HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – The Ion, a 266,000-square-foot innovation hub, has opened a new prototyping lab in partnership with TXRX Labs, a nonprofit organization focused on innovation and workforce training.
Developed by Rice Management Company, an affiliate of Rice University, The Ion repurposes the former art-deco Sears store that originally opened in 1939 at 4201 Main Street. Located in Midtown near Wheeler and Richmond avenues, The Ion sits within a 16-acre emerging innovation district owned by Rice University’s $6.5 billion endowment.
The Ion Prototyping Lab occupies 6,500 square feet and was designed by Gensler’s Houston office. According to Rice, it is the largest open prototyping space that serves both corporate and startup needs in Houston.
Equipment and technical resources at the lab are provided by TXRX and The Ion and support prototyping and small-batch manufacturing. Available tools include laser cutters, CNC mills and lathes, electronics assembly equipment, and 3D printers.
Electronics Assembly, Welding, Laser Cutters
The facility also offers onsite access to engineers and skilled technicians across disciplines such as industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software development, additive manufacturing, welding, machining, and laser cutting.
Branded as “The Ion Prototyping Lab (IPL) powered by TXRX,” the space is described as an innovation center intended to give startups and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds access to advanced equipment and technical mentorship.
The lab will also run an internship program to connect startups with emerging engineering talent from Houston-area universities, creating a pipeline between academic programs and hands-on industry experience.
“With its close proximity to Houston’s Central Business District and The Texas Medical Center, The Ion is excited to provide the Houston tech community with a Prototyping Lab operated by TXRX as an essential resource for businesses,” said Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director of The Ion. “The Ion serves as a driver and convener of activity, while TXRX’s proven model of hands-on training and technological innovation helps accelerate the work of entrepreneurs, corporations, and researchers. You think it, we make it.”
Other tenants at The Ion include Microsoft and the coworking organization Common Desk, which is in the process of being acquired by WeWork.
The Sears Husk
The former Sears locations that once dotted American retail landscapes are being demolished, redeveloped or repurposed for new uses, as in the case of The Ion.
Sears Holdings, once a dominant national retailer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018. By January 2022, only a small number of Sears stores remained open across the United States.
At its peak, Sears—founded in 1892 as a mail-order catalog business—operated more than 3,000 stores nationwide.
Feb. 1, 2022 Realty News Report. Copyright 2022.
Image: Courtesy The Ion. Pictured is the audience at a Jan. 31, 2022 press conference at The Ion.
Photo credit: Alex Montoya
File: Ion Prototype Lab Unveiled
File: Rice Management. Ion Prototype Lab Unveiled. IPL.TXRX. Rice University
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