nativehou

Check out the photo of the realtor on that link. It's Super Realtor to the rescue!

The one on the SW Fwy at Buffalo Speedway was a Bank United and now it's a WaMu. I worked at Bank U for 10 years and was there when we renovated the "Gold Dome Branch" as we called it in the mid 90s. They took off the gold dome, demolished the cool old building, and replaced the gold dome on the new structure. I've got a photo somewhere of some of us at the Phoenix Tower (our headquarters across the street) while the gold dome is being hoisted off the building in the background. The dome (at least the on one the SW Fwy) is made up of inch-square glass tiles covered with a thin film of actual gold.

I wouldn't have gone in by myself. I had some family with me -- and they reluctantly agreed to go in. When we walked in the woman at the desk was talking to some disheveled man, and they both stopped talking and turn to look at us like we really didn't belong there (not in a rude way, just in a surprised way). You could tell the place was decent back in the day, though.

I went in the Montagu back in May when I was in the area. I had read about its "comeback" and wanted to see it first hand. For any seasoned traveler, it would be quite a shock. It wasn't horrible by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't like any hotel my middle-class self had ever stayed in. I was hoping for its continued improvement, but perhaps it's not in the cards.

If anyone reading this is in the target market and willing to say so, please put in your two cents.

Then I'll rephrase: I, myself, would never spend $1.7 million on a home where the main architectural feature -- as seen from the street -- consists of three garage doors.

I can't understand why anyone with $1.7 million would want to spend it on a home where the main architectural feature -- as seen from the street -- consists of three garage doors.

Do you know if the buyers had seen your blog?

All I know is that on most vacations I've taken in the last few years, I've felt so much better than I do at home. No asthma, no allergies, no problems with my contacts. But this is where my family and friends are, and we can make a decent living here, and I keep my inhaler handy so we stay.

Let the ugly rumor mill begin!

Is this the beginning of your 2008 run for Congress?

^^^^ Ditto. Pennzoil Place - Philip Johnson The collection of mod office buildings on Richmond Ave. between Kirby and Buffalo Speedway (just drive slowly and take it all in).

Way to go, HAIFers! Keep it up!

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's the same one I asked my father about a few weeks ago when we were boarding the train there. He said the sign has been there for at least a couple of years.

That font is way cool. Any designers out there know what it is?

My first thought, too, was that this was someone's very gracious attempt at helping you out, since you recently lost your job. Note to potential good Samaritans: Leave a note explaining your intentions! You can still remain anonymous!

One of the houses he lived in as a boy is part of the University of St. Thomas. Here's a link to a pic: http://www.stthom.edu/Visitors_Community/M...ings/hughes.aqf Hughes Tool had a big sale of office furniture in the early to mid 90s. Howard Hughes' office was still there, in tact. Supposedly he almost never used it. They were looking for a buyer to buy all of it together. Don't know what happened to it. I heard he attended the old Montrose Elementary, where HSPVA stands now.

^^^ I like that one, too. The composition is excellent.

A beautiful series. Thanks.

An article on the new owners was in the Chron on Saturday. It appears the structure will be preserved! Sale to preserve famed mansion The home built in 1929 by oil and cattle baron James Marion West will be retained, with apartments for seniors surrounding it By NANCY SARNOFF Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle The historic West mansion across from Clear Lake is being sold to a real estate development firm that plans to preserve the property and build apartments for seniors around it. Opus West Corp., a division of the Minneapolis-based Opus Group, is under contract to buy about nine acres of land along NASA Parkway, including the 17,000-square-foot home built in 1929 by oil, lumber and cattle baron James Marion West. "Our concept is to make the mansion a central gathering area and the architectural focal point for our development," said Robert Wheless, director of real estate development for Opus West. See article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bay/news/4913998.html

Yes, I played on that one, too. It was somewhere on the feeder near Airport Blvd. I think they had go-karts, too. I'm not thinking of SuperTrack -- that came after this one.

Here's a link to one on har.com... http://www.har.com/8725254

Study what came before you so you can strive to improve it. Good advice for any profession. The best of luck to you. It's good to hear high schools still offer drafting classes. I think many have dropped them.

I was racking my brain trying to figure out what the difference was between a roller rink and a skating rink before I realized you meant the ice skating rink off of the Gulf Freeway.