Swamplot Archives by Tag: Redevelopment

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Comment of the Day: What Happens To Those Small, Stylin’ Inner-Loop Homes?

August 12, 2009 – 4:50 pm
   

“Gotta wonder how many of these homes will be standing a year from now. The danger in many in-loop neighborhoods is that one day you must face the fact that your home is a tear-down. I have a friend near Pershing Middle School in that situation. Plans on selling when the kids are grown, which is soon, but it makes every dollar for repairs and upkeep especially painful.” [finness, commenting on Small, Stylish, and Already Sold: Design-y Inner Loop Home Bargains You Missed]

4:50 pm | 8 Comments | Read more about Comments, Demolitions, Quicklink, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , ,
Thursday, July 9, 2009

Comment of the Day: Don’t Tear Down That Restaurant!

July 9, 2009 – 1:25 pm
   

“A restaurant is a pretty good highest and best use for land in the loop. Look at the projects involving buying a restaurant and knocking it down to build. Little Woodrow’s = Empty lot no activity. The State Grille = Empty lot no activity. Nit Noi in Rice Village = Empty lot no activity. Am i missing any?? . . . Did the Stables on S. Main become anything?” [JPSivco, commenting on Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye: Otto’s, Back from the Edge of the Market]

1:25 pm | 1 Comment | Read more about Cancellations and Delays, Comments, Quicklink, Redevelopment, Restaurants
Read more about: , , ,
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Roller Coaster on the Pier: Crunch Time for the Flagship Hotel

June 30, 2009 – 11:59 am

There may be a buyer for Galveston’s Flagship Hotel, reports Laura Elder in the Galveston County Daily News. The hotel suffered about $7 million in damage from Hurricane Ike last year. But Landry’s Restaurants, the current owner, has a fallback plan in case the sale doesn’t go through:

If the 225-room property at 25th Street and Seawall Boulevard doesn’t sell, Landry’s likely would demolish the hotel and develop a “pleasure pier” with amusement rides, officials say. . . .

Landry’s is pricing demolition for the hotel, built in 1965 as a show of confidence after Hurricane Carla, Jeff Cantwell, senior vice president for development, said.

Perched on a pier overlooking the Gulf, the Flagship fell into disrepair on its own after 1990, when The Flagship Hotel Ltd. took over management.

Landry’s paid the city $500,000 for the hotel in 2004, saying it planned to spend $15 million transforming the property into an entertainment plaza with amusement rides, including a roller coaster.

Landry’s attempted to move ahead, but was stymied by agreements that gave Daniel Yeh, head of The Flagship Hotel Ltd., control of the hotel until 2031.

Continue Reading This Story >

11:59 am | 15 Comments | Read more about Demolitions, Disaster Aftermath, Galveston, Hotels, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , , ,
Monday, June 29, 2009

The New Inner Loop Townhome Poster Child

June 29, 2009 – 12:39 pm
   

“Density hasn’t been kind to Cottage Grove, a small neighborhood with narrow streets, few sidewalks, poor drainage and scarce parking for the owners of its many new homes and their guests. Like many neighborhoods inside Loop 610, Cottage Grove in recent years has experienced a flurry of construction of large townhomes that loom over 80-year-old cottages next door. Two or three dwellings crowd sites where one house stood previously. Streets are cluttered with vehicles parked every which way. Water stands in the streets after heavy rains. ‘It was shocking to see this jewel of a neighborhood in this condition,’ said former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, a senior fellow with the nonprofit Urban Land Institute who toured Cottage Grove two years ago. ‘It was about the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, to be honest with you.’” [Houston Chronicle]

12:39 pm | 22 Comments | Read more about Development Regulations, Neighborhoods: Cottage Grove, Quicklink, Redevelopment, Townhomes
Read more about: , , , ,
Friday, May 15, 2009

The Perennial Redstone Post Oak Idea

May 15, 2009 – 9:12 am

Is this a view of a planned replacement for the Compass Bank building at 2200 Post Oak — a block north of the Galleria — that was imploded back in March? So claims Reverberation, a participant on the SkyscraperPage forum, who posted the image. Reverberation adds that the Redstone Companies is calling the project The Perennial, and that it’s “supposedly coming 2011.”

The 4-acre site is immediately north of the Centre at Post Oak shopping center. The street on the far left of the rendering appears to be Post Oak; that would put Guilford Ct. on the right. The project appears to include office, residential, and hotel components, along with at least one multi-story parking garage.

As a poster on HAIF points out, the domain name theperennial.com redirects to the Redstone Companies website. Records show the domain name has been registered to Redstone Companies since 2004. Redstone has not officially announced its plans for the website — or the site on Post Oak.

9:12 am | 3 Comments | Read more about Mixed Use, Neighborhoods: Galleria, Proposed Developments, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , ,
Monday, May 11, 2009

Comment of the Day: Little Houses Not Far from Prairie St.

May 11, 2009 – 7:26 pm
   

“I did get a chuckle out of the statement that the problem with the old houses was that they were 900 square feet and thus there was ‘nothing to do’ but tear them down. I actually think there’s quite a market for 900 square foot living spaces located right near downtown. When they are condos or apartments, they’re quite popular, and there are quite a few houses that size in the Heights that continue to sell - and not as teardowns. It’s an ideal, efficient living space for a single person or a couple, and the existence of smaller houses creates housing options - so the entry price in a neighborhood isn’t higher than many can afford - and thus you get a healthy mix of residents, from young professionals in the smaller houses to families in the larger ones. Having small houses in the mix is really good for an urban neighborhood; the idea that they all have to go is kind of crazy.” [John, commenting on Withering Townhouses of the First Ward]

7:26 pm | 9 Comments | Read more about Comments, Demolitions, Home Design, Neighborhoods: First Ward, Quicklink, Redevelopment, Renovations
Read more about: , , , , , ,
Thursday, May 7, 2009

Withering Townhouses of the First Ward

May 7, 2009 – 10:25 am

A First Ward resident wants the scoop on a nearby development that’s “really going to pasture” on the 1500 block of Bingham, just west of Houston Ave. and across from Brock Elementary.

It is a townhouse project that got started 1-2 years ago, was never finished, and is now becoming a huge eyesore (broken doors, windows, garage doors…they got as far as putting mesh siding but stopped short of actually getting the stucko on there).

I have lived in the first ward for about 2 years in a renovated bungalow. it makes me sick to see all these properties built on spec to make a quick buck that are becoming abandoned, and only after demolishing what was there in the first place.

A few more photos our reader sent in:

Continue Reading This Story >

10:25 am | 19 Comments | Read more about Construction Problems, Neighborhoods: First Ward, New Construction: Residential, Redevelopment, Townhomes
Read more about: , , , , ,
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Tracking the Disappearance of Antique Properties

April 28, 2009 – 10:32 am

Jerry and Wynonne Hart are scheduled to be sentenced today for “misapplication of fiduciary property” in the operation of their auction business at the Hart Galleries. In return for the couple’s guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of theft and money laundering.

11 News reporter Dave Fehling spoke to several former Hart Galleries customers:

The auction house thrived for years. The Harts enjoyed a sterling reputation among the rich and not so rich who all trusted the Harts to sell their valuables. But around 2003, something strange began happening . . .

. . . the Harts auctioned furniture and antiques for John Zielinski and his wife.

They were expecting to get $20,000.

“And I said, ‘where’s our money?’ And they said, ‘we’re having difficulty collecting some of the checks,’” said Zielinski.

The next thing Harts’ customers learned was that the couple was bankrupt.

Continue Reading This Story >

10:32 am | 5 Comments | Read more about Bankruptcies, Crime, Fraud, Furniture, Neighborhoods: Galleria, Neighborhoods: Upper Kirby, Redevelopment, Retail
Read more about: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Monday, April 20, 2009

Comment of the Day: Wilshire Village Payment Due

April 20, 2009 – 1:14 pm
   

“I forgot to mention that with regard to the loan Dilick took out to pay for taxes on the property four years ago, sources have reported that the bank set a deadline of early April 2009 for him to take steps toward paying back that loan. In demolishing the apartments and selling the land, Dilick would be able to pay back the loan and make a profit as well. . . . As to the comment, ‘This is private property. The owner should be able to do with it as he sees fit,’ the problem is that Jay Cohen, who inherited the property from his parents, still holds 80 percent ownership. Sadly, he was duped or forced by circumstance into signing over managing control to Dilick. . . .” [dredger, commenting on Comment of the Day: Grand Unified Wilshire Village Conspiracy Theory]

1:14 pm | 10 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Comments, Commercial Real Estate, Demolitions, Financing, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Quicklink, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , , ,
Friday, April 17, 2009

Comment of the Day: Grand Unified Wilshire Village Conspiracy Theory

April 17, 2009 – 11:51 pm
   

An “anonymous news reporter/non-resident” explains all the wacky goings-on at Wilshire Village — complete with a detailed timeline. Here’s an excerpt, but if you love real-estate soap operas, settle in with a snack and read the whole finger-pointing thing: “. . . The original owner, Jay H. Cohen, inherited the apartments and property from his parents, who had the apartments built in 1940. In November 2005, Matthew Dilick partnered with Cohen under a partnership called Alabama & Dunlavy, Ltd., taking out a loan to pay for taxes. Through this partnership, Dilick was able to obtain general partnership status to make management decisions, and his widely published plan all along has been to demolish the buildings and sell the land. Before the apartments could be demolished, they would have to be vacated. But the original owner Jay H. Cohen maintained majority ownership and wished to keep the buildings standing. Toward that goal, Cohen obtained two repair permits in January and February 2009 and set electricians to consistently making electrical repairs over the course of the next couple of months. . . . Questions: If the buildings were demolished and new condos were built, would the City of Houston stand to profit by the increased value of the land and therefore increased taxes? Was the City of Houston working in coordination with Alabama & Dunlavy, Ltd to cause the buildings to be vacated? Why were Cohen’s repair efforts disregarded by Alabama & Dunlavy, Ltd. and the City of Houston? Has everything been legit? . . .” [dredger, commenting on Wilshire Village Is Ready for Its Closeup]

11:51 pm | 20 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Comments, Demolitions, Historic Preservation, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Quicklink, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , ,

Wilshire Village Is Ready for Its Closeup

April 17, 2009 – 11:12 am

Note: Story updated below.

Over at Wilshire Village, all appears on track for one of those classic salvage-free start-over-the-weekend demos — the kind this town is famous for! A pre-demo sewer-disconnect permit for the apartments was pulled yesterday. And a Swamplot reader has sent in a photo report:

I saw that one of your commenters had noticed the Komatsu in the parking lot of Wilshire Village. It’s from Ambush Demolition, so that’s not a particularly good sign. There are numbers spray-painted on the sides of at least some of the buildings there and orange cable (and gas line?) markings on the sidewalks . . .

Will Wilshire Village’s actual demo permit be purchased sometime today? You’ll get a definitive answer . . . in next Monday’s Daily Demolition Report, right here on Swamplot!

Now, about that closeup:

Continue Reading This Story >

11:12 am | 19 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Construction Materials, Demolitions, Historic Preservation, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , ,
Thursday, April 16, 2009

Okay, How About the Wilshire Village Apartments for Salvage?

April 16, 2009 – 4:38 pm

The nonprofit Historic Houston Salvage Warehouse sure would like some of them nice materials that went into the Wilshire Village Apartments. But no dice:

“All efforts to contact owner have been a dead end,” founder Lynn Edmundson writes:

If anyone knows or can get in contact with the owners…my crew could start immediately!!!

Hey, that would be great — because there’s apparently a Komatsu excavator hanging out in the parking lot on Dunlavy, looking for some action.

More from Edmundson:

Continue Reading This Story >

4:38 pm | 6 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Construction Materials, Demolitions, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , ,

Wilshire Village Speculation: Demolish, then Flip?

April 16, 2009 – 11:11 am

The reader who provided this “tip” wouldn’t or couldn’t tell us where the information came from, so there’s no particular reason to take it seriously. But it raises a few interesting questions about the future of the 8-acre property at W. Alabama and Dunlavy that’s apparently soon to be the former site of the Wilshire Village apartments.

. . . So here it is:

The buzz in the air over the demolition of Wilshire Village is Mr. Dilick plans to try to sell the property soon after the demolition, word is he hasn’t the funding to develop this tract.

Photo: Swamplot inbox

11:11 am | 18 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Demolitions, Historic Preservation, Land Sales, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Real Estate Investing, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Monday, April 13, 2009

Owner Shocked, Shocked To Find Wilshire Village Apartments in Such Disrepair

April 13, 2009 – 10:46 am

The Wilshire Village Apartments at Alabama and Dunlavy have been surrounded with a chain link fence topped with barbed wire since Friday, reports a Swamplot reader. And over at the Chronicle, Nancy Sarnoff confirms that the now-vacant complex is “set to be demolished.”

Swamplot readers may especially enjoy parsing this passage:

In 2005, the owner announced plans to tear it down and possibly build an upscale tower in its place.

Matt Dilick, a commercial real estate developer who controls the partnership that owns Wilshire Village, said the demolition process will start “relatively soon.”

“The buildings are unsafe, and for numerous years prior groups have not kept the buildings maintained or the property up to city code,” he said. “The dilapidated buildings are an eyesore to the public and to the numerous homeowners and businesses in the area.”

Helpful hint: the “owner” who announced plans to tear down the complex way back in 2005 was . . . Matt Dilick.

Extra credit: Unwrap the sequence of events Sarnoff gently suggests in this passage:

Continue Reading This Story >

10:46 am | 20 Comments | Read more about Apartments, Bankruptcies, Demolitions, Neighborhood Disputes, Neighborhoods: Lancaster Place, Redevelopment
Read more about: , , , , , , , ,
Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Comment of the Day: Weingarten’s Black Eye

April 1, 2009 – 2:43 pm
   

“Maybe Mr. Alexander could solicit such basic needs tenants for the River Oaks Shopping Center; perhaps a local bakery and a quick-serve restaurant like the Black-Eyed Pea, for example? [Hellsing, commenting on And What About the River Oaks Shopping Center?]

2:43 pm | 14 Comments | Read more about Leasing, Neighborhoods: River Oaks, Quicklink, Redevelopment, Shopping Centers
Read more about: , , , , ,