Memories Of Park Place

[NenaE]

http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=71454851372

have you guys seen the info.. here? It covers so many topics we've discussed, from Cadet Don & Kitirik, to old mansions, some with lingering mysteries,

to great pics of places we grew up with, pony rides, and all.

[NenaE]

http://www.facebook....4851372

the mystery house...

that's a nice house, never was aware of it. Looks like, from HCAD info. in recent yrs., it's had quite a few owners, HCAD doesn't go back too far.

Says built 1930, no a/c or heat. Nice lot, hidden in plain sight. Wonder if it has seen flood issues. Reminds me of some of the homes styles in Riverside.

Edited April 9, 2011 by NenaE

[sevfiv]

Just a few to start out...a lot of these buildings are still hanging on, even the strip mall where Big Humphrey's Pizza/Burger Village and Dairy Queen No. 1 was..

Nipper Law Firm (a date issue - HCAD lists 1942 and I'm thinking it's newer than that)

more: http://www.arch-ive.org/parkplace7654.php

Park Place Washette (can anyone can confirm a mid 1980s rebuild of this washateria?)

more: http://www.arch-ive.org/parkplace7902.php

Park Place Pharmacy

more: http://www.arch-ive.org/parkplace8000.php

[NenaE]

I find Park Place a very interesting street, and I have always loved that law office's brick work. It looks like a sixties-style bldg., but those houses on that section of Pk Place are some of the first built; the forties seams right , to me, year built. It must have been remodeled. I recall a second one, nearby, with similar brickwork.

I was studying the Park Place aerials recently. I am curious as to the street name Reveille, what is it's significance?

Too bad the apt. bldg and police station (sitting next to it) near Telephone and Pk Place are to be, or have been demolished.

[Dan the Man]

That pharmacy building is awesome. It looks like its only alteration was the addition of burglar bars.

[FilioScotia]

Just a few to start out...a lot of these buildings are still hanging on, even the strip mall where Big Humphrey's Pizza/Burger Village and Dairy Queen No. 1 was. Nipper Law Firm (a date issue - HCAD lists 1942 and I'm thinking it's newer than that)

I agree, it does look newer than 1942. Looks more like mid 50s.

Lawyer Oscar Nipper is an old friend who started his legal practice in the mid 1950s. In the late 50s he and a lawyer friend, Jim Knox, formed the firm of Nipper & Knox and moved into that building. I don't know when Knox left and moved on, but Oscar practiced law in that building until he retired sometime in the 1990s.

Oscar's wife Bennie Nipper is a retired and legendary HISD speech and drama teacher who taught a number of people who went on to professional acting careers.(She never taught at Bellaire HS, the cradle of a number of well known actors.) She taught at the old San Jacinto High in midtown and at Jones HS on the southeast side.

Outside her school work, she has also directed plays and musicals in Houston area community theaters for more than 50 years. Pasadena Little Theatre, Clear Creek Country Theatre, Theatre of the Mainland and some others. In the late 1980s, she and Oscar bought that old boarded-up movie house on Hwy 3 in Dickinson, completely rehabbed it and adapted it into a theatre for live stage plays.

They named it the Harbour Playhouse.

http://www.harbourplayhouse.com/

Bennie and Oscar are getting on in years, but they're both still actively in charge of it and putting on a season of plays and shows every year. The Playhouse also offers classes for aspiring actors of all ages. And Bennie teaches some of them. They're both old and dear friends and I wish I could see them more often than I do.

Edited April 28, 2011 by FilioScotia

[sevfiv]

^Thanks for the information - neat to know they're the ones behind the Harbour.

For those who haven't seen it, it's the old Hollywood Theater:

http://www.arch-ive.org/hollywoodtheater.php

[sw324]

I find Park Place a very interesting street, and I have always loved that law office's brick work. It looks like a sixties-style bldg., but those houses on that section of Pk Place are some of the first built; the forties seams right , to me, year built. It must have been remodeled. I recall a second one, nearby, with similar brickwork.

I was studying the Park Place aerials recently. I am curious as to the street name Reveille, what is it's significance?

Too bad the apt. bldg and police station (sitting next to it) near Telephone and Pk Place are to be, or have been demolished.

I grew up in the house on the corner of Park Place and Juniper, in the next block from the police station. The houses in that neighborhood (including the law office) were post-World War II housing for returning servicemen. I'm confident that's the origin of the name Reveille. There was one large, older house right across Park Place from us, but all the houses south of Park Place were all post-WWII vintage. My mother, who lived in the house until the early 1990s, told me our house was the first built in the Santa Rosa development.

I have photos and when I get a chance I'll dig them out and post them here.

I just discovered this site, thanks to a friend who is interested in the history of Sharpstown, where he grew up. What a great find!

[Texasepies]

I find Park Place a very interesting street, and I have always loved that law office's brick work. It looks like a sixties-style bldg., but those houses on that section of Pk Place are some of the first built; the forties seams right , to me, year built. It must have been remodeled. I recall a second one, nearby, with similar brickwork.

I was studying the Park Place aerials recently. I am curious as to the street name Reveille, what is it's significance?

Too bad the apt. bldg and police station (sitting next to it) near Telephone and Pk Place are to be, or have been demolished.

NenaE, both are now gone.

[NenaE]

I viewed quite a few maps of the various years, it makes sense, the story of returning servicemen, with the shortage of housing. There were some identical, cookie cutter houses, in a very small subdivision, sitting all in a row, north of Park Place and Reveille, so I know there has to be some story (as you say) linked to it.

Sevfiv would have appreciated those apartments, the googleearth pics left remnants of what it's style once was. Personally, I don't recall it, though. I do remember those older bldgs. on the corner ,east of the police station. There was a very popular hair salon in the rectangular two story bldg.,on the corner, was there for many yrs. I do recall that something about those apartments across the street intrigued me. Think it had a medieval theme.

And where do all those bricks go?

My love of architecture was fueled by the '60's style, growing up...I'm glad I got to witness it, so much is gone or distorted.

[sevfiv]

I was sure I took pictures of the apartments back when I lived in Santa Rosa...about the same time as the theater was about to be torn down. I'll be on the hunt for them!

[CHiPs]

The pharmacy buidling looks awesome. Reminds me of a 50's diner.

[NenaE]

The pharmacy buidling looks awesome. Reminds me of a 50's diner.

The Park Place pharmacy doesn't look like that photo, anymore. From the freeway, I could see that the letters have been removed, and it has a For Lease sign in one top corner. Has anyone else noticed that? And what did they do with those letters?

[sevfiv]

I made a quick stop on the way home - hopefully the letters weren't trashed!

[NenaE]

I'm sad...saw it from the freeway.

But it lasted in it's original state longer than most bldgs. here.

Hopefully, the owner realized those signs & letters are worth something, and saved or sold them, instead of trashing them.

[LTAWACS]

I saw this the other day also. With the way things are going these days it won't be long until this becomes another check cashing place, game room, or autobus station. This is a sad day indeed.

[toadfroggy]

Park Place Pharmacy stayed in business for a long time--long past the time that any other independent pharmacy might have lasted in that location. I think the nail in the coffin was that they were burglarized once too often. It was a great place. They had a lunch counter and employed two bee-hived waitresses. You could buy hand-packed Oak Farms ice cream that they sold in plain white quart-size containers....I don't recall any flavor but vanilla, but I'm not sure.

Across the street from the pharmacy was the office of John Ruiz, MD. Dr. Ruiz was the doctor that brought me into this world. That was a great building, too. A 1950's white stucco Art Deco style--curved walls, glass block windows, etc. It stayed around awhile after Dr. Ruiz retired, but that area never seemed to be able to support much commerce after the 60's.

Houston history trivia: Dr. Ruiz was just a GP, and except for being a truly wonderful human being, wasn't of any note in his own right, but his son, Richard went on to become a very well known and distinguished opthalmologist, and his grandaughter Kathy went on to become a celebrated chef.

Anyone else remember Goggie's pizza down the block on the circle (when there was a circle)? Its brush with greatness came one night when Sonny and Cher, in town for a concert, were spotted eating there.

Thanks for the post. As you can tell, it evoked a lot of memories for me.

[sevfiv]

Here is the listing for Park Place Pharmacy:

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/Mainsite/Listing/Profile/Profile.aspx?LID=17265529&SRID=1948795489&StepID=101&LinkCode=20280&DisableBackToLink=true&PgCxtDir=Lateral