1301 Franklin St. - Former 13-story Jail Slated for Demolition

[Urbannizer 41953]

https://www.virtualbx.com/feature-story/houston-a-e-services-for-demolition-documents-issued-for-13-story-county-jail/

 

The Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday authorized their purchasing agent to issue a Request for Qualifications for architectural and engineering services to develop demolition construction documents for the former jail at 1301 Franklin Street.

 

The 13-story downtown building, constructed in 1980, only functioned as a jail for 22 years. It closed in 2002 after state inspectors found the smoke removal system inadequate.

 

In 2009, Commissioners Court accepted a consultant’s recommendation to demolish the building.

 

In the years since it was retired as a corrections facility, the county has used portions of the building to house various functions of the Sheriff’s Office and the District Clerk.

 

The existing 602,969-square-foot building has a concrete structure with brick/masonry exterior as well as a basement, penthouse, pedestrian and inmate tunnel/bridge connection.

 

 

[Nate99 7524]

Didn't realize this building was no longer used to house inmates.  Wonder what they'll do with the block. 

[mollusk 2185]

A wild guess would be a replacement for the Family Law Center, which is crammed to the rafters and has to have fire monitors walking the floors because it is literally a firetrap.

[danielsonr 250]

5 hours ago, Nate99 said:

Didn't realize this building was no longer used to house inmates.  Wonder what they'll do with the block. 

 

“the aging 13-floor jail at 1301 Franklin, which was built in 1980 and closed in 2002 after state jail inspectors found its smoke removal system was inadequate. Jail operations were moved to a new building at 1200 Baker.”

 

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harris-officials-accept-plan-to-demolish-jail-1737002.php

 

[cspwal 3309]

It took 17 years to demolish it?

[rechlin 2860]

17 hours ago, cspwal said:

It took 17 years to demolish it?

 

Considering they are still using it for offices, I think it would be imprudent to demolish it with people still in it.

[cspwal 3309]

oh

 

[Luminare 5406]

Now if only we can convince the feds to move FDC Houston, near the new HSPVA, and move that jail to Baker Street, we could have all jails out of Downtown proper.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Luminare

[Luminare 5406]

On 9/12/2019 at 10:20 AM, mollusk said:

A wild guess would be a replacement for the Family Law Center, which is crammed to the rafters and has to have fire monitors walking the floors because it is literally a firetrap.

 

Honestly this block and some of the blocks towards Crawford St would be prime territory to move the cities municipal courts, permitting departments, and police, etc... from Washington Ave.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Luminare

[H-Town Man 4218]

42 minutes ago, Luminare said:

Now if only we can convince the feds to move FDC Houston, near the new HSPVA, and move that jail to Baker Street, we could have all jails out of Downtown proper.

 

Then the task will just be to get them all out of Baker Street.

 

[mollusk 2185]

There is a new consolidated booking facility in the general Baker Street area.  IIRC, all that's left of HPD on Lubbock are some offices and the property warehouse on Washington. 

 

The permitting center is a fairly new renovation of a much older building that took the place of the previous facility in Midtown.  Its customers probably like the relatively easy access and free parking - I know I find it a lot more user friendly than the old place.

[Ross 1142]

5 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

Honestly this block and some of the blocks towards Crawford St would be prime territory to move the cities municipal courts, permitting departments, and police, etc... from Washington Ave.

Courts are fine where they are. Less traffic and lots of parking. The parking is good for jury duty - my last two times for jury duty have been in the municipal courts. Trying to park downtown would be a pain, with conflicting demands from the County courts.

[Avossos 1770]

4 hours ago, Ross said:

Courts are fine where they are. Less traffic and lots of parking. The parking is good for jury duty - my last two times for jury duty have been in the municipal courts. Trying to park downtown would be a pain, with conflicting demands from the County courts.

 

The courts are not fine where they are. They will move them... that’s public record. Whether they move in down Washington ave or completely downtown is still to be decided.

[Nate99 7524]

The Fed facility on Texas Ave/St is an odd place for a prison now that the area around it is no longer a heinous disgrace as it was when it was built. 

 

I like the "little Alcatraz" concept with the North Canal flood control plan, though I don't know if there would be room (or more importantly any political/administrative will) to move the Federal facility over there by the County folks, but it would be psychologically tidy to put all of the necessary but unfortunate places on a literal island apart from the increasingly desirable downtown. 

 

There's also the privately (I think) operated prison down by MMP, across Preston from the back end of the 500 Crawford apartments.  It may have been vacated already. Not sure who owned the facility or land, but there's another block that could be unprisoned. 

[Luminare 5406]

On 9/16/2019 at 8:01 AM, Nate99 said:

The Fed facility on Texas Ave/St is an odd place for a prison now that the area around it is no longer a heinous disgrace as it was when it was built. 

 

I like the "little Alcatraz" concept with the North Canal flood control plan, though I don't know if there would be room (or more importantly any political/administrative will) to move the Federal facility over there by the County folks, but it would be psychologically tidy to put all of the necessary but unfortunate places on a literal island apart from the increasingly desirable downtown. 

 

There's also the privately (I think) operated prison down by MMP, across Preston from the back end of the 500 Crawford apartments.  It may have been vacated already. Not sure who owned the facility or land, but there's another block that could be unprisoned. 

 

Ohhh or like an Arkham Asylum in Batman. That would be fun. We could even add jagged rocks to the cost and watch towers at the corners. Really would sell the idea.

[Nate99 7524]

4 hours ago, Luminare said:

 

Ohhh or like an Arkham Asylum in Batman. That would be fun. We could even add jagged rocks to the cost and watch towers at the corners. Really would sell the idea.

 

It could have searchlights panning across the walls at night and a big draw bridge!

[Highrise Tower 20824]

From today.