Magic Island Rising From the Crypt Into Action, Market briefs

In Houston, By Cynthia Lescalleet (for Ev Konut Proje), For real this time, Magic Island management says of the on-and-off-and on again restoration and renovation at the Houston landmark for dinner, show, music and prestidigitation.

The rooftop’s hard-to-miss massive pharaoh head has peered over the Southwest Freeway for decades. Of late, the flurry of fixer-upper activity has been equally noticeable.

The Massive Pharoah Head

When the Vegas-style venue re-opens, date not yet disclosed, look for the “glory” of its origins plus updates for a new generation’s diversionary expectations, said Michael Loneman, general manager. With the many moving pieces of readying a restaurant and nightclub still in play, he said, ”We’re not there yet, but we see it from here.”

Among the more obvious additions to the building is a massive outdoor terrace, with new retractable awning, facing west that provides not only entertainment space but a porte-cochere for the grand entrance and valet service off the parking area. The re-rejiggered first floor now accommodates a 500-seat banquet room with service and staging areas tucked neatly behind a new Egyptian-themed mural.

New elevators will whisk guests to the second level bar-dominated lobby feeding into four dining rooms, a 160-seat theater with full stage, a game room, and a small banquet space with access to the terrace.

The estimated $6 million project, this round, anyway, remains a passion for property owner Mohammed Athari, a neurologist whose offices are adjacent to the site.

Magic Island opened in 1984 in a two-story building that was previously a nightclub. It shuttered in 2008 after a fire during Hurricane Ike. Time thereafter was not kind, as squatters and vandals gained access.

In 2018, a spurt of renovation first raised the flag of bringing it back. The latest round, soon to include power washing and paint repairs, began in earnest last fall.

There’s still work to be done. But if a grand re-opening occurs in 2024, many former fans and observers will consider it pure magic.