Early in the last-century rush to loft downtown properties, this 1914 warehouse got converted into 15 condo units, each with a glass-and-iron fronted balcony. That was back in the mid-eighties. A see-it-all-at-a-glance corner spot on the 2nd floor within the San Jacinto Lofts showed up in the listings last week for $195,000.

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But which corner? The listing cites a shared rooftop terrace with downtown views — but you’ll need to study the views carefully (or maybe schedule a visit) to figure out the 1,177-sq.-ft. unit’s position in the building. The property is located near I-10 and I-45, where Buffalo and White Oak bayous bend, and it’s a long block or so north of the bike trail and the Harris County Jail.

Blond wood cabinetry and granite counters define the kitchen area within an open floor plan featuring exposed brick, stained concrete flooring, and a 14-ft. ceiling:

The lone bedroom area (above) gets 3 walls, with the fourth left open for light (and direct access to the kitchen area). The bathroom, however, appears to have plenty of doors — and a finished ceiling:

There’s a $356 monthly maintenance fee for the property. Another unit on the 2nd floor, 2C, is currently listed for sale at $199,000 — or for lease at $2,195.

• 915 N. San Jacinto St. Unit 2H [HAR]

My advice to the owners who haven’t already sold: do what the speculators do; hold out for more money. If Hines wants your house bad enough, they’ll pay it. I usually don’t advocate for this kind of thing, but if everyone did it, it might help push development back to open land.” [ZAW, commenting on Hines Buying Up Museum District Property To Build Highrise Apartments]

• 2311 Rosedale St. [HAR]

Now, Cullen could probably use an underpass. Sampson/York too. But what’s gonna happen in the East End when stuff gets value engineered out?

Nance: gone.

Commerce: gone.

McKinney: gone.

Milby: gone.

Leeland: quite possibly gone.

All those little side streets you like to ride your bike or walk your dog on because there’s low traffic, these will all be severed. And for what? So UP can operate remote-controlled locomotives? This is not a positive development.” [Jeff Davis, commenting on Headlines: Waiting for Trains in the East End; Waiting for Dunkin’ Donuts in Montrose]

Putting Google’s Landsat Annual Time Lapse function to work, Texas architect Samuel Aston Williams has created animated .GIFs that give a satellite’s view of how certain cities — Shanghai, Atlanta, Lagos, etc. — have changed during the past 30 years. And here’s Houston.

• The Devastating Impact of 30 Years of Sprawl, As Seen From Space [Atlantic Cities]

Image: Samuel Aston Williams via Atlantic Cities

This rendering appears to show the new Phillips 66 global headquarters planned to go up in Westchase. Back in September, the ConocoPhillips offshoot announced it would be building something on the Beltway 8 feeder next to a pair of hotels just north of Westheimer. The announcement went on to say that the 14.2-acre site bound by City West Blvd., Private Dr., and Cityplace Dr. will have a training and development center, conference space, credit union, gym, cafeteria, coffee shop, and convenience store.

• Phillips 66 selects property for future headquarters campus [Phillips 66]
• Previously on Swamplot: Phillips 66 Will Build Its New Global HQ Along Tollway Feeder Road, Where Phillips 66 Will Hang Out for a Few Years in Westchase, Phillips 66 Will Build a New Headquarters in Houston

Rendering: Swamplot inbox

A few sources are telling Swamplot that Hines is planning to build either a 20- or 22-story apartment tower on the entire city block where this house stands in the Museum District. The house is at the corner of Caroline and Southmore, directly across from Yoshio Taniguchi’s Asia Society Texas Center and that recently cleared residential lot immediately behind it. The block is bound by Caroline, Southmore, Oakdale, and the light rail line along San Jacinto. One of the sources says that 3 of the 4 property owners on the block have agreed to sell, and that Hines will be taking those properties over on July 1. Another source speculates that Hines might go ahead and build around the holdout. As of this morning, there’s been no word from Hines — though a rep in an email writes: “No deal has been closed so it is too preliminary to discuss,” which sure makes it sound as though there is an “it.”

• Previously on Swamplot: What’s Next for That Museum District Never-Was?, A Look Around San Felipe at the Randall Davis Condos and Planned Hines Office Building Site, Hines Plans a Shiny New 18-Story Office Building Across San Felipe from River Oaks, Hines Replacing Cafe Adobe With Apartment Building — Just Not This One, Yoshio Taniguchi’s New Asia Society Texas Center: The Full Photo Preview Tour

Photo: Swamplot inbox

Two Keene, one Gretel, to go.

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Residences

• 2120 White Oak Dr. 77009 (Woodland Terrace; new construction by Baxter Construction)
• 2320 Keene St. 77009
• 2324 Keene St. 77009
• 1304 Althea Dr. 77018 (Oak Forest; new construction by Quintessa Homes)
• 1727 Hewitt Dr. 77018 (Oak Forest; new construction by Joyce Homes)
• 414 Gretel Dr. 77024 (Memorial Bend; new construction by Cunningham Development; more info)
• 3838 Piping Rock Ln. 77027 (Royden Oaks; new construction by Bardwell Builders)
• 1326 Caywood Ln. 77055

Photo of 1326 Caywood Ln.: HAR

• Harris County Sports Authority To Debate Astrodome Bids Today, Make Recommendation Next Week [abc13; previously on Swamplot]
• At $6M, Astrodome Debt Actually Less Than Previously Thought [Houston Chronicle ($)]
• More Properties Sold in May Than During Any Month in Houston’s History [Prime Property]
• Former Big Woodrow’s Operator Raising Money on Kickstarter To Open Cypress Ice House [Houston Business Journal]
• Public Meeting on Tolled Texas 288 Flyovers Planned for June 27 [Houston Chronicle]
• Red-Light Camera Opponent Calls on Sugar Land To Let Voters Decide [Houston Chronicle]
• ‘One Bin for All’ at Best a Pipe Dream, Worst a Boondoggle, Says Critic [Hair Balls; previously on Swamplot]
• Improvements to 3 Midtown Parks Nearly Complete [Houston Chronicle; previously on Swamplot]
• Seabrook Extending Trail System 1.3 Miles with Help of Federal Grant [Houston Chronicle]
• Should Houston Try Harder To Protect Neighborhood Trees? [KUHF]

Photo of the West Loop: Russell Hancock via Swamplot Flickr Pool

It seems that the townhouses overlooking this lot at 1016 W. 22nd St. might soon be seeing something more than a pair of apparently shy pick-ups: That TABC sign, dated June 12, indicates that The Orange Grove wants to sell booze at this spot to the people of Shady Acres. (The fairly dilapidated single-family house that used to stand here showed up in a September Daily Demolition Report.) This is one of several developments coming to the area: The restaurants Hughie’s and Spaghetti Western are renovating old joints west of T.C. Jester Blvd. and TikTok, a bar and concert venue, is planned just southwest of here on W. 20th St.

• 1016 W. 22nd [HAR]
• Previously on Swamplot: Restaurant Resuscitations: Hughie’s News and a Spaghetti Western Sequel, Rudyard’s Owner Building Bigger Bar in Shady Acres, Daily Demolition Report: Sinking on Grand Lake

Photos: Swamplot inbox