Home At 1801 Ashland St.

[cwrm4]

From a neighbourhood BB. Don't know of this house specifically, so it may have been an unsalvageable dump, but I'm surprised it was so easy to demo a place on the "National Register of Historic Places".

"1801 Ashland is gone.

Both Channel 13 and The Chronicle sent photographers.

Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was not legally protected from demolition. The question that lingers is this - why wasn't anyone given a chance to move the building or salvage major parts of it?

The owner, Ryan Hildebrand, writes that he will put a "top drawer" restaurant there. We hear it will have a Victorian theme.

The owner was (and may still be) the chef at Vic and Anthony's, which is owned by the Landry Group.

ABOUT THE HOUSE:

Listed Individually on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 - Site No. 90. McDonald House. 1801 Ashland. 1907 1900--. Two story frame house; combination roof with projecting gable bay on front with two gable ends; attached double gallery curves to both sides, supported by fluted columns; squared balusters, double French door to upstairs gallery; three sided bay window on lower gallery; single front entrance with transom; windows with one-over-one lights. Home of John E. McDonald, a real estate investor in the Heights; he purchased this property from O. M. Carter in 1907 and built this fine home, complying with the deed restrictions that prohibited construction of buildings costing less than $2000. It later served as the home of A.J. Foyt's grandfather. The area near 19th and Ashland was already established as the commercial center for the Heights; thus this house was in a prime spot from the beginning."

[sevfiv]

http://www.heightspages.com/hp22/html/pg12.html

and the property is owned by "herron and hildebrand, inc." - catchy

[gnu]

ditto that. very sad. we really should be able to protect national register sites better

On a related note:

Does anyone know if any owners have submitted their properties for landmark status since the ordinance was passed last summer?

[heights_yankee]

I got an email about this last night. How sad. I worked with a woman who knew the old owners. She told me they were selling it and that the new owner planned on making it more of a fine dining establishment. I was thrilled!! I had no idea (how could anyone??) that they would DEMOLISH such a wonderful building. There are a million vacant lots in the Heights. They couldn't put this where the HEB was? They couldn't buy one of the mini-warehouses that are up for sale on Yale?

My hubby and I are big foodies, but I'll be hard pressed to eat at this new place.... I think a lot of people I know in the Heights would agree...

[west20th]

I got an email about this last night. How sad. I worked with a woman who knew the old owners. She told me they were selling it and that the new owner planned on making it more of a fine dining establishment. I was thrilled!! I had no idea (how could anyone??) that they would DEMOLISH such a wonderful building. There are a million vacant lots in the Heights. They couldn't put this where the HEB was? They couldn't buy one of the mini-warehouses that are up for sale on Yale?

My hubby and I are big foodies, but I'll be hard pressed to eat at this new place.... I think a lot of people I know in the Heights would agree...

I'm all for supporting new buisness in the Heights but I will NEVER patronize this new establishment!

[lilyheights]

I'm also surprised by that. I wonder what prompted them make such a drastic decision. I know the place was perhaps awkward for their restaurant plans...but like HeightsYankee said, there are plenty of places to choose from that are unquestionably tear downs.

Also, there are so many more sensitive choices before resorting to the wrecking ball. I could imagine several options from buying a different place to doing a sensitive rebuild/restoration.

I know those options may have been too much $$, but now they have a restaurant that will always have a bad taste, like burnt chocolate pudding...too bad the new developers didn't consider that.

[RedScare]

So...you endear yourself to your new neighbors by ripping out the soul of the neighborhood? What kind of moron would do that? And how little could they know about the Heights to think no one would care?

Sounds to me like someone doesn't know how to promote a new business.

Count me as a protester. At least Glass Wall didn't tear anything important down.

[gnu]

The owner, Ryan Hildebrand, writes that he will put a "top drawer" restaurant there. We hear it will have a Victorian theme.

The owner was (and may still be) the chef at Vic and Anthony's, which is owned by the Landry Group.

so this makes sense in a "Landry's" kind of way.

Let's tear down an actual victorian restaurant so we can build a new faux victorian themed restaurant.

i will also NEVER eat at the new place.

[heights_yankee]

I have my neighborhood association meeting tonight. I may bring it up if I get the chance!

[Cal/Brit]

from email we sent our friends--

Au revoir to a good friend:

I guess I must be getting old, as I lament the passing of things that should be preserved. I just want to let everyone know that the fine house at 1801 Ashland, that had been Ashland House Restaurant has been demolished.

It was only this past week that it became apparent that a demolition order had been issued as well as a permit to disconnect the sewer. People had tried to make contact with the owners, the construction workers, but everyone was being tight lipped. The only thing the chef owner would allow was that they planned to open a "fine dining, white table cloth restaurant".

If you miss the passing of this piece of history, please feel free to write to Ryan Hildebrand at ryanhildee@hotmail.com

I gather he either is or was a chef at Vic and Anthony's, I guess that makes at least two restaurants that I will not be visiting and I have written him to that effect.

Regards

[west20th]

so this makes sense in a "Landry's" kind of way.

Let's tear down an actual victorian restaurant so we can build a new faux victorian themed restaurant.

i will also NEVER eat at the new place.

Any email contact for the new owner? We should all express our displeasure and let him know he already has a huge marketing problem for his new restaurant.

Oooops, never mind. Didn't read above post.

[gnu]

Does anyone know if any owners have submitted their properties for landmark status since the ordinance was passed last summer?

Here is the list of structures that now have landmark status:

http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/historic...s/landmarks.htm

A lot more than I expected to see!

Too bad the former owner of Ashland's didn't apply for it.

[travelguy_73]

From GHPA:

Heights demolition emphasizes importance of local designation

Monday

[pineda]

a little background on 1801 Ashland in The Heights

Ryan Hildebrand of Herrin & Hildebrand, the new owners, was a sous chef at bistro moderne in Houston.

[RedScare]

He was at Vic & Anthony's prior to bistro moderne, in 2003.

[LandArch]

From GHPA:

Heights demolition emphasizes importance of local designation

Monday

[pineda]

And according to Cleverly's restaurant magazine, he left bistro moderne in May 2005. I wonder what he's been up to since that time? Is there any truth to the rumor that Landry's is backing this new venture?

On a related note, about five years ago, we had a young man from the Spring/Klein area stand up and give a speech at the first Public Meeting for the Grand Parkway, Segment F-2, in the Klein Oak High School auditorium in front of crowd of about 1,000 local residents. His name was Ryan Hildebrandt, but his message was one of preservation, not desecration. How ironic! Here's Ryan Hildebrandt's speech...

[dbigtex56]

Same topic - merged threads.

And if Mr. Hildebrand or Landry's think Houstonians have short memories, think again.

Never, never EVER patronize their businesses!

(PS - like my new signature? Maybe I should print up a few t-shirts...)

[RedScare]

Same topic - merged threads.

And if Mr. Hildebrand or Landry's think Houstonians have short memories, think again.

Never, never EVER patronize their businesses!

(PS - like my new signature? Maybe I should print up a few t-shirts...)

Nice!

BTW, pineda, the spelling of the last name is different on the two Ryan's. I believe yours may be different than this one...unless he changed the spelling because his family DISOWNED him?

[pineda]

Red-

I know the last names are spelled differently, I just thought it was ironic that although the names are very similiar, their philosophies on preservation are apparently worlds apart. BTW, his family LOVES Ryan Hildebrandt!

[heights_yankee]

It came up at our neighborhood association meeting (and not by me) and I think we can safely assume there are almost no Heights residents who will be patronizing this new establishment.

Councilman Garcia said "The new owners have assured people that the new building would be Victorian in style." Collective groan from the peanut gallery. I said "That just doesn't make any sense." How, why could anyone think that would be a good idea? These guys have obviously not studied their chosen demographic.

Has anyone emailed him at the address provided above?

[houstonray]

It came up at our neighborhood association meeting (and not by me) and I think we can safely assume there are almost no Heights residents who will be patronizing this new establishment.

Councilman Garcia said "The new owners have assured people that the new building would be Victorian in style." Collective groan from the peanut gallery. I said "That just doesn't make any sense." How, why could anyone think that would be a good idea? These guys have obviously not studied their chosen demographic.

Has anyone emailed him at the address provided above?

On a neighborhood forum I am on, someone posted a reply from the owner. I won't reprint it without permission, but the summary of it was that the owner said he and his crew spent the better part of a year trying to save the house and use it, but it was too structurally unsound. He said when it became evident it couldn't be saved, they tried to salvage as many pieces as possible to use in the construction of the new restaurant.

Now, I throw in my two cents...it seems to me that there was a definite lack of communication if he spent the better part of a year trying to restore the house but never contacted anyone at Heights Association or any other preservation group to let them know they were going to have to demolish it. Last time I drove by, it sure didn't look that bad and I'm sure any preservation organization would have done all that they could. Instead, the new owners quietly filed permits a few days before demolition, and then don't return calls or answer questions until after the house is razed. Maybe there are two sides, but I'm sorry this whole thing was very poorly handled and I for one will not frequent the new restaurant either.

[sevfiv]

yes, it seems it was done quite surreptitiously...

the initial permit issued was on january 12th for demolition of non-load bearing interior walls...

then on the 25th the full permit was issued...

[heights_yankee]

I ca't remember which one it was, but in one of the links in this thread there was an article about the previous owners which said they spent a year painstakingly renovating the house before opening Ashland's In The Heights.

I actually know someone who is friends with the previous owners... I have a mind to email her and see what they say about it being unsound.

Houstonray, that was the same thing I said to my husband- This is the Heights. Someone, somewhere would have known if they were trying to work on that building and it would have gotten around to the neighborhood associations, this forum and others. I think they're back peddling...

[RedScare]

At a minimum, this former chef, who apparently only knows "back of the house" concepts, committed the cardinal sin of a new business owner. He, in one swift move, angered every single potential customer within 5 miles of his enterprise. In addition to all of the usual costs of clearing the land, building a new building, installing fixtures and equipment, staffing the restaurant and advertising his opening, he must overcome the incredible animosity he has created through his insensitivity to the neighbors he wishes to become customers.

Surely, he knows the strong and vocal views of Heights residents toward historic structures. He found this location, didn't he? Did he know nothing else of the neighborhood, than that it has fewer restaurants than others? Such a lack of research suggests other problems for this entrepreneur. I also wonder who would finance someone like this without protecting their own investment. I have my suspicions, but I'll keep them to myself.

Unfortunately for Mr. Hildebrand, the best way for Heights residents to protect historic structures from demolition is to punish transgressors with your wallet. I intend to do exactly that.

[west20th]

Has anyone emailed him at the address provided above?

Yes. No reply.

[Markus]

Unfortunately for Mr. Hildebrand, the best way for Heights residents to protect historic structures from demolition is to punish transgressors with your wallet. I intend to do exactly that.

Amen

[pineda]

(From the Houston Press article about Linda Williams and the Ashland House ten years ago)

As it happens, she's fended pretty well. And the folks who ended up possessors of her former house in the Heights haven't done badly either. Where once there was a single Ashland House, now there are two, which for those who lunch is a double delight. Williams's Ashland House -- the real Ashland House, she's quick to insist -- ended up in a single-story building in Spring Branch that had most recently been a hair salon.

There, in July 1996, she opened the Ashland House Restaurant, bringing with her all of her staff and many of her old customers. And since the new place is twice the size of the old one, she's busier than ever.

At the same time, over in the Heights, Jim and Brenda Walters laid out some serious bucks for renovations and in September of last year opened Ashland's in the Heights, which has done very well, thank you. And so everyone lived happily ever after, and all is forgiven.

[heights_yankee]

"At the same time, over in the Heights, Jim and Brenda Walters laid out some serious bucks for renovations and in September of last year opened Ashland's in the Heights"

Yup- this is what I was talking about. I doubt a couple of small business owners would have dumped a bunch of money in to a building that was structurlly unsound...

[pineda]

Linda Williams and the Ashland House that moved to Spring Branch

Her road to success was not always easy. She started out with a partner, each of them investing $5,000. She bought all used restaurant equipment from auctions of failed restaurants which foretold what would happen to the partnership. Williams says "do it by yourself" because "with a partner the share of work is never equal." In the beginning Williams said it was "touch and go for a while." She did not see any success until she bought out her partner and went it alone.

Williams also recommends that a business should own the property in which they are located. "It should be a major goal of anyone who wants to be successful. Renting is a vacuum." This is one of the major changes that she made to her restaurant.

At one time, Ashland House was located in the Heights. Not wanting to answer to a landlord, Williams relocated her business to Spring Branch.

I wonder what Linda Williams and Jim and Brenda Walters think about the recent demolition of 1801 Ashland. Has anyone heard from them? BTW, on HCAD, it says that the place was built in 1910 and was in good physical condition, so the claim about structurally unsound sounds a little bogus, especially considering the recent renovations by the Walterses. Can someone explain to me why if it was listed on the National Registry for Historic Places that it wasn't protected by Houston or Harris County regulations? Where is a list of buildings in the Houston/Harris County that ARE protected? Do we have any?