Houston19514 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Breaking holy ground Incarnate Word Academy will celebrate the 133rd anniversary of the Academy's Foundation Day and break ground for the school's new $8.5 million Fine Arts Center at 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 5. The three-story center for the school, which has been in downtown for more than a century, will be built at the corner of Crawford and Capitol streets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Breaking holy ground Incarnate Word Academy will celebrate the 133rd anniversary of the Academy's Foundation Day and break ground for the school's new $8.5 million Fine Arts Center at 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 5. The three-story center for the school, which has been in downtown for more than a century, will be built at the corner of Crawford and Capitol streets. Cool, does anyone know what was there(please let it be a surface lot ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 The new building will be built on the exisiting courtyard area of the school property. I've been trying to figure out how to paste a rendition of the building, but it's in a pdf format, and this site won't take it!The new building will mirror the existing "new" construction that was builit in '79-80. The original convent that faces Capitol St. will remain. Included in the new building will be a fine arts center, new auditorium, new science and computer labs, etc. If you would like to see a rendition, go to www.incarnateword.org and click on the "Groundbreaking Ceremony" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I've been trying to figure out how to paste a rendition of the building, but it's in a pdf format, and this site won't take it!easiest way is to cheat and take a screen shot with the PDF open (hit the "print screen" button) and then paste it into Paint (or whatever other program). then you can crop it and post it as a jpg or bmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 cool thanks you guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 (edited) cool thanks you guys Since it is right next to Annunciation Church, it's too bad they didn't go with a design that complemented the church. Instead they went with something that matched their last addition. The poor building in the middle looks out of place. I believe there was a little courtyard next to the church with some trees. I can already hear the chainsaws now. Edited May 4, 2006 by musicman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 (edited) holy crapcakes (no pun intended) that is quite awful Edited May 4, 2006 by sevfiv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 According to the Google satellite image, the site is currently about 1/2 grass (and a few trees) and about 1/2 surface parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brijonmang Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 holy crapcakes (no pun intended) that is quite awful gonna have to agree with you here sevfiv...but it would probably look right at home next to the George R. Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 gonna have to agree with you here sevfiv...but it would probably look right at home next to the George R. BrownWell, I'm sure that they were somewhat restricted by construction costs. The new building and renovations to the old one are going to run around $8 million. So far, they have raised about 1/2 of that.I do have to admit that I am dissappointed that the couryard will be significantly reduced. But, in the end, they will have a new facility, with a lot of new amenities to educate Catholic girls on Houston. In case y'all didn't know, Incarnate Word is the oldest Catholic school in Houston, founded in 1873. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Dang, to bad they are building it to look like the 80's building. Times have changed, they should revel in the fact that their school was founded in 1873. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 If I were that poor little building in the middle, I'd put on sunglasses and hope no one recognized me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 BARF! Why are they mirroring that God-awful 80s building, instead of the older structure? I always thought that addition was an abomination to the Lord, and they are copying it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Verrrrrrrrrrrry ugly.I think some people just don't get beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largeTEXAS Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 I couldn't help but write a letter to the email address given on their website. info@incarnateword.orgWhat a great opportunity they are missing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Let's give the school a small break. It's not like Incarnate Word is rolling in the cash like St. Agnes or Duchesne. Incarnate Word serves a totally different population.Also, if you are really disgusted by the design, why not use the school's website to DONATE CASH to the building campaign? They're only halfway to their $8 million goal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Let's give the school a small break. It's not like Incarnate Word is rolling in the cash like St. Agnes or Duchesne. Incarnate Word serves a totally different population.Also, if you are really disgusted by the design, why not use the school's website to DONATE CASH to the building campaign? They're only halfway to their $8 million goal...Thank you, KinkaidAlum, for coming to IWA's defense. Historically, the students that attend IWA are not as, for lack of a better term, well off as those that attend the other Catholic high schools in Houston. However, with the area around the school having been improved greatly in the last 10 years (Minute Maid, Inn at the Ball Park, etc), and more people becoming aware that IWA even exists, there is renewed interest from the general community in the school. In order for IWA to be able to compete with the other Catholic schools in Houston, it has become necessary for them to expand their facilites to be able to offer the classes and activites that students now require. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h-townsfinest Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 though it is basically the same building style, there is a good sense of balance, yea i would have rather seen balance with the older strucutre in the middle, but balance is balance, makes things not look so out of place, i cant really say that for this really, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 My wife graduated from IWA so yea, I've helped fund that addition.BTW, I don't think being well off has anything to do with going to IWA, its not cheap, its just not as accessible to the soccer moms as the other schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 BARF! Why are they mirroring that God-awful 80s building, instead of the older structure? I always thought that addition was an abomination to the Lord, and they are copying it? Rather than creating new old buildings, I wish they'd come up with something modern...even if nothing but a cinder-block box. I just can't stand willful unoriginality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spencer Street Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 buildings can be cheap and elegant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Rather than creating new old buildings, I wish they'd come up with something modern...even if nothing but a cinder-block box. I just can't stand willful unoriginality.Well, there's something to be said for a degree of architectural unity. Not exactly copying old styles, but designing new buildings that are at least are reflective of older neighbors. This can be done by colors, proportion, window lines, etc. In this case a jumble of incoherent styles looks just like, well, a jumble of incoherent styles. If they are choosing to mimic an old style, in this case they should have at least mirrored the cool older building, rather than that ugly 1980s-vintage barn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 (edited) Well, there's something to be said for a degree of architectural unity. Not exactly copying old styles, but designing new buildings that are at least are reflective of older neighbors. This can be done by colors, proportion, window lines, etc. In this case a jumble of incoherent styles looks just like, well, a jumble of incoherent styles. If they are choosing to mimic an old style, in this case they should have at least mirrored the cool older building, rather than that ugly 1980s-vintage barn. If you place value on the unity of things, then perhaps you should question the context with which you're comparing the new addition. The campus is already disunified; the only way to maintain the unified sense of disunity is to allow for it to continue. Alternatively, the largest most visible parts of Houston were built in the 1980's style. Viewed in that context, everything should be built in the 80's style. Seriously, in 100 years, they'll be worshiping '80's 'barns' just as 'barns' (actual and hyperbolified) from the 1880's are today. Edited May 17, 2006 by TheNiche Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 Come to think of it, they should build something contemporary, as that's what they had done. The Old building was probaly contemporary at the time and the 80's addition certainly was. They should hire Frank Gehry, now talk about making your school a landmark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceAge Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 holy crapcakes (no pun intended) that is quite awful Yes, what misguided architect is responsible for this waste of money? Incarnate Word should be in a good financial condition after selling their former facility on the West Loop at Bissonnet. It was about 35 acres of prime realestate which is currently valued at about 38 million dollars. They sold it in the early 1980s and should have invested the proceeds to fund the institution far into the future. This proposed new building is another example of poor judgement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 (edited) Yes, what misguided architect is responsible for this waste of money?Incarnate Word should be in a good financial condition after selling their former facility on the West Loop at Bissonnet. It was about 35 acres of prime realestate which is currently valued at about 38 million dollars. They sold it in the early 1980s and should have invested the proceeds to fund the institution far into the future. This proposed new building is another example of poor judgement.I do not consider this new building a waste of money. This new building will give the girls that attend IWA a new auditorium, new classrooms, new labs (computer and science). It will help the young women that attend IWA become better prepared to become productive citizens. You may not agree with the architecture of the the structure, but it will be a building put to good use.As far as the convent on Bissonnet and the Loop, I was extremely sad to see them sell that property. I was only about 12 when the convent was moved to it's current location on Bradford next to St. Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church. The chapel at the convent on Bissonnet was absolutely gorgeous. However, the property was no longer practical for their use. The Sisters, as a community, are growing older, and could not keep up the facility on Bissonnet, which is one of the reasons it was sold. Also, with diminishing numbers, they did not need that large of a facility. With that money, they built the convent on Bradford, and I'm sure are paying for their day to day living, you know medical care, food, etc. While you may not agree with the style of building they have chosen, it will be used to send many young women into the world with a top notch education. Edited May 17, 2006 by native_Houstonian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuscany04 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I do not consider this new building a waste of money. This new building will give the girls that attend IWA a new auditorium, new classrooms, new labs (computer and science). It will help the young women that attend IWA become better prepared to become productive citizens. You may not agree with the architecture of the the structure, but it will be a building put to good use.As far as the convent on Bissonnet and the Loop, I was extremely sad to see them sell that property. I was only about 12 when the convent was moved to it's current location on Bradford next to St. Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church. The chapel at the convent on Bissonnet was absolutely gorgeous. However, the property was no longer practical for their use. The Sisters, as a community, are growing older, and could not keep up the facility on Bissonnet, which is one of the reasons it was sold. Also, with diminishing numbers, they did not need that large of a facility. With that money, they built the convent on Bradford, and I'm sure are paying for their day to day living, you know medical care, food, etc. While you may not agree with the style of building they have chosen, it will be used to send many young women into the world with a top notch education.Although I would agree with many of the comments posted here about the architectural merits of the additions to the school, you have a very valid point in that there is utility in any type of architecture. Also, architects will continue to work if their designs are sought by the clients that employ them. Whether or not a particular building has mass appeal is probably immaterial to its private owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 Welcome to the board Tuscany. Seriously, in 100 years, they'll be worshiping '80's 'barns' just as 'barns' (actual and hyperbolified) from the 1880's are today. No doubt, but by then they will have the age factor going for them. You have to wonder why they chose to copy the 1980s building. The old one is so beautiful, you would think they would want to echo that one instead. As you point out, even a more current styled building could be an improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceAge Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 buildings can be cheap and elegantI am glad the future students have an opportunity for a new facility. For the same cost, a creative architect could come up with a solution that surpasses the utilitarian with a truly interesting result. It is a waste of money to settle for 70% when they could achieve more for the same funds. If they don't aspire for much they more than likely will not receive much. As for the old location on Bissonnet at Loop 610, it seems the Episcopalians have been successful in turning the former Incarnate Word into a highly sought after school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuscany04 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 Welcome to the board Tuscany. No doubt, but by then they will have the age factor going for them. You have to wonder why they chose to copy the 1980s building. The old one is so beautiful, you would think they would want to echo that one instead. As you point out, even a more current styled building could be an improvement. Thanks for the welcome. I've been reading these posts with great interest for quite some time. I've been WAY overdue to participate. I'm a fan of great architecture. I get inspired when I see a well-done building, old or new. I'm also very critical of poor architecture. I think we owe it to ourselves as a society to create a built environment that inspires us today and that will continue to inspire many years into the future.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/35/20/61/7670882/3/920x920.jpg   Quote  With the "goodbyes" said and chain-link security fence erected, all that awaits Incarnate Word Academy's 110-year-old downtown school building is the wrecking ball. Demolition of the three-story brick red building ‑ the last Houston edifice totally designed by famed 19th century Texas architect Nicholas Clayton ‑ will make way for a new, $8.5 million, six-story structure to open for the 2016-2017 school year. Plans for the building's demolition spurred protests from history-minded architects and former students, but leaders of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, the building's owner, said rehabilitation would have cost at least $300,000 and would not have resulted in a structure adequate to the school's needs. Sandwiched between modern school buildings on the 600 Crawford Street campus, the doomed building will be the third Clayton-designed structure razed by the nuns since the 1940s. Another Clayton building nearby, a school associated with the Annunciation Catholic Church, was razed in 1997. Sister Lauren Beck, president of the teaching order and of the school, founded in 1873, said the decision to demolish was made "in the past eight months." "We do appreciate that this is an older building, but we have to look at the needs of the school," Beck said. "There is no more land down here and we are landlocked. While we loved having some of the old and some of the new, we decided that the building could not drive the mission of the school. The needs of the school come first."  http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Incarnate-Word-Academy-plans-to-raze-historic-6139685.php#photo-7670882 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Beautiful building. Wish it could be saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstontexasjack Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Sad. Meanwhile, the family law center lives on...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Pity. And the timing is weird for me. I was downtown on Sunday and I stopped to admire this building, surprised that I'd never really noticed it before. I even wondered if it was one of Nicolas Clayton's structures. You can really tell that it is. So, I'm happy that I spotted it and Identified it. But, really sad to hear that it is going. Always surprised at some decisions the Catholic Church, and other catholic organizations, make regarding their Architectural Assets (They were very close to demolishing Sacrad Heart on Broadway in Galveston, just a few years back.) And, their "efforts" to preserve and protect Bishops Palace were barely adequate, if that. They made the Galveston Historical Foundation pay a pretty price for the place, to boot. The Foundation is having to raise a huge sum of cash it just to bring it up to respectable and stable condition. What the Diocese could've done is to have given it to the Foundation, to ensure that the Palace would be taken care of properly, and open to the public...Rather than sell to the highest bidder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Uh oh, grab yer pitchforks! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Always surprised at some decisions the Catholic Church, and other catholic organizations, make regarding their Architectural Assets... When it comes to such things they behave consistent with any large centrally controlled bureaucracy, which is to say, inconsistently and heavily influencenced by politics.  Incarnate Word's needs are what they are, and if they don't move to improve the school when they need to accommodate an old building, the school will suffer the same fate as Mt. Carmel or other shuttered Catholic schools, so I can't blame them for making that choice. The Diocese of Galveston-Houston is not in the business of maintaining old expensive buildings that are inadequate for its needs, notwithstanding the additional costs it incurs to maintain new expensive buildings that are arguably more than they need.  Seems like they could salvage some of the doorway and other unique elements, if it was in the budget to do so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I'm an alumna of Incarnate Word and attended the "Farewell" party for the building on Saturday.  When I was in school there in the late 80s, the building was home to approximately 5 sisters.   The last 2 sisters vacated the building sometime last year. Prior to my time at the academy, the building was used for classrooms. However the inside had been reconfigured so many times in the past century, that there was nothing left from the original architecture. Last fall, we were supposed to have a special dinner in the building for alumnae, but it was cancelled due to the lack of structural integrity of the building.  They said the floor was too uneven, and they were afraid someone would fall.  According to Sr. Lauren Beck, the mosaic tiles on the building will be saved and incorporated into a sign on the existing building.    I, for one, am all for the construction of a new building there. We have to remember that the school is not there to serve the past, but to educate and serve current and future students. That is their mission.  5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rechlin Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is such a travesty. Every day I look out my window, see the beautiful old building, and then see it flanked by those hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities. If anything they should tear down the gray buildings, not the old building. At the very least they should leave the façade and build the new building behind it. That's fairly common in Europe, to keep the historical feel while still being modern. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I am sick with this news. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intencity77 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Pretty disgusted and appalled at this but then again Houston embraces and encourages destroying its past with such a passion. I imagine the new building will look similar to the ugly ones surrounding it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobruss Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I think they should take this opportunity to do something historic and help save a great example of Nicholas Clayton's architecture here in Houston.. Here is a twist of fate that is a little ironic. The sisters of Incarnate Word want to stay down town and build there new building where the Nicholas Clayton wing now stands. John Nau and his group had planned on building on the adjacent block a history museum. That failed and they are now in the process of giving the donations back. Why not trade the vacant lot next to the school for the Nicholas Clayton building and repurpose it into a history Museum. That way the nuns can build there new campus right next door. John Nau can save a historic landmark and possibly still create a history museum. and the city can make a statement on historic preservation and start a new era of saving our past for the future. Isn't that kind of what Nau was planing anyway. I posted this on the Nau page also. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietstorm Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is such a travesty. Every day I look out my window, see the beautiful old building, and then see it flanked by those hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities. If anything they should tear down the gray buildings, not the old building. At the very least they should leave the façade and build the new building behind it. That's fairly common in Europe, to keep the historical feel while still being modern. Interesting idea to keep the facade and build new behind that.  Reagan High School in the Heights did something similar, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillip_white Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is a great idea. Call Sheila Jackson Lee and tell her she will get lots of time on TV and she will champion this idea like it was her own. I think they should take this opportunity to do something historic and help save a great example of Nicholas Clayton'sarchitecture here in Houston..Here is a twist of fate that is a little ironic.The sisters of Incarnate Word want to stay down town and build there new building where the Nicholas Clayton wing now stands.John Nau and his group had planned on building on the adjacent block a history museum.That failed and they are now in the process of giving the donations back.Why not trade the vacant lot next to the school for the Nicholas Clayton building and repurpose it into a history Museum. That way the nuns can build there new campus right next door.John Nau can save a historic landmark and possibly still create a history museum.and the city can make a statement on historic preservation and start a new era of saving our past for the future.Isn't that kind of what Nau was planing anyway.I posted this on the Nau page also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 This is a great idea. Call Sheila Jackson Lee and tell her she will get lots of time on TV and she will champion this idea like it was her own. Yeah we should be doing some sort of phone call Tsunami! There has to be a better way. I completely agree with what has been said above. If there is anything that should be destroyed and rebuilt its the stuff around it! This decision to demolish this and wedge something new in there without looking at the entire campus is simply baffling. People should be calling those donors who were pouring their money into something so cheesy and tell them...hey if you want to really save some history or really show houstons past then find a way to keep this building and figure out the needs of the school and improve the area overall. This isn't the first time these shortsighted nuns demolished some otherwise worthwhile architecture. I'm surprised they haven't demolished their own church -.- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) This is such a travesty. Every day I look out my window, see the beautiful old building, and then see it flanked by those hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities. If anything they should tear down the gray buildings, not the old building.At the very least they should leave the façade and build the new building behind it. That's fairly common in Europe, to keep the historical feel while still being modern.It's worse than we thought ...here's a render of the replacement. Blends right in with those "hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities" around it. https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/579706695103823872 Edited March 22, 2015 by tigereye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 It's worse than we thought ...here's a render of the replacement. Blends right in with those "hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities" around it. https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/579706695103823872 That kind reminds me of a Public Storage place, I wonder if they used the same architect. Â 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Ah man that's sexy af damn they outdid themselves with this one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 It's worse than we thought ...here's a render of the replacement. Blends right in with those "hideous gray ~1980s monstrosities" around it. https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/579706695103823872 Â 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobert Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) As a high school student in a restored historic building it was never really good enough, if this will help educate more students I'm all for it. Edited March 22, 2015 by bobert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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