Bell Heights: Multifamily At 1714 Ashland St.

[toxtethogrady]

So they are repurposing the building next door and adding a rooftop terrace? How many units are they planning in there?

[hindesky]

So they are repurposing the building next door and adding a rooftop terrace? How many units are they planning in there?

Yes they are going to remodel the old Bell building into 24 lofts.

[HoustonMidtown]

So they are repurposing the building next door and adding a rooftop terrace? How many units are they planning in there?

 

http://www.bellheightshouston.com

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/28672-bell-heights-former-att-building/?hl=%2Bbell+%2Bheights

 

 

[kdog08]

Really like this. 

[kylejack]

Those townhouses are the so-called "cottages"? I dunno, I always thought a cottage should be one story. 

 

I went to an event in the main building recently, the Houstonia Top Shops party. Looked like it had potential.

[toxtethogrady]

Nah, that's a bungalow.

[Screwston Denizen]

This is being renovated as "Bell Heights," apparently a sort of colony for single thirtysomethings.

 

 

[Urbannizer]

By Christopher Andrews on Twitter

 

 

[BigFootsSocks]

Drove by this the other day and was disappointed to see all that brick gone

[mkultra25]

Yeah, that's not exactly what I'd envisioned when they said they were going to repurpose the building. That's looking more like what's being done with the Sunset Coffee Building at Allen's Landing. 

[sonic0boom]

My guess is that they thought the residents might like to have windows.

[Angostura]

It was pretty clear from the renderings that some pretty big modifications to the facade were going to happen.

 

BTW, this little stretch of Ashland turned out pretty well. I was skeptical of the townhouses there, but since the garages face inward, there's decent landscaping along the sidewalk, and extra street parking for the businesses on 19th.

[BigFootsSocks]

My guess is that they thought the residents might like to have windows.

These are actually condos marketed towards vampires and/or neckbeard cave dwellers

[sonic0boom]

These are actually condos marketed towards vampires and/or neckbeard cave dwellers

 

Huh, i figured those were the types they had to kick out in the first place to make way for the redo. 

[BigFootsSocks]

Now you understand my confusion as to the brick removal

[hindesky]

Surprisingly they took it down to the skeleton of the structure, I thought they might save some of the brick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Urbannizer]

http://search.har.com/site/1706-ashland_SITE8732412.htm

 

 

[Urbannizer]

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2015/09/old-heights-telephone-building-to-have-new-orleans-flair/#photo-681423

[hindesky]

Townhomes are going up quickly, framing for the walls on the mid rise.

 

 

 

 

 

[hindesky]

[jt16]

Interesting repurposing. I admit I don't know the economics but it makes me wonder why an ATT building can be transformed but the buildings on Louisiana can't be saved.

[Ross]

Interesting repurposing. I admit I don't know the economics but it makes me wonder why an ATT building can be transformed but the buildings on Louisiana can't be saved.

 

Better economics for the AT&T building. You can save any building with enough money. The problem is that most owners don't want to spend $4 million to end up with a building that's worth $1 million. Nor do they want to spend a pile of money to rhab a building that can't generate enough rent to make the investment worthwhile.

[hindesky]

 

[s3mh]

The interesting part of this buildout is the big dig on the east side of the building.  I assume they are converting the basement into a parking garage given the excavation is shape like a big ramp to the street.  But I wonder how in the world they will be able to keep the garage from flooding every time we get a few inches of rain.  All the water will just rush down the driveway and into the garage.

[cspwal]

Probably a very over-designed drainage system at the ramp - imagine both a square drain in the drive way to the ramp as well as a metal grate across the entire crest of the ramp.  That could all go down into a subterranean cistern, and then pumped back up to the storm sewer level.

 

Or they put up a sign that says "Basement may flood in severe weather.  Management not responsible for damage."  Might be slightly cheaper

[s3mh]

Probably a very over-designed drainage system at the ramp - imagine both a square drain in the drive way to the ramp as well as a metal grate across the entire crest of the ramp.  That could all go down into a subterranean cistern, and then pumped back up to the storm sewer level.

 

Or they put up a sign that says "Basement may flood in severe weather.  Management not responsible for damage."  Might be slightly cheaper

 

Ha.  They are condos, so the sign would actually have to say: "Basement may flood in severe weather.  Developer not responsible for damage." 

 

I do not see any sign that they are putting in any sort of a significant drainage system (although they are just beginning to move dirt around).  I wonder if they could just put in a big flood door?  Or maybe have everyone park on a mechanical lift that would raise the cars up once flood waters come in.  Anything that relies on the existing stormwater system is not going to be effective in a big rain event.  I saw my neighbors' trash cans floating down the street during the Memorial day floods.  Things back up pretty quickly even just with an inch or two.  So, I will be watching this one with a lot of interest to see what happens.   

 

[hindesky]

Some of the Townhomes look done. 

 

 

Tyvek wrap covers all sides.

 

 

 

Not sure why they are digging so deep, must be trying to ensure the basement will be water tight.

 

[hindesky]

[BullMan008]

That area used to be so quiet and calm years ago. I want to say there was a church across the street and you could here the kids playing basketball until it got dark. I like the name...Bell Heights. 

 

[EllenOlenska]