Leader0823b

Saturday, August 23, 2014 • Page 1B

New Swayze Court development draws attention over name By Betsy Denson For The Leader News

When Urban Living started to promote a new development on the corner of Alba and Wakefield in Garden Oaks, it wasn’t just the soon to be built patio homes that got the attention of the neighborhood. It was the name – Swayze Court. According to Vinod Ramani, owner of Urban Living, the original developer of the property told him that one of the original homes on the site had been a dance studio of Patsy Swayze’s. According to Cookie Joe, a former dance student of Swayze’s and friend of the Swayze family, Patsy did have a studio nearby on Judiway in the former club Pagoda A-Go-Go. When Oppidan Homes took over the project the name stuck. “We thought there was some history there,” said Ramani, whose company has exclusive marketing rights to Oppidan Homes. “If anyone does know any differently, we can change the name.” Ramani said he had not spoken to anyone in the Swayze family about the development and they are not involved. Ramani confirms that they are in the final stages of permitting and once construction begins, it will be six to eight months for phase one of the construction to be completed. The entire development is 14 three-story patio

Contributed Photo While oﬃcial renderings of the new Swayze Court development from Urban Vision’s website shows a gentle neighborhood, the reaction from members of the community and law experts might not be kind.

Court a month ago when friends started sending him texts, but has not followed up with Urban Living. “If it is an opportunity to honor Buddy and Patsy then I’m glad they are being recognized

homes. Phase one is six townhomes and phase two is eight townhomes. All are priced between $500,000 and $600,000. Sean Swayze, Patrick’s brother who lives in California, said that he ﬁrst heard about Swayze

but approval from the family should be required,” Cookie Joe said. Andrew Sellers with the Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic said that while the name may be just a mark of respect, there are two issues of trademark law which have to be considered. Sellers said a company could get into trouble for infringing on the trademark rights of the Swayze name. “The heart of that claim would be showing that some sizable number of the population would mistakenly believe that Swayze’s estate somehow endorsed, sponsored, or is behind the development of the subdivision,” Sellers said. The second concern would be if Urban Living ever tried to register the trademark for Swayze Court with the United States Patent and Trademark Ofﬁce (USPTO). “The USPTO does not register marks that have a ‘false connection’ with a person, living or dead. A mark for HAT TRICK SWAYZE for a hockey league was rejected on these grounds recently,” Sellers said. Lastly, Sellers says that the Texas Property Code has a law that controls how one can use a deceased individual’s name or likeness in a way that grants some beneﬁt to another. As a few people pointed out on the Oak ForSee Court, P. 3B

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A before (top) and after (bottom) comparison of Matt Worthy and Paul W. Han’s home, following a complete rebuild after a ﬁre destroyed the reisdence in 2013.

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The Do-Over: Following ﬁre, owners of gutted Oak Forest home ‘mod-iﬁes’ residence By Cynthia Lescalleet For The Leader News

Had the dogs not barked so incessantly, Oak Forest homeowners Matt Worthy and Paul W. Han would not have realized their residence was in ﬂames above them. They never smelled the smoke, and the lights never went out. The devastating 2013 conﬂagration destroyed the home’s attic and roof. Water and smoke damage pervaded the interior. With their house reduced to a shell, Worthy and Han were at the crossroads of whether to raze or rebuild it. They chose the latter and worked with an architect to not only recapture their lost homestead but to take it to another level. Quite literally, in fact: The new elevation features a chalet-worthy roof that gives the original 1955 ranch-style home a more mid-century modern elevation and vibe. Given the new pitch, the front rooms gained a ceiling that rises from 11 feet to 16 feet. Other portions of the upper level became attic storage. The home now features clerestory windows above the combo living-dining room boost light from the south. Cedar plank siding encases the

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front room that juts slightly toward the street. The half-height brick wall enclosing the homefront-hugging walkway gained a freshened straighter profile. Part of the decision to raise the roofline was “to bulk up” the home’s street presence in anticipation of any future construction on adjacent lots as the neighborhood continues its redevelopment, Worth says. “We know it’s coming our way,” Worth said. “We didn’t want to feel dwarfed.” Add on and adjust The overhaul gutted the entire 1,000-squarefoot original home to the studs. While the new floor plan was pretty much the same as before, it added a room and reconfigured others, Worth said. Rather than capture space under the higher roof for a master suite upstairs, the renovation included a 450-square-foot addition (with a high ceiling) at the back of the first floor. By integrating ADA features in the new suite, long-term living is a real possibility, Worthy says -- though they’ll have to ditch the cushy spa tub. To play up the 60-year-old home’s clean, mid-century lines, new hardware and finishes

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Page 2B • Saturday, August 23, 2014

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Heights Ofﬁce

Photo by Jonathan Garris Nankani Management, a San Antonio-based company, is hoping to attract plenty of commercial clients to its recently purchased Evergreen Shopping Center near the corner of Antoine Drive and West Little York Road. Owner Dan Nankani said the area is deeply underserved in terms of food and retail oﬀerings, and by repairing and revitalizing the center, Nankani hopes to attract new businesses to the area.

Retail demand drives revitalization of Evergreen Shopping Center on Antoine By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

A San Antonio-based management company is seeking to revitalize a shopping center in the Greater Inwood area and attract much-needed commercial development. Dan Nankani, vice president of Nankani Management, said the Evergreen Shopping Center on Antoine Drive near West Little York Road is a prime spot for a variety of different retail establishments. His company purchased the center several months ago and will be spending much of its time renovating the aging structure and its utilities. “The previous landlord owned it since the late 90s, but following Hurricane Ike in 2005, the center lost much of its roof,” Nankani said. “Rather than repairing or replacing the damaged structure, the landlord instead gutted the building.” Nankani Management is currently bringing the building up to code, installing drywall, insulation, electrical systems, camera systems and other utilities and amenities. Nan-

kani said the 177,000 square feet of retail space, which sits on about 17 acres, already has some bigger name neighbors, including Dollar General and a McDonald’s.

However, Nankani said the area is underserved in most commercial aspects. Tom Miller, the owner of nearby See Center, P. 3B

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Saturday, August 23, 2014 • Page 3B

Court, from P. 1B est Homeowners Association page, the name itself is not going to be the main draw for a potential home buyer. “I think the name is nice and a recognition of the inﬂuence Patrick had on the community, but I don’t see it as a selling point,” Tammy Sue Ganze stated.

Do-over, from P. 1B are reproductions of that period’s designs. So are some of the replacement furnishings, Worthy notes. In updating the home, some room proportions and purposes shifted. Repositioning a few interior doors, for example, helped improve the ﬂow between rooms and increase shelf storage. Space previously considered “the smallest bedroom” now ranks as a music room. Another original bedroom morphed into closet and utility room. And the cedar-planked

Center, from P. 2B Hollyview Apartments, shared similar thoughts on how the area has developed. “The area is really on the upswing, but its still underserved by stores and shopping centers,” Miller said. “The Heights is a hot area, along with Oak Forest and Garden Oaks, and we feel like we’re becoming a part of that.” Miller has seen ﬁrsthand the rapid growth of the community and what he calls an upswing in development. He claims much of the crime in the area began to increase in 2005, during the inﬂux of displaced residents from New Orleans. “A lot of history has gone by since then, and the area has gone throught quite a lot of change,” Miller said. “We’ve gone from a high crime neighborhood to seeing a 90 percent reduction or so.” Miller’s own property had been completely rebuilt several years ago after receiving millions of dollars in City of Houston Community Development block grants. The City of Houston also closed and

As for the Swayze name, Sean said he and the family have long been talking about an appropriate way to honor their mother, who was a key ﬁgure in the Houston arts scene for years. Patsy was an organizer of Main Street Art Happening, an early precursor to the Houston International Festival and on the design team for Jones Hall, among

many other endeavors. There is already a yearly $25,000 yearly scholarship named after her at the University of Houston, where she taught dance and choreography for eighteen years. The family has explored the possibility of asking the City of Houston to name a street after her, somewhere in the Arts District or maybe in Oak

Forest. “That would be such an honor for someone who dedicated their entire life to the arts and to the dreams of thousands,” Sean said. “She gave a lot of free classes to a lot of kids. My mom said that people shouldn’t have to be rich to reach their dreams.”

front room, formerly the master bedroom, now reigns as den. Many of the features - such as a wine bar in an alcove once a closet - were designed to revert to more traditional uses down the line if the owners ever move. To land the post-ﬁre design within budget took compromise, Worth says. The addition’s footprint meant removing the yard’s storage shed because the dogs need space to run – particularly since they’d saved the property from ruin, he notes. Budget parameters also

meant that while the kitchen is new, the appliances aren’t the vintage reproductions they’d intended, he says. Next up is a deck and reimagined landscaping. Scale Factor Initially, the project had an estimated six month timeframe. The owners moved to a rental home nearby and were able to keep an eye on progress. Or lack thereof. It took 11 months to complete the work. Some delays came from surprises found under renovations by previous owners, such as rot detected under old siding. Some of the

delays, however, were due to the homebuilding boom, Worthy theorizes. “If our project had been bigger, it would have been done sooner,” Worth said, since their subcontractors would get pulled to bigger projects elsewhere. That’s in the past, however. The homeowners have enjoyed returning to their modiﬁed home and neighborhood, located near Mangum Manor. “If the dogs were a bit confused at ﬁrst by the alterations in the home they saved, they’ve now settled in as well,” Worth said.

demloshed two large apartment complexes, The Gables and Candlelight Trails, and Miller said crime has continued to drop. Nankani said the company will complete landscaping, repainting and striping and recoating the parking lot to help draw in potential clients. “To the west of the property near Little York Road and Antoine Road there is the bike trail that runs along the side of the property as well,” Nankani said. “We’re going to be doing things like making it more attractive for people to stop and grab a drink or shop if they’re coming from the downtown area.” So far, The Evergreen Shopping Center has attracted attention from a range of stores and a variety of specialized establishments like a photography business. While there hasn’t been much interest from larger corporations, other than some preliminary interest from Wells Fargo, there also isn’t technically product available to sell. Nankani feels both the community and companies abroad feel ready to invest in

new establishments. He points out that a local doctor has expressed interest in renting a space in the center, showing that people who live there also

want to work there. Those looking for more further leasing information can contact Nankani Management at 210-767-1626.

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Page 4B • Saturday, August 23, 2014

THE C CLASSIFIEDS. Wanting to run a classiﬁed ad? CALL 713-686-8494 Monday - Friday. We accept credit cards.

Antique Sale

ESTATE SALE: Don’t miss this one! House full of vintage and rare items, including antique schooldesks, crank phone, TCohn dollhouse, Cambridge Caprice, china, stove, refrigerator, appliances, violin, vintage toys, furniture, lawn and garden items, tools, full garage. 4417 DeMilo (off 43rd/Watonga) 8 a.m. ThursdaySaturday, Aug. 21-23.

Fri. & Sat. August 22-23 9am-5pm

3751 Merrick Antiques & collectibles, lots of Steuben, American Brillant cut glass, silver plate, large collection of pharmaceutical bottles, antique scales & weights, lots of china, bric-a-brac visit our website RogerHowardEstateSales.com

TUPPERWARE AVAILABLE: Call JoAnn Lord at 281-9233729. (TF)

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TOP CASH PAID FOR YOUR GUNS: FFL concealed handgun class Aug. 23. 713-6944867. (TF)

EARLY 1900 ROSEWOOD SOFA, $1,500; early 1900 loveseat, sides go down, back can be removed, $500. Both in excellent condition. 713-819-8589.

“He who has something to sell and whispers it into a well, is not as apt to get the dollars as he who stands up tall and hollers.” Advertise!

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DRIVERS: Local runs, home daily. Mission Petroleum Carriers. Immediate Fuel Division openings. Weekly paycheck. Top industry pay. Excellent beneﬁts, bonuses and more. Modern ﬂeet, proven safety record. CDLA, X with T/T experience. Call Lucy today, 832-6150705. (8-23)

MANNA - DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Your neighborhood thrift store appreciates any and all donations. We can arrange pickup for large items or large donations. Call 713-6866440 or donate at 1806 W. 43rd St. Thank you. (TF)

1984 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA: Good condition, $1,600. Low mileage. 713-697-4811. (8-23)

COMPUTERS

BLUE MOON ANTIQUES: Antiques and collectibles. Providing estate sale services. 3311 Ella. 832-286-7882. www.bluemoonantiqueshouston.com. Like us on www.facebook.com/bluemoonantiqueshoustontx. (TF)

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Business needs a full timer person to assist with cleaning & misc duties. Training will be provided for dry cleaning and spotting for opportunity to advance 713-227-5461

Party Boy Needs Help: Looking for person with following experience: Stocking, Layouts, Buyer, Cashier, Answering Phones, Customer Service, Balloon Designer, Forklift, Receiving. Available Opening & Closing 7 Days/Week Some Travel, Bi-Lingual Required Submit Resume to: partyboyacct@gmail.com

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THE GREATER HEIGHTS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is looking for the newest member of our team. The Director of Member Services will be a point person for both the public and our membership, representing the Chamber at events, in the community, and in the office. The ideal candidate enjoys speaking and interacting with a variety of personalities, has a good grasp of Microsoft Office software, and learns quickly. This is a full time position, Monday through Friday with some evening, weekend, and early morning requirements. We have a fast-paced, supportive environment that will provide opportunity to develop a variety of skills. Though like most small not for profit organizations we have a modest pay structure, you will appreciate the comfortable atmosphere, great coworkers, and an appreciative membership. Please contact the Chamber Office via email for further details. Please send questions and resumes Ad # 8-23 to info@heightschamber.com.

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LIVE-IN CAREGIVER for elderly woman/minimal health issues. Ambulatory with supervision. Cooking/ light housekeeping. Current driver’s license. 610 @ 18th/ Timbergrove/Lazybrook. Diana@DGMrealestate. com, fax 713-963-9372.

St. Ambrose Catholic School after school program Please contact Nickie Bounds at 713-302-6322 or nickiebounds@sbcglobal.net for further information

• Must know QuickBooks • Minimum 3 years experience Fax Resume 713-683-7077 or call 713-683-3817 Ask for Kelly

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MECHANIC WITH EXPERIENCE on Econoline vans needed. Experience with A/C, alternators, brakes and suspension. Tools required. Salary commensurate with experience. 713-681-3600. (TF)

BUS DRIVERS NEEDED FOR CHURCH SHUTTLE: Approximately six hours a FORhave SALE week. Must CDL and passenger endorsement. Call 713-681-3600. (TF)

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Saturday, August 23, 2014 • Page 5B

BUSINESS FOR SALE

GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS

BUSINESS FOR SALE

GENERAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS

We don’t charge for The Leader, it’s priceless.

BURGLAR BARS: Custom made. Residential and commercial. Free estimates. 281-448-2759. www.burglarbarsandmore. com. (TF)

SEMI-RETIRED HANDYMAN: Carpentry, paint, roof repairs, power washing. Don Ruthstrom, 713-7540923.

HOME REPAIRS

WINDOW DECOR SELL & INSTALL

Hardwood Floors

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Owners want to sell successful Deli to retire. Deli has been at present location 15 years, near The Loop and 290, has excellent reputation, good customer base, established menu of American, Mexican and Oriental. Newly remodeled, clean, outstanding staff and close suppliers. Has full equipment.. grill, refrigerators, freezer, warmers, meat slicer, stainless and poly tables, beverage and display coolers and T.V. mounted on wall. For more detailed information or appointment to come by call 334-733-6253.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OCCASIONS TUTORING: K thru 8. Flexible hours. 281-964-9901.

STATEWIDE ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER: This publication does not warrant nor guarantee the accuracy of any advertisement, nor the quality of the goods or services offered. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all claims made and to use good judgment and reasonable care when dealing with persons unknown to you.

CHARMING VENUE FOR YOUR NEXT GATHERING: Houston Heights Woman’s Club’s Historic Bungalow, perfect for small events. Recitals, luncheons, fundraisers - events up to 100 people. Grand piano, stage, round tables, small catering kitchen. Call Lizz Martin, 281-217-6070, regarding this Heights landmark. (TF)

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Page 6B • Saturday, August 23, 2014

Heights Tower $10 million rehabilitation project under way

Photo By Jonathan Garris (Above) Officials with the city of Houston say they are a month into revitalizing the Houston Heights Towern, a 236-unit nonprofit sernior housing facility, and will be finishing the eighth floor of the building soon. The aging building was in dire need of work on its exterior and interior, and the outside of the building already boasts a new modern color scheme, and officials will also be working hard on replacing the building’s plumbing system, flooring, elevator units, windows and other elements. (Left) The Houston Heights Tower as it appeared several years ago before the start of the rehabilitation program.

By Jonathan Garris

project for this building,” Speer said. “We’re going to be replacing the entire plumbing system, all of the windows, installing better insulation, replacing the flooring and the ceiling.” The eight story, 236-unit senior housing facility will cost roughly $10 million to completely renovate, Speer said. According to a previous story in The Leader, the funds come from a Community Development Block Grant. The city is aiming to repair floors two at a time, and tenants should be moving back into the eighth floor within the next or two. “The vast majority of the current tenants on the eighth floor have been

jgarris@theleadernews.com

Officials with the City of Houston say they are nearing completion of the eighth floor of the revitalization project of the Houston Heights Tower on West 19th Street. Work began on the project a little over a month ago and much of the work on the exterior of the building has been completed, Housing and Community Development representative Susan Speer said. The project is the first of its kind for the Houston Heights Tower which was first built in the 70s. “This is a major rehabilitation

moved to other vacant units within the same property,” Speers said. “Some of the residents are also being placed at nearby hotels because of health issues.” Since the project began, the dated and discolored exterior has since given way to a new, modern color scheme and residents and visitors alike might notice the new entryway currently under development. Those visiting nearby businesses will also be glad to note that the sidewalks have also remained accessible, keeping in line with ofﬁcial statements made in previous articles in The Leader that the project should not inconvenience residents both inside and outside of the facility. The tower itself is sponsored by four Heights-area churches – All Saints Cathlic, Heights Christian,

St. Andrew’s Episcopal and Heights Presbyterian – and offers tenants onebedroom units, a cafeteria and fitness facilities among other amenities. Its residents are primarily seniors ages 60 and older or other residents with impaired mobility. Speers said the primary benefit to the building once it is finished is an “enormous” reduction in operating costs by offering more modern energy efficient solutions. Complex mechanical equipment, like the building’s elevators, will also be rehabilitated. “We’re not just doing some small work on the plumbing system,” Speer said. “We will be replacing the original cast iron piping entirely, which had frequent leaks and breakage.” Currently, the project is expected to be completed by the middle of

2015, Speers said. “From this point on, it will be very routine,” Speers said.

Happy Birthday Ester

Heights Tower resident Ester Morose will be turning 105 next week. Morose was born on Aug. 24, 1909, and was raised here in the Heights. She worked with Bell Telephone for 32 years, and stays active by dancing with her friends at the tower.

Report shows Houston real estate market remains hot in July gle-family home sales totaled 7,769 units, up 1.0 percent compared to July 2013, representing a record high one-month sales volume. New listings of single-family properties this month rose 5.5 percent, translating to 10,390 properties, which helped boost inventory from June’s 2.9-months supply to 3.0 months, according to the release. That is still below the 3.4-months supply of inventory one year earlier and signiﬁcantly lower than the current national supply of 5.5 months of inventory. The average price of a single-family home jumped 6.4 percent year-over-year to $277,023. The median price—the ﬁgure at which half the homes sold for more and half for less—increased 6.8 percent to $202,000. “July did not bring the most dramatic sales performance we’ve ever seen, but the numbers

For The Leader The Houston housing market had another month of positive sales in July with prices up and the supply of homes continuing to grow slightly, according to the Houston Association of Realtors. Housing inventory, which fell to a 40-year low earlier this year, has edged up each of the last three months, reaching a 3.0-months supply in July, according to a press release. Prices climbed to the highest levels for a July, but were lower than June’s all-time record highs. Sales among homes priced between $250,000 and the millions showed the greatest strength, while Days on Market, or the number of days a home takes to sell, fell to a record low of 45. According to the latest monthly report, sin-

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are headed in the right direction,” HAR Chair Chaille Ralph with Heritage Texas Properties stated in the release. “We are beginning to see a steady resupply of housing inventory with proportionate sales and pricing gains, all of which translates to a healthier real estate market.” July sales of all property types totaled 9,250 units, a 0.7-percent increase compared to the same month last year. That marks the second highest one-month sales volume of all time. Total dollar volume for properties sold rose 7.0 percent to $2.4 billion versus $2.3 billion a year earlier. The Houston housing market experienced across-the-board gains in July with total property sales, total dollar volume and average and median pricing all up when compared to July 2013.

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Month-end pending sales for all property types totaled 4,743, up 7.3 percent versus last year, which likely portends another month of positive home sales for August. Active listings, or the number of available properties, at the end of July is 29,880 and is 9.4 percent lower than last year. This is reﬂective of a record low inventory, but also demonstrates the steady absorption by real estate consumers. Meanwhile, Houston’s housing inventory is gradually being replenished, hitting a 3.0months supply in July. Inventory was ﬂat at a 2.6-months supply from last December to April, but has edged upward each of the last three months. It is down from the 3.4-months supply of one year ago and below the current 5.6months supply of inventory across the U.S. reported by the National Association of Realtors.

REAL ESTATE Most of us that bring you The Leader live right here in your community and we appreciate you reading it every week. Thanks.

From a drip to a leak, turn to the Leader Classiﬁeds to turn those headaches off.

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Call Charlee ON THE MARKET REALTY Charlee@OTMrealty.com

Charlee Peddicord

Saturday, August 23, 2014 • Page 7B

Carr keeps carving - two new wooden trucks ﬁnd homes with kids at school, car dealership By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

Parents and children passing by or attending The New School in the Heights on Heights Boulevard might notice a new set of wheels greeting students near the school’s playground. In front of the playground sits a small, wooden recreation of a 1926 Ford Model-T pickup truck, complete with a steering wheel and even a small horn. The wooden truck is a contribution from Paul Carr, whose woodworking attracted attention earlier this year when he placed a similar wooden train in Donovan Park. While the Houston Heights Association eventually dismissed Carr from his contract position for apparently not asking permission to build the train, that hasn’t stopped Carr from building more wooden models. In fact, that same controversy has attracted others in the community to reach out to Carr to have a wooden vehicle of their own, like the NSH’s education director Jeanette Salinas. “I had built a train already and wanted to do something different, so I suggested putting together a truck,” Carr said. “Now they’re talking to me about wanting to build something else for them. This winter, I’ll probably build them

something else to put out here as well.” Carr also built a second wooden model for Tommie Vaughn Ford on Shepherd Drive. The truck now sits inside of the dealerships main lobby, and Carr said it will be given away to a lucky child later this year for Christmas. While the heat inside of Carr’s workshop might be too much during the summer, Carr said his biggest joy comes from seeing children interact with his creations. “I’m just enjoying doing it for the kids,” Carr said. “It’s been a real thrill to me to watch the kids climb all over the train at Donovan Park and, once school starts, I anticipate I’ll be coming down here to see how much they like this, as well.” The truck is not only built to last, but is also built with safety in mind. Carr pointed out the truck’s lumber is treated for weather and is waterproof, and the wood was fastened with screws rather than nails. The truck also lacks jagged edges for children to get caught on. Salinas said having the truck at the school for children to interact with would beneﬁt the school’s younger children immensely. The NSH focuses on providing education for students from kindergarten to 8th grade who may excel aca-

Photo By Jonathan Garris Jeanette Salinas, education director for The New School in The Heights, stands with Paul Carr and his recently ﬁnished wooden truck he completed for the school. The wooden truck is modeled after a classic Ford Model-T pickup truck, and an identical one will be given to one lucky child as part of a giveaway later this year at Tommie Vaughn Ford on Shephard Drive.

demically, but may have had delays in the development of social skills. “Academically, they function really high, so they’re going to dive into the history of that vehicle and they’re going to love that,” Salinas said. “The fact that he could put so many things together and tie it

into a play structure is amazing.” Salinas said the only costs the school covered were the materials needed for the truck, but Carr’s time came at no cost. “That talent is really a gift,” Salinas said. “We’re really thankful.”

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Photo by Jonathan Garris Ryan Link’s new novella, Retanus, is now available.

Self-published Heights author gets taste of success with new novella By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

While it may have been a long time coming, Heights area resident Ryan Link finally fulfilled one of his dreams of self-publishing a novella. Link’s new book, titled Retanus, is now available on Amazon digitally and in paperback. “I guess I’ve always read a lot,” Link said. “However, I wrote a ton of technical-type stuff, like various technical publications, dissertations, a masters thesis and so on. I’ve done tons of technical oriented work, but I always reading in my spare time.” Link said he began developing a pipe dream of sitting down and writing fiction about a year and a half ago. By day, Link works as an engineer with Hailliburton here in Houston, but by night Link typed away in front of his computer screen. Link said he was met with a small degree of success when he first started writing, with three short stories being picked up by several internet magazines. That drove him to write something a little longer, which eventually turned into Retanus The novella follows Aldon Prandtel, a former scientist turned street urchin and drug addict, living in a decaying 22nd century St. Louis. After being recruited by a splinter nation formed in the aftermath of the fall of the United States, he becomes entangled in a “research project with a hidden dark side.” In developing the decaying vision of St. Louis in the future, Link said he drew upon his own strengths in technical

writing and inspiration from the numerous works he read while growing up. He counts books like Dune, Catcher in the Rye, and David Copperfield among his favorite works. He also took a creative spark from the country’s own current political climate and economic uncertainty. “I really want to ask myself if the US does dissolve, what sort of climate would potentially be left,” Link said. “I enjoy more character driven novles so I wanted to focus on that and what I could put Aldon through.” On the choice the self-publish, Link said the process has allowed him to “test thje waters” to see if he had the right sort of drive to maintain the lifestyle of a writer. “Everyone has their own theories on which way is best,” Link said. “From speaking with some people and looking through what some of the major publishers were publishing, it became obvious they weren’t interested in certain types of short stories and novellas.” Balancing work and life also challenged Link during the writing process. “You can always carve out time to write, but the main problem is relaly overcoming your exhaustion from having worked eight hours already,” Link said. These days, Link is moving on to writing the first draft for his first, full-length novel, but he said he’s still playing it by ear. “Realistically speaking, it is still kind of a dream job,” Link said. “I’m going to keep sticking with it and as long as people find out about the work and read it, I might consider writing full-time.”

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