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The secret's out! Houston Pavilions breaks out a new name as it tries to shed its troubled past

As the northern end of downtown Houston near Market Square Park experiences a sort of homegrown renaissance, there's a more buttoned-up type of redevelopment underway a few METRORail stops down Main Street.

Houston Pavilions has been ill-fated almost since its opening in 2007. The mixed-use development came into new ownership last August and, now in the hands of Midway Companies and Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds (a real estate investment company co-owned by Magic Johnson), the three-block project is on its way to becoming a destination.

Welcome, Houstonians and visitors, to GreenStreet.

Brindsen hinted that the company has parted ways with those tenants who didn't add to the long-term vision — a nod to Books-A-Million.

Midway has proven its prowess with CityCentre, a retail, shopping and office development in west Houston, and aims to create the same sort of space in the heart of downtown.

"It was really this idea that we could regenerate an urban destination here in the middle of this new urban core," said Midway CEO Jonathan Brindsen of the impetus for acquiring the property.

Renovations will make the space more pedestrian-oriented — with improved landscaping in the center corridor and mid-block crossings that will create a linear urban park, a lawn with a small stage, water features and patio seating.

Brindsen acknowledged the High Line in New York and the Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University as outdoor inspiration for the project. Expect lots of outdoor seating, green roofs and power-generating solar panels, installed with the help of corporate tenant NRG Energy.

Though no new leases were announced at a press conference on Thursday, Brindsen hinted that the company has parted ways with those tenants who didn't add to the long-term vision — a nod to Books-A-Million, which shuttered in December.

Brindsen told CultureMap that the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

The company will celebrate the announcement with a "Sip and Socialize" street party from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, with live music plus drinks to sample and food to snack.

GreenStreet, as viewed from Caroline Street, will be activated with patio spaces, a water feature, wood cladding, greening of escalator canopies and eye-catching signage.

GreenStreet, Houston Pavilions, April 2013, Rendering 4 Caroline

Rendering courtesy of GreenStreet

GreenStreet, as viewed from Caroline Street, will be activated with patio spaces, a water feature, wood cladding, greening of escalator canopies and eye-catching signage.

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own a piece of history

Influential architect's stunning Houston home listed at $1.8 million

Photo by Pro House Photos for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

Noted architect Victor Lundy designed 701 Mulberry Lane in 1988 and lived there.

The home of noted architect Victor Lundy, who also lived in the home since its completion in 1988, is now on the market for $1.825 million. Located at 701 Mulberry Lane in Bellaire, it is listed by Mark Maniha of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

Lundy was an architect known for his modern aesthetic who created One Congress Plaza in Austin. His Warm Mineral Springs Motel, outside Warm Mineral Springs, Florida, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The home he designed at 701 Mullberry Lane encapsulates his vision of Sarasota Modern, a post-World War II style that showcases open-plan designs, large panes of glass, and spaces that complement and blend with their surroundings. He was honored by the Smithsonian for his 90th birthday in 2013.

Perched on a more than 27,900-square-foot lot, Lundy designed the space to serve as a modern, spacious, light-filled, modern two-bedroom, two-bath home. Wood built-ins and curving walls accent the home's extraordinary living spaces, which include an enormous studio, which would be used by its new owners for the same purpose or re-imagined into a modern living room, family room, or game room. The tall ceilings throughout add to the feeling of openness, and stone flooring in the living areas provides a compelling design accent.

The kitchen has at its center an oval island that is an immediate conversation piece. Designed for form as well as function, it sports plenty of storage space, as well as a sink and plenty of counter space for working. The kitchen opens to the dining and living area, which features a fireplace and lots of wall space for large art.

The floor-to-ceiling windows of 701 Mulberry Lane not only provide an abundance of natural light, but also showcase the view out to the home's large lot. Its new owner will find plenty of space to add a pool, summer kitchen, or patio. In the primary bedroom, the wrap-round windows at ceiling level accent the light. A raised platform for a queen-size bed flanked by built-in nightstands adds to the room's modern appeal. Floor-to-ceiling closets dominate two walls of the bedroom, offering storage and design accents.

Photo by Pro House Photos for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

Noted architect Victor Lundy designed 701 Mulberry Lane in 1988 and lived there.

This home at 701 Mulberry Lane is more than just another house for sale. It is a part of architecture history.

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