Historic River Oaks Mansion That Dates Back to 1937 Sells at a Price That Should Forbid a Teardown
Preservationists Can Only Hope This $5.5 Million John Staub Stunner Avoids the Fate of its Neighbors
BY Shelby Hodge // 05.09.20The prominent yet graceful dwelling on heavily traveled Inwood was sold for $5.5 million. (Photo by Vlady Ambia)
In this time of COVID-19, many businesses are sadly failing, but residential real estate, although slowing down, is still moving. Case in point is this John Staub beauty in River Oaks that just closed for a generous $5.5 million.
At that price, tearing it down to make way for a McMansion would be a fool’s errand. Interestingly, the house was previously on the market for $6.1 million. But when the price was dropped to $5.5 million, it sold within days.
The beautiful New Orleans-influenced dwelling was built in 1937 when Houston’s premier architect was designing his signature graceful mansions for leading citizenry, not the least of whom was Ima Hogg, whose Bayou Bend became a house museum of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. One can see similarities between the two homes.
The house at 3015 Inwood is one of Staub’s most graceful at 6,256 square feet with four/five bedrooms, four full and two half baths. A 1957 addition, also designed by Staub, contributed to the modern-day appeal.
The dwelling is replete with handsome architectural detailing including four marble fireplaces, a Jacobean walnut-paneled library, a bright sunroom, an octagonal dinning room, and full quarters over the garage.
The one-acre lot shrouded in oaks and laced with azaleas includes a large swimming pool and pool house that echoes the architecture of the main dwelling.
SHOP FOR MOM
In short, the house represents a gracious style of living that was celebrated in the 1930s through the ’60s, after which Staub and his cohorts in Houston’s grand residential architecture — William Ward Watkin and Birdsall Briscoe — passed on.
In recent decades, a number the grand old mansions designed by this trio have been, with little or no consideration to the past, torn down to make way for contemporary dwellings.
When this sale was completed, the home was listed with Nan & Company Properties, Christie’s International Real Estate.
Click through the photo gallery below for a look inside this Staub stunner:
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