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Saturday, August 23, 2014 • Page 1B

New Swayze Court development draws attention over name By Betsy Denson For The Leader News

When Urban Living started to promote a new development on the corner of Alba and Wakefield in Garden Oaks, it wasn’t just the soon to be built patio homes that got the attention of the neighborhood. It was the name – Swayze Court. According to Vinod Ramani, owner of Urban Living, the original developer of the property told him that one of the original homes on the site had been a dance studio of Patsy Swayze’s. According to Cookie Joe, a former dance student of Swayze’s and friend of the Swayze family, Patsy did have a studio nearby on Judiway in the former club Pagoda A-Go-Go. When Oppidan Homes took over the project the name stuck. “We thought there was some history there,” said Ramani, whose company has exclusive marketing rights to Oppidan Homes. “If anyone does know any differently, we can change the name.” Ramani said he had not spoken to anyone in the Swayze family about the development and they are not involved. Ramani confirms that they are in the final stages of permitting and once construction begins, it will be six to eight months for phase one of the construction to be completed. The entire development is 14 three-story patio

Contributed Photo While oﬃcial renderings of the new Swayze Court development from Urban Vision’s website shows a gentle neighborhood, the reaction from members of the community and law experts might not be kind.

Court a month ago when friends started sending him texts, but has not followed up with Urban Living. “If it is an opportunity to honor Buddy and Patsy then I’m glad they are being recognized

homes. Phase one is six townhomes and phase two is eight townhomes. All are priced between $500,000 and $600,000. Sean Swayze, Patrick’s brother who lives in California, said that he ﬁrst heard about Swayze

but approval from the family should be required,” Cookie Joe said. Andrew Sellers with the Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic said that while the name may be just a mark of respect, there are two issues of trademark law which have to be considered. Sellers said a company could get into trouble for infringing on the trademark rights of the Swayze name. “The heart of that claim would be showing that some sizable number of the population would mistakenly believe that Swayze’s estate somehow endorsed, sponsored, or is behind the development of the subdivision,” Sellers said. The second concern would be if Urban Living ever tried to register the trademark for Swayze Court with the United States Patent and Trademark Ofﬁce (USPTO). “The USPTO does not register marks that have a ‘false connection’ with a person, living or dead. A mark for HAT TRICK SWAYZE for a hockey league was rejected on these grounds recently,” Sellers said. Lastly, Sellers says that the Texas Property Code has a law that controls how one can use a deceased individual’s name or likeness in a way that grants some beneﬁt to another. As a few people pointed out on the Oak ForSee Court, P. 3B

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A before (top) and after (bottom) comparison of Matt Worthy and Paul W. Han’s home, following a complete rebuild after a ﬁre destroyed the reisdence in 2013.

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The Do-Over: Following ﬁre, owners of gutted Oak Forest home ‘mod-iﬁes’ residence By Cynthia Lescalleet For The Leader News

Had the dogs not barked so incessantly, Oak Forest homeowners Matt Worthy and Paul W. Han would not have realized their residence was in ﬂames above them. They never smelled the smoke, and the lights never went out. The devastating 2013 conﬂagration destroyed the home’s attic and roof. Water and smoke damage pervaded the interior. With their house reduced to a shell, Worthy and Han were at the crossroads of whether to raze or rebuild it. They chose the latter and worked with an architect to not only recapture their lost homestead but to take it to another level. Quite literally, in fact: The new elevation features a chalet-worthy roof that gives the original 1955 ranch-style home a more mid-century modern elevation and vibe. Given the new pitch, the front rooms gained a ceiling that rises from 11 feet to 16 feet. Other portions of the upper level became attic storage. The home now features clerestory windows above the combo living-dining room boost light from the south. Cedar plank siding encases the

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front room that juts slightly toward the street. The half-height brick wall enclosing the homefront-hugging walkway gained a freshened straighter profile. Part of the decision to raise the roofline was “to bulk up” the home’s street presence in anticipation of any future construction on adjacent lots as the neighborhood continues its redevelopment, Worth says. “We know it’s coming our way,” Worth said. “We didn’t want to feel dwarfed.” Add on and adjust The overhaul gutted the entire 1,000-squarefoot original home to the studs. While the new floor plan was pretty much the same as before, it added a room and reconfigured others, Worth said. Rather than capture space under the higher roof for a master suite upstairs, the renovation included a 450-square-foot addition (with a high ceiling) at the back of the first floor. By integrating ADA features in the new suite, long-term living is a real possibility, Worthy says -- though they’ll have to ditch the cushy spa tub. To play up the 60-year-old home’s clean, mid-century lines, new hardware and finishes

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See Do-over, P. 3B

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