- Houston Issued a Record-Breaking $6.1B in Permits Last Year, Up 41% Over the Year Before [Prime Property]
- Falling Oil Prices Might Not Be Felt in Houston Real Estate Market Until Late 2015 or in 2016, Says Trulia Economist [Houston Chronicle]
- $56M Senior Living Community Tower at Buckingham To Begin Construction on Woodway Dr. Later This Year [Houston Business Journal]
- Woodlands Development Co. Coming Up with New Name for Gated Neighborhood on Mitchell Island [HBJ; previously on Swamplot]
- MFAH Will Demolish Glass-Block Glassell School Building Designed by Astrodome Architect S. I. Morris Soon, To Make Way for $450 Million Expansion [Hyperallergic]
- Walmart Neighborhood Markets Held Grand Openings for Stores in Atascocita, Cypress and Pearland Wednesday [Prime Property]
- Independence Heights Area a Ghost Town After HISD Bought Land To Expand Booker T. Washington HS [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
- Team Behind Documentary on Westheimer Music Venue Numbers To Launch Kickstarter Campaign [Houston Chronicle]
- City Council OKs Permit for Army Corps of Engineers To Dismantle Nuclear Reactor Barge Sturgis [Galveston County Daily News ($)]
- I-10 To Close Between Meadow and U.S.-59 For Real This Weekend for Work on New Meadow Street Bridge [The Highwayman]
Photo of Adickes Sculpturworx Studio: Brandi Lynn via Swamplot Flickr Pool
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Glassell demolition – well, that didn’t last long. Would like to have several of the glass bricks for a garden project.
That’s a shame about tearing down the Glassell. I’ve loved those glass block walls since I was a kid.
Re: Glassell
Who is the Glassell building/school named after? Can’t find any details anywhere on the MFAH site. I’m inclined to believe that the name comes from the glass block construction; or is it that the architect was ‘inspired’ by the name and that’s how he came up with idea for a glass cube?
Most buildings in Houston with a name-pedigree proudly proclaim the story of the donor every chance they get, which is of course part of the appeal for a wealthy oil baron to dump cash in the lap of an arts institution.
Also, the article states that the architect “donated” his services. Most architects believe their services are “donated” even when they are handsomely paid (insinuating that they work is priceless). Not sure if the statement was made tongue-in-cheek.
@Superdave: Alfred Glassell, Jr. was the founder of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. There was a bitter will contest from his daughter after he changed his will to give most of his $500 mil fortune to charity. But that was well after the art school was built.
@Superdave: Alfred C. Glassell, founder of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp.
Superdave, there is a Glassell family for which it is named. I don’t know exactly which one it was originally named for (Alfred, perhaps), but Curry Glassell is much alive and a supporter of the arts.
He started Transco–was a very low profile individual.
http://www.mfah.org/about/mfah-architectural-history/
@ Superdave
Alfred C. Glassell Jr.
http://www.mfah.org/about/mfah-architectural-history/
Also, few architects are “handsomely paid.”