Before 6:00 p.m., I was able to blockwalk the Lower Westheimer, and what I had observed changed during the past 2 years.  The last time I was there was during the Spring 1999 Westheimer Street Festival, held on May 1 and 2, 1999.  The Spring '99 event was the last WestFest that didn't require a public hearing, until the passage of the revised Street Festival Ordinance on June 16, 1999.

A utility post, near 2615 Montrose, in front of Hubbard Financial Services (the campaign HQ for Annise D. Parker).  Several of these flyers were posted on lamp posts, traffic signals, and buildings across the Westheimer/Montrose intersection.

The 400 - 500 blocks of Westheimer, once a vacant lot and old homes, which have gone commercial.  The upper pic is a former vacant lot, which became a strip mall.  In the lower pic, what used to be 419 Westheimer (the former Westheimer Street Festival headquarters) is now a vacant building, ready for tenants.  Back in 1995, the 500 block used to be a vacant field, and during the Spring and Fall 1995 WestFests, a volleyball contest was held in the vacant lot.  During the interim break, a sign used to be visible for months, which was placed there by the WSFC.

604 Westheimer, now a commercial business.  This site was once the HIPY center, which disbanded in 1996 or 1997.  When HIPY used to exist here, an iron fence was situated around the house.  To the left of Leather Forever, the AFH Stone Soup is next door, which used to be QT's.

Every Montrose resident should know the HQ of the Westheimer Street Festival (524-B Westheimer).  The jail-barred fence surrounding the property surrounds the WSFC HQ and Marrakech Restaurant.

The intersection of Westheimer and Montrose Blvd, where only one vendor booth was set up.  WestFest used to have a lot more vendor booths, and this was the only time of the year that Westheimer was closed, now only once a year for this event.  As a result of the public hearings during December 1999 and January 2000, only one event is considered acceptable by the Montrose District - the Pride Parade.

Copyright 2001 Westfest purists organization.  All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized use of any images for exploitation is illegal, without the sole copyright of the author.