Memories Of Sharpstown

[Earlydays]

Very early....

[Dan the Man]

Interesting. Do you happen to know when and where that photo was taken? It would be neat to do a "Then & Now" photographic comparison.

[Earlydays]

Interesting. Do you happen to know when and where that photo was taken? It would be neat to do a "Then & Now" photographic comparison.

Sorry....don't know.

[brucesw]

The Bob Bailey collection at the Briscoe Center at UT has several pictures of the Sharpstown area including some aerials of the mall from 1963. (These pictures came up on a search for 'Sharpstown;' might be able to find others searching for other terms).

JR Gonzales has been doing a series on malls and shopping centers on his Bayou City History blog in the Chron but hasn't done Sharpstown yet.

[MaxConcrete]

Interesting. Do you happen to know when and where that photo was taken? It would be neat to do a "Then & Now" photographic comparison.

I believe it is looking northwest along Bellaire Boulevard just west of intersection with US 59. The roadway in the photo is the original westbound lanes of Bellaire. Bellaire had a wide median before it was expanded in the early 1980s, and the design of the road and the median crossover is consistent with a city street (not the US 59 feeder roads).

That photo is from the Houston Chronicle archives, so if JR Gonzales does a report on Sharpstown Mall it will almost certainly include the image.

[IronTiger]

I have a question about Sharpstown (I didn't really want to start a new thread) that's been bothering me for a while: when Sharpstown was built, was it in the city limits? And if not, was it an "official" city?

[august948]

I have a question about Sharpstown (I didn't really want to start a new thread) that's been bothering me for a while: when Sharpstown was built, was it in the city limits? And if not, was it an "official" city?

Sharpstown was one of the first master-planned communities, a la Cinco Ranch or First Colony. Not sure where it was in relation to the city limit at the time, but I don't think it ever was an incorporated city.

[Fringe]

I have a question about Sharpstown (I didn't really want to start a new thread) that's been bothering me for a while: when Sharpstown was built, was it in the city limits? And if not, was it an "official" city?

I believe it was always inside Houston's jurisdiction.

[IronTiger]

I believe it was always inside Houston's jurisdiction.

Well, The Woodlands isn't a "real city" (yet), but its in the jurisdiction of another city (Spring, I think). Was Sharpstown ever like that, where you could plausibly address a letter as "Sharpstown, TX"?

[Fringe]

The Woodlands is pretty unique. I don't think they fall under any city's jurisdiction. They rely on Montgomery county for many of their services. They have been talking about incorporating into a city for years but I don't know if it will ever happen. Sharpstown was always Houston and the schools were always HISD from what I can remember. Houston expanded it's boundaries on that side of town very early, to keep Bellaire from doing so.

[IronTiger]

You're probably right. Sugar Land has one or two MPCs but are still considered Sugar Land, Texas (as opposed to Cinco Ranch, Texas, or whatever)

[Genesis]

Before Fiesta, a discount store called Globe was at Bellaire and Hillcroft. There were several around town. When the Globes closed, it became Fiesta.

[BootsNTux]

I have a question about Sharpstown (I didn't really want to start a new thread) that's been bothering me for a while: when Sharpstown was built, was it in the city limits? And if not, was it an "official" city?

My family moved to Sharpstown in 1962. We lived in the newly built section west of Hillcroft and south of Bellaire Blvd. I can at least say that in 1962, Sharpstown was definitely Houston.

We actually lived west of Osage, on Mobud Street. I remember when we moved in to the house that there was nothing south and west of our house but ranch land. For a long time, I had a sign that hung on the fence that said it was the R.E. Bob Smith ranch. Can you imagine not seeing anything looking west? Gessner was hardly a road. No tollway, just ranch land all the way to Alief.

I attended Pat Neff Elementary, the first year that it opened in 1965. First grade with Mrs. Lewelyn. I remember walking through the school with my father while it was being built, as well as St. Francis de Sales when it was under construction.

I grew up in Sharpstown, attending Pat Neff, Sharpstown Jr. High and Sharpstown Sr. High. I transferred in 1977 from HBU to Baylor and never lived in Houston again. My parents moved out in 2006. The neighboorhood has become too dangerous compared to the days when every child walked to school, kids hunted for turtles and frogs in the unpaved bayou along Osage, no bars on the windows, no alarms on the homes, kids played every day in the front yards until it was too dark to play and riding bikes throughout the neighborhood was a safe thing to do.

Sharpstown was a safe, friendly and great place to grow up in during the 60's and 70's.

[NenaE]

As a kid, I went to the domed Arena Theater, between those tall bldgs, on Hwy 59 South, near Sharpstown. That was in the late 1960's - early 70's, I remember it had nothing but prairie land and a chain link fence around it. Hard to believe, now.

[houstonactor]

My family moved to Houston in 1966 and bought our house new on Carvel directly across from Neff Elementary. I attended grades 4-6( Mrs. Henry, Miss Darling, Mrs. Lantz), Did my first play there and am at the Alley today. Went to Sharpstown Jr/Sr High in its second year and then it became just Jr. Fond memories of Lansdale pool, and the Sharpstown Country Club pool. Summers I'd walk to K Mart on Beechnut which was new then and yes there was a Purple Cow in the little strip center between K Mart and Gessner but not for very long. Bought my first Broadway albums at Foley's Sharpstown Mall and saw my first live professional theatre at the Houston Music Theatre and saw many things there. I also fondly remember the GayLynn Theatre and the Gaylynn Terrace, both beautiful. I went to Sharpstown Drive Inn many times and the huge orange Globe sign was such a nuisance as they burned it after dark and it was in your left peripheral vision while watching the screen. Loved Gobe's Mongolian BBQ that opened next door to the drive in for a while. Hadn't thought about Across the Street in decades. Where was it? I seem to recall a Hillcroft location. I also remember the Royal Coach Inn which later became Dunfey's Royal Coach Inn and housed Dunfey's Dinner Theatre where I had my first paying job as an actor in its opening production, Guys and Dolls. I also remember eating at that Marie Callenders across from the Mall, usually chili. Anyone remember,on Main near the Stables restaurant, an upscale hamburger restaurant called Jamie's where you raised a flag on your table for service,the Menu was on a thick board with a kickstand that was brought to your table, and free spicy beans were served in little copper bowls? Also Hamburgers by Gourmet near St Thomas campus? This is a great site. Have loved everyone's memories!

[braeburn legend]

I have been a partaker of the opening of a closed wharehouse of memories located in my mind. Thank all of you for your detailed reccollections. I grew up in Braeburn Valley and wish I could have saved so much of the pictures of the times. So many people have never had the chance to see Houston as a oil boomtown.

Was doing a search and I stumbled on to this site and thread!! I have read the whole thing. DrFood has many of my same recollections, same age as well.

Here is my attempt to stir the cobwebs!

We moved to Edgemore and Cannok in (second house from NW corner) Oct'58 from Dallas. I was 7 months old.

Hurricane Carla hit September of ’61 when I was 3. We had a lot of roof damage and all of the fences were down. Some folks had much more, some less. We were two houses from the corner, so the water was pretty deep at the intersection. More than � the way up to the porch. One image that I can still recall was when I looked out the window at one time in the storm, there were horses walking down the street! Many years later when I mentioned this to my mother, she did recall that the neighbors across the intersection (SW corner) had put their horses in the back yard for safety. And of course the fences were now down.

I still have a newspaper clipping that Leon Hale (correction: it was Alisson Sanders- I just found the clipping)did back in ‘62 where I am the subject. Seems I was moving all of my furniture around in my room when my dad inquired as to what was going on. I answered that I was making room for the astronauts!

I had learned that the astronauts were going to be doing the parade in Houston, and I far as I knew, my house WAS Houston!! Do not know how Leon got word of this little ditty, but, there you go.

Went to Sutton for kindergarten.

I still know, and are friends with folks that were in kindergarten with me. Some went all the way through high school and beyond with me.

My dad worked for a commercial window covering firm at the time and that was why we were transferred from Dallas in the first place.

My mom was expecting her 4th child and we needed to move on up from the small digs on Edgemore. Dad was doing some measurements at the new Sharpstown Bank Building. He was friendly with Frank from working on several projects. Looking west you could see where they land was being cleared for Jesuit. Bellaire was a little 2 lane asphalt out to the site and stopped. No Fondren, No Gessner. Frank said he was opening a new section along the golf course called Country Club Estates. Section 2 was along the west side of the course, 8th and 9th fairways at the time. He showed my dad a layout of the soon to be section. He pointed out several streets and lots that were not going to be available right off the bat due to model homed going in for “The Parade of Homes”.

My dad bought one of the very first non-parade lot and held it for about two years before he built.

On Dashwood and De Moss, Sharp built about 10 or so very nice homes for the models on those streets. Burning Tree and Redding stopped at Hornwood, but Hornwood was not there yet. Nothing but country to the North but little FM1093, and nothing West to where, Sealy!! 

We moved to our new house there in June of ’64. We were right across from what would have been the 8th fairway tee-off back then.

In fact, in 1965 they held the Houston Classic Pro golf tournament at Sharpstown.

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, all the big wigs.

My little brother, about 3 years old at the time was sitting on his little tricycle in our driveway ringing the little bell on his bike over and over as any kid would do. They sent someone over to the house to stop the distraction!!

Men in the neighbor hood would walk over to the fields where Strake was going in and hunt quail and dove all the time. (did they have hunting seasons back then?)

The folks had to drive all the way to the Triangle to grocery shop at the time. Food Giant was not yet opened.

Later when I was around 10yo, several of us would climb on the Bellaire/Downtown bus and ride all the way to downtown and go to Archie’s Fun Shop! Black soap, itchy powder, flash paper, all sorts of gags and tricks. Would you let your kid do that today????

Of course back then in the summer, you would leave on your bike in the morning and come back when the street light came on. Getting lunch at whomever’s house you happened to be at. Also spent the summers swimming in the “clear” lake on the golf course, when we were not in the Sharpstown pool. Learned to jump from 3meter board when I was around 6yo.

I went to SFDS for 1st and 2nd grade, then to Neff, then the Sharpstown Jr.Sr. High

Remember the race riot? Helicopters, police everywhere. I was in 7th grade I guess.

Then to SHS(76)

Worked at Rice Food there in the strip center. Remember Wackers 5&10c store? Later became Hondo’s country bar in the 70’s. Ace Hardware was in there at first I think.

The taco place was a Church’s chicken originally. We had a dog that would disappear all the time, turns out she found her way to Church’s, and was begging food all day. We wondered way she was so fat!

Dad took us to see Marry Poppins, Chitty Bang Bang, 2001 Space Odyssey at

Gaylyn (sp) when they all first came out.

We used to ride our bikes, then mini-bikes along the trails next to the ditch on what would become Gessner between Bellaire and near Beechnut.

Worked at Lewis and Coker for quite a while sacking groceries. I can STILL sack groceries better than anybody!! And I regularly do just to keep things from being ruined. Canned food on top of bread! WTF?

Family used to load up the car for a night at the Lowes Drive-in

I remember the Super Slide by the mall.

Climbing the big dirt hill for the Music Theater

Alphie’s Fish and chips

Gene’s model shop at the mall. The rotary cases had Matchbox cars in them.

Estes rockets taped on the back of Pinewood Derby cars and sending them down the street at high velocity.

After Jesuit was completed, we had to go to the other side of St. Agnes out onto Smith Ranch to shoot our guns.

Bikes behind the skeeeeeeeeeter trucks – nnnnnothing wroooong witttttth meeeeee.

Skimboarding in 1970 on the golfcourse during hurricane Celia. Dad came out and found us all having fun. He was not happy.

Skateboarded in Landsdale and Parker many times in the mid 70’s, Pipeline too.

Climbed the Sharpstown Water tower over on Bentliff on the inside.

Purple Cow

Buying 45’s at Kmart – Crimson&Clover was one of the first, Time of the Season, Hot Smoke and Sassafrass! Many more. Still have them.

From 2004 until his passing this June, my dad was the Deeds Chairman for the Sharpstown Civic Association. With out his diligent work, Sharpstown would not be, at least, as good as it is. It was his mission to shut down the front yard auto dealers, continuous junk sales, derelict cars, you name it. Especially along Bellaire and Gessner.

What a tough and thankless job. I hope some one has stepped up to the job.

I moved to Austin in 83 but I am back home on a regular basis.

These memories are the tip of the ‘ol iceberg!

I am sure I would know some of you folks.

This site is way cool.

[clbolt]

My stepfather was the manager of the Conquistador apartments across the street from Sharpstown mall in 1970, and we lived there for a couple of years. It was cool living in a high-rise as a 5 year old. I waited impatiently many times for the doors on the Clock of Texas to open, and I remember the billboard around Sugar Land advertising the mall with a picture of the clock. I can also remember waiting in line with my mother in the parking lot at the mall, hoping to withdraw money when the Sharpstown State Bank failed.

I hadn't been back to Sharpstown since the 70's, or to Houston since 1984, but in 2001 I decided to go for a visit. I got there the night of September 10, with plans to drive around and see some of the old places during the day. September 11th didn't turn out to be an ordinary day, and I didn't get to see much while I was there. I did visit the Conquistador, but they were pretty suspicious of somebody saying they'd lived there 30 years before who wanted to take pictures.

[good time charlies]

A lot of things destroyed Sharpstown. I think at the top of the list is Harold Farb and every other development company that saturated the area with apartment complexes. The other major factors contributing to its decline would be the Bellaire blvd expansion project. It was so poorly planned and slowly executed that it destroyed almost all of the businesses on the Bellaire corridor from the city of Bellaire all the way down to Sharpstown. What was once surburban bliss rapidly degenerated into urban blight.

Areas like Sugarland, Katy, and Alief suddenly became the attractive Suburbia that Sharpstown once was and most of those families evacuated with all due haste.

I too have a lot of fond memories growing up there. I lived on Rowan. I went to SFDS and Sharpstown Jr high. I loved the mall, Gaylynn theater, Games people play, and Taco bell/Del Taco back when they used REAL ingredients. Now all I am left with is a dream of the past and a post mortem analysis of its demise. Those of you that migrated to new Surburbia's, have you seen the same sort of downfall in those areas as well?

[GBryant]

A lot of things destroyed Sharpstown. I think at the top of the list is Harold Farb and every other development company that saturated the area with apartment complexes. The other major factors contributing to its decline would be the Bellaire blvd expansion project. It was so poorly planned and slowly executed that it destroyed almost all of the businesses on the Bellaire corridor from the city of Bellaire all the way down to Sharpstown. What was once surburban bliss rapidly degenerated into urban blight.

Areas like Sugarland, Katy, and Alief suddenly became the attractive Suburbia that Sharpstown once was and most of those families evacuated with all due haste.

I too have a lot of fond memories growing up there. I lived on Rowan. I went to SFDS and Sharpstown Jr high. I loved the mall, Gaylynn theater, Games people play, and Taco bell/Del Taco back when they used REAL ingredients. Now all I am left with is a dream of the past and a post mortem analysis of its demise. Those of you that migrated to new Surburbia's, have you seen the same sort of downfall in those areas as well?

Bravo on the user name. I would give at least a toe for some pics of the old Good Time Charlie's at Sharpstown as it was in the 80s.

Anyway, in answer to your question about suburban downfall, I can tell you that Alief definitely experienced a downturn similar to Sharpstown's. I grew up in Bellaire, but when my dad remarried in '88, it became clear that we couldn't afford a house there that could accommodate our new newly doubled household. Back then, Alief was still a viable alternative. It had good schools and decent, affordable single-family neighborhoods. I'm pretty sure that all began to changed about a week after we moved in. By the time I was a junior in high school, the change was in full effect. Football games had to be cancelled or rescheduled due to the threat of violence. School dances were poorly attended and, eventually went away. Our house was broken into a couple of times. I moved away fifteen years ago, but my folks still live there and - I can tell you - it's a depressing place to visit. It's a real shame when a neighborhood experiences such a dramatic and rapid downturn.

[Fringe]

It's unfortunate that all the inner city folks in high crime areas moved out to Alief to escape the blight in the 80's but ended up bringing the crime with them. Like Sharpstown it was a really nice place to live at one time.

[good time charlies]

I hate to step on anyone's dream, but Sharpstown is not "coming back". Ever. Take a look at the enclosed map. Each of those red dots is a large or gigantic apartment complex. In order to restore Sharpstown to a semblance of its former glory you would have to buy out and bulldoze every one of those complexes. I estimate the cost to be in the half billion dollar range. Please let me know when you come up with the money and we can go from "ever" to "soon"....

Food for thought. It is my theory that the rise of computing power coupled with the quest for new entertainment platforms will eventually result in some sort of "time machine" like system where you can roam geographical areas of the past for nostalgia's sake, in glorious 3d on your PC. So before all those Kodachrome pics from the 70's turn back to dust, I would get to scanning them. They may be invaluable in the future. Or maybe any real record of Sharpstown malls glory is really gone for good?

[Gurgis]

Before Fiesta, a discount store called Globe was at Bellaire and Hillcroft. There were several around town. When the Globes closed, it became Fiesta.

I remember Globe being at that location (as well as a location east of Meyerland Mall, on the opposite side of 610). I think there were other stores at that location though between Globe, which probably closed in the early or mid-70s, and Fiesta, which probably started roughly in the mid-80s. Kroger and/or Apple Tree sounds correct.

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but opposite (south of) Hillcroft at the corner was a drive-in movie theater. I remember driving by it in the late '60s, and possibly early '70s.

I agree with "good time charlies" above about Sharpstown's future, and that it is not likely to "come back". The trend over the past decades seems irreversable. Not that I haven't been surprised from time to time to see certain pockets of redevelopment and improvement while driving around old stopping grounds in SW Houston. But for the large area involved, and the scale of proportion we are talking about, its seems extremely unlikely.

Luckily we have sites like this that can pool information and memories together. I wish there were small museums in key areas around town (Sharpstown, Clear Lake, etc.) that could store, archive, and promote memories of these areas, and do them justice. A great way to remember the past for those who lived it, and great way to educate the new members of the respective communities, and learn about what came before.

[GBryant]

In his most recent Bayou City History column, J.R. Gonzales has a write up on Sharpstown Mall. I'm particularly enamored with the couple of pics from the eighties that he included at the bottom. Check it out here: http://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2011/09/sharpstown-shopping-center-50-years-later/

[Riomar]

I am from central Houston (Lamar class of '98 btw), not all that far from the Montrose Library. I now live far west just past Dairy Ashford (the location i choose was the closest one avail). I don't have many old Sharpstown stories. We did shop at the mall from '87 on. I do remember it was a nice mall. I don't exactly remember when we stopped going there. I know it was after the mid '90s. I know we were still some times going there past '99. We also bought some of my daughters first school uniforms from the uniform store that was next to the Foley's and that would have been around 2003. Seems to me though that right around high school we started shopping at the Galleria more often. By then, though, the mall had started going down hill. I am not talking about the people there, either. The mall itself started to look really bad. It started to look dirty and unkept. The stores where also not that neat or organized any more. When it was my regular mall, I went there for clothes, excories, Christmas shopping and hair cuts. I also got my ears pierced there (anyone remember Piercing Pagoda). I loved shopping at Foley's and Clairs. There was also a pizza place (well more of a stand) I really liked (also had really good baked ziti) in the food court (started w/ a V). My brother lived for the Babbadges.(sp). I have a friend that grew up there (went to Strake and later SHS). His parents still live there. I do sometimes travel past and through Sharpstown. I feel it is perfectly save to drive through (I can only think of two neighborhoods not safe for that and Sharpstown is not one of them). Now I will say this, no I don't believe it is all that perfectly safe. Sharpstown is like a lot of Houston neighborhoods, a mixture. Parts are bad parts are good. The problem is they are starting to run into each other. I will tell you this. I would never tell any one it is safe to wander around at mid in any neighborhood...ever. Not alone at least. If you want to fix Sharpstown then get rid of the gangs. You don't have to get rid of the poor, at least not completely. Before building anything new get rid of the old and run down or fix it. Start building up parts for low middle class people. Meaning to attract low middle class. You can build it up from there. I would like to see a refurbished mall. (w/ real security at least for the moment)

[VicMan]

The mall was refurbished very recently. Its name changed to "PlazAmericas"

I am from central Houston (Lamar class of '98 btw), not all that far from the Montrose Library. I now live far west just past Dairy Ashford (the location i choose was the closest one avail). I don't have many old Sharpstown stories. We did shop at the mall from '87 on. I do remember it was a nice mall. I don't exactly remember when we stopped going there. I know it was after the mid '90s. I know we were still some times going there past '99. We also bought some of my daughters first school uniforms from the uniform store that was next to the Foley's and that would have been around 2003. Seems to me though that right around high school we started shopping at the Galleria more often. By then, though, the mall had started going down hill. I am not talking about the people there, either. The mall itself started to look really bad. It started to look dirty and unkept. The stores where also not that neat or organized any more. When it was my regular mall, I went there for clothes, excories, Christmas shopping and hair cuts. I also got my ears pierced there (anyone remember Piercing Pagoda). I loved shopping at Foley's and Clairs. There was also a pizza place (well more of a stand) I really liked (also had really good baked ziti) in the food court (started w/ a V). My brother lived for the Babbadges.(sp). I have a friend that grew up there (went to Strake and later SHS). His parents still live there. I do sometimes travel past and through Sharpstown. I feel it is perfectly save to drive through (I can only think of two neighborhoods not safe for that and Sharpstown is not one of them). Now I will say this, no I don't believe it is all that perfectly safe. Sharpstown is like a lot of Houston neighborhoods, a mixture. Parts are bad parts are good. The problem is they are starting to run into each other. I will tell you this. I would never tell any one it is safe to wander around at mid in any neighborhood...ever. Not alone at least. If you want to fix Sharpstown then get rid of the gangs. You don't have to get rid of the poor, at least not completely. Before building anything new get rid of the old and run down or fix it. Start building up parts for low middle class people. Meaning to attract low middle class. You can build it up from there. I would like to see a refurbished mall. (w/ real security at least for the moment)

[Bill Lins]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but opposite (south of) Hillcroft at the corner was a drive-in movie theater. I remember driving by it in the late '60s, and possibly early '70s.

I believe it was called "Lowe's Sharpstown".

[HammondB3Lover]

I've lived here in Sharpstown near St. Francis since 1996 and I like it just fine. This neighborhood seems to be fine to me.

I always wondered what grocery store was originally behind the Walgreens at Bellaire/Fondren that is now some 2nd hand store....Whataburger is in the parking lot of this place. It was def. some 70's grocery store.

I also see they are demolishing St. Francis De Sales church ball and crane style this week, heavy demolision seemed to have started today. I thought that was a beautiful building. Haven't been able to find out what's going on though i do see a building permit pulled for $4,500,000 at that location. I hope they saved the pipe organ!

For those of you out of town, The Jesuits purchased the old car lot at bellaire/fondren and are building a sports stadium there. Its coming along nicely.

I always wondered all these years about the mansion at beechnut and gessner also. Rumors are that its haunted, of course. A person never sees anyone there. Once in a blue moon someone seems to "move in" and then they are gone. A few years ago some asians must have moved in, and hung up chinese lanterns all over the porch. There were cars there for about 2-3 days and then nothing and the chinese lanterns blew apart in the wind.

A priest told me that place was haunted with a ghost of "breakage" when people move in everything gets broken from glassware to the televisions. That was several years ago. He also said he had never been called in to bless the house. Then I read on here about it being gypsys that live there. Well whoever it is they are invisible for lo, I've never seen anyone come and go from there and it looks abandoned. A couple years ago it looked like a television crew was filming something there, trailers of film equipment were parked in front of that house and what looked like cameras were set up all around the house for a day and a night. Then nothing. After that crew the upper bathroom window was left open about 6" and it the window remained open like that for months afterwards. I thought maybe it was one of those Haunting hunting shows but never found out, no one knew anything.

Pure speculation, but every neighborhood needs its "mystery house".

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

that was a Safeway in the 70's, Apple Tree in the 80's, and ha been a resale shop ever since Apple Tree closed

and.. the mansion at Beechnut and Gessner was built in the early/mid 80's. It was a pretty damned dumb place to put a house like that- the area was already starting to decline, the traffic at that intersection was horrible, too many buses going by on both streets, etc

[BIG-O]

I worked for Roger Rasbach back in 1996. Wierd guy but good experience.

[readam]

I've lived here in Sharpstown near St. Francis since 1996 and I like it just fine. This neighborhood seems to be fine to me.

I always wondered what grocery store was originally behind the Walgreens at Bellaire/Fondren that is now some 2nd hand store....Whataburger is in the parking lot of this place. It was def. some 70's grocery store.

I also see they are demolishing St. Francis De Sales church ball and crane style this week, heavy demolision seemed to have started today. I thought that was a beautiful building. Haven't been able to find out what's going on though i do see a building permit pulled for $4,500,000 at that location. I hope they saved the pipe organ!

For those of you out of town, The Jesuits purchased the old car lot at bellaire/fondren and are building a sports stadium there. Its coming along nicely.

I always wondered all these years about the mansion at beechnut and gessner also. Rumors are that its haunted, of course. A person never sees anyone there. Once in a blue moon someone seems to "move in" and then they are gone. A few years ago some asians must have moved in, and hung up chinese lanterns all over the porch. There were cars there for about 2-3 days and then nothing and the chinese lanterns blew apart in the wind.

A priest told me that place was haunted with a ghost of "breakage" when people move in everything gets broken from glassware to the televisions. That was several years ago. He also said he had never been called in to bless the house. Then I read on here about it being gypsys that live there. Well whoever it is they are invisible for lo, I've never seen anyone come and go from there and it looks abandoned. A couple years ago it looked like a television crew was filming something there, trailers of film equipment were parked in front of that house and what looked like cameras were set up all around the house for a day and a night. Then nothing. After that crew the upper bathroom window was left open about 6" and it the window remained open like that for months afterwards. I thought maybe it was one of those Haunting hunting shows but never found out, no one knew anything.

Pure speculation, but every neighborhood needs its "mystery house".

I think that store was a Safeway