The Heights Information & Developments

[toadfroggy]

From Shade's dinner menu:

VEGETABLE PLATE

with Roma Tomato Cucumber Salad, Baby Arugula, Chicken-Fried Asparagus, Crispy Mushroom Wonton, Edamame-Corn Succotash and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

$14.50

OK, so that doesn't mean much, except that Rick is not without evidence. And I'll drink a latte, except I never sip.

[sheeats]

From Shade's dinner menu:

VEGETABLE PLATE

with Roma Tomato Cucumber Salad, Baby Arugula, Chicken-Fried Asparagus, Crispy Mushroom Wonton, Edamame-Corn Succotash and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

$14.50

Mmm...chicken-fried asparagus...........

[heights_yankee]

I remeber when The Heights smelled like patchouli oil and dirty birkenstocks.

my block still does. except for the house that smells like posole and the other 2 at the end that i imagine have a weird "old man" smell.

[Zippy]

I don't care for salad anyway.. Give me steak..

Maybe he's using the arugula reference because he's seen alot of these bumper stickers in 'da hood..

Edited August 26, 2008 by Zippy

[TJones]

I don't care for salad anyway.. Give me steak..

Maybe he's using the arugula reference because he's seen alot of these bumper stickers in 'da hood..

OMG ! I need one of THESE pronto !!!

[jgs1419]

In the Heights, we drink coffee to get a jump start from the night before. We eat salad because we spent the food money on beer and smokes. We like our Chronicle columnists medium rare.

jgs

"The Iceberg Theory," by Gerald Lochlin

all the food critics hate iceberg lettuce.

you'd think romaine was descended from

orpheus's laurel wreath.

you'd think raw spinach had all the nutritional

benefits attributed to it by popeye,

not to mention aesthetic subtleties worthy of

veriaine and debussy.

they'll even salivate over chopped red cabbage

just to disparage poor old mr. iceberg lettuce.

I guess the problem is

it's just too common for them.

it doesn't matter that it tastes good,

has a satisfying crunchy texture,

holds its freshness,

and has crevices for the dressing,

whereas the darker, leaner varieties

are often bitter, gritty, and flat.

it just isn't different enough, and

it's too g______ american.

of course a critic has to criticize:

a critic has to have something to say.

perhaps that's why literary critics

purport to find interesting

so much contemporary poetry

that just bores the s___ out of me.

at any rate, I really enjoy a salad

with plenty of chunky iceberg lettuce,

the more the merrier,

drenched in an italian or roquefort dressing.

and the poems I enjoy are those I don't have

to pretend that I'm enjoying.

Edited August 27, 2008 by jgs1419

[crunchtastic]

In the Heights, we drink coffee to get a jump start from the night before. We eat salad because we spent the food money on beer and smokes. We like our Chronicle columnists medium rare.

Indeed.

I think you may be my new favorite HAIFer.

[tmariar]

Was going to post some of these in this thread, but it might be nice to have a photos thread. (Yes, these are photos and addresses of pretty houses in the Heights that have been demolished - if you have photos and addresses of poorly-maintained Heights houses that have been demolished you want to post, please do.) Save the Bungalows estimates that a house a day is demolished in the Heights, one of the few remaining neighborhoods in Houston with a concentration of homes built in the 1890's-1920's.

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_7577.jpg

1808 Ashland

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_20997.jpg

2404 Rutland

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_21654.jpg

1612 Columbia

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_7180.jpg

1144 Alexander

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_1011.jpg

1128 Ashland

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_10145.jpg

647 Arlington

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/gallery/1219847961/gallery_2051_88_41037.jpg

518 W. 18th (per Swamplot)

[sevfiv]

Just a tiny chronological sample (the good, the bad, and the ugly):

1019 Usener (06/08):

404 Walton (06/08):

522 Allston (06/08):

933 Ashland (06/08):

1115 W 24th (06/08):

227 W 24th (06/08):

223 W 24th (06/08):

1129 W 17th (03/08):

1131 W 17th (03/08):

1139 W 17th (03/08):

516 W 26th (01/08):

1330 Nicholson (12/07):

1516 Alexander (12/07):

347 W 27th (might have been moved...11/07):

710 W 28th (11/07):

712 W 28th (11/07):

4310 Blossom (08/07):

5629 E 10 1/2 (06/07):

1246 Columbia (03/07):

[Dan the Man]

2404 Rutland is being demolished?

I drove by it last week, and it looks like they jacked it back up and placed new blocks under it...

[heights_yankee]

Was going to post some of these in this thread, but it might be nice to have a photos thread. (Yes, these are photos and addresses of pretty houses in the Heights that have been demolished - if you have photos and addresses of poorly-maintained Heights houses that have been demolished you want to post, please do.) Save the Bungalows estimates that a house a day is demolished in the Heights, one of the few remaining neighborhoods in Houston with a concentration of homes built in the 1890's-1920's.

1128 Ashland

518 W. 18th (per Swamplot)

wow- those are really beautiful, well kept houses. Tragic.

[Panhandle78]

to the untrained eye they may look like well kept houses heights yankee, but next time actually walk through one of these homes on the inside. thank you so much.

[sevfiv]

Of the houses I have been in that were up for demolition (too many to count) a lot were in decent shape and recently lived in. Others that weren't were not usually so bad that someone (with a little drive) couldn't fix 'em up.

[RedScare]

to the untrained eye they may look like well kept houses heights yankee, but next time actually walk through one of these homes on the inside. thank you so much.

That may be true for someone such as yourself, but many of us, including myself, sevfiv and heights yankee, who live in this type of home, have remodelled this type of home, have stomped all throughout this type of home, actually have a trained eye. It is not at all difficult for us to look at these homes and tell the amount of upkeep done to them.

Your welcome.

[sheeats]

to the untrained eye they may look like well kept houses heights yankee, but next time actually walk through one of these homes on the inside. thank you so much.

Do you honestly believe that the two houses that heights_yankee quoted above were in such terrible shape that they deserved to be demolished? That if the owners took the time, trouble and money to maintain the exteriors (beautifully, I might add), then they would totally neglect the interiors? I sincerely doubt it.

I'd love to hear a bit more about your "trained eye," because as far as I'm concerned you're either a troll who's completely full of it or a mouth-breathing, low-level employee at one of the many condo/townhome/new build companies in town, awkwardly and annoyingly attempting to defend your product.

Either way, your schtick is getting old if you don't have something to back it up with. Sack up.

[Panhandle78]

Edited August 31, 2008 by Panhandle78

[PapillionWyngs]

See - nothing to back it up with.

[tmariar]

2404 Rutland is being demolished? I drove by it last week, and it looks like they jacked it back up and placed new blocks under it...

Interesting - I'll have to go by and look. I included it based on this.

Trying to find more info, I found a CommunityWalk page for (Re)Vision: A Preservation of Houston

[heights_yankee]

to the untrained eye they may look like well kept houses heights yankee, but next time actually walk through one of these homes on the inside. thank you so much.

really? because i looked at over 50 houses in the heights before purchasing the one i now live in (which isn't nearly as cute on the outside as either of those). before the heights, i lived in a bungalow in montrose. i have many bungalow dwelling friends. i have most certainly seen the insides of more bungalows than you. i think you do, indeed, work for a builder and the only bungalows you see inside of are the ones your employer has already started to tear down. i also think you are an idiot.

[Panhandle78]

i do not work for a builder, and will never work for a builder. I live in Heights Proper and have strong opinions about people I watch conduct business within the HHA over the past few years. If you know the people and situations then you know why I feel the way I do. I dont care if you think im an idiot. Ive seen the homes you defend....laughable....

i put my money where my mouth is..do you?

[RedScare]

I live in Heights Proper and have strong opinions about people I watch conduct business within the HHA over the past few years.

HHA and the housing stock are 2 WAY different entities. If I understand what you are suggesting about HHA operatives correctly, we probably very much agree. I was merely pointing out that the old housing stock is much more durable than you seem to be giving it credit.

[Krol]

Below are photos of the 12 houses targeted for demolition or relocation in the new Houston Heights Historic District East since the district came under the city's ordinance last November. All of these have had people living in them. A few were rental propeties. Relocation is becoming the preferred method of bungalow cleansing. The impact on the neighborhood is the same as demolition because the neighborhood loses the structure.

I have never thought about posting photos of the houses that are in danger. Knowing which houses are targeted is one benefit of the city's very weak ordinance. Perhaps someone will see one that they want to try to buy.

1816 Arlington. Was moved out of city.

1228 Arlington Up on rails to be moved.

1333 Heights Blvd. Harry James plans to demo.

1415 Arlington In 90-day wait for demolition. Owned by Allegro Builders.

1418 Columbia Expected to be bulldozed. Partners in Building is the owner.

1420 Harvard Was moved by 5th Ward CDC. Allegro Builders is the owner.

1424 Harvard Bulldozed by Whitestone Builders.

1511 Arlington Application was for demolition

1419 Arlington Bulldozer is on site waiting.

1635 Arlington Moved by Bungalow Revival to lot on Nicholson. Whitestone Builders owns the now empty lot.

1840 Arlington Owner lives in large house next door...plans to bulldoze to have a bigger yard. All the floors have been redone as has the kitchen which boasts stainless steel appliances, custom cabinets. There's a deck in back. The owner says she couldn't sell it. A for lease sign was up as a couple of weeks ago. The house is in the 90-day waiting period required before demolition in a historic district.

301 E 16th St. To be moved, who knows where, by Historic Houston. The owner has ignored neighborhood requests to leave it where it is.

Edited September 1, 2008 by Krol

[20thStDad]

I just want to say that ALL the houses pictured in this thread look just fine to me. Obviously I haven't seen the inside, but based on curb appeal I would never consider them tear downs. When I say tear-down I am thinking of something much, much worse, so I hope I haven't made anyone think I would knock any of these down based on my previous posts. Getting rid of these houses is bad for our neighborhood. No doubt.

[heights_yankee]

i do not work for a builder, and will never work for a builder. I live in Heights Proper and have strong opinions about people I watch conduct business within the HHA over the past few years. If you know the people and situations then you know why I feel the way I do. I dont care if you think im an idiot. Ive seen the homes you defend....laughable....

i put my money where my mouth is..do you?

yeah, i do. i live in a bungalow.

krol- thanks for the great pics and information to go with them.

i know a couple on bayland who bulldozed a bungalow next door and the lot is just vacant. they don't know what they are going to do with it but they just wanted to own it for profit later.

Edited September 1, 2008 by heights_yankee

[jmancuso]

and people wonder why houston has no soul.

[tanith27]

i know a couple on bayland who bulldozed a bungalow next door and the lot is just vacant. they don't know what they are going to do with it but they just wanted to own it for profit later.

Is this that empty lot on the north side of Bayland next to the wooden home that seems more like it should be in the mountains of Colorado? Maybe 800 block or so? That lot has been empty for years....I've often wondered why nothing has been done with it.

[Porchman]

Was going to post some of these in this thread, but it might be nice to have a photos thread. (Yes, these are photos and addresses of pretty houses in the Heights that have been demolished - if you have photos and addresses of poorly-maintained Heights houses that have been demolished you want to post, please do.) Save the Bungalows estimates that a house a day is demolished in the Heights, one of the few remaining neighborhoods in Houston with a concentration of homes built in the 1890's-1920's.

518 W. 18th (per Swamplot)

518 W 18th was actually moved to lower Garden Oaks. I saw it being moved in late July, and met the guy who planned on rehabbing it. He said he was re-doing a number of older homes that he had transplanted to somewhere around Judiway, I think. I've been wanting to go check out what he's doing.

He was particularly excited to be working on this house.

Below are photos of the 12 houses targeted for demolition or relocation in the new Houston Heights Historic District East since the district came under the city's ordinance last November. All of these have had people living in them. A few were rental propeties. Relocation is becoming the preferred method of bungalow cleansing. The impact on the neighborhood is the same as demolition because the neighborhood loses the structure.

I have never thought about posting photos of the houses that are in danger. Knowing which houses are targeted is one benefit of the city's very weak ordinance. Perhaps someone will see one that they want to try to buy.

1635 Arlington Moved by Bungalow Revival to lot on Nicholson. Whitestone Builders owns the now empty lot.

On the 1400 block of Herkimer, actually. (Not just to be picky, but so if anybody wishes to go look at it). Bungalow Revival is doing two other rehabs on that block, as well. These are just east of some of their earlier projects.

[sunsets]

Is this that empty lot on the north side of Bayland next to the wooden home that seems more like it should be in the mountains of Colorado? Maybe 800 block or so?

900 block, and last year for a while there was a sign up for a spec build on that site. A Frank Lloyd Wright style looking thing, according to the drawings. Obviously it never got built. While it definitely would have been out of place, I'll admit to being intrigued by it.

[Krol]

518 W 18th was actually moved to lower Garden Oaks. I saw it being moved in late July, and met the guy who planned on rehabbing it. He said he was re-doing a number of older homes that he had transplanted to somewhere around Judiway, I think. I've been wanting to go check out what he's doing.

He was particularly excited to be working on this house.

On the 1400 block of Herkimer, actually. (Not just to be picky, but so if anybody wishes to go look at it). Bungalow Revival is doing two other rehabs on that block, as well. These are just east of some of their earlier projects.

Thanks for the correction on the Herkimer location. I drove by on Saturday...thought I was on Nicholson. It does look very nice...just wish it could have stayed where it was contributing to the historic district inventory.

[heights_yankee]

Is this that empty lot on the north side of Bayland next to the wooden home that seems more like it should be in the mountains of Colorado? Maybe 800 block or so? That lot has been empty for years....I've often wondered why nothing has been done with it.

actually, there was a house there until less than 2 years ago. when the for sale sign went up, i asked the woman in the log cabin about the prospect of getting new neighbors and she said they were going to buy the house. i asked if they were going to rehab to live in and she said probably not, that they might expand their house of use it as a yard or develop and sell...