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Bottled Blonde At 4901 Washington Ave.


CaptainJilliams

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I drove by the Interpose site today and noticed the former Cash America Pawn at the corner of Washington Ave and Durham Drive (SW Corner) had a notice of variance sign. It also looked like some light demo work had been taking place since the roof had been removed. I didn't get the chance to take a picture of the sign, but it said "Bottled Blonde Houston."

 

I did some digging and found Eater wrote on article on it in December:

https://houston.eater.com/2018/12/13/18138907/bottled-blonde-washington-avenue-houston-opening

 

Not sure if a thread has already been started, but I thought I'd post an update that there is progress on the site.

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Cycled by this a few times in the last weeks and not a lot has been done. The original building appears a little older than I initially thought. Load bearing masonry walls, wooden sawn lumber joists, etc...  Took a quick image on my bike ride earlier today, 4x4 wood timber with steel connections: Just kind of weird framing design.... The wood members exposed to the elements arent looking that great either...  I'm curious if they discovered something during demolition and are working on the real construction drawings now. 

7S9ng2E.jpg

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On 9/7/2019 at 9:25 PM, Purdueenginerd said:

Cycled by this a few times in the last weeks and not a lot has been done. The original building appears a little older than I initially thought. Load bearing masonry walls, wooden sawn lumber joists, etc...  Took a quick image on my bike ride earlier today, 4x4 wood timber with steel connections: Just kind of weird framing design.... The wood members exposed to the elements arent looking that great either...  I'm curious if they discovered something during demolition and are working on the real construction drawings now. 

7S9ng2E.jpg

 

On 9/8/2019 at 2:05 PM, mollusk said:

 

Not that that ever happens... :ph34r:

 

Ah yes the ole...we don't have original drawings, and then thru selective or exploratory demo you find what is really going on. Those are fun. If its load bearing masonry then it can't really be after 1920's or 1930's because after that was when veneer masonry was proliferated throughout the country in mass. Honestly if they are going to leave this exposed like this they might as well just demo the whole thing. Not like its a unique piece or anything. They can probably salvage the foundation though.

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2 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

 

Ah yes the ole...we don't have original drawings, and then thru selective or exploratory demo you find what is really going on. Those are fun. If its load bearing masonry then it can't really be after 1920's or 1930's because after that was when veneer masonry was proliferated throughout the country in mass.

 

Thats like half my projects! 

 

 

As for the the load bearing masonry walls, Anecdotally, I'm working on a retrofit project built in the 1960s with load bearing masonry walls. Thats probably the latest example of a building where Ive had to deal with it, but yeah. Most of the time pre 20's and 30's. I looked on google earth. Building was not there in 1944, but definitely is in 1953. 

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, Purdueenginerd said:

 

Thats like half my projects! 

 

 

As for the the load bearing masonry walls, Anecdotally, I'm working on a retrofit project built in the 1960s with load bearing masonry walls. Thats probably the latest example of a building where Ive had to deal with it, but yeah. Most of the time pre 20's and 30's. I looked on google earth. Building was not there in 1944, but definitely is in 1953. 

 

 

 

 

The part of our work that most don't even understand is how multi-variant, and multi-discipline it truly is. This is the moment where I as an aspiring architect am no longer an architect, but have to don the cap of an archaeologist and then at the same time have to don the cap of psychologist. On the one hand the archaeologist is there to investigate objectively what is going on, and then as a psychologist its as if I put the building on a sofa and ask it questions...like, why are you this way? what do you want to be? haha. Its fun, but also gives a mind numbing headache. 

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I could talk about this all day. My favorite projects are nearly always renovation projects. They can be made hell by an Owner (or architect, sorry!) that doesnt understand the limitations of not having drawings or even they do... not understanding that building systems and codes 50+ years ago are a lot different than now. That being said, for this building. I would be surprised if they had access to the original drawings. I sometimes have to go to the city to get access to public record drawings, and I dont think i've had much luck on anything past 1960. Much less for a 1 story retail building. 

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23 hours ago, Purdueenginerd said:

I could talk about this all day. My favorite projects are nearly always renovation projects. They can be made hell by an Owner (or architect, sorry!) that doesnt understand the limitations of not having drawings or even they do... not understanding that building systems and codes 50+ years ago are a lot different than now. That being said, for this building. I would be surprised if they had access to the original drawings. I sometimes have to go to the city to get access to public record drawings, and I dont think i've had much luck on anything past 1960. Much less for a 1 story retail building. 

 

And the city will have the permit set, not the as builts.

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I just ...don't get it. I mean it's fine, but why not lean into the art deco/moderne-ness of the original (no longer extant in any meaningful sense) building? That could have been really cool, even without keeping too close to the original design? This would be fine as a new build, but it just seems like a missed opportunity.

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https://houston.eater.com/2020/9/8/21427498/bottled-blonde-opening-houston-washington-avenue-september-2020

 

Controversial Drinking Destination Bottled Blonde Is Almost Ready to Make Its Houston Debut

The “pizzeria” and beer garden is set to debut in the Washington Corridor on September 17

 

The interior of Bottled Blonde in Houston. Floral patterned banquettes sit on a herringbone pattern wood floor with a rustic wood bar and TV screens in the background.Bottled Blonde [Official Photo]

Arizona-born bar Bottled Blonde is just about ready to make its Houston debut, bringing a beer garden and a checkered past to the Washington Corridor. 

The first area outpost of Bottled Blonde is set to open its doors at 4901 Washington Avenue on September 17, after nearly two years in the works. The Houston location will occupy a sprawling 10,000 square feet, complete with a massive outdoor beer garden and “Italian-inspired cuisine,” according to a press release. 

It’s the second Texas outpost for Bottled Blonde, joining a Dallas location that’s been the source of some major controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Eater Dallas, the Bottled Blonde location in the city’s Deep Ellum neighborhood obtained a license to operate as a restaurant earlier this summer, but is under investigation by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for allegedly violating capacity limits instituted by Gov. Greg Abbott. The investigation came after photos and videos of the bar, packed with people who were definitely not wearing masks, went viral on social media. 

Bottled Blonde’s also been the source of tons of legal drama in Chicago, where officials revoked the bar’s business license after neighbors complained that it was operating as a nightclub, not the “family-friendly restaurant it presented itself as,” according to Eater Chicago. The Chicago location was also besieged with lawsuits, criticized for a dress code that many patrons described as racist, and finally closed its doors for good in July of this year

When Bottled Blonde makes its Houston debut, the restaurant will be open Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

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