HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – The Houston Endowment has launched an international design competition for its new headquarters building which be built just west of downtown near Spotts Park and Buffalo Bayou.
The 40,000-SF project, which has a $20 million budget, is slated to open in May 2022.
The design competition, conducted with Malcolm Reading Consultants, requires an initial response by July 15.
“Through this competition, we are looking for a design team to create a new headquarters for us that reflects the way we work today. We need a visible presence that communicates our work as a thought leader and a committed, vital force within the city and region, and that is welcoming and accessible to our community partners,” said Ann Stern, president and CEO of the organization. “In addition, over the past 20 years, Houston Endowment has made a significant contribution to the ‘greening’ of Houston, and this is a theme deeply woven into the project.
“This is an exciting moment for us, enabling us to establish a presence and identity at ground level in the city. It will also allow us to continue in the tradition of our founder Jesse H. Jones, who earned the nickname ‘Mr. Houston’ – in part for his contributions to building and developing our city.”
Houston Endowment was established by Jesse and Mary Gibbs Jones in 1937. Jesse Jones was a successful Houston entrepreneur, real estate developer, politician and civic leader who served at the national level in several senior roles under Presidents Wilson and Roosevelt. He married Mary Gibbs, a travel and culture enthusiast educated at Methodist College in Waco, Texas – notable at a time when few women went to college. Mary Gibbs Jones was a community and cultural activist who brought opera to Houston radio, served on the general council of New York’s Metropolitan Opera and helped First Lady Mamie Eisenhower support military widows.
Houston Endowment does not actively fundraise; its funding is financed by an endowment, currently valued at $1.8 billion.
June 20, 2019 Realty News Report Copyright 2019
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