William Wilson Mansion At 205 Bayland Ave.

[houstonray]

Anyone heard what's up with that? The gorgeous Woodland Heights "Wilson" home on Bayland Ave (205 Bayland for those wanting to look it up on HAR) is for sale.

The owners just finished remodeling the former halfway house barely 2 years ago and were going to be there a long time and now they are selling.

Also, $2.5 million seems a little steep, but maybe I'm wrong? Of course, if I had an extra 2.5 laying around....

Heard anything?

[musicman]

link

[heights_yankee]

Anyone heard what's up with that? The gorgeous Woodland Heights "Wilson" home on Bayland Ave (205 Bayland for those wanting to look it up on HAR) is for sale.

The owners just finished remodeling the former halfway house barely 2 years ago and were going to be there a long time and now they are selling.

Also, $2.5 million seems a little steep, but maybe I'm wrong? Of course, if I had an extra 2.5 laying around....

Heard anything?

take the amount of work, the large lot and 3 car garage and put it up to these developer-dime-a-dozen-McVics that are currently listing for over $1mil, i think this is a reasonable price...

maybe they just can't deal with having to do another year of Lights in The Heighs

[Tiko]

Isn't this Bill Baldwin's home (the realtor selling it)? And isn't he buying Karen Derr's agency?

[jm1fd]

Isn't this Bill Baldwin's home (the realtor selling it)?

HCAD shows that it is owned by Bill Baldwin and Jose Gonzalez.

[cwrm4]

Based on what I've heard he has in it, a selling price of $2.5 M would be something like $750k in profit. Not bad in two years.

It's great that the house was saved and remodeled (I wouldn't say restored), but, as opposed to using period-correct and/or salvaged materials, the problem with that house is that it feels like one of those dime-a-dozen McVictorians on the inside. However, most Houston buyers would likely prefer the fake stuff.

Yes, it is also a bit "flamboyant", especially the chandeliers.

[tanith27]

The home is gorgeous. I've been in there a couple of times. One of the few houses in Houston that actually have a basement.

I'll have to check with my Karen Derr contacts and see what the scoop is. I hope his passion for redeveloping homes will move him into another 'rescue of an old home in the Heights' venture.

[Marksmu]

I find it hilarious that any house with modern amenities you call dime a dozen, McVic - That house is beautiful, inside and out. I would guess that less than a half of a half of A percent of people looking to buy a house, especially in the 1 Mil + range, want to buy an old house that is "Period" - Period means no air conditioning, period means old and lots of maintenance. Its infuriating to hear you snobs thinking your better than everyone else, becuase you bought a dump, and fixed it up using old stuff.

Most people dont want old things- the heights will never be the same as it was 2,5,10,25, 50, or even 100 years ago. Get over it. Your not special because your house is old looking and has old looking stuff inside. I see hundreds of "Period" homes everyday that need to be torn down.

Im so sick of all the hippy snobs thinking they are special b/c they live in an old house. Your not special - only you and your hippy obama loving friends think you are. So go hang around in your tiny circles of snobs, who think they are better than everyone else becuase their house is old, and they drive priuses and let people do what they want without you complaining about it.

I think most people who complain about the current direction of the heights (with the exception of the subdiving of lots & townhomes those are valid complaints) are just upset because the welfare you have been living on is not going to cover all your new property taxes as the area becomes nice again.

Ya - I hear this stuff all the time, so its infuriating to me.

Based on what I've heard he has in it, a selling price of $2.5 M would be something like $750k in profit. Not bad in two years.

It's great that the house was saved and remodeled (I wouldn't say restored), but, as opposed to using period-correct and/or salvaged materials, the problem with that house is that it feels like one of those dime-a-dozen McVictorians on the inside. However, most Houston buyers would likely prefer the fake stuff.

Yes, it is also a bit "flamboyant", especially the chandeliers.

[sevfiv]

Please refrain from name-calling and politically baited rants...

[20thStDad]

I find it hilarious that any house with modern amenities you call dime a dozen, McVic - That house is beautiful, inside and out. I would guess that less than a half of a half of A percent of people looking to buy a house, especially in the 1 Mil + range, want to buy an old house that is "Period" - Period means no air conditioning, period means old and lots of maintenance. Its infuriating to hear you snobs thinking your better than everyone else, becuase you bought a dump, and fixed it up using old stuff.

Most people dont want old things- the heights will never be the same as it was 2,5,10,25, 50, or even 100 years ago. Get over it. Your not special because your house is old looking and has old looking stuff inside. I see hundreds of "Period" homes everyday that need to be torn down.

Im so sick of all the hippy snobs thinking they are special b/c they live in an old house. Your not special - only you and your hippy obama loving friends think you are. So go hang around in your tiny circles of snobs, who think they are better than everyone else becuase their house is old, and they drive priuses and let people do what they want without you complaining about it.

I think most people who complain about the current direction of the heights (with the exception of the subdiving of lots & townhomes those are valid complaints) are just upset because the welfare you have been living on is not going to cover all your new property taxes as the area becomes nice again.

Ya - I hear this stuff all the time, so its infuriating to me.

Whoa man, settle. To each his own. You can like new stuff, others can like old stuff. Don't have an aneurysm because of it. If someone likes it, they will buy it. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Everyone is free to give their opinion without the name calling. I live in a newer house by the way, but I get why others don't.

[Dan the Man]

One point that hasn't been brought up is: How intact was the interior of this house prior to the renovation? I had heard that it was a halfway house for many years, so I imagine it took some serious abuse.

I'm glad that it was saved, even if the interior isn't period-correct. The house is significant to the history of Woodland Heights, and preserving the most visible portion (the exterior) maintains the building as a neighborhood landmark. To me, that's more important, since many people will never go inside.

Edited December 2, 2008 by Dan the Man

[heights_yankee]

One point that hasn't been brought up is: How intact was the interior of this house prior to the renovation? I had heard that it was a halfway house for many years, so I imagine it took some serious abuse.

I'm glad that it was saved, even if the interior isn't period-correct. The house is significant to the history of Woodland Heights, and preserving the most visible portion (the exterior) maintains the building as a neighborhood landmark. To me, that's more important, since many people will never go inside.

i think that is a very good point. it's definitely way over the top for what i would buy, even if that was in my price range. i am not a fan of flourishes. DH and i both like simple, clean lines. hence my love of my arts and crafts bungalow.

and, marksmu- sorry you're so angry about something awry in your own life, but you can take your bad attitude elsewhere.

[cwrm4]

I would suspect the house was fairly trashed out on the inside. There are really two ways to remodel old houses...one, make them look like new construction on the inside (these days that means knocking down walls to create open floorplans), or two, restore them with period details and "hidden" upgrades.

Restoring the homes using reclaimed doors, floors, fixtures, etc. is a lot work...the house really must be a labour of love, as it takes a lot of time to search out the correct pieces. If Baldwin's intent was to "flip" the home within a short timespan, then obviously the labour of love of route would not be prudent. I'm almost 4 years into my house restoration, and I'm still searching for a few pieces. At least Baldwin did keep the exterior to its original look, and furthermore, did not level the place and build 4 of his Allegro homes, which would have probably been more profitable in the end.

As for marksmu's response to my original post, I won't dignify it with a directed reply, other than to say that what infuriates me the most is the inability of some people to properly spell the contraction of 'you are'. (It's YOU'RE not YOUR.)

Edited December 3, 2008 by cwrm4

[pineda]

I think it's drop-dead gorgeous! I wonder who their interior designer was? Does the Heights do a Christmas walking tour through some of these homes, and any chance that this one is on the list; I'd love to get a chance to walk around inside.

[tanith27]

I think it's drop-dead gorgeous! I wonder who their interior designer was? Does the Heights do a Christmas walking tour through some of these homes, and any chance that this one is on the list; I'd love to get a chance to walk around inside.

They were on the Woodland Heights spring home tour two years ago. The Christmas home tour going on this weekend is Heights proper.

[Tiko]

I think it's drop-dead gorgeous! I wonder who their interior designer was? Does the Heights do a Christmas walking tour through some of these homes, and any chance that this one is on the list; I'd love to get a chance to walk around inside.

It's not on the list:

http://www.houstonheights.org/holidayhometour.htm

Looking forward to seeing the Worthington house, though.

[sunsets]

I would suspect the house was fairly trashed out on the inside. There are really two ways to remodel old houses...one, make them look like new construction on the inside (these days that means knocking down walls to create open floorplans), or two, restore them with period details and "hidden" upgrades.

And frankly, the new construction on the inside look is what sells. Last year, three of the big houses on Bayland went up for sale within months of one another. If I recall correctly, they were priced within 50K of each other. They were all beautifully restored on the outside, and two of them looked like a Pottery Barn catalog on the inside. The other was a more "period restoration" look, with dark wood trim and reproduction arts and crafts floral wallpaper. It was furnished with Victorian antiques, too.

The new interior homes sold very quickly, while the period restoration sat for a long time, with multiple price reductions and a new paint job inside before someone finally bought it.

[Marksmu]

I apologize about the politically biased section of my rant, and the agressiveness of it...it was likely inappropriate given the current topic....

BUT, the Heights is changing, mostly for the better (the subdiving of the lots & the townhomes are exceptions to this)...the area is beautiful and convenient, and most of the people are great...but there is this group of individuals who attempt to fight property owners from doing what they want with their own property tooth and nail. Having gone through it myself, and won the battle, its nothing but a roadblock that costs money to improve an area.

I love many of the new homes who attempt to recreate the old look on the exterior, but very few people want to live in a period house that has been fixed because they have so many problems. Having restored an older "period" home with modern amenities, and having built from the ground up after knocking a mess down....its much easier and cheaper to start from scratch...but there is a group of people who think they are special because they can get in your way, cost you money, and slow down your plans, because its not what they want...and that is what infuriates me.

If you don't own it, and are not willing to pay for it, you don't get a say in how it comes out period. If anyone thinks the McMansion line is anything but a slam against new building then they are crazy....the people who use the term McMansion, are often the same people who are getting in the way.

I think this house is gorgeous, the exteriors and interiors are wonderful, the garage area is wonderful, and the lot is wonderful, though the entire thing is overpriced, especially given its location so near to main.

I apologize for the aggressiveness of the previous rant, but Im so sick of hearing people whine about "McMansions" simply b/c its not their taste, especially when their "taste" is in the minority.

Please refrain from name-calling and politically baited rants...

[heights_yankee]

marksmu- i think you have a lot of valid points. i am not against development but i do think that there is value in history. perhaps it's b/c i am from an area where history is preserved almost to a fault, but i think that houston has lost so much of its history already. i live in an old on the outside/ modern on the inside home. i have no desire to live in a house that is "period" b/c it's not my style. however, i have great reverence and appreciation for people who do. additionally, i would never tear down a bungalow. i think they are important socially, historically and architecturally and i think they do need to be protected. i also hate the Disney-fication of the Heights. really, tear down a true victorian to put a fake one in it's place? gimme a break. gut it and make it as modern as you want inside, but don't insult us by putting a fake, just add water so it can fall apart in 3 years piece of crap in its place and say you did everyone a favor. there are a lot of moderates when it comes to restoration and preservation. however, development is so rampant in this part of houston, some people have to fight on the extreme side of preservation so that there is a middle ground.

[Marksmu]

I think pretty much its the builders that are tearing the houses down....most individuals who purchase, are remodeling unless the house cannot be salvaged. The house I remodeled cost me nearly 2x as much as initially budgeted to modernize.....the whole house first had to be leveled....that destroyed the sheetrock, and the plumbing....so out it all comes ..then when you get to the studs, you find the termite damage, the leaking drain damage, and the rotten floor, subfloor, and joists that you didnt think looked that bad before you closed....so then you have to fix that....then you realize the wiring is old, and the city wont let you fix the plumbing without modernizing the wiring too, which brings a whole new set of contractors and inspections....

What started out as a lets just replace a few things became a complete remodel from the studs up & down....at some point (which I didnt hit) its cheaper to recreate it than to continue to try to fix it.

I will say though, I havent seen a new build from a spec builder that was done correctly...After fixing this smaller house, and dealing with my own builders problems on my newer house, I feel like I know virtually every code, and the correct/incorrect way of building ways, and its sad to say that I havent seen a spec home built correctly yet, and Ive walked through many that are asking $750K+. They throw them up, and then they leak water everywhere, and the drywall starts cracking, and as you said, 3 years later its a piece of junk sitting where an older house used to be.

And I do see the value in the history - the heights has a lot of history - and some more accurate recreations would be great to see. I for one like the old one story homes with the extremly high ceilings... I dont like seeing the same house on every block anymore than I did in the suberbs. I am just adamantly against someone else telling me what I have to do with my property. I hate deed restrictions with a passion, which is one of the reasons I moved to the Heights area. Setbacks are great, minimum lot sizes, etc - but deed restrctions are awful.

marksmu- i think you have a lot of valid points. i am not against development but i do think that there is value in history. perhaps it's b/c i am from an area where history is preserved almost to a fault, but i think that houston has lost so much of its history already. i live in an old on the outside/ modern on the inside home. i have no desire to live in a house that is "period" b/c it's not my style. however, i have great reverence and appreciation for people who do. additionally, i would never tear down a bungalow. i think they are important socially, historically and architecturally and i think they do need to be protected. i also hate the Disney-fication of the Heights. really, tear down a true victorian to put a fake one in it's place? gimme a break. gut it and make it as modern as you want inside, but don't insult us by putting a fake, just add water so it can fall apart in 3 years piece of crap in its place and say you did everyone a favor. there are a lot of moderates when it comes to restoration and preservation. however, development is so rampant in this part of houston, some people have to fight on the extreme side of preservation so that there is a middle ground.

[flipper]

This listing was withdrawn today.

flipper

[pineda]

more about the restoration of 205 Bayland

[heights_yankee]

I am just adamantly against someone else telling me what I have to do with my property. I hate deed restrictions with a passion, which is one of the reasons I moved to the Heights area. Setbacks are great, minimum lot sizes, etc - but deed restrctions are awful.

b/c you don't like them doesn't mean there isn't a place for them. some people choose their neighborhood specifically b/c of them. i knew what i was getting in to when i bought in proctor plaza. i knew i would have to only have wood windows and that any changes i made to my house would have to be approved by the neighborhood association. and i LIKE that. that was a big plus for us when we were home shopping. you made a decision to buy where you didn't have to deal with deed restrictions; i made the decision to buy where i do.

[Highlander]

This listing was withdrawn today.

flipper

I noticed that today...I bet he already has a check in hand. I have to say I'm a little disappointed, I hope whoever moves in cares as much about the neighborhood as he does.

[woodheightsguy]

marksmu- i think you have a lot of valid points. i am not against development but i do think that there is value in history. perhaps it's b/c i am from an area where history is preserved almost to a fault, but i think that houston has lost so much of its history already. i live in an old on the outside/ modern on the inside home. i have no desire to live in a house that is "period" b/c it's not my style. however, i have great reverence and appreciation for people who do. additionally, i would never tear down a bungalow. i think they are important socially, historically and architecturally and i think they do need to be protected. i also hate the Disney-fication of the Heights. really, tear down a true victorian to put a fake one in it's place? gimme a break. gut it and make it as modern as you want inside, but don't insult us by putting a fake, just add water so it can fall apart in 3 years piece of crap in its place and say you did everyone a favor. there are a lot of moderates when it comes to restoration and preservation. however, development is so rampant in this part of houston, some people have to fight on the extreme side of preservation so that there is a middle ground.

I mean absolutely no disrespect by this, in fact, I'm convinced I'll be drinking margaritas with Heights Yankee at Berryhill one night with our kiddos all playing on the patio. But, honestly, I have a couple of questions. You said "i think they are important socially, historically and architecturally and i think they do need to be protected." My question is this: why are they important socially and historically?

Can you give examples in our neighborhood of this "gimme a break. gut it and make it as modern as you want inside, but don't insult us by putting a fake, just add water so it can fall apart in 3 years piece of crap in its place and say you did everyone a favor." By that, I mean I'd like to know of houses that were built three years ago that are falling apart. That are in disrepair, because that's what "falling apart" means to me. To me, that's what you are implying. Maybe it's happening, and I don't see it. It's a big neighborhood, but I didn't see any new construction topple over after IKE,much to the dismay of the new construction haters. (I refuse to use McMansion, as I do live in a newer house, that in my opinion is anything but a McMansion, but I digress......).

I'll be the big red head at Berryhill with 10 month red headed daughter, look forward to tipping back an adult beverage.....

[heights_yankee]

I mean absolutely no disrespect by this, in fact, I'm convinced I'll be drinking margaritas with Heights Yankee at Berryhill one night with our kiddos all playing on the patio. But, honestly, I have a couple of questions. You said "i think they are important socially, historically and architecturally and i think they do need to be protected." My question is this: why are they important socially and historically?

Can you give examples in our neighborhood of this "gimme a break. gut it and make it as modern as you want inside, but don't insult us by putting a fake, just add water so it can fall apart in 3 years piece of crap in its place and say you did everyone a favor." By that, I mean I'd like to know of houses that were built three years ago that are falling apart. That are in disrepair, because that's what "falling apart" means to me. To me, that's what you are implying. Maybe it's happening, and I don't see it. It's a big neighborhood, but I didn't see any new construction topple over after IKE,much to the dismay of the new construction haters. (I refuse to use McMansion, as I do live in a newer house, that in my opinion is anything but a McMansion, but I digress......).

I'll be the big red head at Berryhill with 10 month red headed daughter, look forward to tipping back an adult beverage.....

socially and historically, they tell the story of when houston was a developing city. they tell the stories of the families that settled in this area and built the the city we know today. the represent a past that deserves to be remembered. maybe if houston held on to any of its other history, neighborhoods like this wouldn't be as important, but every city deserves to have it's past represented.

falling apart doesn't mean complete disrepair. it means the starting signs of disrepair. moldy window casings are the ones i see everywhere. if your house is only 3 years old and the hardiplank is molding, that's an issue. and i'll tell you my dirty secret: the house i live in has an addition on the back. it wasn't built by us and it was not built the way we would build it. it was added by a well known contractor in the Heights who no longer does smalls cale renovation- only new construction and large projects. lemme tell ya, not only do we have mold issues, but the damn thing is about to fall off the back of the house. the rest of the house- solid as a rock. i have seen new construction with foundation issues. i have friends who live in a home built by my most hated developer in the 'hood and when their house was only a year old, they had to replace all the upstairs plumbing. no, the house never looked bad on the outside, but the plumbing was falling apart inside. i have another friend in a new home. she is having major electrical work done right now. major. my house is still half knob&tube and we have no issues...

i never thought any of the new homes would topple during Ike and never wanted them to. as i keep saying, i am not totally against new homes. what i am against is the notion that a new home that can be built in 3 weeks is of better quality than a house that has stood for 100 years. i am against the notion that the history of the neighborhood is disposable. i am against the opinion that older homes have no value.

[20thStDad]

I'll be the big red head at Berryhill with 10 month red headed daughter, look forward to tipping back an adult beverage.....

Whoa! My 11 month old redheaded daughter wants to play with yours. She loves mirrors and we have rarely seen another redhead, I am sure it would amuse her to the point of insanity.