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Specwriter

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  1. Specwriter
    Yes, now that I think about it, I believe Al Parker moved to a site on the Katy Freeway but I couldn't say exactly where. There was a lot of moving of car dealerships, and some renaming, in the 1960s and 70s from near downtown to the suburbs. I'll quit with the car dealership thing now and let the thread get back to its proper topic.
  2. Specwriter
    This probably deserves a different thread but could there have been a relationship (by marriage perhaps) between Earle North and R Allison Parker ('Al' Parker). There was once a Buick dealership in midtown called Al Parker Buick. I think it moved to Kirby Drive before it became Hub Buick. Hub Fossier (discussed elsewhere in this forum) was the one-time general manager of Al Parker Buick. I once heard someone refer to 'Al Parker,' titular owner of the Buick dealership, as being one of the "nutty Norths." Apparently, there was some interesting history with the North family as with the Nils Sefeldt family, another Houston automobile dealership owener (Volvo in the latter case).
  3. Specwriter
    I wonder what will become of the old Prince's Hamburger site across Cullen and next to the Charismatic Center.
  4. Specwriter
    Not as big a deal as a commercial elevator by any means. Still, repairs and some maintenance is not at DIY job. Keep in mind too, even if a family of four used the elevator six times a day each, that is miniscule compared to what an elevator in even a small office building would see.
  5. Specwriter
    I was in Savannah during the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in 2013. That was quite a party. I understand its St. Paddy's Day compares to Chicago's and Boston's in its popularity. The streets of the old town are closed. One buys a wrist band to get in (I. D.'s checked, of course) and then one can walk from bar to bar with an open cup of beer- illegal the rest of the year. Be careful walking on the cobble stones on River Street if you've had a few too many though. You could twist an ankle or worse.
  6. Specwriter
    Woodgrove was originally built as apartments but went condo at some point. There is a practically identical complex on Augusta north of San Felipe. I lived in a unit at 2250 Bering for a year in 2008. The owners lived out of town and it was managed by a local property management company the name of which I forget. The complex was pleasant and well kept. It was also about the best value in the area. I had only one or two small issues with the unit (dead electrical receptacle, plumbers working in adjacent unit did something strange that caused hot water to come out the cold water lines) but the management company was right on top of things. At one time I considered buying a unit there. The prices and maintenance fee seemed reasonable but that was before the big climb in real estate prices we've seen lately.
  7. Specwriter
    JLWM, I agree no place is immune. I had a client who was followed home to his River Oaks driveway and mugged for his Rolex. Thankfully, he suffered only a broken finger. That was about 20 years ago. His young daughter was in the car too but was not harmed. FWIW, he was driving a Maserati Quattroporte. Perhaps the media reporting has just been more "robust" lately regarding this neighborhood since it is considered up-and-coming. Two things may also add to that: The possibility that the F-Bar robbery and murder may have been a hate crime and the fact Mr. Stuart was a prominent business man. If statistics (and we all know about statistics) show this area has an above average crime rate I would be a bit surprised since there is a significant street life and many businesses and residences have surveillance cameras. Then again, maybe the bad guys don't care about such things.
  8. Specwriter
    This is disturbing. First F-Bar then this, and I know there have been similar incidents in that area lately, all make me wonder what is going on in Mid-town / Montrose. This neighborhood is supposed to be "improving." These recent heinous crimes certainly don't support that notion.
  9. Specwriter
    The Champs (Mambo) at 10810 North Freeway (corner of Dyna) was originally a Jim's Restaurant (San Antonio-based). One of my first jobs in high school was bussing tables at that Jim's. Workers got one free meal during each shift. While we weren't allowed to order steaks the manager on duty most of the time I worked was pretty liberal about other things on the menu - a burger, fries, and additional side, dessert, and a drink with refills was not a problem. It was the perfect "light meal" for a 16-year-old male.
  10. Specwriter
    I was only there one time a few years ago so it wouldn't be fair to say Grand Lux sux. I do remember the décor was a bit over the top. I don't remember the food and service being good or bad but I never felt compelled to return.
  11. Specwriter
    Indeed. Kirksey Architecture build their new office about that time on Portwest Drive about that time. It was the last undeveloped parcel in that commercial subdivision. The owner was required to provide a sidewalk along the Portwest Drive even though the lots on either side did not have them; they were developed before the ordinance was in place. Kirksey went ahead and put in the sidewalk. It was a minor line item in the construction budget compared to the entire project and it was the right thing to do. I haven't paid attention in the ensuing decade and a half but I would not be surprised to see sidewalks linking the one in front of Kirksey's office all along Portwest to both its terminations at Old Katy Road.
  12. Specwriter
    and how long will they stay this time? There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for the chain on this forum but I'm pretty sure the one on Bay Area Blvd. just didn't do well economically. Perhaps it was the location (not easy to get to). There wasn't a Shipley's, or Dunkin' Donuts, or other independent shop nearby so I don't think it was an issue of too much competition.
  13. Specwriter
    FWIW, I recalled this from freshman history class: Grigory Potemkin, a favorite lover of Catherine the Great of Russia (Catherine II) and governor of the southern Ukraine at the time, erected a fake village to impress his empress during her journey to Crimea in 1787.
  14. Specwriter
    I don't see that widening Greenbriar is necessary. Kirby, Buffalo Speedway, and Main Street seem to do well carrying traffic north and south in that area. Besides, even though it is three lanes north of Rice Blvd., Greenbriar is a one way street and goes through a compact residential neighborhood all the way to US 59. Widening Greenbriar would just cause a bottle-neck at Rice Blvd. where north-bound traffic will be forced to turn left or right on that narrow street which will not be widened (Lord, I hope).
  15. Specwriter
    I didn't know the current owner had second thoughts on his original intent to restore the house. Yes, it would have been noble of him if he sold it to someone who was able and willing to follow through with the restoration.
  16. Specwriter
    I drove by yesterday afternoon and the whole building has been 'tented.' There is a small sign taped to a box on the sidewalk that reads "Danger - Keep Out." I believe there is definitely some type of hazardous material (guessing asbestos or lead-based paint) abatement going on inside. This would have to be done whether or not the structure is demolished.
  17. Specwriter
    I believe any new development would be required to install sidewalks along the front of the property. This may be in part a city ordinance and a requirement of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
  18. Specwriter
    I also posted on the Houston Mod thread about this house. Innerlooper is right, there should be plenty of low slope roofers in town who would be willing to take on a small project. I also agree that a modified bitumin roof is the way to go (historic or not). It is the smart money for this application. You definitely do not want a gravel roof even if it "looks right."
  19. Specwriter
    My very cursory search of Lenard Gabert indicates he died in 1976 and was listed in the 1962 American Institute of Architects (AIA) directory as having an office (or perhaps a home) at 1315 Bell in Houston. Lizmc, I cannot recommend a specific roofer but I do recommend contacting David Bucek at Stern and Bucek Architects (713-527-0186) especially if you decide to go the full restoration route. His firm has done many notable renovations and restorations of mid-century modern houses in the area including the Philip Johnson designed house for John and Dominique de Menil. I'm sure the restoration process can be phased to fit schedule and budget. Mr. Bucek can certainly give you useful advice in that regard. Good luck.
  20. Specwriter
    That's a shame but not necessarily the new owner's shame. It took years of neglect for the structure to get to the condition it is in now. Hopefully, the new owner of the property will build something that is attractive and in keeping with the character of the original building.
  21. Specwriter
    Good job, Colin. I hope you get an A.
  22. Specwriter
    The plastic sheeting, some of which can be seen in LarryD's second image, now is across the entire front of the building which also seemingly no longer has a wall. That's an odd thing to do prior to demolition unless there is some sort of hazard material remediation going on first. I doubt the building has asbestos pipe insulation since I saw roof top AC units as late as yesterday. There may be asbestos in the old floor tile though. It wasn't "outlawed" until the mid- to late-1960s. It's hard to tell with the plastic sheeting in place but it looks like the entire interior is essentially gutted.
  23. Specwriter
    Landscaping already? This may mean they intend to be completed soon.
  24. Specwriter
    They're moving quickly. Odd since the building sat empty for so long. I'll drive by around 6:30 this evening on my way home. It will be interesting to see how far along they are on the demo.
  25. Specwriter
    I remember a few gasoline filling stations downtown even into the 1960's. I can't remember exact locations but I'm certain there was one near where the Pierce Elevated is now.
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