What’s out there to tear into today? How about looking into these?:
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Tag: Demolitions
COMMENT OF THE DAY: TRUST THE WEBSITE “I live in a bungalow in cottage grove . . . since 2005. [7677 Homes] bought the house in 8/2006. We have paid our rent on time and have asked SEVERAL times even as short of time as 3 months ago (when I saw land being surveyed next door) if they had plans on doing something with our home. They reassured me no worries the market is bad and we would give you 90 days to 6 month notice before doing that. Told me how well we have always paid, yada yada yada, well guess what found out Saturday they have plans on demolishing the house, only after we had to pay 155.00 so we could have heat, we have a 4 yr old in the house. They gave us 30 days to move (verbally) . . . and ofered us “another†house for 200 more a month, and failed to tell me it is listed as being demolished as well. I really thought the men were nice when we met them, but to do this behind our backs when we asked them to please give us alot of notice. Sad thing is, it is Christmas, times are hard, and they have had our house on their website to demolish since September and we never knew it or else we could have had all this time to save money to move. . . .” [Susan Dugas, commenting on Daily Demolition Report: Truck Tired]
You know you want to see it: Yesterday’s “controlled demolition” of the hobbled 31-story Ocean Tower condo at the northern end of South Padre Island. Controlled Demolition’s dynamite work took down the tallest reinforced-concrete structure ever to be imploded.
A few more videos below. South Padre sure knows how to party!
Swamplot’s Daily Demolition Report lists buildings that received City of Houston demolition permits the previous weekday.
Yee-haw! Got a bunch o’ live ones this time!
Here’s a little drive-by tour with expert commentary on the lost and leaning Ocean Tower on South Padre Island, slated for implosion this Sunday at 9 a.m. The condo tower has supposed to have 31 levels, but accumulated many more stories: Construction was halted last year after one side of the building sunk more than 14 inches into the sand.
Three months after topping out the tower last spring, developer Antun Domit sent a letter to buyers noting that a problem of “differential settlement” had occurred:
Unfortunately, there is a layer or stratum of which the engineers tell us is “expandable clay”, meaning that it is a clay stratum that compresses [when] weight is placed upon it. Although our foundation is engineered to a depth above that stratum, the weight pressing on the stratum has caused sinking of the building on it.
But there’s a fix for that!
What’s going down around town? Here’s your handy guide to all the action:
COMMENT OF THE DAY: NOT SO DRY IN THE HOGAN-ALLNOCH DRY GOODS BUILDING “I looked at this building for a client last month and can tell you that it is in BAD shape. Despite what the court may have decided, Harris County has already accomplished ‘demolition by neglect’ on this building. It has MAJOR structural problems and pieces of the building are literally falling on the sidewalk below. The masonry wall is coming apart due to extreme settlement, failing lintels, and 80 years of water infiltration. The most amazing thing about this building was to see that most of the wood joists in the building have twisted and cracked as the floors have moved due to the settlement of the exterior walls. The only way to save the building would be to literally tear it down brick by brick and rebuild it one brick at a time. Additionally large portions of the heavy timber structure would have to be replaced due to the cracking but also due to water damage on the south facade. There is a Walter P. Moore report that confirms most of this. In the interests of public safety, (unfortunately) the wrecking ball is the only solution for this building.” [mt, commenting on Old Building Still Blocking 27 Cars from Parking Downtown]
These places? On second thought, scratch them.
What’s getting in the way of county commissioners extending the clear zone around Minute Maid Park with a much-needed 27-car county parking lot at the corner of Texas Ave. and Austin St.? Well, there was the owner of a Galena Park chemical business who shouted from the back of the room at yesterday’s commissioners court hearing that he wanted to buy the building sitting on that land — the 1923 Hogan-Allnoch Dry Goods Building at 1319 Texas Ave. — and turn it into a nutcracker factory or something. Plus, darn it, the building is getting less valuable as time goes by!
The building has gone to auction twice. In 2007, the minimum bid was set at its appraised value of $3.25 million. For a September auction, the appraised value was lowered to $1.98 million. There were no takers at either auction.
Lawrence Chapman of the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance said the most recent auction used an outdated 2008 appraisal and that a new appraisal would bring in an even lower price tag that could save the four-story building from demolition.
Art Storey, the county’s public infrastructure director, estimated the building would cost $150,000 to demolish, but as much as $5 million to restore.
And so the latest delay: Commissioners voted to circle the block for another 3 months — and get another appraisal in the meantime.
- Houston History is Spared for Now [KUHF, via Hair Balls]
- 1923 building gets reprieve [Houston Chronicle]
- Houston Spares Two Buildings For Now [Preservation Nation]
Only a couple of takedowns on today’s docket. Here they are:
Got some good, meaty buildings to chew through this time. Be right back with you! After devouring these:
Driving around North Montrose, a reader is surprised to find the Allen House Apartments still standing. Weren’t those units part of the Allen House that was demolished more than 2 years ago — so the land could rest for a bit while Regent Square tries to get some funding?
I am curious as to why 2 buildings of the erstwhile allen house were left untouched. Was Regent square never expected to cover these lots or is this allen house a new entity with no links to the GID Urban Development Group ? Are these going to be demolished in the future?
Swamplot’s Daily Demolition Report lists buildings that received City of Houston demolition permits the previous weekday.
Just a bit off the top, please. And don’t miss these spots:
Coming down in today’s snow: the Bellaire Fire Station at the corner of Jessamine and South Rice Blvd. The new station will go in at the same location — but at a much higher elevation:
The new station includes built-in flood protection, because the floor will rest at an elevation of 55 feet, five inches, which is one foot and one inch higher than the 100-year flood elevation.
During Monday’s council meeting, several council members raised concerns because the station design does not comply with the city’s residential building code. The station is considered a commercial building, so it is not required to meet the residential code.
Councilman Jim Avioli asked about why the station’s tower is 48 feet tall, which exceeds the size limit for residential construction.
