Seems the end is coming at the end of the summer for this 1955 12-plex just inside the Loop on Oakshire Dr.: A rep from the city says that the planning commission has approved a subdivision of the 0.4-acre property underneath it into 7 skinny single-family slots. And the Swamplot reader who has been keeping us updated now and again about the building located just south of W. Alabama near Afton Oaks writes in with what might be the last word: “I just heard from a resident who is still there that they are planning on starting the tear-down August 1st.”
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- Previously on Swamplot: A Reprieve for the Almost Afton Oaks Apartments?, The End of Another Almost Afton Oaks Apartment Complex?
Images: Gary Greene (building); Precise Land Surveying (site plan)
Afton Oaks hates middle class and poorer people. I say: Take away bus service on that segment of Richmond so their maids can’t get to work.
Oh right–like the neighborhood ganged up and said “hey let’s get rid of these apartments”. Ever heard of the inner loop real estate boom Miss_Msry?
@miss_msry – So the way to punish wealthy people is to put poor service industry workers out of job? Brilliant!
So they’re replacing what, 12, 15, 20 units with only 7? Where’s the outrage from the “we need higher density inside the loop” crowd? Or are certain neighborhoods exempt from that?
These apts are awful, built in a hideous style–no one will miss this mess–it is to be lamented that I’m sure this land will go upscale and it displaced people, but the complex had been allowed to get runned down and let’s face it, they were always ugly, but then so are the original houses of Afton Oaks–I’ve never cared s
Afton Oaks has always been a poor mans Tanglewood–I’m always amazed how people in this neighborhood talk it up like it’s as desirable as River Oaks or Southampton (as F-ing IF!)– in reality it’s original mid size ranchers that have given way to poorly designed MacMansions lite –when you drive thru it’s all Frankenstein like Tanglewood, only cheaper and on smaller lots in a worse location next to a railroad track (or close to it)–they fought so hard against lite rail and live practically on a freeway next to a railroad track!–this stupid little moderately affluent burg derailed the whole Westside line!–for their Oaks on Richmond that could have been moved –in reality they were scared on lite rail riders!–scary people like me!–you know Anglo college educated Gen Xer’s–the horror!
No, Shannon, the folks in Afton Oaks were far more concerned with the loss of access to their neighborhood, and the presumption that they should give up their main thoroughfare for your convenience. Light rail sucks, end of story, and is not needed on Richmond (or anywhere else in Houston for that matter). Take a bus, and let the Afton Oaks folks live their lives. Or is the bus too scary for you?
Give me a break Ross, there are tons on entrances to Afton Oaks–and have you seen the price of Oil–have you ever heard of grid lock –and no I have nothing against a bus, but they use gasoline, hardly energy efficient like light-rail–Ross, you’re living in denial if you don’t think the Westside of Houston doesn’t need lighrail–people like you who don’t ever want higher taxes or not in your backyard and care less about the greater good are the problem not the solution, thankfully the city doesn’t agree with you and are determined to build light rail–
Shannon, correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t the ultimate killer to the rail on Richmond TXDOT and their refusal to allow the Richmond rail underneath Loop 610 at Richmond for structural reasons?
FACT: light rail on Richmond Ave will cause far more traffic problems than it will ever solve.
@Bernard
FACT:
You have no facts to back up you ‘FACT’.
Metro has buses that go up and down richmond.
lhd:Shannon has no concern with the truth, its far easier to pound your chest while screaming “GenX!!!” than face reality….
An east/west light rail line is an absolute necessity, but I never understood why it couldn’t run down Westpark instead of Richmond. It could be part of a wider urban reclaimation. The high-tension power lines along Westpark could be buried, and a line of mid-rises built in their place. The single-story retail on the other side could be replaced with similar mid-rises, creating an almost Parisian boulevard with broad sidewalks and (erm) street level retail.
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Afton Oaks could keep its “wide variety of single family homes and rich canopy of old growth trees,” traffic concerns on Richmond wouldn’t play into it – everybody wins.
Hmmmm, how am I out of touch with reality for wanting lighrail down Richmond–oh heavens put me in a rubber room –and as far as TxDot banning rail under 610, well that’s just flat wrong–rail goes under overpasses all over the country–talk about a red herring–those who oppose rail are short sited, they’d say, hey let’s not spend on this drainage project, it’s too expensive only to have a storm swamp their house because it wasn’t built then be first in line to bitch about why the drainage project wasn’t built –yawn
This whole rail talk reminds me of the “Monorail” episode of the Simpsons from a while back.
The Afton Oaks neighborhood ganged together and put a stop to Rail on Richmond, that was to what I was referring. I could care less about these apartments.
And JAY, I have owned a home in Montrose for over 25 years, so I am fully aware of property values inside the loop.