The Lofts On Commerce St.

[GrandLakes]

I am considering purchasing one of two remaining Tricon homes in this community. The other builder, Waterhill Homes, has gone out of business but there are still a few homes of theirs that are in various stages on construction but appear to be abandoned. How long have those homes been like that? Since Waterhill was the original developer and they are now gone, who is responsible for the management and upkeep of this community? Help!

[TheNiche]

I am considering purchasing one of two remaining Tricon homes in this community. The other builder, Waterhill Homes, has gone out of business but there are still a few homes of theirs that are in various stages on construction but appear to be abandoned. How long have those homes been like that? Since Waterhill was the original developer and they are now gone, who is responsible for the management and upkeep of this community? Help!

I would strongly recommend that you avoid buying in this community. Waterhill developed a terrible reputation as a builder, and anything they touched should be considered tainted. Even if Tricon was the builder, you don't want to be living next to a bunch of Waterhill homes. They'll fall apart, depreciate, and probably start luring in a lesser demographic. Renting would be another matter; you can do that for as long as you'd like to. But to have a financial stake in this one is risky business.

Try going just a little further down Commerce Street to the ones with galvalume siding. Or if you don't like that aesthetic, then try looking at townhomes off of Navigation, just east of Jensen. The general neighborhood is a great long-term investment, but stay away from Waterhill.

If you're getting some ridiculously good deal that you just can't afford not to take, then you need to ask these questions of Tricon. I wouldn't imagine that these townhomes are set up fee simple. Figure out what the HOA dues are, where they're going, and who manages them. Ask for a set of bylaws.

[musicman]

I am considering purchasing one of two remaining Tricon homes in this community.

If these are the ones near the intersection of Dowling and Congress across the railroad tracks (access via commerce), I have a feeling they are telling you a story that only two remain. Drive north on Dowling and make a left onto Congress and look at how many have been abandoned and unfinished.

[TheNiche]

If these are the ones near the intersection of Dowling and Congress across the railroad tracks (access via commerce), I have a feeling they are telling you a story that only two remain. Drive north on Dowling and make a left onto Congress and look at how many have been abandoned and unfinished.

I'm not saying that it is impossible that they're lying, but Tricon developed a limited number of townhomes in that same community and has probably had a heck of a lot easier time selling theirs than did Waterhill. The ones you see from the bend at Dowling and Congress streets are all Waterhill's doing, not Tricon's.

[drone]

Having lived in the warehouse lofts next door, long before those townhouses were built, all I can say is -- if you decide you want it, and you're a light sleeper - spend a night in it first.

Those train tracks are active, it's not a quiet zone, and aside from the great rumbling of two trains passing at once, you also get the wonderful honking they do at each other from many blocks away, and solid right through the intersection.

I lived there for a year, and barely ever slept. (Other people like it just fine, though.) So, I'd get a good chance to double-check the soundproofing before I'd make any decision =)

[kylejack]

Some of the ones near Commerce might be active, but I recall someone saying the ones actually on Commerce were still active a while back, and having looked at it closer now, that's definitely not true. They're filled in with too much concrete.

[drone]

Some of the ones near Commerce might be active, but I recall someone saying the ones actually on Commerce were still active a while back, and having looked at it closer now, that's definitely not true. They're filled in with too much concrete.

You mean the train tracks at Dowling & Commerce? I got stuck at a train there less than 3 months ago. Have they been de-commissioned since then?

[kylejack]

You mean the train tracks at Dowling & Commerce? I got stuck at a train there less than 3 months ago. Have they been de-commissioned since then?

Nah, I'm talking about the ones that go down Commerce itself.

[musicman]

You mean the train tracks at Dowling & Commerce? I got stuck at a train there less than 3 months ago. Have they been de-commissioned since then?

these are definitely up and noisy and form a border for the complex in question.

[TheNiche]

Nah, I'm talking about the ones that go down Commerce itself.

They are active, just very lightly used. There is a rail yard at the terminus of those tracks that is still used to store extra rolling stock. You can see for yourself that there is still rolling stock in that yard either by driving by it, hiking the trails on the south side of the Buffalo Bayou, or browsing Google Earth. There are also spurs that are still well-maintained that wind around and still serve a few industrial firms, and the spurs run almost all the way to Lockwood. Hefty taxes get paid on all of these tracks, and if they weren't being utilized, they would be abandoned and removed to get out from under the tax burden.

[TheNiche]

Having lived in the warehouse lofts next door, long before those townhouses were built, all I can say is -- if you decide you want it, and you're a light sleeper - spend a night in it first.

Those train tracks are active, it's not a quiet zone, and aside from the great rumbling of two trains passing at once, you also get the wonderful honking they do at each other from many blocks away, and solid right through the intersection.

I lived there for a year, and barely ever slept. (Other people like it just fine, though.) So, I'd get a good chance to double-check the soundproofing before I'd make any decision =)

I like the earth-shaking rumble of a train that's passing at a good clip. Just not the horns.

[illusionescape]

I actually live in this community. I don't regret my decision. The Tricon Homes in the community are great homes. Very good quality. I can't say anything about the Waterhill Homes because I've never stepped foot in one. However, the few Waterhill shells that were left when the company went bankrupt were purchased by InTown Homes and are being finished by them. You can see the work going on right now. Their workers are out there daily finishing them up. Anwyays, back to the Tricon houses, you better hurry on them if you plan to get one because last time I checked on HAR.com (yesterday), there was only one left for purchase. However, I have been in touch with Tricon management and they said that they have plans to purchase the empty plots of land in the community to build more houses. I don't know when they would start on those... I'd imagine once the economy gets better. With the hope of that happening, there will most likely be more Tricon (or other builder) homes than former Waterhill homes once the entire community is complete. There is even talk of changing the name of the community to rid itself of the Waterhill name.