Imperial Sugar Char House: Restoration Starts at Historic

In Sugar Land, Texas, The City of Sugar Land is moving ahead with restoration work on the Imperial Sugar Char House, positioning the 40-acre Imperial Historic District for redevelopment.

The work signals a new future for the century-old sugar refinery, which closed in 2003. The long-empty building, just north of Highway 90A near Highway 6, has deteriorated as multiple private-led redevelopment plans failed to materialize over the years.

The City of Sugar Land completed the $50 million purchase of the Imperial Historic District in June 2025. Since then, the city has engaged with the community to shape a vision for the property, initiated the process to select a master developer, and advanced a comprehensive preservation plan for the Char House.

The $15 million restoration of the eight-story building includes a new permanent roof, structural repairs to the building’s exterior walls and rear liquor gallery, selective steel and masonry repairs, mechanical and electrical improvements, and window restoration. The project will also restore and relocate the iconic Imperial signage to its original location on the building.

Before and after conceptual rendering of the Imperial Sugar Char House. Courtesy of Urbano Architects.

“More than an iconic building, the Char House is a physical connection to Sugar Land’s history and the origins of our community,” Mayor Carol K. McCutcheon said when the deal was released. “This investment allows us to protect an irreplaceable landmark while creating new possibilities for how it can contribute to Sugar Land’s future.”

Urbano Architects will lead design for the Char House preservation project. Bellows Construction will serve as Construction Manager at Risk.

The project is supported through the City’s previously issued $50 million Certificate of Obligation for purchase and preservation of the property and funded by Sugar Land’s economic development sales tax corporations.

The restoration will help position the Char House for potential office, commercial, retail, and restaurant uses as redevelopment plans progress. The work is being done in a way that preserves the property’s eligibility for future historic tax credits.

“We’ve turned a long-stalled opportunity into tangible progress and are being intentional about every step forward,” said Devon Rodriguez, Director of Redevelopment. “We’re making smart investments today that preserve the Char House’s character, address challenges that have hindered previous redevelopment efforts and pave the way for a future development partner to bring new life and activity to this historic property.”

A work start will be held on Nov. 5 with a targeted completion date of March 2028.