6616 Lawndale Avenue

6616 Lawndale Avenue (Resource Number 0057, not pictured) is representative of a two-story, multiple family variation of the Minimal Traditional style built in the early 1940s along Lawndale Avenue. These four-plex apartment buildings most likely housed blue-collar workers who were employed nearby. They may have worked at the Houston Ship Channel and in nearby industrial complexes like Hughes Tools, which were located along major streets and rail lines. This example was built ca. 1940, and is a two-story version of other Minimal Traditional types. Oriented toward the northeast, the building is square in plan and rests on a slab foundation. The three-bay, wood frame is clad in buff brick, with a soldier course at the roofline. The eastern and western bays contain eight-over-eight wood sash windows with brick sills. The lower sash has been raised, and the windows fitted with air conditioning units. A fixed window is located above the centrally located entrance. The central bay in the first story contains the only decorative element of the building, a pointed-arched brick entry, within which the replacement aluminum door has been placed. The low-pitched pyramidal roof is covered in composition shingles, and the flush eave is accented by a simple cornice. The landscape consists of grass, shrubs, and bedding plants. The building has had few alterations and retains its integrity; it is a contributing element of the historic district. An original multi-car garage stands at the rear of the building; it retains its historic form and function and also contributes to the district.