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Large Area To Be Razed In The Warehouse District


Guest danax

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These pics represent about 6 contiguous city blocks, the borders being Sampson to the west, Coyle to the south, Napoleon to the east and just south of Leeland to the north. This was once part of Third Ward before the 45 went in in the 1940s. There are people, quite a few of them, living nearby. The scene was like a combination of COPS, National Geographic and The Grapes of Wrath. I did ask a man drinking a beer what was going on with the boarded up houses. He said he didn't know, but someone asked him to start piling up the junk and so he was, but he didn't know who the someone was.

HCAD doesn't indicate any one large landowner so it doesn't seem like it's private development. Scott St. is one block to the east and will be where MetroRail's SE line will run, but this doesn't seem like an eminent domain grab, unless it's for a large maintenance yard or something. Project Houston Hope? City park?

Anyone know what's up?

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isn't this the neighborhood that was complaining about the noise made from the oak farms dairy? maybe oak farms bought em.

:lol: I guess they learned you don't mess with Oak Farms.

No, I doubt these folks organized any noise pollution protests....

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No, I doubt these folks organized any noise pollution protests....

i'm remembering now, i believe they were complaining about the noise coming from the refrigerator trucks in their parking lot. i don't know how organized it was but it did get tv coverage.

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These pics represent about 6 contiguous city blocks, the borders being Sampson to the west, Coyle to the south, Napoleon to the east and just south of Leeland to the north. This was once part of Third Ward before the 45 went in in the 1940s. There are people, quite a few of them, living nearby. The scene was like a combination of COPS, National Geographic and The Grapes of Wrath. I did ask a man drinking a beer what was going on with the boarded up houses. He said he didn't know, but someone asked him to start piling up the junk and so he was, but he didn't know who the someone was.

HCAD doesn't indicate any one large landowner so it doesn't seem like it's private development. Scott St. is one block to the east and will be where MetroRail's SE line will run, but this doesn't seem like an eminent domain grab, unless it's for a large maintenance yard or something. Project Houston Hope? City park?

Anyone know what's up?

I know exactly where you were when you took those photos, as I'd driven through there once when I didn't know any better. My experience was that there were about three dozen dirt-poor black youth just standing around on Coyle Street as I'd turned the corner and tried to drive through. They lazily moved to both sides of the road, taking care not to take their eyes off me. They moved slowly enough that I actually had to come to a stop about mid-way through the crowd, as folks behind me were moving back onto the street, pretty much surrounding my car. It was pretty creepy.

I've never seen anything like that on COPS--not that I'm a regular viewer--but good comparison with National Geographic.

Actually, all those homes do tend to be on fairly large parcels of land. The single parcel at the northwest corner of Coyle and Napoleon has 22 homes on it. It's a little over an acre and is owned by Hallmar Development, LLC (Harvey Hall, Jay Hall, and Joel V. Marshall, members), which purchased it in April of this year and doesn't own any other property in Harris County. And on the block across Napoleon Street are another three parcels with about four or five homes each on them, two of the parcels owned by the same person.

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I know exactly where you were when you took those photos, as I'd driven through there once when I didn't know any better. My experience was that there were about three dozen dirt-poor black youth just standing around on Coyle Street as I'd turned the corner and tried to drive through. They lazily moved to both sides of the road, taking care not to take their eyes off me. They moved slowly enough that I actually had to come to a stop about mid-way through the crowd, as folks behind me were moving back onto the street, pretty much surrounding my car. It was pretty creepy.

I've never seen anything like that on COPS--not that I'm a regular viewer--but good comparison with National Geographic.

If you've ever had the urge to try crack, I think you've found a good place to start. Sounds like they're enterprising young people.

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i wonder what they are doing with the houses and if any of them are structurally salvageable.

Good question.

Although I doubt that these houses are as old as the ones (formerly) in Freeman's Town/4th Ward, they might still contain some cypress or hard pine lumber worth salvaging. Better still if they could be relocated to infill lots in similar neighborhoods.

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Good question.

Although I doubt that these houses are as old as the ones (formerly) in Freeman's Town/4th Ward, they might still contain some cypress or hard pine lumber worth salvaging. Better still if they could be relocated to infill lots in similar neighborhoods.

These are pretty much bottom of the barrel construction, although you're probably right about the cypress. Shiplap goes for $1.75 a linear foot at Historic Houston and those houses are filled with that. They also sell floor joists for about $15 a foot. The clapboard siding is probably cypress too but likely the lowest grade. I need all of the above, however, and would have a field week with my crowbar. I did ask Willie if there was any old, Victorian trim left. He understood what I was talking about but shook his head no. I don't think he's been in every house though. He did say he found, " one them old chest-a-drawers on little wheels with the round mirror" but said he pulled it out and left it and it got trashed.

And Niche, I encountered about the same group on Napoleon. I did manage to get out of the car and snap the pics but had a few yelling about not taking their pictures and really felt like leaving, otherwise a shot of the people would've been the best pic. The 3 older guys working the corner as I was leaving all gave me menacing looks.

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I think it would be worthwhile to salvage some of the lumber from the houses. I'm sure many Heights renovators could use some of that "tear drop" siding on #'s 15 & 18. That 2-story on the corner of Coyle probably has some 12" shiplap in it, which is often used as flooring in new construction.

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There are a couple blocks worth of homes north of there going through the same thing, but many have been permitted for demolition already - it's just north of the bayou off of Clinton and Gregg streets. At least one house had a violation notice for being an unsafe structure.

I am making a photo montage of all the homes (i'll post when it's finished) but they look about the same as the ones danax posted above.

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Oak Farm has purchased the land in that area. The area is a hot bed of drug buying, a favorite place for the U of H kids and downtowners to drive in and out, which explains the stares toward anyone who don't live in the area.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks sev, that is interesting. I live a few blocks from there but have not noticed. We don't go walking around much away from Clinton - there are too many stray dogs. (at least there used to be when I walked around about a year and a half ago. Apparently someone near us was "raising" pit bulls, and it was not uncommon to see them (or any other strays) roaming about). But now that I think about it, I haven't seen as many strays when I am driving...

Also, right near where you took your photos there is a run-down set of apartments or maybe projects (I think they are one block east or south of the block you posted). I heard a year or two ago that those were going to be phased out - has anyone heard anything like that?

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Directly across the frwy from this pleasant area were many similar houses that had signs posted that stated "We move houses". I jotted down the number called and called and called and never got an answer. I was willing to buy and have moved at least one to my property to renovate to orginal splendor.

About 2 weeks later they were all gone, vanished. City landfill? May never know. :(

On a side note this whole area around that elementary school is just what you see, urban blight and the scene of numerous shootings, police stings, solicitation of .... No surprise right. Doesnt matter what color you are, don't hang around even in daylight. Crater Houston the whole 1-2 radius.

They shoot horses don't they?

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Thanks sev, that is interesting. I live a few blocks from there but have not noticed. We don't go walking around much away from Clinton - there are too many stray dogs. (at least there used to be when I walked around about a year and a half ago. Apparently someone near us was "raising" pit bulls, and it was not uncommon to see them (or any other strays) roaming about). But now that I think about it, I haven't seen as many strays when I am driving...

Also, right near where you took your photos there is a run-down set of apartments or maybe projects (I think they are one block east or south of the block you posted). I heard a year or two ago that those were going to be phased out - has anyone heard anything like that?

Kennedy Place (owned by Houston Housing and Development Corp.) is around Bayou and Cline streets, but I haven't heard anything about what's going to happen there.

Lanterra Homes (http://www.lanterra.com) bought several of the lots in the above image, and the grid of townhomes just south of Kennedy Place (Plaza del Sol) was built about five years ago - it will be interesting to see more new development surround the housing project and the inhabited homes in that area...

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This is the only one I always wanted to buy and move for some TLC. Might step on some syringes though.

Best news is they are tearing out all of this sad scenery. Its for the best.

Jax, I dont think anyone knows yet what replacing. I would say more than likely the encroaching townhome developments like about a 1/2 mile coming 45 into to Downtown. Me hopes. They better have an expensive selling price. Someone build some grocery stores now!

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Haha (the TV dishes).

I think a grocery store in this area would probably be a good thing for those living downtown as well as the East End and even parts of Midtown and the 3rd ward. I wonder how likely it would be that one would be built there.

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Haha (the TV dishes).

I think a grocery store in this area would probably be a good thing for those living downtown as well as the East End and even parts of Midtown and the 3rd ward. I wonder how likely it would be that one would be built there.

Anything is possible. I can see a huge Mega-HEB or a Walmart. Now for the nay-sayers right?

Just provide extra great security and state of the art cameras for shoplifting and so on. It can be done. In fact just the idea of seeing this as auto's come into downtown would be such a boost for that area. I assure you that most of the Near East End, U of H and surrounding townhome development would revel in it. Well, maybe revel is a bit much but they surely would be utilizing 90% of the time. No more need to go to Gulfgate crowdedness.

A huge grocery store yes, is what should go here. I'll draw up plans now! :)

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Anything is possible. I can see a huge Mega-HEB or a Walmart. Now for the nay-sayers right?

Just provide extra great security and state of the art cameras for shoplifting and so on. It can be done.

i'm sure the similac would have to be under lock and key.
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Anything is possible. I can see a huge Mega-HEB or a Walmart. Now for the nay-sayers right?

Yes, now for me.

We're talking about a parcel just slightly over an acre in size. Four of them could fit within a Wal-Mart, another one would be required for the loading dock area, and probably another five--at least--would be required for parking.

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Yes, now for me.

We're talking about a parcel just slightly over an acre in size. Four of them could fit within a Wal-Mart, another one would be required for the loading dock area, and probably another five--at least--would be required for parking.

Was just a thought. A regular HEB would suffice. I remember visiting a 2 story Target in Orange County. If they can build UP so can we. There once (or still is) a 2 level McDonald's by the Galleria. Why not a 2-3 level grocery/dept store? We need to get more creative. Architects?

The idea of Similac & Old English 800 mixed together comes to mind. Its probably been done around that area. :lol:

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Was just a thought. A regular HEB would suffice. I remember visiting a 2 story Target in Orange County. If they can build UP so can we. There once (or still is) a 2 level McDonald's by the Galleria. Why not a 2-3 level grocery/dept store? We need to get more creative. Architects?

Creativity is not lacking. Form follows function. And the function is profit maximization.

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...and what happened to the last HEB in the area? CLOSED

Yep, and that was an infinitely better site in a building with irreplacable character.

And the fact that Randall's Midtown isn't meeting projections doesn't bode well for a new grocery store on our side. My crystal ball says that after the 2010 Census data is released, the Kroger at Polk & Cullen will be substantially upgraded, and that that's all we'll get for some time.

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