Built in 1939

Will Trader Joe's listen? Historical Commission promotes plan to save theAlabama Theatre's entrance

The developer had initially said that the original terrazzo, pictured here,would have to be removed to comply with ADA requirements. Not so, says the TexasHistorical Commission.
Photo by David Bush
Concerns exist about the removal of the original murals flanking the old stage,among other things.
Photo by Jim Parsons
Preservationists hope to maintain as many of the theater's distinctive art decodetails as possible.
Photo by Jackson Meyers

The Alabama Theatre's original entrance can be preserved, according to the Texas Historical Commission, if only the developer is willing to work with them.

The historic Alabama Theatre, which has sat empty since 2009, is set to become the site of a new Trader Joe's grocery store. While fans of the grocer are elated, there are concerns about how to best preserve the interior of one of Houston's last remaining art deco theaters.

Built in 1939, the Alabama has remained relatively intact through its tenure as a Barnes & Noble Bookstop.

Initial plans to update the exterior of the building have been approved by the Houston Archaeological and Historical commission, but the THC is now saying that the theater's original terrazzo — a decorative marble floor treatment — might not have to be removed as originally thought.

In a press release that went out Thursday to Greater Houston Preservation Alliance members, the GHPA revealed that the THC had crafted an alternative to removing the terrazzo by applying for a variance in light of the Alabama's eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The developer, local Weingarten Realty, has previously told the GHPA that the terrazzo would have to be removed to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards — the act says that a building's entrance can have no more than a 2 percent slope; the theater's entrance is 2.5 percent.

At the GHPA's request, the THC has provided information about the possible variance both to Weingarten and to the architect, Dallas-based Don Sopranzi. The THC has also offered to consult with the builders and assist in the variance application.

unspecified

REAL ESTATE NEWS

More Houston homeowners are becoming 'accidental landlords,' study finds

For Lease Real Estate Sign Hangs in Front Yard of House

Getty Images

An increasing number of San Antonio homeowners are bcoming "accidental landlords"

Houston homeowners unable to sell their properties are increasingly becoming “accidental landlords,” according to Zillow. The real estate marketplace’s newest analysis says that 4.2 percent of its local for-sale listings recently converted to rentals, making the Bayou City the second-worst U.S. city for the market trend.

Only Denver (4.9 percent) ranks higher, with Austin (4.1 percent) and San Antonio (3.9 percent) not far behind. Seven of the top 10 metros are in Texas or Florida.

Zillow senior economist Kara Ng says today's dynamic is driven by choice rather than panic. Homeowners aren't being forced to sell; they're simply unwilling to accept what the market will actually pay.

"As the market continues to rebalance, sellers are facing a different reality than they did a few years ago," Ng said in a statement. "Bargaining power is tilting toward buyers, and homes are taking longer to sell, making renting out a property one way to buy time rather than compete aggressively on price. After all, today's sellers are rarely forced to sell, and it appears they are often unwilling to budge off of what their heart says their home is worth."

Nationally, the trend is nearing a record high. 2.3 percent of all Zillow rental listings were recently for-sale properties, second only to November 2022, when mortgage rates had doubled in a single year, and sellers were scrambling. That spike was shock-driven, but now stubbornness is likely fueling the shift.

Single-family homes make up the largest share of accidental landlord properties, but condos are seeing the fastest rise. Metros with the hottest buyer competition, including Boston, New York City, and Providence, Rhode Island, have the lowest accidental landlord rates.

For both local buyers and sellers, Goldilocks thinking is increasingly the norm. Sellers, especially those who bought during the COVID-19 boom, are holding their asking price firm to avoid taking a loss. Buyers, for their part, are refusing to compromise on concessions and repairs.

Meanwhile, the city's rental market keeps getting larger. In 2025, rental listings website Point2Homes placed the Houston area among the top 10 U.S. metros building the most new homes for rent.

home market renting home ownership zillow rankings real estate