In an era of one-click purchases and next-day deliveries, urban residents yearn for the once-prevalent ambiance of a lively urban environment. Heights Mercantile offers Houston an antidote. Revitalizing two acres in the heart of Houston’s historic Heights neighborhood, this low-rise, mixed-use development preserves the area’s charm while providing a vibrant “third place” to browse, socialize, and unwind.
Boutique stores, chef-driven eateries, and communal green spaces artfully blend along a series of patios, decks, and sycamore-lined walkways. Connected directly to the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, preserved bungalows with modern accents hold 16 first-to-market specialty brands and four destination restaurants – creating a dynamic retail landscape. Shade trees and low-irrigation vegetation weave together the adaptive reuse project, creating a gathering place perfect for weekend farmer’s markets or mid-week happy hours.
Balancing preservation, accessibility, and environmental integration, Heights Mercantile raises the bar for urban living. Its 100% occupancy demonstrates the demand for thoughtful mixed-use spaces that serve as community gathering places. As Houston continues to densify, projects like Heights Mercantile serve as vital centers of activity, drawing people together and fostering a strong sense of place within the urban landscape.
Avenida Houston
For many visitors, the George R. Brown Convention Center serves as Downtown Houston’s gateway. Ahead of hosting the Super Bowl, city officials sought to transform the convention center’s uninspiring eight-lane drop-off into a pedestrian plaza for civic enrichment, art, and leisure. SWA took on this ambitious 140,000-square-foot redesign, converting five city b...
La Via
Embracing the legacy of Scottsdale and re-imagining its development possibilities, La Via is positioned as a village of the future that looks beyond simple mixed-use functionality. By aggregating innovation-centric businesses, artists-in-residence, and a rich network of open spaces, La Via will engender unique associations and collaborations that will propel N...
CSCEC Steel Headquarters Office and Museum
CSCEC Steel is a division of the world’s largest construction company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. CSCEC Steel is recognized as a leading global steel structure manufacturer; their projects include the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, the Shanghai IFC, the new Abu Dhabi International Airport, and the 26th Universiade Main Stadium. To...
Kingold Century Centre
This new mixed-use development features a complex program that includes a hotel, rental space for other companies, eateries, service apartments, and retail facilities. SWA’s design challenge was to create a common space that can be enjoyed by the disparate users on-site at any given time. A common plaza includes multiple restaurants on a terraced platform that...