Highrise Tower

I was browsing some Texas race track forums and someone mentioned: https://www.lonestarspeedzone.com/topic/26900-old-aerial-pics-of-race-tracks/page/2/ If you go to Playland Park and then pan north/northeast, you will see a little 1/10 mile oval track behind what appears to be a building and located to the east of South Main as it gradually turns. That was another test track and the one on another thread that describes Larry Schild and I testing our midgets. It became a Go-Kart track and was converted to Go-Kart racing as Quarter Midget Racing began to die in Houston. I think I remember the 1/10 mile oval track, as a Go-Kart Ride track in the 1960s. Didn't it belong to someone formerly involved in Quarter Midget Racing? Possibly a racer named Johnny? He would have been about your age, and possibly later operated a road course Go-Kart ride facility farther out South Main, past the South Loop Freeway. I went to Historicaerials and spanned South Main in the 1950s and 1960s and discovered a small oval race track located on South Main Street near Hiram Clarke Road. I assume this was what the poster in the Lonestarspeedzone thread was talking about? Also could have been horse stables as well? Very, very cool find!! Oddly enough, Google Earth could not locate this track, only Historicaerials. I guess they were different satellites. Well, it actually looks like Google's time frame is a bit different. The track was non existent, on Google, in 1953 and was disappearing in 1978. Image credit: https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer In 1978 the track was swallowed by an empty field. You can see part of the oval track still there. I believe that's also the McClendon Triple Drive-In Theater across Hiram Clarke located at 11991 South Main Street. That's massive!

I was looking at Meyer's Speedway on Google Earth and noticed an amazing discovery! There was another, smaller, track that pre-dates Meyer's Speedway! This was located across the street, on South Main Street and Dunlap Street. I assume this was a trial design track for the forthcoming Meyer's Speedway? Or maybe this was the original track, and since the speedway was such a popular hit they expanded up the road? In 1953 you can see the track on the left: In 1978 the track was grown-over with commercial development, and Meyer's Speedway appears across Hillcroft Street. The commercial development is the old Woolworth's Department Store (Safeway Grocery?) shopping center? I assume that is Butler Stadium across Meyer's Speedway? There was supposed to be a golf range/course next to Meyer's Speedway on Hillcroft & South Main. Maybe that came soon after? Image credit: https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer 1953: 1957: Looks like there were also two small tracks just outside the Meyer's Speedway. I assume these were test tracks, or maybe fun Go-Kart tracks? Or maybe even spectator seating?

I was looking at a few HAIF threads combined with looking on historical satellite images, and I found this obscure race track. In this 1944 image, you can see an oval track near the intersection of Main & Holcombe. The oval track is located off Old Main Street Road. This could be a horse riding stables as well. Or a small test track for other speedways in the area. There were several around. My research turned up this: https://www.lonestarspeedzone.com/topic/26900-old-aerial-pics-of-race-tracks/page/2/ If you go to Playland Park and then pan north/northeast, you will see a little 1/10 mile track behind what appears to be a building and located to the east of South Main as it gradually turns. That was another test track and the one on another thread that describes Larry Schild and I testing our midgets. It became a Go-Kart track and was converted to Go-Kart racing as Quarter Midget Racing began to die in Houston. In this image, you can see the 4 oval race tracks Left: Houston (Bellaire) Speedway Bottom: Unknown on OMSR Middle: Arrowhead Speedway Top: Unknown on OMSR

I was looking at a few HAIF threads combined with looking on historical satellite images, and I found this obscure race track. Looks like, in present-day, this is located at Kirby Drive & NRG Parkway. Makes me think this was having to deal with the Astrodome design/festivities. In the year 1944, you can see the race track was grown-over with grass. I'm thinking this was active in the 1920s. I wonder if this was a test track, or related, to the Arrowhead Speedway a few miles away. This could also be apart of a horse stables property. A horse riding track? I also didn't know that a portion of Old Main Street Road turned into Kirby Drive. I thought it was a Fannin Street swap? Arrowhead Speedway shown at the top of the image located on Old Spanish Trail near South Main Street. In this image, you can see the 4 oval race tracks: Left: Houston (Bellaire) Speedway Bottom: Unknown on OMSR Middle: Arrowhead Speedway Top: Unknown on OMSR

I was looking at a Historic Houston website and came across a cool speedway race track called Big H Motor Speedway that was active in the 1970s. Here's a few racing programs and ads. Track information: Size: 3/8 mile dirt track. Type: Stock, Modified, Midget. Operated: 1977 - 1995. World of Outlaws club preferred track. In 1992, the track was sold and the new owner decided a few years later to pour asphalt over it.

I found an event venue inside The Galleria Mall II that you may be thinking of. Diversions: https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/my-home-the-galleria/ The spectacular failure in Galleria 2 had been Diversions, a hangout for teenagers that featured sixteen bowling lanes, a small disco, a bar, a sandwich area, and electronic games. The predictable things happened: a little dope pushing, cut-rate prostitutes, a shabbier clientele than the Galleria bosses preferred. The mall managers were lucky that Diversions had begun its stay undercapitalized and could be legally evicted. For many months Diversions’ owners had failed to pay their minimum monthly rent ($11,111.72), merchants’ association fee ($402.17), HVAC ($2016.25), common area maintenance charge ($4203.06), and the repair bills for plumbing, broken tiles, rest room repairs, and on and on. When it vacated earlier in the year, Diversions had owed more than $340,000. https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1981/november/anatomy-of-a-super-mall/ The mall management’s most spectacular flop may have been Diversions, a Galleria II teenage hangout that featured 16 bowling lanes, a disco, electronic games, a bar and -on the side -dope and prostitutes. Things got a little shabby, but the mall was saved from contamination by another minor management miscalculation: Diversions had been allowed into the mall even though it was undercapitalized. It was booted in 1980, owing Hines more than $340,000. A Chron article has a photo, but the capture read 8 lanes. The above, states 16 lanes. Both of the time frames ad up though. 1980 and 1979.

I was browsing the newspaper The Bellaire Texan dated March 28, 1946 and came across a business ad for Ho-Li Garden Restaurant located at At 8299 South Main Street. This is pretty cool. I never heard of this place before! I wonder how it ranked against the other, extremely popular Chinese restaurants back in the same time period. You never hear about this place. Looks like the opening was recently, according the advertisement.

Demolition permit was pulled yesterday.

Mapcarta is correct. Cheers! Here is a screenshot from Google Earth. The hospital was located on present-day Anderson Road at Lance Circle. (I assume this is the hospital in the 1944 imagery. It sure does look like a hospital to me!) Love the 30 acres campus design. Reminds me of a turkey wishbone.

Keightley Hospital on Anderson Road (Mapping the old hospital, you would use 15210 Lance Circle to view.) Today I learned about the 1940s hospital in Almeda, Texas. I learned the owner and head doctor was Vivian Keightley who graduated college in Austin, TX. Here's a 1932 yearbook from Austin College called The Chromascope and Key. She was pretty. All the documentation I've read (newspaper articles, corporate registration, and web articles) indicates this hospital was located in Almeda, TX. I'm not sure if it's actually located on Almeda Road itself. A website called Mapcarta said the hospital was located off Almeda Road on Anderson Road. I'm not sure if that's accurate. I have found no writings indicating as such. I have read the hospital was one building, but the property was 30-acres big. The type of hospital was a mental health & substance addiction hospital. Similar that to the old Dr. Greenwood's Sanitarium located on South Main Street (actually located on Old Main Street Road?) The website Opencorporates indicates this as being registered on 7 August 1959 (over 63 years ago) but the hospital was built and active in the 1940s. Latest Events: 1959-08-07 - Addition of officer Vivian Keightley, agent. I found a Houston hospital map from the the 1940s. Here is a transcript of the text from the book. Keightley Hospital: Location: Almeda, Texas. Superintendent and Owner: Mrs. Vivian Keightley. General: This is a 50 bed nervous and mental hospital located approximately 1-1/2 miles from the Almeda Business District. this hospital is a privately owned by Mrs. Vivian Keightley on a site of 31-acres and is semi-fire-proof one story building erected in 1940. Approvals, Accreditation's, and Memberships: Keightley Hospital is registered with the American Hospital Association and has membership with the State Hospital Association It has no other accreditation's, approvals, or memberships. Medical Staff: Dr. Joel Hill and Dr. E.W. Appleby are the two psychiatrists most interested in the hospital and the majority of patients are under their care although a total of approximately 15 physicians from time to time have patients in the hospital. Facilities Available: As previously mentioned, there are 50-beds in the hospital, all in single rooms and these are available to any nervous and mental patient, however the majority of cases are mils and there is a tendency away from acceptance of chronic cases. There is careful selection of alcoholics and addicts but some are treated. There is available fever therapy and such therapy equipment but no laboratory, x-ray, or other diagnostic services are rendered. The hospital does not accept Negro patients. Use of Facilities: It could only be learned that there were approximately 9,125 patient days in 1945 which reflects 50% of occupancy and inasmuch is in March as there were 102 admissions, the average length of stay would approximate three months. Personal: There are three graduate nurses in addition to the owner and there is a total of seven personnel.

A permit was pulled yesterday for an apartment buildout on floor 12.

Looks like it could be the located next to the Regency House, 2701 Westheimer, or the Cabochon at 2828 Bammel. The site layout supports it, and I see a faint of blue on the ghosted building next to it. Lines up with the Cabochon?

Is this next to the Regency House? There was supposed to be a residential addition. I see a faint of blue in the ghosted building next to it.

TMC3 just wow!! Everything about this place is over the top. One Discovery Way: Unknown Street connecting to Envision Street: Two Discovery Way: Dynamic Street: Collaborative Building: Dynamic Street: A (new) section of Helix Park is now underway: Mixed-Use Garage:

Grass is coming a long nicely!!

Lots of progress around the site this week. They're going fast!!

One of the parcels was mowed this week. Looks much better!

I'm really looking forward to the new parking meter machines! Reconfiguring the surface lot also probably means they are rearranging for the new campus across the street?

Progress this week. I believe these will be way finding signs or new lights?

Something happening here? They've been rearranging for weeks.

I was browsing the newspaper The Bellaire Texan dated December 22, 1959 and noticed an article that contained the listing for Pickwick Apartments located at 6622 Ardmore Street. This is across the street from the present-day Levit Green development. Does anyone know more information about this multifamily apartment complex? When was it built? Who was the architect? Who was the developer? Any pictures of this building?

The Brochstein Gift. Rice University early this year received some extraordinarily good news. Susan and Raymond Brochstein announced their gift of 30 acres of land on South Main on which to build the Library Service Center (LSC.) A remote shelving facility for Fondren Library. The value of the land is such that this one of the most important gifts ever given to the university. The property donated by the Brochsteins is on South Main, a short distance south of the 610 Loop. It is no more than 15 minutes from campus.

I was looking at the Houston Public Library's Digital Archive and came across a 1930s/1940s photograph containing skaters at the Tim Shadowens Skating Rink. Caption is: Tim Shadowens was the son of Dr. Thomas Shadowens, noted African-American doctor in Houston during the 1930s and 1940s. I'm not exactly sure where this skating rink was located. Any help? I can see a basketball goal in the photograph. Sounds like this rink was located inside of a gym/overall sports arena?

I was browsing the newspaper Jewish Herald-Voice dated February 29, 1940 that had an article regarding a night out. Junior Hadassah News A regular monthly meeting of the Houston Chapter Junior Hadassah, was held on Tuesday, March 25, at the home of Miss Harriett Reingold, president. There was discussion on the Kiddie's Style Show, which will be held in the near future. A skating party has been planned for April 3rd, to be held at the Luckie's Roller Skating Rink, 1805 Main. Those interested in attending, please call Florence Reicheck, J. 2-7121. Admission is only 30 cents per couple.