Swamplot Archives by Category: Renovations

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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Bill’s Junk: It’s Only Art If You Don’t Buy It

February 3, 2009 – 8:44 am

There’s a lot of junk for sale in this tiny Norhill storefront: Thermoses from the 1970s, a bouffant-hairstyle catalog, a 1967 Delta Zeta sorority photo, hand-painted cans of Campbell’s Soup, and — writes Kelly Klaasmeyer in the Houston Press — “what is possibly the world’s largest extant collection of macramé owls.”

Who would want any of this stuff? Even the owner wants to be done with it:

[Bill] Davenport decided to get rid of stuff because of a move. “I had to move all my junk over from storage, and I thought, ‘Oh no, this can’t go on.’ I had to look at everything as I unpacked it.” As a result, he started thinking that maybe he didn’t need all of it.

Davenport and Francesca Fuchs, both artists, bought the 4,320-sq.-ft. 1930 commercial building at 1125 E. 11th St. (off Studewood) more than 2 years ago. After 16 months of renovations, they recently moved in upstairs with their kids. And Davenport opened Bill’s Junk in one of the retail spaces downstairs:

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8:44 am | 3 Comments | Read more about Art, Commercial Real Estate, Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Norhill Historic District, Neighborhoods: North Norhill, Renovations, Retail
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Would Lars Bang Have Recognized This One?

December 10, 2008 – 5:35 pm

From HAIF, a brief but classic conversation from earlier this week about the house for sale at 423 Electra in Memorial Bend:

Has anyone been inside this house lately? The realtor seems to be a little confused in the HAR listing. It reads that it is 2 bed from 3, has 6 bathrooms, a garage and a manned gate?? well I guess the fence and gate was put in by a man. And its a “absolutely gorgeous must see” and also sold for “lot value”. huh? My biggest question is what’s with that front yard nursery plantings?

Is the house re-muddled too far?

The response, after the jump — from someone who’s been there. Plus: all the remaining photos from the listing!

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5:35 pm | 2 Comments | Read more about Homes for Sale, Houston Architects, Landscape, Neighborhoods: Memorial Bend, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations
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Monday, November 10, 2008

Making Room for a Strip Center on Heights Blvd.

November 10, 2008 – 1:45 pm

1101 Heights Blvd., Houston Heights

A Heights-area reader alarmed by the “Notice of Public Hearing” sign that appeared in front of the 100-plus-year-old converted home at the northeast northwest corner of Heights Blvd. and 11th St. has done some sleuthing and sends Swamplot a report:

No, the 1903 Victorian at 1101 Heights Blvd. won’t be torn down . . . the owner has received approval from the historic commission to move the building one lot to the north. And then to jack it up a few more feet, so cars can be parked underneath. Why hadn’t the Victorians thought of that?

Why the need for parking? To accommodate the brand-new strip center the developer wants to slide in between the new location for the home and the corner, facing 11th St. On the corner itself: Parking.

One observer who’s seen the plans says the house will end up “awfully close” to the back of the strip center. The developer apparently has promised to “restore” the home, though it may be leased out as office space. The project is scheduled to go before the planning commission a week from this Thursday: November 20th.

More photos from the scene:

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1:45 pm | 20 Comments | Read more about Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Parking, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Strip Centers
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Monday, November 3, 2008

Dressed Up, Only To Get Messed Up: Is There a Word for It?

November 3, 2008 – 1:26 pm

2524 McLendon St., Houston

Inspired by the not-so-unusual tale of the house at 2524 McLendon St. in Brentwood (which was apparently renovated, sold, and then demolished just last month), commenter Jimbo posted this challenge to Swamplot readers — which has so far gone unanswered:

Is there a suitable adjective for the activity of renovating a house to flip only to have the new owner demo it immediately?

An adjective? We’d settle for a noun.

It’s not Sisyphean because I’m sure they made money but there must be some fancy Greek mythology parallel for it.

Yeah, try Greek — or maybe Aztec . . . or some term from the mortuary business, or . . . Ayn Rand?

Photo of 2524 McClendon St.: HAR

1:26 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Buying and Selling, Demolitions, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Next from NexCasa: Kung Fu Panda Spring Valley Modern

October 22, 2008 – 10:41 am

Rendering of 8571 Westview Dr., Spring Oaks, Spring Valley, Houston

A reader points out that NexCasa — the company responsible for the Kung Fu Panda renovation covered here yesterday — has two more properties on Westview: another “‘flipper’ type ranch” one block east, which comes with owner financing — and this “ultra modern” new construction across the street.

The new construction at 8571 Westview, which our source says is “pretty far along,” will have 5 bedrooms and 5 baths in 4200 sq. ft., and is listed at $999,000.

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10:41 am | 8 Comments | Read more about Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Spring Oaks, Neighborhoods: Spring Valley, New Construction, Renovations
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Kung Fu Flipping: How To Panda to Homebuyers

October 21, 2008 – 9:35 am

Kung-Fu Panda, Po, at 8601 Westview, Cedarwood, Spring Valley, Houston

For a good 3 weeks, this Kung Fu Panda stood guard over the front yard of a Spring Valley redo at the corner of Westview and Bingle, a reader reports. Since the hurricane, Po has relocated to the back yard. But he’s still visible from the street!

Maybe he’ll attract buyers! Some pix of the interior Po cleared out with his mad Kung Fu skillz:

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9:35 am | 1 Comment | Read more about Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Cedarwood, Neighborhoods: Spring Valley, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations
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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Neighborhood Guessing Game Over: At a 90

October 16, 2008 – 6:15 pm

Neighborhood Guessing Game 28: Dining Room

We have a winner!

But first, your guesses for this week’s contest: River Oaks and Southampton each attracted 3 of you. There were 2 votes each for Tanglewood, Memorial and the Museum District. The rest: Spring Branch, West University, “along Kirby and west,” near the Ashby Highrise, Southgate, Castle Court, Boulevard Oaks, Montrose “between Richmond and Alabama, maybe between Hazard and Dunlavy,” Garden Oaks, Riverside Terrace, the First Ward, Old Braeswood, Bellaire, Rivercrest, Lynn Park, . . . and Heaven.

John (the first one, not the second) knew what to look for, and nailed it:

The built-in bookcases and day-bed thingy look exactly like those in my Ayrshire ranch house, and since this one fairly old and two stories, I’m going with Old Braeswood.

Congratulations!

A very strong honorable mention goes to movocelot, who figured out the house’s age and came extremely close to deducing the precise geometry of its recent expansion:

This house is old enough & well-situated enough to have been remodeled - seriously - twice. I see various windows, elec outlets and cabinetry.

Guess the newish family room pushed out from the kitchen has the newish master bath on top, for a new ridge at a 90 to the main house. (The original roof has the lavender office under it. Circa 1930.)

(Actually, it’s the Kitchen that has the Master Bath on top of it — saves on plumbing costs!)

Commenter karen, who was already familiar with the house, gets a special mention for trying to stir things up . . . with this wonderfully misleading entry:

Oh, this is totally southhampton! 1940’s construction, and beautifully updated. No professor in southgate could afford to do that. and it can’t be river oaks or old braeswood because the lot’s just not big enough. there are neighbors all but peeking in the windows!

Ready for the real tell-all?

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6:15 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Homes for Sale, Interiors, Neighborhood Guessing Game, Neighborhoods: Braeswood, Neighborhoods: Old Braeswood, Renovations
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Monday, September 29, 2008

Hurricane Ike Turns a Warehouse into a Haunted House

September 29, 2008 – 1:03 pm

Last week Hair Balls blogger Dusti Rhodes reported that most Houston-area haunted-house attractions were faring pretty well after Hurricane Ike — and managed to elicit this gem from the owner of haunted-house chain Phobia:

Our customer base is still screwed over. We bet they’ll be happy to hear that the fake houses in the area have their power back.

Now from Crosby comes a different kind of Hurricane Ike haunted house horror story: A warehouse attached to auto accessories shop B&M Accessories received so much damage from the storm that the owners decided to scrap their plans to expand their store into it. Instead, they’re turning the entire building into . . . yes, a haunted house:

“When we first came and walked through, my son said it looked like a haunted house in here,” [co-owner Billy] Maness said.

Though the power was out around much of the community, two light bulbs flicked on at the mention of Halloween.

After some discussion it was decided: the eerie warehouse was to become Crosby’s House of Terror, a 9,000-square foot maze of Halloween fun and fear.

While others are mourning the loss of their homes and businesses, the duo turned their misfortune around, giving the entire community something to scream about. Since Sunday, they’ve been hard at work, not cleaning up, but ramping up the Halloween spirit unleashed by Hurricane Ike.

The Halloween attraction will open to the public on October 3. Less than a year ago, the building at 117 Ulrich Ln., off FM 2100 in Crosby, was Shooters Bar. Before that, it was called the Chicken Coop.

After the jump: design touches from Hurricane Ike!

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1:03 pm | 1 Comment | Read more about Attractions, Disaster Aftermath, Industrial Properties, Neighborhoods: Crosby, Openings and Closings, Renovations, Retail
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Abortion and Real Estate Protests

September 10, 2008 – 11:41 am

Changes are coming to that stair-stepped, slit-windowed office building on the south side of the Gulf Freeway just south of Lockwood and Elgin, recently vacated by Sterling Bank. It will soon have a whole lot more glass — and become Planned Parenthood’s local administrative headquarters:

Peter Durkin, president of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas, said the new building will be big: six stories and 75,000 square feet. He described the claim that the building will be the largest center of late-term abortions in the Western Hemisphere as “nonsense.”

Only one of the six floors will be for clinical space, he said. Most of the building, he said, will be used for administration and family planning.

Renovations on the former Sterling Bank building on the Gulf Freeway near the University of Houston will begin in November, and Planned Parenthood likely will relocate in early 2010.

A “conceptual drawing” of the renovated building . . . after the jump:

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11:41 am | Add a Comment | Read more about Commercial Real Estate, Institutional Buildings, Medical Buildings, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: University of Houston, Renovations
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Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Anvil Strikes the Daiquiri Factory

September 2, 2008 – 2:46 pm
   

Beaver’s barkeeps Bobby Heugel and Kevin Floyd will be opening their own place in the former Daiquiri Factory on the Westheimer Curve: “Our new bar, Anvil, located at 1424 Westheimer, will be opening in mid-November. Beneath the decades of former bar structure and traffic, lies a beautiful building with priceless windows, historic brick, and exciting features that are certain to make Anvil a site to see.” [Drink Dogma]

2:46 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Neighborhoods: Montrose, Nightlife, Openings and Closings, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Renovations, Restaurants
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Riverside Terrace Survivor: I Will Shine!

July 30, 2008 – 11:51 am

2213 Wichita St., Third Ward, Houston

You are, no doubt, entirely accustomed to finding perfectly pleasant homes listed for sale on HAR . . . as teardowns. Usually, a listing broker won’t even pretend to show off the virtues of a targeted house, limiting photos to exterior shots and including such enticing wording as “sold for lot value only,” “as is,” and the always alluring “do not disturb tenants.”

Which is why John Whiteside, who writes the By the Bayou blog, is especially appreciative of the “chirpy optimism” expressed in the listing for 2213 Wichita St., a home dating from 1930 and perched by the side of 288 in Riverside Terrace, on the market since the end of March. Next to this quaint photo of what looks like a well-roasted garage apartment are these encouraging words:

Owner started renovations on the large house with garage apartment off the freeway. Lot almost 10,000 sq. ft. Pick up this gem, dust it off, add polish and it will shine.

Sadly, you’re a little late to see this house shining its absolute brightest.

Below: More photos from the listing — including interior shots . . . and outdoor furniture!

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11:51 am | 6 Comments | Read more about Homes for Sale, Neighborhoods: Riverside Terrace, Real Estate Marketing, Renovations
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Friday, July 25, 2008

The Osteens’ “Leopard-Skinned Luxury”: Fancy or French?

July 25, 2008 – 12:48 pm

Joel and Victoria Osteen in Their Home

From a profile of Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen by Karl Taro Greenfeld in next month’s Portfolio magazine:

The Osteens, like so many American families during the recent real estate boom, spent the better part of the past decade buying, renovating, and selling homes, and became so proficient in the process that Osteen and his wife were able to skip hiring a contractor for their last renovation and go directly to the subcontractors to complete their mansion. Coming off the boom, during which the average American dwelling doubled in size, the Osteens’ digs are more modest than one might guess. The house is decorated in a rococo style that Victoria has called “French” and Osteen calls “fancy.”

Photo of Joel and Victoria Osteen at home: Randal Ford, Portfolio

12:48 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Home Decor, Interiors, Real Estate Investing, Renovations
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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Help for the Huntwick

July 24, 2008 – 1:29 pm

Huntwick Apartments, 5100 FM 1960 Rd., Houston

A Dallas real-estate firm is ready to rescue the Huntwick Apartments on FM 1960 near Wunderlich Rd. from receivership — and also from its management, before that, by Louisiana real-estate investor Michael B. Smuck.

As of last year, just as it prepared to file for bankruptcy, Smuck’s Louisiana-based MBS Companies owned 65 apartment buildings in Texas — 33 of them in the Houston area. Even prior to that, the company’s property-maintenance skills had reached legendary status. The president and executive vice president of the Houston Apartment Association relayed complaints from residents and neighbors of MBS apartments to the Wall Street Journal last year, and reported that the griping had only increased after the influx of residents fleeing Hurricane Katrina in late 2005.

Here’s a commenter on the Houston Politics blog back in April (quoted in Swamplot), describing the scene at the 288-unit Huntwick:

Balconies have collapsed, lots of overgrown vegetation, the paint is peeling, there is obviously a total lack of maintenance. A large tree split in half on their property adjacent to Coral Gables Dr., and after the dead half lay on the ground (in plain view) for over 6 months, a crew finally cut it into smaller pieces, which then lay in the same spot for another 6 months.

After the jump: What’s happening to the Huntwick, plus the complete Michael B. Smuck Houston apartment roster!

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1:29 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Buying and Selling, Foreclosures, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: FM 1960, Real Estate Investing, Renovations
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Where To Put Magnolia Glen

July 22, 2008 – 3:42 pm
   

If the city will cough up $4 million, developers will turn a former temporary UH dorm next to Fingers furniture on the north side of the Gulf Freeway into a 220-unit housing project for Houstonians who are currently homeless. Mayor White supports the Magnolia Glen project, but district councilman James Rodriguez and some residents of nearby Eastwood don’t like the location. “Former Councilman Gordon Quan, a member of the blue-ribbon commission, said . . . money helps determine where sites can be found. ‘People say, “Why don’t you put this in River Oaks or Memorial?” We couldn’t afford the land in River Oaks. But we are cognizant that these need to be spread around,’ he said.” [Houston Chronicle]

3:42 pm | 5 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Eastwood, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Renovations, Temporary Housing
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Monday, July 7, 2008

Heaven on Earth Being Reincarnated

July 7, 2008 – 2:00 pm

Former Holiday Inn, Days Inn, and Heaven on Earth Inn, St. Joseph Parkway at Travis, Downtown Houston

“A group of doctors and entrepreneurs” calling itself New Era Hospitality is the mystery buyer of the long-abandoned 31-story former Days Inn-former Holiday Inn-former Heaven on Earth Plaza Hotel on St. Joseph Parkway between Travis and Milam, reports Nancy Sarnoff in the Chronicle:

. . . demolition has already started on the interiors, which are being gutted and will be replaced with 340 modern suites, 60 standard guest rooms, 32,000 square feet of meeting space and a swimming pool and bar on top of the attached garage.

That’s down from 600 rooms in the original structure. New Era is hoping either Sheraton, Marriott, or . . . Holiday Inn (again!) will operate the property when it’s finished, in January 2010.

Photo: arch-ive.org

2:00 pm | 3 Comments | Read more about Buying and Selling, Commercial Real Estate, Hotels, Neighborhoods: Downtown, Renovations
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