editor Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I was recently e-mailed a list of Houston landmarks that are considered endangered.It would be great if we could use the collective power of HAIF to get photographs of each of these buildings before they're destroyed and add them to the gallery for posterity.Take a look at the list in the attached PDF and see if any of these places are in your neighborhood or on your way to work. Even if you only have a cameraphone, some picture is better than no picture.Landmarksites.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 (edited) The same list is also available on the city's website. My understanding is that the list shows three things:(1) a list of the city's "historic districts" (8 total)(2) a list of Houston's "protected landmarks", by street address (40 total)(3) a list of Houston's "designated landmarks", by street address (195 total)Category (3) properties are those, like the River Oaks shopping center and theater, protected only by the 90-day notice provision requiring 90 days' notice in advance of demolition.I'd love to see photographs of the listed historic properties on HAIF. But I wanted to note that my understanding of the list is that it is not a list of "endangered" historic properties, just designated historic properties. Even the 195 properties in the third category have at least the 90-day protection - which of course doesn't keep them from being endangered or demolished (as we've seen), but the fact that they are designated landmarks also doesn't make them necessarily any more endangered than historic buildings not designated landmarks. It just means that they meet the city's criteria for landmark designation and that someone took the initiative to have them designated. (If I'm wrong on this, someone let me know - but I think that's right.)Preservation Texas included on its 2007 list of Texas' most endangered places the following Houston-area properties:- The River Oaks Theater- The River Oaks Shopping Center- The Alabama Theater- The Capitan Theater (Pasadena)- The West Mansion (Clear Lake area)- Galveston's unprotected historic districtGHPA has an endangered buildings page that lists:- The West Mansion- Settegast Estate Building (200 block of West Gray Ave.)- Sociedad Mutualista Benito Juarez Casino Hall (7320 Navigation Blvd.)- Prudential Building (Houston Main Building, University of Texas Health Science Center - 1100 Holcombe Blvd.)- Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral (1111 Pierce Ave.)- The Astrodome (Loop 610 at Kirby Drive)(Plus three others that have since been demolished.)Again, though, I'd love to see photos on HAIF of the historic properties on the list Editor attached, and will try to take some in my neighborhood. Edited October 15, 2007 by tmariar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 I thought the Juarez Casino Hall on Navigation was gone now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Old Houston Fire Station # 3 - 1919 Houston Ave. - I have driven by that place so many times and never realized it was a fire station. There's a banner hanging on the fence with the web address. Should be possible to get a better picture of the current exterior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirTonk Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) Old Houston Fire Station # 3 - 1919 Houston Ave. - I have driven by that place so many times and never realized it was a fire station. There's a banner hanging on the fence with the web address. Should be possible to get a better picture of the current exterior.I went there when it was an art space, they showed video art from some San Francisco artist. Very cool building and I might look into buying it and opening a bar/art space/venue. I need to do more research on the area though, since I didn't see anymore bars. The old Fire Station #6, 1701 Washington, that's pretty close to it looks like it is in an even more precarious spot and is a really cool building as well.If y'all want any specific photos of stuff around Montrose/Heights/Chinatown let me know. I love to check out these places and don't mind putting miles on my scooter. My camera is old, but still works well enough.Wait a minute, they want almost $700,000 for that property? The places around it, which are larger, are barely selling for $100,000. No wonder they have a huge banner. Sure it looks nice inside, but that's an obnoxious amount of money for that area. Edited October 17, 2007 by SirTonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 (edited) Houston Fire Station # 3, 1919 Houston Ave., private ownership Houston Fire Station # 6, on Washington but erroneously listed as 901 Henderson, City of Houston surplus, to be disposed of Houston Fire Station # 11, 4520 Washington, City of Houston surplus, to be disposed of #11 @ Endangered Deco.com Edited October 25, 2007 by brucesw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 (edited) Houston Fire Station # 27, 6302 Lyons @ Kress, City of Houston surplus, to be disposed of Hines Bakery, 1719 Houston Ave., 1941 (?) There is a whole lot of work going on here and it doesn Edited October 21, 2007 by brucesw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Albert W. Lackey house, 239 Westheimer (next to Michangelo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I thought the Juarez Casino Hall on Navigation was gone now.I looked online and couldn't see anything saying one way or the other. If so, it's sad to hear.Nice photos, Bruce. I've noticed the work going on at the Hines Bakery, too - seems like it's been going on for a while now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I looked online and couldn't see anything saying one way or the other. If so, it's sad to hear.I was by there a week or so ago and it was still standing...barely.Redevelopment pressures are still a few miles from there so it might be safe for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 I was driving down Washington yesterday and there were 3 men up on the roof of Fire Station # 11 and they weren't hard hat types. Perhaps investors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disastro Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 I was driving down Washington yesterday and there were 3 men up on the roof of Fire Station # 11 and they weren't hard hat types. Perhaps investors?I saw someone driving around today on San Felipe with a bumper sticker on their window that read "Save Houston's Historical Landmarks"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 (edited) Houston Fire Station # 27, 6302 Lyons @ Kress, City of Houston surplus, to be disposed of Hines Bakery, 1719 Houston Ave., 1941 (?) There is a whole lot of work going on here and it doesn Edited January 16, 2008 by Mark F. Barnes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57Tbird Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 The February issue of Texas Highways had an article that mentioned this Preservation Texas website. It lists several Houston landmarks, including some previously mentioned in this topic, among Texas' Most Endangered Places. Click on Most Endangered to see the listing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misplaced txgirl Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 my dad used to work at #11 fire station...sad to see the picture of what the building has become...i have lots of memories around that place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 my dad used to work at #11 fire station...sad to see the picture of what the building has become...i have lots of memories around that place...# 11 has been sold and signs indicate it's going to be turned into a bar. That's developing into a very trendy stretch of Washington.# 27 has also been sold. I saw it on the news a couple of months ago but can't remember -- I think it was some service organization or the like that's going to open a clinic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 It's hard, only seeing these places now, to understand the kind of life that they indicate - for instance 1100 Holcombe, formerly Prudential Life, in the Med Center:"The original Contemporary Arts building was built downtown where The Heritage Society is now, and the property was owned by John Blaffer and he let them use it. The building was paid for by John de Menil, but it was on the John Blaffer property. That 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 The Hines Bakery store-front tiles are neat, the Art Deco fire station is nice, hope it survives to see restoration. I've heard of the School of Nursing Bldg. quite a bit, in books, beautiful bldg. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yeah, I thought the School of Nursing was rehabilitated in the late 90's after having been badly damaged by fire. Someone sure did a nice job on it -- why is it endangered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 The Juarez Casino Hall has been demolished (via GHPA): Benito Juarez Casino Hall, the historic meeting place of Sociedad Mutualista Benito Juarez, has been demolished. The Mexican-American mutual aid society constructed the East End landmark in 1928. The frame building, shown here in 2004, served as a location for theatrical performances and community events. The structure at 7320 Navigation Blvd. had been allowed to deteriorate for many years. In 2004, the property was offered for public auction, but longtime owner Marcus Castillo paid the back taxes at the last minute and retained ownership. At that time, GHPA was contacted by several buyers with sufficient funds to renovate the building. GHPA put these individuals in touch with Mr. Castillo, but he was not interested in selling the property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 The Juarez Casino Hall has been demolished (via GHPA):Benito Juarez Casino Hall, the historic meeting place of Sociedad Mutualista Benito Juarez, has been demolished. The Mexican-American mutual aid society constructed the East End landmark in 1928. The frame building, shown here in 2004, served as a location for theatrical performances and community events. The structure at 7320 Navigation Blvd. had been allowed to deteriorate for many years. In 2004, the property was offered for public auction, but longtime owner Marcus Castillo paid the back taxes at the last minute and retained ownership. At that time, GHPA was contacted by several buyers with sufficient funds to renovate the building. GHPA put these individuals in touch with Mr. Castillo, but he was not interested in selling the property. What a shame...that place held so much East End history. Just kills me to see so many fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 What a shame...that place held so much East End history. Just kills me to see so many fall. Yes that is like OLD MAJOR East End History, however, please note that this part of town was considered very scary especially by late 70's. Although it is thought of as "historic" the area would be the worse place you might imagine. The joke then was all "the boys " are headed to "Boyd's or Chencha's" as it was known then...had become very hardcore red light district area...sorry folks but true. Some things are best to be gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.