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Apartments At 2015 Dunlavy St.


sheeats

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When I was at the Guild Shop (2009 Dunlavy St.) last weekend, I noticed that the ratty old apartments right next door (on Dunlavy and Indiana) have been nearly gutted. Last time I was there, only a few months ago, they were full of residents. Low income residents, but residents nevertheless.

I don't know the name of the apartments -- couldn't find it anywhere -- but it's only a small fourplex of two-story buildings on a central courtyard with what looks like two bedroom apartments four-to-a-building, maybe sixteen apartments total. They appear to have been built in the 1940s and are all brick with some small yet nice architectural details. When I peeked inside one of the vacant units, I noticed that the kitchens all appear to be original with very cool retro tilework, the floors have their original wood parquet and there are even little telephone niches in the walls. Very cute. :)

I was thinking how wonderful it would be if someone rehabbed these units. They're absolutely adorable, if in terrible shape from many years of neglect. And they're in a great location right off West Gray and Dunlavy. But I have a feeling that probably won't happen.

Anyone have an idea what might be happening there? HCAD indicates that the apartments might actually be owned by the Guild Shop, but I don't think I'm looking at the right units, since it lists the apartments as being built in 1960 and they look much older than that. :blink:

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Do you happen to know the address (-ish) for the place?

The Guild Shop is at 2009 Dunlavy and these apartments are literally right next to it, so I'm guessing 2000 block of Dunlavy as an estimated address.

dang

Okay, that sounded mean. Let me rephrase: these people had trashed these apartments. There was rubbish all over the yard, all the windows were covered with foil, some of the windows were broken, there were tires and random auto parts and old, empty coolers and used condoms and broken beer bottles and all kinds of stuff just laying about everywhere. It looked like a crack den.

Better? Or just meaner? I can't tell.

Edited by sheeats
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Okay, that sounded mean. Let me rephrase: these people had trashed these apartments. There was rubbish all over the yard, all the windows were covered with foil, some of the windows were broken, there were tires and random auto parts and old, empty coolers and used condoms and broken beer bottles and all kinds of stuff just laying about everywhere. It looked like a crack den.

Hubert Vo anyone?

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I spent a lot of time at this complex as a kid in the late 70's/early 80's. My aunt & uncle rented a 2nd story unit in one building and my grandmother rented a ground floor unit in another one. I used to go across Indiana to that convenience store & buy candy. Not very informative, I know - just anecdotal.

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I spent a lot of time at this complex as a kid in the late 70's/early 80's. My aunt & uncle rented a 2nd story unit in one building and my grandmother rented a ground floor unit in another one. I used to go across Indiana to that convenience store & buy candy. Not very informative, I know - just anecdotal.

Anecdotal, but interesting! Do you happen to know when they were built? Or remember what they looked like inside? I'm just wondering if that parquet flooring and kitchen tilework is original. It certainly looked like it...

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Anecdotal, but interesting! Do you happen to know when they were built? Or remember what they looked like inside? I'm just wondering if that parquet flooring and kitchen tilework is original. It certainly looked like it...

I was over in that area this morning, so I stopped by & peeked into my grandmother's old apartment. The kitchen is just as I remember it! There was white carpet in her old living room, though, so I peeked into the apartment across the hall. It had the parquet. I didn't go upstairs & see if I could peek in my aunt & uncle's old unit up there but as far as I recall, their living room floor was parquet, too. I honestly can't remember what was in my grandmother's living room back then, but I'd bet that parquet is under the carpet anyway. My grandmother's was a 1BR and my aunt & uncle had a 2BR, but the layout was just about the same.

Unfortunately I have no idea when they were built. I even asked my mother, thinking her memories/knowledge as an adult might be better than mine as a child, but she didn't know, either. They seem older than 1960 to me, too, but I have only opinion to go on. My family members weren't living there until mid-70's at the earliest, so my limited knowledge starts there.

BTW, business must be booming at the Guild Shop. I was over there around 9am and people were lined up waiting for it to open!

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Take any pictures? I'll try to stop by and do so - just so there's a record of it pre-renovation/demolition

Same here, although my digital camera is busted and I'm having to rely on my cell phone camera for now... :blush:

And, yeah -- The Guild Shop is constantly busy these days. Someone must have let that cat out of the bag... :lol:

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Take any pictures? I'll try to stop by and do so - just so there's a record of it pre-renovation/demolition

Of course today I did not have my camera with me. I do want to go back & take some pics, though. I really wish I had some from when I was a kid!

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Went over this weekend and took some pictures. Couldn't find the apartment where I'd seen the parquet flooring. How weird is that? Like a parquet mirage... :lol:

Spoke to one of the Guild Shop ladies and got confirmation that yes, indeed, the Guild Shop does own that land/complex and will soon be tearing it down to build an additional parking lot. *sigh*

Anyway, there are a bunch of pictures here on my Flickr account. And I've posted a few below. Enjoy!

2607893017_7014ff3d1f.jpg

2608723480_3a02761d6f.jpg2608723226_eb4784eaa1.jpg

2607892945_01202b2a59.jpg

Any guesses as to what the "LML" above stands for? :ph34r:

Edited by sheeats
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I looked up the address in a couple directories and maps, and nothing about "LML."

And I ran in to sheeats on site! :ph34r:

I have some photos to post soon as well.

I wish I had known you two were headed over there! I'd love to go back & take some pictures, but I'm too paranoid that I'd get run off. I'm really quite the ninny sometimes. I mean if I did get run off ... then I did? I don't know what I'm so worried about. I might head over in the next couple of days since I'll have a bit of free time. Hopefully I can go before they tear them down.

Over the weekend I took a couple of (bad) pictures of the Bellaire house that Randy & Dennis Quaid lived in during the 60's. It wasn't torn down as of Sunday, but it will be soon.

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Over the weekend I took a couple of (bad) pictures of the Bellaire house that Randy & Dennis Quaid lived in during the 60's. It wasn't torn down as of Sunday, but it will be soon.

Do you know the Bellaire address by chance?

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Spoke to one of the Guild Shop ladies and got confirmation that yes, indeed, the Guild Shop does own that land/complex and will soon be tearing it down to build an additional parking lot. *sigh*

It's OK if they displace low-income families. They're a charitable organization. <_<

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It's OK if they displace low-income families. They're a charitable organization. <_<

Personally, I believe it is time to find another place for their business. I like going there, but the place has outgrown its current location. Hell, its big enough where it can occupy a good portion of the strip center on Montrose and Westheimer!

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Personally, I believe it is time to find another place for their business. I like going there, but the place has outgrown its current location. Hell, its big enough where it can occupy a good portion of the strip center on Montrose and Westheimer!

QFT.

It seems (to me, at least) that it would make more sense to relocate to a place that can handle further, future expansion. Where they are right now, they're at capacity. The only alternative if they expand even more (which seems bound to happen) is that they build an extension onto their current building into their soon-to-be asphalt parking lot. And then they're back to square one with the whole parking issue again.

:wacko:

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Went by after work today and looks like I'm the slow one - nothing but dirt

Bah. Well, I knew it was coming. I only took 3 pictures (I think) and they were from out the car window, but I'll try to get them up online anyway.

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  • 7 months later...

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