're "mediocre" and "merely old, not historic," please name for me the new buildings going up downtown that have the level of detail in their brickwork as the building in the above picture. There are at least a dozen buildings going up, so it shouldn't be that hard for you.

 

Who cares? I look at whatever is there and hope the owner is happy with their decisions. I thought the buildings at 509 and 517 were mediocre. They just weren't that attractive to me.

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Who cares? I look at whatever is there and hope the owner is happy with their decisions. I thought the buildings at 509 and 517 were mediocre. They just weren't that attractive to me.

 

Oh, come on.... all these buildings going up costing tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars. Surely if you put any thought at all into your assertion that these buildings were "mediocre," you would be able to name a couple of newer buildings that exhibited a higher degree of craftsmanship in their brick work?

 

I'll make it easy on you. Name one brick commercial building, going up right now anywhere in Houston, where the brickwork exceeds or even just matches the level of craftsmanship in 509 Louisiana.

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Challenge accepted. Any HAIFers want to help me estimate to total cost to buy & renovate the properties so I can get the go fund me started? Anyone else I should reach out to for funds besides the Kinder Foundation? What shall we call ourselves? United Citizens for Houston History? Or Commie Scum Who Care About Houston? Taking ideas.

 

You've had some excellent posts on here, but I think you're playing into his hands with this. There is no reason why we should feel we need to spend a single penny to save historic buildings from the wrecking ball. We can simply demand laws that force the city to balance the community's concern with preservation with its concern for individual property rights. The same kind of laws our neighboring metro cities have.

 

Oh, and I wouldn't be worried by any assertions that obviously, historic preservation must not be that important to most people in Houston if there are no such laws now. We've made incredible progress in historic preservation laws in the past ten years, and now have whole neighborhoods where historic houses cannot be torn down. A landmarks preservation ordinance is there for the taking if we put our minds to it.

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You've had some excellent posts on here, but I think you're playing into his hands with this. There is no reason why we should feel we need to spend a single penny to save historic buildings from the wrecking ball. We can simply demand laws that force the city to balance the community's concern with preservation with its concern for individual property rights. The same kind of laws our neighboring metro cities have.

Oh, and I wouldn't be worried by any assertions that obviously, historic preservation must not be that important to most people in Houston if there are no such laws now. We've made incredible progress in historic preservation laws in the past ten years, and now have whole neighborhoods where historic houses cannot be torn down. A landmarks preservation ordinance is there for the taking if we put our minds to it.

I got carried away. A page or two back I suggested incentives for saving and using old buildings. I fell into a trap but it was exciting to think of starting something positive for the health of the city and more importantly Downtown. Even went so far down the rabbit hole and brainstorming ideas about how the Skyline District could be saved but it would likely be the last step. Oh well. You live & learn.
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