Vertigo58

HEB or Kroger would be awesome and could eliminate another surface parking lot.

I say HEB because there aren't m(any?) inside the loop. Buffalo Spdwy isn't open yet.

Goy my red card yesterday and posted same alert under East End Forum

Wonder how many of you in the Near East End got a red card in the mail yesterday?

Came from Downtown District.

Here is what it says:

Do you want a Downtown Grocery Store?

Please go to www.houstondowntown.com to fill out the DT grocery survey. It only takes 5 minutes - we're listening!

**This survey will be LIVE through April 26, 2009**

Says to tell your friends and neighbors!

Go for it!

Only due to the present construction at 45/Wayside were we forced to go down MLK the other day.

Just before you get to where Palm Center once stood were once numerous old dilapidated apts, they were directly across from Church of the Black Madonnna & Community Center.

KIPP Academy has started construction on a new facility there.

After passing by the old Palm Center you can hardly tell it even existed there. Strange what time can do.

Pierce Ave @ Jackson, looking Northwest. (from Houston Freeways)

Now that is a very rare glimpse to the past! Check out the stop lights. I can only imagine what stories the former tenants could tell of their business's and homes in that now gone district.

and yes, Pierce elevated was in a bad deteriorating state hence the complete makeover in 97. Tks all!

More Houston mysteries solved at last.

The Pierce Elevated was built between 1964 and 1967. Don't have any names of the places that were torn down though. The Houston Freeways eBook should have a pic of the stretch of Pierce before the freeway plowed through.

WOW, WOW, WOW Thank you for a most rare photo!

This pic is taken facing EAST. You can see Sacred Heart Church on left then St Joseph right after. Then if you note that building on right at top of pic it was always used as an admin office building. That was where my dentist (Mr Garza) had his office circa 1967-70. That building was considered state-of-the-art modern for its time. However, had they known the city would boom they would have placed all of these buildings farther apart. Was it 1999 when they tore the whole thing down and redid? It was a nightmare and seemed to take forever to complete. Sadly as we all know even though we redid the whole stretch, its still piles up daily.

Thanks for the trip back in time, I miss my old dentist poor man has long since passed on. He was very kind to us kiddoes always had lollipops for us. Kind of crazy right? Take care of your teeth brochure as you exited then gave you a lollipop?

Nice! It could be so nice!

I like the style (although we can't see all of it) and that tall fence was a very smart idea. Too bad cant use barbed wire or electric fence.

and yes look oddly out of place here but so do most new town homes that are or were sprouting up around here. I prefer that new modern look compared to some of the too far gone dilapidated structures that are presently here.

How will they ever sell these?

I guess if no one complains about the roosters waking them up then nothing will happen.

Here come the deed restrictions question again. It's the poor fouls that end up dying when dogs get a hold of them. Maybe they can film a Chick Fil-fil-A commercial?

Idylwood's dues are non-voluntary, and like most other older neighborhoods, it struggles to keep enough cash in the bank to fight deed restriction violations.

And deed restrictions on paper are all well and good, but unless you have an active civic club willing to go after violators, then those restrictions aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

Very true, in fact the one or two signs I noticed near Lawndale were hardly noticeable. You have to peer behind the overgrown tree branches that block em out. That means at night they are invisible and thats when most hoods go to work.

We were on a friends patio in CC Place the other weekend, and noticed door to door bible salespeople in Mormon attire now that was shocking! Even had two childen with them. Had to rub my eyes! Talk about brave. Drive around CC Place and see how it appears as a movie studio backlot for a 1940's era film then go to the back where those sleazy Fair Oaks Apts start and its a living hell hole. Thats a whole other Crater Houston/crime ridden topic. Cc place has my condolences as with the rest of this area. If you did a online check of where predators/ex convicts live, BINGO! they are all there! Unfortunately, was told recently there are no plans to bullldoze but to renovate them. Now convicts get to live even more comfortably then continue the pillaging. Oy vey.

Hi OutFieldDan. I am with the Sunset Heights civic club ( http://sunsetheightshouston.org) and we just got our citizen patrols kicked off this month. We currently only have 15 volunteers and it would nice if we got the word out to get more. All volunteers are trained by HPD on how to look for suspicious activity and call it in. Two of the volunteers live around the park and try to keep an eye on it. I also make the park the beginning and ending of my patrols. It is going to take a lot of us from the neighborhood to take things back. I have lived here since 1998 and things are much better than back then. The neighborhood was much more transitional back then. However, crime and suspicious activity at the park has gotten worse in the last year. That was one of the reasons I got into the citizen patrol program. Getting all the paper work done and getting enough people trained and approved by HPD has taken 5 months.

Back in Feburary I saw a fairly big bust done by HPD at the park. They got around 4 guys and tow trucks took the cars off. Near the end of March I saw another arrest at the park. If that activity can continue then I think the bad element will start to get the message.

Yes, the next civic club meeting is April 30th.

Everyone truly needs to ban together. I used to work in those same exact areas and seldom saw frkg graffiti.

My dream would be for all of the nabes within close proximity to meet and discuss ideas and strategies to "put the fire out before it spreads" We are on the Near East side of downtown & see this bad wave approaching. HPD is so up to thier necks with this same problem "THEY NEED HELP". Some of you long time residents may recall back in early 80's we had "Neighborhood on Patrol". This was a very similar idea that worked quite well. Volunteers would take turns on certain days just slowly cruising around & reporting suspicious activity. Perhaps I can round up others from around my area & join in on the meeting, we have had it too trust me!

Remember though, city says we must have low income apt housing in all nabes. Talk about counter productive. The Heights has always been sprinkled with bad apt complex's then there is the run down Near NorthSide...thats a whole other enchilada.

Received email @ Super Neighborhood regarding legislation on reinstating expired Deed Restrictions. Anyone have updates on East End, with Sunnylan[d] in particular? Thanks for updating.

Best to contact East End Chamber of Commerce, Super Neighborhood orgs, etc. I know Idylwood has always done a great job about reinforcing all the rules. If I'm not mistaken, residents have to pay $ (dues) for this? or maybe not but some other areas of the city do.

Here is more major trivia or mysteries I need solved.

Can anyone list any or most of the structures that once stood where the present Pierce elevated now stands???

Imagine what awesome homes/business's once stood there?

and I am talking all along Pierce like starting as soon you drive into downtown East to West. Surely some local historians can fill us in?

Can anyone state the year that 45 overpass frwy was placed there may be a better question? and list any notable structures that had to go "In the name of progress", grrrrrr.

Let's organize a neighborhood walk outing around that park. We did it over here in East Sunset Heights a couple of times. John, the Sunset Heights Association president can send out an email to the neighborhood and post it on the website to meet there at a certain day and time and we can come and make ourselves very known. It doesn't mean being mean or rude to these guys, we just want to outweigh the bad with good. If we do it regularly enough, while rotating days, it may get rid of them. I will get some ESH folks to join including myself. I will contact John and ask him what he thinks and post here. Are you an association member?

Fantastic idea! Request HPD surveillance if at all possible too. Be persisitant.

This thug activity is increasing all over, its an epidemic and wait until school lets out. Media or officials downplay the reality at hand. Can we buy rocket launchers? Serious

Received email @ Super Neighborhood regarding legislation on reinstating expired Deed Restrictions. Anyone have updates on East End, with Sunnylan[d] in particular? Thanks for updating.

That would be a dream come true. I found it perplexing that Country Club Place just down the street has signs posted all around. Thats probably why the area looks pristine compared to Sunnyland. If they reinstate most of the neighborhhood wb a ghost town. Now thats a real dream come true.

But to answer the question, nothing on this side of the tracks yet. Seems a mailer would be the easiest way to pass along that info.

That was magnificent! I always wanted to do those things as a kid.

Now, let's follow the same process with all on the Houston Crater List shall we? lol

Like JJ Walker used to shout "Dyno - mite!"

Was this the old Holiday Inn at I-45 and Telephone?

No sir, that was totally removed years ago and was located at 45 and Wayside (I used to work there as a teen).

The dump that collapsed was located at Griggs /45 right across the bridge from that sleazy, dive, Sappy Days Bar.

and I also am gratefully sorry that some had to pay the ultimate price at the cost of saving $.

Ambulance chasers, where art though?

You mean there was an announcement asking for $ to build it up?

I wonder if there is a paid staff or does city do upkeep?

Just answered my own question!

www.houstonparksboard.org

is where to find info...

I knew that would happen. That wreck of a place was ruined and weakend after Ike, correct. Anyone could see how bad it had got.

Imagine, they were going to have seniors living in low rent living here?

As noted in another topic months ago, this cheesy motel was built around 1982 then went into steady decline during the 80's. Quickly became a low down haven for the ever-so-near, Telephone Road red light crowd (to put it lightly) then really hit the skids circa 1990. Must be in Crater Houston section. MUST.

(Forest Park Lawndale Cemetary, if you are reading this Please Buy This Property and make ready for burial plots) Its all for the best.

Smell lawsuits anyone?

Does anybody remember that gigantic white Greek revival house with the doric columns on Fannin Street, I want to say near McGowen (now "mid town")? It was across the street from the MHMRA building. For years it was a cleaners, then it was demolished...in the late '90s I think. In the same block was an old one-story brick building that was occasionally used as a haunted house...It's been an empty lot ever since.

Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!

In another topic someone said they had found piles of old negatives & film .... later tossed in trash. (cursing under breath)

There is a streamline moderne house in Idylwood (sits on N. MacGregor Way) that looks very similar to that Houck house.

Your exactly right Nena! I almost flipped backwards in my chair when I saw that picture and was yelling out loud.....

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!

So the twin home is still alive and well in Idylwood (for now anyway). The homes in that specific section look like they could film period movies from the 1930's or 40's, no joke.

We always called the corner one the Bette Davis house since it looked like one she would have lived in it.

I made a donation to GWGC and still nothing...come on' now. What's the hold up?

You mean there was an announcement asking for $ to build it up?

I wonder if there is a paid staff or does city do upkeep?

We discussed and described the original clubhouse in great detail with pics too. It was awesome.

I personally would build one at least 4 - 5 levels high. Best views all around and swankiest events booked for years!

The numerous gas stations that once lined the very starting point of Telephone Road. 700 block all the way to Gulf frwy 45.

At least 4 - 5 were closed then torn down or converted to junky business's and left all of this little village without. These were so very convenient.

Already worshiping this project from a distance!

Gotta slap myself, I think I'm in Pacific Palisades or Santa Monica, Ca ! What!? Yeah!

Unless I missed any updates? Two questions:

1. Does anyone know if this new Clubhouse facility was just talk or will it ever come into fruition?

2. Has anyone played gold here lately?

I sure would love create a contest for whomever can design the neatest (most practical) Club House on this golf course?

Would you design in Spanish Hacienda style or Italian Renaissance, or whatever. You get the gist of it.

This great event returns for the 4th year!

April 30 is grand kick off party!

http://www.mfah.org/latinwave/films.asp