tmariar

SaintCyr: Thanks for the additional information. Poyea: Oh man, I subscribe to so many different things that I think I got the notice a couple of different ways. But I know that one of them was from the Sunset Heights Civic Club. They must have a sign-up for email updates on their site. There's a list (with links) of Heights sites and Heights-area civic group pages in the right column of the Heights Blog.

Based on past posts on Bob Bailey threads, it sounds to me like the copyright would be held either by (1) U.T. (most likely), or (2) the family trust that someone mentioned sold the photographs to U.T. U.T.'s CAH should know. It's possible the photo was never copyright-protected, or is no longer copyright-protected. See this page, plus at least the couple of pages that follow it (click on Next at the bottom of the page). My vote on how to use the photo if it's not copyright-protected: (1) Make a high-quality digital copy available in its original size, in its original form (i.e., no watermarks), somewhere on HAIF, making clear you're not claiming copyright protection, requesting attribution, etc. When it comes to historic photos, use-restrictions are obstacles to teaching (and hence learning) about the historic subject matter. So much of Houston's history - too much - is already obscure or gone for good. (2) If U.T. doesn't have the negative (they probably do), offer the photo to U.T. so that it can join the bulk of the collection, and so that it can be properly archived and preserved. (I'm still puzzled as to why U.T. - a public educational institution - doesn't allow copying of the Bailey photos they've posted online, but will readily admit that posting them online is more than some people would have done with them. Plus, I'm guessing that they have archivists who know how to preserve the photos properly.) I know you may not actually do the above, but thanks for asking for our input. If you're not able to post the photo, and U.T. already has the negative archived, and you personally feel like doing something more with the photo than just hanging it on your wall, you could always use it as a prize for a HAIF contest. Best post on Houston history (or Houston architecture) over a certain period... best user-created map of downtown Houston circa 1936... something like that.

There is an existing thread on this building here. It includes some history.

I took this photo of Herman's Shoe Repair a few months ago. I don't know if that was before the changes you're referencing, though. Information-wise, you might check the Chronicle archives. The principal's name is in the Press blurb on the link page. If you find out more, I'd be interested in hearing it!

Yeah, they got their liquor permit a while ago, and I think I noted it somewhere above. Since then, I've seen some help-wanted ads for them. But not much discussion about the place. If it can compete as both a wine bar and a retailer, I would think it would do well.

I don't think I've seen the black squirrels, either. Have they been spotted in any particular area? Saw this on the Wildlife Rehab and Education website: "Naming squirrels by their coat colors can often be misleading since both the gray and fox can vary from an almost white blond to coal black. Colonies of black squirrels exist in the northeast, mid-west, down the Appalachian Mountains and across the upper gulf coast. New Mexico and California also boast of colonies. The Heights in Houston even have a colony! Scientists have found that black squirrels arise from a single mutation and the mutation is dominant. Squirrels that homozygous (received a mutated gene from both parents) are a deep glossy black, while the heterozygous (received one mutated gene and one normal gene) show other colors (brown, red or silver) evenly distributed in the coat."

This lot? Or another one? Or are there multiple lots now?

I'd heard of caged chickens in the neighborhood before - people getting woken up by roosters, etc. - but didn't know there were chickens that just wandered around. Go chickens. Jimmie's seems like a good place for a chicken happy hour. As long as they stay away from the folks down the street who have had that soul-food-restaurant-coming-soon sign up.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I had to stop headed eastbound on White Oak Drive this morning around 9am to let a couple of chickens (roosters?) cross the road southbound, headed for Jimmie's parking lot. Have chickens been wandering wild on White Oak Drive for years, and I've simply never noticed them before? [Edited to add topic description]

Thanks. I hate seeing trees - esp. Live Oaks - lost anywhere in town. In this case, it sounds like the neighborhood also has some money sunk in the trees. I do wonder, though, how big the trees are now if they were just planted in the 80's...

I got the below meeting notice over the weekend. Does anyone have more information about the plans for Yale? I wasn't even aware of the tree plantings. --------- More than 250 live-oaks on Yale Street are in jeopardy. Meeting: Tuesday, April 7th 6:30 pm Fire Station / 12th & Yale Held by: Living in Tandem with Trees in the Heights NOW & NEXT Houston Heights Association Urban Forestry Committee The City of Houston is currently in the design phase of Phase One (I-10 to 17th St.) . The intent is to reconstruct and potentially widen Yale street which would cause the destruction of more than 250 live-oaks. The Trees for Yale Project was sponsored by the Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce and was part of the "Heights Now" Plan for re-development of the Main Street District. We started in 1986 and some five hundred (500) live-oaks were planted on both sides of Yale Street through Trees for Houston. This incredible effort raised more than $90,000 from the neighbors! Our dream for Yale St. was that it be a beautiful tree-lined thoroughfare. This tree-lined street fronts and shades residential properties in our recently designated Heights' Historic district. The street serves a number of locally owned small businesses, a neighborhood park, historic homes as well as a Landmark structure. This street enhances the character that has made the Heights such a significant asset to the City of Houston. After eighteen years of growth, we simply cannot watch this legacy be destroyed. Find out how you can help by contacting: Debra Broman, Chairperson, Trees for Yale 713.862.2570 debrabroman@sbcglobal.net

Still hoping for a new thread for this topic... Someone left the following comment on Heights Blog: "The Freeland Historic District is the ONLY district left in the city of Houston with all original bungalows! It consists of 36 original homes. It is currently endangered of having one of of the bungalows demolished and replaced by two 4 story homes. Please support our efforts to preserve our small unique historic district by stopping by Onion Creek to sign the petition book located on the bar. Thank you for your support! Living in the past and loving it! Sincerely, Freeland residents."

Neat!

The attribution would put a certain spin on the slogan... "Live in Freeland or Die" - RedScare

I'd just seen the sheet sign, but had wondered the same thing. Especially given that I first noticed it about the same time I learned that the two projects that had been discussed for the parcels on either side of Onion Creek/Charles' Liquor were not going forward as originally conceived (and from the sound of it, now possibly won't involve any tear-downs at all). Likely just coincidence, though. Homeowners in that area across the street (east of Oxford, south of White Oak, west of Studewood, north of WO Bayou) - near where the sheet sign is - have had to fight a number of battles over the years. The boundaries of "Freeland Historic District" itself can be seen on this pdf - essentially, it's lots fronting Frasier, Granberry, or Reserve. The sheet sign was the first I'd heard of it - but see this press release. And I noticed that there is an application pending to demolish the house at 536 Granberry (owner Dale C. Moore, applicant Jack Preston Wood). See also this document. So maybe that's got something to do with the signs? Could we give Gooch's post a new thread? The White Oak parcels aren't within the Freeland Historic District...

Apologies for the poor picture quality, but here's the new rendering: This appears to be the same 1950's shopping center that is already there, as evident from the stair-step design on the corner, but with new paint, sign, landscaping, etc. The rendering doesn't show the property on the other side of the row of three tall palm trees, which is the narrow lot between this one and Onion Creek. If the neighborhood response had any part to play in the owner's decision not to build a high-rise on this property, I want to say thanks. I think the proposed renovation will be a positive thing for White Oak and the surrounding area. I wonder what's going on down the street with the Burroughs property...

Really? That's fantastic! I'm going to see if I can get a photo. I'm always in way over my head when I try to talk architecture... but it seems like we have a fair number of landmark buildings built in the deco period, and that have at least some deco touches. I'm thinking like: The Heights Theater The Church of Christ Lambert Hall The newly remodeled retail center at 11th and Yale To me, art deco seems like a great idea for a project of that size, in that location, if done properly.

Interesting! I wonder how that incentive works in practice. I assume there are only certain capital improvements you can make to the house once it's got protected status. And I wonder whether the appraisal discount applies only in the year in which the improvements are made or if it's permanent, and what the procedure is for getting the benefit. Not asking for anyone to answer those questions - I'm still planning to do some research at some point. But your post was the kind of information I was looking for - thanks, Flashman. Your house looks lovely.

Background - Reading about the slumping Houston housing market (see this on Swamplot, for example), I came across a link to an article about the market for historic home in Los Angeles: "In with the old: Architectural Restoration in L.A. is booming" - 9/8/2008 - About California's tax breaks for historic homes, the historic home restoration industry they have spawned, and the market for historic vs. non-historic homes. (Related: "Incentives for the Preservation and Rehabilitation of Historic Homes in the City of Los Angeles: A Guidebook for Homeowners") Which got me thinking about economic incentives. Houston of course has very weak historic preservation regulations and incentives. (They have gotten slightly better recently, but I've heard people debate whether the changes we've seen recently are (1) a sign of improvement or (2) about as developer-friendly an outcome as possible in an environment of increasing intolerance of the unrestrained destruction of Houston's historic properties.) I recognize that the city faces some obstacles in enacting restrictions on the use of private property, even in the name of historic preservation. But it seems less excusable that we don't have stronger economic incentives to preserve historic structures. Not that I'm not interested in the broader debate, but I'm posting this in the Heights subforum because I'm interested in hearing whether owners of historic houses have been able to take advantage of any tax or other economic incentives in connection with the preservation/restoration of their home. I can't think of any that would apply to just any given 100-year-old house (though I could be wrong on that), but what about those of you or your friends who own "protected landmark" houses inside or outside the OSW or Heights "protected" historic districts? I'm planning to read through the ordinance and city's information online, too, but thought people might have some stories to tell, and hadn't recalled the topic being discussed much before...

Maybe it's in the other Washington Ave thread, but I think both the fire station and 5102 have been discussed previously. The city has issued permits at both addresses for a bar conversion. Last I heard, the fire station was going to be another Bronx Bar, and 5102 was going to be something called "Ei8ht". If Daily Grind is going to be a bar in the tradition of the Rhythm Room, I'd be all for it. Lately, though, it seems impossible to open a bar vs. lounge on lower or middle Washington. Maybe Dubliner will be good. On the history of the E.J. Quade building: The only thing I was able to find quickly was something saying that Charles A. Edworthy sold E.J. Quade "half of lots 9 and 10, block 50, Brunner addition" in April 1929. Lots 9 and 10 don't front Washington - they front Center - but are behind the two lots on the corner of Washington and Roy that do front Washington.

I hadn't realized the building was that old - interesting! Swamplot reports that there is still another couple of years on the Fiesta lease, so the property is being sold subject to the lease.

This week, it looks like someone ("Maja Entertainment, Inc.") is opening a new bar at 4819 Washington. The liquor license lists the trade name as "Manor on Washington". The city has granted permits associated with converting retail into a bar/nightclub. As far as I can tell, 4819 Washington is/was a not-very-manorial dry cleaner across the street from Soma.

Looks like Weingarten Realty is trying to sell the Fiesta property with the building as a current income producer. I don't know what the chances are of another grocery store going in there, though.

Poor quality drive-by photo of Reign under construction here. The beige castle entrance sort of blends in with the beige townhouses behind it in this view. I don't know for sure, but the bulk of the club appears to be that beige metal warehouse structure extending back to the left. Nothing says swank lounge like a metal warehouse.

I know that a number of stores in town do private shopping events - i.e., allow a group or organization to come in to shop when the store would normally be closed. Often these are done as a fundraiser for the group, and the store will kick in a small percentage of its sales. I've gotten invitations to these, but usually from places geared toward women. Dress shops, purse stores, jewelry stores, etc. Does anyone know of any Houston stores that have done private shopping events in the past that weren't geared primarily toward women? I was thinking along the lines of a store selling books, or specialty foods, or cooking accessories, or something like that. But any suggestion would be appreciated, especially if you know the store has had such an event in the past. Thanks in advance.