Antique for Sale: Heights Theater on the Block

Heights Theater, 339 W. 19th St., Houston Heights

That Greenwood-King “for sale” sign leaning casually against the front of the art-deco Heights Theater on 19th St. is legit, the proprietor of the Bunny Bungalow assures us. And she sends us the listing to prove it.

Asking price: $1.3 million. Maybe whoever buys it will restore the theater’s original Alamo-style facade!

After the jump: A few more pics, showing the sign and the scene.

***

Heights Theater, 339 W. 19th St., Houston Heights

And now a closeup of the much more important sign:

For Sale Sign in front of Heights Theater, 339 W. 19th St., Houston Heights

Photos: Annie of The Bunny Bungalow

15 Comment

  • To me, 19th street is an area that is primed to be a Rice Village II.

    The facades of all the building can be left, but everything else could be completely replaced.

    The architecture would be saved and the potential for dense development in a location that is already heavily commercial would be nice.

    That area is an untapped real estate resource.

  • What a perfect location for an Alamo Drafthouse!!!

  • Since The Heights is dry it’s doubtful that Alamo Drafthouse would ever go there. That whole area will never become hot unless they start granting liquor licenses. That’s why there are hardly any good restaurants in The Heights…they can’t make money without a bar.

    I think the theater would be the perfect home for Aurora Picture Show. But of course the old school buzzkills in that part of town would probably throw a fit that Aurora provides Saint Arnold beers to patrons in exchange for a “donation”

    The Heights is BORING. Bring on the Booze!!!

  • …Maybe whoever buys it will restore the theater’s original Alamo-style facade!..

    I don’t know.. I like the art-deco style better..

    I’d take it for an even 1M.. but it would probably need another 1M to return it to usefulness..

    And the old people who think we’re still living in prohibition will definitely keep this area from taking off.. thanks

  • Just a thought…

    If enough residents got together when the deed restrictions that set the prohibition in place come up for renewal, they can have it changed.

    I think they may even have a chance to do it prior to that.

    The Heights has so much potential for a place to have unique eateries and social establishments.

  • We can’t be talking too unique here if none of them would be able to imagine social life without a buzz to legitimize the experience of enjoyment. Premature jibes aside, “Prohibition” sounds a little less stuck than people who have the same expectation of alcohol almost every time they go out. Laissez les bon temps rouler, Neil

  • “Prohibition” is another word for “Forcing your morals on others”

    If people in that neighborhood don’t want to consume, fine. But to force others that are *just passing thru* enjoying themselves in a restaurant to not consume, that’s pretty draconian.

  • …until they’re just passing water onto your front walk on the way home. But seriously, if the terms you state are the terms of the topic to some people, then you simply must hold back the accusations until you have stomached the fact that, as always, the rules are kept because of the many people who take advantage of a situation to go overboard, not because of a percentage even as high as 99% who handle enjoyment according to normal standards of decency. Uptown Dallas can tell us more than enough about who forces what on whom once reasonable people like the Swamplotters expect neighborhood citizens to roll over for the sake of others who are just passing through.

  • If this were an issue like: There’s a curfew in place, we have an idea for a better quality of life that can really happen in a special place that’s generally built to host it, like this one…
    Then there might be some logical bargaining room, you know?
    But when the sticking point is entirely an item whose cachet does depend on an irreducible element of, “Hey! You don’t have to be so beholden to your inhibitions! (drink responsibly) This is some good stuff!” – then no, it’s a permanent state of affairs.

  • Let’s bulldoze it and build a tilt-wall bookstore on the site!

  • Are you sure this hood isn’t Citibanked yet?

  • You know – I live in the Heights – and it honestly never crosses my mind that it’s dry . I love our local restaurants . King Biscuit – Shade – Onion Creek – Dry Creek – Decapo’s – Someburger – etc. I love that banks and liquor stores don’t run rampant . I LOVE that there is NO Starbucks in the Heights . Instead, we have wonderful and locally owned places to go, like Antidote and Waldo’s . I would cry if 19th street turned into what Rice Village is today . The Heights has a heart and soul . It’s not perfect – for sure – But it’s a special place ( and far from boring ) .

  • I’m with Stevo on this one.

    The Heights needs booze.

    I’ve lived there off and on for years, and the restaurants blow.

  • I don’t believe it’s deed restrictions, but rather voting by precinct.

  • It’s only the Heights proper that’s dry, and on every street that forms its boundaries there are plenty of ice houses, liquor stores, groceries, and restaurants that serve up booze in any flavor you want. And even on 19th street, the restaurant Shade got around the restrictions by offering wine to “private club” members (anyone with a valid driver’s license.)

    It’s nice that 19th street stays a little pokey, and that something of the Heights remains to resist all the nouveau riche condo dwellers that are ruining the Montrose.