2723 Centenary
Concerned about neighbors’ reaction to the design of a new steel home on Centenary Street, a West U city official has warned other city leaders that the residence will “deviate greatly from the typical street view/appearance of the neighborhood.”
In an e-mail to City Manager Michael Ross, West U Public Works Director Chris Peifer implied concern about reaction to the residence, but added the city does not have codes and ordinances that “regulate personal taste.”
The e-mail in its entirety is as follows:
“Mr. Daniel, the current property owner of 2723 Centenary has submitted plans for construction of a new residence on his lot. The plans currently submitted are for, in essence, a steel building with a corrugated metal material cladding. It is basically rectangular in shape and will retain the exterior appearance of the cladding material. Our codes and ordinances do not regulate personal taste or esthetics and therefore; no prohibition exists on the construction of a residential structure using these materials,” Peifer said in his message to Ross. “As the street view of this structure will deviate greatly from the typical street view/appearance of the neighborhood I wanted to give you notification.”
Ross then notified city council members about the new home.
“FYI…Heads up. There are high value properties directly adjacent to this property that may take exception,” Ross said in his e-mail to city council.
The two-story steel framed house at 2723 Centenary will be rectangular in shape with a flat panel roof and metal panels on the exterior walls. The owner of the property is Jeffrey Daniel, who has owned the property since June of 2005, according to the Harris County Appraisal District. He submitted building plans to the city in mid-October.
Chief Building Official John Brown denied Daniel’s building plans on Oct. 31.
Brown said in his letter to Daniel that the plans were denied because “the engineer that designed the structural is not listed in the structural branch on the TBPE website as required by local code,” the carport did not meet the minimum size requirement of two spaces 10 ft. by 20 ft. and it was “difficult to get a clear picture of the front, sides and rear elevations with all the cut lines and arrows,” amongst other things.
Daniel re-submitted his plans, but Brown denied them again on Nov. 29.
Brown said in his denial letter that the property would need a “full soil testing report” because the type of foundation design required it and “all walls and ceilings shall be covered with a 5/8” type X drywall,” amongst other things.
Daniel applied for a variance from the Building and Standards Commission to allow for an alternate method to the requirement for 5/8” type X gypsum board on ceilings. Daniel wanted a variance to install a truss system that is more decorative to the interior of the house, according to BSC minutes on file with the City of West U.
The BSC approved the variance on Jan. 6 and Daniel agreed to install a fire sprinkler system that will be inspected by the fire marshal.
The building plans for the house were approved by the city and construction is currently underway.
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- Construction is currently underway on a steel framed house at 2723 Centenary.
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- The City of West U denied building plans for the home on Centenary Street twice before granting the building permit.
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- Building plans on file with the City of West U indicate that the two-story steel framed house at 2723 Centenary will be rectangular in shape with a flat panel roof and metal panels on the exterior walls.
Malone street all over again.
I believe you’re referring to “Marlowe St.”, and it’s not similar in any discernible way.
Yep, that’s what I meant. Yeah, it’s similar. The bldg. gets approved by the city and then people complain.
Um. Totally not the same.
Truly ridiculous. The city will buy and tear down a piece of property that is just a few feet off from their rulebook, but will allow the Centenary monstrosity to be built against neighbors’ pleas for help. Can’t wait to see what kind of neighbor THAT homeowner will be.
There is an interesting website, http://www.building-your-green-home.com, which may explain this type of construction. I personally prefer the bungalow next door.
ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL … West U does not have it.
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BTW: Where were the reactions (snopes) when the minus-personality brick box houses popped up in the 90′s … or the fake stucco houses with architectural embellishments same as their neighbor … or the houses with the unplaned windows … or the houses with the too-monsterous white columns seated on tiny squares of cement … or the houses whose design is repeated several times in the same block, with the only difference being very slight, etc., etc.
Comment: One day I stopped and asked a builder why he was building a house that looked the same as next door’s. He succinctly answer “because people continue to buy them.”
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Obviously, Mr. Daniel prefers to live in a healthy environment. And, in a house that doesn’t look like his next door neighbor’s. Bravo!
Thank you.
Ms. Pat Malone
So this design is inferior to all the shoddy stucco that’s all over WU?
Get a grip on 2011 and expand your design horizons!
What was once said about LIBERTY?
I’d welcome this design near my home as long as safety and construction codes are adherred to. Beats the rat infested falling down garages and sagged-out pier & beam dumps that REALLY lower values and TAX BASE.
It is long overdue for West U to have an Architecture Committee, like most planned communities have. This is not the first, nor last, monstrosity to be built in West U. Other communities also have rules about trashy lawns and unkempt properties – what is wrong with us?
This same issue arose in Southside Place nearly 10 years ago with the construction of the ultra modern house at 3784 Harper. There was a fair amount of fuss but now the house is rarely talked about. The home owner is a very nice person and great neighbor. People don’t like change but I promise you it will be ok!
T for T:
West U does have laws about trashy lawns and unkempt properties.
Maybe they just aren’t enforced well enough.
Mr. Daniel is using a renowned architect and building an interesting, contemporary, well built home. He is also one of the best and well liked neighbors in the area. His home will add interest to the street. There are countless poorly built, badly designed and terribly engineered homes up and down many of these streets. This is 2011, not 1930. Kudos to our forward thinking neighbor!
Right on!
The mayor wants to stop a resident from building a 200 foot wine cellar that no one could see, but we allow this huge box that doesn’t fit in the neighborhood, that neighbors can’t keep from seeing.
Go figure?
I think that in the not too distant past, there was either discussion about or an actual requirement that any remodeling work be designed by an architect. Ms. Malone: I remember joking with neighbors whenever work on a new house began about what it would look like. However, in the early days (1940s) the original houses were tract housing, similar in design, painted white and no basements.
Yes, Lucille, you are correct. The 1940 tract houses originated in the College Court Addition, AKA The Chimney area, and began at the south side of Law street (north side is Houston) and continued south to Bellaire Blvd. I think it east boundary stopped at Weslayan.
But, in the Monticell Addition, on the east side of Buffalo Spdwy. to Kirby, construction started in the 1920′s.
But, the up-side of this tidbit of WU history is that all these homes had a real back yard. I learned how many stars were in the sky in my back yard. On my Mother’s poker night, my Father would spread the “ole” patchwork quilt on the ground and my brother, father, and I would count the stars.
Thank you.
Ms. Pat Malone
I would climb on top of the detached garage in our backyard (3700 Block Tangley) via the gas meter and clothesline pole and look at the sky for hours. I only slipped and fell off once. I’ll bet half of the readers don’t know what a clothesline pole is.
West U needs more thoughtful structures like this one. As a property owner, you should want a house made up of carefully considered details over a builder’s box, regardless of “style.” Just because it is modern, does not mean it is ugly. Pick any street in West U, and anyone can point out multiple, hideous, McMansions that have been built in the past 20 years. Once upon a time, bungalows were cutting edge.
By the way, I and many of our neighbors attended the RDA home tour this weekend. Three of the six homes on the tour were located in West University Place. We should all be very proud that our city can showcase homes and home owners such as those represented on the tour. http://ricedesignalliance.org/2011/houses-of-import-2011-home-tour
West U is a very special place with very special residents. We need more not fewer houses that excite our imagination. Not all architects build winners. And perhaps, not all of our friends and neighbors would agree with houses built by Frank Geary, I.M. Pei or Frank Lloyd Wright. But we should not restrict those who wish to experiment with leading edge technology so long as it meets our general building, safety and health codes.
I don’t think that some people in West U are so stuck in the past that they dread the thought of a 21st century house being constructed in their neighborhood or that they don’t admire the genius of a Frank Geary, I.M. Pei or Frank Lloyd Wright. If the appearance of a new house will dramatically depart from that of the existing neighborhood and it is built on a large lot so that it doesn’t hog the street, I doubt that there would be any objection to it.
But at least when the value of your home decreases, so will your property tax!
Just not right, but that is the risk of living in West U.
We live in a diverse city and it is wonderful to see new and intruiguing homes being built. Some folks prefer red brick boxes, others prefer corrugated steel boxes.
Watch for the zoning changes which will pave the way for architectural changes. You may like them you may not.
Building and/or renovating taller with flood plane in mind, allowing for 3 or 3 1/2story with a smaller overall footprint could allow possibility of more green space between yards and encourage backyards. West University could have a new vision where it assimilates the quaintnance of Bungalows with the modern world. Envision a little Amsterdam. Taller/smaller footprint seems a better fit for West U. families rather than bigger/wider and wrestling with basements and converting attics.
As one who has admired West University for decades, this new home triggers the issue of combining deed restrictions to control home design and zoning. Innovation should not be stifled but it should not detract from the privacy and “quality of life” neighbors. Having lived in both zoned and deed restricted communities, zoned communities are preferable to protect residents from offensive businesses (e.g., automobile repair) inconsistent with residential quality of life. Does Texas law permit a zoned community to control architectural design? The scope of deed restrictions is tricky. Where do you draw the line on homeowner association control? The color of your front door, the type of flowers that can be planted each season, protecting privacy of neighbors, the direction of outdoor flood lights, more restrictive setbacks, etc.? There is also the issue of electing home owner representatives to control deed restrictions and coordination of various associations with elected officials and appointed officials enforcing zoning.
I have never been to Amsterdam, but I did work for someone from The Hague (with Shell) and took the man and his wife who had never been to Houston or Texas on a tour. The thing that impressed them most was our space and large cars. If someone wants a 3½ story house, they should consider Bellaire with lots so much larger than in West U. The concern about control or violation of Private Property Rights (PPR) seems to extend mainly to those who want to get the most out of their 60 x 120 foot lot and the builders, realtors and lobbyists who make it happen. There doesn’t seem to be much empathy for the neighbors literally living in the shadow of lot consuming structures. It is a shame that Governor Perry did not make the requirement for sprinkler systems mandatory in new homes. As the space between houses becomes less the ability to control a fire disappears. Allowing houses to be built taller won’t encourage backyards, just bigger houses.
It’s my understanding people want to get the most out of their lot and builders, Realtors and lobbyists have “Gone Wide” for square footage because going up is restricted. As older homes and bungalows with sweet yards are being torn down it’s hard to say goodbye to a part of history, and also goodbye to two key elements – proportion and balance; Elements which are major contributors to the beauty of West U.
West U. making requirements for sprinkler systems mandatory in new homes and/or making a requirement concerning proportion using a percentage of lot size makes some sense. With a smaller overall footprint proportional to lot size, taller (instead of wider) could create more green space between yards and encourage yards. It could allow for the possibility of more trees, more privacy in the long run, satisfy sq.ft. for those who want more and an added bonus – another flight of stairs for better heart health, great legs and buns of steel.
Speaking of steel, look again at the new house going up now. Imagine it 3 stories tall (instead of wide) with space between the neighboring homes. And with the last wall of metal siding in place, imagine that space filled with various tall trees and shrubs. The “harmony between” future home-builds in West U. is critical, no matter who the architect or builder or what the style; Proportion and balance are essential. It’s important our community creates solutions within it’s building codes that allow for diversity and innovation, yet maintains the proportion and balance that gives West U. it’s unique feel of spaciousness and harmony with nature.
West U Towne Center: You have your eye on the ball. Watch for introduction of 3 to 4 story garage…with underwriting by City. Basements were just the first step. Pick your new City Council carefully.
3 story garage is one solution to parking. Anyone ever heard of Mackinac Island? Maybe we can’t return to horse & buggy very easily, but Southside might be willing to participate with West U. encouraging golf carts and pedal & solar powered, smaller vehicles within boundaries of West U. (Maybe not possible for boundaries to be within 610 Loop but would be great somehow to be inclusive with Bellaire inside W. 610 loop, Bissonnet just south 59 North, Sunset east to the University, if not the medical center and 610 S. Loop to Reliant stadium or N. Braeswood Blvd. if the south boundary could exceed Gramercy to the YMCA and library or South Campus Fields. Why limit the vision if the boundaries could be broader and effect more people and create more parking inside the Loop.
cause it is never going to happen.
I really think Bob Kelly has lost his mind. Kelly suggests a “3 to 4 story garage…with underwriting by City.” Is he daffy? Kelly really has lost it.
I am not suggesting it. You missed the point of my statement. I opposed basements and am for strict zoning. The Town Center project will propose a 3 to 4 story garage which I will oppose if presented to the current Council. However it will not be proposed to the current Council, but instead the new Council. As I said, chose your the new Council carefully. Attend the candidate Forums and be sure who supports and who opposes 3 to 4 story garages. Zoning protects property rights. The move is change the zoning laws for town Center to allow 3 to 4 story garages.
When the proposed town center zoning changes were leaked to the press several months ago, I asked one of the town center committee members who worked on the proposed changes if they would allow a 3 to 4 story garage. The answer was yes and the drawings showed such. I hope you are correct that no Council would vote for those proposed changes, but times are changes. All I am saying is that these proposed zoning changes will be submitted to the new Council. As such, why not find out for yourself how the Council candidates would vote on such? Go back and read Towne Center’s comments above. He/she has sounded the alarm.
I do hope West U has at least one Town Hall meeting. Before the last major election, the candidates sat on the stage of the Community Building. A question was asked and each had their turn to answer. I think questions were written and submitted in advance which I don’t think is as fair as people just standing up and asking their question. Of course, some may have a question but prefer to not identify themselves. I thought I read where there will be a meeting at Kroger’s this week, but that limits attendance. Perhaps a get together at the ball park with residents and candidates just mingling would help all to know what each other wants for their town. Candidates could wear name tags. Forgive me, but I think a big parking garage across the street from the school is a mistake. I’ve never seen a multi-story garage that didn’t invite crime. Also, I can just see all those kids riding their skateboards, etc. down the ramps. What a nightmare. I wouldn’t have wanted one of my kids hanging out in a dark parking garage.
The Candidate Forum tomorrow night (Wed) at Krogers at 7 pm will have plenty of room in their area upstairs. People will be able ask all the questions they want. Hope many will attend. All the candidates should be there and it will be very telling if a candidate doesn’t show up.
Mayor Bob:
Will we get to see Mutt & Jeff do their routine again, like in the last Council Meeting?
Is it telling that you didn’t show up?
I don’t know which way this new home faces, but a high flat roof means no sun light for one of the neighboring
homeowner’s home — only in the middle of the summer –.
Our home has sunlight only in the middle of the summer. The home next door, South of us was built in 1988.
This 2-story (wide and deep) structure next door is 4922 sq. ft. on a 7,500 sq. ft. lot. Twenty-three years later, lack of consideration for whether neighbors lose sunlight due to the cast shadows of new construction isn’t new.
A true third floor height allowance in West U. building code rather than losing sunlight all day due to (wide and deep) new builds seems more aesthetic. Smaller but taller.