This Week in Demolition: The Most Dangerous Gas Station in the World

Welcome back to another Demolition Report. I’m trying a new format in which I compile the entire week into one post. Let me know what you think in the comments!

This week we see more commercial properties, and some expensive new houses. Maybe some demo permits were issued as Christmas presents. Anyways, one building that caught my eye was the former Valero off of Highway 6. This gas station is about halfway between Westheimer and I-10 on Highway 6. For many years it was the only gas station on this stretch of road. As the years went by the gas station gained many competitors and eventually shutdown after Hurricane Harvey. It has sat vacant with the store, canopy, and pumps all still in place since 2017. The small dirt hill behind the gas station is actually the Barker Reservoir, and the main gates are only a short distance North. I would assume that this has something to do with the gas station’s inability to sell. At least according to flood insurance maps this would be the most dangerous gas station… in the world.

While obviously not directly dangerous, I would guess high property insurance rates are part of the reasons for closure. Photo Source: Loopnet

This is a list of the buildings which received a City of Houston demolition permit the week before this post.

Residential Buildings
1718 Skinner Rd, Houston, TX 77093Photos of lot
10446 Wicklowe St, Houston, TX 77016
602 Sue St, Houston, TX 77009– Lindale Park, 40s Home, Photos
811 Crestbend Dr, Houston, TX 77042– Rivercrest Estates, 60s Mansion, Photos
5918 Los Angeles St, Houston, TX 77026– Florida Gardens
7202 Senna St, Houston, TX 77028– Banyan Place
3805 Aberdeen Way, Houston, TX 77025– Braes Heights, Photos
3312 Hutchins St, Houston, TX 77004– Stuart Hutchins Villas, Photos
5517 Sweetbriar St– Forest Oaks
1522 Ojeman Rd, Houston, TX 77055– Spring Branch
1428 1/2 N Durham Dr, Houston, TX 77008– Heights, Garage apartment in rear
6114 Hopper Rd, Houston, TX 77016– Timber Acres
5342 Petty St, Houston, TX 77007– Heights
308 E 26th St, Houston, TX 77008– Sunset Heights, 30s Bungalow, Photos
1141 W Bell St, Houston, TX 77019– Fourth Ward, To be replaced by duplex, Photos
7720 Hammerly Blvd, Houston, TX 77055– Hilldale, Photos
7130 Conley St, Houston, TX 77021– Foster Place
4026 Melbourne St, Houston, TX 77026– Wilkshire Place
659 Eastlake St, Houston, TX 77034– Freeway Manor
5516 Chaucer Dr, Houston, TX 77005– West U, House that was converted to multi-residence.
4827 Braesvalley Dr, Houston, TX 77096– Meyerland, Photos
8038 Turquoise Ln, Houston, TX 77055– Springdale, New home by Quintessa Homes, Photos
8014 Turquoise Ln, Houston, TX 77055– Springdale, New home by Quintessa Homes, Photos

Commercial Buildings
1301 Nance St, Houston, TX 77002– Hardy, Originally a residence rebuilt as a commercial structure in the 60s when I-10 was built, Photos
219 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006– Montrose, Former House, Has been multiple restaurants
15007 Lawndale St, Houston, TX 77017– A.C. Cut Rate Wholesale Liquor
1602 S Texas 6, Houston, TX 77077– Former gas station was most recently a Valero, Photos
8618 Stella Link Rd, Houston, TX 77025– Braeswood, Strip center in old Seller Bros parking lot. Mostly vacant since Harvey but once featured a Popeye’s without a drive-thru, now only VT Cleaners is left
6952 Lawndale St, Houston, TX 77023– Lawndale, L-K Industries, Chronicle Story about burglary April 9, 1972

One comment

  1. Ah, 219 Westheimer is toast? My “Fearless Critic Houston Restaurant Guide” (a book which I love, by the way, and have showed a few scans off…and their thrashing of Cleburne Cafeteria is hilariously descriptive) shows Chez Georges at the spot, and just from the way the subtle ways the restaurant was run, correctly called the restaurant’s impending demise. It appears that they were so accurate that Chez Georges went out of business by the time the book actually hit shelves.

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