- 7543 Inwood Dr. [HAR]
Sign up for the Newsletter
Charnwood
Painterly and lit in its listing photos like a Thomas Kinkade repro canvas, a 1972 townhome is part of a condo-ized pastel-and-wrought-iron block (at right) bridging the Charnwood-Briarbend neighborhoods near S. Voss Rd. and San Felipe. Last week, the well-stocked and comfort-padded property appeared on the market with an asking price of $429,000.
This remodded 1966 Mod in Charnwood was once featured in Southern Living magazine, its listing declares. The furnishings from that photo shoot are long gone, but a boatload of built-ins and some ravine views remain. Appearing in the market mid-month, the 4,077-sq.-ft. home has staked out an initial asking price of $939,000.
EVEN IF SHAYA BOYMELGREEN CAN MAKE IT THERE, HE WON’T BE BUILDING TOWERS HERE In his first interview with a reporter in 3 years, international developer-in-distress Shaya Boymelgreen tells the New York Observer he’s back in Manhattan, scouting for “new development opportunities,” and singing an old movie tune: “Unless I get an offer I can’t refuse, I would like to concentrate now in Manhattan. I believe this is now the opportunity and the time. If I cannot make it in Manhattan, I don’t know where else I can make it.” Translation: His long-threatened twin condo tower development planned for San Felipe at the end of Woodway in Houston is officially toast. [New York Observer; previously on Swamplot]
Just a month ago, an executive of Brooklyn’s Boymelgreen Developers was telling the Chronicle‘s Nancy Sarnoff that the company was still committed to building those twin 28-floor condo towers at the very end of Woodway on San Felipe, next door to the old Dolce & Freddo gelato shop. Development director Sara Mirski reported that the firm planned to start construction on the Ziegler Cooper design next year, after completing a new market analysis in the spring.
The former shopping-center site, just a leap over Buffalo Bayou from Piney Point Village, was purchased by an Israeli company controlled by developer Shaya Boymelgreen 2 years ago, just days after another Boymelgreen affiliate flipped the property at the corner of Richmond and Post Oak — the site of the former Mason Jar and Steak & Ale — for a quick $24 million profit.
But those were the good ol’ days. Now Boymelgreen may have a few other things to take care of before he can get going on the San Felipe Condominiums:
The Swamplot Price Adjuster needs your nominations! Found a property you think is poorly priced? Send an email to Swamplot, and be sure to include a link to the listing or photos. Tell us about the property, and explain why you think it deserves a price adjustment. Then tell us what you think a better price would be. Unless requested otherwise, all submissions to the Swamplot Price Adjuster will be kept anonymous.
Location: 7538 Inwood Dr., Charnwood
Details: 17,781-sq.-ft. lot
Price: $550,000
History: Sold for $503,000 in December 2007. Listed on HAR for 4 months now at the current price.
Says the reader who’s nominating this vacant homesite:
The lot is in Charnwood, a really nice subdivision, they keep things looking nice. When I bought in Charnwood (Inwood Dr), it was the lot size that appealed to us, it seems like all the lots are 15k sqft or more, which is very generous for the area (galleria/west Houston).
It is close to lots of great eating, shopping, schools too but still has a nice family feel too it. I really like it and more importantly it is way more better value than Briargrove (Charnwood has way bigger lots too) and Tanglewood (chi-ching $$$).
Also, there are quite a few new custom builds in the subdivision, that points to good strong house values for the future. . . .
This lot was “for sale by owner” for $500k for around a year . . .
So . . . what would be a better price for this chunk o’ land?
Intrepid bicycle blogger Robert Boyd ventures into two more tony westside residential neighborhoods: Farnham Park and Charnwood — only to be hassled by security guards:
Now apparently some residents were alarmed to see me riding in their neighborhood taking photos. So the guards gave me a lot of shit when I left, and they strongly implied that this was private property and that I was not allowed to take photos. It was a humiliating dress-down, which I would have gladly avoided. I was afraid they’d try to hold me or call the cops, but they took my personal information (which if I had any guts, I would have denied them*) and let me go.
No pics of the security gates guarding a public street in his report, but plenty of languorous estates nestled behind twiggy foliage. A sympathetic commenter offers Boyd these words of encouragement:
I understand that these people are wealthy and value their privacy, but if you don’t want people taking pictures, don’t build such a great house.
A great number of Houstonians in other neighborhoods are already taking this advice.
After the jump: Boyd provides photographic evidence that Briarbend Park has Buffalo Bayou’s best front-row seats.
