Lamar High School At 3325 Westheimer Rd.

[sevfiv]

^right before there's a really quick pass of a street sign - I can read University but not the cross street (Kirby, maybe?). Squinting, I think the street signs may actually have "The Village" inscribed on the top..

[kylejack]

^right before there's a really quick pass of a street sign - I can read University but not the cross street (Kirby, maybe?). Squinting, I think the street signs may actually have "The Village" inscribed on the top..

There's an edit point, though, so no telling if we're still on the same street.

[musicman]

didn't know lamar was by a dock.

edit: will add to the post ww2 pics when i can get back to a scanner. evidently in the old days the schools gave post cards to send back home (yes all the silver pics) so that the parents would pay for the bonds to rebuild the school. scanned the original pic in and my aunt had flashbacks from 60 yrs ago. i showed the same pic to ny nephew and he immediately questioned why there were so many chilren in the cafeteria.

Edited March 13, 2010 by musicman

[57Tbird]

Wow!! What a trip to the past... my past. I graduated from Lamar in 1953. I think I recognize some of the kids. I will have to check my yearbook and see if I can find them in the jr/soph sections. I still see and correspond with a lot of old Lamar classmates. I will send this video on and see if they know anyone in it.

That was the Village theater box office. I went to both the Village and Alabama many times in my youth and on into my adult years.

I remember the Yacht Restaurant. It was on the west side of S. Main. I don't remember if it was north or south of Gaido's, which was across S. Main from Playland Park (9200 S Main). It was most likely toward the south. I think it was gone by the late 50's.

Thanks for the video. It brought back a lot of memories of the fashions and cars of that era.

[devonhart]

Wow!! What a trip to the past... my past. It brought back a lot of memories of the fashions and cars of that era.

I thought it was a great find when I came across it on youtube. I was born in 54, so our home movies of me as a toddler looked

a lot like these, cars and clothes, and hairstyles.

[Don Julio]

Wow, thanks for posting.

Even before my time but did you notice how not ALL the clothes look terribly dated?

They weren't dated when they were wearing them.

[musicman]

edit: will add to the post ww2 pics when i can get back to a scanner. evidently in the old days the schools gave post cards to send back home (yes all the silver pics) so that the parents would pay for the bonds to rebuild the school. scanned the original pic in and my aunt had flashbacks from 60 yrs ago. i showed the same pic to ny nephew and he immediately questioned why there were so many chilren in the cafeteria. this was at marshall jr hi

post ambien

[Dan the Man]

Love the old hair styles. That looked like the Village theater at 1:45 or was it the Alabama? 

It's the Village Theater. In the background of the next shot with the girls walking across the street, you can see Craig's Department Store (now Urban Outfitters). Can anyone read the cross street in that shot that shows the University Blvd street sign? I don't think it's Kirby. In the mid 1950s, the NW corner was a residence, and the SE corner was a two-story building occupied by a clothing store (now Half Price Books).

Edited March 16, 2010 by Dan the Man

[sevfiv]

Looking closer - behind the girls is the University Coney Island which was at University and Kelvin.. (starts like Kirby )

Also - was the yacht restaurant Pier 21?

[57Tbird]

Also - was the yacht restaurant Pier 21?

No.. Pier 21 was on Old Main (now Fannin) just south of the bayou.

[57Tbird]

The Village Theater was near the NW corner of University and Morningside. University Men and Boy's Wear was on the NW corner and the Village Theater was next to it.

[Dan the Man]

Looking closer - behind the girls is the University Coney Island which was at University and Kelvin.. (starts like Kirby )

Also - was the yacht restaurant Pier 21?

You're probably right. I remember there being a small building at that corner.

[fatesdisastr]

Awesome video! I appreciate the share, it was very cool

[Retama]

Great stuff, thanks for posting it. This is as close to a time machine as we'll ever get.

[trymahjong]

Ronnie Veselka HISD spokeman at Neartown Community meeting this morning. He said HISD will tear down all of Lamar High School except the relief sculpture over the auditorium and build a whole new building. Lamar was built in 1937 to accommodate 2200 students but has enrollment of 3200----the new building will be built to accommodate 3100 students.

Interestingly, the Carnegie Van Guard and Reagan High School were offered as examples of building and renovating by HISD and how well they turned out. But when It was brought up that the same architect was used for both, community input was sought etcetcetc and would HISD be willing to go through similar steps with Lamar High and the other High Schools slated for demolition------he said the most important factor was getting everything built by 2020 PERIOD!

[IHB2]

I went to BHS in the 60s. personally participated in stealing the Redskin 2 yrs in a row before the big fball game. goes w/o saying I detest Lamar like the Aggies hate UT. but they should NOT tear down everything but the Tx limestone facade in front of the auditorium. the main building is classic!

Edited October 28, 2012 by IHB2

[kbates2]

I am a BHS head as well. Feel free to tear down that whole building. Loved the school but it is hideous.

[kbates2]

I am a BHS head as well. Feel free to tear down that whole building. Loved the school but it is hideous.

[TheNiche]

he said the most important factor was getting everything built by 2020 PERIOD!

What is the significance of 2020?

[trymahjong]

What is the significance of 2020?

No one asked---for me I guess my head was spinning that 38 schools would be demolished or renovated by 2020 with a payback cost (term bond) of 3.7 billion.

I hope someone might have some insight-----

One of my kids went to Lamar (grad 2008) All the buildings are pretty cool---especially the auditorium that has begun renovations through private funds.

[Houston19514]

I think you may have misunderstood the presentation.

From the HISD blog regarding the plans:

The 2012 Capital Improvement Program will provide funding to preserve the architecturally significant structure [thel main building] by implementing major renovations that will reconfigure the interior to provide a more appropriate instructional environment that will meet or exceed current standards. The remaining buildings will be replaced with new facilities and additional parking will be provided. Read the complete Parsons report.

http://blogs.houstonisd.org/2012bond/portfolio/detail/lamar-high-school/

[trymahjong]

I think you may have misunderstood the presentation.

From the HISD blog regarding the plans:

The 2012 Capital Improvement Program will provide funding to preserve the architecturally significant structure [thel main building] by implementing major renovations that will reconfigure the interior to provide a more appropriate instructional environment that will meet or exceed current standards. The remaining buildings will be replaced with new facilities and additional parking will be provided. Read the complete Parsons report.

http://blogs.houston...ar-high-school/

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe I was in a fog the entire meeting but it really sounded as if the spokesperson said the words-- only the facade will remain and the rest will be new----the blog may say one thing but Veselka came out of retirement to be the spokesperson to answer questions like those posed at this community meeting-- when he (Veselka) said only the facade will remain-- It caught my attention. It caught the attention of the people at my table, who spoke about their disapointment that only the facade will be saved.

The foyer of the Auditorium is unique (the inside is charming also--Yes it needs updating but not demolition) reflecting the period it was built in--I like it and think it should be saved-- So I was listening for reassurances-- He didn't point out the entire building would be saved. Plus I was troubled by his lack of enthusiam ( as HISD spokesperson) concerning retaining the right type of architect to get the type of results like those at Reagan and Carnegie Vanguard.

I attended all of the meetings when Lamar was developing it's MasterPlan and was part of the Charette it held. I got to hear what the surrounding community wanted for Lamar. I'm not sure that was reflected in what HISD has planned for Lamar.

[billyf]

Its sometimes cheaper to demolish a school rather than renovating it. I have seen school built as late as the 70s demolished for this reason. In the case of Lamar I think HISD should spend any extra money to save the original building. There is too much history with this building not to.

I found a video of a student filming through the halls of the school. While this may be a newer addition the school looks to be in pretty good shape. Demolishing this part would be a waste.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hz1jCcWUM08

BTW if this is the same Lamar we're talking about. I would go to this school any day now over some others north of Downtown.

Edited October 29, 2012 by billyf

[plumber2]

Reagan, Milby and Lamar were approved in a single bond election. Reagan and Milby were built as carbon copies, while Lamar, being situated at the foot of River Oaks Blvd, was designed to appear more upscale.

I've heard the current bond election radio commercial spots stating that some of the HISD buildings "date back to the depression". For god's sake we can't educate our children in buildings that old!

Edited November 3, 2012 by plumber2

[trymahjong]

Reagan, Milby and Lamar were approved in a single bond election. Reagan and Milby were built as carbon copies, while Lamar, being situated at the foot of River Oaks Blvd, was designed to appear more upscale.

I've heard the current bond election radio commercial spots stating that some of the HISD buildings "date back to the depression". For god's sake we can't educate our children in buildings that old!

I don't think the age of the building is the problem.

Lamar seems to be doing a fairly good job in the education department within it's historical building. It has the largest IB (International Baccalaureate) in the world! hmmmmmmmmmm having the largest IB = a good thing might be a different question-- still Lamar does a commendable job with this endeavor. Lamar racks up as just about as many National Merit Scholars as any other HISD High School.Schools.

My kid graduated in 2008-- I volunteered at the school weekly. The building didn't seem to be a huge problem but overcrowding was. The principal at Lamar tried to get the magnet program moved out of Lamar to help with overcrowding----all the parents with kids in that program refused to have that even considered. Personally I liked the idea floated around in 2006 to make the old HSPVA a 9th grade center for Lamar when HSPVA built their new school at Grey & Taft. Neither of those things happened. Overcrowding continues. It worries me that Lamar has 3200 student currently and the proposed building will be built to have 3100.

I'm not sure enrollment in Lamar will decrease by 2020.

[57Tbird]

More. I graduated in 1953 and would hate to see any of the original go, of course. Maybe it won't.

[hindesky]

Does anyone know what they are doing here?

 

[houstontexasjack]

The new Lamar HS building: 

 

http://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/2016/05/12/lamar-hs-construction-plans-focus-on-facilitating-new-instructional-model/

 

The plan is to keep the Art Deco north building, build a new 5-story building on the east side of campus, and then tear the east and west buildings along with the natatorium down to clear the way for athletic fields.

[Twitter1]

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.houstonisd.org/Page/71992

Construction ending late 2019 as per the above graph.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Twitter1

[Texasota]

oh dang y'all.