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My background is posted on the Central Square topic in case this doesn't make sense to anyone. I lived in the Savoy hotel for about 6 months starting last February. I discovered and had to explore the building the moment I saw a huge chandeller (sp?) hanging from behind a broken window in the lobby. It's hard to keep me out of any building and it wasn't long before I had discovered an entrance. The Savoy is actually two buildings, the older, shorter one on the north side and the addition on the south. The older building is absolutely rotten and decrepit. It has caved in from the top floor to the ground and actually looks pretty freakin cool. Toilets hanging by plumbing ten stories up and whatnot. Well anyways, that's where the fire escape was, though they had cut it off about two stories up. I had to climb up a support pole to reach it. And then go down an elevator shaft to get to the newer building. Once in it's always easy to find a way out. My first astonishing discovery was that the place was still completely furnished and obviously nobody had been in it for quite some time. I'm from California where land is worth more than gold so this was quite shocking. Also, the electricity was still on for some reason. There's a refrigerator downstairs in the kitchen that has the door ripped of and has been constantly on since 1988 and is probably still on. There was also a phone in the lobby that I used to get calls on. 713-something-1212. It's still listed and I used to get calls from people asking for room rates. The downstairs is actually really pretty. Tall ceilings and curved staircases, huge chandelliers and a beautiful solid marble statue in the entryway. Two libraries, (stocked completely with Texas law books) a patio area between the two buildings had a fountain and a jacuzzi, now smashed and covered in pigeon refuse. Anybody know why the hell they would leave the electricity on for so long? Makes no sense to me. The owner is obviously hoping for the "New Main Street" effect to take place that far south and have the building converted into lofts ala Rice. I don't see that happening anytime soon, but then again it's already been closed for 16 years. The upper floors are rather ugly and boring. Single hallways straight through with cookie cutter rooms on each side. The penthouse suites are kind of nice but still I don't think they could call this place urban lofts without gutting the whole building. There's no uniqueness to it. The older building was obviously a hell of a lot classier in it's day but when Best Western had control of it you could tell it was a bit cut rate. I have a pile of brochures for it from the 70's that I'll scan if I get the time. I think the hotel was mainly for visiting Shell employees across the street. They'll have to demolish the older building before they can do anything with the newer one, as they are both connected and the older one threatens to demolish itself any day now. I say smash it and start over, the building is too ugly to ever be profitable. But in the meantime, open it to the homeless sleeping on the sidewalks outside. (that's what I told the owner anyways, with a few expletives added in) They have the parking garage open now, mainly so the penny pinching millionaire can make 30 bucks a day and watch the building he's sitting on sit empty while people sleep outside. Sorry, I hate landlords, particularly that one. Any questions? Any other buildings worth getting into? I'll be back in Houston come January. Charles Grube beware.

We've seen reports that highlight the lack of green-space in Southern DT, but plans are being set in place for a park in this area. In the very early stages, 1/2 - 1 Block will be acquired for the park. This will be a joint effort by the Downtown Management District, COH Parks Dept. and TIRZ 3.

From the newspaper The Age dated July 7, 1875. The City Bank of Houston, Capital, $500,000 Houston, . . . Texas. Benj. A. Botts, B.F. Weems, President. Cashier Directors, Benj. A. Botts, President. W.J. Hutchins, A.J. Burke, W.M. Rice, P.W. Gray, Cor. Ennis. C.S. Longscope. A check I found online from the City Bank of Houston dated Aug. 30th, 1883. Finally, the the bank building up close! Very cool. Edit: From a city directory in 1888; specifying the address of 20 Main cor Franklin.

As I was researching George Hermann I noticed he was President of the Tel-Electric Company. I wonder if he founded the company or bought it? I never knew about his telephone/electricity past and history. I believe the 602-604 Preston Street location was the second location of the business. Thought I read, at an earlier time, they were located elsewhere? Very cool building, and to think G.H. Hermann was President is awesome! Do we know the architect? From a book published in 1913: Tel-Electric Company One of Houston's large electrical supply house. From the 1908 City of Houston directory: Hermann, George, H., capitalist, office 214 Binz bldg. sw. ph. 629; prest. Tel-Electric co.; vice-president Houston Car Wheel & Machine Co.,rms 1117 San Felipe. Sw. ph. 3266 Photos taken in 1911. Interior views & building of Tel-Electric Co. Jobbers of electrical supplies of every description.

Found a sanitarium, or hospital, from 1894! The Keeley Institute. Corner Preston Avenue and Fannin Street. It would be practically impossible, with the limited space at our disposal, for us to accord anything like real justice to the wonderful results of the treatment for inebriety, identified with the name of Dr. Leslie E. Keeley, of Dwight, Ill. The frame of this system is now spread over every part the of North American continent, and has penetrated into Europe and other divisions of the old world. Our object however is alluding to the subject in this volume is simply to inform our readers that a branch institute exists in this city, and has its doors wide open to all who desire to become free of the chains and shackles of intemperance. Until comparatively recent years it has been the custom to regard undue indulgence in liquors and other stimulants and--

I don't know when this was built, but it replaced an earlier Masonic Temple on Main that was destroyed in a fire. I have a picture of the old one.

This is great news from the GHPA newsletter, and is online at Greater Houston Preservation Alliance website. Beatty-West Building Plans are under way to rehabilitate the 1912 Beatty-West Building at the corner of Main and Walker. The project will include a complete restoration of the building's exterior and will comply with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission has approved the building's designation as a City of Houston Historic Landmark. The six-story reinforced concrete building was designed by architect Henry C. Cooke for David R. Beatty to house Beatty's oil and gas operations. Cooke was also the architect of the 1912 Magnolia Brewery Tap Room and Caf

The Rice Hotel was not built yet in 1910.

Do the experts on HAIF have an address for this amazing looking Magnolia fill/gas station? The photograph is dated 12-17-1920. Being designed by the "star architect" Alfred C. Finn, this could almost pass for an office building. Just amazing detail and craftsmanship! Any additional information would be appreciated. Edit: The building has the cross streets etched into it. McKinney and Fannin. Using Ross' additional information below, this would be located at 1009 Fannin Street in Downtown.

I've been posting apartment market information in the Sky House Main thread, because it originally grew out of a conversation there. In order to make them more available, I wanted to start a separate thread. Here goes. As of 2nd quarter, 2016, downtown had a 56.2% occupancy rate. 207 new units were delivered during the second quarter '16. Net absorption was 142 units. FWIW, downtown had, by far, the lowest occupancy of all the submarkets in the Houston metro. The metro-wide occupancy rate was 89.7% I think the downtown submarket has a great future, but there was little doubt there would be a glut of apartments in the short term. The "Central Houston" market (downtown, Montrose/Museum/Midtown, Heights/Wash Ave., HIghland Village/Upper Kirby/West U, and Med Center/Braes Bayou) had a 78.4% occupancy rate. 1,404 new units delivered during the quarter, with 732 units net absorption.

I was getting my Subaru XV Crosstrek serviced at the Gillman Subaru on Beltway 8 southwest corner this morning and they had this pic on their walls. Anyone know when this might have been and is it south or north of the old Humble Oil building?

I couldn't find a topic on this building but the old Magnolia Ballroom/Brewery Tap/Red Cat/a ton of other stuff has been going through renovations for months. It looks like the full building is being renovated. Does anybody have any ideas what is going in here?

Construction Reach has borrowed the parking lot across from 1550 On The Green with Skanska's permission. The goal is to reach out to high school and college students from around the greater Houston area in hopes of enticing them in to the various crafts in the construction industry. Several construction contractors have booths inside. https://constructreach.com

Found a business advertisement for Palais Royal's second location at 706 Main Street. A little confused on the structure itself. Was this building demolished? Isn't Flying Saucer and St. Germaine located at 705 Main? Researching around HAIF, I see there was the Goggan Building located at 706-708 Main Street. Was this department store/clothing store in that building? The Goggan Building was a retailer of pianos, so I would assume they would be on the ground floor with offices on top. Cool find none the less! From the newspaper The Thresher dated November 23, 1928. Palais Royal Ready to Wear Millinery-Hosier-Underwear 706 Main Collegiate Sports Wear Moderately priced can always be found at the Palais Royal. $9.75 / $14.75 / $23.75 Evening Dresses for the holidays latest modes in all the new shades. $10 / $14.75 / $25 See our display of Xmas Gifts!

This week I learned a little about the Palais Royal department store brand. I searched HAIF and I couldn't find an exact address of 614 Main except for the Capitol Hotel located at 614 Main which was many decades earlier. From the newspaper The Houston Post dated September 17, 1922. Experienced Sales Ladies in ready to wear specialty shop; must be experienced; steady position. Palais Royal 614 Main. -------------- Experienced colored maid who understands processing silk and woolen ladies' garments; must be experienced; steady position. Apply in person. Palais Royal 614 Main. From the newspaper The Texas Jewish Herald dated March 11, 1926. Lee Levy, 68, prominent business man died at his home, 4118 Montrose Boulevard, at 8 o'clock Monday morning. Surviving Mr. Levy are his wife; one daughter, Mrs. Ben Wolfman, of Houston; one son, Milton H. Levy of Houston; one brother, Ben Levy of New York; and three grandchildren. Mr. Levy, with his son-in-law, Mr. Wolfman, owned and operated a chain of stores, including The Fashion and Palais Royal of Houston, Leeland's of Dallas, and The Houston of Shrevenport, LA. The body was sent to the Settegast-Kopf Company to St. Luis, NO., at 11:25 a.m. Thursday, over the L and G.N. Railway. Funeral services and interment was in St. Luis.

Found this incredible Alfred C. Finn building that was built in Downtown in the 1920s. I searched and found only a single mention of Haverty some 16 years ago. Thought I would share my findings and information. From the newspaper The Houston Post dated October 30, 1921. Havery Furniture Co. to Have New 6-Story Home Work will start at once on big structure on Travis Street. Work will start immediately on a six-story concrete structure to be erected in between Capitol and Rusk avenues on the east side of Fannin street. When completed, the building will be the new home of the Haverty Furniture company. The announcement was made Saturday by J.J. Haverty, president of the company. The new building will be of the most modern constriction in every respect. Its dimensions will be 50x125 feet. The front of the structure will be finished in tapestry brick. The contract for the work has been awarded to the American Construction Company and the building is designed by Alfred C. Finn, a local architect. The total cost of the property and the building complete will be approximately $200,000. Top: Left- J.J. Haverty, president of the Haverty Furniture Company. Right- Fred T. Smith, manager of the Haverty Furniture Company store in Houston. Bottom- Architect's drawing of the new home of the Haverty Furniture Company.

Last I checked, the Skanska project has 5 tunnel connections. Also I think we should all remember that Linebeck, Skanska, and Hines are all chasing the same group of potential tenants. I think we will see one of the three go in the next year maybe two if we are lucky. Now the good news is that there is a 50ish story tower that will beat all 3 of these out of the ground.

Very cool find! I found this while browsing The Age. magazine dated February 25, 1876. I did not know Mitchell Louis Westheimer had stables.

June 12, 1898. The original members of the Weingarten family started the retail business. The Cent Store 509-511 Travis Street Houston, TX 7002

More good news for DT... I remember reading a few post from last year that mentioned, the new park would be a waste of money.

New Orleans developer buys downtown Opportunity Zone property for mixed-use remodel New Orleans-based NORF Cos. paid an undisclosed amount to acquire a three-story building located at 1014 Prairie St. from Houston-based Friedman Prairie Associates. COURTESY OF NORF COS. By Jeff Jeffrey – Reporter, Houston Business Journal 3 hours ago One of downtown Houston’s oldest buildings has been sold to a New Orleans-based company that plans to convert it into a mixed-use multifamily property. NORF Cos. — which stands for New Orleans Redevelopment Fund — paid an undisclosed amount to acquire the building located at 1014 Prairie St. from Houston-based Friedman Prairie Associates, according to a news release. The three-story structure was built around 1895 and features a Romanesque Revival building facade. The building is located near the intersection of Prairie Street and Main Street in the city's central business district. NORF paid for the property out of an Opportunity Zone fund, which makes the makes the property eligible for tax breaks if it is held for a certain period of time and significant improvements are made to the building. NORF plans to restore the building, turning the interior space into roughly 20 residential units. The ground floor will be available for retail leasing. NORF expects to break ground on the renovation project in early 2021. The 13,500-square-foot property was valued at $856,207 as of Jan. 1, according to Harris County Appraisal District records. “We had a strong investor fundraise in the low eight figures that will enable NORF to continue its strategy of impactful investments in blighted properties that are transformative to neighborhoods,” said Cullan Maumus, development director of NORF. “In partnering with our investors, we are fulfilling our vision in providing positive returns for our partners and our community. We were very impressed with the considerable interest we had from potential OZ investors that we are already in the works for a new NORF 4 Opportunity Zone Fund.” Click here to read a Houston Business Journal cover story on the federal Opportunity Zone program. The acquisition of 1014 Prairie St. marks NORF’s latest purchase of a property located in an Opportunity Zone. The company said it plans to target Opportunity Zone properties across the southeast United States, with a particular focus on Houston and San Antonio. The company’s Opportunity Zone funds already own several properties in New Orleans.

Never heard of this theater. Very cool, historical find here! I wonder an exact location, or even an address? Found this advertisement in the newspaper The Houston Post dated June 25, 1915. Given the date, I would assume this theatre was located in downtown Houston. Probably on Main, Frannin, Travis, etc. Since I've never heard of the theater, I wonder if this was a rename, and the original theater was already known? I'll see what else I can find. Top o' Houston Tonight - 2-Reel Victor - "The Storm" 1-Reel (Joker)- "The Refugees" Cabaret Music. Refreshments. Admission 10 cents.

Very cool! Never knew about this hotel. I found this business advertisement in the newspaper The Houston Post dated September 1, 1914. The Newport Hotel 711 1-2 Preston Avenue LF. Grassmuck, Prop. Phone Pres. 3731 Nicely furnished rooms by the day week or month

HI, I'm looking for information about a Kress Building which may be in Houston. I have a cast iron coin bank in the shape of a Kress building and I

Found another, cool old Alfred C. Finn building! From the newspaper The Houston Post dated November 23, 1924. These Men Head Bank Here To these men go the credit for the rapid advancement made by Guaranty National Bank of Houston, one of the leading financial institutions in this section of the reliable banks in the Southwest. The new home of this institution will be formally opened Monday. John Dyer, President W.L. Dyer, Vice President E.C. Roberts, Vice President A.B. Jones, Cashier Miss E.L. Meyer, Assistant Cashier Guaranty National to Occupy New Quarters at 306 Main Street Houston Institution to have one of most modern homes in Southwest The removal of the Guaranty National Bank from the Hermann building to its own quarters in a new three-story structure at 306 Main street marks the partial culmination of plans for the institution's expansion, beginning back in 1914 when the present officials assumed control-- Plans for the new quarters were submitted by Alfred C. Finn, Houston architect, in competition with numerous Easter firms of architects and contractors--