City View Lofts At 15 Chenevert St.

[MontroseNeighborhoodCafe]

http://images.chron.com/content/news/photos/04/09/07/bz-loft.jpg

Sept. 7, 2004, 12:54AM

Warehouse to become lower-cost lofts

1910 building near Minute Maid to be converted

By NANCY SARNOFF

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

An early 1900s warehouse just blocks from Minute Maid Park has been sold to a residential development company that plans to turn it into condominiums.

Silvestri Investments purchased the five-story, 80,000-square-foot building at 15 Chenevert through a bankruptcy court for an undisclosed amount. The former owner was TLC America of California, according to the Harris County Appraisal District.

downtown lofts

While the plans are not final, the building will likely have between 50 and 60 loft condominiums.

And they will be priced to sell, according to developer Dan Silvestri, who's also still working on the marketing plan.

"We plan on being the most affordable per square foot in the downtown core," he said.

Of the 44 condominiums that sold downtown so far this year, the average price per square foot was just above $236, according to data from Houston Association of Realtors. With the average unit being 1,345 square feet, that means the typical unit goes more more than $317,400.

Silvestri has hired local architect Tim Cisneros of Cisneros Design Studio to design the lofts.

The building sale also came with a smaller warehouse, which will be converted into a parking garage.

Sandra Gunn, a real estate broker who specializes in downtown properties, said the building's industrial feel will be a selling point for loft buyers.

"It's got a lot going for it," she said. "It has a very true New York loft feel, with the nearby artists' studios, warehouses and sports venues. It's very mixed-use around there."

Indeed, the area is an amalgamation of urban culture.

Instead of high-rise office buildings, the property's downtown neighbors include a homeless shelter, a Mexican restaurant and funky art studios.

But because the property is not surrounded by skyscrapers, the lofts will have better views, Silvestri said.

"Most of the buildings downtown are next to another high-rise," he said.

The warehouse was constructed in 1910 for the National Biscuit Co., or Nabisco. It was later used by the Purse & Co. wholesale furniture company.

[SpaceCity]

That's a better price. However, does anyone have a real fancy condo they want to give me for free? Cause that would be great.

[Subdude]

I hope this project actually works out. So many others on that side have fallen through (not a bad thing in all cases). Right before the opening of Minute Maid Park, at around the same time another loft redevelopment had been proposed for this building, the building was all lit up at night. It was really cool looking from the 59 freeway. They should do the lighting thing again to advertise the project.

[midtownguy]

$317,000???? How about something at $200 and below?

Yeesh. They are CLEARLY trying to create a suburban enclave in Midtown/Downtown. $317,000 isn't all that "affordable", in my book.

[MidtownCoog]

$317,000 is the current average.

They plan to beat that.

[midtownguy]

Ah. Gotcha. I must have misread. Thanks.

[UrbaNerd]

317,000? Don't some of the units in the Shamrock start at 180,000?

[Hartmann]

I drove through downtown over the weekend and noticed the View Lofts on Commerce and N Chenevert (near Irma's). It appears that construction has been halted. Does anyone know the story? I have looked on Swamplot for info but have not found anything.

There is another business type loft a little further west on Commerce and Jackson. Anyone have a name for those? I saw a sign for Big Ten Studios and looking at the webpage they are permanently closed and were only renting the space.

[kylejack]

Are you talking about the big green building for the latter? That's the old Western Electric building and is lofts/art studios. Its featured every year on the Art Crawl and is a freakin' sweet building.

Edit: Or if you're talking about the red building across the intersection, that's a coffee company.

Edited January 13, 2010 by kylejack

[kylejack]

14) Western Electric Warehouse Building: 100 Jackson Street Located on the corner of Jackson Street and Commerce Street, Western Electric Warehouse was the warehouse facility for Western Electric Co. The origin of the building is approximated at 1910 or 1911. Renovated in 2004, the new owner, Caspian Enterprises / Mir Azizi, has retained demolition items for use within tenant spaces. Existing fire separation doors have been salvaged and utilized for other functions such as demising partitions and art work. Hardwood floors remain intact, the existing structural wood beams and columns are exposed as in the original condition. Western Electric Warehouse is now home to architectural offices, art studios, commercial studios and residential lofts.

Perez Gallery for the Arts, Zachary Allen, Pablo Almeida, Andréa Ancira, David Ancira, Adam Aronson, Moises Arriaga, Tod Bailey, Amy Baucum, Brian Boyter, Charla J Bruce, Lan Bui, Clarence Chun, Chelsea Coronado, Jackie Davis, Mary Jane Evans, Mallory Gahm, Sonya M Gracia, Darrell Hargrave, Ashley Ingram, Susan Krause, Christian Le, Jonatan Lopez, David Moore, Joe Peña, Eudis Perez, Lori Sebastian Pinter, Ronnie Queenan, William Reich, Micah Simmons, Eric Simms, Devra Singer, J Marie Valdez. SLICKWEBDESIGN.COM

http://www.artcrawlhouston.com/buildings.html

[Hartmann]

Are you talking about the big green building for the latter? That's the old Western Electric building and is lofts/art studios. Its featured every year on the Art Crawl and is a freakin' sweet building.

Edit: Or if you're talking about the red building across the intersection, that's a coffee company.

Yep, the green one is the one I was looking at.

Any idea who rents out the Western Electric building?

[kylejack]

Caspian Enterprises owns it and rents it to many people. Individuals, artists, architects, etc.

[Hartmann]

Caspian Enterprises owns it and rents it to many people. Individuals, artists, architects, etc.

Thanks!