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This week, we take a look at a few new startups in our area, developments along Wakefield Drive and check in with the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce..
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Adventure Sports Gym 1B · New staff announced at Heights Chamber 2B • Annual Chairman’s Gala 2B Saturday, October 3, 2015 • Page 1B
Pumped Up
Contributed Art The old Southwestern Bell switching station in the Heights will be restored and used for luxury lofts, putting to rest fears that the building would ultimately be demolished.
Contributed Art Drawings of the proposed, multi-million dollar Adventure Sports Gym from the south shows the building’s ambitious design as its ownership aims at attracting potential investors.
Proposed Heights sports complex focuses on attracting Millenials By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com Guy Paproski, CEO of Adventure Sports Gym, calls his proposed project the next step in the evolution of fitness facilities. He and CFO Chuck Baldwin are currently in the midst of raising capital for the massive undertaking, which Paproski says will focus on a group of Houstonians now spending more time and money at local gyms than any other group – Millenials. “In the next five years, millenials will spend almost as much as Baby Boomers and GenX’ers combined at fitness gyms and programs across the country,” Paproski said. “Millenials also want their fitness to be fun, adventurous and ever-changing, along with having a social atmosphere and better integrated technology.” With the younger generation driving the growth of the fitness industry, and the breakout success of the CrossFit movement, Paproski and Baldwin are hoping their concept will attract investors. Adventure Sports Gym aims to offer a 115,000 square foot facility, featuring both indoor and outdoor exercise amenities, complete with spin studios, group exercise rooms, cardio and weight equipment, “spa-level” change rooms and saunas and even a ten story tower for rock climbing and other activities. Paproski and Baldwin are looking to raise a total of about $75 million through a combination of equity and investments. The facility would be located adjacent to Memorial Park near the intersection of Washington Avenue and Interstate 10. “There’s nothing really out there that gives
young people all of what they want in one location,” Paproski said. He pointed at facilities that concentrate solely on activities like rock climbing and other forms of fitness as not addressing all of the needs of what some young athletes might like to have. “In CrossFit gyms, you don’t exactly have the best amenities in terms of showers and changing rooms,” Paproski said. “There aren’t any one-stop shops to meet everyone’s needs in a Millenial family.” That’s something Paproski wants to change with ASG. One major addition for younger families will also be 20,000 square feet of access-controlled children-only play areas which Paproski called a “McDonald’s PlayPlace on steroids.” “The 5,000 square foot tower in particular will come with some amazing stuff,” Paproski said. “It will include a few 100 foot rock climbs and we’ll also have a Ninja Warrior-esque training area. We’re looking to have about 55,000 square feet dedicated to CrossFit and obstacle training.” Paproski said he is currently working closely not only with the city and potential investors as a kind of private-public partnership, but he and Baldwin are also working with the Memorial Park Conservancy to better integrate the surrounding biking trails along the bayou into the proposed project. According to an investment packet, ASG aims to be a major start-up with its four acre property aiming to begin a long line of competitive facilities over the next decade or so. “[ASG] is a start-up business that envisions building 30-50 premium 100,000+ square foot exercise facilities over the next 10 to 20 years,” according to the investment sheet.
Southwestern Bell building in Heights to be converted into new luxury lofts By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Many of The Leader’s readers have noticed the recent commotion surrounding the old Southwestern Bell switching station located at 1714 Ashland St. in the Heights. Constructed in 1957, the unusual building features hints of Art Deco design mingled with a sober solidity not found today. Officials with Rohe & Wright Builders now say they plan on retaining and restoring the old, three-story building. The building and its parking lot occupy nearly half a city block in the heart of the community. Many locals have feared for the future of the switching station, which was originally constructed by the Bellows Construction Company, the same firm that constructed the San Jacinto Monument. Some were certain that the building would face-off with a wrecking ball. After all, the property is a short walk from 19th St. and its amenities, and the plot is large, making it highly desirable for a mid-rise development. Worse still, others have suggested the spot would surely host the Heights’ first high-rise. All the worry was for naught. The builders are converting the switching station into 24 lofts, and adding 20 traditional cottages on the remaining land. The new development is called Bell Heights and construction started several weeks ago. The lofts will range in size from 1,500 to 4,000 square feet and occupy all three floors. Each will have a private balcony with touches of New Orleans style. Finishes will be high-end, such as stone and hardwood floors, and professional-grade appliances. The top of the building will host a 10,000square-foot rooftop retreat with skyline views, an outdoor kitchen, an arbor, and a fire pit lounge so that residents can enjoy year-round entertaining. “The Southwestern Bell structure itself is very
substantial,” said Donna Sonne Wright, professional realtor with Boulevard Realty. “It is the sort of structure that would not be affordable to construct today. It was originally designed to handle a fourth floor, but my clients, Rohe & Wright, chose not to add a fourth floor, instead adding the roof-top entertainment center.” The three-story, free-standing cottages sharing the property will echo the charm found in the Heights. The same high-end touches used in the lofts will apply. The homes are available in sizes from 2,200 square feet to 2,900 square feet. Each will have its own balcony and garage. While construction started a few weeks ago, sales of the units started in the Summer of 2014. We have nine lofts, and five cottages under contact,” Wright said. “We have been able to do this without so much as a model. All we have are the plans and the lot, so we are pleased with the interest we’re generating.” The Bell Heights are currently scheduled to open in Fall, 2016.
Photo by Kim Hogstrom The Southwestern Bell switching station in the Heights as it stands today.
Developers, businesses explore options along Wakefield By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com The recent sale of The Dutchman at 834 Wakefield as well as the sale of Red’s Country Place across the street last May – both to townhome developers – are not the only real estate transactions on the street. A drive down Wakefield reveals both townhome construction and signage announcing new developments in front of modest homes which won’t be standing for long. Some existing enterprising homeowners along the street want to get in on the act too with For Sale signs dotting their yards. The motivation for these property owners? Profit, of course. While Red’s sold for $600,000 in May of 2014,
The Dutchman presumably sold for more – realtor Stacy Mathews told The Leader that they were “pushing the envelope on price.” A reader recently sent The Leader notice of another listing for sale near the CrowBar. The property at 923 Wakefield, is offered for $1,715,000. The lot size is 40,789 square feet, twice the size of The Dutchman. It’s both a warehouse and a single family residence – now used for a landscaping and contracting business – that HCAD recently appraised for $916,000. Broker Hart Schleicher who has represented the property owner for about six months said that they just reduced the price this week from $44 to $42 per square foot. He said they’ve had a fair amount of interest “mostly from develop-
Open HOuse
ers.” A preschool had signed a letter of intent for the property but ended up not following through because of concerns about a nearby cell phone
tower. Schleicher doesn’t represent any other properties on the street but says “[developers] are willing to pay in that area.”
So far that seems to be true. On the corner of Alba and Wakefield, Urban Living’s Swayze Court is nearing completion. Vinod Ramani, owner of Urban Living, told The Lead-
er in August of 2014 that the entire development is 14 three story patio homes. Phase one is six townhomes and phase See Wakefield, P. 3B
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Page 2B • Saturday, October 3, 2015
Greater Heights Chamber Connection.
From the President: The curious case of the Heights as a ‘dry’ stronghold By Jacob Millwee For The Leader Ever wonder why the Heights is dry? It does seem a bit archaic in today’s world of craft breweries and specialty liquors. Where restaurants can gain fame on the depth of their cellars and bars’ reputations are built on the quality of their cocktails. There’s no doubt about it, Houston appreciates a good drink. So why does the greatest neighborhood in Houston restrict the sale of one of Houston’s favorite commodities? We have to go back to the early history of the Heights. The city of Houston annexed the Heights in 1918. There was a huge Baptist influence in the Heights at that time and the neighborhood, as well as the nation, frowned on the consumption of alcohol. The
Millwee
Prohibition Act was passed in 1919, just one year later (although it didn’t really go into effect until 1920). The general attitude of the day was that alcohol led to crime and went hand in hand with vice. Its ability to impair judgement had a debilitating effect on both the individual and society as a whole, and for this reason it was outlawed. The leaders of the Heights at that time sought to protect
Chamber announces new staff members President Jacob Millwee has announced changes to the Chamber staff. Joining the Chamber as Director of Events and Operations is Jill Johnston and Joni SimpsonGomez moves from part time to full time as Office Administrator. Johnston replaces Trish Gardiner who is relocating to California. Jill Johnston has a rich background in banking, having served as a Senior Loan Officer for RMC Vanguard/Patriot Bank and other positions with JP Morgan Private Bank and Chase Home Finance. Her credentials include a proficiency in technology and she has demonstrated impressive communication and writing skills. Jill has attended the University of Houston and pursued a degree in Political Science. She prides herself on being a hard-working resultsdriven team player and those attributes will serve her well in her Chamber activities. Joni most recently was a part time Chamber staffer and brings credentials that include a background in Human Resources. Previously she worked at Oasis Petroleum as a Benefits Advisor and prior to
their great community from this terrible influence. Due to the way the annexation was occurring, the Heights had the ability to write the annexation agreement themselves and so in that agreement it was stipulated that the Heights “shall remain dry until time turnith not.� As it happens time continues to turn, and so the Heights remains one of the last dry areas in Texas. Believe it or not, this has worked to our advantage quite often. Due to a number of factors the area saw a steep decline during the mid to late 1980s. The prohibition of alcohol sales kept many less than savory businesses from coming in and establishing themselves in that period, which allowed the Heights to preserve its family friendly atmosphere well into the present day. While it may seem a relic of
a bygone era, the dry aspect of the Heights has relatively little impact on our lives. It is but a short drive (or for some a brisk walk) to some fine drinking establishments just outside the dry boundaries such as the Washington Avenue strip or the esteemed local breweries Karbach and St. Arnolds. So I encourage you to look at the Heights being dry not as a drawback, but as one of the many idiosyncrasies that make the Heights such a unique and wonderful place to live. Then as now, we survive and thrive on our character and the strength of our community.
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Members honored at Chairman’s Gala The Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce recognized honorees and named winners of its Achievement Awards at the Annual Chairman’s Gala held on September 18, 2015. The awards represent an ongoing tradition in the Chamber and are designed to acknowledge outstanding accomplishments on behalf of individuals or companies. Chamber members submitted the names of nominees for awards and the winners listed below were chosen by a judging panel comprised of previous recipients. The Volunteer of the Year honorees – Natalie Coyle, Dee Farino and Teresa Briggs, and the 2015 recipient, Cincy Reibenstein of Reibenstein & Associates. The Company of the Year Award honorees – Insurance and Benefits Advisors and Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital, and the 2015 recipient, Members Trust of the SW Federal Credit Union. The Rising Star Award honorees – John Frels of Mortgages Direct and Willie Diefenbach-Jones of Send Out Cards, and the 2015 recipient, Kathryn Hodge of St. Joseph Medical Center. The Buy Local First award honorees – Insurance and Benefits Advisors, John Frels of Mortgages Direct, and the 2015 recipient, Houston Highway Credit Union. The Chairman’s Award was given to Terry Burge, former Chamber President The President’s Award was given to Jan Featherston of SignUps and Banners Corporation. In presenting the awards, President Jacob Millwee said: “The honorees in each category exhibited professionalism, high moral standards, customer or client satisfaction and the countless other intangibles that help individuals and companies achieve success.� The Chamber congratulates each honoree and looks forward to annually bestowing these awards and rewarding outstanding performance and support.� The Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce works with business owners who want to do business in the Greater Heights area by providing education, business support and referral opportunities so that they are empowered to grow their business. For more information on the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce, please Ad 30111 visit#www.heightschamber.com.
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Wakefield from P. 1B
Photo by Everett Denson Developers have been showing great interest in Wakefield Drive.
two is eight townhomes. All are priced between $500,000 and $600,000. The six homes of phase one are all still for sale. According to HAR, sales of townhouses and condominiums slipped 4.0 percent in August with a total of 620 units sold compared to 646 properties in August 2014. The average price, however, edged up 0.8 percent to $197,091 and the median price increased 4.7 percent to $149,000. Inventory grew from a 2.6months supply to 3.1 months. Juan Cuevas with real estate brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap is not involved with Swayze Court or with the property at 923 Wakefield but provided The Leader with some perspective on profit margins for townhome developers. He said that townhouse density is significantly less than multifamily developments. With regard to the property at 923 Wakefield, which is about an acre, he’d estimate that a good density number for townhouses would be 18 units per acre or less. Cuevas also said that the profit margin for developers is about 20% of the sale of the home. So, to put the economics into perspective, if a developer buys the property at 923 Wakefield and puts 18 townhomes on the land, and then sells them for $600,000 a piece, their 20 percent profit would be a little over $2 million. Time will tell if there is any sustained slowdown of townhome sales in The Leader area. If so, perhaps interest from developers will wane as well. But for now, the For Sale signs keep coming down and the townhomes keep going up.
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Travis Elementary students celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader More than 400 parents, teachers, and administrators had a chance to celebrate cultural diversity and their Hispanic roots as part of Hispanic Heritage Month at Travis Elementary School on Sept. 24. Early in the evening, nearly 100 children sat clapping and singing in the school’s library as local singer/songwriter Don Sanders performed traditional folk songs in both English and Spanish. The 30-minute concert also allowed interested parents to attend the first PTA Meeting of the school year in the auditorium down the hall. The auditorium seats about 200 but the chairs filled quickly and the meeting soon transformed to a standing-room-only gathering. Here, parents voted on programs and other matters of significance to the education of their children. When the PTA meeting concluded, excited children, many in traditional Central and South American garb, poured out of the library and into the auditorium. There, they were treated to the Heights-based dance troupe, Grupo Zapata, in a demonstration of folk dancing, or Ballet Folclórico, that inspired many to swirl and twirl in reflection. “This is our second year of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Travis,” said Principal Thomas M. Day. “The month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and this function crowns the celebration. It is tremendous. Throughout the month, our teachers introduce the children to people and events from Hispanic history and culture in the classrooms. The PTA initiated it and sponsors it, and we thoroughly embrace it and support it.” In what was possibly the highlight of the evening, adults and kids alike then moved to the cafeteria where tables lined the walls. A breathtaking selection of Hispanic foods was laid out, most of which was prepared by the parents of the children attending Travis Elementary. “Travis parents came out in record numbers to our PTA meeting. It was incredible. Then they enjoyed comida deliciosa provided by our families,” stated Event Co-chair, Jennifer Yeggoni, in reflection. “Un agradecimiento especial to Diana Martinez for bringing in Taquería Arandas in the Heights, with the
Photo by Betsy Denson Travis Elementary School members share some special dishes with others to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
owners themselves serving throughout the evening.” In addition to all the festivities, Travis Elementary posts colorful maps and decorations from Mexico, Central and South America in the halls through the month. This year, a special exhibit of vintage huipiles (pronounced wee-peel) - native garments of Mexico and Central America - will be on display through Oct. 15. Event Co-chair and Travis parent Debbie Muñiz believes that Travis Elementary is an exceptional HISD school, and that the heritage celebration is only one of the reasons why. “Strong school leadership, dedicated teachers and staff, involved parents, and a supportive and active community make Travis an exceptional school,” Muñiz stated. “In addition to learning about the contributions and rich culture of Latinos to the US, events like this show our children that we are truly a community.”
Reagan varsity football improves to 4-0 record By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com The Reagan Bulldogs went into their rival game against Bellaire undefeated, with one thing in mind – victory. The big matchup took place at 7 p.m., on Friday, Sept. 26 at Delmar stadium with both teams heading into the game 3 – 0. “Last year we had an opportunity to defeat Bellaire,” Head Coach Stephen Dixon
said. “I think our kids went into last year’s season intimidated, hearing what others thought about us playing in 6A. After competing with big teams like Foster, the guys have their confidence and this year’s team has a whole lot of swagger.” The first two touchdowns went to Reagan, and Coach Dixon said if they can take the first touchdown, their opponent will have a problem with keeping up with their
momentum. The final buzzer sounded, Reagan Bulldogs on top 29 – 14. This week the Bulldogs have a road district game against Milby at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 1 at Barnett Sports Complex - 6800 Fairway Dr. 77087. Milby has yet to win a game, heading into Thursday night 0 – 4. “We played Milby before and we were the top pick,”
Contributed Photo
Coach Dixon said. “We ended up having 11 turnovers and lost the game. You can never take an opponent for granted, that’s how injuries happen. We won’t take Milby for granted because a victory is never guaranteed.”
Page 4B • Saturday, October 3, 2015
In Focus: Cisneroz cites time with HPD in bid for District H By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com Jason Cisneroz says he is the only candidate for District H who lives the most common problems of the district every day. “At the end of the day, District H is a working class community,” he said. “My neighborhood has stray dogs, illegal dumping, and potholes too. My wife and I are raising our two young daughters in the Near Northside and I know the importance of investing in our neighborhood and keeping it safe.” He says that his experience covers all the bases — “community involvement, organizational leadership, protecting our families overseas and on the streets of Houston, and getting things done at City Hall for District H.” In his current job as a HPD Community Service Officer, Cisneroz works with business owners to reduce crime, organizes neighborhood meetings with law enforcement, enforces code violations, and works with residents at the HPD community storefront. “The most important thing I do as a community service officer is to build trust between Houstonians and police,” said Cisneroz. An Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom II and graduate of the University of Houston, Cisneroz also worked for current mayoral candidate Adrian Garcia, when he was a councilman for the district, as well as recent District H Councilman Ed Gonzalez at City Hall. Cisneroz says the time spent with the two council members has
given him a unique perspective on the job. “Ed and Adrian both have different styles, so I learned different things from each,” he said. “Adrian taught me how to take action and work together to achieve the community’s goals. And Ed taught me the importance of following up and making sure constituents receive information quickly, regardless of the outcome.” Cisneroz also has a sense of the city’s most pressing priorities. First up - fixing the ReBuild Houston formula to give neighborhoods the infrastructure and repairs they need. “The ReBuild Houston formula puts our neighborhoods at the bottom of the list because we live in homes, not high-rises,” said Cisneroz. “But some neighborhoods in District H haven’t seen new infrastructure since they were annexed. And others are crumbling under higherthan-ever traffic loads. I will be a megaphone for better infrastructure in our neighborhoods, and fight to get ReBuild Houston dollars back into our community.” Crime and safety is also something he plans to address by improving communication between law enforcement agencies to increase response time and keep families safe. He said that communication between law enforcement agencies is lacking at the present time. “As a community service officer at HPD, I know that a good relationship between the community and police is priceless,” he said. “Because when you know your beat officer, and you see them even
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when you don’t need them, you don’t just feel safer. You are safer.” As the husband of a bilingual elementary school teacher at Davis High School, helping schools also ranks highly. Cisneroz says he wants to help schools in turn help their students by continuing the safe sidewalk program, thereby ensuring every child can get to and from school safely. He also wants to provide more after school programs at city libraries and parks. In order to give every child an opportunity to succeed, Cisneroz would like to bring additional trade, college-bound mentors, and apprenticeship programs to high schools. Even with its current issues, however, Cisneroz thinks Houston is in better shape than it was ten years ago. “Houston’s greatest strength, the relentless service of everyday people, is stronger than ever,” he said. “It is strengthened by our diversity, and by the tools we use to mobilize and get things done for our communities. And that is why, together, we can tackle any challenge that comes our way.”
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