After art collector and ex Enron-exec Jeff Shankman left the concrete-clad art gallery stronghold of 4411 Montrose in a shaky limbo this summer, the site's future as a conglomerate of blue-chip art spaces was at stake. But change is afoot.

Enter trader and art patron Bruce Eames, who's swooped in to ensure the property's prosperity. Eames, whose daytime gig is at the helm of high tech finance firm Quantlab, has already slated several improvements, including an expanded parking lot. These changes represent a new era for 4411 as its inhabitants inaugurate a fifth year anniversary at the building this month.

Eames, a decade-long client at the upstairs Barbara Davis Gallery, was courted by Davis to take over the property.

"I told him I thought it would be an amazing adventure for him, because the building's so special," she says. "He went into this venture not so much for a business reason, but to keep the prosperity of the building. He's a humanist and really believes art is an important part of life."

"I was disappointed when I saw the building go into bankruptcy," Eames tells CultureMap, "and felt that it was such an important destination for people coming to Houston who appreciate a critical mass of art galleries."

Friday marked a changing of the guard on the lower floor, as the owner of Tart Café, John Ray, exited the building to care for a new baby boy. Art world scenesters need not go hungry, though — a concept restaurant is in the works, to be located in the former Joan Wich & Co. space.

Peter Zweig, the building's original architect, is being commissioned for a few improvements, and new landscaping will be sprouting up soon. "We're going to fulfill the original architectural vision," Eames says.

"I see the potential for creating a platform that could also serve as a facility for art organizations and non-profits in Houston," says Eames, adding a righteous appeal to the real estate deal. "I felt that the building wasn't being used to its full potential."

The emphasis will be on collaborations — just last month, the complex played host to a show by fashion designer David Peck. "We'll have more people mixing and mingling, but not only to look at art," says Samira Salman, a consultant on the project.

All of the current tenants are staying put, and gallery owner Wade Wilson has aims of breaking through the wall between his space and Tart, allowing room for concurrent exhibitions. "With an expansion, I could mix in emerging artists with some of my superstar artists," he says.

Editor's note: Read Steven Thomson's earlier exclusive on 4411 Montrose going into bankruptcy.