Downtown JuJuB

Forgive me if this has already been discussed!   Does anyone remember where Molina’s was located on Irvington?  This was probably in the 60’s/70’s.  It might have been the original Molina’s.  I went there as a small kid.  My brother-in-law told me it was Irvington south of 610 North (closer to downtown.) I’d love to know the exact location.  

I worked at Texas Commerce Medical Bank in the late 80s. It was on the ground & basement levels of Scurlock Tower. There was also a “mini” lobby on the 2nd floor.  There is still a Chase branch in that location.   We used the address of 6550 Fannin for the bank. There were two drive thrus for the bank in the Scurlock garage. One entrance was on Dryden, the other was on University.  Back then, it was a full service bank with a proof dept (check clearing) in the basement.  That was before there was branch banking in Texas. This was the only TCB bank that had a unique name.  We referred to it as TCMB.  Great place to work.  I learned a lot about banking as well as healthcare during my time there.  

Something is going on at the Battlestein's building.  The ground floor is opened up & bull dozers are clearing the space.  Does anyone have the scoop?!!  I believe the JW Marriott next door owns the space.

No photos at this time but I will walk by & snap one to post. 

Has anyone noticed that Wells Fargo’s name has been removed from the awning outside the building at 1000 Louisiana?  Are they no longer the anchor tenant? 

When the original Randall’s on 43rd @ Mangum closed to move to the freeway, a local family took over the space on Mangum and turned it into a grocery called Russell’s. The owner was Jerry Russell.  Not sure how long that store remained open.  I grew up in the neighborhood and my mom shopped there (perhaps it was Minimax then.). I remember the TG&Y next door, and the carousel/hobby horse outside of the store.  Great memories! 

On 1/25/2017 at 9:12 AM, gnu said:

There was a Randall's at 43rd and Mangum.  It was in the wedge north of 43rd between Mangum and the RR tracks. The building is still extant and evidently it is now a school called the Mangum Education Center (according to google maps).

 

The old school Randall's post sign was still in the parking lot in the early 2000s (I have a photo of it somewhere).

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8337611,-95.4620966,622m/data=!3m1!1e3

Nate - those windows would have been very cool.  I’ll try to ask a resident of Aris or Market Square if they have windows that open. 

Does anyone have any info on whether or not Club Quarters maintained any of the original architecture in the interior?   The exterior is beautiful - I’d love to think they preserved some of the history when it was renovated. 

I am a resident of The Star.  I really enjoyed this post to get all of the background on the renovation.  I am a downtown “pioneer” as I was an original tenant of the Rice in 1998.  I have no interest in new construction but love these old buildings repurposed for residential space.  The Star is great with the exception of not being able to open the windows.  It is very efficient as I have never turned on heat (even during our frozen tundra in February.) But I would love to get some fresh air occasionally.  Most of the windows at The Rice could be opened.  Some were difficult to open, but with persistence they would go up.   Can anyone confirm this statements I was told when I moved to The Star?  I was told that if a building is over 6 stories high, they are not allowed to have operable windows.  Anyone able to comment on that?