Tax Credit Program Highlight: 908 Sabine

History

First appearing on the Houston 1896 Sanborn map, 908 Sabine is the primary structure of two separate dwellings on the property. With an increase in commercial interests on adjacent Washington Avenue, the nearby railroad junction, and influx of German immigrants in the late 1800s, the city of Houston separated 908 Sabine and the surrounding properties into the Sixth Ward District, north of downtown, on January 1, 1877. Today, the Old Sixth Ward historic district stands as the oldest intact neighborhood of the city and the second-largest collection of Victorian-era homes in the region.

Rehabilitation Project

This rehabilitation project brought a poorly-maintained rental house back to a useful state by providing general repairs and upgrades. The work was done in coordination with the project at the other house on the lot, 910 Renner. Both properties had worn and gouged hardwood floors, which were overlaid with new wood; highly damaged wood doors and windows, which were repaired or replaced in kind when unsalvageable; and modest kitchens and baths that were in poor condition, which were completely renovated with all new fixtures. Systems including HVAC were replaced, and the houses received siding repairs and fresh coats of paint both inside and out. The 908 Sabine house also received a slight reconfiguration of spaces in the rear to expand the bathroom and improve access to the back yard, where a small deck was constructed. This house was previously missing its front porch, which was reconstructed based on historic evidence.