Memories Of Downtown

[Montrose1100]

Wow - what is now Total Plaza looks giant (rather than somewhat overwhelmed infill as it is now).  

I think the video is squished together (I'm sure that's not the technical term). 

 

The Skyline looks good, I really kind of like that ugly building Wells Fargo replaced.

[Specwriter]

I think the video is squished together (I'm sure that's not the technical term). 

 

My freshman year in college our literature professor had us view Last Year at Marienbad for an upcoming writing assignment. It is an unusual French movie in and of itself but it was even weirder when the class saw it because the projectionist did not realize it was filmed in Panavision (widescreen). He set up the projector with a standard lens and everything we saw was elongated vertically. We just thought it was some goofy cinematic effect. When the professor started reading the student's papers about the movie it didn't take him long to figure out what had happened. He thought it was hilarious.

[mkultra25]

My freshman year in college our literature professor had us view Last Year at Marienbad for an upcoming writing assignment. It is an unusual French movie in and of itself but it was even weirder when the class saw it because the projectionist did not realize it was filmed in Panavision (widescreen). He set up the projector with a standard lens and everything we saw was elongated vertically. We just thought it was some goofy cinematic effect. When the professor started reading the student's papers about the movie it didn't take him long to figure out what had happened. He thought it was hilarious.

 

I can just imagine some of the resulting comments: "Resnais' unmistakable use of anamorphosis throughout Marienbad is an artistically daring decision that serves to emphasize the hermetic, arcane nature of the world in which the nameless protagonists find themselves." 

[Specwriter]

I can just imagine some of the resulting comments: "Resnais' unmistakable use of anamorphosis throughout Marienbad is an artistically daring decision that serves to emphasize the hermetic, arcane nature of the world in which the nameless protagonists find themselves." 

 

Great line, mkultra. Unfortunately, most of my classmates, and myself in particular, were not educated enough at that time for such a clever analysis. We were freshmen and most of us were rubes from the suburbs or even the country!

[Materene]

I know those guys, they were always harrassing us while we were street racing in front of the new Arms Museum that was not open yet in 72.  That was a fine four lane then and straight as an arrow,  then it suddenly stopped on South Main.  In 72 HPD had maybe 8 patrol cars in downtown Houston Proper, if you were invovled in an accident it took forever to have an accident investigator show up. 

 

[mollusk]

The Skyline looks good, I really kind of like that ugly building Wells Fargo replaced.

 

IIRC, that ugly building was Memorial Hospital.

[Ross]

IIRC, that ugly building was Memorial Hospital.

 

Memorial Hospital was at 602 Lamar, which is the block with 1100 Louisiana on it now. There is a picture on this blog post by J R Gonzales in the Chron http://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2011/01/1940s-study-provides-snapshot-of-houston-hospitals/

[Subdude]

I think the video is squished together (I'm sure that's not the technical term). 

 

The Skyline looks good, I really kind of like that ugly building Wells Fargo replaced.

 

The ugly building was the Keystone Building aka Memorial Professional Building at 1010 Louisiana.  It was built in 1957 to provide office space supporting the hospital, and was connected to the hospital by an early leg of the tunnel system.  The upper office section was covered in gold and black metal panels, and the lower parking garage section had red, yellow and blue panels.  Quite the MCM marvel I think.  The office section was vacated in 1979 and Allied Bank built on the site shortly thereafter. 

[mollusk]

Well, I was close, at least.  Thanks for the clarification - I'd poked around some and didn't come up with what y'all did.

 

I remember seeing those panels and wishing someone had invented the term "fugly," not realizing at the time that we might later think the same about gauzy Quiana disco shirts with murals of Venice on them, seafoam green polyester leisure suits, and two toned platform shoes (on guys).  The again, it was the mid '70s, and I was young and had undeveloped tastes.  

[Montrose1100]

Well, I was close, at least.  Thanks for the clarification - I'd poked around some and didn't come up with what y'all did.

 

I remember seeing those panels and wishing someone had invented the term "fugly," not realizing at the time that we might later think the same about gauzy Quiana disco shirts with murals of Venice on them, seafoam green polyester leisure suits, and two toned platform shoes (on guys).  The again, it was the mid '70s, and I was young and had undeveloped tastes.  

I don't know why I have such a fascination for "fugly" buildings. I find them charming and unique, almost like a window to the past. I see the same shapes and ideas in a lot of designs now (minus the colors).

 

If I had a time machine it would be to that era of seafoam green polyester suits. 

[mollusk]

If I had a time machine it would be to that era of seafoam green polyester suits. 

 

Overall it was fun, although the cars were sheer kee-rap and HPD was still terrifying unless you were an upper or middle class, middle aged white person (I speculate - I hadn't gotten to middle age yet, and still haven't made upper class).  See other threads for more details on those two issues.

[devonhart]

I know we had a Majestic and Burt Shoe, but I really don't recognize the rest. Is this our hometown?

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/c3/ad/ed/c3adedf47ac7949e3490e62ded911cb1.jpg

[plumber2]

I'm pretty sure that is not Houston. I see a TEXAS theater marquee further up the street. To my knowledge Houston did not have a TEXAS theater, at least not one downtown.

[sevfiv]

Interesting - there's a Kress Building on the right so that could narrow it down. Kress, Grants, Grayson (?), Burt's, Carl's, The Vogue, and Majestic and Texas theaters...hmm...

[FilioScotia]

This photo looks west on Houston Street in downtown San Antonio. I've been to that Majestic Theater when it was in its hey day and was awe struck by its classic 1920s movie palace interior design with a domed ceiling that looked like the night sky filled with stars. It's now a downtown entertainment and performing arts venue. And it still has that incredible ceiling. Check out these photos of way back when and present day.

 

http://www.majesticempire.com/photos-and-videos/venues

 

Several blocks down and across the street was the Texas Theater. Note the star at the top of the vertical sign. Another 1920s movie palace that, sadly, was razed in the 1980s. Fortunately, only the interior was stripped out. The facade remains.

 

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3161

 

 

Edited August 24, 2014 by FilioScotia

[blue92]

Hey that's me & my dad in that T-bird. Probably not but my dad did own a white T-bird just like that one.

 

I remember a Majestic and a Texas theater in downtown Houston, I think the Texas theater became a adult (Art house) movie house in the mid 60s. And the Texas location would be right in conjecture to the Majestic so it could be downtown Houston. I know when Meyerland Plaza 1st opened the big anchor store was Grants. So Grants did exist in Houston in those days.

[devonhart]

Ah, Houston Street. Popped up in google search, confused the heck out of me.

[sevfiv]

Strange - I was flipping through the 1952 Houstonian (UH yearbook) and saw this picture - there's our Kress, Grants, and Burt's but still not the same.

 

 

[FilioScotia]

Not the same as what?

[sevfiv]

Oops, as the postcard:

 

[Subdude]

Strange - I was flipping through the 1952 Houstonian (UH yearbook) and saw this picture - there's our Kress, Grants, and Burt's but still not the same.

 

 

 

On the right is a Spiegel.  Is this the same as Spiegel, Chicago, 60609?  I didn't think they had physical stores.

[Subdude]

Oops, as the postcard:

 

 

I think Houston also had a "Vogue" shop, in the West Building I believe.  

[NenaE]

Wow... I didn't know that Spiegel had stores, I'm just familiar with the catalog. But I have seen Vogue store signs on old b/w/photos of Houston. 

[little frau]

Oops, as the postcard:

 

 

The photo in the UH yearbook is of Houston downtown.  FilioScotia has already identified the postcard as being San Antonio.  The two cities had lots of the same stores.  I believe the store to the very left in the postcard is Grayson, a clothing store, but I may be wrong.

[sevfiv]

Ooops! I missed the San Antonio mention 

 

fwiw -  the stores in the Houston picture were Kress, Spiegel women's clothing (later Darling Shops), Baker's Shoes, Lady Oris Hosiery, The Good Friend's Shop (women's clothing), Grants, Bert's, and then not seen, but JC Penney on the closest corner.

[FilioScotia]

Back before big enclosed malls were invented and became the "modern" way to shop, just about every national and regional chain store of every kind could be found in the downtown areas of most cities of any size. Streets in the big cities all had pretty much the same array of stores. Houston Street in San Antonio looked just like Main Street in Houston and downtown streets in cities all over the country..

 

That all changed when somebody came up with the idea of clustering all of them together in the same enclosed climate-controlled space -- a mall -- outside the downtown areas. That's when going downtown to shop became a thing of the past, and downtown stores started folding. It was also the death knell for the old and breath-takingly beautiful 1920s movie palaces. Cookie-cutter multi-plex cinemas all over town and in the suburbs nailed the coffin shut on those places.

 

I'm old enough to remember when it was an adventure to take your date downtown for dinner and a movie. And you dressed up for it because you wanted to look your best, not like a slob, or worse, a  "beatnik".  Remember them? Today's generation doesn't even know who or what they were. They also can't understand why anybody would dress up to go to a movie.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2014 by FilioScotia

[Earlydays]

...........I'm old enough to remember when it was an adventure to take your date downtown for dinner and a movie. And you dressed up for it because you wanted to look your best, not like a slob, or worse, a "beatnik".........

 

I remember this well.......

 

[txn4art]

Back before big enclosed malls were invented and became the "modern" way to shop, just about every national and regional chain store of every kind could be found in the downtown areas of most cities of any size. Streets in the big cities all had pretty much the same array of stores. Houston Street in San Antonio looked just like Main Street in Houston and downtown streets in cities all over the country..

 

That all changed when somebody came up with the idea of clustering all of them together in the same enclosed climate-controlled space -- a mall -- outside the downtown areas. That's when going downtown to shop became a thing of the past, and downtown stores started folding. It was also the death knell for the old and breath-takingly beautiful 1920s movie palaces. Cookie-cutter multi-plex cinemas all over town and in the suburbs nailed the coffin shut on those places.

 

I'm old enough to remember when it was an adventure to take your date downtown for dinner and a movie. And you dressed up for it because you wanted to look your best, not like a slob, or worse, a  "beatnik".  Remember them? Today's generation doesn't even know who or what they were. They also can't understand why anybody would dress up to go to a movie.

I'm a native Houstonian "of a certain age" who has watched our city evolve. Thanks for bringing up some good memories.

[captnstarstripe]

I would visit Howards Fun Shop whenever I went to downtown Houston with my dad. My dad a

was the Continental Trailways bus terminal manager in the 1960s and Howards Fun Shop was right around the corner. I remember buying the "grab bags" for 25 cents.

I also remember the electric shock gags they had in there. The lady in there was always tricking me into getting shocked by picking something off the counter!

[captnstarstripe]

yeah all those new houses in Westbury was where the "rich" folks lived while us Bellaire kids lived in 2/1 frame post-WWII cottages. times do change.