Willowisp

My Austin cousin sent this to me. Pretty awesome ranch house!

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/statesmanhomes/2009/08/02/0802ladybird.html

There is a thread or two on Sharpstown in the Houston History section of this site.

I really enjoyed that house myself. It was very authentic, like some of the classic houses we've seen in Glenbrook Valley.

Once you get into the neighborhood it seems nice, but you get out on the main streets and it feels sketchy with all those duplexes and apartments on Gessner. You hear about crime in that area a lot on tv. And my neighborhood has issues as well, with houses almost double in price of Sharpstown. I guess we all do in the city.

For us it's junky retail like pawn shops and check cashing places. It gives the whole neighborhood a vibe that I do not like at all. But it's their right to have a business. I just have to leave the area to shop.

Then you go out to Sugar Land, Pearland, or Katy (the competition for new homeowners, right?) and it's not like that. People like my cousin want that "clean" feel of the country (her words not mine). So homebuyers have to choose between an old house closer to town with sketchy main streets or a new house in a "masterplanned community" with new grocery stores nearby but far far away from the city life. I thought with the price of gas at nearly $4 last year that we were going to see a major shift in people's interest in living closer to town, but prices went back down so we'll have to wait and see. I still feel like the older houses will appreciate faster, being closer to the really desired neighborhoods like Bellaire or whatever.

The bottom line is that house is a great bargain at $140K if you can tolerate the area bordering the neighborhood. I think it will appreciate faster than just about anywhere else you could find a home for that price. Maybe you could get a townhome a little closer in, but nothing with a fig tree that produces enough to make preserves.

We need to see someone with an interest in Asian Modern move in there. It just needs a little tlc.

Jason

My wife and I really liked the house on Rowan. The owners were very nice and the house appears to be in quite good condition. We also liked the fact that they hadn't remodeled the house. Too bad its in Sharpstown. Could somebody please give me a brief history of what happened to cause Sharpstown's decline. I really know very little about the area except that it was nice when new and now it isn't.

Yes, I know the house is still in the family. That's another thing that is disappointing for me. I also know they have a lot of documentation of the house, probably enough that it would have extended my book on Jenkins to nearly 80 pages. But it's theirs to share or not I guess. Maybe they'll have a change of heart when they see the book.

That would just kill me. Willowisp, can't say that your story about the owners surprises me, figured as much, from the visual clues. Amazes me how some owners just don't have any idea how significant their homes are, and/ or just don't care to know.

Maybe this should be a completely different thread??? But...

Where do you live that's so bad? How many modern elements do you hope to find? How original do you expect it to be?

First off $240K will limit you to:

A - terrible condition in a good neighborhood (like the house this thread covers).

What are the "good neighborhoods"? Well, that too is up for a major debate, covered in several topics around this forum.

B - small house in an average neighborhood - and it will still probably need $30K in repairs.

Most MCMs around town in the under $500K are pretty small anyway. 1700K sq. ft. is about all you're getting under $250K.

Now the "modern elements". The more modern elements you expect to find the rarer and harder it will be. Floor to ceiling glass, flat roof, post and beam, lack of moulding, sliding glass doors, built-in furniture, courtyards, a locally known architect... The more options you want the less likely you will find it. Are you set on an "Eichler Style" or a "Frank Lloyd Wright wannabe" or a "Miesian" or 1960s party house, or is "ranch with modern undertones" good?

The same goes for how original you expect it to be. You're just not likely to find an untouched 1950s house. But you might find something worth saving.

Finally, do you want to furnish it in modern? One of my top 20 favorite houses in Houston is a ranch with modern lines, but the fact that it is completely stylin' inside makes all the difference.

And rule number 1 - there will always be some kind of issues you can't control. If you can tolerate that then you'll survive.

Jason

Domus - that's great to hear about better houses out there. I am genuinely interested in finding one since this one purportedly closed on May 22. Could you please tell me where they are that are as interesting, well-located and for a $240,000 asking price?

We live in a mid-century house in a far worse neighborhood for crime and want to get a better house in a better location. We are cash buyers and not afraid of some refurbishing.

The owner does not want to talk to me. From what I can tell this was Jenkins's 1961 residential masterpiece, but the owner has no interest in discussing it with Houston Mod (I've left a note and sent a letter & the only thing left to do is to give her a book), and the Jenkins family doesn't have much documentation on it either.

I've always admired the flat-roofed mod at 2530 Underwood. Sits at the corner of Underwood & 7000 blk of Kirby, very vulnerable. Do hope it stays, apts. are rising around it. I find the details are the most interesting. Louvered shutters along the low-profile front porch, 3 cylinder-shaped porch light fixtures, decorative iron gas light w/ matching entrance landscape lights. But was surprised to see it has "window" a/c units. Can just imagine how beautiful it could look w/ proper care & a little night lighting.

FYI - It's listed in the block books, in Devon Estates.

Thanks for the current picture. I'd been over there 4 or 5 times and could never get a shot worth putting on the website. Always 3 or 4 cars in the driveway, that lil tykes basketball hoop etc... When it came to making a decision for the website, we just decided to leave it alone and put the drawing up since the drawing was so nice.

By the way, when they (Cynthia Taylor, Ben Koush, Stephen Fox) did the discussion (when Ben Koush's book on Taylor was released) - that house was probably the most interesting part of the evening's talk. She talked about how it was way out in the middle of nowhere, and they were one of the first houses to be built out there.

Jason

Thumbs up! Are there many of these over there? I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with that area aside from the main drives and the one or two mods of the month we've done on the "north side". Seems like it would be due for an upswing in value there.

My wife and I accidentally took a wrong turn on the way to the California Modern Exhibit at the Blanton Museum and saw this beautiful house on accident. Thanks for sharing it!

This is the last weekend for that exhibit. It's definitely worth seeing if you are in town, but maybe not worth driving all the way over there just for that.

Jason

http://blantonmuseum.org/

I know this is in Austin, but its great eye candy anyways. My brother sent me this link since he knows I love MCM houses. He drives by this everyday.

http://www.seeaustinhomes.com/360tours/Deb...91ℑ=24

I'm bumping this topic as we've recently had an inquiry about this church from a member of the church. Hopefully we'll be able to document the church now that we have a contact who goes there and is interested in doing more documentation on it. I'll post more as I learn more.

Where is this house?

It's at the meeting of Cayton St and Wilmerdean St. South of Bellfort, East of Telephone, West of Broadway, North of Airport.

I'm disappointed to hear it hasn't gotten further along.

This is one of those River Oaks houses I've driven by a hundred times wishing I could get in to see (Farfel House is the other main one in that area). Unless "Houston Mod's best friend" (I'm paraphrasing several people who have told me this) the recession spares this house, I'm afraid it will be the only time we get to appreciate it up close. John Daugherty has some realtors that are big Modern Fans though so who knows. Maybe there's a person for this beauty.

What a weekend this is shaping up to be!

Jason

I still want to see what happened with this house, but I don't have time to drive over to y'alls side of town this week to see it!

Give me some good news and some after pictures.

The open house will be a nice way to spend the day after the tour! Unofficial Mod of the Month, anyone?

The thread on that "punching bag" house in GBV got me thinking back to this house. I think some of you posters scared these guys away from ever showing us their progress again!

Come back and post pictures?! I want to see what happened to this house!

Jason

BenH might have a picture.

It reminds me of a medieval church.

If you want to see that house you need "tresspassing fortitude" and a nice car to look like you belong. On Longbow there's a sign that says private drive and there is often a patrol car around.

The modern house to pray for on Longbow Lane is the Ralph Anderson designed house next door. It is truly fantastic, and mentioned in the CAA Houses thread. (Hey BenH, did I have an article on it to be scanned in?)

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=12022

Jason

I no longer live in HOuston but I was flipping through my Houston Architecture guide and I was reading about a home on Friar Tuck Lane. In the synopsis it mentioned an Oneill Ford designed home on Longbow. Anyone know anything about that house? Perhaps a picture of it? Thanks

There was one on Tree Frog a few years back that I think was over $500K. You're right though, I wouldn't consider this Meyerland.

We had a mod of the month in the neighborhood awhile back and it could/should be a great neighborhood. But it is surrounded by some bad reputation neighborhoods, whether or not that's deserved, I don't know. It's part of that "inner ring" between the loop and the beltway that seems to be down these days.

There are a bunch of houses over there that we should know the architects of and don't. Maybe the architects there didn't get a lot of press.

Jason

I wouldn't consider Bonham Acres to be in the Meyerland market... Anything west of Hillcroft is pushing it and this is west of Fondern. It is by far the most expensive home on the market in the subdivision and if it sold at list price would be the most expensive ever sold in the subdivision.

However, it is a really cool looking ranch (minus the kitchen) on a nice sized lot. Bonham Acres is a nice pocket in the area...

Thanks to whoever put this thread at the top! It is definitely one of the main focuses of this message board...

Maybe the "Favorite Mods" thread would be another for the top? But I wouldn't want to clutter the top so I don't know...

Ben - thanks for scanning those! We make a good team...

Jason

Thanks for the scan. We'll definitely get this house on the website in the future. By the way, the houstonmod website has changed. Has anyone noticed?

We're not quite at the point where we're able to update it ourselves, but it has launched.

Jason

Thanks! I've been meaning to pick up a copy..

It will be there all weekend, but I think it will be $20 (regular price) except on the tour ($15).

Sorry you won't be able to make it.

Jason

We are not going to be able to make the tour The 25th is just a bad day for us. We do plan on going to the Modern Market, though - will we be able to buy the book there? Or just pick it up later from Houston Mod?

Cool, thanks for bringing that to everyone's attention. It could be a good mod of the month, despite the non-purist things they did to update the house.

Does anyone have an old har listing for this? Is it a flipper's house, or did a long time owner "update" it?

Jason

No connection, other than I live down the street (Dunlap) and have admired this house since we moved in last year. Plus, it reinforces the value of mine to some degree, so i suppose there is that "rooting interest".

I've wondered who the architect was for this house for a long time. Any ideas? Are you the seller or realtor or just a someone in the neighborhood?

Robindell is great. I would love to live there.

Thanks for sharing.

Pretty Cool, no? The pics are lame, but the virtual tour shows the outside, which is cool. It sits across Braeswood from the bayou, so there's that.

I have found the same to be true. I've never bit the bullet and bought from them. Just slightly overpriced enough to keep me away... I have seen lots of great pieces there though, and who knows, maybe I'll get the Eames ESU Modernica copy from them as an entertainment center. I've gotten my stuff from Karen Moyers, Travis Stodelle, Ebay, craigslist, and Sunset Settings (new queen bed I couldn't get vintage).

Hey, you might be able to consign with Travis Stodelle at the 20th Century Market? It would be worth a shot just to try to sell it over that weekend and then if it doesn't sell to craigslist it.

Jason

We have Metro Retro Furniture over on Washington Avenue. Their warehouse is in Pasadena. You might call them to see if they do consignments.

http://www.metroretrofurniture.com/cgi-bin/

Metro Retro is out of my price range--we usually just scavage off of Craigslist. If you decide to donate it, it would look lovely on my back patio!

De

Ah, yes... RDA, I didn't say that. We'll have to talk to the owners about it as well as discuss it at the Board Meeting. Ben has already been able to take some fantastic photos in these houses. Many of them are going to be in the book. I don't think you're going to get much better shots for yourselves than Amanda (phDesign), Ben, and I put in the book, so make sure to buy the book.

We went to SXSW music festival this year and they had various policies on cameras in the venues. I was trying to take a picture of every band we saw just so I could remember them later (saw over 50 bands in 4 days!) We went to see The New York Dolls, and during the opening bands a bouncer told me to put the camera away "no photos allowed tonight" so I put it away. You should have seen all the cameras and iphones come out when The New York Dolls took the stage. There were less people not taking pictures than there were taking them. It was rock and roll history and everyone wanted to preserve it for themselves. Of course I got a few shots myself.

I don't know the ins and outs and issues of it so at this point I better just say I will defer to our Board's collective wishes and let you know for sure one way or another before the tour. I hope it's not a deal breaker if you're not able to take photos inside.

Jason

Of all the places I could live for $2.3 mil, Gessner at Memorial is not the first place I'd think of, even in that awesome new house (especially awesome for fans of The Munsters). I wonder if it has the Grandpa closet and science lab, or if that's extra? Sorry, I'm going for the bad karma tonight, aren't I?

I will make a check with the other owners on that. But I think the answer is yes, as long as they are "for your personal use only" and the owners privacy is respected. The houses are very photogenic so I can't blame anyone for wanting their own shots, but some of the owners are private people. And these days everyone is a little suspicious of photographers, right, Ben?

Jason

Was wondering if cameras would be allowed for interior shots?

Yes, I've got you on the list. I thought I responded to ask what time you wanted on, but maybe that was someone else?

Please send your time reservation to the info@houstonmod.org address.

Thanks,

Jason

If we sent you an email but didn't receive a response, can we go ahead and assume our name is on the list?