A reader’s drive-by shooting at the corner of N. Shepherd Dr. and W. 20th St. captured a few photos of Abel Motors, whose new signage announces a move to parts even further north. The dealership’s new location at 9102 Airline Dr. will put it just south of Halls Bayou at the intersection of Airline and Gulf Bank Rd. across from the Cathedral of St. Matthew. (and amid a suite of other car sales and auto repair operations up and down the street).
The N. Shepherd spot to be vacated sits catty-corner to the former car dealership property currently being redeveloped as a Mellow Mushroom-containing retail strip, and a block north of the Take 5 Oil Change getting into gear at the corner with 19th St. Here’s another shot of the corner, looking north across 20th toward the ex-Fiesta a few blocks up the road:
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- We Are Moving [Abel Motors]
- Previously on Swamplot: What’s Getting Wrapped Up on the Corners of 19th and N. Shepherd, Strip Center Alteration Planned for Houston Alternator Shop at N. Shepherd and 19th St.
Photos: Swamplot inbox
Over the past five years, the tax appraised value on the lots that make up that dealership went from $646,783 to $1,193,527. It won’t be long before Mr. Vaughn’s dealership with a shiny new building is the only auto lot left on N. Shep.
The mid loop north is the new lower middle class area. Maybe Airline is becoming the new used car strip.
The gentrification of North Shepard continues unabated and uncontrolled. Developers are ruining the character of the neighborhood by buying up properties and bringing in fancy pants food places and high end stores. Where will I go to buy my $500 car for the low price of $3500 on E-Z credit? Where will I go to get my weekly intestinal purging induced by food poisoning from a $2 burrito or mystery meat taco? Did anyone study the adverse economic impact of running off all the hookers and drug dealers and replacing them with under-employed millennials who want the experience but don’t want to pay for it? Come on people, SAVE the PAWN SHOPS and gold buying places on North Shepard. Where are the historic district people when you want to preserve a decent piece of late 20th Centrury urban decay?
In the Doghouse FTW.
Uh oh. There goes the hood. The inhumanity of it all !!!
It’s been a bit of a mystery to me that these used car dealerships have managed to stay around as long as they have. I imagine a lot of it is just land speculation.
The evacuation of the used car lots on N. Shepherd is a godsend. Now if Sears will finally go out of business and we can get some higher density, walkable, residential-retail development going… Only a matter of time.
Man I love those “mystery meat” tacos.
The combination of Houston’s lack of zoning and lack of sentimentality has made it so that, as the appraised value of the land sitting beneath the warehouses and used car lots of the Greater Heights increases, this land is being converted to more valuable uses at a shockingly fast rate.
There’s nothing mysterious about the meat in those tacos, it’s white tail Chupacabra.
In 5-8 years Shepherd between 9th and 28th will look more like Katyville, Washington, Westheimer, etc. All those car dealerships can easily relocate.
I wonder if used car lots used to be considered real estate ‘placeholders’, like mattress stores or storage facilities are now.
@dbhouston – Isn’t “higher density, walkable, residential-retail development” what everyone wants then vehemently opposes once its created (see the rest of the heights)? I mean, people are parking in front of my house! On a public street but in front of MY house.
Does anyone know the status of US Auto Brokers on Shepherd and 17th? Or the projects on that block for that matter? US Auto Brokers is the dealership that sells cars until midnight. Who needs to buy a car at midnight? I have a strange feeling they may be in for the long haul …