Native Montrosian

Gorgeous, but probably just as well that it was never built so we don't have to watch it get torn down for a big box store or condos.

WOOHOO!! Just got back from a meeting - my company will be moving there in early 2009!!

All the ground floors will be retail in the buildings. We'll have 4 floors in a 6-story building across from the G-3 parking garage. No more dividing everyone into groups for 3 meetings - the movie theater will be available, and seats 400. No more dealing with Richmond-at-the-Beltway traffic to get lunch or go to the bank. I wish we could move tomorrow.

There's an article in the February Houston House & Home; also available online.

West Mansion

Scroll down to the Features/Departments section - 5th category. Neat old pictures!

Does anyone remember a Walgreens on Elgin at Main, I think? My doctor was in the red brick house on Caroline @ Elgin, and I remember going to a Walgreens a few blocks away.

When my sister & I were cleaning out after my father passed away in 1997, I looked in a box of ancient electric blankets and found a bottle of paragoric prescribed for me in 1967!! This was when some strength of it was available over the counter, so I must have been really sick. I remember that it was from that Walgreens - wish I had saved it just for the bottle. I'm sure I hid it there so I wouldn't have to take it.

What was the name of that big disco that used to be where the Admiral Linen Factory is now, right off Alabama/Shepherd? I was in there one night when they actually raided the place.

There was a place on Westheimer called Club LaAmour that had a lighted dancefloor

L'amour La Femme?

I remember Kindred Spirits on Richmond near the Loop. The one I went to on Buffalo Speedway was in the 90's and called the Ranch. Had 3 clubs, I think, but I was only in the techno one.

I remember the Silver Phoenix - never went there, but my best friend in high school came out to his family in the summer of 1979 via a CBS Saturday news program aimed at teens - think it was called "30 Minutes" - and the Houston segment was filmed there. Talk about family fireworks.... He & I used to go dancing at the Old Plantation on Kipling as well. Got in the door and drank at 16-17; never got carded once. Then again, he was cute enough to get away with practically anything. It was fun pretending to be his girlfriend at school.

Anyone remember when Numbers was Babylon's?

I vote for Alvin Van Black, R.I.P.

A friend's brother used to be a cameraman at Channel 13 - he told us that Alvin sometimes showed up for occasions when he was just making a quick report formal only from the waist up. The camera angle had to be strictly watched because he was in shorts & sneakers from the waist down.

Don't know that I'd feel too good there during a hurricane.... But that's just me. I'm sure the builders are taking such into account.

Marijane

If this battle is won, the River Oaks needs to name a seat in Lisa's honor.

The Chronicle photographer posed Beutel in front of the Bookstop's old theater marquee. A man in a starched white shirt and red tie asked who we were and what we were doing. I thought he might be someone's head of security, but he introduced himself as Drew Alexander, Weingarten's president and CEO. He said he just happened to be shopping for books.

I was reading the article yesterday at the Petrol Station and the sheer irony of this scenario required another pint in itself. Kind of like a hangman having a picnic on the gallows.

On one of the shows (maybe Kitirik

The hotel was the Royal Coach, "affectionately" nicknamed the Royal Roach by those of us attending various sci-fi/comic conventions there in its waning years. Some of those suckers could have entered the costume contest.

On a related note, here's an interesting post from the petition:

In my almost-three decades in finance, I have seen a one particular scenario repeat more than once: the eventual devaluation of a company viewed as too willing to disregard its reputation and integrity for profit. Were I at the helm of Weingarten Realty, I would not be so hasty to damn the torpedoes of public outrage, especially so close on the heels of Enron. Considering that the Weingarten family fortune is rooted in Houston, many place a certain obligation of stewardship regarding the River Oaks Center, especially considering the many years the company has touted the Center

Can you provide us a link to the board there.. i can't find the specific one.

Entire message:

July 28, 2006 05:48 p.m.

Since 2 architectural firms are already drawing the new plans for the retail (Hermes Architects) and the hi-rise (Wallace Garcia Wilson Architects), I'd say that the demo of the River Oaks Shopping Center & the River Oaks Theatre are more than just a "rumor." I sincerely hope that the public outcry against the tragic loss of the art deco architecture and the loss of Houston's last grand movie theatre will halt Weingarten from this action.

This was on their survey board - in order to access the messages, one has to be a registered member. Latest KHOU story

The link to the survey is the 3rd box in the story text.

A comment on the KHOU board lists Wallace Garcia Wilson Architects as drawing the condo plans.

When I was a child, the year of 1985 Westbury Square had a Halloween costume contest which I won first place as a home made robot.

If you remember anything about a woman falling in the square that night and breaking her arm, that was my mother.

It's currently the top story at KHOU.com.

Very good - *this* is what I've been waiting to see: the high property tax paying neighbors weighing in about the privacy & traffic congestion issues. >

12550 Jeremy Finkelstein I also strongly oppose the addition of a major highrise essentially towering over our home, plus the added traffic burden to the already congested West Gray corridor.

The Chronicle confirmed that the story wasn't rumor on the Saturday front page. I just sent a story suggestion e-mail directly to NPR (broadcast on KUHF).

Hello! Just found this wonderful place through a link from the Astroworld forum.

I read that there was another ice skating rink called Winterland that was on Norfolk near Kirby.

Indeed there was. It's where I learned to ice skate. The "WINTERLAND" sign was in script above the door with a typical 50's winter-togged skating couple to the left of the W. The rink was small and rectangular and the ice could get pretty choppy in pre-Zamboni days. Two sets of wooden bleachers flanked the rink entrance door and a party room was across from the right-hand ones. It was also the practice arena for the Central Hockey League Houston Apollo from 1965-69. I remember a classmate in 1971 who was taking figure skating lessons there, but I don't believe it lasted too long after the Galleria opened. The rink also had a notorious moment in connection with JFK's assassination: Clay Shaw trial