An entity connected to Kaldis Development is the proud new owner of the Cameron Iron Works complex across the railroad tracks from the shuttered coffee plant on Milby St. And already, the developer — which has a thing for refilling old Houston buildings — is marketing its purchase for lease as The Cameron and promising to renovate it into something that restaurant, bar, and event venue tenants can get in on.
The 1.43-acre property at 711 Milby St. is home to 2 buildings: the 3-story brick one shown above with Cameron’s name set in stone above the main entrance, and a less eye-catching warehouse next-door to it, shown below from the corner of Rusk St.
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Both went up in the early 1930s, by which time Cameron was entering its second decade of business. Its bread-and-butter was originally oilfield equipment, but after dabbling in bomb-making during World War II and the Korean War the company ended up with interests in military and aerospace manufacturing, too. Following a series of acquisitions that began in the ’80s, it got folded into Schlumberger in 2016.
- 711 Milby St. [LoopNet]
- Cameron Iron Works, Houston [Texas State Historical Association]
Photos: Patrick Feller [license] (first); LoopNet (second and third)
This is a really neat and architecturally interesting building. I’m glad it was scooped up by a developer known for renovating and reimagining historic buildings instead of one that would just knock it down and build some sort of bland, cookie-cutter development.
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With the redevelopment of the Rex building just down the street at Milby and Harrisburg, and the eventual reworking of the old coffee plant building, this is going to be a really interesting area.
I toured the property last week. Lots of original architectural elements and tons of square footage makes this a great destination development where the rents will be half what is charged even in EADO. I was thinking a true distillery any opinions on that use?