It might look like a neighboring property (in the background of the photo above) towers over an updated 1926 bungalow on Heights Blvd., but the addition is actually part of the mixed-use complex. Balcony-wrapped, the modernish appendage mashes up with yesteryear’s residential front-end, which is currently employed as a law office. The switched dual personalities (and dual purposes) co-exist behind a wrought-iron fence on the southbound side of Houston Heights’ main drag. Listed Tuesday, the combo offering has a $2,101,948 asking price.
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The living room (above), which measures 50 ft. by 28 ft., is — yes — bigger than the entire 1,288-sq.-ft. original portion of the home. Many of the windows, lined up from floor to ceiling on 3 sides, have a southern exposure and a treetop-level view shared with the dining room:
In the kitchen, open to the living room over a bar-height counter, light comes from both sides. There’s a north-facing window over the sink:
Extensive balconies wrap around 3 sides of the tower on all levels. The top deck is open:
Down a level, shade happens:
And so do roof shingles:
HCAD pegs the tower at 3,668 sq. ft. and dates it a 2004 addition. (The listing’s figures are 4,848 sq. ft. and 2006, respectively.)
One of the 3 to 6 bedrooms (above) is the master suite (15 ft. by 35 ft.), located on the third level. As with the living room below it, the window wall faces south and features one of the 4 fireplaces:
Somewhere in the floor plan, there’s an in-law suite, with kitchenette:
Some of the bathrooms are camera shy. Here’s a sampling of a few that made the listing photos. The property has 4 full baths and 3 half baths in all:
Not surprisingly, there’s an elevator. (There’s probably a staircase or 2 in there somewhere too, but no pics.)
Lower ceilings and window twins (and triplets) with thick trim indicate rooms found closer to Heights Blvd. curbside in the original structure:
Portions of the 7,500-sq.-ft. lot are bedecked and landscaped to include a rose garden and fruit trees.
Beneath the tower, there’s a 3-car garage and expansive carport:
The tower is getting some tall company of its own. Behind the back alley and across neighboring Yale St., a pair of midrise luxury apartment complexes are under development by Trammell Crow Residential.Â
- 519 Heights Blvd. [HAR]
OMG- that is horrendously horrible in every single way-
The curbfront photo of this place could be:
Heights Home Listing Photo of the Day: Misplaced Parisian Landmark – La Tour Affreux
On second look, it seems to be a bracket to hold a TV. But it does look like a security camera at first glance.
An explosion just happened in my brain. I can’t… What? Garish. The new humperlow.
That is quite the backyard addition.
Oh Lord, Awful taste! Needs so much work, everything is outdated. My humble opinion LOL.
What is it the British say? Gobsmacked?
I’ve wondered about this place for years. This is the epitome of the ‘humper house’ trend formerly discussed on Swamplot.
????wow
Wow. From bungalow to bunga bunga, lol.
Speaking of “Humperhouse”. It’s like Tammy Fay Baker humped Perry Homes and they had a love child.
My mother always told me if I did not have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all…………crickets.
Brief in support of historic districts, Exhibit “A”.
I saw this ugly assed mess on HAIF and thought, how in the world did that happen? Is this in one of the historic districts? Looks like too much money and not enough sense.
Ah, so this is where Ken Lay’s been hanging out since his facial reconstruction.
Great views, but a bit pricey for what is still a gentrifying ghetto.
This makes me so, so, sad.
I think the historic commission would pass this if it was in the historic district. Whatever you do don’t touch the original bungalow but throw up the most awful sh*t you can behind it. My psycho neighbors did basically the same thing but only did a two story hardi plank box jammed onto the back of their bungalow.
This addition is completely inconsiderate. This is what it is to live in a “historic district” of Houston. This would never happen in the French Quarter or Garden District of New Orleans. Not even in Uptown New Orleans. This really is awful in every conceivable way. Nice going ZaZa.
It’s true, the decor inside the house is very difficult to find an appreciation for. The exterior seems nice. Not asking-price-nice, but nice all the same. And they don’t seem to have mangled the old house in the process of building the new one. So yeah, I don’t understand the planning-related gripes at all.
I really cannot figure out why you would need 3 levels of balconies that wrap around. This person has a serious outdoor furniture fetish.
My guess is they went on the balconies almost never, yet they have 6 different outdoor furniture sets.
The addition to the house was built 3 or 4 years before The Heights became a historical district. Regardless, it certainly is not sympathetic to the original architecture . Godawful is the term that comes to mind. This is the like the person who buys a mid century modern and puts triple crown moulding and a Victorian stained glass door on it. If that is your style, why not just buy that kind of home? Judging from “eclecticism” of the interior, it is quite clear the owners are clueless about blending styles. Ironic, considering who one of them is.
This was built before we had the protected historic districts – sure makes a good argument for having the protected districts.
When will realtors finally realize that taking HDR photos and cranking levels to the max makes the house look artificial, unnatural, and gaudy? I’m so sick of it. All it does is make the actual visit to the house seem dark, dreary, and cold. There should be some kind of ‘truth in advertising’ clause that applies here.
Too bad the elevator doesn’t go all the way up to the flat roof with a splash pool and tanning ledge layout up there. $$$
I just don’t understand why people with tastes like this will buy a bungalow in the first place.
Always wondered what the heck that thing was. Love the comments above, and I couldn’t have said it better, except it does need a ferris wheel.
Since it was built before the area became a protected historic district, is it now protected? Will the historic district stop future generations from changing it?
@Memebag: It is now in a historic district. The original bungalow is protected. The non-conforming monster addition can be torn down.
I’ve driven by this place for years, NEVER seen anyone out on ANY level of the balconies! I’m glad the original house is still there, thought the back was the law offices at first! I don’t see the point in any of this unless they have a split personality disorder…….
@Old School:
How is that expressed in the law? What distinction is made between the history we like and the history we don’t?
Old House magazine has a section called “Remuddled”. This is the Grand Prize.
My. Eyes.
IOK they guys Do have questionable taste in decor. But $2.1 million? They must have been buzzed when they listed at that price!!!! You should have seen their previous home- Oy Vey !!!
Somebody should have hired a Home Stager.
This home does have dual personalities of design from all part of the would and two people that live here
have support Houston in more way than you would ever known. Yes it will take a person with a open mind
to live in this wonderful home that enjoy live and have people over. If you do not needed the little house in front for your officesale and to some that is looking for home for the counrty and get some your money back and puta wonderful flower garden with water fall and change the front fence to brick and Iron to work some other fence on the street.