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I would think that the cost for a gas station to obtain liability insurance in an historic district would be prohibitive.

Diagnostic Hospital and Clinic.TIF

Their Instagram page says they sold out of the entire Houston inventory in the first day!  Good for them.

I'll bet OSHA would frown upon the worker up there who appears to not be tied off, and obviously no hardhat or eye protection.  I hope he survives.

The fountains were down on Saturday, before the winds picked up.  The fountains are supposed to be maintained by the Downtown District.  The Downtown District is also responsible for maintaining the downtown parks, but if you've taken a close look at Market Square Park lately, you will see that this, too, is simply not being maintained.  It's a shame because the District's budget should allow for proper maintenance to be carried out.  You would think they could find a good contractor to keep the fountains running.

The Kirby Mansion is for sale again.  Please find a buyer who will not tear it down.  

Last night……

Bowie is a tenant in the commercial condominium owned by the owner of Local Foods, who previously operated out of the same space.

It's probably about making money from Astros fans wanting a very nearby place to park.  And for any other large event at Minute Maid Park.

The dedication has been postponed.  There is a problem with getting a major City of Houston water line tapped to serve the larger Sanctuary.  The dedication will now occur in February.

It was constructed in 1953/54.

It was constructed in 1953/54.

I recall hearing Gib DuTerroil, the longtime President of the Lighthouse of Houston, explain that the Lighthouse property was formerly the land where the Houston Tuberculosis Hospital was located.

This will be a difficult property to sell or develop.  The Episcopalians allow the downtown homeless to sleep on the sidewalks of the Episcopal Health Foundation building next door with no regard to the affects on adjacent businesses or residences.

The Lumberman's Bank Building was located at the northwest corner of Main and Prairie.  It was removed in 1933 for the construction of the Joseph Finger designed  "Byrd's Department Store", constructed for Bernard and Tobias Sakowitz.  The contractor for the project was Edmond Fretz.  During the demolition, Fretz found the long-leaf pine lumber that was used in the Lumberman's Bank building to be of such high quality that he saved the wood and used it in the framing of his residence in Braeswood, at 2336 Underwood.  The home was designed by Maurice J. Sullivan, and still stands today.  It is also reported that the pendant lights from the Lumberman's Bank Building were saved and were installed in Holy Rosary Catholic Church, designed by Sullivan and constructed by Fretz, also in 1933.  These fixtures remain in use in the Sanctuary of Holy Rosary.

11 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Any word on the little building they plan to renovate? 

The owners are exploring their options regarding the eventual use of the building.

21 hours ago, Ross said:

The property is owned by the Arch-Diocese of Galveston Houston, and was not a parish church, as it was the co-Cathedral along with the one in Galveston. When they were building the new cathedral, the arch diocese was very involved. The arch diocese then annoyed most of the people who go to Sacred Heart by reassigning Father Troy, a main participant in the new building, to St John Vianney. When the folks complained, the Arch Diocese told them to stop moaning and that church decisions were none of their business and that all priests are the same.

I think Father Troy would tell you that he came out ahead in that deal......

Good memory!   The private club on the top of the Fannin State Bank Building was the Criterion Club.   It was on the 16th and 17th floors originally.

On 6/16/2023 at 10:59 PM, brucesw said:

I never knew of the low-rise building but I didn't get here until 1970.  When did it become just Fannin Bank?

It would be interesting if we could identify all the structures along Main and Fannin.  Is that Bill Williams in the distance?  Can we see Capt. Benny's original shrimp boat?  Nah.  Too early for Capt. Benny.  What's the bank with drive through lanes on both sides?  Isn't the low building behind the building under construction the APC building - Adams (or Ada?) Petroleum Company, as in Bud Adams?

KXYZ-AM & FM shared space on the 16th floor, I believe it was, east end of the building.  There was a restaurant above us.  The FM was just a closet and just simulcast the AM ("World's Most Beautiful Music").  In '69 or early '70, ABC split off their FM's and launched Love FM, syndicated progressive rock with taped programming.  By September of 70, all 7 ABC-FMs went live with local programming and new calls.  KAUM got new, separate studios and offices on the 15th floor and in less than 2 years expanded again to the 12th floor.  

One evening before the first move I saw Dave Lamble, newsman on the FM, standing in the Chief Engineer's office looking out the windows on the back of the building. I went over to see what he was looking at but couldn't figure out what attracted his attention, so I asked.  The sunset, he said. Dave grew up on Long Island and went to school in NYC.  He said he'd never seen a sunset until he moved to Houston and he loved to watch them.

I wonder if the picture was taken from the Medical Arts building on Dryden?  That's where the studios of KFMK-98 FM were and had been - the first progressive/album/acid rock outlet in Houston.  I knew a jock who worked there who said when they put a long cut on, they'd go up on the roof and light one up.

 

Good memory!   The private club on the top of the Fannin State Bank Building was the Criterion Club.   It was on the 16th and 17th floors originally.

On 6/16/2023 at 9:47 PM, Dave W said:

 

That was the original building. I believe that's the same building that additional stories were added on top of in the early 60s.

That  is correct.  The two-story building was constructed  in the 1950's and was connected to the sixteen story tower which was built in 1962.  Al Knapp was the Chairman of the Board for Fannin State Bank.

On 6/19/2023 at 11:20 AM, Houston19514 said:

Where is the Area Command currently located?

They are downtown at 1500 Austin.  This building will be sold once the Main Street property is completed.

The developer's renderings indicate that the building at 615 Caroline is going to be saved.  It's got a very nice history, having been built for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company in 1940.

Did the fence go farther south down Caroline in front of the three story building which was originally constructed for the Ridgway's Blueprint Company?  At one time, the same people owned both buildings.  It would be a shame if the Ridgway's Building was also being demolished.  It's a stout cast in place concrete building originally designed by Robert Cummins.

There is a new "For Lease" sign at this property.

I seem to recall that the Sanctuary was designed by Denny Ray Wines Architects or possible by that firm's successor, Ray + Hollington Architects.

I believe these are the former Blumenthal Sheet Metal properties.