After a home inspection today in the Upper Kirby district, I decided to check a salvage yard that I knew about, but I had never been to: Historic Houston’s Salvage Warehouse. I do not know why I would have desired to go look at pieces of disassembled homes after examining a house, but I do like seeing the details in some older pieces.

Actually salvage yards like this one have a mixture of old and new fixtures and parts; however, I like making a find. Something unique that I just will not see anywhere else. Most major cities have a shop like this; I believe the one in New Orleans is the largest of its kind. The warehouse was not as big as I was hoping that it would be, but they did have some great pieces which could be transformed into a marvelous focal point for your home. The rounded windows could be stunning. I was tempted to buy some columns for an art project that I am working on though.

You could find any piece belonging to a home, including a kitchen sink. Places like this are great for when you are restoring the historic character of a home, or if you want to incorporate an intriguing element. The fireplace mantels would be a nice touch, and they had a photograph up by them to encourage a bit of whimsy on your part; you could turn them into headers for a bed. I saw one with a faux marble finish which may be nice for that.

The warehouse is located on 1307 W. Clay, which runs parallel to West Gray. It is just north of that street close to the intersection with Mandel. If you are not in Houston, just look up salvage yards to see which ones specializes in historic home parts in your area.

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I realized this morning that I have been sitting on this information, which I meant to post. I attended the ceremonies for the re-opening of this branch downtown, and it was quite a bit of fun for the family, so I thought that I would share what happened that day as well as re-introducing you to this location.

I am an avid library resident, going at least once a week, but I have the tendency to stay at my local branches. The central branch has always been nice, but somehow I always enjoyed a university library more. Now, with children in tow, a university’s stacks would not be the place for the kids. I mentioned to one of the librarians that I had not been in this building for years, and that I am quite loyal to three near-by branches to my home. His eyes lit up with joy when he spoke of why this central location is so fantastic, just thinking of all of the books to peruse. I have to admit that he had a point.

What I really enjoy is that there is a safe place which offers so much to the family. My almost teenage son was enthralled with the room set aside for teens. Who knew that you could play Guitar Hero with a new friend among the books? The gaming systems in this fourth floor world were impressive, and my son did like the book collection too. My one year old daughter likes playing the computer games too. In the younger children’s section on the other side of this floor, we zoomed around the stacks finding books to gawk at, and a bank of computers to play with. Usually at the local branches, all of the little ones have to share one station.

Of course the variety of books was impressive, but I was delighted with the selection of CDs and DVDs that could be checked out. I strolled through the books in foreign languages and poetry to see who I would encounter, but I did not get much of a chance, since my daughter wanted to see more of the sites.

The celebrations were quite fun. The musical entertainment provided was great; I especially liked seeing Trout Fishing in America. My daughter probably enjoyed the dancers best of all. We watched the flamenco and native Indian dancers. I have to say the little Indian girls were cute in their costumes. My son liked the games which had been set up, and I think my wife liked going up on the stage to dance with the children with a Spanish speaking folk singer.

I would make a day of it if you are going to head downtown. The library is next to city hall. I park in the underground parking next to Jones Hall. We walk through the various parks on our way to the library, taking a look at city hall. I also like to walk around the Wortham Center. If you are like me, you will find that the walk to the new park, Discovery Green, after the library is not so bad. There are many places to stop to grab a bite to eat, so you can explore a little. I generally bring a picnic with me though. I like checking out some of the details on the older buildings, like the old Rice Hotel. The court houses are alright too. You can even walk over to Allen’s Landing by Buffalo Bayou. There is a nice nightlife now downtown centered along the Metro rail line on Main Street, but for dinner, I usually head down along Westheimer to find a place. It does make for a nice family day, and you may find that the children will not want to leave the library.

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She screams in delight as she spots the colorful glass bowl. She goes over to the wall sculpture that she wants for herself, and I am drawn to the beautiful handmade furniture. It is not hard to have children fall in love with art. They seem to have an immediate connection. My daughter and I were having a day where we were exploring the museum district. We went to the Center of Contemporary Craft to see the pieces which had been entered into the Craft Texas competition. I had forgotten that the first Saturday of each month is Hands on Houston. This is when an artist will set up a demonstration in their craft, and then the children (of any age) can make their own piece.

Yesterday the textile artist, Liz Gamon, had developed a clever way to introduce weaving to the audience. I apologize for not remembering his name, but I enjoyed my talk with the gentleman who set up a loom for a tapestry weaving demonstration. My daughter was a bit too young to make her own weaving, but she had fun with some yarn. On other occasions, my son has made pottery pieces, jewelry, books, and sketches. There is also something new to find.

The center’s garden is a nice place to relax, and to check out plants which are used for different craft projects, such as paper making and textile plants. Having a gardener’s heart, I snapped off a few photos to share some ideas for your own home.

A Fountain

My daughter was prepared to jump into the water on this hot day. This is a nice set up for a homeowner, which can be done on a smaller scale. No plants or fish grace this water feature. The water is pumped up to a holding area that allows the water to flow over the rims to a basin below. By leaving the plants and fish out of the pond, maintenance becomes easier.

An Artistic Trellis

Galvanized pipe creates the basic frame, and by painting it a dark color, the frame fades back from vision. The brightly colored spiraled forms coming down for the vines appear to be copper tubes that have been painted with bright colors.

A Sculpture

These are ceramic pieces. I believe that they have been slipped over a pole. You could do something similar in your garden. I had old film reels which I attached to a galvanized pole that I hammered into the ground.

RaisedBeds

These beds have been raised by using concrete blocks to a height of two feet. A colored cement was used for a stucco. Using the colored grout for tiles is another option for the stucco finish. Raising the beds allows for good planting material to be placed in the bed, but by having this wall, you have a place to sit when working in your garden.

The parking for the center is in the back of the building. I usually take a back route in from Montrose, since Main can be a bit difficult to navigate at times (The front of the building is on Main). If you are looking for more things to do in the area, most museums are south of the center, but just north of the center along Montrose is University of Saint Thomas. Go to see the church, which has the prayer maze in the garden next to it. Further north on Montrose are a good many eateries. I like Niko Niko’s. It is family friendly with good service, and good Greek food, but it is a bit pricey for a family on a budget.

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One young lady decided that she was up to the task, so she went to the post office. Instead of going to the vending machines in the lobby, she waited in line for her turn with the postmaster. She proudly walks up to him and asks for a “forgiveness” stamp. Without missing a beat, he says that is going to be the next stamp we are going to come out with; would you like a forever stamp for now?Now, I am a Lutheran, so forgiveness stamps do not sit well with me (alright, historical jokes do not always play well, but give me credit for trying). In the end, she has learned what to ask for.

After my mother related this story to me, we start talking about other events in our lives, and she asks if I am still volunteering at the Food Bank. Not as much as I would like is my reply. It is interesting to see those who come to volunteer in the warehouse with me. You have the staffs of large corporations coming on some days. There are a few individuals like me coming at times. People who are having a home built by Habitat for Humanity will do their volunteer work here too. I usually give them some information on taking care of their home, and other bits of advice during the break times. I am amused by those who have been mandated there for community service. Of course all of them are innocent. I usually try to help them out with tips about their homes too. The prisoners do worry me, but only when my son is volunteering with me.

Anyone can benefit from the Food Bank. It offers a helping hand to those in need without question. The problem that food banks across the nation are facing right now is the ability to obtain enough. Rising fuel costs have had their effect, but you may also be aware that bio-fuels are now to blame for increased food costs too. This situation has led to smaller purchases by the food banks, because their revenue (our donations) have not increased. Many charities have suffered over the past six months, but I think that food pantries may have been hit hardest.

Would you like your own forgiveness stamp? A small donation can go a long way. Your local food bank will operate much the same way as mine does. I estimate that around 75% of the labor is done by some type of volunteer labor, so payroll cost is not so much the issue. A good deal of the money donated is used for purchasing fresh vegetables and fruits at very good prices, and quickly getting them out the door to the pantries. Sometimes other deals are struck, so more than the typical can good will go to the end user. Basically, your money will be well spent. I have set up a recurring payment to go to my food bank through my electronic banking. Twenty dollars every so often is not much, but it can help.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I hope that you will consider helping your local food bank.

Your
Houston home inspector,

Frank
Schulte-Ladbeck

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