08/14/08 2:24pm

Neighborhood Guessing Game 20: Living Room

The house with the red carpet prompted a wide range of neighborhood guesses this week: 2 each for Willowbend, Lindale Park, and Spring Branch (one of them specifying the area near Long Point or Gessner). Plus: River Oaks, Afton Village, Champion Forest, Oak Forest, Pasadena, Irvington, Meyerland, Sharpstown, Houston Country Club Place, Simms Woods, Hampshire Oaks, Mason Park Terrace, Glenbrook Valley, the East Side, the near East Side, the North Side, the near South Side, and Briarcroft.

But that wasn’t all. A larger number of you this week provided longer descriptions for the neighborhoods. Are we running out of names? These included the I-45/Tidwell/Airline area, the Tidwell/I-45 area close to Luna St., “the cultural cavity that is bounded by I-45/59/I10/610″ (??), the North Side near the Hardy Toll Road, East Westbury off Bellfort, “north of 610 N between the toll road and 45,” the Gulfgate area “east around the brewery or on the other side of the east loop,” “the post-oak so main area in the netherworld between the loop and the beltway,” “Stella Link/Willowbend – to the east of Post Oak and South of the Loop,” off Irvington Park Blvd. just north of 610, “East Side, south of the Lawndale/Telephone nexus but well inside the South Loop,” Riverside (Terrace)/MacGregor, OST/Griggs/South Loop area, “Mykawa/South Acres/Bellfort/Almeda Genoa-kind-of-area,” Mangum/290, and Westbury Sq./W. Airport.

Whew. Those Willowbend guesses . . . so close! The winner was tcpIV, who impressed the judges with this more specific entry:

Poor Granny. We loved her so. I’m hoping for the Stella Link/Willowbend area – to the east of Post Oak and South of the Loop. She was quite a housekeeper though. Gosh I miss her.

tcpIV edged out Chuckles, who drew a slightly larger boundary around

the post-oak so main area in the netherworld between the loop and the beltway

and went home with the Silver. Actual subdivision name: Westwood.

An honorable mention goes to marmer, who wrote:

This looks a lot like my mom’s house, which was built in 1952. The attic fan switch and heater filter detail are identical. Lots of other bathroom elements and little architectural touches are similar. Unfortunately for this particular Guessing Game, she doesn’t live in Houston. Fortunately for me, she’s still alive and has neither the money nor the bad taste to do this to her house. Mid-to-low priced postwar tract house. Not a bungalow. Pre-MCM. Could be almost anywhere.

After the jump: The gory details.

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07/25/08 10:58pm

Above the gentle northern banks of Brays Bayou lie this weekend’s featured neighborhoods: the curiously named Emerald Forest and lofty Braes Heights. Midcentury Mod and Newcentury Faux, side by side! Why not take a peek?

3747 Gramercy St., Braes Heights, Houston

Location: 3747 Gramercy St.
Details: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,600 sq. ft.
Price: $449,500
The Scoop: 2-story postwar Mod in Braes Heights holding its ground between recent stucco interlopers. Many neutralizing updates. Three bedrooms on first floor. Large back yard; no garage. One of 3 Houston Mod “Mods of the Month” this weekend. On the market for a month and a half. Price already chopped $25.5K.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm

Want to see more bayou-side treasures? Click this way, please!

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05/30/08 11:55pm

Southern ranches almost as old as air conditioning itself! This week’s homes are low slung and and unsung, but still have room to party in back! Woodside, Braes Terrace, and Knollwood Village hook into the bottom of the Loop, between Stella Link and South Main.

8714 Bevlyn Dr., Braes Terrace, Houston

Location: 8714 Bevlyn Dr.
Details: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths; 2,955 sq. ft.
Price: $329,900
The Scoop: Expansive 1953 brick ranch in Braes Terrace. Featured here back in August, for $55K more, before all that beautiful wood paneling was painted over. Game Room, Study; Sunroom leads to backyard deck and pool with changing rooms and half bath. Just relisted.
Open House: Sunday, 2-4 pm

More dressed ranches this way . . .

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02/12/08 12:50pm

Elevation of Proposed Belgravia Condos at 4026 Bellefontaine, Houston

Nineteenth-century British architect John Nash is apparently staging some sort of comeback in Gramercy Park. Here’s some of the marketing copy for the Belgravia, a 44-unit midrise condo building planned for Bellefontaine St., just west of Stella Link:

Following the traditions of neo-classical design, by one of Englands greatest architects John Nash, The Belgravia takes us to one of the most exciting times of British innovation where the most remarkable landmarks were sought, built, and admired.

The planning commission recently approved Sunhill Development’s replat of the property, over some vocal neighborhood opposition.

After the jump, more pics of the former British Empire’s Braeswood Place outpost!

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10/29/07 11:07am

Belle Meade at River Oaks Elevation Drawing

Belle Meade at River Oaks on Westheimer

A permit was issued late last week. And so sitework begins for the 119-unit, 168,398-square-foot Belle Meade at River Oaks, on Westheimer between Ferndale and Sackett, developed by Grayco Partners:

The project is a 6-story epicore (light steel) construction on top of a 2-story podium garage. The boutique building will resemble the look of turn of the century, old New York hotels in brick with cast stone details, while spacious interiors will include such amenities as hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and individual wine chillers. Community amenities will include conditioned interior corridors, heated pool, fitness facility, business center and a resident recreation room.

Grayco is also developing Museum Place, at Fannin and Oakdale in Midtown—a “contemporary design” also on a two-story podium. And Braeswood Place, on North Braeswood just east of Stella Link: the more usual four-story stick apartments hugging a parking garage, but it’ll also include 21 townhouses. It’s meant to look like Rice. All three properties will be managed by Camden Property Trust.

08/29/07 10:36am

8714 Bevlyn Dr. Exterior View

If you’re looking for a home with plenty of wood paneling, you’re probably not going to do better than this fine 1953 concoction on Bevlyn Dr., just a few blocks south of Brays Bayou in Braes Terrace. Sure, it appears sedate from the street, but the interior walls comprise a small catalog of wood-paneling possibilities.

Minutes from the Medical Center and Rice University this classic mid-century home is located on a quiet tree-lined street. Large rooms with all formals, huge Family room that leads to a sun room and the wonderful pool.

The house is 3200 square feet, sits on an oversized lot, and is listed at $384,777. At the end of the agent’s description is the requisite disclaimer:

Per seller this home never flooded.

Of course it didn’t! Otherwise you’d be looking at water lines on all the wood walls.

After the jump, photos from inside, featuring: panels!

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