The Plant: Second Ward

Houston, Texas [Greater East End]

Summary

The Plant is a bold 17-acre urban redevelopment project in Houston’s historic Second Ward, transforming an industrial corridor into a vibrant, walkable, and connected neighborhood. Located along the Harrisburg Light Rail with links to Buffalo Bayou, the development blends adaptive reuse of warehouses with new residential, retail, and creative spaces. Design interventions include pedestrian-prioritized streetscapes, shaded patios, and flexible public spaces that support local businesses such as Street to Kitchen, Case Chocolates, Popston, and The ReUp Juice Bar. The project embraces affordable housing and density with plans for up to 1,000 mixed-income apartments, including micro-units, while fostering community through accessible design and green infrastructure. The Plant is a model for how Houston’s neighborhoods can evolve with thoughtful integration of transit, culture, commerce, and nature.

Micro-Living In Houston's East End

Mixed-Use District

"In what ways can adaptive reuse and streetscape design transform underutilized infrastructure into welcoming, people-first public spaces?"

Project Stats

Project Size:

17.00 Acres

Project Type:

Streetscape
Urban Infill
Urban Redevelopment

Project Scope:

Master Planning

Visioning

Project Status:

On The Boards

Client:

Concept Neighborhood

Collaborators :

Gensler

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The W-K-M Campus

The Plant

The Plant at Harrisburg, located on the corner Sampson Street and Harrisburg Boulevard is Concept Neighborhood’s first project in the neighborhood. It is an ambitious, mixed-use urban redevelopment that includes hyper-local retail tenants, patios, and public realm improvements. Many of the current tenants, like owners of Café Louie, live in the neighborhood and have created new concepts tailored to meet the needs of the existing community. Although it is the first project for the greater development, it will not the only offering. Existing industrial buildings could become the home of local retailers, creative workshops, restaurants, creative offices, and other small businesses.

The Plant - Schematic Designs

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The Plant - Master Plan

The Plant - Southwest Courtyard

The Plant - Master Plan

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A Catalyst For Micro-Mobility

Houston lacks and desperately needs more attainable and affordable housing options within the urban fabric to support its diverse community. Increasing density and reducing housing sizes is one way to make a neighborhood more affordable and inclusive. Concept Neighborhood is proposing to provide a variety of housing choices including up to 1,000 mixed-income apartments, which could include mico-units as small as 400sf. This density supports and encourages improved micro-mobility, mass-transit, and the potential of car-free living.

The district’s public realm is being reshaped by thoughtful, place-based design interventions. Streetscapes are being reconstructed with pedestrian priority, reclaiming curb space to create lush green buffers, shaded patios, and flexible community gathering areas. Existing driveways have been converted into thriving commercial patios, and new crosswalks and alleyways knit the blocks together to encourage permeability and walkability. Adaptively reused industrial buildings now house a curated mix of local and emerging businesses, such as the James Beard Award-winning Street to Kitchen, Case Chocolates, the world’s first chocolate and cocktail speakeasy, Popston handmade popsicles, and The ReUp Juice Bar, which sources ingredients from nearby farms. Together, these ground-floor activations spark life along the street, turning once-forgotten loading docks and concrete driveways into dynamic, hyper-local gathering spaces.

22_11-10 RXR District - Commerce Street_01.JPG

A Vision for Inclusive Urban Growth

Looking ahead, The Plant is poised to grow into a diverse ecosystem of housing, culture, and commerce. With plans for up to 1,000 mixed-income apartments, including micro-units under 500 square feet, the neighborhood will address Houston’s urgent need for affordable and attainable housing options in walkable, amenity-rich areas. Future blocks will integrate new and old buildings to create a patchwork of retail, residential, and creative office space, infused with street art, native plantings, and sustainable infrastructure. Greenways, paseos, and mid-block connectors will link future development phases to East End’s Buffalo Bayou Partnership trails and parks, amplifying access to recreation, nature, and jobs. By embracing density, design, and diversity, The Plant is more than a redevelopment, it’s a model for inclusive urbanism and the next chapter for Houston’s East End.