North Montrose

Demolitions, Highrises, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

Here’s a late addition to the demolition of the Allen House Apartments, the first portions of which went down in 2007, in anticipation of the giant Regent Square mixed-use development in North Montrose that never happened — or rather, hasn’t yet. The smashing of one Allen House’s 2 remaining buildings is now taking place across West Dallas from Teala’s Mexican Restaurant, just beyond the back windows of the Piedmont at River Oaks condos on Rosine St. A Swamplot reader sent us the above photo last Friday. Does this mean the long-dormant Regent Square is at long last ready to stir?

The North Montrose Civic Association announced in a recent newsletter that a “big announcement” about Regent Square is due in May: “Rumors are that a high rise residential [tower is] being planned as [the] first building.” Separately, Regent Square developer GID Development has promised additional details in May or June about this 21-story highrise apartment building, called the Sovereign, which happens to feature a large number of dog-friendly amenities, including canine wash/dry facilities, a pet grooming room, and a private doggie park:

77019, Apartments, Demolitions, Highrises, North Montrose, Proposed Developments, Regent Square

Crime

02/10/12 4:45pm

Suspected Catburglar Arrested In North Montrose Doggie Door Escapade

North Montrose, Security

5 Comments

The man seen above crawling back onto the back porch of a North Montrose bungalow with a pillowcase full of electronics and jewelry in hand is 29-year-old Steven Groucho Hicks, the Houston Police Dept. now believes. According to a KHOU report, Hicks was arrested yesterday and charged with burglarizing the home by crawling through its doggie door. An extensive gallery of photos documenting the burglary was posted to Flickr last month, retrieved from a surveillance camera the homeowner had installed after learning of similar episodes in the neighborhood.

77019, Burglaries, Crime, North Montrose, Photos, Security

Crime

01/27/12 12:17pm

North Montrose Catburglar Goes In and Out Through the Doggie Door

North Montrose, Security

Note: Two updates below.

A North Montrose family found itself enriched Wednesday by a treasure trove of photos showing the burglar who had been stalking their back porch — and impoverished by the iPad, camera, and jewelry the man nabbed from his home, stuffed into a pillowcase. The surveillance pics gathered from the incident near West Gray and Montrose Blvd. are now on display in this Flickr account. They show remarkably clear images of the neighborhood’s new doggie-door burglar — nicknamed “the Ghost” because no one had caught a glimpse of him during similar incident last week — pacing back and forth in the back yard, talking on a mobile phone to an accomplice who was apparently acting as a lookout. The culprit “spent 10 minutes casing the back yard and 4 minutes inside the house,” the victim tells Swamplot.

77019, Burglaries, Crime, North Montrose, Photos, Security

Apartments

11/16/11 12:45pm

Making Quick Art of the Tavern on Gray

Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

5 Comments

What’s that? The metal scrap heap formerly known as the Tavern on Gray (and before that, Blue Agave and several other temporary food-and-drink installations). Coming next to the corner of West Gray and Waugh: this 5-story Hanover West Gray apartment complex. The Tavern on Gray is now the Tavern on Milam, at 3017 Milam in Midtown.

More reader pics of the North Montrose scene the bar left behind, from over the weekend and early this week:

77019, Apartments, Bars, Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

Apartments

11/02/11 4:00pm

Dramatic Final Moments of the Houston Ballet on West Gray

Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

2 Comments

A popular local dance move, caught on camera. Sent in from a reader who was shopping at the West Gray Kroger over the weekend: what looks like the final curtain call for the former Houston Ballet building a block to the west at 1916 West Gray. The Ballet’s new building opened Downtown earlier this year. Going up in place of its destroyed former home, which was previously a clothing factory: apartments.

Previously on Swamplot: The Apartments Taking the Place of the Houston Ballet on West Gray

Photo: Nate Frizzell

77019, Apartments, Demolitions, North Montrose, Proposed Developments

East Montrose

07/18/11 11:08am

Peden Water Mystery

North Montrose, Quicklink, Utilities

11 Comments

PEDEN WATER MYSTERY What’s with the water flow on Peden St. just east of Montrose Blvd.? An “avid” Swamplot reader writes: “A cluster of my neighbors . . . have received CoH water bills for the past 4 months that are much higher than average. As you know, the City helpfully advises we ‘check for leaks.’ No leaks. Check. I’ve tested the water meter with controlled withdrawals. The meter itself seems fine. Check. As best as we know from our individual habits, none of us have significantly changed our water use patterns, even in this hot, hot summer. Much of my flora is dead or dying. Check again. Can you or any of your readers suggest any steps we might take to find out what’s going on here, fight the Water Dept and these absurd bills? I thought of hiring a civil engineer, but my Google search didn’t find anyone that seemed to fit the ‘water’ bill. Can you help?” [Swamplot inbox]

77006, East Montrose, North Montrose, Utilities

06/30/11 1:16pm

The Back Story on Tony Mandola’s Opening Last Night

Openings and Closings, Parking, Restaurants, Streetscapes

16 Comments

In the new but apparently burgeoning tradition of Swamplot opening-day (and opening-night) photos of Waugh Dr. parking lots comes this reader photo of the car-filled scene behind the new Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen at 1212 Waugh, taken from Rosine St. last night around 7 pm. Sure, residents of the Piedmont condos along Rosine now can walk to the new Whole Foods Market. But the condos “have no guest parking other than on the street. Now we will have NO guest parking at all,” reports the reader. “People are steamed.” Next on the local agenda: trying to swing permit-only parking signs for Rosine.

About Tony Mandola’s [Tony Mandola’s]
Previously on Swamplot: Westheimer Strip-Center Hotspot: Rickshaw to Fins to Tony Mandolaâ€™s â€” to Something Ouisieâ€™s, Tony Mandola Plants His Own Restaurant on Waugh

Photo: Swamplot inbox

77019, North Montrose, Openings and Closings, Parking, Restaurants, Streetscapes

06/27/11 10:45am

American General Clamps Down on Wayward Montrose Whole Foods Parking Lot Action

Parking, Retail, Streets, Traffic

25 Comments

As of Friday evening, new we’re-gonna-tow-you-if-you-park-here signs have been installed along D’Amico St. just north of the new Waugh Dr. Whole Foods Market, reports the Swamplot correspondent who’s been monitoring the parking situation there — and taking in the scene at the new store: “I think the traffic and mass crowds might be worth it,” was the first conclusion, even before the clampdown. These photos, showing the new signs and an American General security detail along D’Amico just west of the office complex parking garage, were taken on a later visit Saturday morning after a follow-up shopping expedition — where our correspondent happily scored 50 bucks’ worth of soda and candy.

Previously on Swamplot: Later on Opening Day: Whole Foods Montrose Afternoon Parking Report

Photos: Swamplot inbox

77019, Grocery Stores, North Montrose, Parking, Retail, Streets, Traffic

06/22/11 7:15pm

Later on Opening Day: Whole Foods Montrose Afternoon Parking Report

Openings and Closings, Parking, Retail, Streets, Traffic

“I don’t know about the Whole Foods parking lot,” writes a Swamplot reader, “but it’s certainly getting real on D’Amico!” Here’s a photo sent in with that report, taken just past the American General Center garage north of the new store on D’Amico St., shortly after 4 pm. But there was plenty of neighborhood-street spillover earlier, too: “Around lunch time, if there was a curb there was a car . . . on both sides along D’Amico, bumper to bumper from the light to just under the garage.” How long will this sort of thing keep up? Our tipster imagines AIG American General will soon put out no-parking signs “along any parts of the street that is their property, such as along the entrance to a parking lot across from whole foods and by the garage. Other areas on the campus have no parking signs where people tend to stop. I know you can’t park within a certain distance to a stop sign, does the same apply to stop lights? If so, some people risked a ticket just to get some groceries! It would be cheaper to pay for parking in the AIG lot or the garage visitor parking.” And no rush, folks. Those free chicken breast coupons are good until next Tuesday.

Previously on Swamplot: Opening Day: Itâ€™s Getting Real Crowded at the Montrose Whole Foods Parking Lot, Beer, Wine, Art, and BBQ on Tap: Hereâ€™s Your New Whole Foods Market, Montrose, This Kind of Whole Foods Thing, Getting Real on Waugh at West Dallas This Weekend,

Photo: Swamplot inbox

77019, Grocery Stores, North Montrose, Openings and Closings, Parking, Retail, Streets, Traffic

06/22/11 11:11am

Opening Day: It’s Getting Real Crowded at the Montrose Whole Foods Parking Lot

Openings and Closings, Parking, Retail

I’ve been waiting here like 10 minutes, man! No, no no . . . this is my parking space man. Just like the video already? “Despite all that concrete, there is not a single space available as I look out the window,” reports a reader who’s been monitoring today’s grand opening of the new Whole Foods Market on West Dallas and Waugh from an office window high above — and has already started grumbling about the potential evening traffic: “The parking lot has been full all morning.” This photo was snapped around 10:15.

Previously on Swamplot: Beer, Wine, Art, and BBQ on Tap: Hereâ€™s Your New Whole Foods Market, Montrose, This Kind of Whole Foods Thing, Getting Real on Waugh at West Dallas This Weekend, North Montrose Whole Foodsâ€™ Rendezvous with Groceries, Austin Powers the New North Montrose Whole Foods, The New Whole Foods at West Dallas and Waugh, Whole Foods Galleria and North Montrose: Still on Track, In and Around the New North Montrose Whole Foods, A Few Signs the Montrose Whole Foods Market Is On Its Way

Photo: Swamplot inbox

77019, Grocery Stores, North Montrose, Openings and Closings, Parking, Parking-Lots, Retail

06/17/11 11:40pm

Beer, Wine, Art, and BBQ on Tap: Here’s Your New Whole Foods Market, Montrose

Openings and Closings, Retail

24 Comments

The Montrose Whole Foods media frenzy has begun! Did the company’s Walmart-alum store-development manager really tell the Chronicle‘s Nancy Sarnoff that Whole Foods decided not to build the store at Waugh and West Dallas on top of 2 levels of structured parking because “the amount of concrete required . . . would have created a ‘huge heat island’”? Meanwhile, bullet-pointed fact sheets announce the 45,000-sq.-ft. store’s smaller-scale innovations: Like LED lighting, 2 electric-vehicle chargers out front, a bike station with tools and an air pump, and much more parking lot than you’ll find in front of the Kirby store. Plus: fascinating facts, like the number of linear feet devoted to prepared items in the chef case (18), bulk foods (44), a beer cooler (32), and smoked seafood (8)! Take a look for yourself:

77019, Grocery Stores, North Montrose, Openings and Closings, Retail, Whole Foods

06/16/11 2:41pm

This Kind of Whole Foods Thing, Getting Real on Waugh at West Dallas This Weekend

Openings and Closings, Parking, Retail

11 Comments

Okay, okay! It ain’t exactly here, but y’all want to see this, so here ya go. North Montrose’s little bit in this game doesn’t open until . . . this weekend.

Previously on Swamplot: North Montrose Whole Foodsâ€™ Rendezvous with Groceries, Austin Powers the New North Montrose Whole Foods, The New Whole Foods at West Dallas and Waugh, Whole Foods Galleria and North Montrose: Still on Track, In and Around the New North Montrose Whole Foods, A Few Signs the Montrose Whole Foods Market Is On Its Way

Video: Fog and Smog Films

77019, Grocery Stores, North Montrose, Openings and Closings, Parking-Lots, Retail

Comments

06/01/11 10:35pm

Comment of the Day: Just Checking

North Montrose, Quicklink

3 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: JUST CHECKING “As a member of the board of the College Park Cemetery Association and ‘head volunteer’ for the cemetery the past few years, I felt comfortable opening the new coffin at College Park on a visit yesterday. Unfortunately my hopes for a large cash donation towards the cemeteryâ€™s restoration were dashed when I found the box was empty.” [Randy Riepe, commenting on Caught on Camera: Mysterious Coffin, Out and About in North Montrose Cemetery; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Courtney Zubowski, KHOU 11 News

77019, Cemeteries, Comments, North Montrose

Construction Materials

05/27/11 10:57am

Historic Houston Salvage Warehouse Going Out of Business, Selling Everything at Auction