Pineview Place

[Guest danax]

This is an East End neighborhood that I'm guessing hardly anyone knows about. Last time I checked it was still under 100K but there are hardly any houses for sale. All I know about it's history is that it was developed in the 20s, and I only assume that because of the architecture and I once found a sink there during a salvage hunt that was dated 1926. (I used to pick through heavy trash piles for old architectural salvage around town, selling some of it to Emporium, but I started to accumulate too much so I stopped. It kills me to see people trashing old antique sinks, etc.) It's a true enclave in that there is only one way in or out of the neighborhood, through those entrance pillars where Pineview Drive meets Harrisburg. Brays Bayou wraps around it as it makes a bend on the south and east and Mason Park on the other side of the bayou. If anyone knows of "Bungalow Heaven" in Pasadena, CA, although not of the same era or quality, this would be Houston's only remaining equivalent, IMHO. Nothing fancy but almost all bungalows from the 20s and 30s. There are a couple of 20s looking apartment buildings next to each other that are pretty ratty looking but otherwise it's a clean neighborhood, and, the Metro 37 runs inside. Negatives: the train runs along the bayou, but I don't think it blows, and it's location would be considered Far East End, although inside the Loop. If this were on the Westside, it would be one of those hot spots.

Pineview Place-Entrance

Pineview Place-Entrance 2

Pineview Place 2

Pineview Place 3

Pineview Place 4

Map

[rps324]

I have driven past those gates, and I always wanted to stop and check it out. Unfortunately I have usually been between appointments and haven't had the time. I bet in time it will eventually get some play. Some of the houses across the park in Forest Hill are getting okay prices now. Have you seen that giant Southern Colonial in Forest Hill? I think it is on Forest Hill St. or Pasadena St. There are some very cool houses scattered through there.

[jm1fd]

Is there anything at all for sale in there? Looks like it might flood....no?

[Guest danax]

Is there anything at all for sale in there?

[jm1fd]

I drove around Pineview Place today....its very sad. The streets are totally neglected, there's junk everywhere, and most of the houses are well on their way to becoming one with the earth. There are some houses in there that have the potential to be really cute....house moving anyone?

[Guest danax]

I drove around Pineview Place today....its very sad.  The streets are totally neglected, there's junk everywhere, and most of the houses are well on their way to becoming one with the earth.  There are some houses in there that have the potential to be really cute....house moving anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was over there too today, in fact I just unloaded two matching kitchen cabinets from the 20s that I found in a junk pile. The reason so much trash is out there is because tomorrow is heavy trash day. I really have to disagree with your evaluation of the condition of the houses. I'm assuming you are not a structual engineer. Neither am I but I've had to study a little because my house is 95 years old and needs some sill repair, corner post sistering in spots, etc. You can look at a house and read the lines a tell a lot about the structure and most of those homes look solid to me. They were built well with ,most likely, higher quality materials than you'd get in a new home today. Yes, most need some work probably. I think you're being facetious, but to move houses out of there would be the beginning of the end for the neighborhood. What that place needs is some old house aficionados to bring out it's potential. The Hispanic people that live there now aren't interested in the old house thing so some of them have done some hideous (IMHO) remuddling. Did you see the house with the red fake stone facade ? Yucck. That's the place where I got the cabinets today. The owner came out while I was sizing up my find and wondered why I wanted such junk. I told him I liked the old style stuff and he looked a little confused, but helped me load it up. I'm not sure what's up with the streets, they are tore up. This post reminds me of an old friend of mine. He used to love to whine about how he had the chance to buy a house over here when it was this much and now it's worth so much, bought this stock that he sold too soon just before it went way up, etc, etc. I took him over to the eastside about a year and a half ago and showed him around because he had saved up $50K and was looking to buy his first house. He liked Idylwood but thought they were too high. I took him across the bayou to Forest Hill and recommended that area to him as houses were around 80K but he said he wanted to find a steal in Idylwood for about half of what they were going for. Last I heard he's still in his apartment.

[rps324]

Danax- your friend that is still in the apartment sounds like a lot of the people I deal with. they end up losing out all together by demanding deals that just don't exist in the "hotter" neighborhoods. Rather than bend a little, buy somewhere else and build some equity that they could then roll into a more expensive home, they continue to rent. Meanwhile the prices keep going up and they get farther and farther from being able to afford to buy in their "first choice" neighborhoods.

[Guest danax]

Is there anything at all for sale in there? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1920s Craftsman bunglaow

Here's a house for $52,500. It's a HUD foreclosure and the bidding ends in a couple of days. I love this little house (1244 sq. ft.) I have been thinking about bidding on it all weekend but decided it would be too much. I have my hands full with my own old house. A sign on the front says "evidence of mold". How much mold can an old house have? Mine has constant fresh air whether I want it or not. I'm almost positive this neighborhood did not flood. I looked through the front windows and it's got hardwood floors, fireplace, a very old chandelier in the dining room and it looks like it has never been remuddled. This is a good neighborhood with a lot of potential. If anyone is interested, the address is 181 Woodvale and the website for info is ww.firstpreston.com.

[Guest danax]

1920s Craftsman bunglaow

Here's a house for $52,500. It's a HUD foreclosure and the bidding ends in a couple of days. I love this little house (1244 sq. ft.) I have been thinking about bidding on it all weekend but decided it would be too much. I have my hands full with my own old house. A sign on the front says "evidence of mold". How much mold can an old house have? Mine has constant fresh air whether I want it or not. I'm almost positive this neighborhood did not flood. I looked through the front windows and it's got hardwood floors, fireplace, a very old chandelier in the dining room and it looks like it has never been remuddled. This is a good neighborhood with a lot of potential. If anyone is interested, the address is 181 Woodvale and the website for info is ww.firstpreston.com.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wanted this house badly, became a bit infatuated with it, although I really couldn't afford another old house and the repairs that it needed. The interior was original 1920s, except the kitchen, which was a good remodel from the 50s. It had all of the old wavy glass, hardware, doors, windows...very rare. It needed some floor/subfloor replacement, had central heat/ac that probably needed work, and most likely some plumbling and definitely some electrical updating. It was level. I used a 4' level in all the rooms.

Anyway, I bid 44K and the winning bid was 49.5K. I'm a little heartbroken. I just know whoever bought it is going to rip it apart.....sigh

[love_is_suicide]

i know that house. i used to live in the house next door and we were very good friends with the couple that lived there. that's actually my old neighborhood and my mom and sisters still live there. it's pretty sad how bad the neighborhood has gone down since i was little. but that blue house wasn't blue it used to be white and the porch was screened in. we used to sit out during the summer and not worry about the bugs. also there wasn't a fence around it and it had lots of grass. when the neighbor passed on, a family bought it and just tore the house up. it mad me quite sad and angry. also the house across from it, on the corner of hanover and woodvale, that was a nice house too until the family that lives in it now moved in. we knew that lady too. if you drive in the neighborhood you could still see some very nice houses or some that don't need too much work. now they tore up the streets. and it never flooded there either. i would actually like to move back but there isn't much for sale. and yes you do hear the train at night. i did rent a house there for about a year last year and i got nothing but problems from the landlord. my sister also lived in the garage apartment behind me and she even had to report the landlords. so if you think about renting a house there be careful. i heard they own several other properties in the same neighborhood. i would love to see the neighborhood turn around. you seldom see anything for sale. and if it is then there's something wrong with it. alot of the residents don't really take care of their property there. the house on 181 woodvale is renting for $750-800 and that's alot considering the quality of the neighborhood right now

[Guest danax]

i know that house. i used to live in the house next door and we were very good friends with the couple that lived there. that's actually my old neighborhood and my mom and sisters still live there. it's pretty sad how bad the neighborhood has gone down since i was little. but that blue house wasn't blue it used to be white and the porch was screened in. we used to sit out during the summer and not worry about the bugs. also there wasn't a fence around it and it had lots of grass. when the neighbor passed on, a family bought it and just tore the house up. it mad me quite sad and angry. also the house across from it, on the corner of hanover and woodvale, that was a nice house too until the family that lives in it now moved in. we knew that lady too. if you drive in the neighborhood you could still see some very nice houses or some that don't need too much work. now they tore up the streets. and it never flooded there either. i would actually like to move back but there isn't much for sale. and yes you do hear the train at night. i did rent a house there for about a year last year and i got nothing but problems from the landlord. my sister also lived in the garage apartment behind me and she even had to report the landlords. so if you think about renting a house there be careful. i heard they own several other properties in the same neighborhood. i would love to see the neighborhood turn around. you seldom see anything for sale. and if it is then there's something wrong with it. alot of the residents don't really take care of their property there. the house on 181 woodvale is renting for $750-800 and that's alot considering the quality of the neighborhood right now

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just noticed this post for some reason. Wow, lived next door, huh. Speaking of "love is suicide" I fell a little in love with the house. The home and I were meant for each other but apparently not destined to be together. The new guy is no good for her though!. Ah, such is love. And it sold for only 50K! I missed by less than 3K. I still kick myself for not just paying the asking bid price. I really hardly ever drive by anymore fearing that I'll find the remaining 1920s intestines of the house splayed on the parkstrip. I have been by a couple of times and noticed they replaced the original Craftsman door with wavy glass panels with a Home Cheapo piece of inappropriate garbage ! Yeah, it had a bb or bullet hole through one of the panels but was still easily salvageable, you fool! I feel like giving up all hope when I see such idiocy. All of that very old framing for the screening on the porch has been torn down too.

There is a house for sale on Woodvale right now. It looks nice from the outside, a sage green cottage, lord knows what the inside looks like though. I called twice and no one called back. The streets are having the sewer and water lines replaced so that's why the streets are torn up.

The neighborhood is a Houston classic and, while still decent, deserves better.

[love_is_suicide]

see what happens when you don't pay attention. you missed my post . i was there this past weekend. now i'm wondering what house on woodvale you're talking about.....hmmmm......

[PCfixit]

I had a Uncle that lived in this neighborhood and the garage was turned into a apartment for my grandmother, kitchenette and bathroom, the last name was Sanders and the address was 115 Bedford, as a little kid we were there all the time. I remember most of the neighbors on that block, because back then the world was different and my mom use to tell me and my cousins not to get off the block so we use to talk with all the neighbors, there was a old lady at the other end of the block we would go watch her play dominos and she would give us candy ever time. Halloween was the best we were told to go only two blocks and my cousins and I would go four or five blocks (twice). It was a great neighborhood late 60's and all of the 70's, I think he moved from there in mid 90's

[jm1fd]

Just stumbled across this house for sale in PVP. I bet its quite a nice house...or was....they didn't usually build houses that big back in the day unless whoever was building it had money.

I did a full search on Pine View and turns out there's a good bit for sale in there. Back when I was looking to buy, there wasn't a single thing listed!

[VicMan]

As for yet another school zoning post...

Houses from 100-199 Funston are zoned to:

* Gallegos Elementary School - http://es.houstonisd.org/gallegoses/

* Edison Middle School - http://ms.houstonisd.org/edisonms/

* Milby High School - http://hs.houstonisd.org/milbyhs/

Profiles:

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Gallegos_ES.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Edison_MS.pdf

* http://dept.houstonisd.org/profiles/Milby_HS.pdf

[rps324]

The guy from Brinks alarm that sold me my system grew up in Pineview Place 50+ years ago. He was telling me what a nice place it was when he was a kid. His parents looked at homes in Pineview and Idylwood. Back then they were the same price. His grandmother lived with them and wanted the better bus access at Pineview so that is why they bought there.

[livinginEastwood]

The guy from Brinks alarm that sold me my system grew up in Pineview Place 50+ years ago. He was telling me what a nice place it was when he was a kid. His parents looked at homes in Pineview and Idylwood. Back then they were the same price. His grandmother lived with them and wanted the better bus access at Pineview so that is why they bought there.

Just saw this category for Pineview Place. If no one has said this before, let me give you some background on the neighborhood. It was developed by Crain Ready-Cut House Company--their manufacturing plant was across Harrisburg. Crain Ready-Cut House Company also developed Cherryhurst (where you'll see many of the same house plans though in much better condition) and Southside Place near West U. I've owned several homes in the neighborhood over the years (as rentals), but did get the chance to visit with some of the original owners 15 or 20 years ago. One of them was a lady who had lived in her home (it was on Jamaica, I believe) since 1926 and she was selling her home to move to Florida to be near her son. She had a 1972 Mercedes sedan in her garage with 24,000 miles on it! This was a lovely neighborhood in its day and could be again.

[Guest danax]

Just saw this category for Pineview Place. If no one has said this before, let me give you some background on the neighborhood. It was developed by Crain Ready-Cut House Company--their manufacturing plant was across Harrisburg. Crain Ready-Cut House Company also developed Cherryhurst (where you'll see many of the same house plans though in much better condition) and Southside Place near West U.

Welcome to the neighborhood, livinginEastwood.

That is very interesting info on the ready-cut homes. I always wondered if there were "Sears" homes in there as a couple designs are repeated and look very much like some of the mail-order homes I've seen pictures of. If Crain developed Pineview Place then I guess they also developed the other later, similar version west of 75th on Walker and Rusk (can't think of the name, Pineview Manor I think). Interesting that most of those are brick bungalows and date from the late 20s early-mid 30s I believe, which was obviously a trendy style at the time. Now I wonder how many of our famous Houston brick bungalows were actually Crain homes.

Now you've got me really interested in digging up the history of Crain..just what I need, another project.

[rps324]

I did some "googling" and apparently Crain was also involved in building in Garden Oaks as well.

[livinginEastwood]

I did some "googling" and apparently Crain was also involved in building in Garden Oaks as well.

Yes, I understand parts of Garden Oaks were a Crain development. But their original planbook--of which I have a VERY poorly Xeroxed copy only lists Pineview Place, Southside Place, Brady Place and Cherryhurst. When I bought my first rental house in Pineview I actually would squint and imagine what the neighborhood must have looked like in its heyday. the paved driveways, rear-loading garages--it was a very nice neighborhood.

[Dan the Man]

I drove through Pineview Place on Sunday. While exploring the East End, I always make a point to drive through Pineview, just for the rare experience of seeing an intact (albeit run-down) 1920s bungalow neighborhood in Houston. While cruising down Woodvale, I actually saw a house being sensitively restored! I wonder if this is the beginning of the neighborhood's rebirth? Given it's proximity to Mason Park and the future Harrisburg rail line, this neighborhood seems to be situated in a pretty good location. Imagine being able to walk out of your house to a rail stop on Harrisburg and taking the light rail into downtown, never having to deal with $3.00 gas, traffic, parking, or road rage. Now, that's my kind of commute!

[TheNiche]

Given it's proximity to Mason Park and the future Harrisburg rail line, this neighborhood seems to be situated in a pretty good location. Imagine being able to walk out of your house to a rail stop on Harrisburg and taking the light rail into downtown, never having to deal with $3.00 gas, traffic, parking, or road rage. Now, that's my kind of commute!

Corrections: 1) METRO is not planning a rail line down Harrisburg. It will be Bus Rapid Transit. 2) Harrisburg is not presently congested with traffic; however, one of the community's concerns is that Harrisburg will become congested when the BRT reduces the number of lanes. 3) Parking is not a problem unless you work downtown or in the TMC; this is Houston. 4) I've driven at least 80k miles in Houston and have never been party to or seen road rage. 5) Gas usually doesn't cost $3.00 per gallon. 6) The BRT will terminate at the Magnolia TC; most or all of Pineview Place is not within 1/4 mile of the transit center, so most people are unlikely to walk in the first place.

[musicman]

Corrections: ...5) Gas usually doesn't cost $3.00 per gallon.

It's gone up 0.10 in the past week or so.......3.00 will be here before we know it!

[millennica]

It's gone up 0.10 in the past week or so.......3.00 will be here before we know it!

Gas under 3.00 per gallon in Houston? How I wish for the days when gas was only 3.00. Here in the SF Bay area it's been over 3.00 for several months now. Today's prices at a Shell Station in Hercules, CA--a suburban city approximately 18 miles from Oakland--are 3.44 Regular

3.56 Midgrade, 3.68 Premium.

[musicman]

Gas under 3.00 per gallon in Houston? How I wish for the days when gas was only 3.00. Here in the SF Bay area it's been over 3.00 for several months now. Today's prices at a Shell Station in Hercules, CA--a suburban city approximately 18 miles from Oakland--are 3.44 Regular

3.56 Midgrade, 3.68 Premium.

Shell is probably over 3 here too. they seem to be the highest priced.

[Vertigo58]

I drove through Pineview Place on Sunday. While exploring the East End, I always make a point to drive through Pineview, just for the rare experience of seeing an intact (albeit run-down) 1920s bungalow neighborhood in Houston. While cruising down Woodvale, I actually saw a house being sensitively restored! I wonder if this is the beginning of the neighborhood's rebirth? Given it's proximity to Mason Park and the future Harrisburg rail line, this neighborhood seems to be situated in a pretty good location. Imagine being able to walk out of your house to a rail stop on Harrisburg and taking the light rail into downtown, never having to deal with $3.00 gas, traffic, parking, or road rage. Now, that's my kind of commute!

This is another forgotten hood of Houston, sadly it is too boxed in by urban blight has been for decades. Rivals Gulfton area. Get out!

[TheNiche]

This is another forgotten hood of Houston, sadly it is too boxed in by urban blight has been for decades. Rivals Gulfton area. Get out!

No it doesn't. It has nowhere near the population density, and the demographics are mostly Mexican, not Central American. The closest that any part of the East End gets to being like Gulfton is on Office City Drive near I-45 and the 610 Loop, where there is a single massive apartment complex.

[Vertigo58]

The closest that any part of the East End gets to being like Gulfton is on Office City Drive near I-45 and the 610 Loop, where there is a single massive apartment complex.

That tenament slum should be on Crater Houston list big time! Kaboom! The whole area can make a champaign toast as I light the fuse.

[musicman]

The closest that any part of the East End gets to being like Gulfton is on Office City Drive near I-45 and the 610 Loop, where there is a single massive apartment complex.

that's not a massive apartment complex, it's a high density development.

[Guest danax]

This is another forgotten hood of Houston, sadly it is too boxed in by urban blight has been for decades. Rivals Gulfton area. Get out!

Another vote for your description being a mischaracterization. I was at the recent PIP (Positive Interactive Program) meeting at the Eastside police station on Sherman and the biggest crime problem the officers mentioned was car theft, and they said they caught one guy and car theft went down 30%, so they figure it's just a handful of thieves.

Murders, rapes, armed robberies......the East End is very quiet, especially compared to Gulfton. Magnolia and Central Park are mainly just visually violent; beauty has been thrown down and repeatedly violated and they've assaulted one's sense of order and aesthetics. But you're forgiven, even Martha Stewart would probably vote for a carpet bombing if she were to drive around there.

I know you lean towards a mostly "wipe and flush" master plan for the East End, including the thousands of old homes, which is apparently a fairly common desire too as I've heard the Eastwood crowd expressed similar leanings at that recent urban pow wow at Marbella. But you're really missing the potential of a place like Pineview, as Dan the Man mentioned. A historic bungalow enclave has great value and most great neighborhood restorations have taken place in very similar areas where they looked ragged then everyone wishes they would've bought "way back when". Today is way back when.

But don't worry, the townhomes are coming in waves now, and they're taking no prisoners. The flank is still well west of Pineview however, and preservationists have time to gather and arm themselves for the inevitable carnage. So far though, the recruits are perilously thin. Uncle Sam wants YOU!