Challenge

Houston’s historic Third Ward faced long-standing disinvestment, fragmented ownership, and stalled revitalization efforts. While multiple plans existed, there was no coordinated implementation vehicle to translate vision into neighborhood-scale action or to support local, small-scale development.

Strategic Response

Designed and led a multi-year tactical planning and implementation strategy that bridged formal planning, grassroots activation, and incremental real estate development. The work focused on building a community-rooted delivery infrastructure—aligning stakeholders, testing small-scale interventions, and creating an entity capable of stewarding long-term neighborhood stabilization.

What We Did

• Synthesized existing area plans into an actionable neighborhood framework

• Designed an incremental development and activation strategy rooted in local ownership and cultural preservation

• Convened cross-sector partners across planning, real estate, philanthropy, and academia

• Supported the formation of a nonprofit implementation organization

• Led ongoing community engagement, pilot projects, and program development

Impact

• Launched a new nonprofit delivery organization to advance neighborhood projects

• Activated a pipeline of 13 community-based development and placemaking projects

• Reallocated institutional and community resources toward resident-prioritized initiatives

• Positioned the initiative as a national reference point through APA recognition and academic partnerships

Signals of Credibility

• APA Award-winning initiative

• 250+ community members engaged

• Ongoing programming and project incubation

Office Services

• Community engagement

• Activation

• Visioning

• Neighborhood planning

• Program development