Texasota Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Ha! You have apparently never spoken to an architect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I congratulate the sisters on their decision to expand. It would have been a lot easier to sell their land and develop somewhere else. They decided to continue their historical presence at that site. Thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 1 hour ago, Naviguessor said: wow, what a beautiful and irreplaceable building. brings up the rage... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 (edited) No offense meant, but why rage? Where was the money for the preservation? I did not like it when the Shamrock and the old Prudential buildings were torn down, but in truth what can be done? Is there a mechanism to make preservation of these buildings economically feasible? Why would MD Anderson spend money to prop up a building their analysts found unfeasible? How could this school with an even smaller budget accomplish this? You are correct. It is a beautiful and irreplacable building sandwiched between two architecturally unimpressive buildings. I think the folks at IWA mourned the loss of this building, but life is full of unpleasant but necessary decisions. And yes, give the people at IWA credit. They did not cut and run like many Houston businesses when the area went derelict ( not that I blame them I would have done the same thing) Edited August 16, 2017 by Twinsanity02 grammar 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 14 minutes ago, Twinsanity02 said: No offense meant, but why rage? Where was the money for the preservation? I did not like it when the Shamrock and the old Prudential buildings were torn down, but in truth what can be done? Is there a mechanism to make preservation of these buildings economically feasible? Why would MD Anderson spend money to prop up a building their analysts found unfeasible? How could this school with an even smaller budget accomplish this? You are correct. It is a beautiful and irreplacable building sandwiched between two architecturally unimpressive buildings. I think the folks at IWA mourned the loss of this building, but life is full of unpleasant but necessary decisions. And yes, give the people at IWA credit. They did not cut and run like many Houston businesses when the area went derelict ( not that I blame them I would have done the same thing) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 The Houston-Galveston archdiocese isn't exactly insolvent. And according to the IWA website, "it strives to offer a solid foundation in the basics of a liberal arts education." My own liberal arts education included studies of art and history (among other things), and most assuredly did not include a course on how a strict dollars and cents analysis should govern all decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 From that picture, it looked like the school had two other, older, buildings for expansion at one point. So when they built the new building, they had to have made the conscious decision to preserve that middle building the first time. This makes me more able to believe them saying that the middle building was beyond repair, though I don't understand why the new building had to look so much like a self storage center 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darb64 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 7 hours ago, 102IAHexpress said: Then I would suggest you stick to that. If you were attending an architectural conference in New York or Chicago and someone asked you to critique and examine this building and your educated response was to call it a turd, they would think you are a crazy person and not worthy of serious architectural discussion. Same goes to the guy who committed sacrilege by Photoshoping that obscenity on the side of the building. Lighten up Francis. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I never said or implied the Diocese is insolvent. I am not privy to their finacial health. Nevertheless seeing what Texas A&M did to the Shamrock and MD Anderson did to the Prudential building ( both of which were marvelous building in my opinion) one can assume insolvency is a non-issue in these situations.. I my not like it but I suspect it has to do with straight forward non-sentimental financial decisions. I would not be surprised if the Diocese used the same reasoning. Just glad a few buildings such as the old Texaco and Texas State hotel building survived. Hoping the Great Southwestern building makes a comeback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 1 hour ago, Darb64 said: Lighten up Francis. @Texasota is an adult. If he is man enough to dish it out and pick on some nuns on an internet forum, then he is man enough to take it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) Wow. Criticizing a building, even in immature fashion, is not the same as picking on nuns. You can criticize a decision someone made without "picking on them." Edited August 17, 2017 by Texasota 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird65 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 27 minutes ago, Texasota said: You can criticize a decision someone made without "picking on them." Or "hating" them. God, I am so sick of "haters gonna hate." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 On 10/13/2016 at 0:27 PM, bobruss said: This was a major f-up! On 11/16/2016 at 7:29 PM, UtterlyUrban said: The nuns should be embarrassed On 11/16/2016 at 10:24 PM, Dustin said: I think it's a crying shame. They could have saved and renovated it if they wanted to. They just didn't want to and didn't have the nerve to be honest about it. On 12/14/2016 at 3:11 PM, bobruss said: I hope the nuns have to say a thousand hell mary's for destroying the Nicholas Clayton for this piece of crap. Get the ruler. They need to pay penance for this. On 12/15/2016 at 7:20 PM, Texasota said: Maybe they should pay taxes if they don't want public input on what they do. On 12/31/2016 at 10:52 AM, Texasota said: In an earlier post, you said they were in the "business of saving souls," but no, they're really not. On 12/31/2016 at 6:33 PM, Avossos said: God knows if they are even around in 30 years. On 2/10/2017 at 5:37 PM, UtterlyUrban said: "IWA" Intentionally Wrecked Architecture"? The above comments don't sound like critiques on the building. They are obviously attacks on the sisters of IWA. haters going to hate indeed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinsanity02 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 8 hours ago, 102IAHexpress said: The above comments don't sound like critiques on the building. They are obviously attacks on the sisters of IWA. haters going to hate indeed. The above quotes do seem very thin on architectural critique and heavily invested in what passes as modern, adolescent sounding, trendy bigotry. To this add never actually communicate with the target of the bigotry but make self-created assumptions on what they think. Let's stick to architecture and quit ridiculing people we do not know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 The building sucks. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 It's sad that we have to be reminded to stick to discussing architecture and quit ridiculing people we do not know. To say nothing of the fact that the people being ridiculed are nuns! Imagine if we took out the word nuns and inserted Muslims. This thread would have been shut down along time ago. This was a complete failure of leadership by the moderators of this forum. shame. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 The muslims who built this did a crap job and don't care about architecture. The nuns who built this did a crap job and don't care about architecture. I don't see your point. Neither seems a problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sunstar Posted December 21, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) Trying to find a good thread for this image. In this picture you can see Annunciation Church, Union Station and I think the Anderson Clayton building. Not sure what neighborhood that is in the foreground. I'm guessing Quality Hill. Edited December 21, 2017 by Sunstar Found larger version of image 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) Most of the references I've found to Quality Hill show it between Franklin and Commerce, so the houses in the photo might be a block or two South. I think the building might actually be the Ben Milam Hotel. The Anderson Clayton building is 16 stories tall, the Ben Milam was 10. Edited December 21, 2017 by Ross 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Wow. Great find! I don't think that's the Anderson Clayton Bldg. I think that's the old Penn Hotel? Looks like the sign might say Will Penn, no? But that could easily be it on Texas Avenue putting the photographer to the northwest of the Church. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstar Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 45 minutes ago, Ross said: Most of the references I've found to Quality Hill show it between Franklin and Commerce, so the houses in the photo might be a block or two South. I think the building might actually be the Ben Milam Hotel. The Anderson Clayton building is 16 stories tall, the Ben Milam was 10. 43 minutes ago, KinkaidAlum said: Wow. Great find! I don't think that's the Anderson Clayton Bldg. I think that's the old Penn Hotel? Looks like the sign might say Will Penn, no? But that could easily be it on Texas Avenue putting the photographer to the northwest of the Church. Good call, I never thought of it being a no longer existent building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 More curiously, is that snow on the roofs of the houses? Perhaps that “blizzard” was why this image was taken? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 What a cool neighborhood vibe that was. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 I don't know if this warrants creating a new thread for this, but apparently the school is planning a 300 car garage right next door. Link below: https://www.downtownhouston.org/development/project/parking-garage-2/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielsonr Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 It has been planned since at least 2014, if not before: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 I'm guessing they've done the math on what they can charge for parking during Astros home games, and it came out positive. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 (edited) On 12/21/2017 at 8:02 PM, Avossos said: What a cool neighborhood vibe that was. I thought that was an east coast city. Seriously cool neighborhood vibe. Edited September 3, 2019 by j_cuevas713 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 (edited) On 9/3/2019 at 6:51 AM, Nate99 said: I'm guessing they've done the math on what they can charge for parking during Astros home games, and it came out positive. This is flat out false and wrong. Astros fans looking for parking are considered trespassers and regularly bounced from trying to park on the lot whether they want to pay to park or not. The pastor will not even allow parishioners to park on the lot, attend mass, and then attend MMP afterwards. The surface lot and future garage (if it is ever built) will be 100% free of charge for Annunciation/IWA parishioners, faculty, administration, staff and visitors. Edited September 4, 2019 by 102IAHexpress edit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 That's unfortunate. If nothing else, I would think they would want to recoup some of the expenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted September 4, 2019 Author Share Posted September 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Texasota said: That's unfortunate. If nothing else, I would think they would want to recoup some of the expenses. Of course, it's entirely possible that (alleged) policy could change if they actually built the parking garage and possibly had more spaces than they needed on a daily basis... Recall, there was some arrangement between the Incarnate Word Academy and Houston First Corporation regarding this proposed garage. I had always presumed the arrangement included parking availability for the then-proposed Houston visitors center/museum across the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 A single-patron garage at this location would be incredibly wasteful. I would think it would be mostly empty in the evenings, exactly when it would be most useful to people coming down for events. If Houston First has anything to do with this project I would be very surprised if it's not open to public, at least outside of school and service hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 31 minutes ago, Texasota said: A single-patron garage at this location would be incredibly wasteful. I would think it would be mostly empty in the evenings, exactly when it would be most useful to people coming down for events. If Houston First has anything to do with this project I would be very surprised if it's not open to public, at least outside of school and service hours. I think that they are desperate to assure parishioners and school families that there is always a place to park, easy and free, at their church. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 4 hours ago, 102IAHexpress said: This is flat out false and wrong. Astros fans looking for parking are considered trespassers and regularly bounced from trying to park on the lot whether they want to pay to park or not. The pastor will not even allow parishioners to park on the lot, attend mass, and then attend MMP afterwards. The surface lot and future garage (if it is ever built) will be 100% free of charge for Annunciation/IWA parishioners, faculty, administration, staff and visitors. It may be a bad guess, but it's just that, so wasn't a factual assertion at all. The current lot is small, and access right off Texas has to be a mess at peak game time, but many private garages make extra effort to get gameday parkers in, I don't think IWA/Annunciation's current situation would preclude having a plan for a garage that made them extra revenue without conflicting with the needs of the church/school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 10 hours ago, Texasota said: A single-patron garage at this location would be incredibly wasteful. I would think it would be mostly empty in the evenings, exactly when it would be most useful to people coming down for events. If Houston First has anything to do with this project I would be very surprised if it's not open to public, at least outside of school and service hours. It would be incredibly useful actually. A church parking lot that appears full is a warning sign for most church goers to not even attempt to park and instead go on their way. Simply put if it looks like too much of a hassle they will leave and go somewhere else. In this case, instead of parking at Annunciation they will leave and attend mass at the Co-Cathedral with plenty of easier parking on that side of Downtown. I'll refer you to the Ten Commandments of Church parking. https://thomrainer.com/2016/03/ten-commandments-church-parking-lots/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 11 hours ago, Houston19514 said: Of course, it's entirely possible that (alleged) policy could change if they actually built the parking garage and possibly had more spaces than they needed on a daily basis... Recall, there was some arrangement between the Incarnate Word Academy and Houston First Corporation regarding this proposed garage. I had always presumed the arrangement included parking availability for the then-proposed Houston visitors center/museum across the street. haha, l love that "alleged" quip. Totally clueless. Without getting into a tax seminar, the proposed parking garage is up in the air right now. One of the updates to the tax code from the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act affects for the first time churches and their parking lots, believe it or not. Google "Church Parking Tax" It may get repealed it may not. The new code is below. Quote 26 U.S. Code Section 512(a)(7) (7) Increase in unrelated business taxable income by disallowed fringe Unrelated business taxable income of an organization shall be increased by any amount for which a deduction is not allowable under this chapter by reason of section 274 and which is paid or incurred by such organization for any qualified transportation fringe (as defined in section 132(f)), any parking facility used in connection with qualified parking (as defined in section 132(f)(5)(C)), or any on-premises athletic facility (as defined in section 132(j)(4)(B)). The preceding sentence shall not apply to the extent the amount paid or incurred is directly connected with an unrelated trade or business which is regularly carried on by the organization. The Secretary shall issue such regulations or other guidance as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this paragraph, including regulations or other guidance providing for the appropriate allocation of depreciation and other costs with respect to facilities used for parking or for on-premises athletic facilities. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/512 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 4 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Oh my god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 They somehow sucked every bit of authentic history out of that building and made it look like a house in one of those suburban, plantation-themed master-planned communities that are trying to look historic. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 9 minutes ago, H-Town Man said: They somehow sucked every bit of authentic history out of that building and made it look like a house in one of those suburban, plantation-themed master-planned communities that are trying to look historic. I was going to say its an ugly shade of puke, but that was more eloquent 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Looks like something in the Pantone 380-390 range, or, in layman's terms, "baby $#!+ green". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 That is some serious nit-wittery. Has the guilty party been identified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Seriously. What was the point of this? Every single choice they made was awful. Again - this was owned by the city. This should not have happened. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I call myself a preservationist. There is no one flavor of preservation... I often empathize with people who look at things differently in an attempt to preserve at least some of our history... However, this house was so severely stripped and reconstructed with non-historic materials, I am not sure why they bothered at all. Are the columns even the historic columns? The windows are new and different in design than the originals. The siding is not real wood. The interior is all new. And to add insult to the entire process, they decided to add this partially covered stair case in a bad 90's style attached to the "original" house! What even is this tumor on the backside of this home? At best an addition to a historic house does not distract from the original home. This addition looks like a 1990's garden apartment staircase in the suburbs!? Why did they even want this house if they were going to do all this to it? Why did our historic preservation office not work with them on best practices? So many questions... 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 40 minutes ago, Avossos said: And to add insult to the entire process, they decided to add this partially covered stair case in a bad 90's style attached to the "original" house! What even is this tumor on the backside of this home? At best an addition to a historic house does not distract from the original home. This addition looks like a 1990's garden apartment staircase in the suburbs!? Yeah, the enclosed staircase is especially rankling. With the color, it kind of makes me think of a 1980's beach condo community in Galveston with a name like "Vista del Sol." There should be a beat up Dr. Pepper vending machine underneath the stairs. 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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