Subdude Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 In 1932, William Ward Watkin designed the building at 500 Fannin for the Wilson Stationery and Printing Company. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 500 Fannin St., downtown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted February 21, 2005 Share Posted February 21, 2005 Definitely lofts. Perfect for the area. Not pretentious, not ritzy but very urban and hip, with quick access to quality nightlife. I've been wondering if and when someone would step up and take advantage of its location. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arati19 Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 Definitely lofts. Perfect for the area. Not pretentious, not ritzy but very urban and hip, with quick access to quality nightlife. I've been wondering if and when someone would step up and take advantage of its location.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think that is a great idea as well. Anyone intersted in an investment opporunity? If so please email me at thepalmlofts@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw2ntyse7en Posted March 26, 2005 Share Posted March 26, 2005 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgs1419 Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Does anyone know if anything has happened with this building? I had an architect friend doing some due diligence on it a year or so ago but don't think the project went forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 still there, about the same - i took a picture of it about three days ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Julio Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 I seem to recall the bottom floor was in use as a cosmetology school years ago. The upper floors have been empty forever. Can't believe nothing's been done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Xavier Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 Wow... new to forum... been a fan of Houston since I was born. Saw this building on the site and had to join. I have been eyeing this building for several months. I would always walk by and dream. Don't have near enough to buy the place, but I see so much potential... if I could just win that lottery, we'd have some new lofts for our bustling downtown! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 Wow... new to forum... been a fan of Houston since I was born. Saw this building on the site and had to join. I have been eyeing this building for several months. I would always walk by and dream. Don't have near enough to buy the place, but I see so much potential... if I could just win that lottery, we'd have some new lofts for our bustling downtown! Welcome to HAIF. I'm also a big fan of this building. Here are some more pics.(taken a couple months ago) The builing next to it looks like it was fixed up a bit, but it's still boarded up. Maybe they ran out of money or are waiting for someone to buy it off them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzo1976 Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 I wonder why the windows on the top floor are different from the rest of the windows. I guess they were replaced at some point.My 1939 chamber of commerce map identifies the building as the Republic Building. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houston1973 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Wilson Stationary Building 1920's 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houston1973 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 INTERIOR 1965 INTERIRO AND WAREHOUSE WAREHOUSE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 She's a beaute. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbaker Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 She's a beaute.It looks like someone finally bought this building. When I walked by today, scaffolding was going up around the awning and there were construction workers going in and out of the building. Has anyone heard what is planned for this space? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 A permit was issued to demolish the canopy - nothing else has posted yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 Amazing mod furniture in the top interior picture above. Saarinen tables, Time-Life chair, Mies table...it's like a museum of mod classics. It could be that the canopy was deemed a safety hazard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Some letterhead from the 50s: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiPs Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 500 Fannin St., downtown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) Edit: Oops, thinking of another street. Edited January 7, 2009 by kylejack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asubrt Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 A private partnership called 500 Fannin LLC has purchased the historic downtown building at the corner of Fannin and Prarie. 1932 building originally housed the Wilson Stationery & Printing Co. and was most recently owned by Hilcorp Realty. The The new owners plan to renovate the four-story building, which also has a basement, and rent it out to commercial tenants. Downtown Redevelopment Authority. The grant is subject to the completion of the construction of the façade and starts in the authority's fiscal year 2012. The developer will have the help of a recently approved historic preservation grant of about $888,000 from the The Downtown Redevelopment Authority operates the tax increment reinvestment zone that encompasses 60 downtown city blocks. In such zones, some of the property taxes collected from property owners in the area are set aside for reinvestment in the zone. The building has about 30,000-square-feet of space, including a basement. Nothing spectacular, but it will certainly be an improvement over what's there now. Hopefully they include street-level retail, it sort of looks that way from the rendering but who knows. http://blogs.chron.c...ionary_pri.html 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Nothing spectacular, but it will certainly be an improvement over what's there now. Hopefully they include street-level retail, it sort of looks that way from the rendering but who knows. http://blogs.chron.c...ionary_pri.html That is great news! I like that building, but in its present condition it is one of the biggest eyesores downtown. I hope they are successful with this redevelopment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatesdisastr Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 This is awesome news! It is always sad to see historic buildings fall under such sad condition and be left for dead like the old Wilson Building was. Always a great day in Houston when someone decides to save a piece of the past. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Happy to see an existing building being repurposed. I hope the (minimal) Deco style of the structure will be accentuated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I sincerely had no clue which building people were talking about until I saw the photos. For the longest time, I remember watching that sad building with broken windows, but I don't ever remember it being boarded up the way that it currently is now. When did that happen? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
312 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I sincerely had no clue which building people were talking about until I saw the photos. For the longest time, I remember watching that sad building with broken windows, but I don't ever remember it being boarded up the way that it currently is now. When did that happen? I think a brewery would be nice here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrodiii Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Saw scaffolding on Fannin this afternoon - looks like they are starting to get the renovation started 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I've seen workers coming and going from the building for a couple of months now. There is a big hole cut in one of the upper floors where it was boarded up previously. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 I've seen workers coming and going from the building for a couple of months now.There is a big hole cut in one of the upper floors where it was boarded up previously.That is really great news. This always seemed like a building with a lot of potential - it was sad to see it sit unused for so many years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 That is really great news. This always seemed like a building with a lot of potential - it was sad to see it sit unused for so many years. They're going to town now. Walked over there at lunch (Hubcap Grill burgers are entirely decent) and took this pic: 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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