Swamplot Archives by Tag: Adaptive Reuse

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Houstonians Now Eat Their Vegetables in the Strangest Places

February 4, 2010 – 1:45 pm
   

Food and travel writer Salma Abdelnour, who grew up here, takes New York Times travel section readers on a tour of 5 Houston restaurants carved out of former something-or-others: the car dealership that became Reef, the ice house that became Beaver’s, the burlap factory that became Textile, the appliance warehouse that became Block 7 Wine Company. Somehow the spaghetti-western-themed strip center that ultimately became Stella Sola gets mixed up in this crowd (Abdelnour calls the building a “town house”). She adds: “In the film ‘Urban Cowboy,’ based in Houston and nearby Pasadena, the mother of the John Travolta character told him, ‘You just can’t get good vegetables in Houston.’ You certainly can now.” [New York Times] Photo of Stella Sola: 2Scale Architects

1:45 pm | 5 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Neighborhoods: Midtown, Neighborhoods: Old Sixth Ward, Neighborhoods: Washington Corridor, Quicklink, Restaurants
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Friday, October 30, 2009

Secrets of the New Saint Arnold Brewery

October 30, 2009 – 12:21 pm
   

Brittanie Shey reports on the grand opening of the local brewery’s new home at 2000 Lyons Ave. in the Fifth Ward: “We got to see the top secret investor’s bar, a swanky-looking room in the back with a lovely carved wooden bar-top. We also heard the story of how the building, which was once an HISD food distribution facility (a.k.a. a giant freezer and refrigerator) had to be literally thawed out — there were icicles hanging from the ceiling — before it could be inspected. . . . The newery has four floors, but most of the action is in the middle two. The first floor is where the brewing takes place. The second floor, with huge windows looking down to the first floor, is where the tastings are and where parties will take place for those who have rented out the brewery. The company is thinking of using the basement for aging beers, and the third floor, right now it’s just filled with storage.” [Houstonist; previously on Swamplot]

12:21 pm | 1 Comment | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Attractions, Industrial Properties, Neighborhoods: Fifth Ward, Quicklink
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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Comment of the Day: Before Richmond Hall Went Light and Quiet

October 8, 2009 – 5:42 pm
   

“. . . The building was the original Weingartens grocery store. Then in the 1960’s /1970’s it was the Texas Opry House. Then in the early 1980’s it was the Parade Disco (yes,the Parade Disco of New Orleans Bourbon Street, fame or infamy, depending on how one looks at it). The place rocked . . . Monday nights was punk rock night and it was real punk, not the poseur “punk”. But Friday & Saturday nights was gay disco. Some of the best music ever. Then the Menil converted it into [Richmond Hall] . . . it houses Dan Flavins awesome light sculpture.“ [Tim, commenting on Chipperfield Sculpts the New Menil: Goodbye, Richmont Square]

5:42 pm | 2 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Art, Comments, Houston History, Neighborhoods: Menil, Nightlife, Quicklink
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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Just About Time in Eastwood: Great Moments in Houston Clock Rescue and Storage

October 1, 2009 – 9:36 pm

Eastwood clock-watcher Spencer Howard documents the end of the line for the 1935 Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Company building on Harrisburg. Metro doesn’t have any use for the bulk of the Streamline Moderne building in the way of the new light-rail East End Line. But how about grabbing that right-twice-a-day timepiece the building is wearing? The bulky fashion accessory might go with any of several new get-ups envisioned for Eastwood Park across the street.

METRO began the disassembly of the building last week. After several days of careful planning, joints were sawed into the steel frame, stucco clad facade. By the end of the week, a large crane was delivered to the site to assist with the removal of the facade.

Continue Reading This Story >

9:36 pm | 7 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Art, Historic Preservation, Houston Architects, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Eastwood, Parks, Public Art
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

This Week in Old Movie Theater Rehab

September 17, 2009 – 11:00 am

Yes, the Alabama Bookstop carved out of the former Alabama Theater on South Shepherd closed down for good earlier this week. But a few miles to the north, another new business has opened in a reformed movie house. Tonight’s open house at the Heights Theater celebrates its latest incarnation: as a 7,000-sq.-ft. event space.

A quick tour of how the interior looked a year ago, before the latest round of renovations:

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11:00 am | 16 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Openings and Closings
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Saving Time on the East End Line: Sterling Laundry and Long-Term Storage

September 2, 2009 – 2:48 pm

All that uproar over the impending demolition of a favorite Streamline Moderne structure in Eastwood seems to have had an effect: Houston architect Sol R. Slaughter’s 1935 Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Company building at 4819 Harrisburg will be preserved!

Sort of. Metro has committed to saving the façade.

Well . . . maybe at least the center part of it.

Okay really, just the top part, above the door. The part with the clock.

Hey, at least it’s not going to go away!

. . . ?

Uh, well . . . architectural antique fan Spencer Howard, who helped sound the alarm about Metro’s demolition plans for the building a few weeks ago, writes in with the latest:

Deconstruction will begin in two weeks, at which point the façade will be placed in storage (yet to be located) until the permanent home is designed (yet to be funded).

But the face-saving fun doesn’t stop there. After a short but brilliant week of investigations, brainstorming, and Photoshop work, Metro has produced a series of proposals for the rescued stretch of stucco that’s likely to be studied and appreciated by historic preservation experts, redevelopment advocates, and postmodern philosophers for some time to come.

Monday’s presentation at the offices of the Greater East End Management District was simply titled “4819 Harrisburg,” but that’s just Metro being modest. Maybe when this thing is resurrected for academic conferences it can be called something like “Representations of Time: Practical Opportunities in Deconstruction and Preservation.”

Continue Reading This Story >

2:48 pm | 18 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Historic Preservation, Houston Architects, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Eastwood, Parks, Public Art, Transportation
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

What About the Cushions?

September 1, 2009 – 10:44 am
   

“At 510 Shepherd, the old Cue and Cushion Pool Hall has been sold and is seeing some major changes. The billiards tables are gone and a dining room is under construction. The new place will be Cue Restaurant. Though unconfirmed, the on-site rumor is that it will be a New York style deli - something like Katz’s or Kenny and Ziggy’s, I am told.” Also, photos of the future locations of BRC Gastro Pub across the street and Burgerzilla in the Heights. [Fred Eats Houston; previously on Swamplot]

10:44 am | 5 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Neighborhoods: Brunner, Openings and Closings, Quicklink, Restaurants
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Thursday, August 27, 2009

What’s Brewing at the New Fifth Ward Saint Arnold HQ

August 27, 2009 – 10:47 am

Fifth Ward correspondents Vaughn and Terri Mueller drive by the building at 2000 Lyons St., across the railroad tracks from Hennessey Park — the future location for the Saint Arnold Brewery. And they notice the gate and a wide strip of the building open to view:

There aren’t any signs around the old HISD food service building exclaiming that Saint Arnold’s is moving in, but take a quick drive around the block and and it sure looks like a brewery inside. The expansion is still under construction but there is a large door (or unfinished wall) that is open to one of the side streets. . . . You can see some of the fermentation tanks in the corner. One of the only signs at the construction site is for the construction company “Clifford Jackson Contractors.”

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10:47 am | 7 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Attractions, Industrial Properties, Neighborhoods: Fifth Ward
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

More Signs of That Shepherd Restaurant Scene Coming to Life

August 26, 2009 – 12:06 pm
   

Rising soon from the former home of a tombstone business on Shepherd, across Blossom St. from the Kicks indoor-soccer facility: BRC Gastro Pub. Watch out also for Burgerzilla, reported to be working its way to the corner of 11th and Studewood, in the Heights. [Cleverley's Blog]

12:06 pm | 7 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Neighborhoods: Brunner, Neighborhoods: Houston Heights, Openings and Closings, Proposed Developments, Quicklink, Restaurants
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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Art Deco Slaughter on Harrisburg: Is Metro Taking To the Cleaners?

August 20, 2009 – 10:46 am

This timely building at 4819 Harrisburg in Eastwood, built in 1935 for the Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Co., showed up in yesterday’s Daily Demolition Report. The architect was Sol R. Slaughter, who also designed a home on the bayou in Idylwood the same year.

The building faces Metro’s new East End Corridor light-rail line. Rice University project manager Spencer Howard writes in with a few details, but isn’t exactly sure what’s going on:

The building was renovated as an artist live/work/gallery just a few years ago.

METRO pledged to save the facade of the building with the clock on it, across from Eastwood Park. They preferred to have someone else buy it and move it, but if that didn’t happen, they were going to move it back on the property and reattach it behind the new setback. Yesterday they sent out the demolition list for next Monday and it was on it. The neighborhood has alerted their gov’t reps.

Another view:

Continue Reading This Story >

10:46 am | 11 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Art, Historic Preservation, Houston Architects, Neighborhoods: Eastwood, Public Art, Transportation
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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Comment of the Day: What To Expect on That First Night in Your New Funeral Home

July 22, 2009 – 1:55 pm
   

“We are planning on buying a old [mortuary] that was built in the early 1900’s. Although I walk the old path & do a little dabbling in the Craft, even this is starting to creep me out. We are planning on [spending] our [first] night there around the 8th. of August. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE THAT HAS LIVED IN A MORTUARY / furnral home / Hauted house…what should I exspect ?????” [Tabby the Witch, commenting on Home Sweet Funeral Home: Washington Terrace Mortuary Seeks Residents]

1:55 pm | 12 Comments | Read more about Adaptive Reuse, Comments, Quicklink, Renovations
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