No, they’re not permanent. Decorate away.
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Commercial & Community Structures
- Tattoo Gallery, 8311 Mesa Dr. 77028
- Imani-Horambee School, 10530 Hartsook St. 77034
Residences
- 2410 Ralph St. 77006 (new construction by Carnegie Homes; photos)
- 1631 Candlelight Ln. 77018
- 1235 W. Bell St. 77019 (new construction by Mazz 22)
- 2206 Morse St. 77019 (Hyde Park Main; new construction by Croix Custom Homes; more info)
- 423 Electra Dr. 77024 (Memorial Bend; new construction by Metropolitan Custom Homes; more info; previously on Swamplot)
- 3615 Overbrook Ln. 77027
- 6610 Clawson St. 77055 (new construction by Hatteras Homes)
- 6922 Shavelson St. 77055 (Afton Village; more info)
- 5457 Fieldwood Dr. 77056 (Tanglewood; photos)
- 5019 Droddy St. 77091 (Candlelight Oaks)
- 2503 Richton St. 77098
Photo of 1235 W. Bell St.: HAR
If that sweet W. Bell St. brick bungalow were in Eastwood or Broadmoor and for sale, it would be under contract in less than a week and undergoing renovation shortly after closing.
There goes another one. Built with hefty 1×8 oak plank walls – put a nail in the wall and don’t worry about finding a stud, it’s gonna stay in there – real brick, and sturdy fireplaces, all built to last for decades. But sorry! Not good enough – gotta go. Not fancy enough or enough square feet for expectations of the 2013 family. I’m sorry but I don’t get it. Why people want quantity over quality….
@Bethshiba, you forgot to mention rotting termite infested wood, no insulation to speak of, lead, asbestos, and heavy metals in everything from calking to paint, rusted out iron pipes, toxic water supply. Yeah, I miss the good ole days.
I forgot to mention if there’s one electrical spark, the whole place will burn down on top of you before you can scream Historic Preservation.
Call me in 10 years when the new stucco style construction leaks. Termites go with the Gulf Coast and they love new growth lumber.
Bell Street is a duplex. Same with the rock one next door. Bet townhouses go up their place. I lived in an old duplex like these years ago. First was more like the rock duplex. I lived upstairs. Had a very unique back stairwell – very narrow and steep. But back yard was all garage and parking. Second one was single story and had gas floor furnace, gas bathroom wall heater and window units. I really liked living there. My elderly neighbor had no car, so got full use of the driveway most of the time, and had a yard, too.
Call me in 10 years where the brick construction or hardiplank construction leaks IF installed improperly. If stucco is installed correctly it actually lets moisture escape, not trap it like brick does.
All new construction is pre-treated against termites under the foundation, around the pipes and sometimes the frame. The base plate and initial run of sheathing is treated lumber, and most products are laminated beams and plywood penetrated with resin which termites are not fond of.
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There are absolutely no materials used back in the day that are in any way superior to today’s materials, in fact they were quite inferior.
I lived in first the B unit and then the A unit of this duplex. I actually moved away and then back into A once. For a time, I also rented the downstairs of the 4- plex next door for use as an office. The owner/landlord was terrific. She renovated the properties economically but nicely and maintained them well. I had moved back to Houston and was re-establishing myself and 1235 W Bell was a pleasant, safe and reasonably priced place to live. I am very grateful for my time there.
All that being said, I wouldn’t think the rental income on this small duplex could cover the mortgage, insurance and taxes at today’s purchase price. And updating and renovating this into a single family home would be a very costly undertaking and you’d still have a very small house. FYI – it was so “airy”, you could see light through the baseboards. I guess the point is, I’m sad a part of my history and Montrose history will be gone, but I don’t know who would/could save it.
BTW – I moved out of 1235 W Bell when I bought a 10-year old townhouse in Montrose. Bungalows, and the lots the sit on, were way out of my price range.
Sad. But I can’t blame the owner of the Bell bungalow-duplex for selling to developers. The house is becoming overshadowed by hideous townhouse monstrosities, from both the front and the rear of the property.
Common, sometimes I agree with you. Not this time.
Common – you describe how houses should be built, however this does not always happen.You know it is very competitive out there and corners are cut,inspectors are busy and most customers cannot tell the difference in construction quality.
The same old tired lot, decrying the loss of another too-small house with just one bathroom. Perhaps Williamsburg, VA or Boston would better suit because last time I noticed, this was Houston. Get over it already. Who cares? We’re fortunate to have a housing market worth anything really. “Awe…poor us, another Sears catalog house is downed;” that’s like crying over a double wide that decides to depart ones neighborhood.
Common sense again talkin out his ass, and Hmmm, we’ll see how fortunate you feel when the current housing market bubble pops. And this one should be good.
@markd, what bubble, you pretending there’s a bubble doesn’t mean one exists.
Oh, you think real estate is your ally. But you merely adopted the real estate; I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn’t see another industry until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING!