Houston Heights

Demolitions
11/25/09 2:29pm

Immanuel Lutheran Church: Saved for Demolition Next Year

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Historic Districts, Historic Preservation, Houston Heights, Religious Facilities
1 Comment

Some news from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance:

The congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church has voted to delay until spring 2010 the proposed demolition of its Gothic Revival sanctuary on East 15th Street at Cortlandt in the Heights East Historic District.

In late October, the city Archeological and Historic Commission voted to deny the church a “certificate of appropriateness” for the demo, which meant the church would have had to wait a full 90 days anyway — until late January of next year — to tear down its vacant 1932 brick building.

Photo: Heights Blog

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Crime
11/18/09 5:31pm

After the Arsons: A Photo Tour of the Heights Fires

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Demolitions, Houston Heights, Shady Acres
2 Comments

Now that a suspect for at least one of the recent Heights-area arsons is in custody, blogger Fred Eats Houston feels a bit more comfortable sharing his photos of some local burn victims.

There have been 18 “suspicious” fires in the Heights area since mid-August. Here are 2 views of a playhouse on Ashland St., part of one of the first structures to burn:

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Attractions
11/16/09 5:40pm

Tacos a No-Go? What’s Up with the Indian Summer Lodge?

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Homes for Sale, Houston Heights, Land for Sale, Restaurants
8 Comments

A couple of months ago, a TABC application appeared outside the Indian Summer Lodge, Jeff Law’s quirky and colorful Quonset-Hut-turned-event-compound adjacent to the new Hike-and-Bike Trail off lower Columbia St. in the Heights. And so the rumor began that midtown’s Tacos-A-Go-Go might be moving or expanding there.

Now, however, the Indian Summer Lodge is for sale. A new listing was posted over the weekend on the MLS. The 16,170-sq.-ft. property features three buildings — the lodge, the “loft” (the Quonset hut), and a treehouse with skyline balcony.

Here’s what $775,000 gets you:

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Attractions
11/11/09 6:50pm

Openings and Closings: That Flood of New Establishments

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Baytown, Downtown, East Montrose, Galveston, Houston Heights, Hyde Park, Montrose, Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail, Shopping Centers, Spring Branch, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby, Washington Corridor, West End
2 Comments

So much new stuff going on it’s impossible to keep track of it all!

  • Opening Soon? A new “Houston Ave. Bar” at the site of the former Farmers Coffee Shop on the corner of Houston Ave. and White Oak. Here’s the evidence: A permit for a “2 story addition” to the property was approved by the city last month. The corner is already a popular gathering place for floodwaters — several commenters on HAIF have posted photos of the intersection after Hurricane Ike (see above) and Tropical Storm Allison.
  • Moved: The Central City Co-op Wednesday market, from that Ecclesia space next to the Taft St. Coffee House to new digs at the Grace Lutheran Church at 2515 Waugh, just north of Missouri St. Sunday markets are still at Discovery Green. Next up for the co-op crew: Selling enough veggies to pay off those loans used for the church buildout.
  • Opening Softly, Later This Month: A place called Canopy, from the folks who brought you that place called Shade. Claire Smith and Russell Murrell’s new restaurant will go in the spot where Tony Ruppe’s was, in the double-decked strip center at 3939 Montrose, reports Cleverley Stone. Three meals a day, 7 days a week, plus 3 seating areas:

    a bright and refreshing dining room, festive bar and side street patio. We will eventually offer curbside “to go” service.

  • Opening Early Next Month: The brand-new Dessert Shoppe, in the strip center portion of 19th Streete in the Heights. Fred Eats Houston writes that sisters Sara and RaeMarie Villar will be serving up “whole cakes and pies to individual desserts, along with assorted breakfast pastries, cookies, quiches, cupcakes, and some breads.”
  • Reopened, for the First Time Since Ike: The Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Galveston. The combined boards of the International Shriners and Shriners Hospitals for Children had originally decided to close the hospital for good, after 30 inches of water wandered through the building’s first floor during the Hurricane. Shriners voting at this summer’s convention in San Antonio reversed that decision. The new hospital will have a smaller staff and budget. The Chronicle‘s Todd Ackerman reports that the hospital should already be open for reconstructive surgery cases; burn victims will have to wait until December for treatment.

And yet even more new stuff:

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Construction Materials
11/10/09 12:54pm

Pitching In: An Architect Helps Out with That Floating Stone Chimney

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Home Design, Homebuilders, Houston Architects, Houston Heights, New Construction: Residential, Townhomes
9 Comments

Note: Story updated below. Stand by for . . . the turret!

One of the nicest things about Swamplot is that we all care about our neighbors! So when one reader sends in a photo of a unique garage-chimney configuration balanced carefully on a townhome near the corner of Ashland and 16th St. in the Heights, it’s only natural that others in our community will want to volunteer their talents and services to help the situation.

The problem: The obvious allures of lick-and-stick stone facing have left a Heights homebuilder with a street face that’s a little . . . attention-getting?

The solution: It’s nothing an architect can’t fix — with a fresh copy of Photoshop and a toolkit of contemporary design favorites! Here’s the completed rendering that was sent into us:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

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Crime
11/05/09 9:35am

The Front Porch Gang

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Furniture, Home Decor, Houston Heights, Quicklink
31 Comments

THE FRONT PORCH GANG “Yesterday, a friend of mine sent an e-mail out with this in the subject line: ‘You can’t own anything nice if you live inside the loop…’ She sent this because the large wooden bench she keeps on her front porch had been stolen. Carted off. In broad daylight. This was a big bench. It was not a one-person job. This tells me there must be a big gang of these people in the Heights, strolling around while we sit at our desks in office buildings, treating our houses like unattended garage sales. I would tell her to get a dog, but we have a dog. And we’ve still had every single thing not attached to our concrete foundation pilfered. Maybe she should get a dog bred for something besides decoration. Maybe that’s the key.” [A Peine for Your Thoughts]

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Home Prices
11/02/09 1:26pm

Swamplot Price Adjuster: Priced in the Heights

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Homes for Sale, Houston Heights, Price Adjuster
16 Comments

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: 301 E. 10th St., Houston Heights
Details: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths; 1800 sq. ft. on an 8,200-sq.-ft. lot
Price: $600,000
History: On the market for 6 weeks.

A reader thinks this property is overpriced:

. . . even if it is lot price at 8,200 sq ft – listed for $600K it’s about double the price – I’ve seen 10,000 sq ft lots go for $325,000 (May 09). For a lot in the Heights it’s too high – yes it’s a corner lot – but there are no curbs on the street and it’s right near a church. To keep the house for a “conversion” as suggested would be too high as the house doesn’t even have central air or heat.

What would be a better price?

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

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Comments
10/28/09 2:46pm

Comment of the Day: H-E-B in the Heights

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Houston Heights, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Retail
26 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: H-E-B IN THE HEIGHTS “. . . Other good Heights grocery news is that HEB is seriously considering opening a store on Heights BLVD. just across the street from The Art Car Museum.” [EMME, commenting on Expanded Heights Kroger: Now Wider Than Wide Angle]

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Houston Heights
10/28/09 1:00pm

Expanded Heights Kroger: Now Wider Than Wide Angle

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Redevelopment, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers
11 Comments

How big is the newly expanded mega-Kroger on 11th and Shepherd? So big that a Swamplot reader standing in the parking lot couldn’t fit the entire store in one photo. The best attempt, above, shows the place is “too big to do that now.” At 96,000 sq. ft., the Merchants Park Shopping Center Kroger at 1035 N. Shepherd is now apparently the largest grocery store inside Houston city limits.

The new section of the store opened last Friday, reports our reader,

to much rejoicing in the Heights. Both the new and the old section of the store is in use. I assume now that the new part is open they will begin renovations on the old part of the store.

The new part of the store has a Starbucks, large produce section & bakery, Mediterranean bar, hot food bar, and prepared foods section.

More reader-submitted pics from inside and out:

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Houston Heights
10/27/09 3:55pm

On Heights Blvd.: Jacked Up and Ready To Go

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Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Strip Centers
5 Comments

Snapped from the porch of Lola at 11th and Yale last week by a Swamplot reader: this photo of the 1903 Perry-Swilley House, formerly known to reside at 1101 Heights Blvd., and headed for 1103.

The city architectural and historical commission gave permission last year for the home to be moved one lot to the north. Swamplot reported on the owner’s plans for the site last November.

Why is the home being raised? So parking for that strip center planned for the corner can fit underneath.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

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Comments
10/21/09 4:34pm

Comment of the Day: There’s Black Gold in Them Thar Church!

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Historic Preservation, Houston Heights, Quicklink, Religious Facilities
3 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: THERE’S BLACK GOLD IN THEM THAR CHURCH! “I was involved 7 years ago to save the old church but it was a battle then. The people of Immanuel don’t know what they have. They want to demo the church so they can move on to phase three . . . of their master plan. Problem is they don’t have enough money to finish phase two much less start phase three. One of the reasons, I was told by a trustee, that they are demoing the bldg. now is that a couple of their old members died and left them some money . . . He went on to say that one of the [deceased] left them some oil well money not much he said but just enough to maybe pay the light bill each month. They have an oil well over there right now and don’t even know it. Yea it will take money and effort but I guarentee every girl in the Heights would love to get married in that old beautiful church. . . . The church is not rotten as some say. that thing is solid, some remodel work and that Bldg. could be a gold mine for the church. If they do tear it down it will be a shame.” [Mike Batterson, commenting on Can This Lutheran Church Be Saved?]

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Comments
10/20/09 2:35pm

Comment of the Day: Offerings for Immanuel Lutheran Church

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Demolitions, Houston Heights, Quicklink
No Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: OFFERINGS FOR IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH “$600,000 to renovate? I’d like to see that breakdown. I’ll offer a donation of my labor, and I’m sure many more would [too] if the church would make a plea for it (plus, maybe the members would too??)…” [Lauren, commenting on Can This Lutheran Church Be Saved?]

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Demolitions
10/16/09 5:21pm

Can This Lutheran Church Be Saved?

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Historic Districts, Historic Preservation, Houston Heights
23 Comments

A number of readers have written in to report that Immanuel Lutheran Church has filed an application with the city to demolish its former sanctuary building on the corner of 15th St. and Cortlandt in the Heights. Since the 1932 brick building is in one of the Heights historic districts, demo applicants are required to request a certificate of appropriateness from the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission. The application will be voted on at the next HAHC meeting on October 22nd, but a denial from the HAHC won’t mean much: After waiting 90 days, the church can go ahead with the demo anyway.

Heights preservation ordnance Janice Evans-Davis, who’s sending out emails and posting on local bulletin boards about the property, toured it this morning:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

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Barker Cypress
10/15/09 3:13pm

Openings and Closings: Musical Restaurants Edition

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Brunner, Cinco Ranch, Houston Heights, Openings and Closings, Restaurants, Retail
2 Comments

Updates on a few restaurants Swamplot has been following:

  • Reopened: Azzarelli’s, an Italian-American restaurant that began the year in Cinco Ranch’s Tuscan-themed Villagio Town Center, then (after a notable exit) camped for a while (as Azzarelli’s Corner Café) in another center at 6455 South Fry Road, opened last week in its 4th location within just a couple of years: 17754 Katy Freeway, Suite B, I-10 at Barker Cypress. “With this great location, I will be open 365 days a year,” owner Frank Triola tells his press-release copywriter.
  • Opening Soon: The restaurant going into the former Cue & Cushion pool hall at 510 Shepherd that Swamplot reported on earlier this fall now has a name: Branch Water Tavern — and a more palatable label than “gastropub.” Try “Modern American Tavern.” Chef David Grossman says it’ll open later this month, but the Houston Press‘s Robb Walsh, who’s toured the construction site, thinks Christmas is more likely.

More eats:

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