Doomed Richmont Square Apartments Now Accessorizing Before Going Out

Richmont Square apartments, 1400 Richmond Ave., Montrose, Houston, 77006

Richmont Square apartments, 1400 Richmond Ave., Montrose, Houston, 77006The remaining 2 thirds of the vacant Richmont Square complex are getting a few exterior decorating touches, a reader notes — among the increasingly wild parking lot median strips, many of the trees lining the Richmond-facing parking lot are sporting some new ribbons as of last week. The complex’s final tenants received an early-spring everybody-out notice, with the promise of demolition left hanging some time after the now-past May 1 move-out deadline.

What’s planned next for the space, once the last of the late-1960s apartment buildings are cleared out? Some clues come from the campus master plan map released in the Menil Collection’s 2014 annual report — 2 separate blocks south of the under-construction Drawing Institute are depicted where Richmont Square’s leftovers still stand, respectively hosting a wiggly-trailed park and a pale blue rectangle labeled for “future mixed-use” development:

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Menil Master Plan per 2015 Annual Report

The campus master plan map shown in the 2015 annual report, however, cuts off to the south just past the extension of W. Main St.:

Menil Master Plan per 2014 Annual Report

Images: Swamplot inbox (photo), Menil Collection (maps)

Menil Collection Curation

2 Comment

  • Those units were way past their usefulness. Time to renew.

  • It was a wild place to live in its day. Close to the bars and rent was pretty cheap, too. Then, downtown started booming and after the beloved Mrs. de Menil passed; the rents went through the roof. Richmont Square management eroded into a greed-fest, simply trying to siphon every last dime they could out of residents. All services became à la carte, reserved parking spot? Extra $25, etc. Rent did not include an extra $25 for you to pay the city water bill, as well. I lived there 14 years, but finally bought a house to avoid further nonsense and boundless greed. Camelot was over. Heck, even Christopher Robin had to grow up. A darn shame.