Preservation Houston’s 2025 Good Brick Tour kicks off this weekend (Saturday, November 8, and Sunday, November 9), giving Houstonians the opportunity to explore stories, craftsmanship, and design details from a selection of the city’s Good Brick Award recipients, which reward excellence in historic preservation. Now in its 12th year, the tour has grown into a celebration of Houston’s rich architectural heritage, distinctive neighborhoods, and the work that goes into restoring and maintaining some of the city’s most treasured places.
“Preservation Houston’s Good Brick Tour celebrates not only the homes and landmarks themselves, but the stories of the people who care for them,” said Jennifer Kapral, executive director of Preservation Houston. “Each stop on the tour reminds us that preserving our city’s history is an act of community, one that connects Houston’s past, present, and future.”
This year, event chairs Pei-Lin Chong (whose home is featured on the tour) and Mariam Hejazi, along with over 150 volunteers, invite the public into four homes that offer a glimpse of the distinctive styles that contribute to the architectural vernacular of the Bayou City. It’s also worth noting that, while the tour offers access to four homes, one location — Style in Steel — is a collection of three independent townhomes that have not been open together since their original debut in 1969.
Just in time for the tour, CultureMap has gathered insights from each location’s homeowner(s) so that participants can keep an eye out for the little things that make each one of these homes so special. Find each insight just below the history of each home.
2025 Good Brick Tour Locations
Valenti-Dissen House 1507 Alamo Street (First Ward), 1921
Built by Sicilian immigrant and grocer Jacob Valenti, this Craftsman bungalow reflects the First Ward’s early diversity. Over the decades it welcomed a mix of tenants, from a printer and an accountant to members of Houston’s Greek community, capturing the spirit of a working-class area where many cultures met. In 1934, the property was purchased by Della Settegast Dissen, whose well-known Houston family had deep ties to the city’s development. When FW Heritage acquired the home in 2021, they found a structure in need of major repair but rich in original details. A careful restoration, guided by Grayform Architecture, respected the home's proportions while updating it for modern living. The project received a 2024 Good Brick Award.
“The house was originally a two-bedroom, one-bath home and served as a rental for close to 100 years before I bought it in 2021,” says homeowner and event co-chair Pei-Lin Chong. “I’m actually the first homeowner to ever live here, which makes it even more special. One of my favorite features is the built-in china cabinet between the kitchen and dining room; it’s such a thoughtful original detail. During the restoration, we discovered old wallpaper under the sheetrock. I asked my demo team to carefully remove them and I have framed two samples as keepsakes. It's a small piece of the home’s long history.”
William Henry Lighthouse House 2018 Kane Street (Old Sixth Ward), 1906
A two-story Classical Revival residence built for brick maker William H. Lighthouse is among the Old Sixth Ward Historic District’s most prominent landmarks. Architect Olle Lorehn designed the home with honey-colored brick, stone trim, and a soaring double-height portico — a fitting showcase for the material that made Lighthouse’s fortune.
When changing health circumstances made stairs increasingly difficult, the homeowner turned to architect Marisa Janusz of Janusz Design for a way to remain in the home he loves. The resulting one-story addition provides accessible living space on the ground floor. Set back and lower in height, it connects to the main house via a copper-and-glass bridge that meets the historic structure with a light touch. The project was honored with a 2025 Good Brick Award for demonstrating how thoughtful design can adapt historic architecture to modern life with grace and care.
“The brick interior walls are what make this home truly stand out — strong and full of character,” explains homeowner Jason Johnson. “Paired with the historic exterior walls, which are three bricks thick, and thoughtful modern updates, it’s a space I hope visitors appreciate for both its design and its story.”
Anderson Todd House 9 Shadowlawn (Museum District), 1961
Designed by architect and Rice University professor Anderson Todd for his family, this steel-framed pavilion balances privacy and openness through a series of courtyards and light-filled spaces. The steel-framed, brick-and-glass pavilion is organized around a black-walnut-paneled core. Polished terrazzo floors, a rhythm of exposed columns, and an unbroken ceiling plane finished in white-painted plaster reflect Todd’s disciplined craftsmanship and his view of architecture as the measured interplay of light, form, and material.
Modern in form yet understated in presence, the Todd House complements its neighbors in the Shadow Lawn Historic District through scale and workmanship. The house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Houston Protected Landmark. Because the home has never undergone any renovations, it has never been nominated for a Good Brick Award. Instead, Anderson Todd House is considered an excellent example of how thoughtful stewardship can keep a landmark home livable today.
“Our house was a wonderful house for children. There was so little furniture that we could bicycle indoors,” says Emily Todd. “It continues to be a wonderful house as an adult, equally comfortable for a quiet dinner or a lively cocktail party. I’m very lucky to have spent virtually all my life in this house. Living here has been a privilege.”
Style in Steel Townhomes 4156, 4158 and 4160 Meyerwood Drive (Southwest Loop), 1968
Designed by Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson, the firm behind the Astrodome, the three Style in Steel townhomes stand among Houston’s most elegant expressions of late modern design. The houses debuted at the 1969 National Association of Home Builders’ exposition, showcasing the versatility of steel in residential design. Architects Talbott Wilson and Hal Weatherford paired precision with warmth, combining steel with terrazzo, travertine, brick, and cedar in open, light-filled homes arranged around courtyards landscaped by Fred Buxton.
The current owners of the central townhouse undertook a meticulous restoration with architect Rodolfo R. Fabre, reversing years of alterations to reveal the clarity of the original design and earning a 2024 Good Brick Award. Together, the three houses — all City of Houston Protected Landmarks — represent Houston modernism at its finest, sustained by thoughtful stewardship and care. This year’s Good Brick Tour marks the first time the Style in Steel homes have been open to the public together since 1969.
“My favorite space in the house is the front courtyard, which the entire house is designed around. It’s magical the way light filters in and casts patterns on the walls throughout the day,” homeowners Philip and Mandy LeBlanc explain.
“We enjoy the courtyard daily for lunch, work, or simply soaking in the sunlight. It connects every part of the home. The design transitions beautifully from public to private spaces, with intentional glass and steel elements that make the home both functional and elegant. Inside, our mid-century furniture collection, gathered from local estate sales, complements the home’s modern aesthetic and ties everything together. From a design standpoint, there’s truly nothing else like it in Houston; it’s a space that connects history, light, and everyday life so seamlessly.”
Tickets
Advance tickets, valid for admission to all four homes both days, are $25 online through Thursday, November 6. Tickets will be $30 at the door during the tour weekend. Single-site admission will also be available for $10 per location. Hours for both days of the tour are 12-5 pm. Proceeds from the tour support Preservation Houston’s advocacy and educational programs.
Courtesy of Preservation Houston
Rice University professor Anderson Todd designed 9 Shadowlawn for his family.
