Houston’s Sunset Terrace subdivision could be getting a new neighbor. A five-story one. Trammell Crow Residential is floating plans for its proposed Alexan West University apartment project. The intended 2.5-acre site is bordered by Bissonnet, Law and Auden streets. Currently, that location is home to the Courts at West University, a 1973-vintage two-story garden style apartment complex at 3810 Law St., complete with its own bark park:
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The new development calls for 231 rental units, mostly one-bedrooms, with 4 floors of dwelling units over a parking garage to be integrated into the building. Masonry exteriors of brick, stucco and cast stone are reminiscent of other Trammel Crow properties. Located just east of Weslayan Plaza, the new project fronts Law Street, a rough ride past duplexes in various states of condition. A brief description of the project on the City of West U website doesn’t say whether there’ll be a new bark park on site, but does mention “lush landscaping” and preserved street trees.
- Proposed Alexan West University Apartments Public Meeting [City of West University]
Images: Trammell Crow Residential, Swamplot inbox
Why does West U’s website have info on this? That’s in Houston.
I lived in the Courts for a few years in my younger (and poorer) days. It was a quiet, pleasant place but the apartments were small a dark with low ceilings and little natural light. It’s pretty outdated.
Just what Houston needs: another soulless ,stucco covered sucky ,vapid,dull,boring,amenity laden series of boxes known as “apartment homes”.
I agree with Patrick. It sucks that we live in a city where you can tear down crappy apartments and build slightly less crappy apartments.
Well, Patrick, if you have a better idea for how to best use land, you’re free to pitch your idea to financiers who are certainly looking for a good investment right now.
Am I the only one who thought, based on the article’s headline, that the article was talking about new buildings that are typically associated with the judiciary system?
Am I the only one who thought, based on the article’s headline, that the article was talking about new buildings that are typically associated with the judiciary system?
That was intended. Puns are required to be used here at every opportunity.
Yeah, I also thought it had something to do with the concept of law rather than the street name.
I’m at a loss to explain the cynicism expressed here, though. Its not an ideal spot for really anything in particular except residential housing…or multi-story self-storage. And I’d rather it add more people to the inner loop than that it not add people or even subtract people. These are people that will make higher-profile projects more viable. This is good news.
I too used to liv in those apartments. Good times. From the Gabby’s barbecue drive through speaker right at my bedroom window to the restretching of the carpet in the unit above due to her, um, larger size and extracurricular activities.
No kidding! By the headline, I thought that West University was going to move the courthouse out of the neighborhood onto adjacent property like the recycling center and the water tower.
Took me a sec too, but then I thought about how the sh#$storm around the Ashby riled up the West U-ers… Put a criminal court in their backyard? Might as well have a Greyhound station…
@Stating the Obvious
Ashby riled up the Southamptoners… same bark, different dog ;)
I read yesterday about how the inner loop is in desparate need of A+ retail space due to too much big box/single story strip mall developments and building too few quality retail or mixed use developments. Then, developers complain about financing the kind of projects that would meet the demand and do Walmarts and apartement buildings instead. So, what happened to free markets putting land to its best and highest use? Instead of the market delivering what is really needed (A+ retail), we only get what the investors/banks are willing to back. The result is the vicious circle of mediocrity leading to more mediocrity. Sure, this development “works”, but when will we see something better for this city?
So…. They’re not building a new courthouse for West U.?
ha ha ha Puns piss everybody off!
“From Spoonman.: Well, Patrick, if you have a better idea…”
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Easier to bash those that are doing the investing.
Most any criminals caught in West U. are sent to county by the next morning. The courts there prosecute mischevious teenagers and minorities ensnared by the jack-booted gestapo they call a police force. From what I remember from a childhood Boy Scout tour of the current jail, there are only 5 or 6 holding cells. There’s really no need for any more. The pun did it’s trick. It got our attention.
@ Old School: The disingenuous rhetoric you are attempting to deploy is a straw man fallacy.
The article you referenced was referring primarily to former grocers whose space needs were highly proprietary. For instance, a new HEB won’t take a former Albertson’s space. That doesn’t mean that there’s no benefit derived from a new HEB inside the loop, such as the Lake-Flato designed one that just delivered on W. Alabama…even though it is an accurate fit for the kind of vacant space that the author of the article was attempting to discount.
I’d also point out that Class A retail space is a sizable part of the Ainbinder Heights project, even though the Wal-Mart gets all the attention.
I’m hoping that a few commenters didn’t know that the apartment complex was actually named, “The Courts at West University.” In just a few years, The Courts would be able to reach the level of scariness of the old apartments torn down on West Alabama to make way for the new HEB. A missed opportunity for West U…
Am I the only one that thinks if those old apt buildings that used to be there were fixed up they would have looked pretty awesome?
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I think a big group of vintage brick buildings all painted a cool and different color would have been really neat. Maybe bright primary colors – I don’t know… Almost a thing for a sightseer to visit.
How is it possible that the developer couldn’t talk the owner of the Lone Star Glass site into selling out?
RISE HIGH ALEXAN……..!!!!
Ol’ Lone Star Glass has worn out the jaw of MANY a prospective buyer………..
Traffic impact studies, traffic impact studies. Oh, I forgot. Those and the “driveway ordinance” only apply to Southampton…
I was looking at buying a house in sunset terrace. I am now looking elsewhere. Who wants the traffic, noise, and crime of even more appartments.