Highrise Tower

Looks like the City Auditorium was designed by architect Alfred C. Finn. I believe this was located on Main Street. Does anyone have an address? One website has an address of 615 Louisiana, where the current Jones Hall is located. Can we get a confirmation of the address and location?

Could this have been the manufacturing plant of Black, Sivalls & Bryson located at 9901 South Main Street? Found this on the 1950 Sanborn map. BSB designs and builds world-class process equipment systems and plants for the oil and gas, chemical and refining industries. From my knowledge, in the 1950s, there were the following manufacturing plants located in the South Main/Willowbend area. There is probably a few more. Black, Sivalls & Bryson (9901 South Main Street) Brochsteins (10002 South Main Street) Smith Monument Company (10001 South Main Street) Waukesha Pearce (12320 South Main Street)

A few articles I found. From the newspaper Southwestern Times dated August 5, 1948: New Plastics Plant Planned In Section Construction will begin soon on a $1,000,000 plastics plant at the intersection of Post Oak Road and the S.A. and A.P. railroad tracks, just north of the Bellaire city limits, according to J.B. Dannenbaum, consulting engineer. Designed for a 16-acre site, the plant will house the Wright Manufacturing Company. An office building, a factory, and a plant facilities will be contained in approximately 130,000 square feet of floor space. Mr. Dannenbaum stated that 300 persons would be employed at the company for the purpose of manufacturing rubber tile and plastics products. Paved roads and parking spaces, as well as a railroad spur track, are included among the appurtenances on the plans. From the newspaper Southwestern Times dated March 3, 1949: Plastics Plant Will Open In Southwestern Section This April Football Cleat and Rubber Floor Tile To Be Among Items Made The Southwestern section bids fair to become the football cleat capitol of the world, among other things, with the opening sometime in April of the $2,000,000 Wright Manufacturing Company plant. Located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Post Oak Road and the S.A. and A.P. railroad tracks, the plant will specialize in rubber floor tile, offering in addition an assortment of other item including plastic teacups, motor bearings, sink strainers, or for that matter “anything in plastics,” as President Thomas F. Millane has phrased it. More than 125,000 square feet of floor space is represent in the architect’s sketch above the Wright Manufacturing Company plant, which is now nearing completion at the intersection of Post Oak Road and the S.A. and A.P. tracks at the northern fringe of Bellaire. The office building at the front has an area of 7000 feet, while the factory at the rear contains 116,000 square feet. The plastics firm, one of the largest manufactures of rubber tile flooring in the country with plants in Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin, has scheduled an April opening.

I was browsing the 1950 Sanborn map when I saw a manufacturing company next door to the Pin Oak Stables located near the present day Westpark & 610/59. Anyone remember this plant? Would love to see some photos. I could have sworn me and a fellow HAIF member was talking about this last year. I was under the assumption the plant was located on South Post Oak and West Bellfort where Meyer Park Shopping Center would eventually be built. Searched and couldn't find it. Wright Manufacturing Co. made rubber tile, and I think plastics. Looks like the plant and associated buildings was built in 1949. It's possible their plastic facility was located further down South Post Oak Road. Or maybe I'm just confused.

I was browsing the newspaper Southwestern Times dated July 31, 1952 and came across an article and business advertisement for Idlewood Kennels located at South Main Street & South Post Oak Road. Idlewood Kennels Open Dog Hotel The most modern dog kennels in America will be opened formally Sunday when Idlewood Kennels, on South Main where Post Oak road ends-ends into the main thoroughfare, opens its doors to the public. The opening will be on the 49th anniversary of the original Idlewood Kennels, which were the most modern in America before the Houston edition of the famous dog hostelry was founded by Leo Schelver, son of the founder of the original Idlewood Kennels. Houston’s newest and ritziest hotel for dogs is the last word in comfort for the pampered canine. It has air conditioning, all-tile stalls with running water and individual faucets, a beauty parlor for dogs where a pooch can get anything from a manicure to the fanciest poodle-doo. The founder is Leo Schelver, of Atlanta, GA., one of the nation’s best known dog handlers. The manager is Robert Hermanson, formerly of Detroit, Mich., who majored in animal husbandry at Michigan State. You Are Cordially Invited to Our Formal Opening Sunday August 3 Located 1.7 miles south of South Main underpass, we offer the finest appointments and services in the South • Air Cooled and Air Conditioned • All Glazed Tile Walls in Each Kennel • Running Water in Each Pen • Individual 25 Foot Runs • Completely Equipped Tile Kitchen where all food is prepared • Large Completely Equipped Beauty Parlor No Sick Dogs Accepted Nationally Famous in Atlanta Since 1903 Idlewood Kennels, Inc. South Main at Post Oak Road Houston, Texas MO-0630

One Discovery Way: Unknown path: Collaborative Building: Parcel G being cleared. Great news!! Helix Park, section 1: Helix Park, section 2: Helix Park, section 3: Helix Park, section 4: A structure is forming!! Unknown Path: Two Discovery Way: Mixed-Use Garage:

2nd tower crane was going up this weekend.

Jamail Specialty Care Center getting a new logo!!

Were there rice fields near here?

This single is dedicated to the women of Iran. May you never forget your rich and incredible history, which echoes the names of countless female warriors, healers, scientists, artists, scholars, architects, politicians, innovators, pioneers, athletes, rulers, and revolutionaries. Apranik is just one of those names. Yet its mere mention, even through the most delicate of whispers

Thought it was about time to make a thread about AHC. Great multifamily developer!! https://www.allenharrisonco.com/

From the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated April 19, 1972: Ron's Fried Chicken Flavored To The Bone Coupon: 1 family size order of french fires with purchase of a Family Order #5 $2.99 you get 10 large pieces of Ron's Krispy Fried Chicken plus 6 biscuits (also good on Orders #5, 6, 7, 8) Offer Good At All Ron's Fried Chicken Locations. Ron's Fried Chicken 8015 Beechnut @ SW Fwy. 772-1306 14509 S. Post Oak @ Fuqua 433-0943

I was looking at the 1950 Sanborn map and came across Smith Monument Co. located at 10001 South Main Street. Their industrial campus was located at the intersection of South Main Street at Old Main Street Road. A classic intersection for sure!! The campus had 3 buildings, including an office, pump house, and a factory building. I'll see if I can find the campus on Google Earth a bit later.

I was browsing the newspaper The Jewish Herald-Voice dated December 20, 1973 and came across a business advertisement for Judd McIlvains El PoPo Mexican Restaurant located at 9228 Buffalo Speedway. Did anyone ever eat here? What ever happened with the family of Judd McIlvain? I wonder if there are any photos of the building, or matchbooks from the restaurant? The food looks fantastic! I don't think I've ever had Popocatepetl-style Mexican food before. I wonder how their mole is different? I know there is like 5 types of mole from different regions. Judd McIlvains El PoPo Mexican Restaurant Old Family Receipes from the Villages of Popocatepetl Carnitas*Steaks*Sopes*Chilies Rellanos* Dinner Special $1.50 includes two cheese enchiladas, beef taco, rice, beans, Doritos 9228 Buffalo Speedway "Near Astrodome" 664-2905 "Daily Luncheon Specials"

I'm trying to find information about an old hospital on Houston's west side. Is there any information about it? Looks like it was located near Bellaire and Wilcrest. After researching more, the hospital was originally called Alief General Hospital? The Alief General Hospital had an address of 11101 Bellaire Blvd. which is at the corner of Bellaire and Wilcrest. Here's an advertisement inquiring employment wanted found in the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated October 6, 1976. An image of the hospital that I cropped from a photograph of a FINA Gas Station located at 11024 Bellaire Blvd.

Game-changing design for the City of Bellaire!! Unfortunately this has been scaled down to 3-stories. I really like the three retail buildings and green space. Would be a vast improvement over the giant surface lot! My only complaint is the height. Seems that Bellaire refuses to build tall. Believe you are limited to 2-stories in parts of the city. I remember how hard it was for the Chevron site on Fourace to be redeveloped. Took years of public meetings and in the end they were limited to 2 or 3 stories. Public hearing begins for proposed Methodist Hospital at site of Bellaire’s former Randall’s https://communityimpact.com/houston/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/development/2023/03/08/public-hearing-begins-for-proposed-methodist-hospital-at-site-of-bellaires-former-randalls/ Overall, the new proposed project includes three one-story retail buildings and a three-story medical office building with an attached two-story parking garage and an additional subsurface parking level on the approximately 3.19-acre site, according to the commission’s agenda packet.

I was reading the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated December 11, 1968 and came across a business advertisement for The Egg House located at 11216 South Post Oak Road. What's the story with this company? It would be hard to believe, in 2023, there would be a retail store that only sold eggs. Did the sell dairy as well? Milk, cheese, or yogurt? Looks like the eggs came from Lindsey Farms. The farm, and retail headquarters was located at 11216 S. Post Oak. I know they had a smaller retail store down the block at Willowbend and South Post Oak. I believe they had a total of 7 or 8 locations across the city. I would love to hear more about this company. Information about the farms and the Lindsey family. The Talking Hen Says: "This offer is made to invite you to try our Farm Fresh Eggs" (Sold only in 3-doz. cartons) Announces: Special Offer Bring Discount Coupon For: 3 Dozen Grade "A" Large Eggs for $1 Lindsey Farm Eggs are Farm Fresh, produced on Purina Feeds, delivered direct from the farm to our tore; are best quality available, and are backed by a Money-back Guarantee. If you want quality and freshness in eggs - at economy prices - redeem this coupon at Lindsey Farms Egg House, 11216 S. Post Oak. (Look for Red & White Checkerboard Sign.)

I was reading the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated January 9, 1974 and came across a business advertisement for Harlow's Honey Fluff Donuts located at 10423 South Post Oak Road. Does anyone recall this donut shop? Their donuts seem delish! Advertising "honey fluff" donuts. Looking on Google, this appears to have been located where Cue's Burgers is. wow!! Que's Burgers has been there for over 20 years? I can imagine once Harlow's Honey Fluff Donuts moved out, Que's Burgers moved in. Anyone know the story? Mention this ad for Threebee Special Buy a dozen - get three free Harlow's Honey Fluff Donuts 10423 S. Post Oak 723-7819 (Across from A.J. Foyt) World's Best Donuts

I was browsing the newspaper The Bellaire & Southwestern Texan dated December 22, 1965 and came across a business advertisement for Snowflake Donut No. 12 located At 10545 South Post Oak Rd. Does anyone recall this chain or donut stores? Or remember this particular location a long South Post Oak? Did Snowflake Donut really have 12+ locations across town? I wonder if Shipley's eventually bought them out? Their ad mentions "across from post office" does that mean there was a post office on South Post Oak near the present-day Krogers? Looks like it would have been where the infamous Meyerland Collision is located at 10532 South Post Oak. That is news to me! 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. Snowflake Donut No. 12 24 Varieties of Donuts Delicious Hot Coffee Order By Phone PA9-1838 10545 S. Post Oak Across From Post Office

I found Speer Park, I believe. I was able to copy the above Sanborn 1950 map and recreate the image on Google Earth. I traced all the other buildings in the area and everything seems to ad up. You can see a small, white cluster of mass midway down Speer Drive. I am assuming Speer Park was located on Speer Drive. @Dave Wmight be right. Seems to be on small collection of rides on a few acres. On both the 1950 Sanborn map and on Google Earth, you can see on the top left what was Kiddie Wonderland. I don't think these two parks were the same. Miniature Golf on the corner of OST. Speer Drive is half paved and shows up as white and the other half looks like a dirt road. You can see a bunch of black holes on the underside of Speer Drive. The formation below Speer Drive is Lake Island located at 8301-1/2 South Main Street.

I never knew about this! I have never seen any press or articles about it. This is a dedicated building for the museum? I would have thought this would be located within a hospital wing. A small museum dedicated to BCM's first President and world-renowned surgeon. Actually very impressive they would build a building to be used as a museum right in the heart of the medical campus. I would think a hospital is more important than a museum dedicated to one person. After reading an architect's blurb, the building is an extension of their Cullen? building: http://designbyjara.com/DeBakey.Panel.html The extension of the existing Baylor College of Medicine building is expressed by concrete prefabricated facade with random openings on the upper floors and stainless steel clad facade for the Michael E. DeBakey Library and Museum on the ground floor, in honor of Dr. Debakey. The museum exhibition has permanent and rotating exhibits documents his inventions, part of the concept is a “Green room” (replica of the conference room of Dr. DeBakey) separated from exhibits by glass wall. The stainless steel clad facade floats above the future reflecting pool, defined by a stone bed. I'll see if I can get some pictures later this week. Photos forthcoming! (alternativity, we can just go to Google to look at the building)

Found an awesome magazine called Modern Hospital, released 1952-11: Vol 79 Iss 5. You can read the publication on archive.org. Great website for historical items! As with any library, you can "check out" any book/magazine and "return it" an hour later. The magazine shows an in-depth look at the Texas Medical Center portfolio (in the ~1950s) including floor plans of old hospitals! I might create new threads with the information I found, but I wanted to focus on the Jefferson Davis Hospital In The Texas Medical Center. A proposal in 1950 included a Jefferson Davis Hospital to the west of Baylor College of Medicine's Cullen Building. Looks like this would be located near the present-day DeBakey Library and Museum located at 6450 East Cullen Street. Actually, it looks to be the whole area west, so all the space before Memorial Hermann's Robertson Pavilion. Proposed New Jefferson Davis Hospital Architects: Alfred C. Finn, Maddox & Johnson, Houston. Prime consideration in planning Jefferson Davis Hospital was given to the operation of the hospital in order to conserve personnel, time in providing patient care, and to reduce to a minimum the possibility of cross infection. The entire project has been so planned that all phases of the plant can be expanded without undue inconvenience to operation. Simplicity of design and economy of constriction are also important in planning for a minimum of maintenance. The nursing unit is the major theme in setting the pattern of the structure. Four nursing units are arranged on a floor in the “double pavilion” plan. Each wing contains two regular wards of five units providing beds for 31 acutely ill patients. Between the two wards is a central core that provides space for utilities, baths, treatment and examination rooms and other facilities in common. Number 8:

River Oaks Scrapbook by Hugh Potter. Volume 16 - October 1937 to July 1938. Contains copies of the River Oaks Corporation advertisements; River Oaks magazines for 1937 and 1938. Clippings from: October 1937 to July 1938. From the newspaper The Houston Chronicle dated June 26, 1938. Half Million Dollars Worth of New Homes Here. At the top left is the $70,000 home of J.C. McKallip, Jr., oil man. It is located at 3425 Sleepy Hollow Court, in River Oaks. Birdsall P. Briscoe is the architect. At the top right is the palatial home of the Glenn H. McCarthy, oil man, being erected on a 12-acre tract immediately west of Braeswood. Kelving Drive, in Braeswood, is the east boundary of the McCarthy home, which is one of the finest built here in years. The house has been estimated to cost between $150,000 and $200,000. It has been under construction since last fall and will have every modern convenience and luxury that can be put into a residence. Stayton Nunn and Milton McGinty are the architects for this home. At the left, second crow, is the $50,000 home of Palmber Braldey, nearing completion, at 3431 Inwood Drive, in River Oaks. Cameron Fairchild is the architect for this finely—

Formal Opening was June 26th, 1924 at 1:30 P.M. From the newspaper The Houston Post. dated Thursday, June 26, 1924: Luna Park "The Coney Island of Texas" Location of the park: 2000 Block of Houston Ave. Take Woodland Car Direct to Entrance. Today’s Program: Dr. Carver’s Diving Horses This is a thrilling outdoor act of unusual merit. Two performance will be staged daily. From the top of a platform, 40 feet high, a trained horse dives into a tank of water. Astride this animal is a young woman, who risks her life twice daily that those in search of a thrill might have their desires gratified. Another Thriller! Riderless, another one of Dr. Carver’s famous horses, plunges head foremost from the diving platform, striking the water nose first—turning a complete somersault in midair! Luna Park’s Dancing Casino: Luna Park’s dancing casino is the last word in modern architecture. So constructed as to eliminate all posts, both on the dance floor and that section of the structure reserved for spectators, this casino ranks far ahead of any in the Southwest. More than give thousand electric lights will cast radiance over the merry dancers when the first soft strains of the orchestra start the ball. The floor is a spring floor and is constructed independently of that portion of the gigantic building set aside for those who would watch the dance. This method of construction eliminates all vibration and makes dancing on this floor a novelty and a real pleasure. Giant Skyrocket: This device combines the thrill of aviation into one big sensation that assails the rider during each moment of the mile and a quarter trip. From a point 110 feet above the park, the cars of the giant skyrocket plunge downward 87 feet, only to climb again to a dizzy height—much as would a huge skyrocket, from which the device derived its name. Safe in every detail, planned with mathematic precision, the skyrocket is a riding device that one will never forget. Mechanical Caterpillar: The mechanical caterpillar is a ride everyone knows and enjoys. It needs no instruction to Houstonians. Suffice to say it is one of the latest 1924 type, embodying all of the new features planned and executed by a corps of amusement park experts. Baby Airplane Swing: The baby airplane swing is a replica of the large seaplane swing. It is exclusively for the kiddies and has all of the features of the bigger ride for the grownups. Like all of Luna Park’s rides, the baby airplane swing is under the supervision of trained park experts. Picnic Grove: One of the natural features of the Luna Park is a shaded picnic grove, through which wends a tiny rivulet. Located with a stone’s throw of the main section of the park, this grove yet has the appearance of a woodland removed by miles from the nearest habitation. Shading a mossy carpet of grass are stately trees, which afford adequate shade during the warmest days. Scattered throughout this picnic grove, which covers several city blocks, are white tables, benches, and rustic seats—all of which are at the free disposal of picnic parties. Seaplane Swing: The seaplane swing is a riding device unsurpassed for novelty and real thrills. High above the park, tiny gondola-like cars whirr around through the air almost sound. Brilliantly lighted, this ride gives one the impression of soaring in an airplane high above the clouds where the light of the sun pours down as only it does have the fleecy clouds. Like the many other Luna Park rides the seaplane swing is the last word in safety and pleasure. Miniature Railway: For the kiddies there is a miniature railway train- Tiny tracks, cars, engine and all! The baby engine is the little brother of the Big Baldwins, which speed through the nation day and night. It has a throttle, smokestack, boiler, tender and everything like the big engines. This tiny train runs on a circular track more than one thousand feet long. A ride on it is something the children will seek again and long remember. Merry-Go-Round: Another device for the children is the large merry-go-round. This device has four horses abreast and is one of the largest now in operation anywhere. Attendants long trained in the care of children have been placed in charge of this ride. It is safe to put the kiddie on the merry-go-round and forget them for a time. Auto Parking: You can drive out to Luna Park in your automobile, bring your machine within the big 36-acre playground, leave it with a trained attendant and forget all about it, knowing it will be properly cared for. Luna Park’s automobile parking ground is extensive, well graded, dry at all times and may be reached by a paved roadway which leads from the front gate of the playground. Special police will be on hand at all times to see that your machine is not molested. Luna Park may be reached from the downtown section by driving out Washington avenue to Houston avenue, north on that thoroughfare to the 2200 block, where will be found a monstrous electric sign which spells “Luna Park”

From a 1950 Sanborn map: Interesting to see the same stretch of road being called two different things. South Post Oak Road in Houston and North Post Oak Road in Bellaire. Lots of barns and even two different riding rings. There is a few dwelling homes on site with one large enough to be a big mansion. I wonder if this was where the Abercrombies lived? Closer in: