going up

Twin tower retail and residential high-rises break ground in Upper Kirby

Houston’s newest mixed-use development broke ground this week, as Nashville-based Southern Land Company (SLC) launched its latest project, a new luxury mixed-use destination in Houston's prestigious Upper Kirby district.

Fashioned as two buildings on one property, 2811 Kirby Drive and The Lily River Oaks sit between West Alabama Street and Westheimer Road. In press materials, Southern describes the project as "a design-forward, complementary development that will further enhance one of Houston's most distinguished areas."

Two towers anchor the project’s 953,000 square feet, rising from a shared parking podium that will feature approximately 15,000 square feet of ground-level restaurant space.

The Lily River Oaks is a 38-story apartment tower featuring 331 rental residences, including 18 penthouses. Future residents will enjoy amenities such as a rooftop indoor and outdoor spaces and a seventh-floor garden deck. The seventh floor will also include a residential spa, guest suites, and a fitness center available to both residents and office tenants.

Meanwhile, 2811 Kirby, the project’s 10-story tower, offers four stories of Class AA office space totaling approximately 107,000 square feet. Stream Realty Partners, the firm partnering with SLC on the project, is leading leasing efforts for the office space.

"After meticulous planning and preparation, we are excited to break ground on a one-of-a-kind mixed-use community," said Tim Downey, SLC founder and CEO, in a release. "Today marks an important milestone in our mission to deliver a landmark destination where locals and visitors can live, work, and gather, and that exemplifies SLC’s hallmark standard of extraordinary placemaking."

2811 Kirby and The Lily River Oaks mark the latest expansion of SLC's growing Texas portfolio, which includes Tucker Hill, a single-family community in McKinney; Lunaroya, a single-family community in Dripping Springs; and Deco, a 27-story luxury mixed-use community in downtown Fort Worth. They’ve also developed and sold mixed-use and multifamily properties in Plano, Dallas, Keller, and Allen.

Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) is the new development’s architect and interior designer; Kimley-Horn helms its civil engineering; and DeSimone Consulting Engineering leads the structural engineering. SLC is the leading landscape architecture and horticulture for the project.

Construction is slated for completion in 2028.

Tower of 2811 Kirby and The Lily River Oaks

Photo courtesy SLC

2811 Kirby and The Lily River Oaks is a multiuse space including offices, restaurants and retail, and luxury living.

high-rises construction

be well

3 hot wellness studios move swiftly into new Heights development

Courtesy of Radom Capital

The Swift BLDG is expected to open in late 2026.

A new mixed-use development in the Heights has announced its next round of tenants. Three wellness businesses are coming to The Swift BLDG, Houston developers Radom Capital and Triten Real Estate Partners’ project in the historic Swift & Company Packing Plant that’s located near the Heights Hike & Bike Trail.

They are:

SweatHouz, a contrast therapy studio
Strong Pilates Studio
The Skin Clinic, a Houston-based aesthetics and skincare destination

Scheduled to open in winter 2026, SweatHouz will offer infrared saunas, cold plunges, and other protocols to improve a person’s well-being. The protocols are focused on areas such as athletic recovery, reducing stress, improving circulation, mental health, and longevity. In addition, it will offer a beauty bar equipped with Dyson hot tolls and a beverage station stocked with different waters.

Building on the success of its Katy location that opened last year, Strong Pilates Studio will occupy 2,500 square feet in the Swift BLDG. Using Rowformer and Bikeformer machines, customers have the opportunity to take classes in Strong Body, Strong Loaded, and Strong Pilates-Only. It’s expected to open in the fall.

“Our method blends strength, cardio, and reformer-based training into one, delivering real results in just 45 minutes. This isn’t just Pilates — it’s a new standard for fitness in Houston. And a community that sweats together stays strong,” franchisee Mona Hussein-Zaki said in a statement.

Currently located in M-K-T, the Skin Clinic will more than double its footprint by relocated to the Swift BLDG. The clinic’s services focus on skin health and rejuvenation. It also expected to open in the fall.

“The response from this community has been incredible, and Swift gives us the room to grow into what our patients have been asking for: more space, more services, and the same patient-centered care that got us here." founder Kelli Nwuli said.

All three businesses join previously announced tenants such as Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, premium juice bar Leemoo, Merit Coffee, and Houston Tex-Mex staple Escalante’s.

On track to open to the public in fall 2026, The Swift BLDG will offer more than 30,000 square feet of office space along with 30,000 square feet of restaurant and retail tenants. The two companies previously partnered on M-K-T, the Heights mixed-use development that’s near the Swift project. Radom is known for a number of other Houston developments, including the Montrose Collective and the historic Tower Theater property and its adjacent buildings.

openings the-heights