sevfiv

I wouldn't have gone in by myself. I had some family with me -- and they reluctantly agreed to go in. When we walked in the woman at the desk was talking to some disheveled man, and they both stopped talking and turn to look at us like we really didn't belong there (not in a rude way, just in a surprised way).

You could tell the place was decent back in the day, though.

it used to be a nice place (Hotel Cotton era). the rooms aren't too small, but there are no phones - that, and many other upgrades would be necessary. good bones, though...

I went in the Montagu back in May when I was in the area. I had read about its "comeback" and wanted to see it first hand. For any seasoned traveler, it would be quite a shock. It wasn't horrible by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't like any hotel my middle-class self had ever stayed in. I was hoping for its continued improvement, but perhaps it's not in the cards.

i meant to write that the old Bond store wasn't too bad inside, but both deserve to be rehabbed, imo

There is an article from the HBJ somewhere in this forum that talks about the development on this block. It is a Hines development, and they will tear down everything except the the white building in the corner that was converted to office condos recently (can't remember the name). It is very uncommon for a developer to go hard on a contract unless they are ready to go, although with Hines' deep pockets it might be different.

Hines' plans for that block are a 40-50 story building, all curtain wall. It's no Pennzoil, but it is definitely better that the Calpine building they did at 717 Texas. I hope they get started on it soon, although they are waiting to get a major tenant.

the white building is the old Stowers furniture building.

It would be great if Hines could use the remaining structures - i know they have the $, and it might make up a little for the parking garage fiasco where they tore down the old San Jacinto/Bender hotel...

maybe neil frank?

frank billingsly hasn't been on quite as long

the 1602 South Blvd. home is neat - and it is large (about 5800 sq. ft.)

anyone know if it has a yard? the outdoor pictures show a little bit of grass and a patio, and the pool...

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

Spire did a nice job on the exterior Stowers (even though Spire later defected), and the Bond store in between it and the Montagu isn't so bad inside. There is no reason someone with the expertise, money, and initiative to restore couldn't turn this block into something great.

Now, Hines - I wouldn't count on them for anything (for reasons Subdude gave above)

Downtown got swindled on this one.

and the rhetoric could be toned down to attempt to suck up to someone, but ultimately Hines probably wouldn't give a *** either way. If the company did, we wouldn't have this crappy end result in the first place.

You need to spend $6k and have that brick covered with stucco IMMEDIATELY ! ! ! That is what is killing that house, the flow is all wrong on the outside.

i would say the opposite - stucco needs to be bricked

but yeah, to me, something just looks funny with this place.

In fact that aerial pic seems dated?

yeah, the picture is pre-construction, but it shows the plot of land and its proximity to the houses

and i remember the texas cyclone being really really loud

The tranquil view of Galveston Bay that Tim and Hahn Tran enjoy from their front porch is the perfect antidote to the ups and downs of life. But there's apparently not much they can do about the roller coaster in their backyard.

Only 200 feet from their back door, nine stories high when completed, is the Boardwalk Bullet. And there are only a couple of weeks left before the Bullet comes to life with thundering cars and screaming riders.

Building the roller coaster did not require any special permits from the city of Kemah, City Administrator Bill Kerber said. Since all setback requirements were met and the city has no zoning, a building permit for the coaster was issued without any variances. No public hearing was required to inform area residents.

full article

wow, that stinks

here is an aerial, for a frame of reference

interesting - i guess we'll see how things develop...or not.

i wasn't there last friday, but the two before was an interesting driving experience

Tear down.

nice.

there were a few houses recently sold in ayrshire - i think on falkirk and drummond, maybe merrick, and prestwick that might get what they least deserve soon.

the prestwick home looked kinda neat - the demolition permit has already been issued, though

anyone know what's going on with this place now? a couple times while trying to leave Warren's on weekend nights, i noticed a long line to get in, and Travis and Franklin streets were flooded with cars, bass, and drivers who obviously didn't know the area too well or were disoriented...in some way (driving the wrong way down one-ways, driving in the left lane on two-ways, etc).

the latest i could find was that the tabc license for this place expired June 8th, and the company that owns it (MAK productions), is not in good standing...

it also had a long list of tabc violations, too

What I remember most about Gourmet Hamburgers was their little chocolate mouse desert in a cup. God those were good. Great burgers to. Absinthe 1900 is right about the correct location of the one on Kirby. And I remember the one on Alabama also. Lived right down the street from it.

while searching for something unrelated i found a TABC record for a place owned by Hamburgers by Gourmet, Inc. called Ethel's Southern Cafe. this was located at 1712 Bissonnet, which now seems to be a parking area for the Hillel Foundation, and way back when might have been an auto repair place...

anyone remember Ethel's, or know of other (maybe current) ventures by Hamburgers by Gourmet?

from tmariar in this thread, a link to this blog entry:

1958 - Houston City Directory does not list a

I wish the site had larger pictures.

The article is no longer in the Chronicle website. Can anyone tell me what the proposal was?

here is the archived article (login required):

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive....id=2007_4371021

The landmark designations, if approved by the City Council, will apply to the Alabama Shopping Center in the 2900 block of South Shepherd - including the Alabama Theater building that now houses a bookstore - and the crescent-shaped River Oaks Shopping Center at the northeast corner of Shepherd and West Gray.

Both areas, along with the River Oaks Theater across the street from the River Oaks Shopping Center, have been listed as endangered by the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. Weingarten Realty Investors, which owns all three properties, has asked tenants to vacate the River Oaks Shopping Center and may legally begin demolition on Aug. 8.

here is the big River Oaks thread, too:

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=6732

i made sure to save a copy of it - now just to find it...

the internet archive to the rescue (i just grabbed one from 2006):

http://web.archive.org/web/20060202021610/...aboutcenter.htm

Aside from being one of Houston's premiere shopping, dining and entertainment experiences, River Oaks Shopping Center is also a historical landmark!

River Oaks Shopping Center is the oldest shopping center in Texas and the second oldest shopping center in the nation (Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri is the nation's oldest).

Hugh Potter, the center's designer, began building River Oaks Shopping Center in 1937.

River Oaks Shopping Center is one of Houston's premier examples of Modern architectural design. When you visit, take notice of its pair of curved sections facing Shepherd Drive, followed by the long horizontal units on either side of West Gray. These features are representative of typical Modern design. In addition, many classic '30's and '40's motifs and materials- rounded corners, "porthole" windows and light fixtures, black glass and stucco- can also be seen among the center's Modern design details.

I notice that Weingarten's River Oaks Shopping Center website no longer waxes poetical about the historical aspect of the center - wish I'd thought to print out the old verbage while it was still up there.

i made sure to save a copy of it - now just to find it...

yep - really run down area now

Yep - took a drive by and it was a mud pit.

I'm not familiar with Jay Baker architects, though...

an interesting read from 1986:

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1986_431385

WHAT to do with Market Square?

The question has dogged city planners for years, and today the future of that square in the north end of the downtown business district looks quite inviting, thanks to the cooperative efforts of planners, architects, political bodies, and most especially to five artists whose contributions have been orchestrated by DiverseWorks.

[...]

Five artists will provide the ornamental and entertainment aspects of Market Square. Doug Hollis of Houston and Richard Turner of Los Angeles are a team responsible for embedding relics of the past - artifacts and tiled photos of razed area buildings - in the sidewalks. Photographer Paul Hester has been commissioned to choose 20 archival photos and produce 20 new ones; and Malou Flato of Austin will construct four benches for the outer rim of the park, covered by hand-painted tiles. At the center James Surls' tall botanical structure of wood, to be embedded in concrete and assembled with the help of a crane, will be the plaza's center focus.

There is a freshness and bit of zaniness, together with a touch of nostalgia, in this plan - an honest linking of past and present in a way that should be refreshing at all seasons.

Located in the heart of the Theater District, Jones Plaza has a long history as downtown Houston's outdoor centerpiece, dating to its construction in 1966.

i'd say it is west of jones hall

haha - i said south because of its position in the picture...d'oh

so the what i see as construction-looking fencing and a sign is the built Jones Plaza? or is this picture from 1966 and the plaza isn't quite done?

hmm...Jones Hall opened in 1966 on the site of the former City Auditorium...

just south of Jones Hall it looks like it is fenced off for construction maybe - does anyone know when Jones Plaza was built, since that's what is there now....?

ah yes - Jones Hall, and that's the Lancaster Hotel (would have been the Auditorium Hotel then) to the left, then going north along Texas Ave. a void where Calpine Center is now, the Chronicle/Milam buildings, and the Rice Hotel (which looks occupied, so this was definitely pre-1978).

great find!

Bought some property in Braes Heights, actually in Ayshire. Hope to do something with it.

what type of house did you end up purchasing?

There is a nice one on Gramercy right behind the Shell research campus.

i *think* you were writing about the Houck house (streamline style).

if so, it's long gone, and the land has been subdivided and put up FSBO