Greenleaf Gardens appears to be getting ready for some less-communal, more-perennial planting on the corner of Kipling and Stanford streets in Audubon Place. A reader snapped a few photos at the former community garden last week, including a picture of the sign announcing an application for a certificate of appropriateness for new construction in the historic district. That application is in the name of Greg Swedberg of 2Scale Architects, on behalf of Michele Alvarado of Sanctuary Builders, which bought the property last fall after the city decided not to buy the land and turn it into a park.
The paperwork for the certificate includes sketches and and plans for the 2-story duplex in the works for the space, which may need to be revised to something a little more neatly rectangular, based on late-January feedback from the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. Here’s a view from the corner of Kipling and Stanford, as submitted on January 6th:
***
Floorplans show the duplex’s entrances facing Kipling:
And here’s a sketched elevation from Kipling:
An alley (far left) running to Stanford St. appears to provide access to the duplex’s garages:
- New development to claim Montrose garden [Houston Chronicle]
- Previously on Swamplot: Organic Garden on Lot for Sale in Audubon Place Historic District on Its Way To Becoming Neighborhood Park; Next Up for Shuttering Audubon Place Community Garden: New Historic Home Construction or Crowdfunded Nonprofit Buyout?; Leasing Garden Apartments on a Vacant Lot in Audubon Place
Images: Chris Nguyen (photos), 2Scale Architects (renderings)
If it does end up looking like the artist’s sketches, that won’t actually be too bad, especially if they put the garages on the alley.
I live in Audubon Place, and while we would have preferred a park, this looks like a thoughtful development that will fit right in.
And no, the developer did not pay me to say that. I don’t even know him!
It is still a loss for the rest of us who cared about and enjoyed the community garden. Does anyone know how many parks there actually are in Montrose? I’m not aware of any. Sad to see this one go.
Well, you have the park at the Menil (which is wonderful) and a few others on Richmond or right off of it, and depending on how you define montrose you also have Elanor Tinsley/Buffalo Bayou. You’re also pretty darn close to Herman Park (although that’s clearly outside of Montrose). I don’t feel like Montrose is really lacking in greenspace, although maybe a bit in the sections between Richmond and Allen Parkway.
Here’s a list of facilities in Council District C run by the Houston Parks and Rec Department, which celebrates 100 years this year: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/pdfs/District_C.pdf
.
There are 5 in 77006, 7 in 77019, and 2 in 77098, none of which include Buffalo Bayou/Tinsley Park/Jamail Skate Park, which are listed in 77002. Some are tiny pocket parks, and at least one is a rec center.
.
I agree, maintaining the garden would have been nicer, but at least it’s not a set of four five-story townhouses.
I’ll join the chorus that is glad to see not-another-six-pack going in here. This is quite different from typical Houston residential development, can’t remember the last time I heard of a new-construction duplex, and a Prairie-esque one, no less.
BJ how can you lose something that was never yours?