Pizza Instead of Paint at Montrose Commercial Corner

It looks like the squat building on the corner of W. Gray and Montrose will be upgraded into something like this rendering, reports 29-95. Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana, which also has a spot in Memorial, will be replacing long-time tenants Bobbitt Glass and Southwestern Paint here at 1020 W. Gray, converting the space into a 2,500-sq.-ft. restaurant with a 300-sq.-ft. patio — and 2 of those massive brick ovens, adds Alison Cook. They’re expected to open in about a year.

Rendering: Pizaro’s Pizza

25 Comment

  • Yea Pizaro’s. Still want to try that place, all I hear is good stuff. Can’t wait. Of course there’s little to no parking at that locale.

  • The rendering doesn’t make sense, unless it’s showing the back of the building. This building has a zero-foot setback on Montrose and Gray.
    Also, since this is across the street from an elementary school, looks like it will be BYOB.
    The only thing that makes me happier than zero-foot setbacks is BYOB.

  • The pizza is quite good. The parking lot can probably hold 20-30 cars. There are plenty of customers located a 5-10 minute walk from the surrounding residential areas. Houston needs to get away from the driving-obligatory mentality, for the benefit of its residents. I am unfortunately among the Houstonians who have fallen into the 500-foot-drive trap.

  • Can anyone tell from this design whether the parking will be in the front (i.e. along West Gray) or the back?

  • Could be a total tear down and move the new structure back to create front parking. Parking in the back lot with an entrance there does not really make a lot of sense.

  • Foodie favorites follow residential density That zero setback bldg is cool but I wonder how long before that block is demoed for a midrise apt bldg. Gray could be a major midrise corridor in the next decades.

  • The current building is almost 12,000 sq ft. My guess is that they will take down the entire building and replace it with just the pizza restaurant in order to provide enough parking. Great pizza, though.

  • I wonder how much longer the boat dealer across the street is going to hold out.

  • Based on the layout of the existing structure, that view appears to be the back of the building.

  • Yea, the boat dealer and plumbing supply would make a nice parcel for development – maybe a ground floor retail boat dealer. Ha, ha.

  • I live next door to this place and this news makes me happy for so many reasons. One, I’ll do anything for good pizza (anything!). If Pizaro’s pies are even close to the deliciousness of Star, this will easily beat our other neighbor, Pronto Cucinino, as the go-to for feeding my binge eating habit. Two, my neighbors and I will finally be rid of devil-neighbors Southwestern Paint whose SOP includes operating trucks that BEEP-BEEP-BEEP when reversing.

    I hope something cool happens eventually with the boat place, especially if that something doesn’t include a view-blocking mid- or high-rise.

  • I think that boat place across the street is some sort of cover for something shady. I have never seen more than 1 boat inside that place and the outside yard looks just as barren.

  • The trucks are required to BEEP BEEP BEEP by the federal government, you know that, right?

  • They had a variance petition in front of the planning council last week. Anyone know the result? I’ve been too busy to check the video archives which are available online.

    Also, there’s nothing shady about the boat shop being empty all the time. Boat dealers do the vast majority of their business at boat shows these days.

    Nonetheless, the boat shop is so ludicrously out of place that I love it and would hate to see it go.

    Hang on Gibbs! I’m coming to buy one from ya, just as soon as the toddlers know how to swim…

  • I think that boat place across the street is some sort of cover for something shady. I have never seen more than 1 boat inside that place and the outside yard looks just as barren.
    __________________________
    No kidding. That always seemed like a really odd spot for a boat shop.

  • Gibbs has been there a lonnnng time. The place looked pretty barren about a month ago, so I thought maybe they had sold and were cleaning out, but I drove by about a week ago and saw a ton of boats in the main room.

  • You live that close to pinks and you still order from loathsome star pizza? Maybe you should have your head checked, kidding.. :)

  • Don’t mess with my U-Plumb-It.

  • @cm Pink’s is average at best with their W. Gray location easily being their worst store…Unless you like teenage potheads that take an hour and a half to deliver a pizza half a mile.

  • I live one block over. I received a notice of variance request for the building from the COH. Zero setbacks on Montrose, W. Gray and Columbus, and no 15′ visibility triangles at the street corners. FYI, the Gibbs boat company building is empty sometimes because of boat shows. Gibbs has been there well over 30 years.

  • @Spoonman. Yes, I know the reverse beeps are mandated, but it’s irrelevant. Point is that the trucks are annoying and I’m happy they’ll be gone soon.

  • The variance to maintain the zero-foot setback is on this Thursday’s agenda. Looks like they’ll remove some square footage from the back of the building to provide sufficient parking to meet ordinance minimums.

  • I to live on Columbus. Has anyone else received a letter to sign a petition to deny the variance request? I’m all for a community rallying behind something it does not care for but there is currently no offset… so although this is a variance to todays codes the visibility will be no worse than it is today.

  • We will be so happy to see Southwestern Paint go. They have been the worst neighbors ever. Not only do the trucks beep all day from early morning, they start work at around 4:30 in the morning. They have been breaking noise ordinances for many years. Their customers have large trucks that have broken our fence and SW Paint would do nothing to even lessen the possibilty of that happening (such as concrete stops) and would take no responsibility. I was sorry that Bobbitt had to leave, but that corner wasn’t the best location for them anyway. I hope the pizza place does have sufficient parking, because there really isn’t any place to park nearby.

  • @Sarabeth Lizzie remember how annoying they are when a truck without them runs over one of your kids…