Preservation Houston’s Watch List identifies significant historic buildings facing change or potential loss. Many can be adapted and reused using local, state or federal preservation incentives that reward stewardship and support smart redevelopment. We work with property owners and project teams to encourage viable preservation strategies and provide updates as these sites move through moments of transition.
Kirby Mansion (1926, James Ruskin Bailey) / courtesy of The Heritage Society
The Kirby Mansion at 2000 Smith Street is one of the few surviving houses from Houston’s once-elite South End neighborhood. The original house on the site was built in 1894 for businessman J.S. Price and purchased by lumber magnate John Henry Kirby in 1896. Kirby remodeled and expanded it twice. The second remodeling, designed by architect James Ruskin Bailey and completed in 1928, produced the 36-room Tudor Revival mansion that stands today.
The Kirby family sold the mansion in 1947. For the next 30 years, it served as headquarters of the Houston-Harris County Red Cross. The building was later restored for corporate offices and continued to serve as office space under subsequent owners. It has not been in regular use in recent years.
The property was sold to OB Texas Properties LLC in early October 2026. Preservation Houston contacted the new owner to discuss preservation and reuse. In an October 6 email, owner representative Omair Bashir said law firms were considering leasing the property for offices and welcomed a meeting after returning from international travel at the end of October. Bashir has not responded to subsequent requests for a conversation, nor has Greenberg & Company, a commercial real estate firm whose signs are on the fences at the property.
Subsequent filings and activity at the property have raised concerns about the mansion’s future. A city sewer disconnection permit was issued October 14, although it does not specify whether it applies to the mansion or an outbuilding. PH staff visited October 20 and observed a recently excavated trench and exposed piping near the mansion. A separate state notification lists asbestos abatement scheduled for October 27 through November 6. Abatement can be undertaken for rehabilitation as well as demolition, and PH has not confirmed the scope of the work.
PH has also identified filings for proposed new construction at 530 Pierce, an address on the Kirby Mansion block. A state accessibility registration filed June 15 describes a new, one-story, 13,254-square-foot building, including a 6,143-square-foot convenience store. City records dated June 17 describe a new retail building and identify the project as a proposed gas station; additional records concern water and wastewater reviews and fees. These filings indicate plans for new development on the block, but they do not establish whether those plans require demolition of the mansion.
The mansion has no local, state or federal historic designation and no formal protection against demolition. Its survival preserves a rare connection to the South End’s residential history and to Kirby, a major figure in Texas’ lumber industry. Rehabilitation could return the building to productive use, and historic designation could potentially open access to preservation tax incentives.
Preservation Houston has advocated for the mansion’s preservation since 2018 and is continuing efforts to discuss preservation with its new owner. We are monitoring public filings and activity at the property and have requested a conversation before asbestos abatement begins. We have also requested permission to document the mansion’s interior and exterior before work alters or removes historic features and, if demolition proceeds, to discuss salvage of significant architectural features and materials. We will share confirmed developments as more information becomes available.
Media
“Could Houston's historic Kirby Mansion be torn down for a gas station?” Chron, October 21, 2026
“'Something is about to happen': Historic home in Midtown has new owner and uncertain future” KHOU, October 20, 2026
“Future of historic Houston mansion remains uncertain under new ownership” Houston Public Media, October 13, 2026