Method Architecture Opens in East River

HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Method Architecture has opened its doors just east of downtown to become the first office tenant in Midway’s new East River development.

East River, located on along Buffalo Bayou, is a redevelopment of the former Brown & Root campus.

The 26-acre first phase of East River, near the intersection of Jensen Drive and Clinton, will include 300,000 SF of office, 100,000 SF of retail, and The Laura, a five-story, 360-unit multifamily development. The development, built on central city land that was once used for heavy commercial, is located in the Historic Fifth Ward.

So Method Architecture, a firm recognized for its innovative approach in the design of commercial properties, including a niche in the creation of independent breweries, arrives as the first office tenant at East River.

“The move reflects Method’s commitment to being early adopters in new areas, proudly planting a flag in a neighborhood the firm’s helping to transform,” the Texas-based architecture firm said in a press release.

“With the great shift back to the office, we wanted our new space to still have home-like comforts like soft seating and places to lounge between meetings,” said architect Jackie Rye, Method’s Houston Market Principal. “And I’m most excited about the variety of spaces from big to small, collaborative to private, funky to serious – so that our staff and clients always have access to the right kind of space for the task at hand. The intentionality behind our space’s direct connection to the outside, the plazas, views of downtown, and the bayou, one of Houston’s most under-appreciated assets, are all major benefits we’re excited to enjoy. The office truly embodies our ego-free culture.”

Method’s Houston office has called East Downtown home since 2016 when the firm combined two offices into a new location on Lamar Street at Ancorian’s East Village development. Method’s new 8,612-SF East River space is the same size but utilizes the space differently, reflecting changes in daily workflows that have seen a large uptick in virtual meetings.

Opening up the bayou frontage to new possibilities, the multi-phase East River project will transform the city’s waterfront east of downtown with millions of SF of commercial and residential buildings covering the equivalent of 60 city blocks. Slated for completion this fall, East River’s 26-acre first phase presents a destination focused on connecting Houston’s urban fabric to central green spaces, and a mile of waterfront along Buffalo Bayou that was inaccessible to the wider community for decades. A public, nine-hole, par-three golf course opened on the East River site in fall 2022, complete with pickleball courts and a restaurant.

Method has other offices in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Method’s new East River location, at 2920 Riverby Road, will be the home for Method’s entire Houston staff and is within Midway’s highly anticipated East River project. The new space will house around 60 employees with 30 percent more collaborative space, featuring a variety of formal and informal meeting rooms and huddle spaces

The architecture firm’s office will feature a multi-wall mural from local artist David Maldonado, who also painted East River’s 60’x20’ Houston-themed mural on an industrial pallet of six shipping containers installed at the corner of Jensen Drive and Clinton Drive.

“Method was the first tenant to sign a lease at East River, so it is only fitting they are the first to move into their incredible new office space,” said Anna Deans, Senior Vice President of Investment and Development for Midway. “Method embodies the type of bold, innovative and forward-thinking business we hoped East River would attract. We are thrilled they are continuing to pave the way for our other dynamic office and retail tenants that will be opening over the next few months.”

Much of the land now designated for East River development has been sitting vacant for years, lying fallow and waiting next-generation growth to emerge. Midway says the development is positioned to serve a wide range of residents and a spectrum of housing price points, in addition to commercial, retail and institutional users.

Rendering: Method Architecture

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