The Heights Information & Developments

[SilverJK]

There are some lots on the north side of pecore street that appear to have had dirt work done, but didn't progress any further. I think the dirt work/pad was done over 6 months ago. Any clue what happened here? There is also an empty lot on the north west corner of Pecore and Beauchamp that looked like they were doing something there the other day.

Anyone hearing anything?

[RedScare]

Clearly, the 3 lots have not progressed beyond dirt work, either because of the state of the housing market, or the ability of the builder to obtain construction financing. The lot at Beauchamp was used as a staging area during the reconstruction of Beauchamp. I do not think it was ever being prepared for new construction.

[heights_yankee]

Clearly, the 3 lots have not progressed beyond dirt work, either because of the state of the housing market, or the ability of the builder to obtain construction financing. The lot at Beauchamp was used as a staging area during the reconstruction of Beauchamp. I do not think it was ever being prepared for new construction.

and with main st in it its current condition, i can't see anyone building anything on that lot soon...

[barracuda]

The hunchback deed-restricted house at 801 Pizer was reportedly demolished yesterday. So, deed restrictions don't really mean much after all.

http://swamplot.com/daily-demolition-report-foundations-of-wayne/2010-02-22/#more-16100

[Jesse]

The mini-mart at Yale and Munford is being demolished as we speak

[Tricky Matt]

801 Pizer

[SaintCyr]

801 Pizer

Did they take that big tree down too?

[OutfieldDan]

The hunchback deed-restricted house at 801 Pizer was reportedly demolished yesterday. So, deed restrictions don't really mean much after all.

http://swamplot.com/...-22/#more-16100

Looks like a pretty ugly house and not particularly historic. The new construction will undoubtedly be an improvement.

[OutfieldDan]

The mini-mart at Yale and Munford is being demolished as we speak

Any idea about what's replacing it? I used to live on Munford near that store. It was a dirty store inside and attracted the wrong people to the area.

[barracuda]

Looks like a pretty ugly house and not particularly historic. The new construction will undoubtedly be an improvement.

I feel rather indifferent at this point. I don't think anybody cried about losing that house. It was more about the principal than the actual house.

Let's just hope the replacement isn't something completely out of place for that block, like Tuscan with a bad case of stucco or a Victorian. I'm leery though, because I think there's a good deal of animosity between the owners and their neighbors after the showdown. They may want to build something completely inappropriate as a giant middle finger to the neighbors who fought their demo request.

Edited February 26, 2010 by barracuda

[24zulu]

I was reading this thread with some apprehension regarding the prolific demolitions going on. I was born, and raised in the Heights, and will always remember the small town goodness that we enjoyed. I suppose all good things come to an end.

I wondered if anyone knows who owns the old mansion that John Fakes, the attorney owned. He died many years ago, and lived in the mansion until his death. I'm not sure of the cross - street anymore, but it is on a corner lot, faceing the Boulevard, a few blocks down from Reagan Lodge. It was built back @ the turn of the century, and has the Nicholas Clayton flair to it with spires, etc. It has a historic plaque in front.

I would really appreciate any info you have. John died with no heirs, so I'm not sure how the house was sold, or who bought it.

[sunsets]

Sorry, don't know anything about that house.

I posted to ask if anyone knew what was going on with the blue house at the corner of Bayland and Helen? I assume it's being moved, since the porch and the chimney were taken off. Kind of a shame, that was an original bungalow for the neighborhood, but I guess a nice corner lot like that needs a giant two-story on it.

I'm kind of attached to the house, since we rented it when we first moved to Houston. It definitely had had a bit of "remuddleling" (my spouse referred to the kitchen as "The Tuscan Nightmare") but it was a nice space. The original flooring was spectacular.

I wish someone could have fixed it up, but hopefully it has a nice second life somewhere else.

[Tiko]

I was reading this thread with some apprehension regarding the prolific demolitions going on. I was born, and raised in the Heights, and will always remember the small town goodness that we enjoyed. I suppose all good things come to an end.

I wondered if anyone knows who owns the old mansion that John Fakes, the attorney owned. He died many years ago, and lived in the mansion until his death. I'm not sure of the cross - street anymore, but it is on a corner lot, faceing the Boulevard, a few blocks down from Reagan Lodge. It was built back @ the turn of the century, and has the Nicholas Clayton flair to it with spires, etc. It has a historic plaque in front.

I would really appreciate any info you have. John died with no heirs, so I'm not sure how the house was sold, or who bought it.

Are you referring to the Milroy House? http://farm1.static.flickr.com/245/455343732_155ab87675.jpg

I seem to remember it being one of the 3 original Heights houses left or something (built in the first batch, not original homes to the lot).

[Highway6]

The hunchback deed-restricted house at 801 Pizer was reportedly demolished yesterday. So, deed restrictions don't really mean much after all.

http://swamplot.com/...-22/#more-16100

Deed restrictions dictate what can be built or improved... not whether or not you can demolish.

Deed restrictions have yet to come into play.

[heights_yankee]

Looks like a pretty ugly house and not particularly historic. The new construction will undoubtedly be an improvement.

actually, it was a very pretty house from the front. the addition was terrible but the front was in excellent condition. as far as it being historic, north and east norhill are historic districts and every original home in the area is a contributing structure to that designation. everytime one is lost, the area inches closer to no longer being able to maintain it's historic status. right now, protcor plaza (which encompasses east and north norhill) is the largest continuous historic district in the city of houston. surely anyone can see at least some value in that and therefore some value in each original home in the area.

[heights_yankee]

Deed restrictions dictate what can be built or improved... not whether or not you can demolish.

Deed restrictions have yet to come into play.

right. the owners of the property at 801 pizer have not yet turned in completed plans for the home they intend to build. when they submit those plans, the deed restrictions will then come in to play regarding if the style of home they plan to build "conforms" with the neighborhood as dictated by the deed restrictions. it will be a craftsman style home as there is really no other style that would conform. smaller details will also become important, like window and door style as well as size and materials. while it will undoubtedly be larger than other homes in the neighborhood, deed restrictions do set some limitations on that as well.

[OutfieldDan]

right. the owners of the property at 801 pizer have not yet turned in completed plans for the home they intend to build. when they submit those plans, the deed restrictions will then come in to play regarding if the style of home they plan to build "conforms" with the neighborhood as dictated by the deed restrictions. it will be a craftsman style home as there is really no other style that would conform. smaller details will also become important, like window and door style as well as size and materials. while it will undoubtedly be larger than other homes in the neighborhood, deed restrictions do set some limitations on that as well.

Was the original home a craftsman style home? The image on google maps doesn't look like a craftsman.

[heights_yankee]

Was the original home a craftsman style home? The image on google maps doesn't look like a craftsman.

you know, it didn't really have a distinct style that i am aware of. one the board members is an architect and he hasn't called it anything either. i am going to inquire but it was a Crane house, everyone is pretty sure. they are not going to replicate the original in any way (well, except that all houses around the park have to be brick) so to conform they either need to mimic the houses around the block, which it doesn't seem like they intend on doing, or go craftsman, which is their plan but nothing is finalized yet.

the house doesn't have to match what was torn down but it does have to match the majority of homes in the neighborhood, which are craftsman. if it is going to go outside of the perimeters of traditional craftsman style, it would have to be almost a exact duplication of something else that exists to qualify as conforming. does that make sense?

Edited February 28, 2010 by heights_yankee

[OutfieldDan]

you know, it didn't really have a distinct style that i am aware of. one the board members is an architect and he hasn't called it anything either. i am going to inquire but it was a Crane house, everyone is pretty sure. they are not going to replicate the original in any way (well, except that all houses around the park have to be brick) so to conform they either need to mimic the houses around the block, which it doesn't seem like they intend on doing, or go craftsman, which is their plan but nothing is finalized yet.

the house doesn't have to match what was torn down but it does have to match the majority of homes in the neighborhood, which are craftsman. if it is going to go outside of the perimeters of traditional craftsman style, it would have to be almost a exact duplication of something else that exists to qualify as conforming. does that make sense?

None of this makes sense to me. I can understand the need for deed restrictions that limit setbacks, space between homes, and maintenance and upkeep. However, imposing subjective rules of aesthetics as trivial as the home design being craftsman or not is suppressive. Who's to say which color, or column style is beautiful or not? What arrogance is that?

I live near a home that's completely out of style with the neighborhood; the white modern Victorian at the corner of 22nd St and Harvard. Despite being incongruous, it's beautiful and admired by my neighbors. To me it makes a statement about soaring human intellect and ambition. Unfortunately such home would be ruled out in your neighborhood, and that's your loss.

[sevfiv]

Come on guys...how big is Proctor Plaza? It's like people getting bent out of shape about Sixth Ward and their tiny area wanting protection and restrictions.

That being written, I don't know what this place was like maintenance wise (though I know my idea of salvageable is much different than most) - also, is there a picture around here somewhere?

[24zulu]

Are you referring to the Milroy House? http://farm1.static...._155ab87675.jpg

I seem to remember it being one of the 3 original Heights houses left or something (built in the first batch, not original homes to the lot).

Yes, Tiko that's the house. Has a spire on the other side of it, not visible from the angle of the photo. Not sure who owns it now, but next time I'm in town, I'll try to swing by there, and check it out.

Thanks for the pic!

[heights_yankee]

None of this makes sense to me. I can understand the need for deed restrictions that limit setbacks, space between homes, and maintenance and upkeep. However, imposing subjective rules of aesthetics as trivial as the home design being craftsman or not is suppressive. Who's to say which color, or column style is beautiful or not? What arrogance is that?

I live near a home that's completely out of style with the neighborhood; the white modern Victorian at the corner of 22nd St and Harvard. Despite being incongruous, it's beautiful and admired by my neighbors. To me it makes a statement about soaring human intellect and ambition. Unfortunately such home would be ruled out in your neighborhood, and that's your loss.

You didn't buy your property in a deed restricted neighborhood.

Actually, Dan, I love your house and always have. I think there is a lot of room for modern homes in the Heights. I am in love with the new one on 8 1/2 near Antidote on the south side of the street. Don't know if you have seen that one. I'll try to get a picture. If you were to go back and read previous posts of mine, you would see that many times over I have said that I love seeing more modern homes being built. One of the things that is so special about the Heights is that it still looks a lot like it did when it was built. I like new homes that reflect the times in which they were built through their architecture. However, this doesn't apply when a neighborhood has deed restrictions that were set up with the primary purpose of protecting the style of home that was prevalent when this area was built and making sure new/modified homes "conform" (which I quote b/c that is the term used in the deed restrictions).

Proctor Plaza is roughly 1200 homes and the largest protected district in the city. Is there no value in historic areas at all? Should they all be demolished for redevelopment? I just don't understand that mentality. Should the day come when we can afford it, my husband and I would love to live in a house a lot more like yours, Dan, than the one we live in now. But we would never build it in this deed restricted neighborhood. we bought here knowing that there are limitations on what we can do with our property and we believe that is, over all, for the greater good.

while the deed restrictions do dictate what kinds of columns you can have that is because it was dictated by the original architectural style of the neighborhood. it's not a matter of what one or the other thinks is beautiful. it's about what was in the Crane catalog when these houses were built. also, the deed restrictions do not (and therefore the neighborhood board does not) say anything about what color you paint your house. my next door neighbor's house is electric blue with barney-purple trim. on the corner, a family just painted their house salmon.

i think the thing that is interesting is that we discuss Proctor and the issues here as though deed restrictions are this crazy one off thing that this one psycho neighborhood has. that's hardly the case. not to mention the fact that this area actually had deed restrictions when it was built. 50 or so years later, they had fallen prey to neglect and the neighborhood residents worked to revive and refine them, setting them up in such a way that they automatically renew every 10 years no matter what. for over a decade this neighborhood was able to quietly survive with a large majority of its original homes in tact. then development fever hit the heights and suddenly the notion that this area wants to stay how it is and how it has been is absurd and a loss to the people who live here. well, most of the people who live here do so because of this fact, not in spite of it. i think we all benefit from houses like Dan's being built in the Heights but also from having some areas, like Proctor and Freeland, left to be what they have always been.

[OutfieldDan]

You didn't buy your property in a deed restricted neighborhood.

i think we all benefit from houses like Dan's being built in the Heights but also from having some areas, like Proctor and Freeland, left to be what they have always been.

Just to clarify, the white modern victorian is not my house. I wish it were.

[heights_yankee]

Just to clarify, the white modern victorian is not my house. I wish it were.

ha! i guess i completely read your post wrong. good thing i didn't DM you to come over and take pictures for my blog

either way, i love that house and love my bungalow just the same

[heights_yankee]

Was the original home a craftsman style home? The image on google maps doesn't look like a craftsman.

so i took your question to an architect and he said it's "a stripped down english cottage. The technical term is a tudor revival - more form than detail." there are many of these around the heights but they only exist in this neighborhood around the park, i think. i could see one being approved (for any project, not just pizer) if it was in harmony on scale and materials. but who knows. the notion of "confirming" generally (this is just my opinion of how things are interpreted) goes to the majority of houses, not the minority or one off.

[Yankee_in_TX]

NW corner in the vacant lot (across Durham from C&D). PLEASE tell me they are merely resting there for some reason?

They're old, beat up, graffitied over and generally look like trash... As of today they're still up on wheels...

Edited September 19, 2010 by Yankee_in_TX

[s3mh]

Anyone know what is going on with the demo on Yale and 5th? What used to be there? Plans for future construction?

I was surprised to see what looked like a basement when they demo-ed the old building.

[J008]

Anyone know what is going on with the demo on Yale and 5th? What used to be there? Plans for future construction?

I was surprised to see what looked like a basement when they demo-ed the old building.

yeah I saw what you are talking about it. It used to be an old building with aluminum looking siding that was practically falling down. The hole left by the place is massive, I am curious what it is \ was as well.

[20thStDad]

Is the hole related to the demo or new activity? I saw it but didn't see the progression. Maybe they dug it as part of whatever they are putting there.

[Geo Mat]

Krol awhile back you posted some pictures of buildings that were slated for demo the two below have since been saved and will be renovated!!!

1333 Heights Blvd. Harry James plans to demo.

1415 Arlington In 90-day wait for demolition. Owned by Allegro Builders.