ULI Awards Honor Levy Park, Sawyer Yards, The Headquarters, Avenida Houston, and SEARCH
Levy Park
HOUSTON – (By Michelle Leigh Smith, Realty News Report) – At the Houston District Council’s Urban Land Institute Development of Distinction Awards, Levy Park, Sawyer Yards, The Headquarters, Avenida Houston and SEARCH/House of Tiny Treasures received top honors.
Levy Park, a project completed after more than 17 years of planning and community engagement, won the People’s Choice Award during live voting at the ULI Development of Distinction Awards held at The Astorian. The six-acre mixed-use park also took first place in the Urban Open Space category. The Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority partnered with Natalye Appel + Associates, OJB Landscape Architecture and Burton Construction to transform a neglected, underused site into a vibrant, community-centered park serving children, seniors, millennials and pet owners. The ULI jury praised Levy Park for fostering a strong sense of community through carefully designed “rooms” within the park and a broad range of daytime programming.
“It was an amazing experience to be part of the talented design team with OJB Landscape Architecture, and to collaborate with the innovative public–private partnership of the Upper Kirby District, Levy Park Conservancy, City of Houston Parks Department and Midway,” said architect Natalye Appel.
As part of the park’s revitalization, Houston-based developer Midway built Kirby Grove, an 11-acre project adjacent to Levy Park featuring a new Class A office building, restaurants and a multifamily residence. The site sits west of Kirby Drive near Richmond Avenue.
“This project is a perfect example of a successful public–private partnership that benefits the entire city,” said Maureen Sanders, chair of the Levy Park Conservancy.
In the For-Profit category (large), the award went to Sawyer Yards, developed by The Deal Company, Western General, Lovett Commercial and j5 Equities. Spanning more than 40 acres of former industrial warehouses in the Historic First Ward, Sawyer Yards has evolved into a creative campus near downtown Houston. It is densely occupied by art studios, galleries, restaurants, fitness concepts, breweries and a public art plaza, creating a lively arts and entertainment destination. The national jury commended the project as an “artistic village” whose cultural energy influenced the developers, and praised the site’s unfolding layout and commitment to serving an underserved neighborhood.
In the For-Profit category (small), the 2018 award went to The Headquarters, a creative office development by Work by Headquarters, LLC. Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, the project offers a dynamic work environment with campus-style amenities such as on-site food and beverage, reception services and shared facilities including a community kitchen, lounges, conference rooms and a courtyard. The jury highlighted the project’s successful programming and distinct design, noting that it stands apart from typical co-working spaces. Project partners included TPC Real Estate, Goldking Realty, PDR Architect and Scott & Reid.
Two projects were honored in the Not-for-Profit category. The first, Avenida Houston by Houston First, is part of a $175 million renovation of the George R. Brown Convention Center. The work included the new Partnership Tower, a 1,820-space parking garage and a 97,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza that reshapes the convention center’s frontage. The improvements help transform downtown Houston from a daytime business district into an active urban center with cultural, sports and recreational venues that contribute to a livable, nationally notable destination. The national jury called Avenida “transformative,” praising its three-dimensional design and its full-time activity both day and night.
The Avenida Houston team included Griffin Partners Development, SWA, WHR Architects, Team Hoke Architecture, Gensler, B&D Contractors and Vaughn Construction. Ed Wulfe, chairman and CEO of Wulfe & Co., participated in leasing the retail component; Wulfe previously received a ULI Development of Distinction Award for Gulfgate Center in 2012.
The second Not-for-Profit award went to SEARCH Foshee Family House of Tiny Treasures, developed by SEARCH Employment Services & Care Hub. Designed by Studio Red Architects with Forney Construction, the multi-dimensional campus provides developmentally focused childcare for preschool children while their parents—many of whom live in shelters or transitional housing—participate in classes or workforce programs. The campus is intended to be welcoming and inspiring, supporting families as they pursue stability and employment.
The Development of Distinction awards recognize projects and public open spaces that exemplify best practices in design, construction, economic viability, healthy places, marketing and management. The program is modeled after ULI’s national Global Awards for Excellence and Urban Open Space Awards and is a cornerstone of the council’s effort to celebrate outstanding local development.
The 2018 finalists were chosen by a nomination panel of Houston real estate leaders that included Dan Gilbane of Gilbane Building Company; Drew Mengwasser of TBG Partners; Lisa Nickel of Genesis Collaborative; Greg Patch of LJA Engineers; Julie Peak of FirstSouthwest; and Jennifer Raymond of JPR Commercial Real Estate.
February 2018 also marked the passing of real estate figure Joe McDermott, Jr., who helped create Town & Country Village and worked alongside industry leaders such as Dan Moody Sr. and Walter M. Mischer Sr. Observers noted the continuity between the original pioneers and today’s developers: a focus on substantive, long-term impact rather than quick publicity. During the ULI awards reception at The Astorian, that same modest dedication was evident among attendees. Edwin C. Friedrichs, executive director of Walter P. Moore, summarized the sentiment: “We like to do high-impact projects and are not so focused on making money.”
