RustyB

....I would advise against Houston House, no matter how tempting the price may make it seem.....

I being paroled from the Houston House in a couple of weeks...after a 4-year sentence...and moving to Chinatown/East End.

Houston House was tolerable for the introductory price they gave me when I moved in ($699/free electric/parking), but they have raised my rent $600/year, to a point where it's WAY not worth it. The Houston House is downtown's roach infested trailer park in the sky. And while I've met a lot of really nice people here, I think it's their super-cheap "specials" that bring in the real low-life tenants, who always leave after they're hit with the 1st rent increase. Between the domestic disturbances and party people yelling in the hallways, the pot-heads who admitted bringing roaches with them from another unit, which caused a increased infestation in all the surrounging apartments on the floor, the party kids that blasted music at full volume until 5:00am, and the gang members which come to visit one single unit daily, I'm just sick of this place. People also let their dogs crap and pee all over the hallways, and in the parking garage, and the elevators always have dog pee in them.

I'd be surprised if I could even pass a drug test living here. Not to mention, I've had a couple of really bad/strange respiratory infections since living here...which I've never had before...I assume is caused by all of the black mold on the AC vents, the lower kitchen cabinets, and in the carpets.

That being said, Houston House IS only a block from a rail stop, which is nice. Any furthere than that from the rail, like the places in Midtown,Chinatown and I probably wouldn't use the rail at all...and probably wouldn't walk downtown at all. The parking garage downstairs is very convenient, at least when the elevators are working, and there's easy freeway access in all directions...great for my home-based business. Plus, I've got a pretty great view of downtown...which is cool since I'm stuck inside working all day.

I can't wait to get out of here. My new place is only $50 a month more (plus I'll have to pay electricity), but is 1000X nicer than the HH! I'll be broke, but at least I won't be here. However, it's nowhere near the rail, so my days of riding it are over I guess. I'm getting a bicycle.

Houston House needs to be cratered along with the Savoy and Central Bank.

If I needed to live on the rail, I'd check out the Humble Tower. I LOVE the location there, and the apartments look really nice. I personally just wanted more of a "loft" style apartment, so I didn't inquire about their current availability, which I'm guessing might be very limited. Grocery shopping would also be a pain living there, without a car.

2016 Main might also be a low-cost alternative on the rail, but I don't know if I could stand living next to the nasty bus station and a McDonald's. But if Jedidiyah wants to live without a car, I guess he'd probably want to be close to Randalls. Personally, I wouldn't shop at a grocery store if they built one downtown...I can't possibly imagine carrying 50 pounds of groceries down the street...even in my collapsible grocery cart. I drive to Kroger on Gray, and will continue to after I move to Chinatown.

Good luck, Jedidiyah!

....To me it would make more sense for the station to be at the end of the Metro Rail out near 610. If someone really needs to get into downtown they could jump the rail out there and head in. But, I'm guessing most are being picked up by friends etc (I live in the area and know that is not true for all) and 610 is a hell of lot better traffic congestion wise then the downtown freeway situation...

That would be nice! It also seems that many of the people that get off the Greyhound walk over to the Metro bus station (after getting a Big Mac, ), where they can catch a bus to anywhere in town. I know that's a really dangerous intersection, as they leave the bus station they just walk against the lights right out onto Gray. I've came very close to hitting someone many times.

Not to mention all the people getting into cabs or getting picked up along Gray in front of the station, who mindlessly walk out into the street while loading into the cars. You really have to be careful. Relocating the Greyhound station to someplace with better loading/unloading areas, instead of being closely surrounded by busy streets, would seem like a smart move. Of course, I guess they figure it needs to stay close to the Metro bus hub.

I've been approached a few times by guys saying they just got out of jail/prison, and if I could give them some money, anywhere within several blocks of the station. They weren't the usual bums that constantly bug you downtown...they were ex-cons, and not ashamed to tell me that. Kinda scary. I try to avoid the area when walking, but the ex-cons have approached me even in front of my bank (Amegy) and asked me for money.

When I talk about Downtown Houston with any of my suburban friends, one of the first things they ask about is,"that scary bus station". I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a popular area for development as long as it remains there. I shouldn't complain, since it was there before I moved down the street from it Downtown, but for the future of Midtown...it would be nice to see it moved and the area cleaned up.

Listen up buddy. I know you're a newbee so maybe I'll cut you some slack but BHMS (Big Head on Main Street) is a HAIF icon! You don't know the hours of fun genuine HAIFers have enjoyed ridiculing this piece of crap. Welcome to HAIF but get with the program...

Yeah, I think my very first post on this forum was a picture of the head, in response to someone else's post, since it stares at me from across the street. Someone suggested I get a couple of laser pointers, mount them to my balcony, and light up her eyes at night.

.....The one across the street is equally pathetic circa 1968? and not in a cool way either.....

I'm not sure, but I think the ugly old motorbank across the street is being used by one of the parking lot management companies. I wish they'd demolish it as well...along with the Savoy, the parking garage, and that giant ugly concrete head. I guess the old 1616 Main building (the one NEXT to the newer Savoy) could be restored, since I thought I read that it's got a bit of history behind it. Frankly, the entire block could be sucked into the bowels of the planet and it would be fine by me.

I think a lot of Houston House residents use the tiny grassy area for their dogs to crap on. (It's mindboggling why anyone would have a dog in a tiny Downtown hi-rise apartment???? To each his own, I guess.) Some hobos live under the trees next to 1616 main, as well, so it's pretty well just covered with garbage...the last time I walked by.

Very cool!

This is that old eyesore at Leeland/Main. What a pleasent surprise to get up this morning and see it being tore down!

Here's a pic...sorry about the quality...I was too lazy to open the glass door to take it.

I dug up this old 35mm from a couple of years ago for reference...sorry it's B&W, so you can't appreciate the dome's glowing beauty.

Ever since I was a kid, long before I even moved to Houston, I've hated this little building with a passion, for some reason. I think it was some punishing twist of fate that it would end up outside my apartment window. I'm glad it's gone. It was surrounded by a chain link fence, and filled with junk/trash. I think it was just being used for storage or hobos or something.

Anyone know what year it was built, or other info?

Walk...from the bedroom to the living room.

I think I've bought 4 tanks of gas this year.

I wish I had moved to the city 17 years ago, when I graduated high school.

Awesome shots!

Thanks all, I really appreciate the comments!

Wonderful pics... and great view you have out your apt.

Thank you! The view is why I stay here. I work from home mostly, so the big windows and wide open view keep me sane...relatively speaking.

Another balcony view/quick stitch job of 3-4 pics...

nice pics!! what camera are you using??

Thanks! They were shot with an Olympus E-500. It's my first digital SLR, so it was fun to finally get some cool lightning shots....something I could never afford to do with my 35mm SLR's.

Construction Photo update 06.08.07

Great picture! Man, I'm so regretting not checking out the Humble Tower apts now, instead of moving to Houston House. But as long as our building holds up, I guess it will still be "close enough" to HP, so I'll stick around for the cheap rent and great view. I doubt Houston House will be sold anytime soon, and surely they won't raise the rent, seeing as how it seems half empty anyways. Now, if we can just keep the tenants from demolishing the place with their cars...

I can't wait! I hope HP has some worthwhile shops. I don't drive much, so some decent shops within a few blocks of Houston House would be GREAT.

Fake....and I mean that as a compliment.

Thanks! Yeah, they're really surreal looking! Of course, I had to throw out about 200 pictures just to get those, and several others in my online gallery. Gotta love digital. I DID do some PhotoShop'n.....had to correct the perspective because of the bad lens distortion from using a zoom lens at full wide, stamped out some of the major sensor noise from the long exposures, adjusted exposure/white balance of the RAW files, and did some sharpening.

Thanks all for the comments!

Thanks!!

Just some pictures I took off my Houston House balcony one night, May 10th I believe, around midnight. Pretty neat looking!

Too much time on my hands, I guess.

Those are my fav's from the set. Thanks for looking!

Humble Tower Apartments are really nice and most of all secure. I have been there about 1.5 years. If you want to rent downtown go for it. Now is the time; night life is pretty fun here. They are a bit on the $$$ side, but they are worth it. Nice lofts and apartments, actually has a pool (mostly for sunbathers), not a diving pool. But they are one of the few buildings that have one.

Anywhere you are going to live downtown is going to be noisy. You will get used to it fast. I have been born and raised in the suburbs, but always slept with my tv on, since I have lived downtown I don't have to, LOL.

I regret that I didn't give the Humble Tower a shot when I moved downtown. I was trying to save a few bucks, so it was #2 on my list. Moved to the Houston House instead. The rent is super low, and I have a great view of dowtown, but would rather be living there than just looking at it through the window. Houston House is in the middle of nowhere. It's for sale, so I guess I'll be looking for a new place soon...hopefully Humble Tower will have something I can afford!

.... Big head is very sinister looking.

RustyB, you have a happening view.

Thanks all for the welcome...I stumbled across this forum and can't stop reading it. There are few other places I'd rather be than downtown Houston, and there's so much interesting stuff to read here.

My apartment is nothing great, but the rent is cheap and the view is amazing...at least until that aweful hunk of concrete started peering into my windows 24/7. I guess this building will be sold soon, and I'll have to start paying the big bucks for someplace further into town, but at least that statue won't be watching me anymore.

The laser pointer comment had me cracking up. I'm going to have to find a couple of the biggest ones I can afford, and light her up!

can you imagine waking up and throwing open the blinds to that face staring right at you? i'd slowly close the blinds, crawl back into bed and repeat........"it's only a dream, it's only a dream".

Out my bedroom window.....

(I hate it BTW...it stares at me night and day.... )