HOUSTON’S HISTORIC HOLD As expected, city council approved yesterday what Mayor Parker called a “pause in the action” that would prevent until the end of the year all historic-district demolitions and new construction not specifically approved by the city historical commission. Previously, the city’s sharp-gummed preservation ordinance allowed property owners whose plans for historic-district properties had been rejected by the commission simply to wait 90 days before proceeding with their projects anyway. Mayor Parker says she hopes a revised permanent ordinance can be crafted and voted on by September. An amendment also passed by council provides a special exemption for property owners who have already spent money on new construction. The approved temporary changes will also prevent new applications for historic districts from being filed. But the timing worked out for Glenbrook Valley, the Woodland Heights, and Houston Heights South districts anyway — all three neighborhoods got their applications in under the wire. [HTV]
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This will get very interesting…
In the past, it didn’t matter all that much if a project’s application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was rejected, as you could just wait 90 days and get a waiver. Now, the subjective evaluation of the design by the city’s staff and eventual vote by the Historical and Archaeological Commission will be a very big deal.
I hope they are up to the task.
Now, the subjective evaluation of the design by the city’s staff and eventual vote by the Historical and Archaeological Commission will be a very big deal. I hope they are up to the task.
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The keyword of course is subjective. Translated: Added to the cost of new construction will be the cost of “lobbying” for approval.
It will be a disaster. But Chapter 42 has been a disaster. So why not make it worse?
1) I got my new construction in the Woodland Heights finished two years ago. Bwaa-haa-haa!
2) I’ve had lots of friends in New Orleans and elsewhere deal with the preservation commissions. It has ranged from very easy (rare) to nitpicking over paint color choices and railing dowel shapes (common) to a total nightmare (somewhat rare). Houston will be no different.
I’ve had lots of friends in New Orleans and elsewhere deal with the preservation commissions. It has ranged from very easy (rare) to nitpicking over paint color choices and railing dowel shapes (common) to a total nightmare (somewhat rare). Houston will be no different.
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Well I suspect it will be just a little different. Houston will end up looking like First Colony. Not the Quarter or the Garden District.
“We want your house to be white and blue with a teal front door, and azaleas and roses in rows along the house and two trees the commission will decide on at a later date.”
Why don’t the “preservationists” just move to First Colony? At least there’s something there to preserve. There is little left in Houston to preserve. Little of any real historic value anyway.
Although The Houston Heights may not have the many hundreds of years of history like in other parts of the USA it still has its own history that many want to see saved. As a native Houstonian’s my husband and I have seen many of the original homes built in the late 1800’s demolished and so many of the small bungalows changed or demolished as well.
If the demolishing and major changes are not stopped there will not be any sign’s of how we lived and the type of homes so many of us grew up in. There was a time of small neighborhood stores, neighbors that actually knew ea other, and you let your children play outside because we all looked after one another.
We are proud of the history that we do have and so I say we preservationists†do not want to move to First Colony or anywhere else! I say if you want a brand new house that takes up the whole lot and never see your neighbors then you should find some where else to live. Our families have been here since the start of the Houston Heights and you who want to destroy that history need to GO!!!
Our families have been here since the start of the Houston Heights and you who want to destroy that history need to GO!!!
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As I recall, the various residential subdivisions that make up the Heights all had deed restrictions. Odd how in the 60s and 70s and 80s all these businesses suddenly appeared. They appeared long before the townhomes and McMansions.
Seems like some decided at one point deed restrictions didn’t matter. And they would rent or sell to whomever they pleased.
Some whose families had been there from the beginning?
If you think the city is going to help you then you need to look around at what’s gone up since Chapter 42 was “revised.”
But now, well, now we have historic districts. They will still have loopholes any developer who has bought City Hall will be able to work with to override the “preservationists” who should have “preserved” a long time ago with deed restrictions. In some cases by simply keeping the deed restrictions in place and enforcing them.
In 1966 a friend’s sister was dating a guy who lived in a garage apartment in the Heights. The three of us went there to see him one night and I remember being very wary. The neighborhood was run down, his apartment left a lot to be desired and I also remember that it was dark, as if there were no streetlights.
The neighborhoods may have had deed restrictions in the beginning but I’ve a feeling that things started going downhill before the restrictions lapsed.
I think it’s great that the entire Heights area is coming back into it’s own. But I do get a little ticked off when folks over there get to thinking they’re somehow more affluent simply because of where they live. I remember when the Heights were considered slums and low rent.
I remember when the Heights were considered slums and low rent.
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Some of it is still slums. But high rent.
And please. Get rid of the chain link fenced front yards. Taaaaaaaaaaaacccky.