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View this email in your browser November Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, November 6, 2016, for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. Please help us find new preservation-minded owners for these vintage modern/contemporary houses located in the Tanglewood and Memorial areas of Houston, about 7 miles west of downtown. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. Save the date for the next MODern Market on April 21-23, 2017 922 Boros Drive, Inverness, Hunters Creek Village, Texas, 77024 HAR Link | Google Map This nifty vintage contemporary style house contains a treasure trove of sought after mod details starting with a rare translucent fiberglass front door and leading through to the glamorous swimming pool and terrace complete with outdoor wet bar and gas-fired tiki torches. The flowing living areas surround a large and open high ceilinged kitchen still with original arrangement and cabinetry. The breakfast room has an original wall mural, metal screen space dividers, planter box and likely a Higgins glass Rondelay window screen. Many other delightful vintage features complete the scene. Houston Mod publications make excellent gifts and will be available at this location on Sunday. 7 Buffalo Ridge Circle, Indian Trail, Houston, Texas, 77056 HAR Link | Google Map Architect Ralph Anderson designed this AIA award winning house in 1978 for fellow Rice architecture alum David Chapman and wife Erminie Chambers. Anderson (1923-1990), joined the prominent architecture firm of Wilson, Morris & Crain in 1947 and became a partner in 1952. His other projects include the Astrodome, Houston Post Building, and the endangered Frank Erwin Center. The design for the Chapman house provides numerous decks and walls of glass making the most of the lush wooded ravine setting. Additional features include art display walls, dramatic sloped ceilings, sky roofs, lofts, catering area, and a motor court, all magnificently maintained. It's Member November! Houston Mod is only able to fulfill our mission as Houston's modern architecture and design preservation advocacy group through the generous support of our members. Member November is the best time to renew or sign up for a Houston Mod membership. Purchasing a membership is a a snap at our new online Houston Mod Square Shop. If you are unsure if your membership has expired, please use the link below to email us. Join in November to insure your invitation to the Houston Mod Annual Member Holiday Party and news about other exciting upcoming member-only events and offers. Houston Mod Square Shop | Email Houston Mod

September Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, September 18, 2016 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 1:30 - 3:30 PM. Please join us to help find a new preservation-minded owner for this vintage contemporary home in the Woodside subdivision of Houston, located about 6 miles southwest of downtown. Note that the usual event time has been adjusted to allow for attendance of an architecture talk by Stephen Fox at 4 PM, further details below. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. Save the date for the next MODern Market on April 21 - 23, 2017! 3730 Sun Valley Drive, Woodside, Houston, TX 77025 Before After The theme of September's Mod of the Month is Before & After. This house was also Mod of the Month in July 2015 when it was being sold by the original owner in worn, but almost original condition. Come see how it has escaped demolition and been restored and renovated with care for the original design and character. Architect James Womack designed the striking butterfly-roofed house in 1955. Womack was a 1950 graduate of the University of Houston College of Architecture. He became a registered architect in 1950 and designed structures located throughout Houston including Meyerland, Glenbrook Valley, and Meadowcreek Village. He worked with architect John Phenix. HAR Link Other News & Events "Constructing Jewish Houston" Talk By Stephen Fox Follow up the Houston Mod of the Month event on Sunday, September 18 at 4 PM, with a lecture by architectural historian and Master Mod Stephen Fox on works of architecture associated with Houston's Jewish community. The talk will pose the question: how have these buildings and sites contributed to Houston's emergence as a major U.S. city? The lecture is part of the 8th Annual Rice University Jewish Studies Lecture Series presented in partnership with the Bobbi and Vic Samuels Center for Jewish Living and will be at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center located at 5601 S Braeswood Blvd. Tickets available online for $10 for the general public. Mecom Fountain Restored By Friends! Thanks to the Friends of the Fountain, the Mecom Fountain has been restored to its 1964, Eugene Werlin design. The Friends, led by Pheobe Tudor and Bill Baldwin, hosted a Ribbon Cutting event last week, celebrating the restoration. Mayor Sylvester Turner spoke to the crowd on the importance of preserving our past. The group raised well over the $60,000 goal to reverse inappropriate alterations to the protected city landmark that began earlier this year. Surplus funds from the crowd-sourced campaign allowed for completion of the original scope to remove limestone panels and patch holes, as well as additional work to re-coat the bowls to original specifications, replace lights, and install a chlorination system. Well done, Friends! Houston To Host Nation's Preservationists The National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual conference, Past Forward, will be held in Houston, November 15-18, 2016. Attendees will explore how preservation can play a greater role in securing healthier, more sustainable and just cities through educational programming, field studies, and special events throughout the city. Click here to view a promotional video created by the Trust showcasing Houston. Visit the Past Forward website to learn more or register. Stay tuned for info on special ticket availability to the Candlelight House Tour for Houston Mod members. One last Before & After look at Sunday's Mod of the Month: Before After _________________________________________ Do you shop at Amazon.com? Donate a small percentage of your purchases at no cost to you by adding Houston Mod as your charitable organization of choice at Amazon Smile. Join the Houston Mod Facebook Page and Houston Mod Discussion Forum for more mod-minded fun. Support future Houston Mod events by becoming a member. Houston Mod publications will be available at the Mod of the Month event. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

4955 Heatherglen has been demolished as well. There isn't a thing left on the lot but bare soil. Even the swimming pool, which was at the back edge of the lot, is gone. The house made a big contribution to the mid-century appeal of that block.

It could have become a Pricebusters briefly after Eagle. I didn't consider those major brands and did not pay much attention to them. It was a flea market for a short time as well, after the long period of being vacant. The 99.9 cent only store came soon after the flea market. The building was completely renovated for the dollar store. Is it the lack of visibility that has caused this to property to have not been more successful? The center at 2600 Gessner sat vacant for many years as well. The shell was built about 1969 but the store fronts never installed for about a decade or more. The center where HEB is now located at the SW corner of Gessner at Kempwood also had a difficult start. A major grocery store was partially constructed then left incomplete for many years. It may have been a Handy Andy and the center was going to be similar to another built at Gessner and the SW Freeway.

Yes, this building was an Eagle grocery store in the 1970's similar to their location on San Felipe where the Briargrove Pharmacy is now located. Then the building was vacant for many years after Eagle closed. It just sat there abandoned and derelict. In front of the Eagle store, there was a spray-it-yourself car wash that was demolished just a few years ago so the Auto Zone could be built. That is fairly new building. The new super-sized store will be Auto Zone's third location in this block. The Eagle store had a giant tall sign you could see from Longpoint, miles away. But it never had much business. The shopping center directly across the street originally only consisted of two large stores. One was Rice Food Market which later became Gerland's Food Fair then it was a linen outlet and now it is a thrift store. The building next door with the great natural river stone wall was a large for the time Madings drug store. Then it became Fernie's Art Center and later it became an Auto Zone. Now it is a modern furniture store. The smaller stores to the sides were added in the late 1970's.

June Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, June 26, 2016 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. This month's event takes place in the Memorial area of west Houston, located about 11 miles west of downtown. Let's help find a new preservation-minded owner for this vintage modern house. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. Save the date for the next MODern Market on April 21-23, 2017! 12430 Perthshire Road, Memorial Hollow, Houston, Texas 77024 A double door court yard entry sets the tone for this early 1960s contemporary home situated in a beautiful wooded Memorial area neighborhood. Other much desired modern aspects such as walls of plate glass, a special low slope roof, double carport, solar brick screen wall, and a louvered canopy complete the mod scene. The area has sought after schools as well as a number of architect designed houses. HAR Link Other News & Events Shipley's photo by Rocio Carlon Studios; Wolf's photo by Peter Molick Photography Houston: Uncommon Modern Wins National Award! The Houston: Uncommon Modern project has won a Modernism in America Award! The annual award program by Docomomo US has announced 10 exemplary projects to be honored this year from across the country that raise awareness of the importance of architecture, landscapes and typologies of postwar society in the United States. The co-curators, Anna Mod (Houston Mod co-founder) and Delaney Harris-Finch (Houston Mod board member), will receive the Survey/Inventory Citation of Merit award at a ceremony on September 22, 2016 in New York City. Houston Mod is pleased to be associated with the Modernism in America Awards program for the third year in a row! Last year, Save The Dome (a coalition of Preservation Houston, National Trust for Historic Preservation, AIA Houston, Houston Arts & Media and Houston Mod) received the Advocacy Award of Excellence for the public education effort to save the Astrodome. Two years ago, the inaugural presentation of the Modernism in America Awards program was hosted in Houston at the Docomomo US National Symposium in the sanctuary of the downtown First Church of Christ, Scientist. There are plans underway for the Houston: Uncommon Modern exhibit to be displayed elsewhere in Texas in the near future - details to follow. The exhibit catalog will be available at this Sunday's Mod of the Month event along with other Houston Mod publications. _____________________________________________________ Do you shop on Amazon.com? Donate a small percentage of your purchases at no cost to you by adding Houston Mod as your charitable organization of choice at Amazon Smile. Join the Houston Mod Facebook Page and Houston Mod Discussion Forum for more mod-minded fun. Support future Houston Mod events by becoming a member. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

5239 Loch Lomond will be open again on Feb. 21, 3-5 PM. We learned both sellers are UH College of Architecture graduates.

The address of the Heatherglen Drive house is actually 4955. The agent of this one said it will be fine to walk the lot and look through the windows today during the event from 2-4 PM. We hope to see you-all at Mod of the Month! And come see us Monday at AIA for the Uncommon Modern book release.

February Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, February 14, 2016 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2-4 PM. The focus on finding new preservation-minded owners for Meyerland's vintage modern houses continues. Sunday's event takes place in Meyerland, located about eight miles southwest of downtown Houston. Meyerland has a large concentration of some of Houston's best mid-century modern architecture. Many properties there are now in need of new preservation-minded owners, some due to the weather-related damages suffered last May. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 5239 Loch Lomond Drive, Meyerland, Houston, Texas 77096 Architect Herb Ulbricht designed this mostly flat roofed modern house for his family in the mid-1960s. The public rooms are organized around a now enclosed atrium with floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that allow free flow and views of the geometrically arranged private yard with swimming pool. Spaces are gallery-like with natural wood ceilings supported by wood beams. Expansive walls provide abundant art display possibilities. Flexible bedroom arrangements give optional uses such as a game room and/or studio. Herbert H. Ulbricht was born in Lockhart in 1923 and graduated from the University of Texas in 1949. He became a registered architect in Texas in 1952. He was a partner of Stayton Nunn and his son, Stayton Nunn, Jr., from 1957-1960, when he designed the William Bates house (1957) located at 210 Pine Hollow Lane. In 1960, he opened his own firm where he designed Anson Jones Elementary School (1967), Long Point National Bank (1967), and Northwest Savings Building (1969). He and his wife Martha, daughter of Stayton Nunn, live in Austin today. Mr. Ulbricht is in the process of sending Houston Mod more information about his career. HAR Link More Meyerland Mods to See Drive by these nearby houses also listed and in need of new preservation-minded owners: 5127 Glenmeadow Dr. 5111 Contour Pl. 4935 Heatherglen Dr. 4803 Imogene St. 9619 Cedarhurst Dr. Lucian Hood Jr.,architect Click for Map of all 6 properties Other News & Events Photo by Flickr member Niels van Eck Mecom Fountain The historic Mecom Fountain at Herman Park is currently undergoing renovations as part of a delayed TxDOT Grand Gateway project. Houston Mod has expressed concerns over the appropriateness of the alterations to the 1964 fountain designed by Eugene Werlin. Learn more in Lisa Gray's Houston Chronicle article, followup article, and a KHOU news report. Photo by Rocio Carlon Studios Houston: Uncommon Modern Join Houston Mod and AIA Houston at the closing celebration for the Houston: Uncommon Modern exhibit, including a panel discussion and release of the exhibit catalog. Monday, February 15 at 5:30 PM. For more info visit the Facebook event page. Do you shop on Amazon.com? Donate a small percentage of your purchases at no cost to you by adding Houston Mod as your charitable organization of choice at Amazon Smile. Join the Houston Mod Facebook Page and Houston Mod Discussion Forum for more mod-minded fun. Support future Houston Mod events by becoming a member. We hope to see you Sunday and Monday!

Jason Smith will be at the Cliffwood house 3-4 PM today and can sign his book about architect William Jenkins. The book has an excellent chapter about the Cliffwood house as well as many others.

October Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, October 11, 2015, for a Mod of the Month open house event from 3-5 PM. Help find new preservation-minded owners for these two two fantastic architect designed houses. One is located in River Oaks, about 2 miles west of downtown Houston, and another in Willow Meadows, about 8 miles southwest of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 2 Tiel Way, Houston, Texas 77019 The organic concepts of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright inspired this magnificent original owner house situated on one of Houston's most picturesque streets. Architects Frederick MacKie (1905-1984) and Karl Kamrath (1911-1988), both graduates of the University of Texas, designed this house for the A. J. Ballantyne family in 1958. It was built in 1961 on two wooded ravine-front lots next to Kamrath's own house. Kamrath was so inspired by Wright that he based his career on Wright's concepts, eventually leading to several meetings and a friendship with Mr. Wright. Kamrath's designs were popular in making modern design appealing to a wide audience and earned the firm local and national recognition. As do many Wright and Kamrath designs, the front elevation projects a sense of mystery. Transitioning the reduced scale entry, the spaces expand in several directions. The floor elevation descends several steps to the living area while the wood beamed ceiling rises above leading to walls of plate glass viewing broad outdoor living space in the naturalistic setting. A portion of the living area projects out into the ravine. The plan is based on a 6' x 6' grid and incorporates five bedrooms and six baths, a spectacular fireplace, and abundant built-ins and storage space. A swimming pool is located in a terraced area of the over two acre lushly landscaped grounds which were designed and planted by Dr. Ballantyne. HAR Link 10111 Cliffwood Drive, Houston, Texas 77035 Noted modernist architect William R. Jenkins designed this beautiful prominently sited mid-century modern house in 1956 for the Weintraub family. The cross-axial floor plan displays great clarity and provides all rooms light and openness. Having had only two thoughtful owners, the house maintains most of its architect-intended details including the terrific kitchen, hardwood floors, bathrooms opening to private gardens, exciting mod light fixtures, and even the original built-in television set. The current owners received a Houston Mod Preservation Award for their careful maintenance of the house in 2009. More detailed information can be found in the Houston Mod publication by Jason Smith entitled High Style in the Suburbs: The Early Modern Houses of William R. Jenkins which will be available, along with other Houston Mod publications, at Sunday's event. William Jenkins (1925-1989) graduated from the University of Houston in 1951 where he learned from talented instructors including Donald Barthelme and Howard Barnstone. Early in his career, he worked with William Floyd and Harwood Taylor. He taught architecture at UH beginning in 1956 and earned his master of architecture degree in 1966 from Texas A & M University. With William Hoff, he designed important buildings such as the Park IV and V apartment towers, the Hillcroft Professional Building, and many others. Jenkins served as the Dean of the UH College of Architecture from 1969 to 1988. HAR Link Other News & Events Saturday October 10th: Uncommon Modern Bus Tour Hop on the bus with Houston Mod for an hour long tour of Brookhollow Business Park and celebrate mid-century design on Docomomo US Tour Day. Tickets are $15-$20. Walk-ups will be accepted, however, space is limited. Last Call for Nominations: 2015 Houston Mod Preservation Awards Houston Mod is accepting nominations for the 2015 Houston Mod Preservation Awards through Sunday, October 11th. Click here to nominate individuals or organizations that have made significant efforts to retain, restore, preserve and/or advocate for Houston's modern heritage. It is an exciting Houston Mod weekend! We hope to see you at the Uncommon Modern Tour and Mod of the Month event. Join us at the Houston Mod Discussion Forum and Houston Mod Facebook Page for more mod-minded fun. Support future Houston Mod events by becoming a member. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

September Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us in Galveston this Sunday, September 27, 2015 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2-4 PM. It's Palm Springs on the Island at this month's event featuring two fantastic architect designed houses in Galveston needing new preservation-minded owners. The houses are located about 50 miles southeast of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 43 Cedar Lawn Circle, Galveston, Texas 77551 Frank Sinatra recommended Palm Springs architect E. Stewart Williams to his friend Sam Maceo, Galveston club and casino operator. The result is this landmark modern house, one of the areas most important architectural treasures. Completed in 1951 in Galveston's desirable Cedar Lawn neighborhood, it was intended for Maceo's young family as well as entertaining friends like Sinatra, Bob Hope, George Burns, Peggy Lee, Jimmy Dorsey and Phil Harris among others. The original landscape and interior design plans were completed by nationally prominent designers Garrett Eckbo and T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. The expansive house is centered around an amoeba shaped swimming pool and lush gardens. Over 6,000 square feet of living space includes four to six bedrooms and nine full bathrooms plus one half bathroom. Floors are travertine and flagstone. Cabinetry of American black walnut and birds-eye maple is found in most rooms. The exterior is redwood and brick. The walled lot is over one acre in size. Cedar Lawn subdivision contains a number of important houses and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. HAR Link 4603 Sherman Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77551 Open for the first time, this important house by architect Thomas M. Price is still owned by the family that commissioned and built the house in the late 1950s. Architectural historian Stephen Fox described Price as Galveston's foremost modern architect. Price (1916-1998) was from Virginia and received his master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design where he was instructed by modern masters Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius. Price was involved in early efforts to preserve Galveston's architectural heritage. The Cokins house is ideally situated about a block from the beach yet at one of the island's highest elevations. The composition includes a white brick exterior with signature mod solar panels screening the front facing entry court complete with planter box and goldfish pool. Doors and many windows extend full length floor to ceiling. A contrasting dark brick fireplace divides the living areas. Every detail seems to have been thoughtfully articulated. A restoration of the house is planned. Professor Guy W. Carwile thoroughly discussed Price's Jack Tar Hotel and other work last fall at Houston Modern Market. For further discussion and photos click here. HAR Link Other Events & Updates Saturday, October 10th, 11 AM, 12:30 PM & 2 PM Uncommon Modern Bus Tour - Brookhollow Business Park Join Houston Mod on a tour of Brookhollow Business Park and explore mid and low-rise modern commercial buildings in a lesser known area of Houston. The tour is part of Docomomo US' Tour Day, a nation-wide celebration of mid-century design. Tickets: $15-$20. Call for Nominations 2015 Houston Mod Preservation Awards Deadline: October 11th Houston Mod is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Houston Mod Preservation Awards. Click the link above to nominate individuals or organizations that have made significant efforts to retain, restore, preserve and/or advocate for Houston's modern heritage. We hope to see you at Sunday's Mod of the Month event in Galveston! Houston Mod publications will be available. Please join us at the Houston Mod Discussion Forum and Houston Mod Facebook Page for more mod-minded fun. Support future Mod events by becoming a member of Houston Mod. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal.

I started at Walnut Bend Elementary School in January 1968 after moving from Sharpstown to our new house in Ashford Forest. There was only one school bus serving all of west HISD elementary students at that time. One bus route covered everything from Walnut Bend all the way to Highway 6. It took 40 minutes to get home from a school only 2-3 miles away because of the long route and the lack of roads. The poor old bus (it may have been a 1959 International Harvester model with very rounded shape) was so overcrowded we had three people per seat, enforced by our driver Mr. Jackson, plus people standing in the isle front to back, and more sitting on the steps in front. And there were no hand-holds on the corner of the seats then so people were stumbling and their books falling all the time. We would leave the school, head out to Westheimer. (We would pass the three houses of Lakeside Estates that sat there all alone for several years.) Then down to the first stop on Hayes Rd. (there was no Wilcrest) There were 3-4 old wood frame houses down Hayes Rd. with several Mexican-American children, likely the only ones in the school. Then on west (no Kirkwood) past Dairy-Ashford (no Eldridge) to drop off the only black students in the school that lived next to where the Roquemoore dirt yard was later built. Then on to Hwy 6. (Later we had stops at Briar Village when it was built. One time our bus was flooded out there and we had to get out and push it back to Westheimer.) On Hwy. 6 we turned North and went down past Briar Forest to Westway where we had four or five riders. (One girl's mother had a dark blue with white stripe 68 Camaro Rally Sport with the hidden headlights.) We went down to the end of this gravel road and had a difficult time turning around at the end but we had to turn around to get back on Hwy 6 to go back to Briar Forest. At the corner, where the Chevron is now, there was an old farm house where we dropped off two girls. (Their mother drove a 1952 light green Dodge automobile.) And now the real fun began. Heading east on Briar Forest there was nothing but miles and miles of a rough narrow gravel road it seemed like we would fly down that path kicking up a huge dust trail at great speed. There were two dangerous 90 degree turns where people had been killed in wrecks- we would slide out of our seats to the other side of the bus each way. Briar Bayou was the last stop on the gravel road for 5-6 more children. (The home builder Joel Phillips lived down there and had a swimming pool inside his house.) Then on to Dairy Ashford and back to civilization. Part of the original Briar Forest remains but its now called Goar Road. Our old bus had a wreck one day on the way home from Walnut Bend. There was someone changing a tire on the side of Westheimer and Mr. Jackson swerved to miss him. We ran through the ditch and hit a big old tree in front of an old farm house past Hayes Rd. Mr Jackson's head went through the windshield and blood was everywhere but he was able to get to the back of the bus, which was way off the ground, and see that we jumped out safely onto Westheimer. A lot of the children were injured and people along Westheimer picked them up and drove them home. Most people were hurt from hitting their heads on the back of the seat in front of them which were steel pipe frames across the top and sheet metal backs. (No seatbelts for the driver or students.) A lot of people had teeth knocked out and bloody lips, black eyes and bloody foreheads. No big deal. We had cub scouts that afternoon and these people that picked us up on Westheimer dropped us off for cub scouts in this bruised and bloody condition at the cub scout lady's house. What a surprise for her. We should have done our first aide lesson that day. But no one seemed too concerned. We had a brand new bus with automatic transmission the next day and carried on. There are many other bus tales from the years through Rogers and Lee that are equally memorable. Do you-all remember in front of Walnut Bend school that Briar Forest was built four lanes just like it is now but it was a dead end at the east school property line/ditch and there was no curb cut to drive to the front of the school. Every single car and bus that had to drop off in front of the school had to drive up over the curb and over the median to U turn to get to the west bound lanes. It was fun to sit out in front of school every morning and see all those big bouncy cars making that maneuver in a hurried pace. It remained that way from before 1964 to the early 1970's when the street was completed. People put up with a lot of inconveniences then.

Fedmart Locations from December 1969 Houston White Pages: 2323 Wirt Rd (now Fiesta) 5600 Mykawa Rd (now Fiesta) 4004 Bellaire Blvd (now Whole Foods) 4616 Spencer Hwy (owned by Fed Mart until Dec 1994, became 24hr Fitness, now vacant) All of these locations had a pharmacy. The Wirt Rd location also had a Flower Shop, Barber Shop & Appliance Service Center Globe Shopping City locations for the same year were: Gulfgate- 3030 Woodridge (Demolished?) Sharpstown- 6200 Bellaire Blvd (became Fedmart, now Fiesta) N. Shepherd- 5320 N. Shepherd (rebuilt in 2000 for City of Houston Office of Emergency Management) Eastex Freeway- 10420 Eastex Freeway (became Sak N Sav, Foodland, now a flea market) Pasadena- 1004 E. Southmore (now listed as Office Depot built 1966) Katy & Gessner- 975 Gessner (became Mervin's then demolished for a Memorial City hospital hotel.) All stores had a pharmacy and a grocery store plus an automotive/tire store. All locations except Gessner also had a gasoline station. The Globe credit department was located at 8110 Kempwood.

In the 1960's we lived near the FedMart in Bellaire but would occasionally drive to the much larger one at 2323 Wirt Road. I can remember it being very busy and my mother saying she wasn't ever going back there as we left. The membership fee wasn't popular. It seems like FedMart shut down the Bellaire store in the late 60's but then reappeared a few years later in the much nicer former Globe store building on Hillcroft at Bellaire that had sat vacant for a few years. We loved Globe Discount City (owned by Walgreens) but were disappointed with the new version FedMart as it was nothing like Globe. The store had large displays but only of a few items such as a giant bin of sponges 6 x 6' by 3' high. So it was a large store with hardly any variety. It didn't last long. Both the Hillcroft and Wirt buildings are now Fiesta stores. Globe was our favorite store. Globe Shopping City Where You Always Save More! I was so sad when Globe closed. Globe and Sage were all you needed.

This house has some nice early 50's mod details. It has an open kitchen and den across the back with a tall sloped ceiling. The kitchen is in the area where the ceiling is the highest and has an open grid at about 7-8' height and it has or had the built in Revco stainless steel separate refrigerator and freezer. Those were very deluxe at the time. The design is similar to some of the earlier houses in Lake Jackson. I talked to architect Charles Flynn who lived across the street at #13 Legend Lane. He said his firm did not design this house but implied he and his brother could have done a better design. He was kind to give me a tour of his house. This was just before he died. He had built the house for his wife in the 1960's. She did not like to cook and specified that no kitchen be installed but a small one was eventually added in a side room. Flynn said it was only used 3-4 times. The master bedroom was located at the back of the living room and reached by walking across the elevated fireplace hearth. They built a similar house for the 1962 Parade of Homes. Flynn and Flynn were twins and known as The Twins by their friends at UH who all worked for Phil Willard for their first job while in school and after. Flynn and Flynn were known mainly for designing laboratory buildings for oil companies.

Here is info on the restaurant. Too bad they didn't make it but the new location was completely hidden. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.pizza.delivery.drivers/c_EZOqYlqsUPizza Roma originated with a small store on Wilcrest in the mid 1970's, moved to a store in a small Dairy Ashford strip mall and has finally come to rest, after nearly a year of construction, in its landmark location on Whittington. Taking a Rich-ly authentic New York theme and an ironically friendly, family atmosphere, Pizza Roma is the definition of an ideal pizzeria. Good food and good people, has made Pizza Roma not only a familiar neighborhood restaurant, but the first choice of customers looking to dine at the largest independent pizzeria in Texas. Custom calzones, hot subs, appetizers, pastas, salads, desserts and our popular Buffalo wings have increased Pizza Roma's reputation for having excellent food. It is the pizza, however, that keeps jaws dropping daily. Topping your pizza is a joy when choosing from over 20 toppings, but it may be a tough decision when choosing a pizza crust. Pizza Roma offers its own New York style hand-tossed crust, always crisply baked to perfection, and a Chicago style deep dish crust boasting thick, golden edges and covered with sauce and cheese. Also offered is the stuffed pizza. A novel idea, which has gained notoriety from its unique and sinful blend of two cheeses, with a classic sauce and your choice of three master stuffed combinations. Standing apart from today's typical stuffed crust pizza, you're served a real pie, with the pizza baked inside. The original pizza recipe was brought down from Manhattan and encountered finally by Richard Saumby when he was working at a delivery location as a driver, many, many years ago. He was delivering pizzas so scrumptious, he and his wife Susan decided to buy the company. Today, they've still upheld that same recipe, and continue to churn out the very best pizza from old fashioned, brick ovens. So thanks to Rich and Susan, and their courageous act of bravery, the building finally opened in May 1999, and still stands 40 feet tall, the home of Houston's most intimate pizzeria.

I think that was a pizza place in the shopping center where Tuesday Morning was about next door to the restaurant. The restaurant had neon and black/white check floor and seems like a 1955 Thunderbird inside. It may have started out as something else and then changed to Italian. The food was very good. I think the owners were from New York. They seemed very successful. About 1995 - 2000 they purchased land across the street, on the east edge of the post office, and built an elaborate new restaurant with a large Statue of Liberty and real subway cars connected to the building. That's about the time they went out of business and the place sat vacant for a long time. I'll look for the name.

It looks like 6252 San Felipe on the western edge of Briargrove. The bridge spans the drainage ditch that runs the western edge of the neighborhood. I just drove over it a few hours ago. The 1966 directory has no listings between the ditch and Voss Road except for Handee Food Mart at 6530 and Richard's Liquor Warehouse at 6532 San Felipe. In 1966, Fred Cassara and Leroy Cataline lived at 6252 San Felipe.

August Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, August 23, 2015 for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. The focus on finding new preservation-minded owners for recently flooded modern houses continues. Sunday's event takes place in Meyerland, located about eight miles southwest of downtown Houston. Rain totals of up to 11" flooded Houston on May 26, 2015 causing deaths and damaging over 2,500 homes. Much of the damage occurred in the southwest area of Houston where there is a large concentration of some of Houston's best mid-century modern architecture leaving it's future in peril. Home owners are uncertain if they can or will restore their houses, elevate them, or replace them. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 4902 Heatherglen Drive, Meyerland, Houston, Texas 77096 Contrasting dark toned brick and light toned solar block walls make a crisply elegant geometric statement in this modern house designed by architect W. Jackson Wisdom. The centralized living area views the front and back yards through plate glass walls while the dining room has it's own solar screened courtyard. Four bedrooms, three baths, a game room and a two car garage complete the picture on the live oak shaded corner lot. Architects Leonard Gabert and Jack Wisdom earlier were partners who designed several modern houses including the Hurwitz house, 3007 S. Braeswood, site of the 2013 Houston MODern Market party. Unfortunately, 4902 Heatherglen was flooded on Memorial Day and now needs to be rescued by a new preservation minded owner. Please note, this house will be open while undergoing flood remediation. Please take special care while touring the house. HAR Link More Mod Info Good News on the Flood Front: The owner of 5035 Glenmeadow Drive in Meyerland has decided to restore and continue to occupy his flat-roofed modern house designed by architect Israel Stein. We will share photos and progress reports as they become available. Braes Manor Discovery: 8611 Timberside Drive may be an early design of architect Jack M. Reber. It is listed for sale as a good building site but appears to have some nifty original mod elements still intact and is worth a look. One of Reber's major designs is listed in the Houston AIA guide. Glassell School of Art: Houston is losing a great modern building. The Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., School of Art (1978 by S. I. Morris Associates) is now being demolished. The building was notable for its rigorous exploration of reflective glass block set in exposed poured-in-place concrete frames. Read more about the MFAH redevelopment plan and loss of the Glassell School of Art in the Hyperallergic article, Houston Museum Expansion Wipes Out Local Architect's Legacy. We hope to see you at Sunday's Mod of the Month! Support future Mod events by becoming a member of Houston Mod. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org .

Here are some images of the houses not on HAR. If you would like to receive event invitations from Houston Mod, you can enter your email address at HoustonMod.org under the SUPPORT tab then click SUBSCRIBE. June Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us this Sunday, June 28, 2015 for a very important Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. Rain totals of up to 11" flooded Houston on May 26, 2015 causing deaths and damaging over 2,500 homes. Much of the damage occurred in the southwest area of Houston where there is a large concentration of some of our best mid century modern architecture leaving it's future in peril. Home owners are uncertain if they can or will restore their houses, elevate them, or replace them. Houston Mod is dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of modern architecture and design in Houston and Texas and advocates the preservation of this cultural legacy, seeking support from its members and the general public in achieving this goal. Let's help find new preservation minded owners for two of the many flooded houses. This event will focus on the Meyerland neighborhood located ten miles southwest of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 4927 Braesheather Drive, Meyerland, Houston, Texas 77096 This handsome early 1960's single level house is made immediately memorable by the textures created by the tube-shaped blocks composing much of it's front elevation. The living areas focus on two attractive courtyards. There are walls of glass, beamed sloped ceilings, brick walls, a freestanding metal fireplace, indirect lighting, sky lights and terrazzo floors. The kitchen opens wide to the living and dining area plus to a third patio area. Four bedrooms, three baths and a two car garage complete the picture. HAR Link 5118 Braesheather Drive, Meyerland, Houston, Texas 77096 Privacy abounds in this custom designed spacious one owner modern house. Built in 1968, the setting is inviting featuring a sweeping shaded circular drive and recessed front porch with impressive soaring double doors and side windows. There are four bedrooms, three full and one half baths, several sunny and secure court yards plus a two car garage. This house is not listed on HAR. Additional information will be available at the event. This house can be viewed from the exterior only at this time. More Mod Info We hope to see you at this special Mod of the Month! Please join us at the Houston Mod Discussion Forum to discuss this home and much more. Support future Mod events by becoming a member of Houston Mod. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org.

We discovered 4927 Braesheather was designed by architect Lars Bang in 1958. It originally had swanky double front doors with a roof strip extending to the driveway. It also originally had a built in sofa on two walls in the den. The bedroom and bath in front were added by the architect Arthur Steinberg. 5118 Braesheather has large elegant rooms and beautiful fine quality original built-ins.

Join Houston Mod Sunday, June 28, for Mod of the Month in Meyerland, 2-4 PM. Help find new preservation-minded owners for two modern style houses needing repairs in Meyerland. 4927 Braesheather- circa 1960, original plans possibly available 5118 Braesheather- Joel Brand Architect, circa 1968 More information will be available at the event.

The terminated listing was a listing only showing a lot for sale. It was odd someone would list a recently spruced up and ready to go house as a vacant lot. Everyone's interest in the house convinced the owner and agent they should re-list it as a contemporary style 1950's house for sale. The house received alot of positive comments. A friend of the original owner attended the event. She said the house was built for a successful roofing contractor. He asked for a prominent roof to show off his product. About 1965 the family moved to the San Diego area so the children take up surfing.

May Mod of the Month Houston Mod invites you to join us Sunday, May 31, 2015, for a Mod of the Month open house event from 2 - 4 PM. Please help us find new preservation minded owners for this 1957 vintage modern style house. The residence is located in the Galleria area, about five miles west of downtown Houston. Thanks to Houston MODern Market for sponsoring this FREE event. 5202 Del Monte Drive, Houston, Texas 77056 This prominently sited dynamic modern house was designed by the architectural firm of A. C. Brodnax & J. R. Phenix Associates who also designed the Astroworld Hotel and Freeport First National Bank along with a number of other houses. Brodnax was an instructor at the University of Houston College of Architecture and got his start with Phil Willard along with Lucian Hood, Lars Bang, Brooks & Brooks and Flynn & Flynn. Even though the house has been recently updated including a new roof, it is listed only as a building site. Notable design elements include the complex butterfly roof, artistically punctuated brick privacy wall, and the custom metal entry gateway. Other modern houses in the neighborhood are being preserved including one by Neuhaus & Taylor and another by Lars Bang which was featured as a Mod of the Month. 5202 Del Monte makes an important contribution to the mid-century modern context of the neighborhood and deserves to be conserved. HAR Link We hope to see you at this special Mod of the Month! Please join us at the Houston Mod Discussion Forum to discuss this home and much more. Events & Notices Last week, Houston Mod participated in the Neighborhoods USA 2015 Conference. A special tour of Glenbrook Valley including a visit to several mod houses was provided as part of the agenda to visitors from across the country. Support future Mod events by becoming a member of Houston Mod. Houston Mod is planning several members-only and members get-in-free events. If you need to check your membership status, please e-mail info@houstonmod.org. Houston Mod publications will be available at this event.