sidegate Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 there's been a big cone of silence around this project ever since Nancy Sarnoff broke the story in 2005. I certainly hope it's dead, at least in the form it was originally proposed (16-18 storey highrise). The market for mid & highrise residential in that area seems to be heavily oversubscribed.thanks for the photos! the photographer whose blog they're on is lucky she wasn't run off the property by the owner. by all accounts he's not the full shilling and doesn't take kindly to people documenting the complex for posterity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 ...he's not the full shilling and doesn't take kindly to people documenting the complex for posterity.I can attest to the latter part of that statement. Thought I was a lawyer looking for an excuse to sue him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic08 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 *Original post appeared under title "3800 Dunlavy"I've passed this building several times and wondered what it is? Kinda looks like a small, deserted apartment complex?http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=38...=1&ct=titleCan anyone provide any info? This is at the intersection of Dunlavy and West Alabama (southwest corner, across from Fiesta) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Wilshire Village:http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=2223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeats Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I've got some good pictures of Wilshire Village here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kshilcutt/tags/wilshirevillage/There's an short piece on it here: http://chelseahotelnumbertwo.wordpress.com...lshire-village/And you can read more on the history of the complex here: http://www.houstondeco.org/1940s/wilshire.html and, of course, at the HAIF link that sevfiv provided. We heart Wilshire Village. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic08 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 WOW - Thanks Sevfiv and Sheeats !!!!! I'm pretty new to HAIF and love all of the info I've read so far!! I now have a new appreciation for historic Houston and now share all kinds of stories with my friends! Now when my boyfriend and I drive around, I make him do the driving so I can pay attention to my surroundings more. I would love to explore an apartment here and am going to see if I can... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic08 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 So nobody lives here currently, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 People live there...I think it's discussed some toward the end of the other thread.or post 81, specifically:http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...st&p=199206 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic08 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Awesome - THANKS! I am so curious what the inside looks like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeats Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 A few are abandoned, but not all. So just be careful when you go snooping around! It's pretty easy to tell which ones are occupied and which ones aren't, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic08 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Will do - thanks!!If I make it inside a unit, I'll post pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retama Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Does anyone know anything about the old apartments located at the intersection of West Alabama (1700 block) and Dunlavy across the street from the Fiesta grocery store (Winlow Place, I believe they are called)? HCAD states they were built 1n 1940 and contain 144 units. They look to have not been remodeled much since they were orginally constructed, hence their attraction along with the nice grassy and shaded courtyards. I've been passing them for years and they have always intrigued me. I much prefer the older, smaller apartment blocs to the sprawling contemporary style complexes without much personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Does anyone know anything about the old apartments located at the intersection of West Alabama (1700 block) and Dunlavy across the street from the Fiesta grocery store (Winlow Place, I believe they are called)? HCAD states they were built 1n 1940 and contain 144 units. They look to have not been remodeled much since they were orginally constructed, hence their attraction along with the nice grassy and shaded courtyards. I've been passing them for years and they have always intrigued me. I much prefer the older, smaller apartment blocs to the sprawling contemporary style complexes without much personality.http://www.ghpa.org/endangered.htmlhttp://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...c=2223&st=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earlydays Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Does anyone know anything about the old apartments located at the intersection of West Alabama (1700 block) and Dunlavy across the street from the Fiesta grocery store (Winlow Place, I believe they are called)? HCAD states they were built 1n 1940 and contain 144 units. They look to have not been remodeled much since they were orginally constructed, hence their attraction along with the nice grassy and shaded courtyards. I've been passing them for years and they have always intrigued me. I much prefer the older, smaller apartment blocs to the sprawling contemporary style complexes without much personality.My wife, when she was a young girl, lived there in 1956-57. The Fiesta across the street originally was a Weingartens, but when she lived there it was an empty field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 topics combined Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highway6 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 http://swamplot.com/wilshire-village-apart...ted/2009-02-04/Something going down at Dunlavy and Alabama soon ? Looks like some of the few remaining tenants are getting the old heave-ho this month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieEric Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Equally surprising to many others who have driven past the run-down apartments recently is news that actual tenants are still living there.I seriously LOL'd at thatBut anyway, all I can say is....it's about time! I love that old complex, but hate looking at it like that. There's zero chance that someone would come along and actually fix it up - as is, it's more of "negative" to the area than anything. I just hope the new plans, whatever they may be, aren't scaled back (at least $$ and quality-wise) due to current market conditions. I can't imagine how that wouldn't be the case...but then again, I can't imagine anything actually happening there in the near-term. Dunlavy is looking to be pretty dense along that stretch if a new mid-rise is in the works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 http://swamplot.com/wilshire-village-apart...ted/2009-02-04/Something going down at Dunlavy and Alabama soon ? Looks like some of the few remaining tenants are getting the old heave-ho this month.I just saw that...what a bummer.I have a feeling we'll see this place sit and rot even more - the tenants will be evicted, but will anything actually be done with the property any time soon? Not likely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 they sent certified letters out last week and the current tenants have until the 28th to move which is when the water will be turned off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 they sent certified letters out last week and the current tenants have until the 28th to move which is when the water will be turned off. Another sad swamplot story, a nasty "previous landlord", just figures. Same old story in this city. I've seen this complex mentioned at least several times, in architecture books. I like the detail, glass panes, front canopy & trim colors, rust and teal. Reminds me of the brown ones that sat by the VA Hospital (built in the same time period). Wonder if they were the second of the three FHA apts. mentioned by Mr. Fox. They have the same types of corner windows. FYI - 1715 West Alabama Ave. Wilshire Village Apartments (1940) Eugene Werlin "Of the three original FHA-insured garden apartment complexes built in Houston,Wilshire Village is the only one still extant. It offers many intelligent lessons in the planning of multiple unit housing, especially in the configuration of outdoor spaces and the inclusion of such amenities as the projecting window bays". ---AIA Houston Architectural Guide, Stephen Fox (1990) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Wow, this place must have been it back in the day. Stainless steel kitchens - in 1940?http://www.ghpa.org/endangered.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Wow, this place must have be it back in the day. Stainless steel kitchens - in 1940?the metal cabinets are still there in the units i've been in. definitely a walk back in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Do you think these buildings are worthy of being remodeled? Also, what makes them fireproof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Do you think these buildings are worthy of being remodeled? Also, what makes them fireproof?the units i've been in are relatively untouched, full of art deco elements. i think you would find many people who would rent them, esp for the size of the rooms. I personally would love to have a house done in the same style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'd like to know the answer to the fireproof question myself. Perhaps it is the predominance of masonry and steel in the construction.I'd like to think that if they tried to keep them fairly original and just clean up, paint, and repair what needed fixing that they could really do well if they had reasonable rents. Especially if Richmont Square and Maryland Manor eventually go bye-bye.They'd have to come up with some kind of security fence, though, in that neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'd like to know the answer to the fireproof question myself. Perhaps it is the predominance of masonry and steel in the construction.that's what i was thinking too but was caught up in the details of the unit. i'll see if i can get back in before the end of the month and take some pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 that's what i was thinking too but was caught up in the details of the unit. i'll see if i can get back in before the end of the month and take some picsPlease do...or ask someone there to do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 the units i've been in are relatively untouched, full of art deco elements. i think you would find many people who would rent them, esp for the size of the rooms. I personally would love to have a house done in the same style.please do take some pics, I would love to see those "art deco elements"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I also would really like to see some interior photos, or some photos of this complex when new. I have heard that there were originally some additional buildings on the site that have since been demolished, including a laundry and a community center building.The buildings are probably reinforced concrete structural frame with terra cotta tile infill. This technique is known as "Fire-proof Construction", and was commonly used for commercial and institutional building construction in the 1940s. However, I'm curious as to how the pitched roofs are constructed. Wood roof rafters are not considered fire-proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 And of course, this will never help (thanks HCAD): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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