Willowisp

I went to this open house today since it's close by... http://search.har.com/engine/dispsearch.cf...mp;mlnum=991274 It's a cute mod/contemporary tract home. It had some nice qualities to it, but the flipper's touch was definintely there, including that white tile, extra generic and cheap carpet, and unnecessary (in my opinion) and cheap ceiling fans. My favorite aspect was the master bedroom that had a sliding glass unit out to a side yard. Other issues for me were vinyl siding and painted paneling and interior brick. But it has great bones and potential, so I thought I'd put it up here. I'm curious to know what it will sell for. Jason

I bet most people don't think it's fun to lambaste these "new" houses, but you're right, it doesn't get us that far preaching to the choir here on this message board... As for documenting this house, I don't know about getting pictures now unless we're able to sneak in against the law. Maybe the developers are nice or maybe they have no interest in having us over to shoot the house for posterity. However the Cohens are still alive and would most likely be accomodating to us scanning their photos. It's a matter of lack of time and too many irons in the fire that I haven't written this house up on Houston Mod so I'm sorry for not getting to that yet. My next order of business is to help get ready for the Houston Mod seminar on Protected Landmark Status. I'll put up a bulletin on that shortly. We will be using my house as an example and I will apply for it for our house. Jason

I was told by a neighbor that the house has already changed hands and will be destroyed... Jason

We're preaching to the choir and know most flippers don't really do MCM that well. They do LCD (lowest common denominator) very well. Cheap mcm related stuff is hard to find at Lowe's etc, and the people just don't know what they are doing is "wrong" for the house. To many people, styles are interchangable and they are really only out to make a buck off the house. These are just dollar signs to them and new crap is better than something that is nice but old. Like the other person said, people grew up with formica kitchens, so they think that is not good anymore. Granite is somehow better. Traditional looking lighting is somehow more comfortable to people. The hard part is that once it's done, it's done. It would be really hard for someone to go back to the 50's on a house that has been "revitalized" in a flipper's style. That's what really hurts to think about with my neighborhood. I doubt I'd want to go into most of the houses because they've been redone so cringingly bad. Even in the 50's MCM was not always accepted by your average person. It was looked at as new and sometimes strange, but the architectural and design community took it in as chic and innovative, just as the resurgence of it now. Is it elitist? I think sometimes it is. Sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. The really interesting thing, and it's been talked about before, is how often "big advertising" uses MCM in commercials now. It's all over the place. Are they using MCM to show how "unique, cool, and hip" the people are that use the product? Or is it just beautiful and photogenic? I pause the tivo everyday on a new commercial with a glass living room and/or furniture and wonder how come more Houstonians don't get the message... Then I think about what interesting person must live in that house and rent it out for commercials. Jason

No one has called me back either. At least they know who we are now.

For anyone interested in the Willowbend/Willowbrook S. Post Oak area Project Braes progress there will be reps giving a presentation at our next Willowbend Civic Club General Meeting on Tuesday, Sept 25 @ Salem Lutheran Church on W. Bellfort. Westbury people may be interested as well. If it looks as good as what they did on your side of town, I'll be very happy! Jason

I talked to someone in his office and left my number with them. We'll see what comes of it.

I'm calling his office today. An friend of mine knows him and I may be able to make inroads, but it's a longshot.

Terrible news. I've had an ominous feeling about this house for 2 years now. I have the feeling Meyerland is about to get mowed down and it seems like there's not that much anyone can do to stop it.

That's not the house in Meyerland by Cohen is it? If you want to systematically make copies of the modern house plans with the $100 deposit system, then that would be a great idea. The place Houston Mod uses for printing may offer a discount, though I know because I don't deal with that directly. How many moderns do you think we're talking about? PM me if you want to make a project borrowing the plans. JasonThis HOA actually lets you check them out with a $100 deposit. If you don't bring them back they cash your check. If you bring them back they give your check back to you. I still have the plans for the house we were trying to buy. I torture myself with them regularly. If the house is being bought by someone wanting to tear it down then I will ask the HOA to keep the plans. Who knows maybe someday we will build a new house on the old plans. It was designed by Charles Sawyer. I believe before he became an architect. As for the other house I will check to see if the plans are available and who the architect was. It's sad to see it torn down as it's such a unique home. The living room was round and the builder told me the oven opens in a gull wing fashion. Here is a pic from a couple of years ago before the mold took over. I'm usually poor at posting pics so forgive me if it doesn't show up.

I talked to a long time Houston Mod Board member last night who said the more organized HOAs are a "brick wall" when it comes to getting blueprints or house plans from them, and that in particular ROPO (River Oaks Property Owners) Association is a no go. He has tried to get plans for different research projects and never had any compiance. I guess they just ignore you if you call and leave a message. Still, I doubt that they would throw away blueprints by well known Houston architects, but I could be wrong. I know that Houston Mod would be honored to house historical blueprints if they were offered, or to facilitate donations of archives to University libraries, and we are always trying to make our name known as the organization to go to for modern preservation efforts in Houston. Though only 5 years old, Houston Mod has been able to accomplish a lot for a dedicated but small group of people who all have jobs and lives separate from "saving Houston from eating itself". I think the main way we could/should go about getting blueprints and plans is through the owners themselves if we can. That takes a major effort because at this point, most people aren't coming to us, we're going to them. Future events/plans/exhibits/books will be discussed at our next meeting and I will bring the "Modern Houston Lost" idea to light as well as some other ideas that have been discussed on HAIF. There are lots of amazing houses that have been torn down (tragically). By the way, I did see a Cite Magazine article on "Lost Houston" this summer. I don't remember the issue, and the newest building included was a Miesian bank from about 1961 I think (possibly Harwood Taylor?) Also, the Barthelme book includes buildings that have all been lost now, and the Harwood Taylor and Neuhaus books include several lost houses. Certainly all of these houses deserve to be documented whether in book form or on the Houston Mod website. Jason

Some of the homes in question are well known and have been published and some are not that well known. Another issue is that Houston is so big that it's hard to keep up with it all. We have realtor friends and other architecture lovers that keep their finger on the real estate pulse, and that helps a lot, but it won't keep the buildings alive. More often than not, the homes are gone before we know it. I think developers drive the neighborhoods looking for houses and make offers to owners. It wouldn't surprise me if they search HCAD looking for people who have owned the houses for a long time, figure the people are older and knock on the doors. Like you said about one house, sometimes a house is in really bad shape and not financially feasable to save. Other times, the land is so valuable that it is difficult to find someone willing to pay for the land and then pay for the restoration of a house just for the love of it. And it's not like the original owners are "looking" for someone to save their house most of the time. In fact, owners may be resigned to the fact that it will get torn down. There are exceptions to this, and there is hope out there. The Stude House by Hugo Neuhaus on Tiel Way for example is a small house on a very expensive lot, and the owner is keeping it. The Frame House, Carter House, and the Neuhaus House are other examples, and I was surprised when I heard it, but even the Menil House was in danger of being torn down shortly after Dominique de Menil's death. This year, 2 Board members at Houston Mod helped facilitate the archives of the architect and brilliant draftsman, Lucian Hood, to be donated to UH. We would love to continue this kind of work. As for blueprints, I'm still new to all this, but I don't know how often mid-century houses still have the blueprints or when anyone knows where they are 50+ years later. We have 2 full copies of my house and half of a 3rd and consider ourselves very fortunate to have them. Actually, having the plans makes me feel a little closer to our architect somehow. We are always taking new memberships, and will also be looking for some new Board members soon, so PM me if you are interested in getting more involved. I think a lot of the people who join in discussions here would make for involved Board members. Jason

I don't want to get into details, but I have once called an owner asking if they were trying to find someone who wouldn't tear the house down, and this was a house that they really wanted to see stand; they said they were really hoping it wouldn't be torn down and I had talked to them before about how much they loved the house and how they had hopped on it when it went up for sale before. It was still sold to someone who is tearing it down. I think most times the owners don't think that someone would be interested in saving it and are not willing to wait long enough to find that special person. As gorgeous as The Gordon House, The Frame House, and The Neuhaus House are, there aren't that many Dana Harpers and Mica Mosbachers out there with the money, vision, and patience to see a project through. These demolitions are heartbreaking for people like us. Ben Koush recently sent me a list of Contemporary Arts Association Modern Home Tours of the 50's and 60's (I'll put them in a new thread). I'm not sure, but I think maybe half of those houses are gone already... As for a farewell party, that sounds pretty unlikely considering it's private property and the sellers are trying to get rid of the property and the new owners are trying to get rid of the house on the property... It all happens so fast, even when the realtors "on the good guys side" are watching out for the houses to go on the market. The most we can really do is continue to try to get these types of houses in the press and educate the "average joe" (and I was an average joe when it comes to modernism less than 3 years ago, by the way) and show people how amazing the houses are to live in. By the way, I have found that even in New Caanan, CT, the "mod mecca", they have had major problems with McMansions. It's not only Houston. We are actually pretty fortunate to have had so many modern architectural wonders built here. Jason

Joseph Mashburn replied to me: The 5139 Darnell house was designed by Harwood Taylor. Charles Tapley did a later, unexecuted remodeling scheme for the house. We believe that the front gate was by Gertrude Barnstone. Although the house had suffered some remodeling (mostly superficial and contained to the site and garage), the main house was pretty much intact in 1998 when we bought it. Julia and I restored some of the previous damage and generally brought the main house back to its original form and intent. Although the slab was cracked, the house was in generally sound condition when we sold it. I am saddened by the news that it is to be demolished. So there you have it. A Taylor bites the dust. I'll drive by and take a picture just in case it's still there. Jason

I just emailed Dr. Mashburn so we'll see if he replies and if he knows. That's a nice coincidence.

That tile is a little like ours but it looks smaller. I wonder if it could be Floyd or Jenkins. I doubt it's Jenkins, but he did have a house on the Jackwood parade.

That's just a couple of blocks from the Jackwood Parade of Homes houses. Do you know if the house was in really bad shape, extra small, or are a lot of Mansions coming to that neigborhood?

Sorry, it got torn down faster than I could get the email out! There was no stopping it though.

He took it off the market after it didn't sell. He's a great guy and our dogs have become good friends so I'm glad he's staying.

This will go out in the Houston Mod Newsletter very soon, but I'll post it here tonight while I'm thinking of it. Jason The sometimes overlooked Houston based architect, Wylie W. Vale, came up in conversation on the Houston Architecture Information Internet Forum recently. Interest in a Vale designed home recently for sale led people to wonder what other houses he built. Little has been written on the many buildings Vale designed. Some internet digging led me to the world renown molecular biologist named Wylie Vale. I was correct in assuming that this was the architect's son, and in an email Wylie Vale Jr. confirmed to me that that his father is still alive and well in Austin, TX and would love to meet an architecture enthusiast such as myself. Time for a road trip! My wife, Vanessa, and I drove to Austin equipped with questions provided by Rice University Architecture Professor, Stephen Fox. Over homemade cookies and lemonade Mr. Vale graciously answered our questions. Q: When and where were you born? A: I was born in Marceline, Missouri in 1913. Walt Disney was also from Marceline. Q: Who were your parents and what did they do? A: My father, George W. Vale, was head of the Interstate Congress Committee of Accounts in St. Louis. Q: Where did you grow up and what was your education? A: After living in Marceline as a child, we moved to Houston when I was in high school. Q: What made you want to become an architect? A: Looking at the all the cornices in the Central Presbyterian Church inspired me to learn more about architecture. Q: Where and when did you study architecture? A: I studied at Rice with Staton Nunn and Willie Ward Watkin in the 1930s. Q: What influences were you exposed to during your architectural education? A: My Third Grade teacher taught me the foundation of every subject so that it was a joy to learn. I don't know what I would have been without her. Staton Nunn at Rice was a big influence on me. Another big influence came when I was in the Navy during WW II, and while my ship was being repaired, I would walk around San Francisco and look at architecture. The wide eaves on the houses there stayed in my head. Q: Who did you work for once you got out of school? A: My first job after graduating in 1939 was with Moore and Lloyd in Houston. I began as a draftsman with them. After Pearl Harbor I enlisted in the Navy. Q: When did you begin your own architectural firm? How long were you in practice? A: After WW II. I was a practicing architect until just a few years ago, over 50 years. Q: What were some of your early buildings? A: One of my early residences was for a friend in Brookshire, TX. That led to other houses there and in Katy. These side jobs gave me the impetuous to go out on my own. Q: Were you especially identified with any particular architectural trends and styles, any part of the city, and any particular building types (such as houses, institutional buildings--schools, churches, hospitals--retail, office buildings)? A: My style was called Contemporary Country. My wife was an interior designer and we developed the style together. I would design the house and she would help the clients design the interiors. It was homey, practical, and comfortable. I liked to use wide open windows before air-conditioning became widely available. I used oak plank flooring, natural stone, and linear stone. Q: What do you regard as your most important buildings? A: My most important building was the Matagorda County Court House in Bay City, TX. I designed Spring Branch High School, the first public school with air-conditioning in Houston. I obtained many contracts for schools because I was able to keep costs down. I designed St. Luke's Children's Heart Center with my partners, George Rustay and Foy Martin. I also received a lot of press for the Michael Halbouty House and Offices on Westheimer (energy company located where the Galleria now stands). Q: What buildings did you design outside of Houston? A: The Christ for the Nations Campus in Dallas and the Court House in Bay City along with the early residences. Q: How did your architectural practice change over time? A: In 1960 I came to know the Lord and my life changed. I continued to design residences, churches, and schools, but I also volunteered helping ministries such as designing the Christ for the Nations campus in Dallas. Q: Did you have any partners? Who were some of your employees? A: George Rustay and Foy Martin were my partners. I chose to work with them because they were Christian. I had other offers to work with more famous architects, but felt more comfortable having Christian partners. I felt like I could really depend on them. Q: Who did you regard as the most interesting architects practicing in Houston during the period you were professionally active? A: I was friends with Karl Kamrath and worked with him on the River Oaks Country Club. I was grateful to Moore and Lloyd. Mace Tungate was an architect who was the best man at my wedding. John Staub and Cy Morris were other architects I had a lot of respect for. But between school boards, church, and work, I didn't have time for AIA, so I never got to know that many architects. Q: When did you retire from practice? A: I retired 2 years after moving to Austin in 2001. Q: What have you done since you retired? A: I have been volunteering for Pricilla and Aquilla Ministries for poor widows and children since 1960 and that has been very satisfying. With these questions answered, the incredibly humble and sharp minded 94 year old gentleman showed us around the house he lives in now with his wife and daughter and their family. He told us about his son being awarded an outstanding alumnus award from Rice University and showed us some family portraits including a very memorable one of himself in the 1950's posing with a pipe. He also gave me a series of maps with general locations of houses he designed (the maps had no addresses, but he said they would be contemporary houses). On our way back to Houston, Vanessa and I talked about how inspiring it was to talk to one of the men who made Houston what it is. Though many of his houses have been demolished, many more remain. Favorites of mine include The Townsend House on Knollwood St. and The Raymond Schindler House on Westlane Place, both in River Oaks. Since this interview, quite a lot more research and photography has been done by Ben Hill, a University of Houston student and budding architectural photographer. Ben and I also spent a day in the Memorial area trying to locate as many of the houses on the maps as we could, with mixed results. Please visit the HAIF message boards for more information and photographs of Vale's work.

I've often wondered who was responsible for 17 Westlane. That pane of glass is amazing! Jason

I can't take any of the credit for this awesome article - it was Ben's focus. When I finally get to my article, it will be on Jenkins and I will owe a lot of that one to Bens (Hill and Koush) and Stephen Fox too.

20 Tiel Way had an "open house" over a year ago which was more of a property open house. We went and paid our respects. It was pretty interesting, but in barely savable condition even by the most heroic restorer. The sale price was something like $900K. 24 or 26 or whatever Tiel is in even worse condition. Since they were side by side I thought someone might buy both and put up something really big. Too bad people let their houses get to that state. Jason

Great idea, just got it up there this morning.