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rps324

By rps324
in Houston Mod

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gnu

gnu

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\and WOW I really love 3611 N. Braeswood @ $525. That place is really cool. Really, really, ridiculously cool! (For those of you wondering...yes, I just channeled Derek Zoolander.) It looks like something straight out of Trousdale Estates in Beverly Hills, Ca. All this place needs is some landscaping and maybe a few color changes inside.

I see Palm Springs! :wub:

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sak

sak

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The listing of 5706 Warm Springs shows the builder to be Leo E. O'Neal. Thank you for filling in that seldom completed space on the form. He was the builder of my 1961 Parade of Homes house and I'm always searching for more information about him. He seems to have been successful in incorporating many special faetures into his houses to set them far apart from the others while remaining in the price range of the rest of the neighborhood. Better Homes and Gardens Magazine selected O'Neal five times to build the magazine's Idea Home of the Year in Houston.

Here is a quote from one of his 1961 Parade of Homes listings:

LEO homes invite every cliche phrase such as spacious, unique, different, fascinating, and wonderful. Such spindle-shanked phrases totter under the sheer weight of truth. You must see them to understand. Today- see the Parade. Visit all the homes. Then see LEO's homes. You'll see why Better Homes and Gardens magazine five times selected and honored LEO exclusively as Houston's Idea Builder.

Both of the houses he built for the 1961 parade were sold the first weekend of the show, according to Lars Bang, architect of the houses.

He also built houses in Venetian Estates and in Braeburn Glen where he featured his penthouse concept. In 1969, his office was located in the Central National Bank Building at 2100 Travis on the fifth floor. Also shown to be in his office was Chateau Portofino, Portofino Harbor House, and Portofino Village.

I grew up in a Leo O'Neal house in Bellaire in the 1960's. I would describe our house as a simple ranch bungalow; however, Leo O'Neal was our neighbor. His house was indeed modern and dramatic, a one story built in an L shape around a courtyard space that I think was intended for a pool that was never built. That section of Bellaire experienced a similar fate as the homes that were demolished for Greenway Plaza. While the construction of the 610 freeway along Post Oak Road resulted in the demolition of homes in the 1950's, more homes were lost almost 20 years later to commercial development. In the mid to late 1970's, several blocks of homes were demolished to make way for Prudential Insurance and other large office buildings and parking garages. Our house was one of many homes that vanished, along with the O'Neal house, and several old, fine country homes probably dating from the original Westmoreland Farms development in Bellaire. Leo O'Neal did not sell his home for, I think, years and eventually it was the only house remaining, surrounded by multi-level parking garages. Today it is an empty shell lot. If you drive north on First Street from Bellaire Blvd., it ison your right before you reach Cedar. O'Neal was also involved in developing property in the Clear Lake area, apartments I think.

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Willowisp

Willowisp

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Thank you so much for that information and welcome to the forum! We greatly value your comments and historical information!

If you have any pictures and can scan them into your computer to share, that would be amazing too.

I often wonder what has been lost to progress in Bellaire/River Oaks (and soon Meyerland). I know that the architect of my house, William Jenkins' first home was on Evergreen and is no longer there, but I don't know what other "important houses" have been torn down. Well, that one is important to me, but maybe not to most people...

One of the goals at Houston Mod is to be able to document as many modern homes as we can before they are gone, and to make them important/valued enough that people will think twice before tearing them down.

But it's hard when people think they need 4000 square feet homes and no yard.

Jason

I grew up in a Leo O'Neal house in Bellaire in the 1960's. I would describe our house as a simple ranch bungalow; however, Leo O'Neal was our neighbor. His house was indeed modern and dramatic, a one story built in an L shape around a courtyard space that I think was intended for a pool that was never built. That section of Bellaire experienced a similar fate as the homes that were demolished for Greenway Plaza. While the construction of the 610 freeway along Post Oak Road resulted in the demolition of homes in the 1950's, more homes were lost almost 20 years later to commercial development. In the mid to late 1970's, several blocks of homes were demolished to make way for Prudential Insurance and other large office buildings and parking garages. Our house was one of many homes that vanished, along with the O'Neal house, and several old, fine country homes probably dating from the original Westmoreland Farms development in Bellaire. Leo O'Neal did not sell his home for, I think, years and eventually it was the only house remaining, surrounded by multi-level parking garages. Today it is an empty shell lot. If you drive north on First Street from Bellaire Blvd., it ison your right before you reach Cedar. O'Neal was also involved in developing property in the Clear Lake area, apartments I think.
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troyboy

troyboy

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Okay I'm going to show my ignorance. Could someone explain me what Mod is??? I know you mean modern, but what modern style are you referring to?? Are there any photos someone could post since none of the websites are working. Educate me....pleeeaaase.

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Willowisp

Willowisp

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There's a wide spectrum as to what "MOD" is. It can go as far back as early Modernism, and it can go all the way to the 60's and Pop Art.

Everyone who posts on here probably has their own qualifications as to what they think mod is. Some are purists who like to see the style exactly as it was in a certain year, say 1945 or 1955 or 1965, and others will make concessions to today's styles, say granite in the kitchen or vessel sinks.

Some like me have a few pieces of traditional furniture/family heirlooms in their house along with the MOD pieces.

Some want only name brands like Knoll and Herman Miller, while others will go for original knock offs like Burke and Steelcase and others will go for new IKEA pieces that look modern. And some get into the really rare stuff that most people won't even realize is worth thousands of $$$.

All of this has been just through a couple of years of self education, so I'm no expert.

Jason

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-century_modern

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rps324

rps324

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Any new updates? I enjoy looking through the mod listings.

I sent a new batch to the Houston Mod webmaster over the weekend, who knows how long it will take for them to get them posted. There's a couple of new ones in Glenbrook, but overall there isn't really a lot of new ones out there.

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rps324

rps324

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Thanks! Much appreciated.

Some very interesting stuff coming available in Glenbrook Valley. That seems like a good neighborhood, lots of neat homes, I just wish it were located in a better area of town.

If they will actually do something positive about the mess on Broadway, it will help things a great deal. I think that is the main issue. the location doesn't phase me that much b/c I am accustomed to accepting the "block-by-block" adventure that typically comes with living close-in. Some of the areas, (big emphasis on some of the areas) around it are actually nicer than you might expect. Garden Villas, and some of Park Place across the freeway over by the golf course and the Audubon Society Nature Center for example. People see all that junk on Broadway and unfortunately it has come to "define" the area.

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jm1fd

jm1fd

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???? I need to throw out here . . .

Does anyone know where one could go and find an exterior front door that fits with a Mod home? Most doors sold in stores here are for traditional homes.

Thanks!

Drive around areas such as Oak Forest which were built right around then on heavy trash day. Somebody's bound to have thrown out a period front door. Some folks down the street from me threw theirs out a couple months back. Historic houston may have some as well.

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gsutiger2

gsutiger2

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Yes, he is based in Austin but will come to Houston. Doors and company
Drive around areas such as Oak Forest which were built right around then on heavy trash day. Somebody's bound to have thrown out a period front door. Some folks down the street from me threw theirs out a couple months back. Historic houston may have some as well.

Wow! Thanks for the info. Doing both recc. this weekend.

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Willowisp

Willowisp

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Thanks for ruining my day.

This was the mod of the month at one time, right? It was open one day after work but it rained and I didn't go.

Man, what is going on!? They either get torn down or jacked up beyond recognition! Don't people understand how HOT these houses are in California? Well, I'm sure they are tearing a lot of them down there too...

Jason

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Jersey01

Jersey01

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Thanks for ruining my day.

This was the mod of the month at one time, right? It was open one day after work but it rained and I didn't go.

Man, what is going on!? They either get torn down or jacked up beyond recognition! Don't people understand how HOT these houses are in California? Well, I'm sure they are tearing a lot of them down there too...

Jason

Yep, this was the that mod of the month house. Wow, it looks nothing like it did!?!

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