Central Square At 2100 Travis St.

[57Tbird]

The Central Bank Building was a real swinging place-the second location of Glenn McCarthy's Cork Club in 1957 after he sold the legendary Shamrock Hotel to Hilton. The Cork Club featured the top entertainers of the era including Frank Sinatra. (The last location of the Cork Club was to be at the office tower on Highway 6 at Memorial Drive in 1983 but the economic bust left that building unfinished for years and the club did not open.)

I just recently came across this thread, and since I know someone who was intimately familiar with the Cork Club, I thought I would pass this info by him for his comments. An interesting bit of trivia...

"The discussion says the second location of the club was on Travis. Actually, the second location was on Fannin, across from the Warwick Hotel...in the Republic Insurance Building. It then moved to the Century Building. Yes, there was talk of having it open, after it closed in the Century Bldg, in a building at Hwy 6 and Memorial, but it never got beyond talk. McCarthy was going to receive a monthly, small set fee for allowing the use of the name Cork Club. The guy who owned the building was going to take over the Club and use its membership list to promote tenant leasing in his building. He was a con-man from Chicago and a real sleaze bag. The reason he was never able to complete the building was that his past finally caught up with him."

[Jimmy]

Hola y'all!

I'm a firm believer in creative re-use of anything, be it a building, car or computer case. The Central Square building(s) really have a lot of square footage but they seem to have really gone downhill.

I've owned a condo catty-[kitty]-corner to it (@ 2016 Main) for several years but didn't actually live here until July '05. Central Square should be called HomeLess Square Condos, at times I have counted upwards of fifty squatters around the property.

Recently (Dec 05) I've seen maintenance-type people at the building, and there's a construction dumpster in the parking garage but aside from a little newer plywood, some barbed wire and a new For Sale sign (with a different realtor's name) I dont note any change.

Oddly, the new For Sale sign, which I noticed Jan 18, 2006, is a different realtor than the old one - but the original realtor's signage is still in place on all four sides of the buildings.

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

Then there's the Greyhound... rumor has it that it will be moving to the north/ne/nw side of downtown in the summer of 2006 - praise the lord, I'll be able to walk to McDonalds again

Jimmy

[dbigtex56]

Hola y'all!

I'm a firm believer in creative re-use of anything, be it a building, car or computer case. The Central Square building(s) really have a lot of square footage but they seem to have really gone downhill.

I've owned a condo catty-[kitty]-corner to it (@ 2016 Main) for several years but didn't actually live here until July '05. Central Square should be called HomeLess Square Condos, at times I have counted upwards of fifty squatters around the property.

Recently (Dec 05) I've seen maintenance-type people at the building, and there's a construction dumpster in the parking garage but aside from a little newer plywood, some barbed wire and a new For Sale sign (with a different realtor's name) I dont note any change.

Oddly, the new For Sale sign, which I noticed Jan 18, 2006, is a different realtor than the old one - but the original realtor's signage is still in place on all four sides of the buildings.

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

Then there's the Greyhound... rumor has it that it will be moving to the north/ne/nw side of downtown in the summer of 2006 - praise the lord, I'll be able to walk to McDonalds again

Jimmy

Welcome to HAIF, Jimmy, and thanks for the info on Central Square. We'll keep an eye out for demolition permits.

With both Central Square and Greyhound gone, that area is posed to take off.

[sevfiv]

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

Jimmy

thanks for the information - we'll be watching the permits like hawks!

[Guest danax]

sorry i just now saw this!

photos - and not pretty ones

That one photo of yours showing Central Convenience Center is very odd. It's got beadboard ceiling and the lettering and door hardware look like 1905.

Would they've done a retro-look store in a building that was likely looked upon as ultra-modern when built? Maybe it was installed much later as the place was fighting for an identity, but the door harware and beadboard look authentic.

Or, was there possibly an old general store on that site that was razed and the architects decided to pay homage by leaving a portion and converting it into the building's market? And the beat goes on.

[Modernceo]

Wow, thats a great link with fascinating photos !

[sevfiv]

thanks - yes, the interior was quite interesting throughout, but extremely dirty and disgusting. there were so many architectural and design differences inside, like it was randomly put together - kind of like an architectural pick-a-part!

[torvald]

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

oh no! i really like this building and was still hoping someone would find a purpose for it.

yet the filthier it got, the more it got tagged and with the lower windows busted out,

i figured as much.

interested if anything will happen with the lage digital clock on the roof (other than being part of the demolition).

Edited January 23, 2006 by torvald

[TheNiche]

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

Can you get your building's security folks to tell you their source on this information? I'm having trouble confirming it.

[sevfiv]

a couple flyers from commgate about central square advertise it as good for conversion (not demolition)

Edited February 3, 2006 by sevfiv

[MidtownCoog]

You have to admit this building is beyond an eyesore.

It's pretty embarrassing its just left to sit and be ugly outside the CBD.

Edited February 3, 2006 by MidtownCoog

[The Great Hizzy!]

At least they cleaned the graffiti off the top floor windows and sweeped up all the debris and litter from inside those fences. Granted, it'll only be a matter of time before the trash is back but at least they've gotten around to picking up what was already there.

If there was ever any way for that building to be an even bigger black eye on the skyline, the persistence of that graffiti accomplished it.

[bachanon]

I believe this is the photograph you are referring to. Is this the Central National Bank Building or the Cenuury Building? Or are there two buildings connected?

They are nice looking- much better than what would be put up now. The quality of detail could not be duplicated today with the cheap curtain walls, foam stucco, fake stone, or the apartment complex like town house lofts they are filling this area with. I am concerned this area will be in decay again in 10 years due to the lack of quality of the new buildings.

The Central Bank Building was a real swinging place-the second location of Glenn McCarthy's Cork Club in 1957 after he sold the legendary Shamrock Hotel to Hilton. Glenn McCarthy was known as "King of the Wildcatters" and was played by James Dean in the movie Giant. The Cork Club featured the top entertainers of the era including Frank Sinatra. (The last location of the Cork Club was to be at the office tower on Highway 6 at Memorial Drive in 1983 but the economic bust left that building unfinished for years and the club did not open.)

The Central Bank Building is said to be haunted, especially the top floor where the club was. In the 1980's the radio staions KKBQ 93FM and KULF/KKBQ 790AM

had their offices there. The best and most popular morning radio show of all times- the Q Morning Zoo staring John Lander, Jackie Robbins, Rio, Mr. Leonard, and Clete Dumpster- was broadcast from there. Ken Hoffman, with the Chronicle, was one of their writers. Jackie is now on the 107.5 morning show. They would often mention strange things that occurred in the building.

Recalling the lost information from the Lucian Hood III posts, architect Lars Bang had established a firm and Lucian Hood, Jr. later joined it. They had designed the office building in the Rice Village and the Big Doughnut shop, now the Marquies, on Bissonnet, west of Kirby, once shown on this site, and many other buildings and houses.

Bang and Hood split up while working on the Century Building because the developer, Kenneth Schnitzer, wanted to use an engineer that was his relative and Lars Bang wanted to use the engineer they usually used. Hood and Bang remained friends but Lucian Hood III believes they were destined for greatness if they would heve remained together. Schnitzer went on to build much of Greenway Plaza and the Richmond Office District.

i've always admired the panels/tiles on this side of the building. (currently, i could use 1000 square feet of tile. ) i do prefer adaptive reuse rather than demolition; however, this building has been empty for quite some time. the property is in a great location. hopefully something will happen soon, one way or the other.

[jmancuso]

yeah, let's knock it down and put another surface lot there.

[hokieone]

I actually like the building, but hate the way it sits there as a vagrant strong hold. I would love to see it redeveloped and I actually think the digital clock could look really cool as people pass through on I-45. At the same time, its sometimes hard to fault someone if they were to knock this down and build a smaller building that was being used. It could be perfect for a conversion to an apartment building with retail on the bottom, but that's the dream with every project right?

[Subdude]

Yes, this is one I always thought would be perfect for a condo conversion. Kind of a balcony area, and there's plenty of parking. There's an asbestos problem I believe, which makes it difficult to demolish without remediation.

[TheNiche]

Our security people told me this week that I can expect to see Central Square demolished in approx two months [Mar 06?] but don't quote me! I'm going to try to find out if anyone knows any facts in that matter.

I have confirmed through sources in the know: there are no current plans to demolish the building. The activity that has been going on is also not part of any redevelopment project. The building's status may or may not change in the near future, but I can say nothing else, so don't ask.

[dbigtex56]

So perhaps it's just a useful rumor for those seeking to move units at 2016 Main?

[TheNiche]

So perhaps it's just a useful rumor for those seeking to move units at 2016 Main?

Even if it was torn down, it wouldn't decrease the number of homeless people. The root of the problem is not that there is a derelict building nearby...it's the number of vagrants, and especially those that are very aggressive. Make no mistake, Greyhound is responsible for that. Central Square, if anything, is a victim of the plight rather than a contributor.

[MidtownCoog]

Greyhound is responsible for that.

I actually blame it on the Pierce Elevated.

It's Hobo Haven under there.

[sevfiv]

I actually blame it on the Pierce Elevated.

yep - wherever greyhound may be, they'll always make it to the pierce elevated

[TheNiche]

I actually blame it on the Pierce Elevated.

It's Hobo Haven under there.

The elevated may be a popular gathering place for vagrants, but the real problem is still with Greyhound. We've got a lot of elevated freeways, and if you transplant the source of the vagrants nearer to other prospective gathering places, like Interstate 10 and the Buffalo Bayou, they'll be more likely to gather en masse in those areas.

Sure, there will always be a population of them in Midtown, but at least the concentrated nature of the problem will be solved. Moreover, a lot of the retail and car rental businesses that cater to low-income travelers that come in via Greyhound will move elsewhere, freeing up new retail space in northern Midtown for upscale yuppie businesses.

[Montrose1100]

Dream-

Why is your signature dedicated to Montrose 1100?

I don't remember this, and that was a year ago?

[torvald]

I have confirmed through sources in the know: there are no current plans to demolish the building. The activity that has been going on is also not part of any redevelopment project. The building's status may or may not change in the near future, but I can say nothing else, so don't ask.

hooray! happy to hear it... how old is the digiclock on the

roof? i love that damn thing!

[bachanon]

def con 1 through 5 determined how close we were to world war three during the cold war, at least in the movie "war games" with mathew broderick. i'm not sure if that was actual military terminology or not. it may have been short for defensive condition?

[squatterkid]

Hey y'all. I'm back, sort of. I live in California again. I just ran across these pictures I took a awhile ago and thought I might share them, as I recall someone expressing a like for the Central Square sign. Well, here they are.

Second one is from the roof of the Central Square, looking north. With my neighbor and enemy, the 22 story inpenetrable fortress that is the Days Inn.

I can not believe they put that head on the lawn of the Savoy. The first words out of my mouth "Only in Houston."

-sean

[sevfiv]

welcome back! thanks for posting the pictures!

[Trophy Property]

welcome back! thanks for posting the pictures!

We miss you SqautterKid. Come back and do some more squatting. We love your posts and especially your pictures. Goodluck in Cali.

[TheNiche]

I've got something for all you architecture lovers out there...take a look at what is tucked away in Central Square.

Gotta love those bannisters.

Can't say where I got this...just be happy with what you've got. There'll probably be many more to come.

EDIT: Incidentally, the only way that anything at all will ever happen with this building is if either a non-profit or an architecture firm decide to make it their pet project. Morris tried, but the owner was just too much of an asshole for their taste/pocketbook.

Edited July 31, 2006 by TheNiche

[bachanon]

niche, you tease.