Montrose Boulevard Apartments At 1002 Bissonnet St.

[Simbha]

I found this photo online. It shows the MFA-Houston in the foreground and is looking north. I don't know when it was taken.

I'm curious as to which building that is behind it -- the white one with the steeple, although I'm not sure the steeple is attached. It appears to be standing where the Sculpture Garden now is.

Anyone know?

[neuman]

I found this photo online. It shows the MFA-Houston in the foreground and is looking north. I don't know when it was taken.

I'm curious as to which building that is behind it -- the white one with the steeple, although I'm not sure the steeple is attached. It appears to be standing where the Sculpture Garden now is.

Anyone know?

It appears to be an apartment building, though I do not know the name. The steeple is a church behind it.

[sevfiv]

The steeple probably belonged to Central Presbyterian (later Montrose Boulevard Church) but I can't tell if that building is a part of the church (can't find a separate listing for it).

[marmer]

historicaerials.com is your friend in this case. The 1964 photoset in particular shows the apartment building and the church very clearly.

1964 Historic Aerials

Looks like the apartment would have had a Bissonnet address. The church was still there in 1973 but the apartment building has turned into a vacant lawn with a few trees. By 1981 it's just a vacant lawn on the whole block and the church is gone too. By 2002 the Sculpture Garden is on that block.

I wouldn't be any too surprised to find that William Ward Watkin or the architect of Isabella Courts had a hand in that building.

Edited December 1, 2010 by marmer

[marmer]

From Sanborn maps:

1002 Bissonnet

Approx. 1951-ish. Montrose Boulevard Apartments, supposedly built 1925.

[Highway6]

Good job, Sherlock!

[sevfiv]

Thanks for the map! The directories I saw listed a "Montrose Boulevard Apartments" at the NW corner of Montrose and Bissonnet. Perhaps a typo or a phase I.

ps - that knitted lobster(?) is adorable!!

[marmer]

Thanks for the map! The directories I saw listed a "Montrose Boulevard Apartments" at the NW corner of Montrose and Bissonnet. Perhaps a typo or a phase I.

ps - that knitted lobster(?) is adorable!!

Yeah, sounds like a typo. No way is that the NW corner. NE corner of Montrose and Bissonnet. Still not sure about the address. The 1926 City Directory says it's on Montrose though it looks like the front is on Bissonnet.

The lobster is a project my wife did for our grand-niece. My wife is quite the knitter so you might find some knitting in my flickr account.

[Subdude]

Yes, that was the Montrose Apartments.

[Simbha]

Thanks everyone... especially Marmer! I learned several things from this thread, including how to get this information myself in the future.