OLD BRAESWOOD

PROPERTY OWNERS ASSO CIATION VOL. 15, ISSUE 3 July — 2019

August

Old Braeswood News

comprised today of 7 properties. properties. 7 of today comprised Greenbriar of west and Maroneal, of north sliver atiny is Extension The Addition. are in the theMaroneal/Kelving of west and north the to 1. Those Section in are Maroneal/Kelving of to applies set which So tions: sec- multiple in over time developed was neighborhood our that is know to thing The second www.OldBraeswood.com. at website Braeswood Old onthe find them also can You records. property your with away filed they are house, and your bought you when strictions re- deed the of acopy received probably You them. find to where is know to thing first The them. understand least at restrictions deed our love to learn neighborhood in the everyone help to this newsletter in covenants the through walk to going we are so, or nextyear the Over English. day modern writtenin arenot they But restrictions. deed our are Braeswood ofOld character architectural and nature the residential protect to wehave tools the only city, unzoned In our strictions! re- deed but our Nothing door? next shop repair acar house and your between stands What summer! great a enjoy safe, and stay cool, Stay acheck mailor in so done yet well the to year this ways in other has contributed and subscriptions SEAL and dues association paid your has who ofyou one every to out goes you thank HUGE A subscriptions. Patrol and dues in $66,500 have collected ship tight We runa bit! alittle with done get alot ours,we like aneighborhood For events. neighborhood and newsletters, mosquito spraying, Security, SEAL by patrolling for pay also We matters. accounting and legal, architectural, with help who professionals by contracted and committees various our on bywork volunteers in her is assisted She ombudsman. restriction deed is our general in and moving, paperwork keeps the procedures, and rules clarify to departments city with interacts contractors, and architects with meets buyers, home prospective to information sends restrictions, with the comply not do activities whose neighbors notifies applications, review architectural processes Krudy, Evalyn manager, Our the newsletter. in this elsewhere about more read can you and enforcement restriction isdeed activity important most singleThe do? OBPOA does What crime neighborhood keep our work to itstinues con- OBPOA summer, this a rest taking are groups neighborhood some While streets. our of onmost orrenovation construction under housesare Several finished. almost Mainis South and ofMorningside intersection the building at apartment new The closed. isBayou now Brays over Bridge the Greenbriar and Boulevard, Rice to Holcombe from construction, der un- still is Greenbriar is here! Season Hurricane well! pretty aredoing Astros The us: around happening is Lots going. are things how on you to report time to be agood would thought this I and year the through arehalfway We neighbors! Braeswood Old my to Greetings Summer is a begin to place best very the scratch, ing from start- or remodeling, renovations, about arethinking If you website, our Architectural adopted have also We plans submitted. of set ofevery review plete atechnical architects censed li- of assessment professional the relyon We strictions. re- thedeed of covenants the by abiding while dreams ject pro- their realize neighbors help to tirelessly worked have (ARC) Committee Review Architectural onthe volunteers the manyyears but for neighborhood, the history of entire been not This has strictions. re- deed the upholding for responsibility primary has the Association Owners Property Braeswood Association our is that know to The thing third t here are three sets of deed restrictions, and they are not quite identical. To figure out out To figure identical. quite not are they and restrictions, deed of sets here arethree

Braeswood Section 1, 1928, Braeswood Addition, 1939 and Braeswood Extension, 1945. 1945. Extension, Braeswood and 1939 Addition, 1928, Braeswood 1, Section Braeswood –

to help homeowners plan approvable projects. projects. plan approvable homeowners help to

and are financially able arefinancially and , Know Your Deed Deed Your Know Restrictions – designers and outside counsel outside and designers

President – your property, check the map on the website. In general, properties south south properties general, In website. the map on the check property, your we welcome (and we really need) your financial participation! financial your need) really we (and we welcome

our annual budget for all this is under $100,000. And so far, to date, we we date, to far, so And $100,000. under is this all for budget annual our

done perfectly throughout the throughout perfectly done

Guidelines, available on on available Guidelines,

- Continued on Page 3 3 Page on Continued ’ being of our neighborhood. To those of you who have not not have who you of those To neighborhood. being our of s Message s Message –

please hop on board! Visit our website and use PayPal PayPal use and website our Visit board! on please hop –

or OBPOA OBPOA or

– - free, fun, and attractive. and fun, free,

sit the Old the Old to com-to - by Julie Cohn Julie by down –

In this issue

Reminders / Recognition Reminders Welcome / Trash Miller / David Plogging / News Bears Rice Area Reminder Review Plan Status Membership Club Garden Markers Tile aHistory Has Your House by JulieCohnby

–

or or – 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2

Your House Has a History by Susan Froehly Teich, OBPOA Historian

Wisconsin, home to an Oshkosh luggage plant. But cold weather motivated them to move south and their purchase of 2335 Maroneal returned Katy to Old Braeswood. Jay and Katy’s children Caroline and Jay Jr. became the family’s 4th generation to live here. In , Jay joined Katy’s family in their businesses, Craig’s Stores and Everitt Buelos – two chains marketing women’s clothing. In 1992 Jay went out on his own with Suitmart. It operated on the concept of quality men’s cloth- ing at low prices with a store that opened only on weekends. It succeeded so well that people were “rattling the door” during the week and Suitmart began selling on weekdays. Eventual- ly there were 5 stores, each with 25,000- 30,000 square feet. Growth in the 1990s was spurred by televised advertising that featured Jay and his business partner, Gary Dante, instead of actors. People still remember those ads and still recognize Jay 2335 Maroneal Blvd. in public because of them. There was Jay on an elephant (“Our suits cost peanuts.”). Jay in a The first owner of 2335 Maroneal Blvd. was typical of the boxing ring with Gary fighting over successful businessmen who gravitated to Old Braeswood whether “lower prices” or “fashion from its beginning. Denver D. Cooper and his wife Gladys merchandise” should win (Jay first appear at that address in the Houston City Directory of knocks out Gary, who regains con- 1937-1938. He was president of the Goodall Rubber Compa- sciousness mumbling, “Lower pric- ny of , a subsidiary of the Goodall Rubber Company, es!”). Jay directing traffic grid- established in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1870. locked by large trucks delivering By the time the Coopers came to Braeswood, the company merchandise for Back to School was a world leader in the manufacture and distribution of Sales. Back then, Suitmart was industrial rubber products. [As of 2006, Goodall Rubber “Home of the Twofers.” This year’s Company operated as a subsidiary of Lew-Goetz & Company, sale is even better, “Buy 1 suit, get Inc.] The Goodall Company opened in Houston to promote 2 free!” products it developed specifically for the oil and gas fields – Katy Plotkin ran a business of her hoses for the handling of crude oil and gasoline and a “rotary own, Landscapes Un- Jay Plotkin drill hose.” limited, which compli- The Coopers were succeeded in 1943 by Franz V. Grunbaum mented her love of and his wife Marianne, both born in Germany. Their chil- flowers and natural dren were Elizabeth and Wuerner. Franz, a physician, prac- beauty. Now widowed, ticed in a beautiful Gothic building at 1215 Walker - the Med- Jay has honored her ical Arts Building. Completed in 1926 for 1.73 M, it was de- memory by creating the molished in 2012. The building was designed not only for triangle park at Glen beauty, but also to provide every modern advantage for its Haven and Morning- use in treating patients. The electrical system could handle side – Katy’s Corner. the large loads then needed by x-ray machines. The elevators Continued on Page 3 were sized to accommodate stretchers. It is said that even the equipment in the sandwich shop was sterilized. The Tex- as Medical Center Library, which today is the medical and scientific library serving all of the , be- gan in this building as the Houston Academy of Medicine Library. Like the Coopers, the Grunbaums stayed 19 years, and then sold to Jay Plotkin and his wife Kathryn (Katy) in 1960. Katy had grown up in Old Braeswood, home not only to her parents, but also her grandparents. Jay had grown up in Chi- cago. They never would have met had they not shared the same school – Northwestern. Jay’s family owned the Osh- kosh Luggage Company, and initially Jay and Katy lived in

PAGE 2 JULY / AUGUST 2019 OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS Your House…..continued from page 2 Garden Club May Meeting It is an oasis of beauty. The Old Braeswood Garden Club The Old Braeswood Garden Club held its May meeting at added a bench featuring glazed tiles painted by members. the home of Maribel Reuter. New officers were elected for 2019-2020 and Maribel provided her renowned enchilada Suitmart still has a store in Houston. Jay still goes to work luncheon with all the sides and desserts anyone could want. most days. Jay’s housekeeper, Rosie Johnson, still runs his Thank you, Maribel! house, as she has for 46 years. And Katy’s Corner beckons all of us to sit and enjoy the still shade. Want to join? Pay dues to Maribel (Garden Club treasurer) and come to the BBQ dinner in September, the “Kick-Off” [This is the 57th article in a continuing series on houses and to a new season of programs. For more information, con- people in Old Braeswood. Suggestions for future columns are tact Maribel Reuter, [email protected], 713-668- welcome.] 4366.

Deed Restrictions…..continued from page 1 meeting with the ARC. Chairman Paul Sanders is available to answer questions and to help you understand how your ideas will fit within the neighborhood’s restrictions and requirements. Paul can be reached at [email protected]. Owners pay a small fee for plan reviews, and this helps off- set the cost of our reviews. In addition, oversight and en- forcement of the deed restrictions costs our neighborhood thousands of dollars every year. We pay for this out of the dues we collect. This is why it is so important for every homeowner who is financially able to pay the very modest association dues of $100. Finally, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the volunteers who serve on ARC now, and who have served on ARC over the 2019-2020 Garden Club Officers (Left to Right): President Alicia vonGreisman, Secretary Elayne Kouzounis, Program Chair past decades. While the City of Houston, by law, must help Susan Teich, Treasurer Maribel Reuter, and Flower Show Chair us address deed restriction violations, the work begins with Terese Wagner (not pictured) us. If you think you might be interested in helping out, please contact our President, Julie Cohn, at [email protected]. Save the Date for the OP- Let’s protect our neighborhood’s architectural and residen- BOA New Neighbor Cof- tial character by upholding our deed restrictions! fee: Sept. 28th

[This is the first article in a continuing series on Old Braes- The annual Coffee for new neigh- wood’s deed restrictions which will appear in this newsletter over the next few years. Questions about the restrictions bors will be held the morning of should be directed to [email protected].] Saturday, September 28th. The September newslet-

ter will include the location and more information.

Our Vanishing History: Tile Street Marker Destruction The last newsletter included information about damage to Old Braeswood’s last two concrete street signs, the kind still in use when the neighborhood was platted in the 1920s. Succeeding concrete pillars as street signs were blue tile signs embedded in the curb at street corners. Many of these remain, but they are fast disappearing. Last May the tile sign on the southeast corner of Maroneal and Morningside was covered in cement when the curbing there was resurfaced. The blue tile signs are footprints of Old Braeswood’s past and should be protected.

OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS JULY / AUGUST 2019 PAGE 3 Check Your Mailing Label The mailing label attached to this newsletter has a code our website for plan review submission information, or printed on the top line that will confirm the status of your contact [email protected]. account. If you have already paid your POA dues and patrol Please don't wait until your plans are completed or ma- subscription for 2019, your label will read “PD”. If we have terials ordered before requesting a preliminary meeting. not yet received your dues and patrol subscription, it will The ARC can provide guidance that should help ensure read “Exp” for expired. that your project can move swiftly through the approval process, resulting in a savings of time, money and unneces- If you are one of the 36% who have not yet paid, we en- sary frustration. courage you to send your payment at your earliest conven- ience. Regular annual dues at $125.00. The annual Patrol Area Newsg subscription is $300.00. Please mail checks payable to OBPOA, PO Box 541346, Houston TX 77254-1346. You • Greenbriar Drive Reconstruction Continues are encouraged to combine the dues and patrol subscrip- Greenbriar between Rice Blvd. and University Blvd. will tion and send in a single check for $425.00. Pay in full remain closed to northbound traffic through early Septem- now, or send two payment ($225 now and a second pay- ber. Northbound traffic on Greenbriar will detour through ment in October of $200). Payments can be made online the Rice Village on Morningside Dr. during this time. at www.OldBraeswood.com via PayPal. • Despite the construction on Green- briar, the Rice Farmers Market is A full list of members will appear in an upcoming newslet- open every Tuesday from 3:30-6:30 ter. Don’t be left off the list. Make your payment today! pm. Use Gate 16 on Rice Blvd at Whit- Plan Review Reminder ley to access the market. • FREE Movie Nights at Rice: Neighbors are invited to Plan review is required for all projects impacting a home’s Movie Night at Reckling Stadium on the Rice Campus, Sat- exterior, including new construction, renovations, fences, urday, July 13 at 8 pm (The Sandlot). windows, doors, awnings, roofs, retaining walls, walkways etc. The ARC (Architectural Review Committee) is happy to The Starlight Movie Night series returns to Rice Stadium meet with owners in advance to ensure plans will comply at 8 pm on Saturday, July 27 (Apollo 11) and 8 pm, August with requirements when they are formally submitted. Visit 24 (The Incredibles 2).

Greenbriar Bears Celebrate Summer The bear family at 7309 Greenbriar has had a recent seasonal costume change. Be sure to wave as you drive by in the comfort of your air- conditioned vehicle! The bears have been in residence since 1992. The two adult bears were installed by former resident Gloria Becker and were left to the current owners. They are often photo- graphed by tourists, and bring a smile to passersby. Special thanks to the Bowdens for keeping this fun tradition going and coming up with new and whimsical attire for the bears every few months!

PAGE 4 JULY / AUGUST 2019 OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS

Plogging for Mark Condolences to the family of Dr. David Miller It has been a year since the loss of our dear neighbor Mark In early June, our neighborhood Hausknecht. Mark served Old lost a great long-time neighbor. Dr. Braeswood in a number of David Miller was beloved by his ways, and one is that he family, his friends, and his habitually picked up trash as patients. he exercised by walking or Our deep condolences to his wife jogging through the neighbor- of 48 years, Sally, and his children hood. Some residents remem- Salisha and Briesen. ber Mark by doing the same. And now there is a term for what they do – “plogging.” To quote from Wikipedia: “Plogging is a combination of jogging with picking up litter (Swedish: plocka upp). It started as an organized activity in Sweden around 2016 and spread to other countries in Joe Manca (Historic Preservation Chair) plogs 2018, following increased on Blue Bonnet with “Molly”. concern about plastic 2019 OBPOA pollution. As a workout, it provides variation in body movements by adding Officers & Chairpersons bending, squatting and stretching to the main action of running, hiking, or walking.” President Julie Cohn Plog to honor Mark’s memory and to keep Old Braeswood clean. Vice Pres. Joe Manca Vice Pres. Kellie Nwokedi Vice Pres. Paul Sanders Welcome, New Neighbors! At-Large John Eldridge

At-Large Jean Boisaubin Olga & Ted Barlow 2402 Bellefontaine Treasurer Bill Marchbank Michiaki & Manami Imamura 2335 Dorrington Secretary Samia Khalil Am y & Ross Markwort 2341 Underwood Past President Andrea Lapsley

*********************************************************** Arch. Review Paul Sanders

Advisory Dee Murray Trash & Recycling Schedule David Leathers Recycling Every other Tuesday (B) Block Captains Christine Manca Dates July 9 & 23 Sept. 4 & 17 Directory Sally Miller Aug. 6 & 20 Oct. 1, 15 & 29 Enforcement John Eldridge Household Trash Tuesdays (in city provided bins) Flood Control Len Teich Garden Club Alicia vonGreisman Yard Waste Tuesdays (in biodegradable bags) Newsletter Susan Teich Junk & Tree Limbs 3rd Monday of each month Evalyn Krudy Junk Waste (& tree limbs) in Even months Park Annette Eldridge Tree waste only in Odd months Preservation Joe Manca Recycling or household garbage should be placed at the curb in the city Patrol /Security Dee Murray provided automated bins no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening preceding pick up and no later than 7 a.m. the day of pick up. Remove bins no later than Rice U Liaison Andrea Lapsley 10 p.m. on collection day. Bins left on the street beyond these times are Social Events Krista Heidersbach subject to city fines. Please ensure bins are accessible and not blocked by Trees Carroll Shaddock vehicles, etc. For more information visit www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste. Paul Sanders Yard waste must be contained in city approved biodegradable bags and University Place Andrea Lapsley placed at the curb at least 3’ from bins. Branches must be bundled and Welcome Dawn Gervais tied into 3 to 4 ft lengths.

OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS JULY / AUGUST 2019 PAGE 5 PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 541346 Houston, TX 77254-1346 Phone: 713-807-1787 Email: [email protected] www.OdBraeswood.com

JULY / AUGUST 2019

VOLUME 15, ISSUE 3

Reports to 311 The ‘Yard of the Season’ award for Please call 311 to report potholes, Summer 2019 goes to 2356 Underwood Blvd. blocked traffic signs, public nui- sances, high weeds, and broken water mains. Call 311 from a land line or 713-837-0311 from a cell phone. OBPOA eNews, Crime Alerts & Delivery Issues

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OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS JULY / AUGUST 2019 PAGE 6