Tag: Sponsored Posts

See this 3-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home at 8206 Glencrest St. in Glenbrook Valley? It’s Swamplot’s Sponsor of the Day. Thanks for the support!

If you love the style and expansiveness of 1950s-era Ranch homes — especially ones that have been updated in a sympathetic manner — you probably already know about Glenbrook Valley. It’s the only historic district in the city that features Midcentury Moderns. And if you’re interested in homes in Glenbrook Valley, you’ll want to know about this 1957 number, which sits on a 12,392-sq.-ft. corner lot in the neighborhood’s northern section.

The grounds have a full sprinkler system. There’s a 500-sq.-ft. artist’s studio (or playroom) above the 2-car garage — and 2 covered carport spaces in front of it. The exterior (except for parts of the garage structure) is faced with Roman brick, and features ironwork details.

Inside the 3,363-sq.-ft. home you’ll find terrazzo flooring in the entry, original mahogany paneling still gracing the den, and the redone kitchen pictured above. Here the original mod cabinetry and hardware have been refinished; and the countertops and appliances both shine in Stainless, set off by an extensive backsplash in Modwalls tile. Note also: the Rejuvenation light fixtures over the sink, the Jenn-Air refrigerator, the Fisher & Paykel gas cooktop and 2-drawer dishwasher.

There’s plenty more to look at: You’ll find additional pix on the property website, as well as more details. If you’d like to see the home for yourself, contact the listing agent indicated on the listing: Robert Searcy of Robert Searcy Properties.

Swamplot’s sponsors keep us going! Here’s how to become one.

Sponsoring Swamplot today: Houston’s own Central Bank. Thank you for the continuing support!

Central Bank has 4 (central) Houston branches available to meet your business or personal needs: in Midtown, the Heights, West Houston, and Post Oak Place.

Central Bank believes that change is essential to its success; the company actively pursues the latest in service, technology, and products. Central Bank aims to know its customers personally and to be their primary business and personal financial resource. The bank’s staff values relationships and strives to be available when you need them.

To learn more about how Central Bank can meet your banking needs, please call any of the following Senior Vice Presidents: Kenny Beard, at 832.485.2376; Bonnie Purvis, at 832.485.2354; Gary Noble, at 832.485.2366; or Ryan Tillman, at 832.485.2307. You can also find out more on the bank’s website.

Swamplot sponsors make this site possible. Find out here how to become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day. 

Today’s sponsor is ASCOT — also known as the Alcohol Servers Counsel of Texas. Thanks for supporting Swamplot!

If you work in a restaurant, or in any kind of food-service or food-prep operation, you’re probably already familiar with state requirements for training in food-handling safety. And if you work in a bar or for an alcohol distributor, you probably already know why it’s so important that everyone who has anything to do with selling, dispensing, or delivering any kind of alcoholic beverage complete state-certified training in alcohol safety.

Since 1988, ASCOT has been licensed by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to provide TABC-certified alcohol-server training programs. That makes ASCOT one of the oldest and most established food and beverage certification programs in the country — as well as Texas’s longest-running provider of training in this important field. And ASCOT has been a preferred source for training in food handling in Houston since 2004.

If you’re responsible for making sure new employees are trained promptly and well in these particular areas, you can be sure they’re getting the exact program they need — in the most helpful format possible — by sending them to ASCOT. ASCOT offers its training courses both in a classroom setting and online, in both English and Spanish.

Use the discount code ASCOT on the alcoholservers.com website and the online alcohol-server training course works out to just $9.89 per class. The food-handling class costs just $7.00 — no discount code is needed.

ASCOT’s server-training program is certified by the TABC, and its food-handler program is ANSI Accredited as meeting the ASTM E2659-09 standard. For more details, or to sign up, head over to the ASCOT website — alcoholservers.com — or call 713.922.1223.

Make it a great day: Become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day.

Swamplot is sponsored today by Loam Agronomics, proud purveyors of a new CSA program for Houston. Thanks for the support!

The veggies are more than sprouting: In less than 2 weeks, Loam Agronomics will start distributing its first weekly deliveries of fresh, locally grown vegetables. Orders have already begun! If you’ve been looking for a way to get a regularsupply of fresh-from-the-local-farm produce for your household, or if you like the idea of eating food that hasn’t been shipped thousands of miles, but is picked at peak ripeness nearby and available to you in 48 hours or less, then this program is for you. The first deliveries for Loam Agronomics’ brand-new CSA program beginMarch 23rd.

The crops (pictured above) are grown on a 40-acre portion of the company’s new 288-acre farm in Richmond (pictured at top). When you become a member of the Loam Agronomics CSA, you’re purchasing a weekly “share” of vegetablesfrom the company and supporting the production of local food in your community. (CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.)

Loam Agronomics is a project of the same people behind Edible Earth Resources, the local gardening firm that’s been transforming some high-profile urban lots in Houston into attractive edible gardens.

If you’ve got questions about the CSA program or the operation and standards of the farm, take a look at the answers to the FAQ posted on the Loam Agronomics website.

Loam Agronomics offers:

• Drop sites across Houston
• Pickups on Thursdays and Saturdays
• Signups available any time
• Cooking and storing tips
• Community events

. . . all for just $30 per week. You’ll want to sign up before the produce is all spoken for, though: Only 500 spots are available.

To join other families who’ve been signing up, just select a convenient drop site; fill out a member information profile; and choose a payment plan (4-, 12-, 26-, and 52-week plans are available, some with discounted rates). Do it all from this page on the Loam Agronomics website.

Swamplot sponsors get our readers’ attention. Find out here how to become one.

Our sponsor today on Swamplot is an innovative new addition to Houston’s East End you’ll want to know about. It’s called Headquarters. Thanks for the support!

Located at 3302 Canal St., Headquarters is a groundbreaking creative, collaborative office space located in a 35,000-sq.-ft. former warehouse in the heart of the East End, minutes away from Downtown and Midtown.

Flexible suite sizes at Headquarters can accommodate anywhere from 1 to 21 employees, and begin at $750 per month. The monthly rate includes fiber-optic internet, conference-room use, 24/7 access, and private parking. All Headquarters tenants have unlimited access to approximately 15,000-sq.-ft. of shared amenities that include a community kitchen; 5 conference rooms with flat-screen TVs; a game room with beer on tap, shuffleboard, ping pong, darts, and Pacman; and a 3,000-sq.-ft. interior courtyard. (A full-service coffee bar is also slated to set up shop in the front of the space.) Also: all of Headquarters is dog-friendly.

“There’s this huge misconception out there that co-working and creative workspace is only for tech startups,” says Peter Licata, a co-owner of the company that manages the space. “But in developing Headquarters, we intentionally created a brand and environment that should appeal to any small business in any sector that simply seeks more connectivity and flexibility in its work environment.”

For those who work independently, there’s an additional option: Launch at Headquarters will open later this month, where a designated desk can be rented for $450 per month, also including use of a dedicated conference room and all the additional Headquarters amenities.

Does Headquarters seem like it could be the right kind of workspace for you or your company — or a future dream job? Check out the Headquarters website for a whole lot more details, more dramatic photos of the spaces, and contact info.

Another great spot for your business: this one, on Swamplot! Contact us here to find out more about becoming a Sponsor of the Day.

Our sponsor today is Just Buyers Houston, representing buyers only in real estate transactions. Thanks for supporting Swamplot!

You may be surprised by Judy Thompson’s pick for the most difficult neighborhood to buy a home in right now: The Energy Corridor. Still. Really.

She writes: “For years the Energy Corridor (77079) has seen the lowest inventory of homes for sale, and it continues — even after the price of oil fell off a cliff in 2014. I can tell you from experience that any good house that is priced right sells immediately. A couple I recently worked with came back from an overseas post and were willing to spend $800K. They never found anything and renewed their lease at the apartment complex where they had temporary lodging. We were all surprised that the market was still so short of inventory out there.”

You can see Judy’s analysis of sales and days on the market for 21 Zip Codes through March 15th on the Just Buyers Houston website.

Another thing this chart tells us, she notes, is that “MLS area 9 is absolutely on fire.” MLS area 9 means the Heights, Timbergrove, Garden Oaks, and Oak Forest. Her recent data show twice as many sales there than in the second most popular area — Area 16. Judy doesn’t have anything for sale in any of these areas — she’s a buyer’s agent only.

Judy continues: “A puzzling days on market ranking was the Med Center (77025), which historically has been very popular. I suspect that the high number of days on the market for that neighborhood is skewed by new construction, which typically goes into MLS when the builder breaks ground and stays in MLS for months. I doubt if the area has suddenly become less popular.”

If you dig this kind of analysis of local sales data, take a look at the other charts updated regularly on the Just Buyers Houston website. And if you think you’d like to work with a real estate agent who thinks gathering this kind of information is important (she’s been doing it for years), get in touch with Judy Thompson (you’ll find her contact info on the Just Buyers Houston website as well).

Posts from Swamplot sponsors get attention. Find out how to become a Sponsor of the Day.

Our sponsor today is Oaks on Caroline, a new development offered for sale by Nan and Company Properties. Thanks for supporting Swamplot!

Located at 4820 Caroline St. in Houston’s bustling Museum District, Oaks on Caroline offers modern living spaces in a pedestrian-friendly, culture-filled environment.

This condo midrise offers 7 distinct options: one- and two-bedroom plans, each featuring luxury finishes, stainless-steel appliances, high ceilings, and stone countertops. The building was constructed with cast-in-place concrete and post-tensioned floors, allowing each unit a high degree of privacy. Floor-to-ceiling windows are equipped with low-e glass systems. Private balconies offer skyline views of the Museum District, Downtown, and the Medical Center.

For a quick tour of this property, watch the video above (or follow the link here). If you’re interested in finding out more, contact Nan and Company Properties at 713.980.0774 — or info@nanproperties.com.

To stay updated on the latest listings and announcements from Nan and Company, check out the company’s website — or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Show off your next development on Swamplot — sign up to be Sponsor of the Day.

Today’s sponsors are the Downtown District and Plan Downtown — this time introducing an intriguing new online platform (see screenshot above) for understanding how different people use Downtown. Thanks for supporting Swamplot!

How does one begin to understand how people experience a neighborhood or community? Ask questions — and trust that people will answer!

Plan Downtown is kicking off its public engagement phase with the launch of an interactive online tool that encourages anyone who visits Houston’s city center to give feedback about his or her experience. The digital survey, My Downtown, seeks to understand the lifestyle patterns of all types of people who visit the city. Designed by Boston- and Shanghai-based planning agency Sasaki, My Downtown leads users through guided mapping activities to understand key destinations (where people spend time in Downtown for nightlife, dining, arts, recreation, events and shopping) as well as transportation habits (where they park, walk, drive, take transit, and bike).

“The idea comes from the concepts of itineraries and personas,” Sasaki Associate Brad Barnett says. “What does ‘a day in the life’ in Downtown Houston look like?”

As the data is collected, the information will be used to map habits and patterns. Are there common corridors that need more infrastructure support? How do drivers and cyclists enter Downtown? Where do people spend their time? Which areas already see heavy use, and which are brimming with potential? What can Plan Downtown address to better support all these activities?

The Plan Downtown team isn’t just looking for a magic number of people to provide data; it’s hoping to get a range of responses from people who experience Downtown Houston in different ways. That includes current residents (whether they work Downtown or elsewhere), commuters who work Downtown, guests who visit often or occasionally for leisure activities, or out-of-town guests who attend professional conferences or sporting events.

How do you experience Downtown Houston? Tell the Plan Downtown team — by using My Downtown.

If you’re looking for an audience full of people engaged with the city, Swamplot is the place to find it. Find out here how to become a Sponsor of the Day.

Swamplot’s sponsor today is Loam Agronomics — the proud purveyor of a new CSA program for Houston. Thanks for the support!

The veggies are more than sprouting: In less than 2 weeks, Loam Agronomics will start distributing its first weekly deliveries of fresh, locally grown vegetables. Orders have already begun! If you’ve been looking for a way to get a regular supply of fresh-from-the-local-farm produce for your household, or if you like the idea of eating food that hasn’t been shipped thousands of miles, but is picked at peak ripeness nearby and available to you in 48 hours or less, then this program is for you. The first deliveries for Loam Agronomics’ brand-new CSA program begin March 23rd.

The crops (pictured above) are grown on a 40-acre portion of the company’s new 288-acre farm in Richmond (pictured above). When you become a member of the Loam Agronomics CSA, you’re purchasing a weekly “share” of vegetables from the company and supporting the production of local food in your community. (CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.)

Loam Agronomics is a project of the same people behind Edible Earth Resources, the local gardening firm that’s been transforming some high-profile urban lots in Houston into attractive edible gardens.

If you’ve got questions about the CSA program or the operation and standards of the farm, take a look at the answers to the FAQ posted on the Loam Agronomics website.

Loam Agronomics offers:

• Drop sites across Houston
• Pickups on Thursdays and Saturdays
• Signups available any time
• Cooking and storing tips
• Community events

. . . all for just $30 per week. You’ll want to sign up before the produce is all spoken for, though: Only 500 spots are available.

To join other families who’ve been signing up, just select a convenient drop site; fill out a member information profile; and choose a payment plan (4-, 12-, 26-, and 52-week plans are available, some with discounted rates). Do it all from this page on the Loam Agronomics website.

Got a great offer for Swamplot readers? Let them know about it by becoming a Swamplot sponsor!

Today’s sponsor is Houston’s own Central Bank. Thank you for the continuing support of Swamplot!

Central Bank has 4 (central) Houston branches available to meet your business or personal needs: in Midtown, the Heights, West Houston, and Post Oak Place.

Central Bank believes that change is essential to its success; the company actively pursues the latest in service, technology, and products. Central Bank aims to know its customers personally and to be their primary business and personal financial resource. The bank’s staff values relationships and strives to be available when you need them.

To learn more about how Central Bank can meet your banking needs, please call any of the following Senior Vice Presidents: Kenny Beard, at 832.485.2376; Bonnie Purvis, at 832.485.2354; Gary Noble, at 832.485.2366; or Ryan Tillman, at 832.485.2307. You can also find out more on the bank’s website.

Swamplot readers appreciate Swamplot sponsors! Find out how to become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day. 

Swamplot’s sponsor today is personal coach Cricket Buchler. Thanks for the support!

If you’re looking to make some changes in your life, or just searching for a creative spark for a jump-start, consider a 90-minute personal coaching session with coach Cricket Buchler. An experienced corporate trainer who has helped top executives, Hollywood celebrities, and employees in a range of industries address personal and professional development issues, Cricket also works one-on-one, guiding clients to explore and unlock possibilities and design plans to realize change, and coaching them through their journey toward an intentional life.

A coaching session can also be an inspiring gift for anyone who is looking to take the next step forward in life, work, or relationships, but feels a bit stuck as to what next steps might look like. You’ll find a sampling of testimonials from Cricket’s clients on her website, along with more information about coaching sessions.

If you want to get your message out to Swamplot’s large group of fans, become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day.

Our sponsor today is ASCOT — also known as the Alcohol Servers Counsel of Texas. Thanks for supporting Swamplot!

If you work in a restaurant, or in any kind of food-service or food-prep operation, you’re probably already familiar with state requirements for training in food-handling safety. And if you work in a bar or for an alcohol distributor, you probably already know why it’s so important that everyone who has anything to do with selling, dispensing, or delivering any kind of alcoholic beverage complete state-certified training in alcohol safety.

Since 1988, ASCOT has been licensed by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to provide TABC-certified alcohol-server training programs. That makes ASCOT one of the oldest and most established food and beverage certification programs in the country — as well as Texas’s longest-running provider of training in this important field. And ASCOT has been a preferred source for training in food handling in Houston since 2004.

If you’re responsible for making sure new employees are trained promptly and well in these particular areas, you can be sure they’re getting the exact program they need — in the most helpful format possible — by sending them to ASCOT. ASCOT offers its training courses both in a classroom setting and online, in both English and Spanish.

Use the discount code ASCOT on the alcoholservers.com website and the online alcohol-server training course works out to just $9.89 per class. The food-handling class costs just $7.00 — no discount code is needed.

ASCOT’s server-training program is certified by the TABC, and its food-handler program is ANSI Accredited as meeting the ASTM E2659-09 standard. For more details, or to sign up, head over to the ASCOT website — alcoholservers.com — or call 713.922.1223.

Join other great Houston businesses who are supporting Swamplot. Become a Sponsor of the Day.

Today’s sponsor, Nan and Company Properties, has a big announcement to make. (Thanks for supporting Swamplot!)

After a 3-year search, Christie’s International Real Estate has selected its exclusive Houston affiliate: Nan and Company Properties!

When Sotheby’s International Realty Inc. purchased Martha Turner Properties in 2014, the acquisition left Christie’s looking for a new Houston affiliate — for the first time in almost 2 decades. As fans of the city’s business-friendly economy and distinguished art scene, Christie’s waited years to make sure its next affiliate would align perfectly with its brand.

Led by CEO and President Nancy Almodovar, Nan and Company Properties has become an industry leader in serving the luxury market as well as foreign national clientele. As an economic powerhouse, Houston has more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other U.S. city (other than New York City, that is). A technology driven luxury market leader, Nan and Company Properties will represent the Christie’s brand in Greater Houston and Galveston, Texas.

Nan and Company Properties will be able to advertise its assortment of luxury listings on Christie’s international platform, magazine, and website, and in leading periodicals like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. The brokerage will also be able to join Christie’s in conferences and training alongside the company’s 135 other global affiliates.

“Our affiliation with Christie’s will further extend our reach globally and locally to best serve the Houston market,” Almodovar says. “Words cannot accurately express how excited I am for this new venture. My team and I have worked incredibly hard to get here.”

For a quick tour of the unique Tanglewood property pictured above, watch the video above or follow the link here. More information about it is available on the property website. If you’re interested in this home, contact Nan and Company Properties at 713.714.6454 — or info@nanproperties.com.

To stay updated on the latest listings and announcements from Nan and Company, check out the company’s website — or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

It’s your turn to become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day. Here’s how to sign up. 

Today’s sponsor is a Houston Midtown classic: the C.L. House Building, on the 3200 block of Milam St., just south of Elgin. Thanks for the support!

Built in 1928 as a neighborhood mercantile center by grocer and banker Charles L. House, this masonry-and-steel-frame structure originally housed the Montrose Grocery in its main downstairs space. Other tenants in spaces lining both Milam St. and Stuart St. included Butera’s Café, Puccio’s Champion Shoe Hospital, a corner drugstore, and a barber shop. Upstairs was a ballroom and a speakeasy.

This 14,400-sq.-ft. building is now available for redevelopment.

The location is unmatched — and with continued development in Midtown it keeps getting better: On adjacent blocks you’ll find 24 Hour Fitness, High Fashion Home, HCC, and the new Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH). 14 square blocks of new midrise multifamily development are within easy walking distance. The new Whole Foods Market residential development by the Morgan Group is going up 2 blocks away; just to the north on Travis St., the new Midtown Park has taken shape. Many of Houston’s finest restaurants are nearby — including Brennan’s, Artista, Holley’s, and Mai’s — not to mention the restaurant row along lower Westheimer that includes Uchi, L’Olivier, El Tiempo, Indika, Dolce Vita, Sorrento, and Aladdin.

There’s easy access to Downtown from here, as well as to the Texas Medical Center and Rice University via Spur 527, which begins just 6 blocks to the south. Prefer to ride the rail? The Ensemble/HCC stop on the Red Line is just 2 blocks away.

For showings and more information, please contact broker Douglas McAninch at (713) 247-0000. To see historic and recent photos of the property and gather more details about its history, take a look at this website.

Also now available: Swamplot sponsorships. Click here to find out how to become a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day.

Today Swamplot is brought to you by the Downtown District and Plan Downtown, a new effort to . . . well, just read on and you’ll learn. Thanks for the support!

What’s next Downtown? Once an underutilized, work-driven district that had seen its better days, Downtown has again become a thriving core of the Bayou City and the region. It’s buzzing with development of all kinds — new hotels, restaurant rows, luxury residential projects, and convenient public transportation options. But the city center didn’t get to where it is today by happenstance.

“Thirteen years have gone by since Downtown’s last comprehensive plan, and we’ve made tremendous progress since then,” says Bob Eury, Executive Director of the Houston Downtown Management District (aka the Downtown District). “Now it’s time for us to take a fresh look at what lies ahead and prepare for the future. Can Houston adapt to driverless cars, a sharing economy, collaborative work environments, and work-life integration? How can we better prepare Downtown Houston for the next few decades?”

With that in mind, the Downtown District has launched Plan Downtown, a 20-year vision plan that will outline recommendations for short-, middle-, and long-range planning, development, and design within and around Downtown. Downtown has established itself as a destination for working, living, and recreation, but Plan Downtown will recommend ways for it to continue to be a relevant and welcoming gathering place for all Houstonians.

Throughout the spring and early summer, the Plan Downtown project team will lead a series of leadership group meetings, planning stakeholder workshops, topical small-group discussions, and public workshops. In addition, the public will be invited to participate in planning efforts by website and text-based visioning exercises.

Mark your calendars for the first public meetings — they’re scheduled for April 12. You can find the time and location on the Plan Downtown website, at plandowntownhou.com.

How’s your marketing plan? Make it work smarter by becoming a Swamplot Sponsor of the Day.