Subdude

Dora Lantrip Elementary School at 100 Telephone Road will receive an extensive makeover as part of Houston Independent School District

Surprising to see this is still on, especially given the current downtown hotel glut. It was first announced a couple of years ago but not a word since. Good news in any event.

This from GHPA: Wrecking crews began demolishing historic Blessed Sacrament School late Monday afternoon. Although some salvage work was done, most of the building materials, including tons of historic brick donated by the Brady family in 1910, will become part of the approximately 19.5 million cubic feet of building materials sent to Houston landfills every year. GHPA would like to thank all of the preservation supporters who contacted the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to oppose the demolition of this local landmark. We especially want to thank volunteer Ray Jones for his tireless effort on this project. Thanks also to Houston Chronicle design reporter Deborah Mann Lake for bringing this story to a wider audience. The loss of Blessed Sacrament School further demonstrates the need for better public policy to protect our architectural and cultural heritage. As members of GHPA, you can help by discussing these issues and educating those around you. Until Houston has a critical mass of citizens who appreciate the importance of our shared heritage, we will continue to lose irreplaceable historic resources.

But wait, there's more! A favorite around here, the West Building Fannin School Downtown High School St. Agnes Academy (now the site of Ventana Apartments) Lumberman's National Bank, Main St. South Texas National Bank, Main St. Houston Post Building, Texas at Milam Macatee Hotel, adjacent to Southern Pacific Station Milby Hotel, Texas at Travis Waddell Furniture, Fannin Enjoy.

OK some more. Btw, the 1920 downtown postcard was taken from the location of today's City Hall. Quite a change. Central Christian Church, Main St. Central Fire Station County Courthouse City Hall Annex, Market Square Louisiana Street side Carnegie Library, McKinney St. Downtown Synagogue Main Post Office, Franklin and Fannin Stewart Building, Fannin Medical Arts Building

Love the cafe noir idea, dbigtex! Maybe add some "Postman Always Rings Twice" effects, like a blinking neon sign outside.

Article in today's Chronicle: Aug. 31, 2004, 12:08AM Ideas filling vacant block Some see park, others see urban oasis in Midtown By MIKE SNYDER Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Like a blank canvas, a long strip of prime real estate lies vacant in the heart of Midtown while planners, developers and community leaders debate its future. The company that owns most of the property has unspecified plans to build a mixed-use project combining shops, apartments and other components. A few self-described dreamers, however, cling to hopes of using at least part of the site for a park they say would enhance life for Midtown's growing population. Despite the competing visions for the property, there is broad agreement that decisions about its use and design will have enormous influence over the shape of development throughout the surrounding neighborhood. "It's the centerpiece of the overall Midtown development," said Charles LeBlanc, the executive director of the Midtown Redevelopment Authority. Interest in what happens in Midtown extends beyond the people who live and work there. Because of its location near downtown, proximity to Metro's light rail line and extensive vacant property, architects and planners say the neighborhood represents Houston's best opportunity for urban-style development where people can walk among homes, offices, restaurants and shops. The 270,000-square-foot site, known in Midtown as the "superblock," is uninterrupted by cross streets and is vacant except for a small strip center on one corner. A Metro rail stop at McGowen, on the northern end of the property, would provide transit riders with convenient access to whatever is built on the site. Last year, David Crossley, the president of the nonprofit Gulf Coast Institute, proposed that the superblock be used for a park, possibly with a parking garage beneath it. Crossley and others who embraced his idea said the park would be an enormous long-term asset to the neighborhood. "The area would double in value," said Dan Barnum, an architect and board member of the Midtown Management District. Supporters drew up a preliminary design for the park and gave it a name: McGowen Green. They estimated costs of $12 million for the land and $65 million to build the park and underground garage. High costs may shrink park Leaders of the city-chartered Midtown Redevelopment Authority, which owned most of the superblock when the park proposal surfaced, said using the entire site for a park was impractical because of the high cost. The authority began conveying the land to Camden Property Trust through sales and land swaps several years ago after choosing the firm's submission from several proposals for development of the property. "I think everyone would agree it would be wonderful to have a park with urban, high-rise development surrounding it," said Robert Sellingsloh, the authority's board chairman. But he said the most likely use of the property is a mixed-use development surrounding a park of undetermined size on land that the authority would retain. Funding up against time Ed Wulfe, chair of the Main Street Coalition, which is overseeing redevelopment along the Main Street corridor, said he is looking for money from foundations or other sources to help develop a park on the site. Wulfe said Houston's apartment market is "moderately soft," giving park backers six to nine months to try to raise money before the developer starts construction. Ric Campo, the chief executive officer of Camden Property Trust, which owns about 60 percent of the property, said the company does not expect to begin work on its project until next year. The redevelopment authority owns most of the rest of the property, but Sellingsloh said he expects Camden ultimately to acquire all but a small part of the site. Vision not becoming reality Campo said he envisions a six- or seven-story project, perhaps with apartments over shops. The project also might include a public facility such as a library or museum, Campo said. "We're working on a conceptual design and working on costs," Campo said. The debate over the best use of the superblock underscores an ongoing discussion about the form of new development in Midtown. A number of architects and planners say recent projects have been designed in suburban styles inconsistent with the vision of an urban, pedestrian-oriented neighborhood promoted on the redevelopment authority's Web site. The most prominent example, they say, is a store at Gray and Bagby designed with a large parking lot in front. Midtown leaders' efforts to persuade the company to change the design were mostly unsuccessful. "So far, much of the redevelopment of Midtown has been a great disappointment," said Houston architect Larry Albert, who recently helped organize a design competition for a hypothetical mixed-use project in Midtown. Building for 'creative class' Guy Hagstette, Mayor Bill White's special assistant for urban design, said plenty of opportunities still exist to create an urban environment in Midtown. Supporters say such designs

The Brazos Hotel was located across from the Southern Pacific railroad station between Washington and Buffalo Bayou. It was considered one of the nicest hotels in the city, not only for the quality of the accomodations, but for the restaurant (which you have shown). There was also an outdoor dining area in the back called Brazos Court. Famous guests at the hotel included Sarah Bernhardt and Presidents Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. The hotel was demolished in 1931 to make room for construction of a new, larger Southern Pacific terminal. At that time developer George Hermann bought and remodeled a building at 608 Preston at Smith to recreate the Brazos, even moving the stained glass and fixtures to the new location. The new location was never a success, however. The second Brazos Hotel building was razed in 1980.

It is a bit dated, but I like Wells Fargo more than its contemporaries (e.g. Chase Tower). The design in plan is two offset quarter-circles, although it is often said to be based on a dollar sign. While it lends some visual interest to the exterior, the shape to me makes the interior spaces a bit awkward.