Tag: Briarmeadow

08/16/18 3:00pm

Comment of the Day: Briarmeadow’s Doggy Daycare Dogpile

Comments, Quicklink

No Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: BRIARMEADOW’S DOGGY DAYCARE DOGPILE “Anyone else notice this area of town is getting rather saturated in doggy day cares? Thereâ€™s one at Richmond on the other side of Fountainview, one on the north side of 59 just before Fountainview, one on Westheimer just west of Briarhurst . . . and those are just the ones that come immediately to mind.” [cricketty, commenting on Former Richmond Ave Furniture Royalty Will Now Provide Lodging for Animals] Map showing existing dog daycares in red, proposed in blue: Swamplox inbox

Briarmeadow, Comments, Quicklink

08/16/18 10:00am

Former Richmond Ave Furniture Royalty Will Now Provide Lodging for Animals

Proposed Developments, Renovations

2 Comments

A vast pet boarding facility is now taking over the Winport Furniture building atÂ 6393 Richmond — which stretches back south nearly the entire block along Unity Dr., pictured above. After sitting on the place for 6 months, the pet resort operator that bought it filed a building permit yesterday indicating it’s about to rejigger the formerÂ 19,497-sq.-ft. showroom with the help of Slattery Tackett Architects.

Before shifting its focus to office furniture in 2016, the building dealt in home items and called itself The Chair King:

Gone to the Dogs

77057, Briarmeadow, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail

01/22/18 11:15am

Chinese Cafe No Longer Stirring in Its Former McDonald’s Spot on Richmond

Openings and Closings, Restaurants

5 Comments

A note taped to the window of Chinese Cafe announces that the restaurant at 5888 Richmond has shuttered. The counter-service spot took over its location between Chimney Rock and Fountain View from a McDonald’s after moving out of the shopping center 2 blocks east on the corner of Richmond and Sage Rd. in 2014. HS Green has since cropped up in the restaurant’s old shopping center storefront.

The photo at top looks east to show Chinese Cafe’s signage still shining beneath a starless sky last Friday, although the inside of the restaurant appears to have gone dark. The 3,756-sq.-ft. building sits between Taco Bell and the Houston Camera Exchange.

Photos: Rex Solomon

Briarmeadow

77057, Briarmeadow, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

01/19/18 4:30pm

New Card Den Coming to the House Where Fish & the Knife, Churrasca Brazilian Steakhouse Folded

77063, Briarmeadow, Openings and Closings

Openings and Closings

No Comments

Something new is on the table for the building at the corner of Westheimer and Stoney Brook Dr.: Prime Social, a card and board game venue with an onsite restaurant. The not yet full house is advertising chess, backgammon, cribbage, and a number of poker variants — with 2 daily tournaments (up to “$5,000 GUARANTEED”). Also, “professional armed security” will be present on the premises, according to the house website, in case anything gets out of hand.

Churrasca Brazilian Steakhouse closed down in the 11,448-sq.-ft. building, pictured above, last year. The restaurant took over from sushi joint and nightclub Fish & the Knife, which shuttered in its newly-built space at 7801 Westheimer in 2014, 9 months after opening.

Raising the Stakes

04/28/17 9:30am

The High School Formerly Known as Robert E. Lee About to Swap Buildings, Too

by Christine Gerbode

Schools, Woodlake

7 Comments

6529 Beverly Hill St., Woodlake/Briarmeadow, Houston, 77057

The recently remonikered Margaret Long Wisdom High School is prepping for its scheduledÂ student body transplant as the school year winds down. The shot above shows the main entrance of the school’s almost-ready new building, tucked behindÂ the old one along Hillcroft Ave. south of Beverly Hills St. That older structure, which cut itsÂ Confederate ties about a year ago, should be getting erasedÂ altogether starting in June, a readerÂ involved with the project tells Swamplot.

Here’s the flip side view of the glassy main entranceÂ above, which should be unlocked in timeÂ for fall classes:

Creeping South on Hillcroft

77057, Briarmeadow, Demolitions, Names, New Construction, Schools, Woodlake

Apartments

06/14/16 12:45pm

Relabeled Crest at Fondren Now Leasing on Site of Bygone Westheimer Prosperity

by Christine Gerbode

Briargrove

13 Comments

8820 Westheimer Rd., Briarmeadow, Houston, 77063

The 4-story apartment complex going upÂ on the northeast corner of Westheimer and Fondren roadsÂ (whereÂ Prosperity Bank and Landry’s Seafood Restaurant were torn down in a mildly apocalyptic displayÂ back in 2014) is now pushing leasesÂ and offering would-be tenants a chance to scope the place out. The place has also gotten a name tweakÂ since the project was first announced: the former Crest atÂ Fondren is going by West & Fondren these days.

The complex has sprung upÂ just south of the late-seventies garden-style Victoria PlaceÂ apartments (which appear to have beenÂ bought 2 summers ago by an entity controlled byÂ developer Michael Novelli). The Fondren-side entrance of the 4-story building is clearly labeled as such:

Briargrove Revival

77063, Apartments, Briarmeadow, New Construction

12/18/15 12:30pm

Lee Senior High School Is Scooting South but Keeping the Glamorous Beverly Hill Address

by Christine Gerbode

Woodlake

4 Comments

Construction of Lee Highschool Rebuild, 6529 Beverly Hill St., Woodlake/Briar Meadow, Houston, 77057

Currently rising behind Lee Senior High School: Lee Senior High School. The new building is going up on the south side of the block east of Hillcroft between Beverly Hill St. and Skyline Dr., 1 block south of Richmond Ave. The first foundation slab was poured last Friday, and steel has been going up this week— pictured above are the servery, kitchen, and utility areas, according to the Twitter narration of Brent Oldbury. (The distant Williams Tower can be seen peeking through the steel on the right.)

A north-facing entrance is planned, allowing the school to hold on to the current Beverly Hill St. address despite shifting to the Skyline side of the block. The old building (behind the steel to the left, in the photo above) will watch its younger, prettier replacement going up next door until demolition in early 2017 makes way for sports facilities and parking.

A few renderings were presented at an October 2014 community meeting about the new building’s construction and timeline:

Second Secondary on Hillcroft

77057, Briarmeadow, New Construction, Schools, Woodlake

07/06/15 5:00pm

Westheimer Fish & Knife Spot Will Soon Be Home to Lubbock’s Finest Dining Experience

Openings and Closings, Restaurants

10 Comments

Churrasca Brazilian Steakhouse, 7801 Westheimer Rd., Houston

New signage is up already at the former home of the Fish & the Knife restaurant at 7801 Westheimer. The 13,000-sq.-ft. sushi nightclub at the corner of Stoney Brook opened last February after 4 years of preparation, then closed after only 9 months of operations — with promises of a reopening after a “rebranding.” But it appears that a restaurant touting itself as “Lubbock’s Finest Dining Experience” is now preparing to open a Houston branch in the space instead. “The restaurant is already hiring a full retinue of staff,” notes Houstonia‘s Katharine Shillcut of the new Churrasca Brazilian Steakhouse,Â “but construction and cleaning appears to be underway and could take a while.”

Churrasca Brazilian Steakhouse

77063, Briarmeadow, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

Homes for Sale, Interiors

11/25/14 4:00pm

The Many Listings and Change-Ups of a Briarmeadow Home Still Aiming for a Flip, Now at $409K

by CALwords

3 Comments

3219-chris-08

3219-chris-01

Tweaks to a 1977 Briarmeadow home have left it looking rather peachy inside, thanks to a dream-state color wash. The heavy-roofed French-ish property last sold in 2013, for $291,040, and has appeared in an assortment of listings and relistings ever since. Updated in that interim, the westward-facing home is now Â attempting a flip at $409,000. Previous listings sought a high of $489K in July 2013, with reductions to $459K in September 2013, $449K in April 2014 (which snagged a contract but not a closing), and $429K in July 2014 — before taking a breather from the market in August. Renovations picked the bones clean and added new ingredients . . .

Continuity

77063, Briarmeadow, Homes for Sale, Interiors, Price Reductions, Renovations

11/24/14 1:45pm

Sayonara for Fish & the Knife?

by John Nova Lomax

Quicklink, Restaurants

14 Comments

SAYONARA FOR FISH & THE KNIFE? Fish and the Knife Restaurant, Sushi Bar, Nightclub, and Lounge, 7801 Westheimer Rd., Houston Eater Houston’s Jakeisha Wilmore is reporting that Fish & the Knife will close at the end of this month. Wilmore is basing her report on an interview with a Yelp reviewer who said that management at the Briarmeadow sushi house canceled her upcoming holiday event and told her that the restaurant was about to shut down. Wilmore could not reach management for confirmation, but should this really be the end for the 9-month-old restaurant, it would prove an abrupt final act to a bizarre and dramatic saga. The not-designed-by-Tony-Chi restaurant finally opened this February after a roller-coaster ride of a buildout that dragged on for 3 years. Wilmore’s Yelp source told her that the Fish & the Knife’s manager told her “financial challenges” were the cause of the possibly imminent shuttering. The restaurant’s demise might not be lamented in all quarters:Â On weekends Fish & the KnifeÂ transformed into a nightclub, and residents of nearby neighborhoods had become disgruntled with partiers parking along their streets and leaving trash behind. Update, 2:15 pm: Fish & the Knife management tells CultureMap’s Eric Sandler that the restaurant’s closing will be temporary and that the Fish & the Knife will reopen after a rebranding, while the weekend nightclub activities would continue in the meantime. Sandler also reports that opening chef, former Iron Chef America contestant Bob Iacovone, has returned to his hometown of New Orleans. [Eater Houston; Click2Houston; CultureMap;Â previously on Swamplot] Photo: Swamplot inbox

77063, Briarmeadow, Restaurants

03/18/14 11:30am

Tony Chi to Fish and the Knife: You Know I Didn’t Design Your Restaurant, So Stop Saying I Did

Restaurants

18 Comments

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston

Fish and the Knife Restaurant, Sushi Bar, Nightclub, and Lounge, 7801 Westheimer Rd., Houston An attorney representing international hotel and restaurant designer Tony Chi has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the owners of the Fish and the Knife, complaining that the recently opened Houston sushi restaurant and nightclub has “repeatedly and intentionally” claimed that Chi was responsible for the restaurant’s design. “As you most certainly know,” the letter reads, “Tony Chi had no role whatsoever in connection with the Fish & The Knife and most certainly is not answerable for its operation, particularly its delayed opening.”

A Facebook post published by the restaurant shortly before its February 13th opening claimed that Tony Chi had designed the interior — and implied that his involvement bore some responsibility for the restaurant’s notably delayed debut: “The owner commissioned Tony Chi, famed architect and interior designer, to fit the restaurant into his relentless schedule,” reads the post (which may also have been issued as a press release) in a sentence that directly follows a reference to repeated postponements of the restaurant’s opening. It then goes on to name-drop several of Chi’s former clients: “Based in New York City, Chi owns and operates a global design powerhouse that has an unrivalled reputation in the hospitality industry. Some of Chiâ€™s designs include restaurants for Wolfgang Puck, Alain Ducasse and Michael Mina. In addition to restaurants, he designed many Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt, Intercontinental and Mandarin Oriental hotels around the world.” But Chi’s designs do not appear to include Fish and the Knife.

Credit Where It Isn’t Due

77063, Briarmeadow, Restaurants

02/13/14 10:30am

Your Long Wait for a Sushi Restaurant and Nightclub on Westheimer Is Over: Fish and the Knife Opens Today!

Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

11 Comments

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston

Note: Story updated below.

O ye of little faith, casting doubts here and there that a little 13,000-sq.-ft. standalone fine dining and lounging experience on Westheimer across Stoney Brook from AutoZone would ever open its doors after a mere 3 years of construction, a few long silences, and working so hard behind the scenes to get every detail right! It takes time, and actual anticipation, to truly earn the status of Houston’s Most Anticipated Restaurant. So take this: Fish and the Knife opens today. As in: You can park your car in the big parking lot out back, walk right in through the big wooden doors, and order yourself some sushi and a Japanese-style steak. And maybe this weekend, or some other big weekend night soon, wiggle your tail and fins to the rhythms and the flashing lights in the transformed 4,000-sq.-ft. “Las Vegas-style” nightclub inside.

Okay, but really, what took this place so long to open? Here’s the owner of the new spot at 7801 Westheimer, trying valiantly to explain it all:

A Good Restaurant Took Time

77063, Briarmeadow, Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

01/30/14 12:00pm

Houston’s Most Anticipated Restaurant Will Open When It Feels Like It

Cancellations and Delays, Restaurants

9 Comments

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston

Fish and the Knife Sushi Bar, Restaurant, and Nightclub, 7801 Westheimer Rd. at Stoney Brook, Houston On-again off-again would-be Westheimer sushi-nightclub debutante Fish and the Knife has given up on target opening dates, reports Eater Houston. “The big debut is back on track,” reports Darla Guillen in a post that includes actual photos of the actual completed interior at 7801 Westheimer. After almost 3-and-a-half years of construction and several blown promised-opening deadlines, she writes, “the owner is (understandably) reluctant to announce an official date.” But, um, the restaurant is “definitely on schedule to open soon, and is currently hiring staff.”

Update, 3 pm: A daring update to Eater’s report notes the owner now “expects to be open by Feb. 10.”

Take a Sneak Peek Inside Upcoming Spot Fish & The Knife [Eater Houston]
Previously on Swamplot:Â Phew! Fish and the Knife Is Back to Its Usual â€˜Opening Soonâ€™ Status,Â Is Fish and the Knife Cutting Bait?,Â Fish and Knife: Beached Sushi on Westheimer

Photo: Swamplot inbox

Sooner or Later

77063, Briarmeadow, Cancellations and Delays, New Construction, Openings and Closings, Restaurants

01/03/14 2:15pm

Is Fish and the Knife Cutting Bait?