• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Controversial Apartment Fire

    Massive fire burns down a controversial Montrose apartment complex, engulfing the city in smoke and ash

    Eric Sandler
    Chris Baldwin
    Mar 25, 2014 | 1:28 pm
    Massive fire burns down a controversial Montrose apartment complex, engulfing the city in smoke and ash
    play icon

    The Houston Fire Department waged war on a massive, five-alarm fire at an under construction apartment complex on West Dallas between Montrose and Waugh. Portions of the building collapsed due to the fire and Montrose went into a virtual standstill with huge traffic jams Tuesday afternoon.

    A CultureMap staffer driving in the area had ash falling on her car and says that the smell of smoke is "overpowering."

    More than 70 fire department vehicles responded as the blaze keeps growing. It was officially upgraded to a five-alarm fire at 1:25 p.m. after starting out as a three-alarm fire in its first reporting at around 12:30 p.m. At around 3 p.m., the fire was declared under control. By then, a huge portion of the complex had burned to the ground.

    "I saw the flames. I just started yelling, 'Out out, everybody get out,' as much as I could in Spanish and in English."

    Construction workers were in the building when the fire started, but Houston Fire Department officials believe all the workers safely got out.

    A worker on the site, who asked not to be identified, told CultureMap, "I was on the backside of the building outside and I saw smoke come up from the building and I ran into the opposite side to see what was going on. I saw the flames. I just started yelling, 'Out out, everybody get out,' as much as I could in Spanish and in English.

    "I ran back to the other side of the building to see what was happening and make sure that my crews were out. Made it into the garage just in time to get all the cars out . . . I think pretty much all the cars made it out and as far as I know everybody made it out too."

    Twitter exploded with multiple pictures of the blaze, which is billowing black smoke that can be seen throughout central Houston. KHOU reports that Montrose is closed between Allen Parkway and West Dallas. Several TV stations aired live coverage of the fire and the increasingly frantic efforts to control it.

    The units appear to be part of 2400 West Dallas, a JLB development being built just feet away from a more than century old cemetery. The location has brought its share of controversy with vocal opponents voicing their displeasure over building something so close to grave site that opened in 1884.

    There is no word on what started the fire yet. No injuries have been reported.

    For more, click on CultureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge's exclusive video from the scene above this story. CultureMap also has an exclusive photo gallery of images from the scene. Come back to CultureMap for continued developments.

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    most read posts

    Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse

    Houston's new Napa Valley-inspired restaurant sets opening date

    Predicting 13 barbecue joints that could make Texas Monthly's new top 10

    the search is on

    Game-changing leader of Houston Parks Board to retire after 10 years

    Jef Rouner
    May 21, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Houston Parks Board CEO Beth White stands at a podium at the Captain Herod Memorial, Houston Mayor John Whitmire is seated nearby.
    Photo by Melissa Taylor
    Beth White speaking at the Captain Herod Memorial on January 28,2025

    It's the end of an era at the Houston Parks Board (HPB). CEO Beth White announced Wednesday, May 21 that she will be retiring on January 1, 2026.

    "As I reflect on my career, one of the most rewarding decisions I have made was coming to Houston," White said in a statement. "The entrepreneurial drive in this city is very powerful, our public-private partnership model is second to none, and the creativity at play is a model for the nation."

    White began her stewardship of the HPB in 2016. Before coming to Houston, she oversaw Chicago's Trust for Public Land, guiding the development of the city's famous elevated trailway, the 606. Her experience made her perfect to lead the HPB as Houston dedicated itself to a radical improvement of its park spaces. With HPB responsible for 3,300 acres across 250 parks, as well as coordinating access to another 14,000 acres, it was an executive position for an area physically larger than many cities.

    White proved herself a competent and visionary general of Houston's greenspaces. During her time, she led the revitalization of 30 Houston parks, mostly in marginalized and underserved communities. Her work netted her an appointment to the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2021, where she helped federal agencies make long-term plans about public space usage.

    Perhaps her greatest accomplishment as CEO of HPB is the Bayou Greenway project, a bold re-imagining of Houston's waterways. The project has built 150 miles worth of trails that hug the various bayous and creeks meandering through Houston, turning what were often foot traffic barriers into an artery system of green trails connecting various park spaces across the city. Isolated pockets of community space are now linked through easy to use trail systems, making foot traffic across Houston simpler and more beautiful to experience.

    “It is very gratifying to see that Houstonians are embracing parks and greenspace as an essential part of the region’s infrastructure. I am proud to have played a part in Houston’s green renaissance and look forward to continued progress thanks to the talented and dedicated staff and board at Houston Parks Board,” said White.

    Cory King, president and CEO, and Ben Feit, principal, at Kittleman and Associates, are leading the search for suitable candidates to fill White's very big shoes. In the meantime, White will continue to lead the organization for the rest of the year.

    "Houston Parks Board would not be in the position it is today without the guidance and leadership of Beth White. As we commemorate her throughout this year, we are grateful that Beth’s vision has helped transform our organization into a regional and national leader for parks and greenspace,” said Houston Parks Board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse. “We are also excited to begin the search for her successor. Houston is a unique region that offers different opportunities to maximize available space and create multi-purpose greenspaces that make real, lasting impacts on our communities. We look forward to sharing more information as the search progresses."

    parkshouston parks boardbeth white
    news/city-life
    Loading...