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Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 29 Oct 2020 14:53
by vman
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... ment-redo/Building will be converted to 1 bedroom apartments; 3 new floors will be added, bringing it to six stories.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 29 Oct 2020 17:19
by jetnd87
More residential, especially starting to populate that dead space between Arts District and Main Street. Love it!
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 29 Oct 2020 17:48
by CTroyMathis
This time might be the charm for the Houseman after some misses over the years, great news.
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/ ... 2021003401
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 29 Oct 2020 21:35
by DPatel304
Great news, I like it! I actually remember seeing this building for sale for a while on loopnet.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 30 Oct 2020 11:31
by Tnexster
Wasn't there a point years back that this site was proposed for something else? Thinking it was much taller but not sure if this is the same property. It was one of those proposed but never built things.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 30 Oct 2020 11:35
by Zmitz
http://dallasmetropolis.com/dfwu/viewtopic.php?t=411I think this is the old thread about the taller proposal.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 30 Oct 2020 11:40
by Tnexster
^Yes, that is the one I was recalling. Thanks!
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 30 Oct 2020 11:43
by R1070
The taller option would have been nice, but I’m glad we are still getting a remodel of this building and maybe that will allow another lot to be developed.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 30 Oct 2020 19:24
by DPatel304
R1070 wrote:The taller option would have been nice, but I’m glad we are still getting a remodel of this building and maybe that will allow another lot to be developed.
Definitely agreed. The current building is fine as is, and will be even better once it is re-developed.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 19 Sep 2021 10:57
by lakewoodhobo
Not sure when this started, but I noticed that the conversion to apartments is underway.
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Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 20 Sep 2021 09:52
by eburress
I love that this is happening and I like the addition but it's too bad they're not doing more to update the lower portion of the building to make it more consistent with its new top. The stucco portion with the arches could easily utilize the same materials and/or design treatments as the new portion up top.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 20 Sep 2021 10:09
by Tivo_Kenevil
Reminds me of rhino. I love adaptive use of the building
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 20 Sep 2021 10:28
by cowboyeagle05
The fact that demand is high enough to allow a bank to want to invest in a project like this is interesting. Reskinning the entire exterior is a hugely pricey cost even with a building this small. I wouldn't be surprised if they had proposed an option to the bank for modifying the exterior and the bank said naw just add some icing on top and move on.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 21 Sep 2021 00:01
by dfwcre8tive
eburress wrote:I love that this is happening and I like the addition but it's too bad they're not doing more to update the lower portion of the building to make it more consistent with its new top. The stucco portion with the arches could easily utilize the same materials and/or design treatments as the new portion up top.
The exterior isn't stucco -- it's "marblecrete" (crushed marble aggregate) -- and this building was an example of how to give a building a "bright new look" in 1967.
The building was originally constructed in 1921 as a plant for polishing/washing cars and a regional Chevrolet office, the exterior was covered in decorative brick and tile to be fireproof. Then it was renovated in the 1930s by an insurance company to make it the 2nd office building in Dallas to have air conditioning.
The late 1960s covered up most of the original features (the brick is there but all painted beige) -- but I wonder if anything decorative is still hiding beneath the marblecrete. The dark glass panels are coincidentally the same size and location of the original terracotta borders.
For all those people hoping/wishing parking garages be converted to residential units, this may become the first example in Dallas.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531 ... 1/m1/1569/4529898378_30126355b6.jpg
400-N-Akard-St-Dallas-TX-Primary-Photo-1-Large.jpg
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 21 Sep 2021 07:46
by citygeek
Had no idea what the original structure's purpose or style was. What a loss. So typical of Dallas' indifference and contempt for it's architectural heritage.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 21 Sep 2021 09:18
by eburress
dfwcre8tive wrote:eburress wrote:I love that this is happening and I like the addition but it's too bad they're not doing more to update the lower portion of the building to make it more consistent with its new top. The stucco portion with the arches could easily utilize the same materials and/or design treatments as the new portion up top.
The exterior isn't stucco -- it's "marblecrete" (crushed marble aggregate) -- and this building was an example of how to give a building a "bright new look" in 1967.
The building was originally constructed in 1921 as a plant for polishing/washing cars and a regional Chevrolet office, the exterior was covered in decorative brick and tile to be fireproof. Then it was renovated in the 1930s by an insurance company to make it the 2nd office building in Dallas to have air conditioning.
The late 1960s covered up most of the original features (the brick is there but all painted beige) -- but I wonder if anything decorative is still hiding beneath the marblecrete. The dark glass panels are coincidentally the same size and location of the original terracotta borders.
For all those people hoping/wishing parking garages be converted to residential units, this may become the first example in Dallas.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531 ... 1/m1/1569/4529898378_30126355b6.jpg
400-N-Akard-St-Dallas-TX-Primary-Photo-1-Large.jpg
Thanks for sharing...such great history! What a shame they covered all that up! Typical.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 21 Sep 2021 09:50
by exelone31
Good lord, that should be a criminal offense. I would rather they had knocked down the original, what a shame.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 22 Sep 2021 18:29
by AMA
Absolutely disgusting. Restore it's original beauty. This poor building has already been botched and insulted enough!
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 23 Sep 2021 11:33
by Tnexster
I walked by this back in July, wondered what was going on. Glad it will be made useful but would rather them keep the original.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 23 Sep 2021 11:59
by undefinedprocess
Damn, wish they'd try to bring back the original charm of the building... Although still wish that residential tower proposal from years ago happened here... Would be such a great spot for it.
Re: Houseman Building; 400 N. Akard
Posted: 23 Sep 2021 15:18
by Tnexster
undefinedprocess wrote:Damn, wish they'd try to bring back the original charm of the building... Although still wish that residential tower proposal from years ago happened here... Would be such a great spot for it.
Yeah that one would have been nice!