pshaddock

I went there many a time as a kid growing up in Montrose. And my parents were both German.

My secretary turned out to have been a waitress there thru-out the 70's with some great stories. She says a lot of old regulars go to the german fest in the hill country.

P

Ah, memories. For pics of the pig try David Beebe at the Continental Club whose band Banana Blender Surprise played there many a night in the early 90's.

My wife, also an alumni of West Briar (Weenie Briar), grew up at 2514 Brentweeod, in the house to the east of the Hills. In fact, they just sold the Brentwood house last Friday. Her father, Dr. Finkelstein, was a friend of the Hill's. My wife used to play the hills piano in their upstairs music room and swim in their pool.

Since the hills, the house has had a few owners. My understanding is it was sold to a nice gentleman who lived there for 20 or so years until he died of illness. He bequethed it to his live in significant other who lived there until recently. Now, according to my brother in law, a new family with kids has moved in. The mother is reported to be quite striking.

I worked there for a few years. What is say is mostly hearsay, but most of the rumors I come across with my MBA pals at ExxonMobil pan out in time. Have a friend working at Exxonobil GREF (Global Real Estate and Facilities) who keeps me in the loop. The project is to keep the building from shedding it's pea gravel panels on traffic below, and to reinforce aging rebar, as mentioned above. Surprisingly, the work is being done at a cost that is higher than if Exxon simply bought the ENRON tower. Exxon mgmt refused to take an expense "hit" if the building were sold or decommissioned. Bonuses could be affected. No one wants to take that to Dallas (HQ). Repairs are in the $80 - 90M range, and are capitalized and expensed over 30 years, so only $3m a year in expense, versus a huge (approx $40M) one time hit if the building were torn down. So they keep adding to it, capitalizing over the years the major improvements, and it will not be sold or torn for many years to come due to accounting standards, not reasonableness or good business judgement.

As an aside, I was one of the loners doing financial close when Mexico's west coast was hit by a 7. something earthquake in 2003 or so. I took the express elevator down from 19 and ran like hell. The old girl was creaking, blinds swinging, sounded like it was coming down. Security gaurds thought I was crazy when I ran by yelling "earthquake!". i called my wife at home...nothing on the news. After I returned, a half hour later, they laughed at me. Checked the paper the next morning, hunch confirmed. Next day they apologized as it turned out there was an earthquake for real and ceiling tiles fell down in a number of offices and conference rooms.

Surprisingly, I heard the surface lots to the north, south, east, and west had "no build" provisions in the deed and city records that prevent anyone from developing as long as the Exxon building still exists. That explains why, although Exxon does not own them, they will remain parking lots for some time to come. One story structures are all that are allowed, supposedly to serve as parking lot offices. Look at the old Enron daycare facility to the West.

Gotta run,

P