The Woodway: Condominium High-Rise At 5001 Woodway Dr.

[enviromain]

This advertisement was in the June 1975 issue of Houston Home & Garden magazine. The same units are going for $215,000 up to $329,000. The Woodway was built in 1974.

You can peruse the units for sale at http://www.har.com/highrisefinder/dispHighriseDetail.cfm.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n94/enviromain/lastscan3.jpg

[Guest danax]

Sounds kind of funny to be calling a 1974 building historic but I suppose it was one of the first residential highrises in Houston. Not sure about that though. Maybe the residential highrises will end up being among our most revered historic structures in the future since they're not easily demolished and so will likely endure many decades, possibly centuries, while most smaller buildings will have been bulldozed.

[tomv]

I read somewhere that the Conquistador across from Sharpstown Mall was the first high-rise condo to be built in the state of Texas. Not sure when it was developed, but it's still there. Obviously the neighborhood has changed tremendously.

[enviromain]

I read somewhere that the Conquistador across from Sharpstown Mall was the first high-rise condo to be built in the state of Texas. Not sure when it was developed, but it's still there. Obviously the neighborhood has changed tremendously.

I think you read that in another thread here at HAIF. I am unsure when the Conquistador (18 floors) was actually built, but it was included in Frank Sharps plan for Sharpstown. 1960's???

I know that Capital Lofts (10 floors) was built in 1908 and the Scanlan Buiding (12 floors) was built in 1909.

The 806 Main building (AKA: Second National Bank Building; Carter Building) was built in 1910 and has 23 floors.

Here is a link on bank buildings: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/lcseiler/houdn5.htm

Edited October 15, 2006 by enviromain

[Gilder]

What about the Hotel Icon? Wasn't it built in the early 1900's?

[plumber2]

This advertisement was in the June 1975 issue of Houston Home & Garden magazine. The same units are going for $215,000 up to $329,000. The Woodway was built in 1974.

You can peruse the units for sale at http://www.har.com/highrisefinder/dispHighriseDetail.cfm.

My father ran the plumbing crew during the construction of this building. It was 1974-75. The plumbing contractor was the Sam P. Wallace Co. which my father worker for at that time. I remember visiting the site a few times during construction and walking around inside the unfinished units. I couldn't imagine anyone paying $67,000. to live in one of those at the time. Whow! how silly of me.

[Montrose1100]

I think you read that in another thread here at HAIF. I am unsure when the Conquistador (18 floors) was actually built, but it was included in Frank Sharps plan for Sharpstown. 1960's???

I know that Capital Lofts (10 floors) was built in 1908 and the Scanlan Buiding (12 floors) was built in 1909.

The 806 Main building (AKA: Second National Bank Building; Carter Building) was built in 1910 and has 23 floors.

Here is a link on bank buildings: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/lcseiler/houdn5.htm

They weren't condos in 1910, so they don't count.

[rps324]

The Beaconsfield on main were built as either condos or apartments originally.

That round hi-rise is really nice on Woodway. Executive house, not to be confused with the old Executive house on Alabaman. It has this Japanese style garden in the back with these ponds, and a section of flat roof mod guests houses that look straight out of Palm Springs. It is a really interesting building.

[TheNiche]

That round hi-rise is really nice on Woodway. Executive house, not to be confused with the old Executive house on Alabaman. It has this Japanese style garden in the back with these ponds, and a section of flat roof mod guests houses that look straight out of Palm Springs. It is a really interesting building.

That's a favorite of mine, too.

[brucesw]

The Beaconsfield on main were built as either condos or apartments originally.

According to HCAD the Beaconsfield was completed in 1911, shortly after Carter's Folly. At 7 stories it probably was taller than any other residence at that time, so, a high-rise?

The Carter building was the tallest building in town, completed in December, 1910, at 17 stories. The next tallest was only 12, I think.

Neils Esperson was a resident of the Beaconsfield when he died in December, 1922.

[57Tbird]

According to HCAD the Beaconsfield was completed in 1911, shortly after Carter's Folly. At 7 stories it probably was taller than any other residence at that time, so, a high-rise?

Neils Esperson was a resident of the Beaconsfield when he died in December, 1922.

Photo (undated) of the Beaconsfield with accompanying description.

The Beaconsfield Apartments at 1700 Main Street is the city's oldest apartment building still in use. When it was first built in 1910, it was said to be the "Beacon that attracts many prominent tenants to plush, elegant decor". It was one of the city's first 'sky-scrapers.' One of their most prominent tenants was Wm. B. Chew, president of several major businesses including the South Texas National Bank. Others were Isaac Myer, Northside Homesteads president; Cleveland Sewall, Wm. A. Vinson, and Robert E. Goree, all attorneys; Lorenzo Boykin, Chicago Land & Coal vice president; and John Flynn, Houston Belt & Terminal, vice president. In the early years, young artists, poets, dancers and singers had social gatherings in the basement level on Sunday afternoons. In 1977, the old landmark was restored when it was converted into a condominium.

[Highrise Tower]

Today I took these skyline-view photos of this high-rise.  

The views are a little obstructed by trees, but the neighborhood (Tanglewood) has lots of trees and is kind of hard to avoid.