Randall Davis unveils design for Westheimer tower

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<p>Randall Davis is planning to build The Paramount, a 25-story condominium tower on Westheimer near Weslayan.</p>Randall Davis has finalized plans to build a high-end condominium tower in the River Oaks area, the Houston developer’s newest towering addition to the urban landscape.

Davis, whose most recent project was Arabella, a contemporary structure on San Felipe with glass balconies and a spalike indoor pool, said the design for his new building will have a more classic style.

The planned 25-story tower, to be built at the southeast corner of Westheimer and Eastgrove, just east of Weslayan, will be constructed in white limestone with black and gold accents.

Davis and his daughter, Natalie Davis, the company’s creative director, said they found inspiration from new homes in Houston’s affluent neighborhoods, many of which showcase white exteriors with contrasting black trim.

“I’m trying to do something that I think fits into the neighborhood,” Randall Davis said.

Davis has developed or restored more than a dozen buildings, often designed around a central theme. The Renoir project featured a French garden and 16-foot caryatids, carvings of female figures meant to be used as supportive pillars.

Downtown’s Marlowe intended to strike a masculine chord, with portraits of Marlon Brando, Sean Connery and Paul Newman hanging in the concrete, metal and glass-clad lobby.

His new building will be called The Paramount. It will have 50 units, an indoor and outdoor pool, and high-end kitchens with designer appliances.

Davis purchased the 17,300-square-foot site at 3723 Westheimer this year. He recently built a sales center from a nearly 10,000-square-foot building on the site that once housed Krispen, a home furnishings store.

Davis sought a building variance for the site, hoping to build the tower closer to the street. The reduced building line, he said, would have allowed him to keep the building to 20 stories. The city’s Planning Commission denied the variance.

Units will top eight floors of parking and will range from 1,800 square feet to 6,500 square feet for a penthouse. They will start at around $1 million. Maintenance fees initially will be set at about $1,240 per month on an average unit.

Designed by Powers Brown Architecture, the building will be crowned by an art deco-style fixture that’s lit at night.

Davis said he’ll break ground after preselling at least 15 units. He hopes to start in April and expects a two-year construction time. He did not disclose the development cost.

By Nancy Sarnoff
Houston Chronicle