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    live like royalty

    Fairytale castle just 3.5 hours from Houston returns to market for $5.5 million

    Amber Heckler
    Nov 15, 2023 | 9:00 pm

    A grand fairytale castle less than 140 miles from Austin has re-entered the housing market for $5.5 million.

    Parsons Castle Austin

    Photo courtesy of Hackers Property Group

    The five-story Parsons Castle is back on the market.

    The Parsons Castle in Clifton (near Waco) is a glorious cliffside escape with a very apt nickname: The Getaway Capital of Texas.

    As CultureMap previously reported, the castle was listed for sale in 2021 for $6.5 million. It didn't sell at the time, so it was taken off the market. Eric Hacker of Hacker Property Group now holds the listing.

    "With the price adjustment and with the time lapse in our market, we felt that [$5.5 million] was going to be a much more appealing price for the public and for what this venue has the possibilities of [accomplishing]," Hacker explained to CultureMap.

    The castle and event venue, which overlooks Lake Whitney, features 10 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms across 11,500 square feet of space that's destined to make every guest feel like a real royal.

    There are balconies on every floor of the five-story castle, a private pool and hot tub, a 3,000-square-foot ballroom, a bridal suite and groom's dressing room, gazebos galore, and much more. Like every good castle, it has a drawbridge and a moat.

    Parsons CastleThe 3,000-square-foot ballroom can do more than host large formal dances, like setting the stage for a beautiful Photo courtesy of Hacker Property Group

    The property was bought by its sole owners – Stuart and Rebecca Parsons – in 2005, and the slab that would become the genesis for the castle was poured in 2009. By 2017, the magnificent structure had been fully constructed, and has since lived an illustrious life as a venue for weddings, reunions, and many other special occasions.

    Hacker expects his primary audience to be those who already have a business plan lined up to keep the property as an event venue, but he's not counting out potential buyers who fall in love with the castle.

    "There could always be an individual who comes in and just falls in love with how special it is and find it appealing for themselves," he says. "But it's really highly accommodating for someone who sees it as an event venue that can hold large events and parties."

    Back in 2021, the castle caught the attention of Zillow Gone Wild's Facebook page, with one commenter dubbing it "Taj Ma Y’all."

    If $5.5 million seems, well, almost affordable, consider this: The Parsons Castle is cheaper than this other urban palace outside Houston that was the most expensive home in Texas for two years in a row, with a hefty price tag of $65 million.

    More information about the Parsons Castle can be found at theparsonscastle.com.

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    greenside taking shape

    4 wellness concepts are first tenants at new Memorial City development

    Holly Beretto
    Feb 19, 2026 | 9:40 am
    Rendering of exterior of Greenside
    Courtesy of MetroNational
    Greenside, a wellness-themed concept in a former warehouse near Memorial City, announced its first wave of tenants

    Greenside, the wellness-focused development in a former warehouse complex located just north of Memorial City Mall at 1085 Gessner Rd, has announced its first tenants. They include a curated mix of modern wellness and standout dining.

    Honest Mary’s, the fast-casual restaurant known for chef-crafted bowls made from scratch with thoughtfully sourced ingredients, is slated to open this fall. The Greenside location will be the second in Houston for the Austin-based restaurant, joining an outpost in the River Oaks Shopping Center that opened last year. The concept’s CEO, Nelson Monteith, started Honest Mary’s in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. Guests choose from signature bowls or build their own, starting with warm grains and seasonal roasted vegetables and finishing with house-made dressings and toppings.

    “We wanted to open a second Houston location quickly to build on the momentum from River Oaks,” Monteith said in a statement. “Memorial has long been a key West Houston community for us, and Greenside stood out immediately because of the team behind it. With MetroNational, Radom Capital, and Michael Hsu Office of Architecture involved, it felt like a winning trifecta and made the decision easy.”

    Greenside guests can also expect the health bar Leemoo. The brand’s vibrant menu of smoothies, açaí bowls, and fresh-pressed juices uses proprietary smoothie and açaí formulations, house-made ingredients, and carefully sourced produce. Crafted around balance, flavor, and performance, Leemoo seeks to deliver exceptional taste and everyday vitality, according to press materials. With one location in the Montrose Collective, the Greenside spot will be Leemoo’s second location in Houston.

    The award-winning day spa Hiatus is also part of Greenside’s lineup. The concept blends nourishment with rejuvenation, offering guests expert-led, results-driven treatments and a calm, welcoming environment. The spa aims to redefine self-care as an essential part of an everyday routine.

    “We’re very excited to bring Hiatus to Memorial and continue expanding into Texas communities,” said Kate Sazer, CEO of Hiatus. “Our goal is to make… self-care approachable and part of everyone’s routine, helping guests feel better, recharge, and prioritize wellness as a regular part of life.”

    Solidcore, the acclaimed high-intensity, low-impact fitness brand known for its signature reformer-based workouts, is opening a location at Greenside. The studio already has locations in the Heights and Montrose, and is known for offering a premier, full-body training experience that redefines luxury fitness.

    “Greenside reflects the kind of environment we look for when bringing Solidcore into a community,” said Josh Rainey, Solidcore’s senior director of real estate and growth. “It’s a place designed for connection and everyday routines, and that aligns closely with how our members experience our studios. We’re looking forward to becoming part of the Memorial area and creating a welcoming space where people can build strength, consistency and community close to home.”

    Greenside is a collaboration between MetroNational, the real estate development firm that owns and operates Memorial City, and Radom Capital, the Houston-based developer behind M-K-T Heights and the Montrose Collective, among others. Designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Greenside is designed to be a community destination with a welcoming, family-centric neighborhood experience in West Houston.

    “Greenside is being thoughtfully designed as a place where people can gather and enjoy the best of what Houston has to offer every day of the week,” said Danna Diamond, vice president of leasing at MetroNational. “This initial mix represents the kind of brands we’re proud to bring to Memorial and west Houston: experience-driven, authentic, and rooted in quality.”

    Additional leasing announcements will be shared in the coming months as Greenside continues to take shape.

    Rendering of exterior of Greenside

    Courtesy of MetroNational

    Greenside, a wellness-themed development in a former warehouse near Memorial City, announced its first wave of tenants

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