Willowisp

Hi, Willowbrook does have mostly small but nice homes. Still, I think that it is a good little area, like Westbury, for people who want to buy a house close to town but can't afford Meyerland (yet?). I hope that good people continue to find this area instead of moving WAY out of town, but as stated before, it's hard to want to live here faced with the idea that if you have kids they will someday go to Westbury High with its reputation as it is right now. And that's a sad catch 22 for Westbury (seems like Sharpstown is probably in a similar situation). Thanks for the info. It's easy to forget that Willowbend was the edge of town back then and interesting to think of Post Oak as a rural type of road like a Farm to Market road. I don't know when the soundwall was built, but it's forgettable. Right now it is an issue for us because it is very inadequete for 6 lanes of heavy truck traffic, and big trucks are a main vehicle on S. Post Oak. I think it was put in in the 80s. There are many places where it has been crashed through by cars (drunks mostly). It's up to the owner and their insurance to put the wall back up (not the city). What has ended up happening (probably due to owners' lack of insurance) is that you will get a wood fence where there was a sound wall, so it's kind of a patchwork. Concrete, wood, concrete, different wood, etc... To me, it's obvious that this is the face of our neighborhood and something should be done to beautify it. That means money. I could go on and on about it, but I'm going to stop here! Jason

Question for those of you in the Willowbend/Willow Meadows/Westbury area around the time of building the 610: What was the traffic like during construction of the 610? What were the main streets people used before and during that time? I'm guessing Post Oak was "the main drag" as someone had said. It would be cool to hear more about that as my house borders S. Post Oak. Maybe the fences weren't sound walls as they are now and you might remember the 50's Modern houses on the right as you crossed Willow Waterhole going toward Willowbend Ave. That's where we live... Jason

Hi, Thanks so much for reposting that pic for everyone. I found my house! It's great to see the way my neighborhood used to be. My house borders S. Post Oak, but it's interesting to see how much distance there used to be between my lot and the street. Now it's the lot, a wall, a sidewalk and then 6 lanes. Jason

My favorite restaurants as a kid: Jasso's Mexican Food near Almeda Mall Vaudeville Pizza on Hughes (I went to Stuchbery Elementary so lots of B-Day Parties there!) Godfather's Pizza - in Kroger strip center on Fuqua - a friend and I would walk over there with about $5 and get personal pizzas and play Zaxon or Ms. Pacman The small seafood place across from Jimmy Walker's in Kemah - lots of good family memories! Don't know the name of it though. Ninfa's near Monroe @ 45 I remember Valian's fondly also! And I remember my parents getting a sitter so they could go to Boston Sea Party and The Great Caruso. Us kids never got to go there. I moved away in 1985 for 13 years, so I want to know... What happened to JoJo's??? When did they close? Now I'm vegetarian and cook mostly at home. My restaurant choices are greatly reduced, and I stick pretty much to the same places like Mission Burrito and Mac Grill and the occasional Chinese place. Jason

I find it amazing that everyone seems to remember the hottie of Westbury 1971! That's great! I posted in another thread that I have just purchased an aerial photo of S. Post Oak/Willowbend/Westbury at a place called Positive Image on Stella Link. I had a great learning experience looking through their photos and choosing one to buy. They aren't cheap ($60 for 11x14), but I'm going to frame the pic I bought as art, so it's not really that expensive either... http://www.positiveimage.com/contact.htm Keep the memories coming... Jason

here's a great historical aerial Erik (the freeway guy) has of the 610. If you go to the bottom of it you can see a house surrounded by undeveloped land. Is this what you're talking about? I also should mention a plug for a company that Erik told me about. They're called Positive Image (on Stella Link) and they have lots of these old aerials. I went over and ordered a great photo of Willowbend from 1958. It was a great history lesson and they were very nice people. They've lived in Willow Meadows for years. Jason http://www.texasfreeway.com/Houston/histor...62_bellaire.jpg

I can definitely see how this area would have flooding problems. I may have to get over there and see it for myself. Maybe it got torn down around the time of the 610 being built? I live in this "ghetto" or "hood" or whatever - Willowbend. It seems odd to live in a ghetto when the houses in my neighborhood are all appraised in the $200K and up range and seem to be increasing every year. I know it would be nice to get rid of the apartments on S. Post Oak and down further in the Willow/Gasmer area, but I don't think I'm going to go set fire to them myself. How do we go about getting rid of an apartment complex? We don't own it, we can't shut it down. What S. Post Oak seems to be to me is a thoroughfare for people and trucks (recycling and dumping ground is at S. Main & S. Post Oak). They don't live in the area and they either drive through it or bus through it and use the area then head home, so they don't care about it. So our area around S. Post Oak (Walmart, Foodarama, Pawn Shops, Popeyes, Hunter's Pub, Wheel Rims Shop, the new CiCi's Pizza, Payless Shoes, Check Cashing Place, Dollar Stores, Drive Through Car Wash, Junk Shops) seems to cater to that element, where Meyerland gets the more upscale type places - though they also have Marshall's and Ross, not exactly Saks! It's a shame that nicer retail and restaurants don't come to our area, but understandable since Meyerland is right down the street. Look at me, I do all my grocery shopping at the Farmer's Market at 3000 Richmond and then go to the Kroger at Buffalo Speedway and then Whole Foods in Bellaire... I just don't like the produce at S. Post Oak Kroger, and I don't like the prices at Meyer Park Randall's. I'm as guilty as anyone for not supporting local business. I used to work at Walmart (not the one here) and I think that Walmart has the same layout as the one I worked in 12 years ago! They usually update them better than that! I will never again set foot in our Walmart. I just act like it doesn't exist. Please do the same. Go to the Meyerland Target or wherever. Sorry for the unrelated rambling. Hope you get those pics posted. Jason

The SOLD sign just went up! Time to meet the new neighbors. Could be flippers or could be people who plan to live there. I don't know yet. Hopefully I can talk them into keeping the charm of the house. Jason

They are putting a new roof on the house that is still for sale down the street from me. This house has been on the market since the beginning of the year and it troubles me because I wonder what it's going to take to sell our place when the time comes. I know our location is even less desirable than that one. I knew that going in. But I thought this other house would sell quickly. I'm sure there are other factors besides location on this one, but it's just discouraging to have the neighbor's house take so long to sell! I really think that the pros of the location (convenient to freeway) offset the cons of the location (so close to the freeway). Anyway, if any of you out there buy it, I can definitely recommend my contractor to fix it up. Jason

Another house bites the dust. Those of us who went on the 2005 RDA tour got to see this house. I knew deep down that it wasn't going to be around much longer, but it's still sad to know it's gone. All that's left is memories, and Ben Koush's great book that documented it. Jason From Feb. 2005 (I changed is to WAS): Bousquet House, 1941, Donald Barthelme The Bousquet house WAS of the utmost significance to the architectural heritage of Houston. The architect, Donald Barthelme, was the perhaps the most important modernist working in Texas from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. His work was widely published and he was considered significant enough to be listed as one of the "Masters of Modern Architecture" along with Mies, Le Corbusier and Wright in John Peter's widely read book of 1958 of the same title. The Bousquet House WAS the last example of Barthelme's work in Houston that remains in a recognizable form. His two masterpieces, the ADA Oil Building of 1957 and his own house of 1941 have been destroyed in the last few years. The current owner of the Bousquet House, Henry Wightman, has resided there since the early 1960s when he purchased the house from the Bousquet's. Mr. Wightman has made relatively few changes and the house is a perfect illustration of pre-war domestic architecture and technology. The Bousquet house WAS located on its original lot in River Oaks, where surging property values often relegate houses of this size and age to the status of "tear-down". Realizing the importance of this structure and the tentative nature of the Houston residential market, Houston Mod has organized an initiative to document the house.

Hey all, Thought I'd invite all my online friends to come over to see the house again. We'll be keeping it a little more low key this time, but we're having a veggie-q for my birthday and to celebrate the appearance in Southwest News. We'll also watch the draft day procedings for those interested in football. Let me know (PM) if you'd like to come. BYOB! We'll supply the veggies. It's Saturday, April 29th at 2pm 10920 Willowisp Jason

403 Westminster is breathtaking! It went right to #4 my top 10 mods of Houston list (maybe I'll post that soon). Get out and see it today! Jason

It's tomorrow and Sunday! I can't do the meet up thing because of the docent thing. The woman on Logan also had way bigger problems than my noise issue. I mean, just picture yourself building your dream home and living there peacefully until a high-rise developer decides to move in next door. I'm looking forward to seeing that house as well. Lots of Houston Mod people will be docents, so keep an eye out for them/us. Jason

Here comes the RDA tour! I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on the mods on the tour. Either what you might know about them before or after you've seen them. 250 Pine Hollow Circle, 1953 Wilson, Morris & Crain, architects The owner of this house talked at the lecture the other night. Her problems with flooding and the loss of land to the currents of the bayou over the years made my problems with noise from the street seem like nothing. She was a very entertaining speaker. I am looking forward to seeing this house. This link below shows a picture of the back of the house back when it was built. The owner said the house is still pretty original all things considered, because they have had to put their money into other things, like reclaiming the land from the bayou... http://texasarchitect.org/ta200509-essay.p...e8752cf985dfbbc 266 Pine Hollow Circle, 1972 P. M. Bolton Associates, architect 403 Westminster, 1960 Neuhaus and Taylor, architect This house is newly restored, so I'm really looking forward to seeing it. I'm hoping they have some before pictures as well. I am a docent here on the early shift Saturday, so stop and say hi to the big smiling bald guy! 407 Thamer Circle, 1974 Raymond Brochstein, Anderson Todd, and William T. Cannady, architects http://rda.rice.edu/index2.php?topgroupid=...d=34&groupid=78 Jason

10901 Willowisp is open again on Sunday - come on over! Jason

Good idea! Something very nice happened after my wife and I went and looked at the house. We told the realtor that we were neighbors just checking the house out and then when we left something must have clicked in his head because he came running out after us saying "I love the houses down at the end of the block!" and asked us for a tour of our house. So we invited him to the open house. I'll have to suggest they do that. It would probably be 2-4, so people could go there first and then come to our house after... Jason

The price on our neighbor's house came down 10K. I went and saw it for an open house again yesterday. I really hope a mod inclined buyer gets it. The Pros: A long wall of glass panels along the back looking out to the backyard. 3 average sized bedrooms. Lava Rock Courtyard I mentioned last month. Cons: Needs work on hardwoods. Some noise issues. Possible foundation issues. Electrical is old. A larger house was totally reworked next door and sold for $250K about a year ago. This house seems like a pretty good deal to me, but I don't know what all the hidden costs are. It definitely has good 50's mod tendencies. Jason

Hi everyone, A house on Willowisp just went up for sale. It is 2 doors down from the Jenkins house that was on the RDA tour. It is not a Jenkins house, but it has some definite mod influences. It is a relatively small house at 1700 sq. ft. but it has a nice wall of glass overlooking a cute backyard. http://www.har.com/search/engine/indexdeta...=0&backButton=Y It will take a lot of TLC though. It is definitely not move in ready, but I think it would be great for someone who is in the same boat as I was last year at this time. Someone looking for a mod fixer-upper close to the 610 should love it. And at just under $200K, you will have some wiggle room for repairs. It has damaged hardwood floors, 80's carpet I would tear out in a heartbeat, not so hot kitchen laminate tile, and the master bedroom is in the front of the house instead of the back where I would prefer it. On the good side, I love the small lava rock courtyard in front of the house with a huge palm tree. The entryway tile is totally cute. The formica in the kitchen is pretty cool. I like the wood paneling in the living/dining area (though some might not), and the backyard is small and managable and borders on the bayou. If you bought it you would live close to one of the coolest cul de sacs in town (Briar Hollow Lane probably beats us out despite all the rebuilding going on there). The same realtors that have 10111 Cliffwood have this one and they tend to do a lot of open houses, so be on the lookout for it to open again on a Sunday soon. Jason

Wow! This house has been on the market since the McKee and Kamrath tour! Guess it's just too expensive for anyone who loves this kind of home and doesn't already have one... Well, I had heard that when you sell a house you should take down any animals or animal heads from the walls. I distinctly remember a marlin or something like that in this house. Maybe that's the reason it hasn't sold? Jason

Hello agian... Well, things haven't exactly gone as quickly as we'd like with our housewarming party plans, so it's going to be delayed again. I hesitate to put the date down that we are now planning for since I've jinxed it twice already, but let's just say it will have an "Oscar" theme. If you are just dying to see our house, pm me and I'd be more than happy to show you, but to have the whole "mod world" of Houston see it at one time, we want it to be further along than it is now. Jason

Hello everyone, Sorry, but we are needing to push our housewarming back a month for logistical reasons as well as the fact that the hurricane had made my landscaper extra busy now... It will now be November 20th from 3-7pm. Please send me a "pm" to rsvp. Jason Smith

Yeah, thank goodness we don't have a rat issue. We have some roaches, being right next to the bayou/ditch will do that for you. We had our first bird fatality a couple of days ago. I was gone when it happened, but obviously it flew straight into our front window and landed in the pool below, either drowning or hopefully just dying instantly when it hit the window. I could see how that could happen a lot more often. My main problem is the bass booming cars even more than the trucks - and those trucks can be over 80 decibels - the law is 68dbs near residences (and I bought a meter). I really hate the boom boom, but they are everywhere nowadays. It's like someone is out to prove a point that they can do whatever they want, including annoying everyone on the road and in the houses nearby. Anyway, I am a musician (funny, I play bass guitar so I'm tuned in to low notes) and they really mess with my ears and equilibrium. When I hear them I lose my concentration for a second and have to stop and think of what I was about to do next. It's frustrating. I bet that the restaurant workers behind that property might play loud music when they're cleaning up and such. Well, good luck in Meyerland. There should be plenty of mods over there if you're patient. By the way, one of the reasons the party is on a Sunday is because Sunday is the quietest day. Jason

I am not 100% sold on the neighborhood myself. I am just in love with my house and the 4 that I pass on the way to and from it. I have some issues with the surroundings. There is a home just on the other side of Willowbend that I believe is for sale. I think the back fence backs up to Popeye's. The house is average at best. I can't see why someone would move in right behind the Popeye's drive thru... "CAN I TAKE YOUR ORDER?" The link you sent didn't work, but I found some other houses on Willowisp in the 10400 block. I'm guessing that behind their fence is the O'Reilley Auto Parts store or the abandoned Dairy Queen. At least with the auto parts store, you would have a building blocking you from S. Post Oak traffic noise. My fence borders on South Post Oak, so the noise is a major issue. Certainly it (and the house's condition) kept everyone from buying the house. I have also been told that once in awhile people live under the bridge behind my property. I had some live oak trees planted in the county property back there and go back a few times a week to water them. I don't see any people under the bridge, but I've been told they are there sometimes. So, yes, not 100% safe (we use alarm.com), and too loud especially in the morning rush hour (we use earplugs sometimes - everyone just says we'll get used to it) and did I mention the cars that go boom? but there's not another house like it. Our neighbors are also especially nice. Jason

Hi, I haven't posted on here for awhile, as I'm just getting back into the swing of things where I teach. Our big "meet the teachers night" was on the same night of the lecture so I completely missed out there. Before that, we were on an amazing trip to Chicago to visit their architecture, baseball stadiums, and museum. Anyway, I just wanted to invite you all to our housewarming and 50th Anniversary for party 10920 Willowisp "Hoover House". It will be on Sunday, October 16th from 3-7pm. As I understand it, every mod lover and their cousin considered buying this house before we stumbled on it. You're welcome to come over that day and see what we've done with the place. Of course, you're also welcome to drive by any day and check it out, but we've still got a lot of landscaping to do between now and forever. At least plans are in place for landscaping, thanks to SpaceAge! If you drop by, feel free to look for the koi pond in front and say hello to our new fish, Johnson, Jenkins, and Floyd (just don't ask me which is which!) A koi pond is a lot more work than I hoped it would be! Jason

I will probably go again. I can't resist! I think the asking price is a little high on this house, but I'm surprised no one has made a good enough offer by now. It's in a great location and it's gorgeous as far as I'm concerned. It needs a little work, but not enough to break the bank. The perks of this house far outweigh the problems. Jason