A demolition permit has been filed for 2 Longbow Ln., a Buffalo Bayou-side 1956 Mid Century Modern home designed by Astrodome architects Wilson, Morris, Crain, & Anderson for renowned internist Dr. Mavis Kelsey, founder of the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.
Kelsey died at 101 in November of 2013. The home and 4 acre lot in Circle Bluff — a warren of streets with Robin Hood-themed names just outside the West Loop, east of Chimney Rock Rd., south of Memorial Dr. — went on the market in late May, and after a little under 2 months, sold for $6.9 million. The buyer is listed as David M. Weekley, chairman of David Weekley Homes.
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Habitat for Humanity is disassembling the house.
Aside from the Dome, the Brutalist-friendly now-defunct firm of Wilson, Morris, Crain, & Anderson were known locally for the downtown post office, Greenway Plaza’s demolished Central Presbyterian Church, and the former home of the Houston Post and future home of the Houston Chronicle.
- Previously on Swamplot:Â The Houston Chronicle Will Abandon Downtown for This Freeway-Side Post Brutalist Bunker; The End Comes for Central Presbyterian; For Sale: Downtown Post Office Box.
Photos: Ben Hill (driveway and courtyard); HAR (poolside and interiors)
What a shame but it seemed inevitable. Glad that Habitat for Humanity is at least able to salvage the home.
If HFH is disassembling the house, does that mean the materials will end up in one of their Restores? If so, any guess as to which one? I feel a shopping trip coming on.
Well, darn. Not surprised, but still. Looks like it is in good shape, too.
That’s not much of a house and I won’t miss it. However, it’s sad seeing that’s it’s an automatic tear down. In Houston anything with a flat floor has to have serious attention paid to it’s structural integrity! …what could they have been thinking?
The headline says Dr Seybold. The article says Dr Kelsey. I’m assuming Dr Kelsey is correct. That said, so sad this is going to be torn down so David Weekley crap can go up.
@Sally: Kelsey is correct. My brain slipped to the right when I wrote the headline. Thanks for the catch!
I went through one of those HFH demo’s. I’m sure it’s a good cause but in reality you and I are underwriting a lot of their work. In my opinion they way over estimated the value of the material salvaged and so granted the property owner a hefty tax break. In my case I think what should have been 15k worth of material was written as close to 50. No matter how bad it looks when removed it seemed like it was valued as new. It was anything but that.
Michael Bludworth, I took some of the photos you see above, and my dad worked on the house while at Crain Anderson Architects in the 1980s. They built it right the first time, because the house hadn’t moved at all as of 2007. This is…truly sad.
While this idiot is at it, he should buy a Jackson Pollock and have a Thomas Kinkade painted over it. This house is/was amazing. I’m offended to my core that people don’t see a house like this and think of it as art.
So sad…wonder what the builder’s plans are? Ben thanks for the pics! (it’s Ozzie from HAIF) have a Dr. appointment today off of Chimney Rock and San Felipe… think I’ll take a look see.
I’m sorry to see another wonderful mod bite the dust. I’m particularly frustrated to learn that Weekley homes will be replacing it with one of their Macmansions of indescribable architectural style. What a waste of a beautiful piece of property. It probably won’t matter what style it is to the owner. They’re usually just impressed with the amount of square footage.
This house never had a chance, it’s way too small for the lot and let’s face it, very few care for this style. I hope David Weekly doesn’t have his shitty builders work on this home for him. It will be hilarious if he hires out to build his own house–I know I would. This part of Memorial is beautiful, hopefully the new house will be as tasteful as this one. Yeah, I laughed too when I wrote that line.
Do people who commission three-story, 20,000 sq ft mansions with dozens of rooms think that they will remain young and rich forever, and will never have difficulty with using staircases, or run out of money to hire cleaning and maintenance staff? I guess they are not bothered with such proletarian concerns.
Oh yes! THANK YOU! We need faux stone and seedlings instead of this solid residence within a mature landscape. Have at it!
Michael Bludworth, what planet are you from? Obviously you have never actually seen or been in my uncle’s house. It was an outstanding house of great livability and coordinated perfectly into the lot. Your blaring ignorance should shame you into hiding. Don’t mouth off about that which you do not know.
WHAT is WRONG with people???? This house is gorgeous just the way it is. The LAST thing anyone needs is more David Weekly junk houses going up anywhere. Texas is filled with them. I cannot believe someone didn’t step in and save this property.
@Rodrigo: Elevators are cheap. I’m buying a 3 story house right now and I made sure it has an elevator. If I get too old to take care of the place I’ll sell.
it’s a beautiful house and a shame to lose it, but even I would admit it makes no sense to throw down $5MM for a plot of land just to retain a 60yr old 4k sq ft house on it that’s all but worthless. even rich people don’t have that kind of money to throw away. i’d imagine that’s why a developer was able to knock the price down so quickly.
Let’s see.. 174,200 sq ft lot, subtract 50K sqft for flat work, and you have room for 55- 60 POS units, all built by Weekly, costing $350K to built but selling for $750,000. This man is a genius !
@joel: By the same token, would you say the same thing about an 80 year old John Staub or Birdsall Briscoe house? If not, why not?
So sad…another characterless, poorly built McMansion to replace that classic, well-proportioned home.
This was a beautiful home.
It was built by a very wonderful person.
It was built for very wonderful people.
That is for certain.
Katie Koenig