brucesw Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Anybody know what the original club atop 3400 Montrose was? I vaguely remember Glenn McCarthy had several clubs in town and that was one of them, I thought the Cork Club but that has been identified as atop the Central National Bank Bldg. I know it was a gay club in the early 70s, the Palace or Plantation or something like that, Scott Gertner's, a jazz club, etc., but it dates to the 50s I believe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 i can't find much...i do know that mccarthy's cork club was at the central bank building (century building) starting in 1957, after he sold the shamrock to the hiltons (the cork club was there previously of course).edit - the 1955 city directory shows 3400 montrose only had insurance companies as tenants...and apparently the building went up in 1953... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Is 3400 Montrose the 10 or so story building next to Krogers?If so it used to be a jazz bar called Cody's back in the late 80's. I had some friends who played there (New Toys/Paul English) and we went to see them when we were playing in Houston.This was one of the coolest bars I've ever been in as the back drop of the stage was downtown. It was really spectacular. I remember that it also had two balconies outside, one was very large and held about 45 or 50 people while the other was quite small but quaint. Both had great views of Downtown.I also remember that you would ride an elevator from the ground to the top, and the elevators opened right into the club. It was kind of shocking.anyway if that's the place it was one cool club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 was cody's and now scott gertner's sky bar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 Is 3400 Montrose the 10 or so story building next to Krogers?If so it used to be a jazz bar called Cody's back in the late 80's. I had some friends who played there (New Toys/Paul English) and we went to see them when we were playing in Houston.This was one of the coolest bars I've ever been in as the back drop of the stage was downtown. It was really spectacular. I remember that it also had two balconies outside, one was very large and held about 45 or 50 people while the other was quite small but quaint. Both had great views of Downtown.I also remember that you would ride an elevator from the ground to the top, and the elevators opened right into the club. It was kind of shocking.anyway if that's the place it was one cool club.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Yes, that's the place. I had forgotten the name Cody's - it was that for a long time, I think, but something else was in there before that -- I thought it was Scott Gertner but I see that's what's there now. Maybe I have him mixed up with some other local entertainer.Yeah, very impressive place; not what you'd expect from the outside of the bldg. Nice view of the sunset, downtown. I'd forgotten that about the elevators, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 i can't find much...edit - the 1955 city directory shows 3400 montrose only had insurance companies as tenants...and apparently the building went up in 1953...<{POST_SNAPBACK}>How did you find when it was built? Is there a place to go to find information like that on buildings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 well, hcad.org says 1953, emporis.com says construction ended 1956...a little hit or miss sometimes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverrat Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Anybody know what the original club atop 3400 Montrose was? I vaguely remember Glenn McCarthy had several clubs in town and that was one of them, I thought the Cork Club but that has been identified as atop the Central National Bank Bldg.I know it was a gay club in the early 70s, the Palace or Plantation or something like that, Scott Gertner's, a jazz club, etc., but it dates to the 50s I believe.It might have been the Top of the Mark Club which was located on the top floor of a multi-story bank building (Montrose Bank?) in that area. If that is the place, I was there for a private Christmas party in 1963 given by the family that owned the newspaper that became the Houston Community Newspaper chain and again in 1966 for New Years. It was definately no gay club then. The Charlie Prouse Trio used to play there a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Local legand has it that someone fell/jumped/was pushed (fatally) from this bar sometime in the past (70s?).Can anyone confirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Local legand has it that someone fell/jumped/was pushed (fatally) from this bar sometime in the past (70s?).Can anyone confirm this?Can't confirm, but I have heard the same tale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icepickphil Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Went there when it was Cody's also in the 80s.What's in that space now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 It has gone hip-hop last time my wife and I tried to go there. About two years ago.We were the only whities there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artistpro Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 It has gone hip-hop last time my wife and I tried to go there. About two years ago.We were the only whities there.I sat in one night in November 1969 with Bill Ande's band..did Johnny B. GoodeCody's, Top of the Mark, The Pallace...that place sure has had a lot of names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 (edited) Anybody know what the original club atop 3400 Montrose was? I vaguely remember Glenn McCarthy had several clubs in town and that was one of them, I thought the Cork Club but that has been identified as atop the Central National Bank Bldg.I know it was a gay club in the early 70s, the Palace or Plantation or something like that, Scott Gertner's, a jazz club, etc., but it dates to the 50s I believe.Cody's where Scott Gertner, Kirk Whalum, and Paul English all played in the same band at the same time. We used to go pretty regularly to see them. They had a drummer named Herman something. Really nice guy, good drummer. Edited May 22, 2009 by EMME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I think at least one person went off the balcony at Cody's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 The Palace...that was the gay club. Yes, at least one guy went off the balcony in the 70s. I think my sister was there when it happened. It was a fight and he did not go voluntarily. I was young but I remember it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retama Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I used to go there in the 1980s when it was Cody's. Amanda Arnold used to sing there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I went up there the other night. Now, it's known as Scott Gertner's Sky Bar. I thought about this thread while I was there. Excellent views of downtown of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Is this it now?Scott Gertner's SkybarIf so it looks like a really nice place... definitely something I would like to check out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I used to do late night grocery shopping at the Kroger next door and the Sky Bar always seemed packed (okay, there was a line out the lobby door, but it might just have been because the elevators were slow...). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Cody's where Scott Gertner, Kirk Whalum, and Paul English all played in the same band at the same time. We used to go pretty regularly to see them. They had a drummer named Herman something. Really nice guy, good drummer.Actually his name was Herb Edwards and he was a great guy. We were pretty good friends back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Actually his name was Herb Edwards and he was a great guy. We were pretty good friends back then.It's been Skybar for quite some time now. I think it stopped being Cody's in the late 80's or early 90's. I knew the manager back then. Cody's had also opened a club in Galveston. It was where that giant trumpet or coronet sculpture is.As far as I know, they still have a happy hour buffet. It's really awesome to sit out on the roof balcony and watch the sun set and then the Transco beacon comes on. Back in the day, it was really cool to be up there during fireworks events. You could see DT, Hermann Park, Sharpstown, Clear Lake, etc. displays in the distance. I think Scott has another (sports) bar west of the Galleria.Also, if I remember correctly, Scott is a graduate of HSPVA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Actually his name was Herb Edwards and he was a great guy. We were pretty good friends back then.Did he go by Herman, because this guy was definitely Herman. Young (then) black (still) guy (assume still). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagnabbit Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 It's been Skybar for quite some time now. I think it stopped being Cody's in the late 80's or early 90's. I knew the manager back then. Cody's had also opened a club in Galveston. It was where that giant trumpet or coronet sculpture is.If I remember correctly, I think Cody's relocated from its Montrose office building to the newly renovated Rice Village in the early 90s, but has since closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Did he go by Herman, because this guy was definitely Herman. Young (then) black (still) guy (assume still).Not that I ever heard. It sounds like we're talking about the same guy. This guy was the drummer for Paul English, and later went on to play with the New Toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Not that I ever heard. It sounds like we're talking about the same guy. This guy was the drummer for Paul English, and later went on to play with the New Toys.One of us should be embarrassed for calling him the wrong name. I hope it's not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I used to do late night grocery shopping at the Kroger next door and the Sky Bar always seemed packed (okay, there was a line out the lobby door, but it might just have been because the elevators were slow...). Yeah, I think they only use one elevator and they only let 8 people inside at a time. rsb, you're correct. Scott went to HSPVA, and he also went to Johnston Middle School (GO GREYHOUNDS!). I'm a Johnston alum, 8th grade class of 2001. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historicmontrose Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Does anyone know the architect of record? Who built this? ANy old photos? Such a cool midcentury building with not a lot of info... It was home to some of the nicest bars/nightclubs in the city and has a lot of history that people don't appreciate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Can you elaborate? Which building is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Isn't that the building that formally housed Scott Gertners Skybar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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