HOUSTON – On the market for $3,295,000, the palatial, three-story mansion at 16 Courtlandt Place has a long, rich history.
Built in 1912, the sweeping neoclassical structure is part of the Courtlandt Place Historic District, an enclave of opulent homes that sprang up in Houston in the early 20th century.
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Courtlandt Place was established in 1906 on farmland and prairie on the outskirts of downtown Houston.
Its founders were among the city’s wealthiest businessmen – the heads of lumber and mercantile companies, law firms, brokerage houses and cotton factorages. These Houston elites of established fortunes and pedigrees considered themselves socially distinct from the new oil money of the early 20th century and shut out anyone who’s family background, politics or business ties they disliked.
The enclave’s founders contracted the finest local and national architects to design their grand homes, including Sanguinet and Staats, Birdsall P. Briscoe and John F. Staub. Encompassing 15.47 acres of land, the private, tree-lined neighborhood would grow to include nearly 20 exquisite estates, each of which displayed their own distinct assemblage of incredible millwork, paneling and cabinetry and stunning glass, iron and tile work.
In a 2008 article written about the private neighborhood’s creation and legacy, authors Sallie Gordon and Penny Jones wrote the “homes built on Courtlandt Place marked Houston’s burgeoning awareness of an architectural sophistication beyond local and even Texas tradition. They were designed and built for very sophisticated people, most of whom had been educated in the East, summered in places like Newport and Saratoga Springs and had taken at least one ‘Grand Tour’ of Europe. The architecture, loosely based on historical precedents - classical, Mediterranean, Tudor, Georgian and colonial - reflected the eclecticism characteristic of the American Beaux-Arts movement.”
The 18 Courtlandt Place homes recognized today as historical were built between 1909 and 1937. Though they’ve changed ownership through the decades, all remain standing and are relatively intact. In 1980, Courtlandt Place was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, 11 of the 18 homes were listed individually on the National Register and in 1996, the City of Houston designated Courtlandt Place a historic district. Five of the homes were named city landmarks.
Known as the J. J. Carrol House, 16 Courtlandt Place is one of the properties listed on the National Register. The home was built for Jim and Lena Carter Carrol. Jim Carrol was the managing partner of the Carter lumber company and a member of the Houston School Board. Renowned architect Birdsall Briscoe enhanced the home’s design years later in 1924.
The interior extends 6,456 square feet and includes a formal dining room, sun room, family room, and morning room. The listing estimates four to five bedrooms, in addition to four full bathrooms and two powder rooms. Architectural features of note include hardwood floors, numerous stained-glass and leaded-glass windows, several fireplaces, balconies and a sweeping second-floor veranda.
The fenced-in yard, just over half an acre, boasts a professionally landscaped garden, fountains, a pool, cabana and large dog run. A 780-square foot apartment over the detached, three-car garage adds an additional bedroom and bathroom to the final tally.
The Harris County Appraisal District lists the home as having a market value of $1,824,000 and an appraised value of $1,824,200 as of 2021.
The listing is represented by Cathy Blum of Greenwood King Properties. For more information on the listing, click here or call (713) 942-6813.
Words don’t do justice to this stunning space. For a virtual tour of 16 Courtlandt Place, click through the gallery at the top of the page or scroll below to view select highlights.
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