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Heights River Oaks
Montrose Edition VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 MAY 9 JUNE 9, 2025
Transforming local history Iconic buildings in Heights, Montrose to be redeveloped into mixed-use spaces The former Swift and Company Packing Plant located in the Heights is set to be transformed into a 4.47-acre mixed-use development over the next year. Radom Capital, the developer, is spearheading the project as well as the redevelopment of another Houston landmark known as the Tower Theatre in Montrose and its adjacent shopping center along Westheimer Road.
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COURTESY RADOM CAPITAL, TRITEN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
RENDERING COURTESY MICHAEL HSU OFFICE OF ARCHITECTURE
Also in this issue
Impacts: Take a sneak peek at the new wine club coming to Upper Kirby next fall with a skyline view, rooftop terrace and 3-story clubhouse (Page 4)
Government: Dive deep into how city o cials are changing the way contracts are awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses (Page 6)
Community: See details on how much Houston expects to economically bene t from the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Page 15)
Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the Best Hospital in Texas for 13 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report and recognized on the Honor Roll eight times — with 10 nationally ranked specialties. For more than 100 years, we have provided patients with the highest quality care, the most advanced technology and the best patient experience. # 1 HOSPITAL IN TEXAS FOR PATIENT CARE & QUALITY Houston Methodist Hospital
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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Impacts
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• 714 Yale St., Houston • www.studs.com
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8 Urban Office This 12,000-square-foot flexible office space is a new shared workspace that features private office suites, high-speed internet, lounge spaces and conference rooms for a monthly membership. • Opened April 16 • 1500 Waugh Drive, Houston • www.urbanofficetx.com/property/river-oaks 9 De Fortune Debuting at the Regent Square mixed-use development, the Montrose locale offers a luxurious, upscale cocktail lounge and focuses on inventive cocktails, exotic spices and spirits. • Opened April 25 • 3515 W. Dallas. St., Ste. 300, Houston • www.defortunehtx.com
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10 Maison Francis Kurkdjian A fragrance brand known for its craftsmanship and modern approach to perfumery is opening its second standalone United States shop in the River Oaks District. • Opening this spring • 4444 Westheimer Road, Ste. F115, Houston • www.franciskurkdjian.com/us-en 11 Pucci The Italian luxury fashion house, founded in 1947 by Emilio Pucci, will sell ready-to-wear clothing for women and men, as well as shoes, accessories and lifestyle items. • Opening this summer • 4444 Westheimer Road, Ste. F125, Houston • www.pucci.com 12 Fountain Life This new AI-driven wellness center will provide a precision diagnostic center near the River Oaks that will help residents detect potential illnesses like cancer. • Opening in October • 4411 San Felipe St., Ste. 700, Houston • www.fountainlife.com 13 Vuori The California-based athleisure brand will offer high-end, active-based apparel for men and women, integrating fitness, surf and sport. • Opening in June/August • A 645 Heights Blvd., Houston • B 5085 Westheimer Road, Ste. B3681, Houston • www.vuoriclothing.com 14 Trill Burgers American rapper Bun B is opening a new Houston- area location on Westheimer Road this summer. The restaurant will sell smash burgers with vegan options. • Opening this summer • 7616 Westheimer Road, Houston • www.trill-burgers.com
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cuisine rooted in French technique with items such as steak and potatoes. • Opened March 26
Now open
1 The Claw Heights The claw machine arcade allows guests to pay-to-play the token-operated games for a chance to win prizes. • Opened in January • 3401 N. Shepherd Drive, Ste. 7, Houston • www.theclawheights.com 2 The Kennedy Coffee Lounge Co-owners Rooney Salem and Jorge Cruz create signature drinks for customers that use coffee beans directly from high-quality farms in Colombia and Brazil. • Opened in late February • 3210 W. Dallas St., Houston • www.thekennedyhouston.com 3 Proper-A Burger Spot The new smash burger concept opened at Downtown Houston’s Finn Hall and sells burgers, chicken tenders and fries. • Opened March 17 • 712 Main St., Houston • www.thefinnhou.com/proper-burger 4 Camaraderie The fine-casual concept offers contemporary American
• 608 W. 11th St., Houston • www.camaraderiehtx.com
5 Hounds Town Houston-Midtown The doggy daycare facility offers long-term pet boarding and spa services with no breed restrictions. • Opened April 2 • 4102 Fannin St., Ste. B, Houston • www.houndstownusa.com 6 Bahama Buck’s The global dessert shop known for its shaved ice allows customers to create snow cones with over 100 flavor varieties and toppings. • Opened April 1 • 2702 Yale St., Ste. 100, Houston • www.bahamabucks.com 7 Studs The ear piercing studio now open in the Heights Mercantile offers a wide assortment of affordable, trendy earrings made of 14k or 18k solid gold, or implant-grade titanium. • Opened April 2
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
• 702 E. 11th St., Houston • Instagram: 1891heights
Relocations
Coming soon
15 Abdallah’s Lebanese Cafe The Lebanese cafe, bakery and restaurant relocated from Hillcroft Avenue to the Katy Freeway in the Lower Heights. The spot serves falafel, chicken shawarma and hand-rolled grape leaves. • Opened Feb. 7 • 2795 Katy Freeway, Ste. 100, Houston • www.abdallahs.com 16 Mala Market A nonprofit collective space that works with dozens of local makers who earn 100% of their profits has moved from Montrose to Harvard Street in the Heights. • Opened April 1
18 Mi Cocina Houston’s first Mi Cocina in the River Oaks closed in less than two years. The restaurant was known for its brisket tacos, Tex-Mex staples and brunch options. • Closed March 20 • 4410 Westheimer Road, Houston • www.micocina.com 19 Auden The vegetable-forward restaurant in Autry Park closed. Chef and owners Kripa and Kirthan Shenoy operated the restaurant for almost two years. • Closed April 6 • 3737 Cogdell St., Ste. 100, Houston • www.audenrestaurant.com 20 Surfhouse Founded in the 1960s, the surf and skate shop owned by Brian Menn and Brian Fish said the shop was not receiving enough support to continue to operate. • Closed in April • 215 E. 11th St., Houston • www.dot.cards/surfhouse
• 2515 Harvard St., Houston • www.malamarkethou.org
21 55 Seventy Houston This membership-only wine club will include a three-story clubhouse with a rooftop terrace overlooking Levy Park, 800 wine lockers, a full- service restaurant, and a demonstration kitchen for wine and food events. • Opening fall 2026
Closings
17 1891 American Eatery & Bar After a year and half operating in the Heights, the eatery closed its doors in March. The restaurant offered weekly specials, cocktails and bar food. • Closed in March
• 3015 Richmond Ave., Houston • www.houston.55seventy.com
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
Government
BY KEVIN VU
Houston officials conducted a disparity study in 2023 for the first time since 2006 to determine the fate of the Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise program, which allows minority- and women-owned businesses an equal opportunity to work on city government contracts. A disparity study determines whether a government entity engages in practices that exclude minority, women-owned businesses when awarding work contracts, according to the Office of Business Opportunity. Cylenthia Hoyrd, director of the office, said the study provides actionable results that can be used to “narrowly” change parts of the program. The study looked at whether these businesses faced disparities in business categories such as construction. The study found no disparity for Hispanic- or Asian-owned businesses in the construction and professional services categories. Houston reviews contract awards Breakdown of Houston contract awards A 2023 disparity study found that the city utilized 28.5% of businesses classified as minority- or women-owned from Fiscal Year 2018 to 2022.
The background
What’s next?
The Office of Business Opportunity has offered the MWBE program since 1984. However, a lawsuit filed in 2023 against the city by a white couple from Spring who own two landscaping companies states the program violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The couple claims their companies were in a five-year, $1.3 million contract with the city; however, under the program’s rules, they were forced to pay $143,000 to a minority-owned competitor to finish part of the work, according to the lawsuit. The trial will determine whether or not the program is unconstitutional, and, if so, the pro- gram could be forced to shut down, Hoyrd said. City Attorney Arturo Michel said the disparity study, conducted by MGT, a global solutions company, will help the city defend itself in the lawsuit. Michel said if the city doesn’t adopt the recom- mendations from the study, the trial will proceed under the outdated 2006 study without recent data to back up the program. “I’d like to say without adopting the updated ordinance that supports the findings in the study, we do risk a 40-year setback,” Hoyrd said. Laura Murillo, the president and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said she believes sample size matters and the study needs more participants to make an accurate assessment. Vernetta Mitchell, an economic inclusion leader with MGT, said while the study reached out to over 30,000 entities, only 800, or 2%, responded.
Michel said the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas has given Houston until the second week of April to decide whether or not to accept the recommendations from the disparity study, which includes the groups that faced no disparity to be moved into a race-neutral, small- business enterprise category. Houston City Council decided to push back the vote on the disparity study to May 7, after press time, which Council member Mario Castillo said would allow the administration more time to engage with stakeholders and hear their ideas. “While the data collected provided a snapshot, a lot of stakeholders, for whatever reason, weren’t a part of that process and had ideas to share that we need to consider,” Castillo said. Michel said the delay will give the council the flexibility to bring the proposed changes back sooner for the court case if needed. “I understand we’re in a rock and a hard place, but we’ve got to work out a way to make this work for everybody. We cannot take this program that has been so successful for all different races.”
Unclassified: 71.5% Hispanic Americans: 12.6% Nonminority women: 6.2% Black Americans: 5.5% Asian American: 3.5% Native Americans: 0.6%
GREGG REYES, CEO OF REYTEC CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES
SOURCES: CITY OF HOUSTON, MGT/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
NOTE: BUSINESSES DETERMINED AS UNCLASSIFIED ARE NOT IDENTIFIED OR CERTIFIED AS MWBE OR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AS SUCH.
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Government
BY KEVIN VU
West Gray Multi-Service Center secures $11.5M for upgrades
Taking a step back The multi-service center rst opened in 1982 and has been primarily used as a hub for the disabled community for adaptive sports and recreational use, Kamin said. These programs include activities such as wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. The center also serves as one of the largest polling locations in Harris County, a refuge during storms and freezes, and a place where unhoused individu- als have access to free showers. However, the facility has shown its age through- out the years, with Kamin pointing to conditions such as gym and sports equipment left in o ce rooms, hallways and even the theater space, as well as an old and broken HVAC system, leaky roofs and even over owing toilets. Many residents shared the upgrades they believe are necessary for the facility during the community meeting, including more gym spacing for equip- ment, more security and more accessible ways to navigate the facility.
More than 100 Houston residents showed up to an April 23 community input event where they shared what they want to see improved at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center on West Gray Street, a facility that city o cials said needs to be updated. Funding the project Council member Abbie Kamin, who represents the district where the facility is located, said cost estimates for the project are unknown at the moment, as the city wants to get community feedback rst to get a good idea of what upgrades and improvements are needed. However, Kamin said her o ce secured $11.5 million in funding from the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone in April. Part of the funding will be used to address urgent, critical facility needs, but the majority will be used as seed money to jump start the project, she said. She hopes a plan can be set by next year.
The Metropolitan Multi-Service Center is one of Houston’s only locations that provides adaptive sports.
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION
Government
Houston to require short- term rental registration Houston officials approved a short-term rental ordinance during an April 16 City Council meeting after months of debate with city officials and short-term rental owners. In a nutshell Taking effect Jan. 1, the ordinance will make it unlawful to operate an STR without a valid registration certificate, which costs $275 annually, with the city’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department. The ordinance also prohibits STRs from adver- tising as event spaces, and STR platforms would be required to remove the listing of any rental that is found to be operating without a valid city registration. What they’re saying Council member Letitia Plummer recommended
IAH terminal named for Sheila Jackson Lee Terminal E has officially been renamed to “Sheila Jackson Lee Terminal E” in honor of former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, after council members voted unanimously April 16 during City Council. What’s happening? Houston Airport System officials said they are working with the family of the late congresswoman and the Mayor’s office on a timeline to design and install a plaque that will officially change the name of the terminal. They aim to make the change by this summer. “We’re not affixing just a name to a build- ing,” said Erica Lee Carter, Lee’s daughter and former U.S. representative. “We’re telling the world that Sheila Jackson Lee mattered to Houston.”
Short-term rentals are defined as dwelling units or any portion of a dwelling unit that is rented out for less than 30 consecutive days, excluding hotels, bed and breakfasts, and any other group homes.
Mapping STR listings
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3,428 short-term rental listings in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose as of April
SOURCES: AIRDNA, CITY OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT
the creation of a task force with STR operators and owners who can bring their lived experience to share how this ordinance is positively or nega- tively affecting them.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY MELISSA ENAJE & KEVIN VU
Houston drainage settlement slashes budget shortfall by a 3rd A multi-year drainage lawsuit has reached its end after Houston Mayor John Whitmire and the plain- tiffs reached an agreement April 16 to allow the city to fund millions of dollars in drainage infrastructure by 2028. The overview Originally, Houston would have been required to pay $100 million toward future drainage and street projects by the end of June, which would’ve led to the budget deficit ballooning to $330 million, up from $230 million. However, under the new deal, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff Chris Newport said Houston will fund these projects over time. This new deal allows Houston to give $16 million to the drainage fund this fiscal year and $48 million the following
Harris County election boundaries to change Harris County commissioners will consider adjusting election precinct boundaries to 16 different voting precincts throughout the county in May. Explained The 16 election precincts throughout Harris County have exceeded the state’s registered voter population requirement that calls for no more than 5,000 registered voters in each precinct, according to the county website. The River Oaks and southeast Houston areas have 5,078 voters and 5,150 voters in each area, respectively, and are up for consideration for re-precincting. However, according to the Harris County Voter Registrar website, re-precincting will not result in changes to any voter ballots in terms of the contests in which they vote.
Budget workshop schedule Houston will start working on the fiscal year 2026 budget in May, starting with a $230M shortfall.
May
Five-year forecast and budget overview 7 Finance, legal and general services 13 Planning and development, housing and airport system 14 16 Health department, solid waste and public works 15 Mayor’s office, City Council and fire department 19 Controller’s trends report, library system, police department 20 Parks and recreation, Department of Neighborhoods
SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT
year. Newport said Houston should be able to pay the full amount by 2028. These funds will go into the Dedicated Drain- age and Street Renewal Fund that the city can use to spend specifically on future drainage and street projects.
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
Education
BY WESLEY GARDENER
Houston ISD budget to rely on state legislation Houston ISD board managers received an over- view March 26 of potential legislation resulting from the state’s 89th legislative session that could affect the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year. A closer look Superintendent Mike Miles pointed to House Bill 2 as one of the biggest question marks. HB2 would increase the basic allotment distributed to public school districts. The item initially passed in the Texas House April 16, increasing the basic allotment by $395 per student. The House must vote on the school finance bill one more time before it can be sent to the Senate. Miles also said he believed there could be an increase to the school safety allotment currently included in Senate Bill 26. If approved as written, the bill would increase the school safety allotment provided by the state from
20% decline seen in HISD student discipline Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said the number of student disciplinary events dropped by more than 20% from 2023-24 to 2024-25. Zooming in Miles presented the findings to board man- agers during the district’s April 16 meeting. • Fighting decreased by 17% • Insubordination decreased by 23% • Drug-related incidents decreased by 19% • Terroristic threats decreased by 20% • Cursing at staff decreased by 16% • Bullying decreased by 10% However, Miles said the district reported 42 students have been found in possession of a firearm in the 2024-25 school year.
Superintendent Mike Miles pointed to several bills school officials are currently monitoring, including: House Bill 2 Would increase the basic allotment distributed to public school districts Status: Passed by the House, sent to the Senate Committee on Education Senate Bill 26 Would increase teacher pay across the state Status: Passed by the Senate and referred to the House Public Education Committee. Has not received a hearing or vote by the House. Senate Bill 260 Increased school safety allotment by $500 million Status: Passed and is scheduled to take effect Sept. 1
NOTE: THE STATUS OF THE BILLS WAS AS OF APRIL 30. SOURCES: HOUSTON ISD, 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
$10 to $28 per student and would increase per-cam- pus funding from $15,000 to $30,000. Although he noted the increase would be budget-neutral because the district would immediately distribute those funds to teachers.
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Transportation
BY KEVIN VU
Residents frustrated by lack of engagement on road projects
Houston is removing a raised crosswalk in Montrose and repaving the Washington Avenue Corridor to help reduce traffic, city officials said. What we know The raised crosswalk on Westheimer Road and Crocker Street in Montrose was installed in 2023. However, the raised crosswalk is being removed because it could disrupt traffic flow, said Marlene Gafrick, senior adviser for planning and mobility. However, Kevin Strickland, founder of Walk and Roll Houston, created a petition in March calling on city officials to leave the crosswalk as is and expressed the community’s frustration with the lack of engagement on the project. Gafrick said the city plans on installing a road- level crosswalk with pedestrian-activated beacons and LED lights that run parallel to the crosswalk. However, Houston Public Works did not respond to a request for project cost and timeline.
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by the sudden repavement, especially when the Houston-Galveston Area Council plans on releas- ing its findings for a study that would develop a corridor mobility plan for the avenue. City officials said the repavement won’t influence the results or impede the HGAC study. However, no completion date for repavement was available by press time.
What else? The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County started paving Washington Avenue in early April as part of a larger $24 million project to repave roads in Houston. Communications Director for LINK Houston Nick Arcos said residents were caught off guard
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
Transforming local history From the cover
Zooming out
About the projects
Kelly said he has seen more of a demand in Houston for transforming old structures into revitalized mixed-use spaces. The process of repurposing existing buildings or structures for a new function instead of demolishing and rebuild- ing them is known as adaptive reuse, according to the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. ConnectCRE, a real estate news service, reported in mid-2023 that Houston was seventh in the country at the time and the top city in Texas for adaptive reuse projects. A RentCafe survey showed 60% of the 2,205 projects were intended to repurpose office spaces, with 30% of projects converting former hotels. An example of adaptive reuse is POST Houston , a former abandoned United States Postal Ser- vice facility in Downtown Houston that was transformed into an entertainment venue. The ConnectCRE report noted that 85% of adaptive reuse projects in the construction pipeline are located downtown. However, the Heights has also had its fair share of similar projects. A recent project includes the M-K-T shopping center, which was developed in 2020 by Radom Capital and Triten Real Estate Partners. The 1980s historic industrial area was transformed into a popular mixed-use space adjacent to the Swift Building. The Historic Houston Heights Fire Station , located on West 12th Street and originally established in 1910, is now a popular event venue and park. Meanwhile, the Heights Waterworks , a 1949 pumping station located between West 19th Street and West 20th Street, is also a protected landmark and on the market for redevelopment, according to Preservation Houston. Anya Marmuscak, co-chair of the land use committee for the Houston Heights Association, said the committee spends a lot of time talking about new developments and redevelopments with a focus on trying to preserve the history and charm of the Heights. “We welcome the development that honors the character of what the Heights is and especially when there are opportunities to save or repurpose historic buildings. That has become increasingly more important to us. We have some incredible buildings that still have a lot of life left in them.” ANYA MARMUSCAK, HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION
The Swift Building The Swift Building at 612 Waverly St., according to the Archaeological and Historical Commission, was originally a cottonseed oil refinery with four buildings before it was bought in the early 1900s and transformed into Swift & Company’s two- building meat-packing plant. Now, developer Radom Capital along with Triten Real Estate Partners will transform the historical landmark into a revitalized mixed- use space for Heights residents. Vice President of Radom Capital Barton Kelly said the development will be half office spaces and half retail and restaurant use. Radom Capital has already received five signed leases, including a Tex-Mex restaurant, wellness spa, fitness studio and med spa. The second floor is mostly anticipated to be built out as an office space. Part of the building will face the popular MKT Hike-and-Bike Trail and will include a connected pedestrian pathway, additional green space and patios. Kelly said as of April, the development is on trajectory to be 100% leased before its planned opening date in 2026. The project is anticipated to break ground this spring. 1111 Westheimer Radom Capital is also developing a collection of four buildings on Westheimer Road, including the former historic 1930s Tower Theatre. According to Preservation Houston, a nonprofit historic preservation and advocacy organization, the Tower Theatre opened in 1936 in Montrose as an iconic movie theater. Over the decades, it has been transformed into a nightclub, a video store and two different restaurants. Now, the locale will become a new jazz supper club known as Doc’s. Doc Watkins, owner of Jazz, TX in San Antonio, said he will transform the space into an entertainment venue with a stage for live music, including a wraparound balcony, two full bars and a kitchen. Other tenants confirmed to open at the de- velopment dubbed 1111 Westheimer include Nando's, an Afro-Portuguese chain restau- rant; Swish Dental; Glo30; Revival Pilates; and Black Swan, a heated yoga studio. Kelly said the former Adam and Eve store will be an undisclosed restaurant intended to open in 2026. Lightbulbs Unlimited, Mala Sichuan Bistro and Tranquil, a beauty salon, will continue operat- ing in the shopping center.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Marking history The Heights and Montrose are some of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods in Houston, and the two areas include several historical landmarks.
The history
Looking ahead
According to the city of Houston’s website, there are 123 National Register of Historic Places listings within the Houston Heights area, and two in Montrose. To receive a designation, a property must be at least 50 years old and meet criteria demonstrating its significance, such as an association with important events, people, design or pattern of history. The Swift Building received its official designa- tion as a historic landmark in December and was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Montrose Tower Theatre is also considered a historical landmark, although it is not a registered historic place. Other key landmarks in the two neighborhoods, which have been redeveloped or repurposed, include the Heights Clock Tower and Heights The- ater. The Main Street Market Square in Montrose is also known as the only commercial historic district in Houston, according to the Historic Preservation Manual.
Construction started on the 1111 Westheimer development in 2024 and was completed in early 2025. Kelly said tenants will begin opening over the next eight months, with a scheduled opening date for Doc’s in early fall. The Swift Building will break ground this spring after almost a year of delays, which Kelly said were due to issues with historic designation, permits and tariffs. However, it is on track to be open to the public by late summer or early fall 2026.
Houston Heights
Founded in 1891
Culturally significant landmarks:
Burnett House Donovan Park Heights Theater Houston Heights City Hall & Fire Station
3 city-designated historic districts
123 National Register of Historic Places
Montrose
Founded in 1911
Culturally significant landmarks:
Link-Lee House Rothko Chapel The Menil Collection Three Sisters of Montrose
Scan the QR code to view more renderings from both projects.
6 city-designated historic districts
2 National Register of Historic Places
SOURCES: CITY OF HOUSTON, AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION MANUAL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
Events
Community
BY ASIA ARMOUR
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Houston eyes $1.5B economic boost from 2026 FIFA World Cup
Tejas Beer 5K At Tejas Brewery’s fun run, participants will receive a T-shirt, finisher glass and two pints of craft beer. • May 31, 6:30-8 a.m. • $45-$75 • 2101 Summer St., Houston • https://runintexas.redpodium.com/ tejas-beer-5k-beer-run-2025
May
Visual Symphony: The Salon Revisited Silver Street Studios’ contemporary art showcase is inspired by the grand salons of 17th and 18th century France, and attendees will be able to meet the artists.
Chris Canetti, president of Houston’s 2026 World Cup Host Committee, said during an April 1 panel discussion that Houston could economically benefit by more than $1.5 billion from the seven matches that will be hosted in the city in June 2026. According to the International Association of Event Hosts, the economic impact of a major event refers to the total amount of additional money brought to a defined area as a result of staging the event. Direct economic impact includes the cost of hotels, food, transportation and merchandise. The outlook Canetti said the $1.5 billion is more of a place- holder as new data and information are analyzed. However, he anticipates a concrete number to be presented in December after FIFA officials release what teams will come to Houston. The last FIFA World Cup was held in Qatar in 2022, and according to Forbes and the Michigan Journal of Economics, Qatar was estimated to
have benefited economically by $1.7 billion, with revenue primarily coming from tourism and business travel. The most watched match in 2022 was between France and Argentina in the finals with 1.42 billion digital viewers and 88,966 spectators inside Lusail Stadium. The following top four watched matches included the quarter- and semi-finals. According to Inside FIFA, the entire tourna- ment garnered 5 billion fans across all media, including TV, digital platforms, social media and FIFA streaming sites. More details Canetti said the ancillary event known as FIFA Fan Festival will also take place across 39 days from June 11 to July 19 in East Downtown, contributing to the overall economic impact. According to FIFA, the fan festival at Al Bidda Park in Doha, Qatar, saw nearly 2 million fans.
Comparing games Houston officials compared the city hosting seven matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to hosting seven Super Bowls in less than a month.
• May 17, 5-7 p.m. • Free (admission) • 2000 Edwards St., Houston • www.sawyeryards.com
MLB World Series $25 million
June
Dream Con The three-day event celebrates gaming, anime, sports, film, music and pop culture. • May 30-June 1, times TBD • $60-$150 (general admission), $350 (premium badge) • 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston • www.dreamconvention.com Fitness in the Park The River Oaks District Equinox fitness club will host a complimentary Vinyasa Yoga class in the park. • May 31, 12:30 p.m. • Free with registration • 4444 Westheimer Road, Houston • www.riveroaksdistrict.com
Texas Monthly Taco Fest This first annual food festival will take place at Discovery Green and feature live entertainment and bites from Texas Monthly’s 50 best taco joints in the region. • June 7, 5-8:30 p.m. • $50 (general admission), $75 (VIP), $20 (kids 6-12) • 1500 McKinney St., Houston • www.texasmonthly.com/tacofest Craft Brew Stroll on 19th Street Attendees will receive a 19th Street pint glass to sample breweries on the historical Houston Heights street. • June 12, 5-9 p.m. • $20 • 313 W. 19th St., Houston • www.19thstreetheights.com
College Football National Championship $200 million
Futbolito in the City Dynamo & Dash Charities will offer free, 90-minute soccer coaching sessions for Houston-area youth between ages 6-14 years old. The clinics occur every Thursday throughout May at the Memorial Park Picnic Loop, and will also feature prizes and meet- and-greets with Dynamo FC and Dash players. • May 1, May 8, May 15, May 22 and May 29; 5:30-7 p.m. • Free with registration • 301 N. Picnic Lane, Houston • www.houstondynamofc.com/charities/futbolito
NCAA Final Four
$270 million
Super Bowl LI
$347 million
FIFA World Cup (estimated)
$1.5 billion*
SOURCES: HOUSTON SUPER BOWL HOST COMMITTEE, HARRIS COUNTY-HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY, WORLD CUP HOST COMMITTEE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
HOUSTON SUPERSTORE 2410 Smith Street (713) 526-8787
WESTCOTT AND MEMORIAL 5818 Memorial Dr (713) 861-4161
SHEPHERD 1900 S Shepherd (713) 529-4849
Business
BY ASIA ARMOUR
Vinal Edge Records has been in business for 40 years.
ASIA ARMOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT
W. 20TH ST.
W. 19TH ST.
239 W. 19th St., Houston www.vinaledge.com
Chuck Roast is a former punk rock DJ and the owner of Vinal Edge Records.
ASIA ARMOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT
Vinal Edge Records still spinning in the Heights after 40 years Chuck Roast, a former punk rock radio DJ and owner of Vinal Edge Records, said his record store gets more foot tra c now than it has in its last 40 years of operation. He said the yearning for more immersive music experience is only growing stronger. “I think [for] people who grew up just pushing
buttons on their phone, when they’re introduced to the tactile element of a record player—and it’s this thing that spins and the diamond needle is sitting on it—it just creates an experience,” Roast said. Staying local Established in October 1985 in the Houston Heights neighborhood, Vinal Edge Records sells a collection of vinyl records, cassette tapes, CDs, turntables, T-shirts and stickers. Roast said it’s been cool seeing the popularity of music mediums shift over the past four decades. Roast knew he wanted his business to be located in the Heights because of its creative aspects—including its thrift
stores, junk shops and Casa Ramirez, a cultural pillar o ering a selection of folk art, Mexican dresses and local artists’ work. Respecting the craft Over the last four decades, Roast’s palate has become much more eclectic. He serves as the head of the Indonesian Arts Foundation and performs with Gamelan of the New Moon, an instrumental ensemble celebrating music from the southeastern Asian country. As a collector of records, he said his love for music grows more every day. “If you immerse yourself in a lot of di erent cultures musically, you’ll learn a lot of di erent things,” Roast said.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
MORE STELLAR THAN USUAL!
A TOUR OF THE STATE, MADE ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT MAY 2025
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
DETOURS: Hoodoos in Big Bend Ranch State Park CRITTER: The Caprock Bison
OUT THERE: Meanwhile, in Texas MADE IN TEXAS: Music Makers FEATURE PREVIEW: Meet the Texperts
Above: Big Bend Ranch State Park.
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
DETOURS
Clods and Monsters
Location: In Big Bend Ranch State Park, 26 miles west of the Barton Warnock Visitor Center BY PAM LEBLANC WALKING AMONG the weird spires of rock that sprout like giant mushrooms in Big Bend Ranch State Park feels like wandering the set of the original Star Trek series. The sand-colored hoodoos—some as tall as a two-story building—look otherworldly, but they developed natu- rally. Eons of wind and rain have scrubbed away softer materials such as fine-grained mudstone and porous tu at the base of the columns, leaving caps of hardened rock at the top. Use your imagination and you might see a human-shaped figure, a lumpy rendition of a troll, or a colossal bird egg balanced on a pedestal. These “fairy towers” famously appeared in the closing scenes of Boy- hood, Richard Linklater’s 2014 coming-of-age drama. An easy stop if you’re driving through the park, the Hoodoos Trail is about a mile long. If you’re not up for the walk, a shaded picnic table oers views of the hoodoos, the Rio Grande, and Mexico beyond.
acres, “they’re usually just cud chewing and wallowing and walking around like they have all day to do nothing,” says Na- talie Smith, a park interpreter. Still, she warns visitors to stay at least fifty yards, or half the length of a football field, away from a bison—and even more during rutting season, which typically lasts from June to September, when they can be aggressive. “If you get two bulls that are equally dominant and are physically equals, they can fight, and they will,” says park superintendent Donald Beard. “We have had bulls killed by other bulls.”
The bison at Caprock Canyons State Park, in the Panhandle, default to photogenic docility, as befits a noble symbol of the American West. They are the descendants of five herds, in- cluding one created by Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight, who in 1878 rescued several calves during the great slaughter that made the once plenti- ful bovines a rarity. There are other herds on private land, but Caprock’s has been designat- ed the o cial herd of Texas, a celebrity status the bison seem unaware of. Mostly unrued by the campers and day hikers who visit the park’s 15,314
YIKES. HOW DO I AVOID IRRITATING A BISON? Leave appropriate space be- tween yourself and any animal capable of tap dancing on your organs, and look out for signs of agitation. “If their tail is in the air, like it’s flagging, you need to step back,” says Smith. Ditto if it’s swinging its head from side to side. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’M BEING CHARGED BY ONE? Beard says, “If you get into a situation where you’ve been charged, it’s too late.”
The Caprock Bison CRITTER OF THE MONTH
OH. —Lauren Larson
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
MADE IN TEXAS
The Sound Machinists A Houston-area company creates modern synthesizers with vintage vibes for Joe Walsh, Duran Duran, and LCD Soundsystem. BY MICHAEL HALL
OUT THERE
Meanwhile, In Texas
In the right hands—customers include Chro- meo, Duran Duran, LCD Soundsystem, and nu- merousfilmandTVsounddesigners—theycan create audio that is human and otherworldly, animated and moody, hard and soft. “The idea that synths are just beeps and bloops is not accurate at all,” says Mike Gra- ham, an engineer and the vice president of business development. “They can sound creepy; they can sound angry; they can sound happy or sad. They can sound inquisitive.” The company’s roots go back to 1969, when Roger Arrick, then an eight-year-old living in suburbanFortWorth,firstheardSwitched-On Bach, an album of the composer’s songs played on the synthesizer created by Robert Moog. To read the rest of this story and stories about other independent makers in Texas, subscribe to Texas Monthly.
THE BUILDING’S WALLS sometimes shake with a sonic rumble. Other times, it’s like a spaceship is flying overhead or as if the elec- tronic duo Daft Punk has reunited in this pleasant industrial park in Stafford, thirty minutes from downtown Houston. But it’s just business as usual at the workshop head- quarters of Synthesizers.com. Thecompanyhasmadeanalogmodularsyn- thesizers for nearly thirty years. The instru- ments are based on the classic Moog (rhymes with “vogue”) synths of the sixties and sev- enties, but these modern-day machines are cheaper and easier to play. They are elegant, with black panels, silver knobs, and red lights.
Numerous attendees at a pickle- themed event in New Braunfels claimed that it was a fiasco, with one unhappy patron posting that she “didn’t even get 1 pickle” and that organizers “should have called it the dusty long line festival.” A pig named Peppa and a blind dog named Amy were reunited with their owner after the lost pair trotted along- side U.S. 290 and wandered into a general store in Austin’s Harris Branch neighborhood. Drivers of two vacuum trucks caused a large explosion and fire after they al- legedly attempted to steal petroleum from a pipeline maintenance station near Orla. The discovery of more than one hun- dred human teeth buried in the yard of a Hondo home prompted an investiga- tion by local police, who found out that the previous owners of the property were dentists who may have been fol- lowing a tradition of burying teeth for good luck . A state representative from Smithville introduced a bill called the Forbidden Unlawful Representation of Roleplay- ing in Education (FURRIES) Act, which would ban “non-human” behavior in schools, such as wearing a tail. A substation explosion at Texas Tech University caused widespread power outages and the eruption of green flames from manhole covers across campus. —Meher Yeda
Mike Graham operates a Studio-110 system at the Synthesizers.com oce in Staord.
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
Space Center Houston tour guide Irwin Stewart.
for a movie about space to get a VIP tour from Stewart, though he has guided actor Natalie Portman, who portrayed an astronaut in 2019’s Lucy in the Sky, and director Alfonso Cuarón, an Oscar winner for 2013’s Gravity . You just have to reserve a spot on one of Stewart’s week- days-only excursions, which cost about $200 per person and are limited to small groups. With light gray hair styled in the manner of Albert Einstein’s, the 56-year-old Stewart is expressive and enthusiastic, often peppering conversations with “Did you know that?” He and eleven others on the Space Center’s sta give these specialized tours, and Stewart is comfortable with famous visitors. He is also a certified commercial pilot who spent more than a decade as an aircraft-maintenance in- structor. In other words, he can go deep on all things that fly. He can easily talk for three hours, the average length of a tour, and show no sign of flagging. Stewart greets me on a hot fall day at the entrance to Space Center Houston and makes small talk while he escorts me around the back of the building to a black SUV. Then, as he drives onto the NASA campus, he launch- es into tour guide mode. His voice becomes louder and more animated. “There’s one hundred buildings on this cam- pus! Each has its own specialty.” To read the rest of this article about Stew- art and more of our favorite tour guides all across Texas, subscribe to Texas Monthly.
IF YOU’VE BEEN among the million-plus annual visitors to Space Center Houston, the museum at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, you’ve probably seen the Apollo 17 command module, walked through the replica of the space shuttle Independence, and touched a moon rock. You may have even taken a tram to the 1,600-acre working campus behind the museum and walked up to the Saturn V rocket —more than thirty stories tall—lying on its side like a giant in repose. But have you met Irwin Stewart? You don’t have to be a celebrity preparing
FEATURE PREVIEW
Meet the Texperts Tour guides, park rangers, and docents interpret our state in wildly different ways, but their mission is the same: tell a story no one would ever want to walk away from. BY KATY VINE
TEXAS MONTHLY : WRITTEN BY TEXANS FOR TEXANS FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS. JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF READERS.
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