That cluster of demo work along Liberty Rd. lately appears to be clearing the way for the boxy flock of yet-unbuilt townhomes drawn out above, one of which is now listed on HAR for a smidge below $270,000. The homes are shown as a set of 12 in the listing, with the development’s baker’s dozen rounded out by a new retail structure filling the southwest quarter of the block. (Not shown: the former Lucky 7 supermarket building at the corner with Des Chaumes St., which went up for lease a couple of times over the past few years.) (Also not shown: the gate around the development, as mentioned in the listing.)
Both the proposed retail spot and the townhomes are shown with rooftop hangout spaces (or at least are described as able to have a rooftop patio added, for a price bump). The homes themselves, the listing also notes, can be tweaked to include a downstairs kitchenette to give them that special Air-BNB flavor.
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A reader captured some shots of the flattening of some of the residential and retail structures standing in the footprint of the development, which is just east of the Eastex Fwy. in the Fifth Ward locale once known as Frenchtown. Here’s the splintery end of the 1930s house at the corner of Newhoff St. and the I-45 feeder, on the northwest side of the block:
As of last week the boxy spot at 3019 Liberty was still standing, though it’s permitted to come down too. 3017 looks to be gone already:
- 3023 Liberty Rd. A [HAR]
- Previously on Swamplot: Daily Demolition Report: Everything’s Coming Down Roses; Daily Demolition Report: Bringhurst It On; Your Map to Lovin Canada, The Reservation, Happy Hollow, and Other Lost Houston Places
Images: HAR;Â Swamplot inbox
They do look quite boxy. Anyone know what ever happened to the window sill? Everything designed today, and the popular cheapie replacement windows, all are flattened paste-ups which deprives the eye of the beauty of depth via the interplay of light and shadow. Did this happen once the artistry of the penciled draftsman was bought out by CAD?
But what do I know…most folks today barely look up from their phones to notice.
This is an interesting concepts for new market rate homes in a neighborhood that traditionally has not been great for outsiders coming in.
Why is the “Proximity to Downtown” image centered on the KBR site?
The window sill was an awful waste of cubic inches of salable floor space …… besides who ever goes outside their house to look at it in this car-centric city? Your lucky most modern construction even has a front door as almost everyone comes and goes by their attached garage! (Obviously some sarcasm expressed herein so no haters, please.)
Liberty Road? As in 5th ward Liberty Road?
I literally can not think of a worse location in the loop for AirBnB properties. This is honestly one of the dumbest developments I have seen on Swamplot since the Microlofts.
I used to teach at a school in the neighborhood. We were shown this video to learn about the neighborhood.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3q1yre
I bought a two vacant lots a few blocks away on Jensen with partial downtown skyline views in 2016. Very happy to see this!
Looks like this area is slowly developing.
Glad to see something finally being done to improve this area. So close to downtown long over due for improvement. Now hopefully improvements coming for the entire area. Maybe now grocery stores will start building in the area HEB, Kroger, Walmart etc. Not to many shopping choices in this area.