BigMo Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 i sure feel a lot better that the person trying to make money off the sale is clarifying the issue.Really? You felt the need to go there? There are others on this board attempting to "clarify the issue" who would not be financially compensated when this house is sold.While everyone is entitled to their opinions, I just dont understand why some people need to thread crap. Perhaps I take issue with people who play the piano, live in Clearlake, or are rocket scientists. What good would it do to poke those bears in a public forum?Nena: Thanks for resurrecting the thread. I wouldnt have noticed this house if you hadnt posted about it. The stained glass rocks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Really? You felt the need to go there? There are others on this board attempting to "clarify the issue" who would not be financially compensated when this house is sold.While everyone is entitled to their opinions, I just dont understand why some people need to thread crap. Perhaps I take issue with people who play the piano, live in Clearlake, or are rocket scientists. What good would it do to poke those bears in a public forum? Nena: Thanks for resurrecting the thread. I wouldnt have noticed this house if you hadnt posted about it. The stained glass rocks! Thank you, BigMo...Jees...I just wanted you all to see what those stained glass, diamond windows look like from within the house...didn't mean to start a war. The early posts in this thread are very interesting. I always wondered what you would do if one of those small panels broke, especially in the colored pane ones. That would be disastrous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdmarc Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Beyond the taste issue, which is subjective... vapor lights ... typically indicate a criminal element is pervasive in the neighborhood, and as such, stay clear. Personally, I try to avoid the Memorial Villages due to the prevalence of mercury vapor lights in many of the yards. It's very shifty there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Beyond the taste issue, which is subjective... vapor lights and burglar bars typically indicate a criminal element is pervasive in the neighborhood, and as such, stay clear.Can't argue with that.If I see too many burglar bars in a neighborhood I will not buy a house there. You've got to have a pretty bad crime problem to resort to burglar bars. It's like living in a prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domus48 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Can't argue with that.If I see too many burglar bars in a neighborhood I will not buy a house there. You've got to have a pretty bad crime problem to resort to burglar bars. It's like living in a prison.Um... where is this thread going? Unless someone has a bead on MCM burglar bars & mercury vapor light fixtures (which I hope no one does) can we maintain some sort of focus on post war modern homes.Next thing you know there will be a discussion on school districts, yard work solicitation and real estate agent head shot evaluations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdadm Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I have to admire you BryanS for your self confidence (and flip commentary) given so little information you must have about the house being discussed and about Glenbrook Valley in general. Maybe you know the neighborhood better than I think you do, but it doesn't seem like it since you also made your "20 houses" comment. Its too easy to say that vapor lights and burglar bars are all one needs to know about a neighborhood to warrant staying clear of it. If you know GV and Houston, you should know that compared to other "nicer" post WW2 Houston neighborhoods, GV is still largely intact. The real estate values mostly remained high in 1950's neighborhoods on the west side of town. And yes, the schools are better over there and there are nicer cars in driveways and there are fewer burglar bars and vapor lights. All those things usually indicate a "higher quality of life" neighborhood. But, the people with money (and taste maybe) who live there have always been able to afford more additions, conversions and updates. And since additions frequently aren't enough for those people, they will simply bulldoze whats there and build their lotliner fantasy houses.GV is different...or at least it has the potential to be different depending on what happens in the next few years. An interesting thing is happening there with or without your approval. A small but steady stream of innercity refugees and others are moving in who are mostly young and like minded about preservation. Although diverse in careers and backgrounds, many share common interest in the arts and politics and the neighborhood. The civic club and a historic designation committee is active. Speaking of which...as far as a historic designation goes, the large number of original homes in GV will be exactly what will help GV qualify (if it does). So the houses that you may deem as not worthy of preserving, are still very important to the original spirit of the neighborhood and the continuity to form a district. I am not trying to convince you or anyone that GV is the absolute, very best neighborhood in town. I just want to express my opinion, which is that I think Glenbrook Valley is a neighborhood with substance, relevance and much potential.I am a second generation native Houstonian, but I didn't know Glenbrook Valley existed. It took me one day to determine that GV is an exceptional neighborhood in Houston. As time passes, I become more sure of it. I have been slowly and painstakingly restoring the modernist home I bought there three years ago. I have been able to enjoy the experience (even though it has been truly difficult at times) because the house itself is amazing. In addition, I firmly believe in the significance of the neighborhood and I have many, many kind and supportive neighbors nearby. Just because you are an attorney, a plastic surgeon, an accomplished rocket scientist (like myself), a slum lord (like the commercial banker you reference... or, now even me!)... and have an affinity for living in your garage or adorning your house with excessively high output lighting doesn't necessarily mean you're low class... but, perhaps no taste. Just because you are educated, doesn't mean you have taste. And, coming from a family of up to 5 myself... and using the occasional tacky roll-away ping pong table in the garage... we never resorted to living in that space, even with less square footage. I might cut some slack to the residents of Oak Forrest and Garden Oaks... because those homes are small with one car garages... My favorite garage conversion in those parts is the one where the garage door was replaced with block glass. And they kept the car port. We should put that home on the historic register... but when you have over 3K+ square feet?Beyond the taste issue, which is subjective... vapor lights and burglar bars typically indicate a criminal element is pervasive in the neighborhood, and as such, stay clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphygrrrl Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Well said, mdadm. I, for one, am happy to have you as a neighbor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Historian Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Might anyone be aware of the reasons why Mercury Vapor lights showed up, really? In the big history of lighting everyone in the U.S. assumes the fable of Tom Edison struggling to invent the electric light in the first place in 1879. If you dug into it you would find the first electric light was really invented by Humphrey Davy in Britain in 1809. Mercury vapor was developed in 1901 that would lead to the fluorescent in 1938.And what do these trivia have to do with anything? Simple - Mid Century Modern design was a departure that embraced new ideas and materials. Lighting was (and still is) ranging from very dramatic to subtle - but innovative. Recessed fixtures, reflective cove, spacey pendants, landscaping, and florescent fixtures were all sprinkled in as lighting was used to create moods instead of just an illuminating utility. And as for most of the surviving mercury vapor lights in Glenbrook? During the late 1960s and 1970s all power was supplied by that renowned public utility Houston Lighting and Power (H.L.&P.) that many referred to as Houston Looting and Plunder. The Harris County Sheriff's office along with the Houston Police Department endorsed program to increase area illumination as a safety issue. H.L. & P. would supply and maintain these on your property for a monthly fee. Everyone was told it was their civic responsibilty.Keep in mind that during this period children were not the Pod people of today, and played outdoors - especially in the evenings. I was one of those "night stalkers" in this neighborhood and recall that the main thing I got into trouble for was staying out too late.Like all the street lighting in Houston (mainly sodium vapor), those private vapor lights were mainly for illuminating for safety and later evolved into more security. Neighborhoods with a greater number generally had more children playing outdoors. MCM embraced outdoor entertaining as well which required patio, terrace, pool, and the eventual driveway basketball goal illumination. Contemporary paranoia tends to hinder one's perception of the broader reality, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I lived in Glenbrook Valley for a while. I really loved it there. I lived on Glenlea. I miss it. I LOVE those big houses on Broadway, but not my taste to live so close to those ratty apartments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 This is a nice one. There have been some electrical and plumbing upgrades done, and it was just recarpeted. It is a very custom home in the hilly section of Glenbrook on a cul de sac. No bad remuddling. A couple of minor mis-steps, some cabinets that were damaged to make room for a new refrigerator, but a carpenter could address that, and some work needed on a bath wall. Otherwise it is very original but in good condition. The exterior features redwood eaves & Chicago brick. There is diamond match teak paneling in the entry way. A very interesting dropped ceiling treatment in the formals, and suspended kitchen cabinets and vaulted ceilings in kitchen. The den also has the vaulted ceiling and wall of glass. There is a bonus room above the garage, nursery or computer niche off the master, big bathrooms, the middle bedroom also has a vaulted ceiling, 13,158 sq ft lot, 3,338 sf house per HCAD. Currently offered at $225,000. Formal living middle bedroom HAR link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Too cute! I approve...except for that refrigerator. It looks like a robot took a huge shiny dump in the kitchen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 This one will be open Sunday the 8th from 2 to 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Wow! That's a high price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Wow! That's a high price!Certainly the price is negotiable, but high in compared to what? At full list price it is only $67 a foot. Take a $67 a foot price range around a 10 - 15 minute radius of downtown and see how many you find with details like teak paneling and redwood eaves, with some system updates and new flooring, on a 13,000+ sq ft lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I thought that it was a high price for Glenbrook Valley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 I thought that it was a high price for Glenbrook Valley.Not for that section and that size, I have sold in there as high as the $300k range within the last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 This one has been extensively renovated, system upgrades as well as cosmetics. It is in a really good section of Glenbrook up next to the bayou. The house has a lot of nice architectural accents, flagstone, mahogany paneling, vaulted ceilings, combined with new updates. HCAD has it at 2700 sq ft which does not appear to include the gameroom addition. When this person bought it I remember seeing an appraisal where it was measured out and was somewhere between 3200 and 3300 sq ft. I am going to have it remeasured by an appraiser to see if we can get a more accurate figure for the sq ft. http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 the beautifully should be taken out of the description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rps324 Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 the beautifully should be taken out of the description.If it isn't of interest to you, move on, but then again posting useless snarky comments seems to be about the only thing you are ever interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 The living room floor is nice, & I love the small blue tile work in the bathroom...seen it done in emerald shades, as well, always looks good w/ wood accents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREASER Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 whens the open house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 If it isn't of interest to you, move on, but then again posting useless snarky comments seems to be about the only thing you are ever interested in.it's of interest. to remove a wall from the original configuration isn't an improvement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdmarc Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Very nice house with tasteful, well-done remodel, not a flipper. In the posh part of Glenbrook too. Looking forward to the open house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I'm not going to make "snarky comments", but in terms of my personal taste, it looks...kind of tacky. The "open wall" is kind of ugly and the bland white ceilings in the living room are kind of...unfinished. In a bad way.Actually, it's mostly the ceilings. The floor is good, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Regarding the missing wall... an LVL engineered beam could have worked wonders. Overall, nice, minus the support columns between the living and den. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREASER Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 What is at the top of picture 5? Looks like windows, but cant be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amanda Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Has anyone lived in or known anyone who lived in the townhomes at Grove Ridge or Leonora? They all look like these: http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=64885634&backButton=Y&Address=MLS:64885634and I saw about three of these townhomes this weekend. One was destroyed and wrecked by renters and two others were recently remodeled/updated. If you come to this neighborhood through the Glenbrook Valley residential area (come in through Broadway) it seems okay- many single family, kept-up houses, quiet neighborhood. The townhome community was quiet and barely any people out. But if you take the townhomes out through Leonora, it looks like old school parts of Texas City which can be pretty frightening. Low income housing and run down apartments with people hovering outside their shacks all the way to Telephone Rd. has anyone had any experience with this neighborhood at all? I wonder if I am being too judgmental based on the conditions of the housing and the state of the people outside their houses. but then again I don't care; after all why put money into a place you are scared to live? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 no you're not. quite a few ambulance and police calls there vs the nearby neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdmarc Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Consider the townhouse condos in nearby Meadowcreek Village. Much better area. Quiet, well-maintained complex. http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=70046893&backButton=Y&Address=5100%20Allendale%20Rd%20502 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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