Radom Capital is entertaining 2 different ideas for the former Stages theater on the block of Rosine across D’Amico St. from its planned new complex: either a hotel or a combination of retail, restaurant, and office tenants. The developer bought Stages’ current spot in the long structure at 3201 Allen Pkwy — built in 1929 to house the Star Engraving Company — as well as the warehouse behind it last year. Renovations are now slated to begin on both the Star building and the warehouse behind it — both indicated in the site plan above — once the theater takes off in 2019.
The rendering of the warehouse at top put out by Radom shows new openings in its exterior, including a boxy balcony on its second floor and an entrance at ground level fronting D’Amico. An outdoor staircase ascends from where the greens-skinned building meets its western neighbor — the parking garage for the Reata at River Oaks condos — and heads up to a second-story entrance. Stages’ new theater sits across D’Amico, opposite a front lawn at the other end of the colorful crosswalk on the left.
Here’s a look at the new playhouse — dubbed The Gordy — sitting in its own renovated warehouse with touch ups by architecture firm Gensler:
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A new 300-plus-car parking garage to be shared by the theater and its neighbors across D’Amico sits just off-camera to the right.
North of D’Amico, a courtyard lies in between the corner warehouse and the longer building where Stages is now in its curtain call. The rendering below — also from Gensler — shows the outdoor space peppered with seating and guests:
The theater moved into the Star building in 1985 along with the Children’s Museum of Houston, which left 7 years later. Aside from a small headquarters home to the Houston Arts Alliance, the 36,452-sq.-ft. building is almost entirely Stages’. The photo above shows the entrance to the theater north of the courtyard on Rosine minus a character.
Looking past the building’s northeast corner tower on Allen Pkwy., you can see where it’s 2-story portion begins north of Stages’ entrance:
Radom’s rendering shows a few changes in store for the facade, including repainted muntins, a new entrance awning on Rosine, and a row of hedges in place of the current concrete lining the sidewalk:
A new patio is planned for the building’s front yard on Allen Pkwy.:
- 3201 Allen Pkwy. [Radom Capital]
- Heights Mercantile developer to redo Stages Repertory Theatre property [Houston Chronicle ($)]
- Stages announces plan to build a $30.5 million theater complex [Houston Chronicle ($)]
- Star Engraving Company Building [Houston Planning and Development Department]
Photos: Houston Arts Alliance (front of building); Stages Repertory Theatre (theater entrance); Ed Uthman [license] (corner tower). Renderings and site plan: Radom Capital
Very pleased to hear about the parking garage since parking was always a challenge. Are they thinking about letting fig ivy cover the exterior? If so, I don’t think that’s a good idea; ‘greens-skinned’ damages integrity walls and attracts insects.
Radom will do it right. A thoughtful and careful developer.