D

Mid-Century David Braden Home On OOCCL Fall Tour

David Braden, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, was one of a whole generation of gifted architects in Dallas during the middle part of the last century, gifted enough so that George Dahl chose his firm into which to merge his own when he was ready to step back from running his own firm.  Although much of Braden’s work has been non-residential, you will have the opportunity to tour Braden’s very own house during this year’s Old Oak Cliff Conservation League Fall Home Tour, October 10 and 11.  It is said that the cantilevered deck was one of the first in Dallas–caught on pretty well, I’d say.

Casa View Oaks

I’m back–temporarily–to help Candy out as she takes care of family business.

I’m always amazed at how many tucked-away neighborhoods there are in Dallas that I’ve never heard of.  With really good architecture.

Just drove over to an area that I guess might be called Casa View Oaks, in an area of east Dallas that can only appreciate, near Ferguson and Oates.  There’s quite a pocket of Cliff May-designed houses over there that are crying out for young families to come on in, buy a house for next to nothing, do some restoration work, and end up with affordable architectural significance.

Cliff May, who is sometimes referred to as the Father of the California Ranch House, practiced throughout the mid century (20th, right).  His houses were notable for their close connection between interior and exterior spaces, which tends not to be the case with the ranch houses we all grew up in.  The houses over in Casa View Oaks clearly have it.  One current listing, 2651 Andrea Lane, is on the market for $146,000 and has been a hot topic over at livemodern.com.   Take a look at the photos.

Man May Be Shooting Cats on Amherst

A reader writes:

“I live on the border on UP and HP, there is a restaurant on Lovers called Mangos.  For about a year now I go there every night to feed some wild cats that live in the alley.  Over the last few months I have noticed some of the cats (some old and some kittens) and been walking funny and injured, tonight I met some woman out there who also stops by to feed them and was told that one of the guy who lives in the houses that backs up to the restaurant has been shooting the cats because he sees them as a nuisance.  The woman have already contacted the police and so on but I was hoping to get some exposure for this situation.  I don’t know if you are an animal lover like I am but even if you are not no animal deserves to get shot just for trying to survive.  I was hoping you would have some advice on how I can get the word out on this guy.”

I am an ENORMOUS animal lover, three dogs and a parrot, have had as many as five dogs, but am sadly allergic to cats.  Still, I am speechless with horror. I am in Santa Fe, New Mexico, practically a bedroom community of Dallas, where I toured the new New Mexico History Museum and was taken back by the recorded stories of atrocity  –  like one of the first Spanish explorers, Juan de Onate, circa early 1500’s, who to quell a Pueblo uprising, battled and captured  natives as slaves and ordered that the left foot of every man over the age of 25 be chopped off.

I’m told a statue of him, north of Santa Fe on Highway 68 in Esplanola,  was recently dessicrated – the foot was amputated.

No wonder our dirt just cries sometimes from all the pain that it has witnessed.  On Amherst, no less.

Texas Governor’s Mansion Will Use Federal Stim Funds To Rebuild

I’m not a huge Rick Perry fan, but I give him a tip of the hard hat for this move. The Associated Press reported that $11 million in federal stimulus funds will be heading to Austin to pay for the rebuilding of the Texas Governor’s Mansion, which burned when an arsonist set fire to it last summer. State funds may kick in, too, but I just love the thought that we are “spreading the wealth” and allowing the collective nation a shot at fixing up a bit of Texas history. Wonder what Dallas designer products will be heading to Austin?

Highland Park Village Sale: What’s Coming, What’s Going?

At a private celebratory party last night, Ray Washburne was crowned the King of Highland Park Village at his Mi Cocina’s, the second floor so crowded a June Bug couldn’t fit in. HPV passes from one illustriou$ family to another. Breathe a sigh of relief: Ray Washburne tells the DMN that HPV is in good hands with its new owners, all locals who care deeply about the historical shopping center. Vince is coming — no word on rumors that Apple and Lela Rose or other new vendors will be nipping close behind. Stay tuned.

Stanley Marcus Home May Become Dallas Landmark House, Get Bigger

As reported on Unfair Park this morning, Preservation Dallas’ Landmark Commission Designation Committee is heading to the late Stanley Marcus home at 10 Nonesuch Place, the home now owned by the Lovvorn family. Not only will the Committee figure out if 10 Nonesuch should be a Landmark House, they are going to figure out how and where the owners can add on to the 9,000 square foot structure. You may recall the Lovvorns debated scraping the home last summer, but decided to save it. The purpose of tonight’s meeting is, as reported, a site visit so the Commission can see what they have — inspect which parts of the house are historic and cannot be touched, which parts are, well, not significant so that the Lovvorns can go to town remodelling those areas. PD’s Katherine Seale did tell me the Lovvorns are planning an extensive addition, and what she has seen thus far looks great. The whole point, which she thinks the homeowners realized last summer, is there is flexibility in owning an historic home. It’s not like you have to call the “Preservation Nazi’s” every time you want to paint a wall.

Ice Storm

It’s almost time to leave the house, darn it — had such a great time lolling about, getting spooked by the sound of ice chunks sliding down the roof. Question: are you more productive in a condo? That was one of my thoughts this morning — and last night — as I battened down the hatches, made sure the pool was on freeze guard, the outside shower turned off, the garage door sealed, the porch plants covered, the heater on in the plastic greenhouse (oh forgot that one), dogs peed and ice wiped from paws, all doors shut and mental note to have insulation re-done on back door to patio — the seal is like a cold air sieve. Ironically, my ice maker is broken: no margaritas. So here I sit at home, tootling on the computer, drinking coffee, petting the dogs, and I think how much more productive I’d be if I lived in a condo closer to everything. A place where you could just walk — or slide — to work. I think this because we went to the Tate Lecture Series last night and I am concerned over my geographical footprint which must be the size of Bigfoot. After listening attentively to Chris Jordan and admiring his work, I wanted to grab the mike and ask him if we shouldn’t just all give it up. I mean, the only way for us to stop contaminating this world is to stop virtually everything we do, especially living as the way we know it. No more wood floors in our homes — let’s go back to living in caves. No long distance travel, just stay in the tribe. Let de-throned financial types hunt for food (eating only what is in a ten mile radius, though I suppose with accelerated fitness they could dig up Arlington zucchinis). Shut down Whole Foods. Quit trucking in those berries from Mexico, even though they are loaded with anti-oxidants! As for the owners of 10,000 square foot houses, you might as well Photoshop Bigfoot, enlarge and stretch him out over five acres. 

Thoughts? �

Need A Painting Contractor?

Times are tough. The stock market is going deeper than the toilet. So maybe we need a painter without the frills? My favorite part about this contractor is the hand-painted line: “If You’re Piky Please Dont Call”

(Thanks to Ebby Southlake Realtor Patti Moore for sending me the photo).

Sons of Hermann Home

The Sons of Hermann Home (or Hall) has been continuously operated by the (yes!) Sons of Hermann at this location since the building was completed in 1911.  It is a real Deep Ellum institution and a fascinating structure: a cozy bar downstairs, a remarkable ballroom upstairs, and, until recently, its own bowling alley.

If you’ve never been there, here’s an excellent opportunity: Saturday night the Sons will host a benefit for a new organization, the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation.  For a few bucks you can take a little tour of the building and hear Claire Lynch and Jim Hurst.  Not a bad deal and the proceeds help keep music in the schools.

802 Salmon on the Home Stretch

On Thursday night, Preservation Dallas is hosting a preview of 802 Salmon, which, when I was over there this morning, was a veritable vortex of activity.  802 Salmon, you’ll recall, is intended as a model project: how to take a modest but historical (1926) bungalow and rehab it in a way that is both energy- and cost-efficient.  And looks fabulous as well.  In fact, I want it.

The Stoneleigh

The Gallery, Carleton Varney for Dorothy Draper & Company. Be sure to read in AD how our Peter Goodchild restored two 18th century mirrors covered with 30 years of paint.

The Stoneleigh

The Gallery as created by Dorothy Draper in 1936.

The Stoneleigh Debutes In Architectural Digest

The February, 2009 issue of Architectural Digest includes a wonderful story by Nancy Collins depicting the Carleton Varney re-vamp of the Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa. This is the music room. I was with Carleton in this room shortly before the Stoneleigh’s opening soiree and we shot this video.

Holiday House Porn: Over The River, Through Woods, To Organic Rice Farm We Go

Do you see what my kitchen table looks like with all the boys at home? Fort Hood in candy-cane getup. To keep my sanity, I need a place where these boys can go play Dick Cheney. After church on Christmas Eve, I settled down with a glass of bubbly, warm and toasty in cashmere, to peruse the kind of house porn I crave during these times: ranch properties. Acres and acres of ponds, tanks, deer, ducks, geese, pigs and enough coyote to keep Sarah Palin frocked through her next campaign. Found some good ones, too, like Turkey Creek Organic Rice Farm — 1633 acres in Wharton County raising organic rice! Holiday dinner – done! Boasting $100,000 annual income from the land plus a three-bedroom, two-bath cedar lodge. “Trophy Deer and wild hogs”:  our African heads will finally have a home.  Where do I sign? Where is Wharton County?

4500 Lakeside Drive: Say It Ain’t So!

Remember this story about 4500 Lakeside Drive and what used to be there? And then this? Well, I hope you are sitting down and in fact, go pour yourself a dram before you read this. Guess who has decided NOT to build on this most prime choice of land? And guess who has it QUIETLY on the market for $14 million? Yeah, you got it.

Second Home Market Sucking (Super Cold Yellowstone Club Type) Bad Air?

This story says there are bargains to be found in the Hampton’s — that is, if you think a $1.537 million second home is a bargain. (Here’s former Lehman Brothers president Joseph Gregory’s $32.5 million Bridgehamton vacation pad.) I have an idea: turn this place into a fractional ownership for those of us who lost money with Lehman. Any legal minds out there want to litigate this?  

Meantime, Tamarack in Idaho is under, while Credit Suisse is fighting to hang onto first lien status with uber-exclusive Yellowstone Club, which is just a mess , bankrupt and smarting from bad press due to the nasty divorce of it’s great-looking founders, Tim Blixeth and his ex (?), Edra. Also pulled in: luxury second home big boys Discovery Land Co. Interim lender CrossHarbor Capital Partners is trumping and may end up owning the joint because Credit Suisse apparently could not cough up enough cash for a debtor-in-possession loan:

“While it is highly unusual for a major lender to be pushed out of the first lien position in a bankruptcy, Credit Suisse may turn out to be too late with its latest plan.”

About this time last year I tried phoning YC to write up  properties as Hot Props in D Home — they acted as if I needed a security clearance and was trying to find the president’s war-time bunker. We ended up in Big Sky.

But Dallas Addison, who develops second home properties in east and south central Texas, as well as Hawaii, tells me the second home market is still pretty strong. (Posting his story soon: Dallas tells me that Hawaii’s Big Island gets so crowded with residents’ private jets they have to haul them off to other islands for parking.) Glad to hear it: I haven’t been on a Lear in forever.

Storm Windows? In Texas???

See, I think storm windows are under-appreciated.  Particularly when a house has historic windows, good storm windows can preserve the appearance of the house and cut down significantly on air infiltration and noise.  Normally less expensive than new windows.  And I also wonder if they’re not a deterrent to break-ins.  There were existing storm windows at 802 Salmon, and Chas & Jack decided to paint the frames to complement the trim colors and keep them everywhere but on the front facade.

Meanwhile, Back in the Real World: 802 Salmon Update

HUGE progress has been made on the rehab–and lots of difficult decisions on green and energy efficiency features.

My favorite restoration: the dormer.  Check out the before and after! 

And what a smart thing to add to the daylighting in the house by adding a light well from one of the dormer windows down to the front entryway!

I Heart Home Tours: Dallas Woman’s Forum Holiday Home Tour of The Alexander Mansion

In 1904, Charles H. Alexander — banker, manufacturer and entrepreneur — built his residence at 4607 Ross Avenue for $125,000. At the time, Ross Avenue was Dallas’ equivalent of Fifth Avenue in NYC. We could compare it to Beverly Drive, except there were no deed restrictions (hello, Houston) so the neighborhood began to crumble — and well, you know where the Silk Stocking district trotted her silky legs.  But this year, a century later, the Alexander Mansion is once again bedazzling on the inside with a little help from some friends. The Dallas Women’s Forum, which has owned the mansion since 1930, presents a spectacular Holiday Home Tour at The Alexander Mansion December 4 to 21, Thursday through Sunday on the hour from11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 ($8 seniors, $5 children). Proceeds from the tours will help the Dallas Women’s Forum support the needs of children in the neighbohood and fund continued ro=enovation of the Alexander Mansion.

Two dynamo Realtors are working ferventing on this projet, Sheila Rice and Virginia Cook, Virginia Cook Realtors. For more information, check out www.dallaswomensforum.organd stay tuned to this blog for upcoming photos. There’s ony one thing I like better than gorgeous homes: homes with a serious past!!!

House Porn: The Murchison House

20,000 square feet may not be that big a deal these days, but back in 1938, when Anton Korn designed the Murchison house, it created quite a stir.  269 feet long by 40 feet deep.  Had a chance to tour it last weekend–my favorite part was the J. Edgar Hoover Wing–so called because Hoover was a frequent guest of the house.  (I would have put him in a separate wing, too.)

Wilson Fuqua, the architect who presided over the recent rehab, and Warren Johnson, who handled landscape design duties, came out to talk about their work, along with the new owners.  The tour was presented by the Dallas Architecture Forum and Preservation Dallas, collaborating again–and rightly so–after an apparent hiatus of a number of years.

Natinsky Says No To Form-Based Zoning Requirements

Since I am on the run today — been trolling ‘hoods for you — I am going to copy an email I received today that requires every one’s immediate attention on Form-Based Zoning. I will try to call this Ron Natinsky (far North Dallas councilman) to see what gives. Meantime, if this is true about the pizza cutters he bought on my our tax dollars, well, that is just not right!:

“A minor miracle recently occured for the benefit of Dallas: The Real Estate Council (TREC)– made up of 1,500 of the largest developers in Dallas, Preservation Dallas, the Dallas Homeowners League, the North Dallas Neighborhood Alliance and the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League joined together to support Form-Based Zoning requirements, which promote walkable, urban environments.

But guess what? For reasons no one can quite grasp, city councilman Ron Natinsky (yes, Ron “$12,000 of your money on pizza cutters with my name on them!” Natinsky: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/102908dnmetnatinsky.4a7feaf.html), against the wishes unanimously supported by the City Council-appointed Advisory
Committee and the City Plan Commission, has decided not to recommend the proposal.

Why should you care? Because without form-based zoning we’re on the path to more sprawl and even less charm. Walk ability increases real estate values, form-based zoning actually SLOWS DOWN traffic on streets –which is much safer for runners and cyclists, promotes transit-oriented development which is more sustainable–basically it puts people and homes before cars. In fact, the entire code is based around creating a “high quality public realm,” AKA no more strip-malls. (Eight advantages to form-based codes here: http://www.formbasedcodes.org/advantages.html )

What does Natinsky want? Scattered density (more sprawl), no critical mass, no 1/2 block transition neighborhood
before residential areas, and even less parking than we call for now.

If you could, please take a minute and cut and paste the emails of the city council and mayor into a new email and tell them NO to the Natinsky proposal. If you’re in the media and cannot get involved, please forward this on to a friend who can.”

O’Neil Ford 1948

One of the godfathers of Dallas architecture was O’Neil Ford, one of the great Texas regionalists.  He understood the Texas climate, culture and sensibilities, and he imbued all of his work with them.  Preservation Dallas hosted a tour Saturday morning that included the Jerry Bywaters house.  John Lunsford worked with Bywaters at the Dallas Museum of Fine Art and he regaled us with tales of the amazing artists who visited the house: Miguel Covarrubias, Otis Dozier, Salvador Dali.  And I swear–must have been that it was the Day of the Dead–that all of their spirits inhabit that house.

One of the great things about the house is that, although it was built as a modest-sized house, Ford designed a second story and engineered the foundation with that in mind.  The fortunate person who buys this house gets an architectural gem, a cultural landmark, and a great view of the lake.  More photos can be found at 3625 Amherst.

Frank Welch

There is no architect in town I hold in higher regard than Frank Welch.  He more than anyone else in his generation was able to take the work of his mentors and earlier Texas regionalists–O’Neil Ford and David Williams spring to mind–and design truly regionalist houses.

In addition to being (I think) a great architect, Frank is an author, an artist, an extraordinary photographer and a generous teacher.

I was sitting at his feet in this picture and happy to have had the opportunity to do so yet again.  The shot was taken at the wonderful David Williams house at 3718 Lovers Lane during the Preservation Dallas tour this morning.

RE: Knob and Tube Wiring

Catherine, our San Antonio home has (had) this same type of wiring. Can you explain it and why do electricians all want to change it out? Thanks!

Benjamin Moore Green Paint???

Catherine, a question about paint. Yesterday I toured the not-yet-completed Luxe showcase home in the Creeks of Preston Hollow — will be open early November for a Scottish Rite Hospital/Junior League charity event that you all must attend! Pictures forthcoming — get ready to scream, it is so amazing. Anyhew, builder Mark Molthan (who constructed 5103 Southbrook, the huge estate on Northwest Highway everyone asks me about) told me all the paint in the house is a product by Benjamin Moore that is completely green and much more costly than regular paint. Know about this? I even got some wet enamel on my fingers and may have gotten it in my mouth. Oh dear. Maybe I’ll run to the Parkland ER…