Houston Area Holdouts

[Urbannizer]

The latest holdout (Pearl at the Mix) piqued my interest. What are some known examples of buildings in the Houston area that refused to sell to developers? Below are some recent examples.

 

Winfield Gate house:

 

 

c/o HoustonChronicle

 

Paul Art Framing Inc. 

 

c/o hindesky

 

 

Stowers Building:

 

[IronTiger]

For years, there were some First Ward homes that held out as most of the neighborhood became an industrial facility, and ended up being surrounded entirely by a Target parking lot.

In looking at the images on Google Earth, I imagined some sort of Carl Fredricksen-like character who refused to sell as long as they lived, no matter what happened to the 'hood.

[LarryDierker]

Alexan Heights

Photo by hindesky. Couldn't find the aerial.

[JLWM8609]

This is on Algerian Way near Kirby. The former residential street has gone all commercial with exception of one holdout residence.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/DUKFzNuLWdE2

[Montrose1100]

In the neighborhood directly south of the River Oaks (real), shopping center, it is flooded with town houses with just a couple older homes left. Would this count? The Complex on 1340 W. Gray also didn't build completely out. 

 

Of course, the most notable, is the soon to be Aloft Hotel sharing the block with BG Group.

 

 

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

Alexan Heights

Photo by hindesky. Couldn't find the aerial.

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.781806,-95.3995781,140m/data=!3m1!1e3

[FilioScotia]

I remember back in the 70s when Greenway Plaza was under development, and the owners were having a hard

time with homeowners in the small residential area between Edloe and Weslayan. This area is now occupied by Lakewood Church, a huge apartment complex, a luxury car dealership and an office building at Weslayan and the SW Fwy.

Some of the homeowners had lived there for decades, and were holding out for thousands of dollars more than their small houses were worth on the market. I heard that the last holdout on Norfolk Street got more than 500 thousand. Don't know if that's an urban legend or not, but it's a great story.

[IronTiger]

I remember back in the 70s when Greenway Plaza was under development, and the owners were having a hard

time with homeowners in the small residential area between Edloe and Weslayan. This area is now occupied by Lakewood Church, a huge apartment complex, a luxury car dealership and an office building at Weslayan and the SW Fwy.

Some of the homeowners had lived there for decades, and were holding out for thousands of dollars more than their small houses were worth on the market. I heard that the last holdout on Norfolk Street got more than 500 thousand. Don't know if that's an urban legend or not, but it's a great story.

If what you're talking is about is what I'm thinking of, Greenway Plaza was developed first with them buying out everyone all at once with what was considered a fair deal for a time (everyone had to agree, or no deal). The neighborhood was only a few streets, wasn't very old, and by the time Greenway Plaza came knocking, half of the subdivision had already been taken out for the Southwest Freeway.

[kylejack]

Awesome aerials of this phenomenon.

[The Pragmatist]

A family member of mine lived in an apartment complex out in west Houston on the north end of George Bush Park. The apartment complex surrounds the home of a person who didn't want to sell. From what I recall it was either an old man or an old lady who had lived there for years and just wanted to stay. 

 

Here's an aerial from Google Maps.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7799791,-95.6844075,353m/data=!3m1!1e3

[sevfiv]

Whatever happened with this?

http://swamplot.com/whats-next-for-that-museum-district-never-was/2013-05-20/

 

“THERE’S A LOT that’s recently been cleared immediately behind the Asia Society,” reports a reader. You know the one, at the corner of Oakdale and Caroline St.? The one whose owners refused to sell, forcing Asia Society architect Yoshio Taniguchi to design around it? Where there was that 1930s vine-covered home being used as a doctor’s office that was supposed to be sold and renovated into a restaurant, but never was?

[kylejack]

April 2011



September 2015



If I remember correctly, a certain chef was supposed to open a restaurant here. I guess they decided to tear it down after that fell through.

[kylejack]

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/04-23-12-randy-ruckers-much-anticipated-museum-district-restaurant-is-off-chef-insists-conat-not-dead-though/

[cowboybud]

I remember back in the 70s when Greenway Plaza was under development, and the owners were having a hard

time with homeowners in the small residential area between Edloe and Weslayan. This area is now occupied by Lakewood Church, a huge apartment complex, a luxury car dealership and an office building at Weslayan and the SW Fwy.

Some of the homeowners had lived there for decades, and were holding out for thousands of dollars more than their small houses were worth on the market. I heard that the last holdout on Norfolk Street got more than 500 thousand. Don't know if that's an urban legend or not, but it's a great story.

 

I remember there being an apartment complex where the Cafe Express is (not the complex that's behind it now) next to The Summit as recently as the early-mid 80s.

[FilioScotia]

****If what you're talking is about is what I'm thinking of, Greenway Plaza was developed first with them buying out everyone all at once with what was considered a fair deal for a time (everyone had to agree, or no deal).****

That's how I remember it too, but I also remember there were several holdouts.