By Caroline Gallay
08.26.10 | 03:18 pm

Steve Scalice wants his neighbors to know that it’s still him behind the The Fairview (and behind the bar) at the old Dean’s Credit Clothing location — it’s just being rebranded, revamped and he hopes, revived.

The (sorta) new spot now has a patio and will be introducing a menu next month to be developed by Fusion Taco, who will also be parked outside Friday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight.

Scalice says the name, “The Fairview,” was actually the plan when he first opened in the location, but he stuck with Dean’s to match the old downtown establishment. Now, he says he hopes to keep churning out the same great neighborhood product — which includes block parties with neighboring Boheme every first and third Sunday of the month with acoustic acts, poetry readings and art.

Other regular features are Texas-themed films from the Houston Film Commission every first Thursday of the month; Sunday movie nights with the locals on the projector screen; bring-your-own vinyl Thursdays and Southwest Alternative Media Project (SWAMP) forums for filmmakers the final Tuesday of every month.

And Scalice intends to keep some remnants of Dean’s. The old ledgers are still in the bathrooms, for one. He’ll also continue Dean’s monthly art openings, and his famous frozen cosmo is there to stay.

More furniture has been added inside — including several TVs — which will broadcast NFL games and major college sports.

“The bar business is an evolution,” Scalice says. “But the product — the drinks, the cool vibe and the good service are the same.”

That’s all I needed. I did a horribly lacking amount of research to get the start time. 12 midnight.

“Well, I have to wake up at 6am for an early shoot – but how many times do you get to photograph one of the oldest buildings in downtown Houston go kaput?”

Plus I had an advantage on vantage point – 19th floor balcony of the Houston House Apartments. The ingredients are all there – camera, tripod, building, view, etc.

My lack of research? Well, with more research I may have found that they weren’t going to implode or explode the building with all the magic of C4 – like a glorious end to an old icon. No, they were going to tear it down with a crane – a slow, painful death. One we don’t have time to watch. One that doesn’t do much for the camera.

At the stroke of midnight – they started laying down planks for the crane. That’s about it.

At 2am my interest went in REVERSE. Feeling sleepy and defeated I gave up – but decided to create an explosion of my own:

Here’s an update on the state of the building: