Specwriter

They did the same thing before tearing down the old apartments at Kirby and S Main (where the new ones are going up north of this). Old stuff is pulled out of all the rooms, they salvage what they can (like mirrors/electronics/fixtures), hazmat the gross stuff (mattresses), clean it out then tear down the walls.

That's what I hope they are doing. There is almost nothing in an old building, except the hazardous stuff, than cannot be reused in some way.

I drive past the strip shopping center that faces Buffalo Speedway every weekday afternoon. Last week I noticed a fence had been put up around the parking lot. Yesterday I noticed a pile of rubble on the pavement that was apparently from interior demolition. I also saw a Bobcat (the small front-end loader, not the animal) through an opening in the front wall.

I can't imagine interior demolition only is taking place and that the structure is to be saved. Maybe it is just a prelude to the whole thing being knocked down.

I'm not likely to stop to take pictures as I am on my way home and there is no convenient place to stop the car but if I see something compelling I will pull into the Starbucks and shoot a few images.

Any suggestions for repair shops for lighting?   I have two 60's era pendant lights that I need to have rewired.  

Try A&O Lamp Company on Bellaire Blvd. or Lightbulbs Unlimited on Westhiemer at Waugh (the latter may be able to recommend a place).

Don't forget Buchanan's on 11th street in the Heights and Mass Nursery on Todville Road in Seabrook - two of the best.

If your jambs are in good condition you might consider Jeld-wen replacement sash and avoid having to change out the whole jamb and sill assembly. They call it the Zap pack. You remove the old sashes and some of the smaller trim, install side liners, and pop in the new windows.

 

Grogan Lumber in the Heights is a Jeld-wen dealer and can help you with this. They may have installers they can recommend it you are not deft with a hammer. Be careful that jambs are not way out of square.

 

Houston is a Jeld-wen town and many builders use them.  I would go with custom measured sashes and not the default stock sizes. With stock, you might end up having to pad out the sides and top to the next size down and it looks cheap, and there is more trim to adjust.

 

The Jeld-wens are wood with a metal overlay on the outside. The metal is available in various colors so in theory you will not ever have to paint the exterior of the sashes. The wood has some kind of treatment and I have not seen any failures in many years. On the inside if you are going to paint, get them primed at the factory and save a step. Otherwise they are stain-grade pine color.

brian0123, this is a good suggestion if this is the type of window you want to replace. Aluminum-clad wood windows are really attractive and have low maintenance. innerlooper is right about the custom measured sashes too if the jambs are in good enough condition to keep. This can also keep the clad wood windows cost competitive with other types.

Fiberglass is stronger in bending than most vinyl window profiles. This is probably critical only for larger windows. Also, fiberglass is gel-coated so the color is "built in." My window frames are dark brown and fading after almost 8 years is negligible.

Hub Buick was on Kirby, just north of Westheimer.  Originally DeMontrond, I believe.  When Demontrond went suburban, the service or parts manager,whose name was Hub, took over that dealership for a few years.

 

The dealership on Shepherd south of Westheimer was Jimmie Green Chevrolet.

 

Here's one old thread of old dealerships and there are several others.

 

Hub Fossier IIRC. He passed away almost ten years ago after a 50 year career in automobile retailing in Houston.

Wyatt's South Post Oak and West Bellfort closed like 15 to 18 yrs ago I remember going there about 7 to 10 time there was another one that was at OST and Griggs that closed like 2 to 4 yrs ago

I don't remember if the food was good or not; I was less than 10 years old and anything that wasn't broccoli or cabbage was o.k. The food quality was probably about the same as a Luby's is today.

I do remember I was permitted by my parental overlords to get the Jell-O cubes as a dessert. What kid doesn't love Jell-O. One of the most agonizing decisions I had to make at that tender age was red, green, or yellow Jell-O.

Specwriter, you got a list of former fast food locations?

Sorry, no. I think it was fortunate that JIB had one you were able to get. Just yesterday I thought about all the McDonalds (existing and no longer here) there must be in Harris County alone! Same with Burger King.

I'm sure I could answer my own question just by driving down North Shepherd, but is the Jack-in-the-Box at Shepherd and Donovan still there? My cousin attended St. Pius X high school in the mid-1960's. Sometimes my sister and I would ride along with our aunt when she went to pick up her daughter from school and we would often use the drive through to get shakes and fries on the way home.

I had Pella fiberglass windows installed about 7 years ago and I am very happy with them. The house was built in 1968 so the insulation in the walls is nothing great but the double-pane, single hung windows are a vast improvement over the original fixed glass especially regarding outside noise. They also have a low-e coating.

The windows weren't cheap; about $11,000 for 14 windows with screens and a sliding patio door installed (and I even got a professional discount) but I still consider it a good investment. By the way, fiberglass is usually more expensive than vinyl or aluminum but far less expensive than aluminum clad wood windows.

Double-pane windows are great for increasing thermal performance, especially up north where the difference between in-door and out-door temperatures can be large during the winter but they also minimize sound transmission better than single pane windows. In southern latitudes low-e (for low emissivity) is the way to go to reduce heat gain especially for windows that get direct sunlight.

You can see that the low-e glass imparts a faint color when compared to clear glass (kind of a gold color) but it is much less obvious than tinting and has a huge advantage in terms of performance, durability, and appearance over films applied to the surface of the glass.

Nice!

All they have to do is look through the glass to monitor and observe actual crimes taking place around them, live crack deals etc...

This may be true now but I see a day when this neighborhood will be more like what midtown and the near east side is becoming. Its proximity to downtown and convenience to the medical center practically assure that.

Also, it seems to be well located near TSU since that university offers, through its School of Public Affairs, a BS in Administration of Justice. It is always a good thing when high school students can get early exposure to the 'college experience.'

I wonder if this new facility will ease the overcrowding at Austin High.

Is that a hazmat warning taped to the window below the stack o' mattresses? 

I would think so. Used mattresses can be pretty hazardous. 

I listed these locations

Yes, # 643 and # 3916. My bad.

I'm not sure why the one in Kemah closed. It always seemed to have enough business. There was a stretch of time in the early '00s when I was putting in some very late hours at a job in the area and this was the only place open after 11:00pm.

Cafeterias were always part of Houston's unique culture where our parents would take us 'out to eat.  L & C and other that I can't remember.  The food was good and was a treat.  Clayborns on Bissonnet still maintains the original high quality that we got spoiled on, but don't try it on Mother's day.

Two cafeteria chains in Houston I remember are Wyatt's and Piccadilly. My parents would take us to the Wyatt's on 43rd at Ella occasionally for lunch after church on Sunday's. There was a fountain in the middle of the dinning room and an "attendant" always carried my tray to the table since I was just a little guy at the time. Those employees were invariably ladies wearing a dress with a white apron and a white folded cloth hat that looked quite a bit like the one my mother wore to work (she was a nurse).

I think there may still be a Piccadilly Cafeteria in Almeda Mall. I know there used to be one at its twin, Northwest Mall.

I think I found it! I drove past the the 3600 block of Alabama, just east of Timmons (3617, to be exact), and  I think that's it.

 

A high wall obscures everything except the tops of some trees and some plastic-covered unidentifiable things that could be old boxes or old furniture, and if you really crane your neck, you can see that the trees are in a big yard without much of anything else in it--as though, perhaps, after the demise of the little farm, the trees and yard had remained, no longer Brigadoon-like, no longer like much of anything, but still set back and hidden from view. 

 

According to a sign on the street, a contracting business called Doerner Industries has an office somewhere on the property.

 

It's no longer a rural anachronism, but it's still mysterious looking.

Doerner (dur'-nur) is one of the few remaining plastering contractors in the city. By plastering I mean traditional gypsum plaster installed over lath on the interior walls of buildings that was prevalent before gypsum drywall (Sheetrock is a popular brand name) became so widely used. I've had Doerner on projects in the past from historic restoration to new high-end commercial buildings. The do great work but, as with so many true crafts, it is not cheap.

I believe the plastic covered things are the materials of their trade (lime, gypsum, etc.) being protected from the elements.

Being local and family owned was a big part of it......

 

I agree. Randall's too had exceptional service in the early days.

This I actually wouldn't mind spending $1.4 million for if I had it. 

This thing is so much better than I envisioned.

I agree.

I know almost nothing about this subject either but with just enough chemistry and biology knowledge to be dangerous, I would think that certain plants could "metabolize" organics like fertilizers and motor oil in run-off water. I understand canna lilies are good for this as the like super moist soil too.

Coincidentally, there is an article in the current issue of Texas Architect (March/April 2015) in which local Houston architect Kathleen English discusses bioswales and the retention and treatment of rainwater. Google "kathleen english bioswales" for some interesting links.

Does anyone else ever wish this had been built downtown? Could you guys imagine how it would look in the skyline?

It would be an attractive addition to the downtown skyline but it would also be partially obscured by other tall buildings. I like it where it is. For this Houston native and resident for 50+ years, it is awe inspiring to see it from say, the Sidney Sherman Bridge over the ship channel, and recall Houston's remarkable ascent as a major urban presence in my lifetime. 

I've mentioned in other threads how outstanding the service and quality of the produce was. Central Market and Whole Foods don't come close to offering the customer service one would experience at Jamail's.

$3 filet mignon! Even 25 years ago that sounded questionable. FWIW, there was a "gentlemen's club" on the Gulf Freeway just outside the beltway that started off as a Rick's, same ownership as the one in the Galleria area, then had a different name after Rick's tanked. Then the building set vacant for several years but has recently re-opened as a party and reception venue. I couldn't tell you what it looks like inside - I imagine any stage with a pole in the middle has been removed - but the facility does seem to have generous parking behind the building which sits close to the access road.

 

"I just called the Jack In The Box corporate office, and they gave out a list of former locations."

 

I can think of one more but I don't know the store number: in Kemah on State Highway 146, south of the bridge and just north of the intersection with FM 2094. It is now a boat dealership.

I think the structure on El Camino Real just north of NASA Road 1 must have been a JIB at one time too. It has been a succession of grungy looking eateries since and may be abandoned now.

 

 

I remember the name Alan Parcel but I cannot say if that is the person in the screen shot. I was in high school then and didn't see much local news. I was either studying (not enough it would seem), hanging out with friends at Greenspoint Mall (before you needed a flack jacket for that), or earning a romping $2.10/hr at the Orange Julius to feed my 8-track habit.

Brutal indeed! The backhoe in Urbanizer's second pic will destroy that building like JJ Watt taking a claw hammer to a doll house although he would never do that because he is too much a gentleman. It's a different story though if you are a quarterback who is not faster than a bullet train.

Mercedes-Benz agencies (at least the one I use) seem to have taken a lesson from Lexus. The things I like about the service department (and it may be just because of the service writer I always request demand) is that, if there are repairs, they are done right the first time, my car is ready when they say it will be, and the service writer is very good about communicating with me. If he says he will call at 2:00 to let me know the status of my car, my phone rings at 1:59!

The espresso bar, WiFi, etc. are nice but they would not make up for shortcomings in the items I named above. I'm not easily bought off.