written by John Burgdorf, www.NorthTexasLuxury.com

Built as a second home for former Texas Governor Ross Sterling and his family, the historic Ross Sterling Mansion overlooking Galveston Bay near La Porte, Texas.  The 2 story Georgian estate features 21,000 sq. feet.  When completed in 1927, it was said to be Texas’ largest residence.  The plan for the residence came to Alfred C. Finn, the architect of the home, in 1924.  Preserved in Time, the current non-profit owners of the estate, say that the home’s facade is designed to be similar to that of the White House of the United State, but 2/5′s the size!  Governor Sterling knew exactly what he wanted; he simply showed Finn, the architect, a picture of the White House and basically told Finn to make it happen.  And that he did.

The 9 bedroom/15 bath mansion features 34 rooms including a ball room, billiards room, bowling alley, 300 seat dining room, and much more lavish interior amenities and designs.  The Sterling’s donated the mansion to charity in 1946, 3 years before Ross Sterling would pass away.  The residence holds a Historic Marker.

I always like to image what it must have been like back then to own such a residence like this.  21,000 sq. feet was considerably larger than the average size of a home back in 1927.

Photo by Sloangallery.com

Houston Real Estate

In 2008, when Hurricane Ike swept through town the restaurant was devasted by a fire.  The famous restaurant has since been renovated by Studio RED Architects.   Acccording to Paper City Magazine, the renovation included gutting the interior, but kept the structure’s most iconic elements such as the Terms of Endearment Room and vaulted ceiling and exposed trusses of the Chef’s Dining Room/Ballroom.

The firm also paid homage to Staub by naming a new private dining alcove for him.  The photo below depicts the John Staub room, just a small portion of the renovation.  I had lunch recently here, and this is where we sat.  The room is very cozy and I prefer it to the larger dining room.

Photo Source:  Brennan’s of Houston website; Photos are of the John Staub room at Brennan’s

Other Sources:  Brennan’s of Houston website and Paper City Magazine

Houston Commercial Properties

The stately 11,366 square foot, two-story brick structure located in Shadyside between the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston and Rice Univeristy was designed by Harrie T. Lindeberg and John Staub in 1923.  Two Longfellow was commissioned by wholesale merchant tycoon D.D. Peden of the Peden Iron & Steel Company and is reportedly one of the early commissions that brought John Staub to Houston when he was a junior architect.

 The home is Georgian in style comparable to a great English manor house, surrounded by live oaks and a landscaped garden.  The two-story carriage house with horse stalls and a tack room is now a three-car garage and separate living quarters.  A signature feature included a free-floating staircase with a wrought iron banister.

Between 2008 -2010 a state of the art renovation was started on the property.  The owners at the time, were mindful during the renovation of the home’s historic designation.  Purportedly, the orignal architect’s blueprints were discovered, which made the recreation of the 1923 southwest facade possible.  With respect to architectural features, the massive residence has been returned to the original 1923 exterior, but its interiors are updated for living today.

This houston home was previously listed on the market for $12 million.  You can search here for Houston Homes that are currently on the market.

Source:  PaperCity

Frankel Building Group is a family run, full service company of extraordinary professionals with a passion for quality home building. They are a very active and respected force in the greater Houston area building industry, leading the way in setting new standards.

Frankel is a long time builder in many of Houston’s premier neighborhoods and was one of the first builders of homes in Cinco Ranch. They’ve received great acclaim for their design work and talent for blending large new homes into established neighborhoods of Memorial Villages and Houston’s Inner Loop. Frankel Building Group is leading the movement as innovative green home builders.

Contact us for more information about any Houston custom home builder in the Greater Houston area.

Source:  Houston Magazine, Houston Association of Realtors

Listed by:  John Daugherty Realtors

When  I saw that this home was going up for auction, the first thought that crossed my mind was that this would make a really nice event location for weddings, charity functions, dinners, etc.  Even some of the bedrooms could be occasional B&B rooms, especially bride and grooms after they had their wedding there.

According the appraisal district The Chateau is 25,637 square feet and features a music room, library, outdoor terrace, wine room and a Greenhouse Room…just to name a few!  The Chateau was modeled after Normandy France architecture, with marble flooring throughout and handpicked and imported antique fixtures from Europe.

The home is going up for auction on November 5, 2011 to the highest bidder.  The building costs are over $10 million, the opening auction bid will be $2 million.

If you are looking for a similar size home that is available for sale and not up for auction, please feel free to use our Search for Houston Homes feature.

Note:  Unknown whether or not this property has any restrictions, it would have to be verified and a variance would have to be applied for if there are any commercial restrictions.

Source:  Houston Association of Realtors

Rear View of Chateau

Chateau – Terrace

Chateau – Music Room

With over $16 million in appointments, this Mediterranean mansion with Italianate and French architecture optimizes luxury and comfort.  Some of the more elaborate features include, suspended staircases, a mirrored elevator, semi-precious stone and gilded plaster crown molding, frescoes, malachite inlays, four kitchens, a dining room that seats 30, brocade upholstery and antique plaster reliefs on the master suite walls, third-floor home theater with elevated leather banquettes and suede upholstered walls.

Outside there are endless views of lush gardens, sculpted granite terraces and a one of a kind peninsula setting where the bayou meets Piney Point Creek.

The home is currently for sale and the ultimate in privacy, prestige and beauty can be yours for approximately $8.9 million. 

Source:  Houston Association of Realtors & Melanie Johnson

Introducing the Mansards, developed and built by Titan Homes.  The Mansards is a collection of five new construction single-family homes located in the inner loop neighborhood of Shady Acres in Houston, Texas.

All floor plans have 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and range from 2000 to 2200 square feet per the builder.  Outdoor living spaces include a front covered lanai porch, yard space and balconies.

Some of the most notable features of this collection of homes is the hand-scraped hardwood and tumbled travertine floors, hammered copper vent hood and sinks, his and hers studies, and hand carved ceiling panels carved by a local artist.  These new construction homes are currently for sale in Houston, Texas in the $300k price range.

Titan Homes brings years of commitment to the creation of premium homes at an affordable price.  Titan Homes are designed for a buyer with discriminating taste and a keen sense of style.  Look for eye-catching architecture, spacious light filled interiors and top notch finishes from Titan Homes.

In order to receive a homestead exemption for property tax purposes, applicants must now provide a copy of their Texas driver’s license or Texas state-issued identification card and a copy of their vehicle registration receipt with their application for a homestead exemption.

Moreover, the addresses shown on each of the documents must be the same as the address for which the homestead exemption is sought, according to Harris County Chief Appraiser Jim Robinson. Those who do not own a vehicle will be required to submit a notarized affidavit certifying that fact and provide a copy of a current bill received from a utility company.  The address on the utility bill must be the same as the address on the application for a homestead exemption.

“The Legislature has closed loopholes in disclosure that allowed some citizens to obtain homestead exemptions on more than one property,” Robinson said. “The Legislature has also authorized central appraisal districts to gain access to the database of the Texas Department of Public Safety so that differences in addresses reported for driver’s license and property tax reasons can be audited electronically.”

Source:  Harris County Appraisal District

Contact:
Michael or Georgiana Teeple

Phone : 832-496-4363