Houston and "EaDo"

[jfre81]

....aw crap, another Houston thread. Ctrl-Alt-Delete

Or proceed with me if you wish.

I was going to do either Rice Village or the Heights today but didn't like the weather enough. More dreary than cheery. Should wait until it gets a little greener anyway.

ZOMG BUY 1 GET 1 FREE TWO 4-PACKS OF AA BATTERIES JUST LIKE MY CAMERA USES WOW THIS CVS IS FREAKING BALLER I CAN AFFORD TO BUY SOME CASHEWS TOO

...sorry about that, I get overexcited about little pointless things sometimes.

No, really, the real reason I'm out here is because it's been a little while and you never know when things develop.

Almost every other block, something's under construction. Not too bad for an old dead downtown that nobody cares about.

One day these surface parking lots are going to become an endangered species with these new developments popping up. We should do a "SAVE THE SURFACE LOTS" campaign.

I was able to see into this abandoned warehouse last time I passed by, around last May.

Hungry? I was starting to feel that way.

So will it be burgers?

Buffalo wings?

Bail bonds?

Or no....here we go.

OM NOM NOM NOM NOM TACO!!!!!!

Anyway, moving on, we're looking at the renovation of the old Harris County Courthouse.

Oh yeah, after eating your taco, put your trash in the trash.

....what's this? More street level retail downtown? Get out.

And in a historic building too.

I don't remember anything being here last time I came by. I thought there was some city ordinance against using old buildings.

Rumors of old buildings being left to sit and rot have been greatly exaggerated.

I was going to ask him to play Free Bird but he might've taken offense. Gave him a buck though.

More construction....

....by Hoar Construction. Sounds a lot funnier than it reads.

dun-dun-da-DUN-DUN-da-da

Who you gonna call?

Disheartening to learn that Doug Funnie from Nickelodeon back in the day became a jailbird.

They'll have to share the road with light rail here soon too. Oh, the humanity.

"DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? YES!"

Crossing under 59 now, out of downtown proper. Yes, we'll cover some new ground after all.

I want another taco.

Totally digging that pink? Me too.

CAN YOU DIG IT, SUCKA?

Booker T was nowhere to be found though.

This area, "EaDo" as they're starting to call it, will probably make some people's heads spin who aren't used to the way we roll here in H-Town.

This...

...is across the street from this.

Look, condos next to railroad tracks and this isn't even in Rice Military! (There's another tour for another day.)

Whoops! Rut-roh. 15 points off walkability score.

Got a little ways to go before we can truly call these "urban" lofts but....urban, schmurban.

LOOK MA NO ZONING

Oh yeah, I'm on a bus now.

Oh, I didn't eat my cashews until I got home to upload, and my cats thought they were cat treats.

[sevfiv]

--The following is a repost from the end of yours - they weren't showing up for me--

LOOK MA NO ZONING

Oh yeah, I'm on a bus now.

Oh, I didn't eat my cashews until I got home to upload, and my cats thought they were cat treats.

[crunchtastic]

I'm enjoying your pics, jfre. You have a random, but oddly personal perspective that appeals to me in photography.

[kennyc05]

Nice

[jfre81]

Thanks.

Wow, that was weird. I'm not seeing them either. Are there IMG tags missing or something?

[Croberts]

This may be the best walking tour photo essay I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot. Photo quality is great, composition is excellent, and you have a way of bringing out the experience of the moment in every shot. Would have liked to see more building names, I remember the republic building by name but not how it looks, sounds like it is a Sullivan style building. You really bring out the sense of place.

[jfre81]

This may be the best walking tour photo essay I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot. Photo quality is great, composition is excellent, and you have a way of bringing out the experience of the moment in every shot. Would have liked to see more building names, I remember the republic building by name but not how it looks, sounds like it is a Sullivan style building. You really bring out the sense of place.

Appreciate that much, especially reading your profile and seeing where you come from on this...

I thought I had a full shot of the Republic Building from the last time I'd seen it but I don't. I'll make a point of getting one next time I'm around there.

This is from May '09 before the store moved in.

There are a lot of buildings I don't necessarily know the name of or their history. Most of them went up and were left for dead with much of downtown long before my time (I'm 28 years old). Anyone who knows is welcome to share, if only so I'm a little more informed. People like to claim Houston doesn't have any history. It does, and a good deal of it is still standing, but it's as if people have simply forgot.

[AtticaFlinch]

I think you got a photo of the nutria house this time. I won't say which one. I don't want to ruin the surprise.

[jfre81]

I think you got a photo of the nutria house this time. I won't say which one. I don't want to ruin the surprise.

This one?

Mind, I'm not the most versed in East End lore.

[tanith27]

Great color commentary!!!

[kylejack]

Good pictures!

Edited January 14, 2010 by kylejack

[LTAWACS]

Nice.... Thanks!

[RustyB]

"Whoops! Rut-roh. 15 points off walkability score."

LMAO....my favorite pic!

[Croberts]

There are a lot of buildings I don't necessarily know the name of or their history. Most of them went up and were left for dead with much of downtown long before my time (I'm 28 years old). Anyone who knows is welcome to share, if only so I'm a little more informed. People like to claim Houston doesn't have any history. It does, and a good deal of it is still standing, but it's as if people have simply forgot.

Your right. The national register and many other entities consider history something that begins when an object is over 50. The result is that a lot of deterioration occurs before buildings are given minimal consideration. For instance, all that great new deal ccc architecture in the state parks was left with essentially no maintenance until recently. Now the big issue in Houston are the mods-they are technically historical, but what efforts are being made to preserve them. And Houston has a lot of buildings from the 1880s on, early colonial revivals rotting, older skyscrapers, and a weak local historic preservation board. Not many are preserved by local groups, compared to other places. Yet the history of the city is fascinating. Living in south Florida makes me appreciate it more and more. Very few buildings from before 1920.