Tag Archives: demolition

Astroworld empty lot update

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we got word that the old Astroworld site, which has been empty since the last of the old rides were auctioned off in January of 2006, has a new owner – it had previously changed hands back in … Continue reading →

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Council may vote today to strengthen preservation ordinance

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we heard that Houston City Council was considering a change to the historic preservation ordinance that would actually prevent structures from being torn down or moved if the Houston Archeological and Historic Commission denied the request to do … Continue reading →

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Demolition Day

Posted on May 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready to say goodbye to a bunch of abandoned buildings. “Demolition Day,” which Mayor Annise Parker announced in her state of the city speech last month, is the culmination of months of effort by the Houston Police Department’s Neighborhood … Continue reading →

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Still trying to save the Dome

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff reports. A new page has sprung up on Facebook called Save the Astrodome. It was created by the Houstonian behind www.AmnesiaHouston.org, a Web site aimed at bringing attention to the city’s disappearing landmarks. The creator compares the Astrodome … Continue reading →

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The Texas Stadium geological survey

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

When Texas Stadium went boom, in addition to providing space for transit-oriented development, the explosion itself provided the opportunity to do a seismological study of the area. Dr. Jay Pulliam is a professor of geophysics at Baylor University and one … Continue reading →

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Bye-bye, Texas Stadium

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It went boom on Sunday morning. More than 38 years of football and entertainment memories came crashing down Sunday morning when 11-year-old Casey Rogers pushed the button that set off 2,715 pounds of dynamite, leveling Texas Stadium in less than … Continue reading →

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Weingarten’s whining

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, the folks at Weingarten are a wee bit sensitive about the negative reactions they’ve gotten since their plans to demolish the interior of the Alabama Theater became public knowledge. They’ve been keeping their PR people busy with a continued … Continue reading →

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Staples confirms it is not looking at the Alabama Theater

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot noted this last week when one of its readers sent an email to Staples, and now the company has written a letter to the Chron to confirm that they are not seeking to redevelop the Alabama Theater. Staples was … Continue reading →

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Whose job is it anyway?

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron editorial reviews the Weingarten/Alabama BookStop situation, and raises a pertinent issue: Most cities aggressively protect the handful of places that make them special. Houston doesn’t. We offer incentives to make stadium deals work for sports teams. Why not … Continue reading →

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No Staples for the Alabama Theater

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some news from Swamplot, from a commenter there named Andrea: “After writing to Staples PR this is their canned response: ‘While there has been speculation about Staples in connection with the historic Alabama Theater, we do not have a lease … Continue reading →

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Weingarten update

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot keeps digging to find out more about what’s going on with the Alabama Theater. Basically, though Weingarten is being weaselly about it (I know, I’m shocked too), it seems clear they are planning to demolish the interior of the … Continue reading →

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The Alabama Staples?

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot brings an update on the Alabama Theater, where the now-closed BookStop was. It looks like the former Alabama Theater — known since the early eighties as the Alabama Bookstop, and since last fall as that big vacant space for … Continue reading →

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At long last, the Ashby Highrise Lawsuit

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Ashby Highrise developers have filed suit against the city. The developers of the Ashby high-rise sued the city of Houston today seeking more than $40 million in compensation after repeated denials of their permit application. “The city must learn … Continue reading →

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University Line FEIS filed

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Again via Swamplot, here’s another Examiner story about the current state of light rail construction, in this case the University line. The light rail alignment for Metro’s University route will require the acquisition of about 23 acres of land, much … Continue reading →

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This implosion is brought to you by…

Posted on January 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Only in Dallas… Texas Stadium will come down this spring in a “Cheddar Explosion.” That’s the name that Kraft Foods has given to its promotional campaign for the implosion of the iconic structure. In its last act of 2009, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

County to move forward on mental health center for inmates

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This sounds good. Harris County officials agreed Tuesday to establish a “reintegration center” to reduce the revolving door of mentally ill and homeless prisoners who are a major factor in chronic overcrowding at the county jails. The discussion of the … Continue reading →

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So long, Savoy, soon (we hope)

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot brings an update about the impending, can’t-happen-soon-enough demolition of one of downtown’s great eyesores, the Savoy Hotel, as well as a doubly-puntastic headline. As that Hair Balls post notes, the Savoy has some historic significance, so under most circumstances … Continue reading →

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Eastwood art deco facade saved

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The art deco facade on the Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Co. on Harrisburg in Eastwood, which had been marked for demolition as part of the construction of the Harrisburg line, has been saved. From the inbox: Vice Mayor Pro Tem … Continue reading →

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Wilshire Village Apartments…gone

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hair Balls, Swamplot, and Robert Boyd document the final demise of the Wilshire Village Apartments. Boyd wonders what will replace them. I wonder how long the land will lie vacant, given how long some other lots have remained empty following … Continue reading →

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Metro and its art deco demolition debacle

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I saw this Swamplot report yesterday and I thought “Why, Metro, why? Why are you pissing off your supporters so?” This timely building at 4819 Harrisburg in Eastwood, built in 1935 for the Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Co., showed up … Continue reading →

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Wilshire Village’s going-away photos

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I ask for photos of the impending demolition of Wilshire Village Apartments, I get photos. And I echo Robert Boyd: I just hope the developer, who thus far has been shown to have no particular vision (or much human decency) … Continue reading →

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Will the Alabama Bookstop be spared the wrecking ball?

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A commenter at Swamplot, who claims to have inside information, has the following to say about the River Oaks Shopping Center and the Alabama Bookstop. 1. Barnes and Noble owns Bookstop. They are closing it to move to the new … Continue reading →

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Get ready to say good-bye to Wilshire Village

Posted on June 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot brings the sad but totally expected news. As noted in today’s Daily Demolition Report below, 20 structures of the Wilshire Village garden apartments at the corner of Alabama and Dunlavy received demolition permits yesterday. Aren’t there only 17 buildings … Continue reading →

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How about a little salvage?

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can accept that the Wilshire Village Apartments are going to be torn down. If they weren’t going to be maintained by their owner, these things do happen. What I think is an unforgivable sin is for all of the … Continue reading →

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What next for Wilshire Village?

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff runs an obituary for the Wilshire Village apartments, which are slated for demolition now that they have been officially declared a fire hazard. A historic Inner Loop apartment complex, once slated for a high-rise redevelopment, was shut down … Continue reading →

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Wilshire Village declared a fire hazard

Posted on February 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That happened on Thursday. More from Swamplot here and here. What a bizarre end to such an eccentric little development. I just hope that when the owners finally get to tear the place down, as they seem to want to … Continue reading →

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Wilshire Village Apartments

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Normally, another story about another old and rundown apartment complex in Houston being set for demolition isn’t that noteworthy, at least for me, but this Swamplot post about the Wilshire Village Apartments struck a chord with me because I used … Continue reading →

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