10 Fab Homes

10 fabulous Houston homes — from most unique to most expensive — offer unforgettable memories

People love to look at photos of pretty houses. Just take a look at the ka-zillions of home, decor, interior design, makeover, etc. magazines and e-magazines solely dedicated to these topics.

CultureMap, during our five years of publication —with more to come — has offered readers peeks into hundreds of Houston-area and beyond homes through our ongoing On the Market editorial series. We've covered the gamut, from bungalows to million-dollar mansions to every budget range and style in between.

For our fifth birthday, we've rounded up some of our favorites, 10 as a matter of fact, to double your viewing pleasure.

Most unique
As the headline read, "Talk about bang for your buck." The Mid-Century mod featured in the 1955 Parade of Homes — and designed by the same architecture firm that planned the Astrodome — came up for sale in April featuring its own bomb shelter. Located at 5102 Jackwood St. in the Meyerland community, the structure includes the secret space, called the "Para-Cap" shelter, with a parabolic roof and room to accommodate up to 10 people. The emergency exit in the backyard is now hidden by landscaping, even though the circular eyepiece or telescope for observation is visible.

Best bungalow
When CNN Money crowned the Heights area as one of America’s 10 Best Big-City Neighborhoods in August 2013, this completely restored 1920s gem at 405 Woodland St. in Woodland Heights was listed at $974,900. Not only is the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath charmer in pristine condition; it also sits on a rare double-corner lot. The shady, fully fenced property provides a cozy covered porch, multiple courtyards and green spaces. And there’s more: A large private side yard opens to a guest apartment or a future pool house.

Sports hero's house
When former all-time Houston Astros great Jeff Bagwell and his decided to part ways, it became necessary for them to part with their stunning home at 405 Timberwilde Lane in Memorial - for $15 million. The 16,414-square-foot manse sits on 2.5 acres and includes a resort-sized swimming pool and a guest house that measures in at 1,750 square feet. The John Daugherty realtor showing the house at the time commented, "I think this is one of the most beautiful houses I've ever had the pleasure of listing."

Frank Lloyd Wright jewel
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture historians came to the 2,000-square-foot residence at 12020 Tall Oaks St. in Bunker Hill in July to officially inspect and then declare the structure an original. Once destined to be a tear-down, the home showcases signature design elements, including red-pigmented concrete floors, concrete block walls, walls of windows, built-in sofas and bookcases and lots of angles. Wright enthusiasts did air their disapproval that a substantial annex — about 6,000 square feet of contemporary architecture — wraps around the back of the Wright house.

Readers' choice
While CultureMap reported about the historic significance of 1885 The Waldo Mansion at 201 Westmoreland, readers talked more of the great bashes they had attended at the 6,598-square-foot residence nestled on a 25,000-square-foot corner lot among mature trees. That's easy to understand, as the home boasts a wrap-around veranda, 14- and 15-foot ceilings, 10 gas fireplaces and a private courtyard with a fountain guarded by towering palm trees. In other words, party central in Montrose.

Best beach house
A castle in the sand caught waves of attention as a dream sunny family retreat for generations to come. This house in the Beachtown community in Galveston offers 5,200 square feet on four levels, with seven bedrooms to comfortably accommodate friends and relatives. The custom home at 1609 Seaside Drive sits on three beachfront lots. Community space extends the life outdoors with more than 1,700 square feet of deck space on wrap-around porches. And it's still on the market, if you're interested, and still at the original asking price of $3.795 million

Houston treasure
A double-shotgun row house owned by Bert Long Jr. recently came on the market for $200,000. Long worked at the 4739 Buck St. home in the Fifth Ward for more than a decade before he passed away on Feb. 1, 2013. Once featured in design and architecture magazine Dwell, the structure was carefully renovated 15 years ago as part of a year-long thesis project by then-Rice University graduate architecture student Brett Zamore. The 5,831-square-foot property includes the 960-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom home as well as Long's separate studio space.

Historic bed and breakfast
We had high hopes of this becoming CultureMap's official retreat; however, the $1,225,000 price tag left it on the market until a buyer with deeper pockets snatched it up: The country-chic, top-rated bed and breakfast, Round Top Inn. Built in 1885, the two-story Main House is the largest residence on the property. The Farm House is complete with a sprawling front porch and plenty of rocking chairs. An adorable two-story, salt-box-style abode, the Gate House offers two bedrooms. A spacious Retreat Center is perfect for reunions, birthdays, luncheons or private parties. Quite the package for five residences and a retreat center on about one acre in this antique paradise.

Most expensive home (when article published)
The ticket on Bayou Breeze was first listed in 2013 at $19,995,000; today the mansion is still on the market with a reduced price of $15,995,000. The Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty listing is an incredible English-style country estate sitting on 3.7 secluded acres in the middle of River Oaks. With 16,022 square feet, the manse at 3688 Willowick is a custom wonder designed by Curtis & Windham, built by Randy Ratcliff and decorated by famed New York-based designer Bunny Williams.

Just last week, the Bayou Breeze house seemed like a deal after a palatial Memorial chateau went on sale with an asking price of $43 million, which is believed to be Houston's most expensive home ever offered on the market.

Best penthouse
Also still for sale is the exclusive penthouse in the Four Seasons Hotel Houston designed by renowned architect William F. Stern. With a reduced price now of $3,850,000 (original asking price was $4.6 million), No. 3007 is one of the few private condos at the top of the hotel. Stern arranged the open floor plan into three zones: Living areas with raised ceilings just steps from the dining room, gourmet kitchen and wine cellar; master suite library and media room; and master suite and two guest suites with den. The zones are linked by a hallway along the outside wall, flooding the residence with light and maximizing views of the city's skyline.

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CultureMap is celebrating its fifth birthday with a big party on Oct. 10 from 7 - 10 p.m. at the new JW Marriott Houston Downtown, with a portion of proceeds going to Casa de Esperanza. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online.

Houston's most expensive home in 2013, 3688 Willowick, is still on the market with a reduced price.

Houston's most expensive homes, 3866 Willowick, January 2013, aerial

Photo courtesy of Martha Turner Properties

Houston's most expensive home in 2013, 3688 Willowick, is still on the market with a reduced price.

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they're durable, too

3D-printed Houston housing project cements a more affordable future

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.

Houston is putting itself front-and-center to help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality for 80 lucky homeowners in a scalable housing community that will hopefully catch on nationwide. Recently, developer Cole Klein Builders partnered with HiveASMBLD to pioneer what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale, one-of-a-kind, affordable housing development using 3-D printing technology, merging robotics, design, and sustainability.

Located across from Sterling Aviation High School, near Hobby Airport, Zuri Gardens will offer 80 two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes of approximately 1,360 square feet situated in a park-like setting, including walking trails and a community green space.

Homes in Zuri Gardens will hit the market in early summer of 2026. Final pricing has yet to be determined, but Cole Klein Builders expects it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.

Interestingly, none of the homes will offer garages or driveways, which the developer tells CultureMap will provide a savings of roughly $25,000 - $40,000 per home.

Instead of parking for individual units, 140 parking spaces will be provided. Ideally, this small-town-inspired design will provide opportunities for neighbors to meet, connect, and build community.

Each two-story home is comprised of a ground floor printed by HiveASMBLD, using a proprietary low-carbon cement alternative by Eco Material Technologies that promises to enhance strength and reduce CO2 emissions. The hybrid homes will have a second floor built using engineered wood building products by LP Building Solutions. Overall, the homes are designed to be flood, fire, and possibly even tornado-proof.

The Zuri in Zuri Gardens is the Swahili word for “beautiful,” a choice that is fitting considering that the parks department will be introducing a five acre park to the project — with 3-D printed pavilions and benches — plus, a three acre farm is located right across the street. The Garver Heights area, where Zuri Gardens is located, is in what’s classified as a food desert, which means that access to fresh food is limited. Residents will have access to the farm’s fresh produce, plus opportunities to participate in gardening and nutrition workshops—that’s a win for everyone.

With the novelty of Zuri Gardens, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood already has an 800 person waitlist, but with stringent buyer requirements, it’s unclear how many of those 800 will qualify. Developer Cole Klein Builders created Zuri Gardens in partnership with the Houston Housing Community Development Department, who provided infrastructure reimbursements for the roads, sewer lines, and water lines. In return, CKB agreed to push the purchase prices for the homes as low as possible.

Zuri Gardens also received $1.8 million dollars from the Uptown Tourism Bond, 34 percent of which must be used with minority owned small businesses. Qualified buyers must fit a certain area of median income according to HUD guidelines, and must be owner occupied at all times — so no property investors or short term vacation rentals will be allowed.

“They’re trying to bridge that gap to make sure there is a community for the homebuyers who need it — educators, law enforcement, civil workers, etc.,” Cole Klein Builders’ co-principal Vanessa Cole tells CultureMap. “You have to go through a certification process with the housing department to make sure that your income is in alignment for this community. It has been great, and everyone has been really receptive.”

Cole has also brought insurance underwriters to visit the site and to help drive premiums below regular rates for Houston homeowners since homes in Zuri Gardens are not built to traditional standards — claim risks for one of the 3-D homes are extremely low. Tim Lankau, principal at HiveASMBLD, notes that the 3-D hybrid design allows for a more traditional appearance, while having the benefits of a concrete structure: “That’s where the floodwaters would go, that’s where you can hide when there’s a tornado, and that’s where termites would eat. So you get the advantages of it while having a traditionally-framed second floor.”

It’s important to note that Zuri Gardens is not located in a flood prone area, nor did it flood during Hurricane Harvey — being flood proof is merely a perk of a cement house. The concrete that Eco Material Technologies developed is impervious. The walls are printed into hollow forms, which house rebar, plumbing, and accessible conduits for things like electrical lines and smart house features. Those walls are then filled with a foamcrete product that expands to form a “monolithic concrete wall.”

David McNitt, of Eco Material Technologies, explains that his proprietary concrete is made of PCV, and contains zero Portland cement. Instead, McNitt’s cement is made from coal ash and is 99 percent green (there are a few chemicals added to the ash). Regardless, it’s made from 100 percent waste products.

“This is a product that has really been landfilled before,” says McNitt. “It’s coal ash, and it’ll set within 8-10 minutes. It’s all monolithic, and one continuous pour — it’s literally all one piece.”

Eco Material Technologies’ concrete product is impressively durable. A traditional cinderblock wall will crush at around 800 psi, while this material crushes at about 8,000 psi.

“It’s ten times stronger than a cinderblock wall that can withstand hurricanes,” claims McNitt. “I don’t think you’d even notice a hurricane. It’ll be really quiet inside, too — so you won’t get interrupted during your hurricane party. It’s way over-engineered, it really is.”

The second story is built using weatherproof and eco-friendly products by LP Building Solutions. Their treated, engineered wood products come with a 50 year warranty, and their radiant barrier roof decking product blocks 97% of UV rays, and keeps attic temperatures 30° cooler than traditional building materials. These materials, combined with the concrete first floor, will keep heating and cooling costs low — something the folks at HiveASMBLD refer to as “thermal mass performance.”

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.