Crescent Communities sent a letter last week to all residents of The Georgian apartments at 2511 Willowick, just north of Westheimer, letting them know that they’ll be kicked out of the complex in 6 months. The existing 114 units — home to residents over 55 — will be torn down and replaced with what the letter describes as “a new apartment building with integrated retail.” Crescent closed on the 53-year-old complex in 2015 after the purchase stalled the previous year.
“Obviously, the redevelopment of this site will require you to find a new home, and we are dedicated to assisting in this transition,” reads the letter. To that end, the owner is letting people out of their leases early, offering some financial assistance to relocate, and “engaging a relocation specialist to assist residents.” The final move out date is October 15.
At the northern end of the 3.4-acre property, townhouses line Wickersham Ln.:
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Here’s a view from above complex’s central courtyard:
- Previously on Swamplot: On-then-Off Sale of The Georgian Apartments Near Highland Village Is On Again, Maybe
Photos: Georgian Apartments (apartments); Swamplox inbox (townhouses)
Bit of a shame to see these go as they’re in good shape and not unattractive buildings, but this is certainly a killer spot for higher-density mixed use. Do we have any more information on the nature of the project under development here? If it’s done well, this stretch of Westheimer won’t be far from being one contiguous walkable district.
Wow, crazy they’re going to demo this building. It looks 10x better than any of my stuff :(
Shame more of River oaks isn’t deed restricted up the wahzoo so projects like this don’t have to remove multifamily to get more multifamily. You could buy the same area on the other side of of Wickersham for $14M per zillow and give this complex some neighbors and somewhere nearby for the old folks to shop without having to knock it down. Could you make luxury apartments work in river oaks paying $14M for the land? (i have no idea) But we’ll never get to find out because this Neighborhood has deed restricted itself to never allow it (city planning department claims they have no power over the deed restrictions the neighborhood self applied).
Nice spot to build another 20-30 story condo tower. Gotta get that “EB-5 immigrant investors†money as long and as fast as you can
Not to mention that these deed restrictions today have been handed down almost unchanged since the founding of River Oaks. Let’s check what the august intentions of those original deed restrictions were, per wiki “Deed restrictions at the time restricted home prices to over $7,000 and specified architectural styles, with a gentlemen’s agreement excluding blacks, Jews, and other minorities” what lovely intentions that spawned rules that have been allowed to exist to today. Rules preventing the uber wealthy from having to worry about battling developers for property or having to tolerate slightly less wealthy people live in apartments near them. The fact these restrictions are allowed to continue is a travesty.
“…the owner is letting people out of their leases early, offering some financial assistance to relocate, and “engaging a relocation specialist to assist residents.†The final move out date is October 15.
This doesn’t happen often. I have many friends who were only given 30 days to move out or lose everything. Nice of the owners to offer this.
Hou: Send them my way :) I don’t want to advertise anything here but if you happen to know, you can have them email leasing@ (my company name) and someone will help them.
It’s PR, because these are seniors. It’s bad optics to throw them out. I’m sad another beautiful garden apartment from the 60’s is getting the wrecking ball. I understand the land value, but sad none the less. How about tearing down that hideous Target (l’ll help) and leaving these.
@RG you can find those kinds of deed restrictions on just about any property in town (and the US for that matter) built before about 1960. They were a requirement of the Federal Housing Administration to insure the mortgages for sale on the secondary market. They are invalid and have been unenforceable since the 1960s.
Reminds me of the letter I received long ago (1996?) from the landlord of Bissonnet Plaza Apartments at Buffalo Speedway and Westpark. Loved that old pace. Had real live streets running through the complex. Huge trees. Park like setting. Now there’s a Kroger. Boring. And with the leftover land behind the Kroger, they built more apartments than were on the whole original site. Of course they’re called West University something-or-other, but they aren’t in West U. Out with the old. I’m OK with it. The new stuff will be old soon enough. :-)
I promise you the whatever is built on this site will have River Oaks in the name despite its non River Oaks location. I’m sure someday we’ll just rename Houston as River Oaks.
Don’t overstate the case, Bernard.
Sure, south of I-10 is River Oaks, but north of I-10 is the Heights.
Everyone knows that.
Bissonnet Plaza alum here as well. I loved that place for the two years I lived there. From my kitchen window it was less than 200 feet to the railroad siding where the circus train would tie up and dispense its cargo elephants.
@Bernard & @TimP
Going all the way back to 1930 with the River Oaks Shopping center, you’ll find “non River Oaks locations” that bare the name.
Used to live there, I really liked it a lot