Great Southwest Building At 1314 Texas Ave.

[Jax]

I was downtown this morning before the sun rose (~6 am) and I noticed there were lights on in the "Great Southwest" building near the top. I thought this building was abandoned. Is it being renovated or something, or are there squatters in there? Or am I wrong that it has been abandoned?

[liammclaren]

I was downtown this morning before the sun rose (~6 am) and I noticed there were lights on in the "Great Southwest" building near the top. I thought this building was abandoned. Is it being renovated or something, or are there squatters in there? Or am I wrong that it has been abandoned?

I've wondered the same thing.

[RedScare]

Nope. It is alive and kicking. A group of investors bought it out of foreclosure over 10 years ago. It has been somewhat renovated, but really only the lobby has been redone well. The rest is just new carpet and paint. I officed in this building for 5 years, from '98 to '03. It is mostly an office building for small law firms. Irma's Southwest Grill is located on the ground floor.

[Jax]

That's good to know. It's too cool of a building to be abandoned.

Edited January 12, 2008 by Jax

[TheNiche]

Irma's Southwest Grill is located on the ground floor.

I thought Irma's had a freestanding restaurant a few blocks north of MMP?

[RedScare]

I thought Irma's had a freestanding restaurant a few blocks north of MMP?

She does. Irma's Southwest Grill, however, is run by her son.

[Subdude]

This is Houston's best example of Mayan revival architecture.

[MidtownCoog]

We had lunch here Friday. Good stuff, but don't expect Tex-Mex.

The lobby has some nice touches, especially over the elevator banks (Mayan heads).

Also at Irma's Southwest Grill is UH Basketball 'Cougar Talk' with Tom Penders from 7-8 pm on 790 The Sports Animal.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I haven't eaten at Irma's in over a year. Their grilled chicken salad is pretty good, though.

[Jax]

I'm going to have to check this place out someday.

Does anybody know if its open after 5 or on weekends?

[sevfiv]

I'm going to have to check this place out someday.

Does anybody know if its open after 5 or on weekends?

Every time i have been by it was closed. Except on game days.

edit - their hours are M-F 8am-3pm and game days three hours before first pitch

http://www.irmassouthwest.com/

[Jax]

That sucks. I guess I won't be going any time soon. Maybe if I am coincidentally downtown on a game day...

[sevfiv]

I might have posted some of these elsewhere on the forum, but here's some of the details of the building:

[bkjones98]

For the record, real property cannot be abandoned. So, generally, someone or something will always own the property. What they chose to do or not do with it is another matter.