A source close to Blanco’s ownership tells Swamplot that by November the West Alabama bar and grill will close. Meanwhile, Blanco’s will be scouting for a new location, the source says, “somewhere in the area.” Swamplot reported in January that St. John’s School was buying 13 acres of property in River Oaks that include 3406 West Alabama St., where the incongruous honky-tonk and its dusty parking lot — owned for decades by Barry E. DeBakey, the heart surgeon’s son who died in 2007 of liver failure — have been for 30 years.
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The map shows the 13 acres sold by the Taub family to St. John’s; Blanco’s lies south of the outfield fence of the baseball diamond at left.
- Taub Campus Acquisition [St. John's School]
- St. John’s School buys Blanco’s property — what will happen to the hallowed honky tonk? [Culturemap]
- Previously on Swamplot: Prep School Buys Honky-Tonk: Will Blanco’s Go Blank?
Images: Candace Garcia (Blanco’s); St. John’s School (map)
19 Comments
So the school owns all the land outlined in Red ?
Too bad. Sounds like it was inevitable — this property was headed for commercial development before St. John’s bought it. I was hoping it’d stick around awhile but maybe they decided to start the exit sooner than later. Good luck Blanco’s, hope you surface somewhere soon!
$91 mil….still can’t believe it.
There are a couple recently closed bars on Washington(pearl, sawyer park)that they could just slide into.
Maybe blancos could bring in a less douchey crowd and give Washington a little more legitimacy.
St.John’s School now appears to be a REIT that happens to operate a school.
John
Yes
. . . why do they need so much land ?
They should take over Pearl Bar. That part of Washington is dying anyways.
From shadyheightster:
St.John’s School now appears to be a REIT that happens to operate a school.
And think of the religious school write-off. What a scam.
Bama, that’s the first I had heard how much they paid. Holy cow $160 psf. Are you sure? (before I go telling people!)
Maybe the new land will spur Wes Anderson to make a Rushmore II
@Bama-
IS the $91M a verified price and if so that is a record breaker for a non CBD price.
John – So they can control what happens in their own backyard.
SJS is now in three zip codes. 77019, 77098, and 77027.
Kevpat64, it’s high but not a record. There have been plenty of land sales in the Galleria area and the med center for more than that. However I’ll bet it’s a record for a Houston school purchase!
What write off Miss_Msry? It’s not a religious school, but they do get a private school tax exemption on the land.
Houston has always had parcels That Time Forgot, hanging on in changing demographics and adding wondrous character.
Blanco’s has been there so long I took it for granted. RIP
Keep an eye on on the exxon property just south of there to be sold too. Should be mostly vacated by cob 2014.
Miss_msry Actually, St. John’s isn’t a religious school. Do your research.