A Swamplot reader writes in to confirm what the sign in the window suggests: “I talked to the people. Said its going to be a restaurant!” This 6,561-sq.-ft. 1925 former food store in the Old Sixth Ward sits at the corner of White at 2003 Union St., just south of Washington Ave. If you’ve got a really good arm, it’s a stone’s throw from Liberty Station. And it’s immediately south of that awkward triangular patch where planning firm Asakura Robinson and other neighborhood futurists plotted visions of a walkable Washington Corridor, with bike repair stations, local retailers, food trucks, and the like.
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And you can see that that building is just catty-corner from this one, where the Washington Gym is located (and painted red) and where Alba Huerta has said she is renovating the space at 1919 Washington for a bar called Julep (painted, as of this weekend, white). And this is just a block west of the Caddy Shack, the bar and restaurant replacing the Broken Spoke Cafe.
- Previously on Swamplot: Repairing the Broken Spoke: A New Bar in the Burned-Out Washington Ave Cafe, Planning for the Future of Washington Ave
Photos: Allyn West
I love these old small retail bldgs that are being reused. The style fits in with anything. I wonder if strip centers will be appreciated and reused 50-100 years from now? I would guess yes, it’ll be no different.
***2015***
“it’s a former restaurant!”
Successful restaurants never start with a “union street” address. Corner Table is the only successful restaurant that comes to mind NOT on a main drag, and is in a much more established, celebrated area than 6th ward, which most native locals couldn’t accurately draw the boundaries of on a map.
The main reason these old buildings are so charming is their zero-foot setback from the front property line, which results in a much more pedestrian-friendly streetscape.
Ever since the City created the Chapter 42 development requirements, with 25-ft setbacks along major thoroughfares (of which Washington is one) and minimum parking requirements, retail development shifted from pedestrian-friendly zero building line (e.g. 19th St or Rice Village) to strip centers with two rows of parking in front. After all, if you can’t build within 25 feet of the building line, you might as well put cars there.
I’m not sure that the address matters as much as the food and the service, HTX REZ. There are plenty of great places tucked away on little side streets. The best restaurant in Houston is all alone in a creepy area on Nance St. Hopefully this place does well.
I will happily take responsibility for this tip. This ‘union st address’ is not going to make a single bit of difference in this restaurant’s sucess. It is as much off washington avenue as the above mentioned bars / restaurants. Also, did anyone else notice how many new things are going into this area? I wonder if it is sustainable. This end (lower washington?) is much more original and less trendy than the upper / west end of washington.
Can’t wait: I can see myself eating there once a week if it’s decent food/affordable. Closer to me than Stanton’s (RIP, Art–may light perpetual shin upon you!) or Southwell’s, both of which have very respectable burgers for a decent price.
*shine, lol
@ Jason C.
I’ll meet you there for a meal. I hope they knock down the cement block and put some nice windows for indoor / outdoor options. Also the lot next to them is open and it might be included. Either way, the SQ is large and has many options
“Corner Table is the only successful restaurant that comes to mind NOT on a main drag”
That’s selective memory for you. Plenty of successful restaurants are not along main drags.
I see that the hibernating Mercedes in front of the gym has finally moved.
We are thrilled to see, particularly, this section of the Washington Avenue Corridor continue to develop – although we are still waiting for something to be done with that triangle! As an addendum to your post, here is a video that we made during the Better Block last year that shows what we were able to transform it into for a day with just a bit of elbow grease: http://www.betterhouston.org/outreach.html
I saw this a while back and today I wasn’t able to find any information on this on the TABC website and I’m wondering if this is going to happen or not. Anyone know about this mysterious place?
Renovation is ongoing. Delightful mural on the brick & cinder block.