Central Houston Cadillac At 2520 Main St.

[hindesky]

They have moved out all the used vehicles across the street. I believe Central owns at least 3 lots in Midtown. McGowan building, the used car lot between Travis and Milam and another lot on Milam and W. Gray.

[Brooklyn173]

I live in the building in this picture.

This lot has been empty since early summer (but mostly full during the height of Covid). The lot on Milan is also empty. Even the main facility on Main and McGowen is less full. I have no idea as to longer term plans here, though Cadillac has stated a national intension to significantly reduce the number of dealerships.

[wilcal]

I heard that all of their land is and has been for sale for awhile, but they want like $125/sf. 

10 minutes ago, Brooklyn173 said:

I live in the building in this picture.

This lot has been empty since early summer (but mostly full during the height of Covid). The lot on Milan is also empty. Even the main facility on Main and McGowen is less full. I have no idea as to longer term plans here, though Cadillac has stated a national intension to significantly reduce the number of dealerships.

Yep, Cadillac is offering to buy out franchises as part of the shift to electric-only vehicles by the end of the decade. I would imagine that this dealership in particular does really well on vehicle maintenance, which electric vehicles need significantly less of. 

Owner also bought the Kirby Mansion a few years ago http://swamplot.com/midtown-kirby-mansion-sold-to-midtown-car-dealership-owner/2018-08-20/

[Fortune]

This dealership is moving down to the South Loop. I believe there is already a thread on it

[wilcal]

9 minutes ago, Fortune said:

This dealership is moving down to the South Loop. I believe there is already a thread on it

Damn, you're right! Totally missed that. 

 

[hindesky]

While back I talked with 2 Central Cadillac workers, they said they would be moving into the new south loop dealership summer of 2022. Reason I started this was for future potential uses for the 2 maybe 3 lots they own around here. The main dealership land is pretty good size.

[rechlin]

Car lots all over the country are emptying out due to lack of supply of new vehicles, so it's also possible they may be consolidating their car lots.  This is a good time to do the move to the South Loop when they are down on inventory.

[dbigtex56]

On 10/8/2021 at 3:43 PM, wilcal said:

Owner also bought the Kirby Mansion a few years ago http://swamplot.com/midtown-kirby-mansion-sold-to-midtown-car-dealership-owner/2018-08-20/

Strictly a rumor, but I'm told that Central Houston Auto payed an exorbitant amount for this property, thinking that a high rise might be built there.
Unfortunately for them, TXDOT revealed its I-45 expansion plans soon afterward which could create a construction nightmare, and the property value plummeted.

[hindesky]

https://www.chron.com/business/article/Kirby-Mansion-sells-to-neighboring-Cadillac-13170028.php

[Houston19514]

18 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

Strictly a rumor, but I'm told that Central Houston Auto payed an exorbitant amount for this property, thinking that a high rise might be built there.
Unfortunately for them, TXDOT revealed its I-45 expansion plans soon afterward which could create a construction nightmare, and the property value plummeted.

A couple things wrong with that rumor:

(1) TXDoT’s plans were well known before Central Houston Auto bought this property.

(2) the effect of TXDoT’s plans on this property is probably positive, not negative.

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Houston19514

[dbigtex56]

Thanks for the corrections, @hindesky and @Houston19514. I'll forward that info to my (unreliable) source.
Lesson learned: Post in haste, repent at leisure.

[hindesky]

I talked with an employee of Central Cadillac as I rode by. Asked him when they are moving out to the new south loop location. He said they should move spring' 23. I then asked him what was to become of the land and building. He said he thought it might become a nightclub. Cool mid century building that is fairly large and has 2 parking areas that they own. I could actually see that happening until something grander where to come along and whoever owns the property gets a fat payday. I think it's ideal for high rise apartments in the long run.

[dbigtex56]

On 6/25/2022 at 5:53 PM, hindesky said:

I talked with an employee of Central Cadillac as I rode by. Asked him when they are moving out to the new south loop location. He said they should move spring' 23. I then asked him what was to become of the land and building. He said he thought it might become a nightclub. Cool mid century building that is fairly large and has 2 parking areas that they own. I could actually see that happening until something grander where to come along and whoever owns the property gets a fat payday. I think it's ideal for high rise apartments in the long run.

Mixed feelings about this. Yes, it's a MCM building with the potential for being attractive - but does Midtown really need another nightclub? A matter of opinion, to be sure. 
I'm disappointed that the McGowen rail station is still not living up to its potential. Immediately adjacent to the stops there's an abandoned building, parking lots, an underused park, a bar, and the Cadillac dealership (soon to be nightclub). Hardly a destination for those riding the train.
Granted, there is an apartment building adjacent to the southbound station, but it could be so much more. I absolutely agree that another high rise on the Cadillac site would be welcome. 
Here's hoping that someday the plans for restaurants on McGowen between Main and Travis, and the food court in the former Greensheet building become reality. It's been almost 20 years since the rail started operating. I hope it doesn't take another 20 for people-friendly development to become reality.

[phillip_white]

6 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

Mixed feelings about this. Yes, it's a MCM building with the potential for being attractive - but does Midtown really need another nightclub? A matter of opinion, to be sure. 
I'm disappointed that the McGowen rail station is still not living up to its potential. Immediately adjacent to the stops there's an abandoned building, parking lots, an underused park, a bar, and the Cadillac dealership (soon to be nightclub). Hardly a destination for those riding the train.
Granted, there is an apartment building adjacent to the southbound station, but it could be so much more. I absolutely agree that another high rise on the Cadillac site would be welcome. 
Here's hoping that someday the plans for restaurants on McGowen between Main and Travis, and the food court in the former Greensheet building become reality. It's been almost 20 years since the rail started operating. I hope it doesn't take another 20 for people-friendly development to become reality.

Lack of development on half of the intersection is directly attributable to the dealership. Perhaps a nightclub is not the most desirable use for the structure, but it will create a late night street presence. And perhaps the drunks will hang out at the pocket park after closing. And maybe the additional foot traffic is the catalyst that the Greensheet developers have been waiting for.

Or maybe everyone drives to the club and parks in the empty lot, and drives home without ever interacting with the neighborhood creating a deterrent to additional development... but that seems too sad to consider.

[editor]

7 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

Mixed feelings about this. Yes, it's a MCM building with the potential for being attractive - but does Midtown really need another nightclub? A matter of opinion, to be sure. 
I'm disappointed that the McGowen rail station is still not living up to its potential. Immediately adjacent to the stops there's an abandoned building, parking lots, an underused park, a bar, and the Cadillac dealership (soon to be nightclub). Hardly a destination for those riding the train.
Granted, there is an apartment building adjacent to the southbound station, but it could be so much more. I absolutely agree that another high rise on the Cadillac site would be welcome. 
Here's hoping that someday the plans for restaurants on McGowen between Main and Travis, and the food court in the former Greensheet building become reality. It's been almost 20 years since the rail started operating. I hope it doesn't take another 20 for people-friendly development to become reality.

I don't get that parklet.  It's had a sign reading something like "temporarily closed" for the last year.  How do you close a park?  Why do you close a park?  Closed to whom, since people walk through it all the time?  Who thought that concrete ping-pong tables and zero benches were good urban furniture choices?  At least if it was a big lawn you could use it for picnics.  Right now, it's just absorbing sun and radiating heat.

[dbigtex56]

2 hours ago, editor said:

Why do you close a park?

I suspect that security guards for the apartments use "selective enforcement" standards when it comes to who's allowed to use the park.
It's a difficult situation. On one hand if it's a public park, the public should be allowed to enjoy it. On the other, the street people who bathe in fountains, openly smoke reefer, and harass passersby for cigarettes and money don't create a welcoming atmosphere, either. 

[Brooklyn173]

I wouldn't take an offhand comment from an employee at the dealership as anything approaching a real plan. Considering the general lack of imagination, it could certainly happen. But I'd just consider the source.

The Cayden bankruptcy certainly hurt the area, but covid did a lot of damage to a lot of plans. In my view of a perfect world, the Cadillac lot as well as the used car lot across Main and the old car storage lot on Travis/McGowan get developed as a large transit friendly commercial/ residential project. I forget the exact location, but I seem to remember something like that in Austin.

But yeah, another club is the more likely scenario ☹️

[X.R.]

2 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

I suspect that security guards for the apartments use "selective enforcement" standards when it comes to who's allowed to use the park.
It's a difficult situation. On one hand if it's a public park, the public should be allowed to enjoy it. On the other, the street people who bathe in fountains, openly smoke reefer, and harass passersby for cigarettes and money don't create a welcoming atmosphere, either. 

They really need to just start over with that space. The ping pong tables make no sense as mentioned before, the benches are terrible and incredibly hot, and that parklet as @editor mentioned just radiates heat. The fountain is dumb. Make it a small dog park with some area for people to picnic under some shade if they choose to and call it a day. 

[hindesky]

I was getting a Banh Mi at Cali Sandwiches and one of the Central Cadillac employees was in there too. I asked him when they were moving out to their new south loop location,  he said about this time next year. He told me the Midtown property was already sold and they are just leasing it now. He didn't know who bought it though.

[Ross]

23 minutes ago, hindesky said:

I was getting a Banh Mi at Cali Sandwiches and one of the Central Cadillac employees was in there too. I asked him when they were moving out to their new south loop location,  he said about this time next year. He told me the Midtown property was already sold and they are just leasing it now. He didn't know who bought it though.

It was sold to Hi Tech Auto Realty in February 2022. That entity is managed by Ricardo M Weitz, who seems to have been associated with Momentum. In March 2022, there is a deed of trust to Cadence Bank and a trustee Charles J Pignuolo with a $192 million  mortgage and a 20 page list of properties that includes Baytown Nissan, Central Houston Nissan, the Kirby Mansion, David McDavid Nissan, as well as properties in Williamson and Travis counties I can't be bothered to go look for.

It's all on the County Clerk's website.

[kennyc05]

1 hour ago, Ross said:

It was sold to Hi Tech Auto Realty in February 2022. That entity is managed by Ricardo M Weitz, who seems to have been associated with Momentum. In March 2022, there is a deed of trust to Cadence Bank and a trustee Charles J Pignuolo with a $192 million  mortgage and a 20 page list of properties that includes Baytown Nissan, Central Houston Nissan, the Kirby Mansion, David McDavid Nissan, as well as properties in Williamson and Travis counties I can't be bothered to go look for.

It's all on the County Clerk's website.

Ricardo Weitz use to own the Momentum Auto Group until it was sold to Sonic Automotive in the mid 2000s.

[kennyc05]

I wonder what the hell they would have planned for the property 🤔

[Ross]

15 hours ago, kennyc05 said:

I wonder what the hell they would have planned for the property 🤔

[kennyc05]

On 11/11/2022 at 3:15 PM, Ross said:

It was sold to Hi Tech Auto Realty in February 2022. That entity is managed by Ricardo M Weitz, who seems to have been associated with Momentum. In March 2022, there is a deed of trust to Cadence Bank and a trustee Charles J Pignuolo with a $192 million  mortgage and a 20 page list of properties that includes Baytown Nissan, Central Houston Nissan, the Kirby Mansion, David McDavid Nissan, as well as properties in Williamson and Travis counties I can't be bothered to go look for.

It's all on the County Clerk's website.

I forgot to mention that I believe Mr.Weitz already owns the central dealerships so I guess it went from one hand to the other.

[Brooklyn173]

I just noticed today that Central Cadillac at Main & McGowan is empty of any cars. I doubt it's weather related. I guess they finally made their move.

Now, another (very) large empty lot in northern midtown.

[hindesky]

Moving to the south loop location.

[kennyc05]

Can't wait to see what they do with those lots!

[hindesky]

[Brooklyn173]

I didn't see any signs. Is it still called Central Cadillac?

[hindesky]

The Nissan dealership is called Central Nissan and right next door, I'm guessing the Cadillac dealership will be too.

Edited January 16 by hindesky