rps324

I want to say that someone told me that one has been butchered up recently. I haven't been by so I am not sure if it is true or not.

I had not really embraced them that much myself, but after going through several in Fondren Southwest, which is loaded with them, there are some really nice ones. Unlike more traditional houses of the era they tend to have high ceilings, more open floorplans, and a lot more glass. You often see people removing walls, such as between a formal living room and den, in more traditional designs, but the need just isn't there in the more open contemporary lay outs.

For a long time mid-century moderns were considered "dated" and you still see Realtors sort of apologizing for their architecture by calling them "soft contemporaries." Now they are prized within a certain audience, but there are still a lot of people who think they are ugly. Contemporaries will probably find a growing audience as well.

Scott:

I patiently watched Memorial Bend for several years, as well as a couple of primo mods in Candlelight Estates. When I discovered the Houston Mod open house in Glenbrook Valley that showcased 2 mod's and a couple of other houses, I gave in to my desire for Memorial Bend and purchased an awesome Glenbrook Valley mod. This was 1 year ago. The home prices here are more affordable than Memorial Bend, and the hood is closer in to downtown....and best....I never have to deal with Katy Freeway. The neighbors are awesome. I've never lived in a neighborhood that holds such frequent social activities....and there is alot going on here with regard to developement of the Hobby Area. You should check HAR.com for Glenbrook. No mods are available right now...but we have alot of older residents that built their mods and ranches in the 1950's at age 30. Do the math.

There is a good all-original ranch that just came up in Glenbrook. I am hoping someone who is appreciative of its mid-century character gets it. It's being sold by the estate of the original owner and has no remuddle jobs. Needs a new roof and the usual suspects repaired for a house of this era. Its not my listing, but for $179,900 it could certainly make someone a nice place. 8015 Erie

it does back up Broadway, so there would be some level of traffic noise to deal with.

I had forgotten there was that Buick dealership at Kirby & Westheimer, where Taco Milagro is now. It wasn't Demontrond in it's latest incarnation, HUB maybe? It was there until the late 80's or early 90's.

There was a Lincoln-Mercury dealership on Kirby too, somewhere around where Whole Foods is now I think. I remember my brother getting a horrid Mercury version of the Pinto there, I think it was called a Bobcat. But hey, it was a Mercury so I guess it was much fancier than a regular Pinto! (I'm sure it would have BLOWN UP just the same in a rear end collision)

Speaking of fancier, upper Kirby is a lot more upscale than it was in those days.

There was also a Cadillac dealership where the Post Midtown apartments are now. Bland Cadillac maybe? There was also Cadillac dealership at 610 and Post Oak Road where that uptown plaza is now.

I also remember a dealership, maybe a Chevy? there where the Randalls is at Shepherd and Westheimer.

For those out north I can remember a little country dealership in Tomball that was on the corner of 249 and 2920. It was a tiny old country showroom that would only fit one car on the showroom floor! I think it was a Pontiac dealership, it is probably still in business out there in a new big showroom.

I talked to my realtor about it yesterday. He was over looking at the exterior of it a couple months ago when the listing agent called him and told him it was sold so neither he nor I ever went inside. We're planning on looking at it in the next few days. I want to see for myself what "lots of work needed" is.

I was only in it once. If I remember correctly it appears the roof had been "let go" before the latest one was put on there with signs of old water leak damage. I think there may have been signs of foundation work needed. Plumbing, electric, HVAC, appliances, etc all appeared to be on their last leg. The house was laid out in an "H" shape, with a courtyard entry that had floor to ceiling glass overlooking a back courtyard. A fireplace divided the front living area from the den and the kitchen/breakfast area was at the rear. bedrooms down the other side with the master at the rear. The back had a lot of glass looking into the rear courtyard.

If you google around, you can find various stuff on the old Sears house plans.

A house flipper had it under contract but the deal did not go through. They were planning on trying to do an appropriate renovation on it. Those are truly rare. The house needs a ton of work, but is a nice design. I was in it once.

Thanks for posting the picture. This doesn't appear to be an architecturally significant house, praise be.

I sort of remember that one, I don't think it was anything special particularly. Thank goodness!

I grew up on 1960 and while I consider it a "newer" part of town (relatively speaking), when I start to tally up all the stores that are no longer there, damn it makes me feel old!

Louis Shanks at 45 & 1960 was a Suniland (originally Randalls had that location)

Kuykendahl and 1960 was home to a variety of now de-funked places, Woolco, Safeway, K-mart, Weiners, and a politically incorrect coffee shop named "Sambo's."

North Oaks was an actual mall, only the portion with the movie theatre in it remains, if even that is still there. There was a home improvement store across Breck street on the west end of the center called Handy-Andy.

Champions Village 3 had a Sakowitz & Wilson's. Storehouse was across the street (later became a Rice Epicurean, and now I think a container store) and an unfinished furniture store called Furniture in the raw was next to Pier 1.

When you went past Champions there was an 84 Lumber by the tracks, no Willowbrook Mall back then.

These are copies of copies, so I don't know how clear they will come out. I think it is from around 1940

I need to look through some folders, but I think I may have an old newspaper clipping on this one. I have one about a house with octagon shaped room(s) over on S. Braeswood. I think this may be it.

I showed this house. It is huge, over 4000 sq ft I think. You can tell it was incredible when new. It is currently pretty much a train wreck & will need LOTS of work. The den downstairs is full of mold. The garage roof is flat and caving in on one spot, water is pooling there and dripping in at a steady pace. The "point" you see on the second floor in the front seems to have a bit of a sink in it. The finishes/cosmetics are questionable in a lot of places. But you also have stone walls in the dining room lots of vaulted ceilings, etc. Architecturally it is a very interesting house.

I had a house in the 6th ward that dated to 1862, so I guess it is possible.

George's Italian on Park Place.

Dot or Kelly's for good "home-cooking" type food.

Taqueria Del Sol at 45 & Park Place.

Naomi's tacos on Park Place also got a very favorable write up from Allison Cook, so I heard. (although Stolitx and a few others swear by the green taco truck on Bellfort between 45 & Broadway).

Tel-Wink & Franks on Telephone make a good breakfast.

Pappas seafood is all over town, so you know what to expect. I haven't tried Bonnie's steak & seafood place.

I read in 002 that Bohemio's is serving food now, but again I have not tried that.

People swear by the Thai at Kanonwan (sp?) and the chinese at 888. District 7 is also good.

The Dinner Belch, I mean Dinner Bell has a great bakery. The food is basic, but decent and cheap. Skip the desert section on the serving line and buy something in the bakery when you check out.

It's been discussed at length here.

Keep in mind, if you're frequent to HAIF, there probably isn't much "hidden" anywhere in this city.

To most of Houston, Westbury is hidden as far as potential and what's going on there in terms of real estate. I bet most of Houston has no clue where Westbury is.

True enough "city-wide" but I would have thought within the readership of the Houston Press that people would have known about it, but that could be a very wrong assumption.

I met Jon Schwartz at a party last night and he did say they are coming out with a DVD of the documentary very soon. He mentioned something about selling it through MFA.

Okay, I'm glad it wasn't just me. It seems like the Press doesn't want to tell their readership anything they didn't already know in this category. I think last year or year before they picked the 6th ward. Again, great area but hardly what I would describe as hidden. They never seem to exactly "go out on a limb" with their selections. I also think "hidden" implies somewhat "undiscovered" with pricing that reflects that. Especially in sections 1 & 2 of Westbury and the northern parts of Parkwest prices would definitely indicate the area has been "discovered" already. I think the Press is about 3 or 4 years late on this for Westbury, it has graduated beyond that status IMO. It is still good press for the area anyway.

I did notice Westbury ranked in two other categories, Westbury Square for best ruins, and the Cozy Corner for something.

Does anyone else find this kitchen laughably hideous?

Its another example of how you always lose when you "fight the house" style wise. Its a ranch, not a Tuscan villa!

Some people think Houston has way too many trees. Visitors from the West tell me they get claustrophobia in Houston because they can't see the sky when they are in the neighborhoods. They like open spaces with big sky.

Before 4427 Firestone Drive

Home buyers in other areas seek out vintage kitchens and will pay extra for original

countertops like these.

Before 4427 Firestone Drive

After..."Custom-Ordered Cabinetry"...Now that's a-shame...Not only is it uninteresting

and inappropriate, but it seems like a waste of $5,000.00.

Lets buy a neat 1950s style house with a sterile generic kitchen!

They took something interesting and unique and instead of playing on it, stripped the house of its character in a poor attempt to make it look like a new construction.

"....all the charm of the period retained." I don't think so!

It's a definite addition... it was slapped on there about 2-3 years ago.

heavy emphasis on "slapped"

I don't like the roofline at all.

flipper

I bet it isn't original. Probably started out a flat roof house that someone decided to "improve."

I noticed the Flatow, Moore... house on South Macgregor in Riverside Terrace is for sale. Hopefully they won't tear that one down. It's in the Architecture guide.

Is that the one on "the list" on Houston Mod? On the bayou-side of Macgregor? It backs up to a small apartment complex, which is what makes that one a tough sell.

I am still sick over the one they tore down on Roseneath right around the corner.

this house was put on the last updates on the Houston Mod website, "available mod properties" list. There were a couple of interesting ones that popped up this last go around.

I checked with Ben Koush, Houston Mod President. He didn't have any info on him either.