If you’re listening to KPFT this morning and are wondering what those crashing sounds are in the background, it’s just an excavator ripping chunks out of the 1906 Bullock–City Federation Mansion next door to the radio station’s studios, at 411 Lovett Blvd. Demolition permits for the recently renovated 8,000-sq.-ft. structure and a separate building in back were granted by the city on Monday. That night, a reader reported to Swamplot that workers were removing windows, mouldings, doors, a mailbox, and flooring late into the evening. But hardcore exterior demo work appears to have begun yesterday afternoon.
The former wedding and event venue turned high-tech office building (with a complete renovation completed in 2005) was recently sold to developers who are reportedly planning to build townhomes on the three-quarters-of-an-acre site at the corner of Taft and Lovett Blvd. Its previous owners touted the structure as the first Houston building ever to have central air conditioning. (It was retrofitted with custom iron ceiling medallions that served as AC vents and chandelier mounts in 1926.)
These photos were taken by a reader around 7:30 this morning:
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Here’s how the home looked before those big bites were taken out of it:
- Previously on Swamplot: New Owners Tearing Down First Houston Home Ever To Have Central Air Conditioning, Putting in Most Recent Homes Ever To Have Central Air Conditioning
Photos: Swamplot inbox (demo); Wiley David Hodges (undemolished)
hate is a strong word, but seems fitting here. i hate this
Devastating from a Preservation standpoint. Where is the Chronicle article on this, did I miss it? In any other major city this would be a major story, not here, that’s the main part of the problem. Hopefully this house will be a rallying point for Preservation, if so, it won’t have died in vain.
Wow there was a lot of garbage on that beautiful lot. Oh wait, somebody was calling it a house?
Unbelievable.
The story made the front page of chron.com a few days ago ..
Im pro-development and all, but this truly sickens me… There is a big difference from a shit shed and a beautiful home like this…
obscene; may the destroyer’s soul be cursed forevermore.
great looking house, but without the right tennant looking for some expensive boutique office space (a hard sell in houston) it wouldn’t have provided much back to the community aside from “looking purdy”. perhaps could have been made into another hostel, but can’t see why houston would need two on one street.
if it hurts, just think of all the homes regularly torn down in the more affluent hoods that outclass even this one.
Sad. So sad. Sigh.
Not feeding the troll, but just pity him. He apparently has one friend and that one wears a screw-on cap.
well here we go again . anything that is historic or nice is bulldozed for more ugly townhomes that are never made to fit in the area they are coming to . or ever green certified .
SAD can u say destroy the whole community again .
over building again will cost us in a few …
WOW H-town! Just wow… This IS exactly why people who have any kind of appreciation for cultural history, architecture and the soul of a city pick up and move on…
Would this happen in the Garden District of NOLA, Lincoln Park in Chi-town, or any other respectable American City?
I THINK NOT! All is lost at this point…
Houston disrespects such fine historical examples of 20th century air conditioning systems: first this (1st residential AC unit in H), and soon the Astrodome (biggest AC unit ever)!
So so sad…. :(
:'(
Good bye, my love! Perry Homes won’t be able to replace you.
it appears that it was a nice house, and it would have been nice if someone would have bought it and maintained it, but the reactions on this site are a little bit overboard. (and frankly I don’t get how folks think the city will get more dense absent some decent houses being torn down — there are only some many dumps left in Montrose to tear down.)
KPFT will broadcast 3 hours of the demolition tonight from 2-5am as a field recording/remembrance of 411 Lovett.
Architecture is not sculpture and land doesn’t operate on a first come, first serve basis.
Haha!! take that stupid house!
Drove past it. It was truly sad. Such a shame. Miss Anise seems to like to through her weight around, I can’t see why she wouldnt say something about this. So close to home.
like she did with the Ashby highrise and potentially jeopardizing millions in sorely needed taxpayer money? we have development codes for a reason, so politicians keep their market disorting tactics to their own personal land grabs.
guys, u gotta understand that these overseas chinese investors are the one’s who buy the most property in houston, not houston natives.
It all comes down to the all mighty dollar. Houston has NO SOUL. It is truly a soulless city. Houston has NO sense of place you can be anywhere USA. Why would you want to move here. Historic Preservation is definitely NOT practiced in Houston.