WITH ACTORS AND COMPANY GONE, THE ALLEY THEATRE CATCHES FIRE 
Fire broke out late this morning at the Alley Theatre at 615 Texas Ave. fronting Jones Plaza downtown. The acting ensemble is performing at UH this season, to allow workers to complete a $46.5 million renovation of the brutalist concrete building and its parking-lot-tower appendages. Fire department officials are reporting that construction workers spotted smoke streaming from the building’s duct work, apparently from an electrical fire. Shortly before the fire started, construction photos of the roof being opened up above the main theater space were posted to the organization’s Facebook page [Click2Houston; Alley Theatre] Photo: Emma Q
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I really hope this isn’t as bad as it looks. This is always a fear when builds are renovated, someone’s head will roll. This building is so iconic to Houston; like it or loath it, it makes a statement. I’m sure this will lengthen the restoration, let’s hope the structure wasn’t compromised.
At one time, this might have been distressing and depressing but then I thought of all the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan. All of the sudden, I realized that it wouldn’t have mattered had the Alley burned to the ground because you have to put everything in that perspective.
Perhaps at one time I would have worried about this but then I thought of all the troops in Afghanistan that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Thanks to Shannon, I view everything in that perspective and whether or not the Alley survives seems all too trivial.
Dude, give it a rest, this is awful about the Alley, leave your adolescent spat with Shannon at the door. If you have a comment about the Alley, great, but if you just want to immaturely chase some commenter all over Swamplot making some point that’s already been made, then stop, you look foolish.
So giddy about my own comment that I posted it twice.
So just out of curiosity, where were all the ‘Brutalist’ supporters when the HL&P substation went down over near Pease and Jefferson back in 98′? Hmmmm?
Seems to me our fair City will have demoed a LOT of significant architectural references from the Mid-Century Era before it is too late to say; oops! Maybe we got in WRONG? YEA developers and no zoning!
@ Jackson = Shannon. Yawn……..
Perhaps at one time I would have worried about this but then I thought of all the children who were butchered with machetes in Rwanda. Thanks to Xtxn, I view everything in that perspective and whether or not some foreign soldiers survived their invasion seems all too trivial.
Wow I thought the Alley was something like 99.8% concrete and thereby incombustible. I guess there were some other materials stuck in there during the big pour.