HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Port Houston has relocated to its newly built headquarters building in the East River development in Fifth Ward near downtown Houston.
Situated along Buffalo Bayou at Jensen and Clinton Drives, the 93,000-SF administration building features a modern industrial aesthetic inspired by the waterfront it serves. The design and rectangular shape resemble a shipping container.
“Port Houston plays a central role in regional competitiveness and long‑term economic growth, and this new office strengthens our ability to work closely with the many partners who help drive that progress,” Charlie Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer of Port Houston, said in an announcement on the opening. “We look forward to welcoming industry leaders, community organizations, and visitors into a space that reflects our shared goals for Houston’s future.”
Port Houston, which oversees a port and shipping complex with more than 200 private and public terminals along the Houston Ship Channel, highlights its more than 100-year history through photos and artifacts in the lobby. Throughout the six-story building, light-filled shared spaces are designed to bring departments together.
The relocation helps establish an emerging maritime hub at East River, a mixed-use project of Houston-based Midway just east of downtown. With 26 acres in its first phase, East River is a redevelopment of a former shipping and industrial complex that previously housed the Brown & Root campus. The development is home to a new location for The Houston Maritime Center & Museum and has attracted maritime related businesses including tugboat company Suderman & Young and marine construction firm Orion Group.
PORT HOUSTON’S NEW HQ IS IN MIDWAY’S EAST RIVER DEVELOPMENT: Listen to the Ralph Bivins Project Podcast with David Hightower of Midway
East River’s first phase includes 300,000 SF of office, 100,000 SF of retail, and The Laura, 360-unit multifamily development. Other companies that have chosen East River as headquarters include Method Architecture, Anton Paar USA, and OJB.
East River is a mile and a half downstream from Allen’s Landing where Houston’s founders, Augustus and John Allen, laid the groundwork for trade on the bayou, giving rise to the creation of the Houston Ship Channel. The former executive office, located six miles away on East Loop 610 North at the Turning Basin Terminal, will be used for expanded cargo operations. The recently widened and deepened Houston Ship Channel is the nation’s largest port for waterborne tonnage.
“Selecting the new building’s location was an important decision and the Fifth Ward is the right place for Port Houston to deepen our connection to the community we serve,” said Ric Campo, Chairman of the Port Commission. “We are looking well beyond today’s needs and preparing for the long‑term growth of our region, investing in the people and infrastructure that will keep Houston competitive for generations to come.”
The project team includes Midway as developer, Page architects, Inventure interior architects, Harvey-Cleary construction, Avison Young real estate, and Debner furniture. Erik Eriksson, Port Houston’s Chief Legal Officer, led the project.
Jan. 16, 2026 Realty News Report Copyright 2026
Image: Courtesy Port Houston
THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT PODCAST
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File: Port Houston Moves HQ into East River