Downtown at a Glance (June 2019)

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JUNE 2019 DOWNTOWN AT A GLANCE

CENTRAL HOUSTON & DOWNTOWN DISTRICT DOWNTOWN AT A GLANCE JUNE 2019

3 Overview 5 Living 13 Office Market & Employment 18 Hospitality, Tourism, Culture & Entertainment

21 Restaurants & Retail 23 Transit

*This report is updated biannually. Cover: Downtown Skyline

downtowndistrict.org | 2019 2 DOWNTOWN AT A GLANCE

Downtown Houston Overview

Saint Arnold Beer Garden An eclectic mix of historic and contemporary infrastructure, convenient transit options, convention and sports venues, an active cultural and arts scene, ﬁne dining and shopping, and thriving residential communities, Downtown Houston is one of the region’s most dynamic and vibrant mixed-use urban centers.

business location, where they can draw from its pool of highly educated workers, and leverage its competitive 157,906 advantages such as proximity to customers, business ser- jobs vices providers, innovative office infrastructure offering the finest of amenities and multi-modal transit options. 1.84 Downtown has a wide industry mix and a collaborative, entrepreneurial and innovative environment. square miles Not only is Downtown a well-established and constantly evolving business center, the apartment and The Downtown Core measures 1.84 square miles, condo boom that has characterized the urban core for bounded by Interstate I-10 on the north, U.S. 59 on the the last five years makes it one of the fastest growing east and I-45 on the south and west, and has the largest residential neighborhoods in the region. Over the past concentration of employment in the region, with an esti- two decades, more than $9 billion in public and pri- mated 158,000 jobs. Established companies, small and vate investments have been made towards achieving medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups and entre- Downtown’s vision of a creative and vibrant place to preneurs continue to choose Downtown as their desired live, work, play and much more. Downtown residential

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demand, developers have delivered close to 3,700 residential units in the last five years, 873 units are under construction (including Houston’s tallest residential 333% building), with another 1,179 planned. This growth is not resident growth limited to the core. Greater Downtown (a 2-mile radius between 2000 and from the center of Downtown) is home to 65,482 house- June 2019 in the holds, recording an increase of 34 percent from 2000 Downtown Core 2000 2007 2019 to 2017. This urban neighborhood continues to attract families and children: over 55 percent of households are family households, and approximately 9,100 children call population has grown by over 330 percent from 2000 the Greater Downtown area home. Walkable, accessi- to date, spurred by the increasing desire to be closer to ble, central and vibrant, Downtown is poised to remain a work and at the heart of Houston’s premier destination competitive and sustainable regional economic hub and for culture and entertainment. Responding to market mixed-use urban center. Key Facts HOSPITALITY, TOURISM, LIVING CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

Greater Downtown (2 mile radius) Hotel Rooms 7,807 Household Population 65,482 Hotel Room Occupancy 72% Residents with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher 48% Average Daily Room Rate $195 Downtown Core Revenue per available room (RevPAR) ($) $141 Residential Units 6,086 Theater District Seating Capacity 13,000 Housing Units Under Construction & Planned 2,052 Theater Performance Attendance 790,618 Average Monthly Rental Rate $1,992 Convention Center Attendance 665,832 Average Home Sale Price $349,000 Convention Square Footage 1.9 million Transit Score 99 Major Sports/Concert Venue Capacity 150,000 Bike Score 81

Walk Score 81 OFFICE MARKET & EMPLOYMENT

Schools & Universities 8 Office Square Footage 51.4 million Higher Education Enrollment 14,265 Class A Inventory 67%

TRANSIT Office Occupancy (Class A) 80.8%

Gross Asking Rent Per SF (Class A) $43.77 Annual Houston Airports Passenger Traffic Innovation hubs, Co-working & 387,306 2018 (FY) 58 million Collaborative Spaces (SF)

2019 (Jan, Mar) 14,123,030 Fortune 500 Companies (total) 20 Average Weekday Metro Transit Ridership 80,821 Fortune 500 Companies (Headquarters) 10 (Bus & Light Rail) Total Wage & Salary Jobs (2015) 157,906 RESTAURANTS & RETAIL

Retailers 410+

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Downtown Living

QUICK FACTS

Greater Downtown (2-mile radius) 65,482 Household Population 48% Percent Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Downtown Core 9,033 Household Population 6,086 Hearsay Gastro Lounge Housing Units Completed Downtown residents are located at the 2,052 epicenter of activity, steps away from Houston’s Housing Units Under best entertainment, dining and shopping. Construction/Planned

With 6,086 residential units in the non-DLI projects are under construc- $1,992 core, 873 units under construction, and tion, including Hines’ newest residential Average Apartment Rental Rate another 1,179 planned, residents have high-rise, The Preston, which will be a variety of options to call home, rang- the tallest residential tower in Houston. $2.06 ing from historical to contemporary, In 2018, ApartmentData.com, Marcus Rental Rate ($/SF/Month) mid to high-rise luxury apartments and & Millichap, and Berkadia named condos, and penthouses to quirky lofts. Downtown the hottest rental sub- Downtown has experienced exponen- market in Houston. Based on known 99 tial growth in residential development projects alone, Downtown’s residential Transit Score and continues to attract signiﬁcant unit count is set to increase by over 200 investments due to market demand. percent from 2,562 units at the begin- 81 Galvanized by the city’s Downtown ning of 2014, to 8,138 units by 2023, Bike Score Living Initiative (DLI) program, 60 per- making Downtown one of the fastest cent of the urban core’s residential growing residential neighborhoods in 81 units-to-date were built within the last Houston. With seven high-rise towers Walk Score four years. A clear market response to under construction or planned, and the demand for Downtown living, two a high occupancy rate of 87 percent

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Downtown’s walkability (Q1 2019), Downtown’s population is set Most residents have to look no further to triple in the next four years. Robust than their front door for entertainment means that residents are population growth, competitive rental and services, as many residential build- and occupancy rates and strong home ings feature street-level retail. Residents only minutes away from values are indicative of Downtown’s enjoy the tranquil setting provided dining at their favorite growing residential appeal. by more than 10 parks including the Downtown attracts a variety of newly transformed Buffalo Bayou Park. restaurant, attending a family households, from young pro- Complemented by robust pedestrian fessionals and ex-suburbanite empty infrastructure (bike lanes and sidewalks), concert or sports event, nesters, to small families and students this makes for a green community where in search of a vibrant urban lifestyle, individuals and families can enjoy a high or taking their dog for a and those seeking proximity to their quality of life and work. walk in the park. jobs, pedestrian-friendly lifestyles and Hike, bike or kayak along Buffalo quality-of-life amenities. Downtown’s Bayou; attend a ﬁtness class at central location and well-developed Discovery Green or play Bingo at public transit system provide easy Market Square Park; watch a Broadway access to top employers and businesses, show, ballet production or jazz concert the city’s major airports and sports and in the Theater District; attend weekly entertainment venues. Downtown’s events that bring residents, children walkability means that residents are and visitors together. Residents never only minutes away from dining at their have a dull moment. favorite restaurant, attending a concert or sports event or taking their dog for a walk in the park.

The Catalyst

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Demographics Greater Downtown (2 mile radius)

74,652 55% 36 Total Population Family Households Median Age

65,482 34% 9,132 Household Household Number of Children Population Population Growth [0–18 years] 2000–2017 34,091 2.07 40% Number of Average Millennials Households Household Size [20–34 years]

Downtown has a very young population; over 54 percent of the population is 34 years or younger.

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Demographics Greater Downtown (2 mile radius)

POPULATION BY AGE Under 5 years 4%

5 to 9 years 4%

10 to 14 years 3%

15 to 17 years 2%

18 to 24 years 11%

25 to 34 years 30%

35 to 44 years 16%

45 to 54 years 12%

55 to 64 years 11%

65 to 74 years 5%

75 to 84 years 2%

85+ years 1%

POPULATION BY SEX POPULATION BY RACE 1.6%.4% 5.2% .1%.1% 42% 21.2% 40.5%

58% 30.9%

White Two or more races

Male Hispanic/Latino Other Race

Female Black/African American Indian/Alaskan

Asian Native Hawaiian/ Paciﬁc Islander

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Income & Education Greater Downtown (2-mile radius)

$102,231 62% Average Household Income Household Income > $50,000 With a difference of over $20,000, Downtown Compared to 50 percent of households households have significantly higher average in the City of Houston, almost two-thirds income levels than households in the City of of Downtown households have incomes Houston, which average $79,344 and the national exceeding $50,000. 48 percent of Downtown average of $81,283. households have incomes of $75,000 or more, compared to 33 percent in Houston and the national average of 40 percent. $349,000 $2.06 Average Home Sale Price Average Rent per Square Feet Home prices in the Downtown Rental rates in the Downtown core average core average $349,000 or $192 per SF $1,192 or $2.06 per SF compared to $1,026 compared to $240,000 or $114 per SF or $1.16 per SF in the City of Houston. in the City of Houston.

72.6% 48% Some College Degree or Higher Bachelor’s Degree or Higher More than two in three adults Downtown Almost half of Downtown residents hold a have completed some college (including an bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 29 associate’s degree) or hold a bachelor’s degree percent in the City of Houston and 28 percent or higher, compared to 54 percent in all of in the nation. Houston and the national average of 60 percent.

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Income & Education Greater Downtown (2 mile radius)

HOUSING TENURE HOUSEHOLD INCOME

35% $200,000 or higher 13% $125,000 – $199,000 16%

$75,000 – $124,999 19%

$50,000 – $74,999 14%

Less than $49,999 38%

65%

Renter Occupied

Owner Occupied

HOUSING UNITS – OCCUPANCY RATE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

15% Bachelor’s degree or higher 48%

Master’s degree or higher 21%

Bachelor’s degree 27%

Some college/Associate 25%

High School or less 27%

85%

Vacant

Occupied

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Demographics Downtown Core 10,964 5,283 Total Population Number of Households 9,033* 1.71 Household Population Average Household Size

* HDMD Estimate

Demographics 3-Mile Radius 160,543 70,918 Total Population Number of Households 145,895 2.21 Household Population Average Household Size

Demographics 5-Mile Radius 391,069 162,059 Total Population Number of Households 367,932 2.4 Household Population Average Household Size

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Residences Downtown

PROPERTY (EXISTING) UNITS PROPERTY (EXISTING) UNITS

110 Milam 1 Marquis Lofts on Sabine 198 1414 Texas Downtown 285 National Cash Register Building 1 (formerly Alexan Downtown) New Hope Housing—1414 Congress 57 1711 Caroline 220 One Park Place 346 500 Crawford 400 The Peacock and Plaza Court Apartments 32 ARIS Market Square 274 The Rice 312 Bayou Lofts 108 San Jacinto Lofts 16 Beaconsfield Condos 18 SkyHouse Houston 336 Block 334 207 SkyHouse Main 336 Byrd’s Lofts 5 St. Germain Lofts & Condos 109 Capitol Lofts 37 The Star 286 Catalyst 361 Tennison Lofts 39 CityView Lofts 57 The Hamilton 149 Commerce Towers 132 White Oak Bayou Lofts 12 Dakota Lofts 53 DeGeorge at Union Station 99 PROPERTY Eighteen25 242 (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) UNITS Eller Wagon Works 32 Foley Building 1 Camden Downtown Phase I 271 Four Seasons Condominium 104 The Preston 373 Franklin Lofts 62 Regalia at the Park 229 Hamilton Street Residence 129 Hermann Lofts 33 PROPERTY (PLANNED) UNITS Hogg Palace 79

Houston House Apartments 394 1810 Main—Fairfield Residential 286 Keystone Lofts 31 Block 114—Marquette Companies 304 Kirby Lofts on Main 65 Block 346—Camden 275 Market Square Tower 463 Block 98—Trammel Crow 314 Marlowe 94

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Office Market & Employment

QUICK FACTS 157,906 Total Employment (2017) 128,540 (81%) WeWork Private Sector Jobs 29,366 (19%) A Downtown Houston business address means Public Sector Jobs you are at the epicenter of innovation—home 51,440,604 to local, regional and multinational companies Total Office Space (SF) and industry leaders in energy, finance and 34.5 million professional services. Class A Office Inventory (SF)

Downtown is headquarters to From traditional office floors and 80.8% prominent firms, including 10 Fortune flexible private offices to creative office Class A Occupancy 500 companies. One of the biggest and coworking spaces, the Downtown contributors to the region’s economy, office market features a variety of options Downtown’s 4,500-plus businesses are to suit different corporate cultures and $43.77 housed in over 51 million square feet of tenant needs. Downtown remains a top Average Class A Lease Rate office space, distributed across several competitor in the regional office market, of Houston’s most iconic historic and constantly evolving with demographic 20% modern office buildings. Downtown’s and workforce trends. Downtown boasts of Total Houston Office Space skyline features architecturally distinc- the largest (and increasingly expanding) tive buildings that showcase the works network of technology incubators and of world-renowned architects such as accelerators and coworking and col- 28.1% I.M. Pei and Philip Johnson. Recognizable laborative spaces in the region, which of Houston Class A Office Space landmarks include the Italian renais- support its thriving entrepreneurial and sance-style Neils and Mellie Esperson startup community. Eight co-working 20 Buildings and The JP Morgan Chase & Co and flexible workspace operators are Fortune 500 Companies (Total) building, the tallest building in Texas and active Downtown, including the world’s the world’s tallest pentagonal building. two largest, IWG (formerly Regus) and One of the 10 largest central business WeWork, with a total of 387,306-SF of 10 districts in the nation, Downtown workspace. From educational orga- Fortune 500 Companies accounts for close to 30 percent of nizations such as Flatiron School, to (Headquarters) Houston’s Class A office space incubators (WeWork Labs), accelerators

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(MassChallenge; Station Houston) and nation and the globe. Compared to the an abundance of major global venture city and national averages of 27 percent MAJOR PRIVATE capital firms (VCs) (Chevron Technology and 29 percent, respectively, 35 percent SECTOR EMPLOYERS Ventures; BBL Ventures), startups in of Downtown employees have a bach- IN DOWNTOWN Downtown’s innovation ecosystem have elor’s degree or higher and 67 percent access to support services needed to have some college or higher degree. Accenture thrive at every stage of their entrepre- Downtown currently boasts 157,906 Amegy Bank of Texas neurial lifecycle. VCs and corporations employees, 81 percent of which work in Baker Botts looking to invest in, collaborate/partner the private sector, but also lead entre- Bank of America with or eventually acquire startups, will preneurial ventures and small businesses. Calpine find that Downtown is home to startups Regional offices of U.S. government Cheniere within or serving a myriad of industries: agencies, and federal and municipal Chevron Corporation robotics, AI, Fintech, software, cyberse- courthouses, draw over 29,000 employ- curity, healthcare, oil and gas, consumer ees daily, and millions of users of public CenterPoint Energy products and services, logistics and more. services to Downtown, making it one Deloitte LLP Again, leading the region in attracting of the city’s largest public administra- EDF Trading innovation initiatives, Downtown is home tion centers. About 74 percent of the Energy Transfer Partners to Accenture’s first of 10 new innovation Downtown workforce earns more than Enterprise Products Partners LP hubs nationwide, which the company $3,333 a month, compared to regional EP Energy recently doubled in space. and national averages of 55 and 45 EOG Resources Inc. New office construction and recent ren- percent, respectively. As the region con- Ernst & Young LLP ovations reflect disruptive technologies tinues to experience the nation’s largest Hess Corporation and emphasize innovation, sustainability influx of millennials, Downtown contin- Hilton Americas-Houston and amenities that are tailored to the ues to welcome a growing number of Hyatt Regency Hotel workforce of today. Downtown leads entrepreneurs, startups, freelancers and JPMorgan Chase green efforts in the region, with 62 LEED small business owners, further diversify- KBR certified projects totaling 47.7 million ing its employee and industry base. Kinder Morgan square feet and 42 Energy Star Certified Business executives, young pro- KPMG LLP buildings. Downtown’s newest office fessionals and their clients are only Landry’s Inc. buildings, Bank of America Tower (for- walking distance from an array of business LyondellBasell Industries merly Capitol Tower) and Texas Tower, support services and much coveted qual- Motiva are both pre-certified under the highest ity of life amenities, including high-end Norton Rose Fulbright sought-after LEED rating—the Platinum and fast casual restaurants, luxury hotels NRG/Reliant Energy Certification. Further leading the indus- and event centers. Well-established Plains All American try, Bank of America Tower is one of and robust public transit, innovative Pros Holdings Inc only four Platinum Core and Shell proj- mixed-use spaces, acres of landscaped PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ects nationwide that is under LEED v4 and programmed outdoor spaces and (the most rigorous). the 24–7 vibrancy of Downtown make St. Joseph Medical Center Downtown has the largest concen- it the top choice for businesses and Saudi Aramco tration of workers in the Houston region, their employees. Shell (Oil & Gas Trading) attracting top talent from around the TransCanada United Airlines City Hall Farmers Market Vinson & Elkins Waste Management, Inc. Wells Fargo

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Employment Downtown Core

157,906 74% Total Wage & Salary Jobs Workforce Earning > $3,333/month Downtown has the largest concentration Over 70 percent of the Downtown workforce of employees in the Houston region. earn more than $3,333 per month, compared to the city and national averages of 55 percent and 45 percent respectively.

81% 67% Percent Private Sector Jobs Workforce with some The private sector employs over 80 percent College or higher of the Downtown workforce. Downtown is 68 percent of the Downtown workforce have also a major government center, providing completed some college, or have a bachelor’s over 29,000 public sector jobs. degree or higher, compared to 58 percent in Houston and the national average of 61 percent. 35% Workforce with Bachelor’s or advanced degree More than a third of the Downtown workforce have a bachelor’s or higher degree or higher, compared to 27 percent in Houston, and the national average of 29 percent.

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Employment Downtown Core

WORKFORCE BY AGE WORKFORCE BY INDUSTRY

16.9% Mining, Quarrying, Oil & Gas 28.6% 22.4% Professional & Business Services 16.8% Trade, Transportation 11.6%

Public Administration 9.5%

Construction 6.0%

Utilities 5.6%

Manufacturing 3.7%

Financial Services 3.7%

Education & Health Services 3.6%

60.7% Leisure and Hospitality 2.9%

Age 29 or younger Information 2.0%

Age 30 to 54 Other Services (excl. Public Admin.) 1.4%

Age 55 or older Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 0%

WORKFORCE BY EARNINGS WORKFORCE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

7.9% Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree 35% Some college or Associate degree 32% 18.7% High school or less 33%

73.5%

$1,250 per month or less

$1,251 to $3,333 per month

More than $3,333 per month

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Downtown Innovation Spaces Co-Working, Accelerators & Incubators

PROPERTY NAME Type

Accenture Innovation Hub Innovation space Bond Collective Co-working Flatiron School (WeWork) Coding School Life Time Work Co-working MassChallenge Startup accelerator and competition Novel Co-working Co-working Regus Co-working Servcorp Co-working Spaces Co-working Station Houston Co-working/Accelerator Veterans in Residence (ViR) Co-working/Accelerator (WeWork Bunker Labs) WeWork Co-working WeWork Labs Incubator

Sources: Central Houston, Inc.

downtowndistrict.org | 2019 17 DOWNTOWN AT A GLANCE Hospitality, Tourism, Culture & Entertainment

QUICK FACTS 10 million Visitors Downtown 22.3 million Visitors Houston 1.9 million Convention Square Feet

665,832 Main Street Convention Center Attendees Downtown is Houston’s prime entertainment $373.2 million district. Over 10 million people visit Downtown Economic Impact of Convention Center annually, for conventions, meetings, baseball $561 and basketball games, theater, concerts and Average Attendee Expenditure Houston’s massive civic events.

25 Downtown remains among the pre- Houston Dyanmo and Houston Dash Hotels mier locations for national and global and Texas Southern University Tigers sports and related events. Downtown football team, seats 22,039. Recent is home to the recently renovated 1.9 major events include: the 2017 Super 7,807 million square foot George R. Brown Bowl LIVE at Discovery Green and Hotel Rooms Convention Center, one of the 10 larg- Avenida Houston, which drew over 1 est convention centers in the nation, million visitors; and the Astros World 13,000 that draws over half a million attendees Series Championship victory parade Theater District seats annually for 476 conventions, meetings, and celebration with three-quarters of trade shows and other events. The a million fans in attendance. three major sports and entertainment Downtown already had a busy 150,000 venues draw millions of major league line-up of international events in the Major Sports/Concert Venue seats sports fans and local and international first half of 2019. CERAWeek 2019 by visitors for concerts and touring shows. IHS Markit, the world’s preeminent 9 Toyota Center, home to the NBA’s energy conference that brings together Major Performing Arts Organizations Houston Rockets, seats up to 18,000 global energy, technology and financial and hosts over 100 events annually; industry leaders, government officials Minute Maid Park, home to the Astros, and policymakers from over 60 coun- 58.3 million has a seating capacity of 40,963; and tries, hit a 35-year record with 5,300 Houston Airports Passenger Traffic BBVA Compass Stadium, home to MLS’s attendees, over 800 speakers and

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280+ registered media members at the 7,807 luxury rooms in 25 hotels. The Hilton America, which has been the offi- new iconic 1000-room Marriott Marquis DOWNTOWN HOTELS cial host for seven consecutive years; features a one-of-a-kind 530-foot-long the hotel has again been booked for Texas-shaped lazy river and a rooftop CERAWeek 2020. Also, in March, BBVA infinity pool that provide stunning views Aloft Hotel Downtown Compass Stadium hosted the Copa of the Downtown skyline, and Houston’s Athens Hotel & Suites de Campeones International Soccer largest (39,000 SF) ballroom. C. Baldwin, Curio Collection Tournament match. In response to the high demand for by Hilton Several notable events are lined-up hotel rooms, boasting an average occu- Club Quarters for the near future: BBVA Compass pancy rate of 72 percent, developers Courtyard Marriott Houston Stadium will host the fourth consecu- are set to deliver another 564 rooms in Embassy Suites Houston Downtown tive edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup three very distinct hotels by the third Four Seasons Hotel tournament, one of the world’s largest quarter of 2019, bringing Downtown’s Houston Hampton Inn intercontinental soccer events, in June room count to 8,371 in 28 hotel prop- Hilton Americas Houston 2019; the Annual International Quilts erties. Downtown caters to both short Holiday Inn Market & Festival, the largest annual and extended stay visitors in a variety Holiday Inn Express & Suites consumer quilt show in the world, of hotel types and styles, ranging from Homewood Suites drawing close to 60,000 visitors from some of the largest global 5-star brands, Hotel Alessandra almost 40 countries into Downtown including Marriott Marquis, Hilton, JW Hotel ICON Autograph Collection each year, will be held at the George R. Marriott and Hyatt, to boutique hotels, Hyatt Regency Houston Brown Convention Center in October/ such as Aloft, Hotel ICON, The Whitehall JW Marriott Lancaster November 2019 and 2020. Downtown’s and Hotel Alessandra. Le Méridien Toyota Center will be hosting the NCAA Houston First continues to set annual Magnolia Hotel Houston Division I Men’s Basketball Regionals in records in convention sales, booking Marriott Marquis Houston 2020. Crowned the most diverse city 816,023 room nights in 2018 for 498 Residence Inn Houston Downtown in America in April 2019, Houston is future conventions and meetings, com- The Sam Houston Hotel one of 23 cities that the FIFA World Cup pared to 802,852 room nights and 429 ‘United Bid’ Committee has accepted as events in 2017. This represents a 48 SpringHill Suites a potential host city for 2026 World Cup percent increase from 2014. Robust The Whitehall matches. Fans and event attendees are convention activity and Downtown’s Westin Houston Downtown never short of staying entertained, with increasing attraction as the location of AC Hotel Houston (3Q19) Downtown’s diverse range of entertain- choice for major sporting events and Hyatt Place Hotel (3Q19) ment options, hotels and restaurants, all cultural attractions have contributed Cambria Tower Hotel (3Q19) within walking distance. to the significant increase in Houston’s Whether travelling for business, lei- domestic and international airport pas- sure or bleisure (both), visitors enjoy senger traffic and Houston’s position as Houston’s southern hospitality and feel the second-fastest growing destination right at home in one of Downtown’s in the U.S. for overseas travelers. A new

Avenida Houston downtowndistrict.org | 2019 19 HOSPITALITY, TOURISM, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT

The renovated George record for the city, more than 58 million internationally renowned Kinder High passengers traveled through Houston’s School for the Performing and Visual R Brown Center, the domestic and international airports in Arts (HSPVA), at its new campus located 2018, up 7.6 percent from 2017. Houston in the heart of Downtown. The 2019- new restaurant row and hosted a record 22.3 million visitors in 2020 season is lined-up with a variety of pedestrian promenade 2018, up 33 percent from 2015, contrib- music, dance and theater performances uting $16.4 billion to the local economy. open to the public. Kinder HSPVA made on Avenida Houston, Downtown’s cultural and enter- history with its inaugural production tainment sectors continue to receive in its new downtown campus, which the addition of the national attention. Houston made 15 opened in January 2019, as the first high national lists for best places to travel school in the nation to produce and Marriott Marquis, and in 2019, including The New York Times, present FELA!, the most critically-ac- the national attention Travel+Leisure, Forbes, Food & Wine, claimed Tony Award winning musical of Bloomberg, Boston Globe and Conde the 2010 Broadway season, directed by Discovery Green Nast Traveler. At the heart of the most alumnus Justin Prescott, a member of lauded places are several Downtown the original Broadway company. continues to receive, destinations: in its February 2019 publi- Thanks to the tremendous growth cation “9 Great Reasons To Visit Houston of Downtown over the past 20 years, have put Downtown at In 2019,” CNN points to Downtown as thriving adjacent neighborhoods have the center of the map having most of the top travel attractions developed and are within walking dis- in Houston, and recommends Downtown tance or an easy ride away on METRORail as a major tourist and as one of the three main neighborhoods from Downtown. The Museum District of choice for accommodation for trav- is home to 19 museums plus Hermann convention destination. elers to have the best access to the Park and the Houston Zoo; EaDo is a city’s highlights. The renovated George quirky neighborhood with a diverse R. Brown Convention Center, the new mix of restaurants, bars, breweries and restaurant row and pedestrian prome- the famous Ninfa’s on Navigation; and nade, Avenida Houston, the addition of Washington Avenue and Midtown are the Marriott Marquis and the national both booming commercial and residen- attention Discovery Green continues tial neighborhoods. to receive, have put Downtown at the Spend a day touring Houston’s out- center of the map as a major tourist and door history museum at Sam Houston convention destination. Park or Saint Arnold Brewing Company Downtown’s Theater District is the (Texas’ oldest craft brewery); watch second largest concentrated perform- a performance in the Theater District; ing arts district in the nation, next to visit the aquarium with the kids; enjoy New York City, home to nine award-win- a meal and a concert at Bayou Place, ning and internationally acclaimed take an art walk beginning at Main performing arts organizations and Street Square and end at the best col- several smaller ones, and over 13,000 orful Instagrammable spots including seats. Audiences enjoy performances in Houston’s largest mural—‘Sky Dance,’ theater, opera, ballet and symphony at the iconic ‘Houston Is Inspired’ mural the four major performing arts venues— and “Synchronicity of Color ‘Art Boxes’” Jones Hall, Wortham Theater Center, at Discovery Green; or bask in the sun Alley Theatre and the Hobby Center for while picnicking and people-watching the Performing Arts. at one of Downtown many parks; there Visitors and residents alike can also is certainly no shortage of things to do enjoy productions performed in smaller or attractions to see around Downtown. venues such as Rec Room, Prohibition Theatre and Art Factory; and now they can also enjoy student work from the

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Restaurants & Retail

Finn Hall Featuring award-winning restaurants, Downtown 6.5 mile offers some of the best dining in the city. Tunnel System Connects Over 65 Buildings Downtown has earned the status Downtown is poised for an excit- of one of the city’s hottest culinary ing 2019, with over 30 new concepts 410+ destinations, boasting three James already announced to be added to its Restaurants, Coffee Shops Beard Award-winning chefs, with culinary landscape. Whether you are and Bars restaurants that are raising the bar grabbing a quick bite or dining formally for Houston dining. From contempo- with business associates, Downtown’s rary French to Vietnamese, Southern, variety of cuisine choices suit individual Italian, Japanese and American cuisines, tastes, schedules and lifestyles. Visitors, and some of the best steak houses in residents and employees can also enjoy Houston, Downtown’s booming food outdoor seating available in over 20 scene celebrates international ﬂavors. percent of restaurants and cafes. Many Downtown is home to close to over 410 convenience and fast casual restau- restaurants, coffee shops and bars in rants and shops are also located in two-million square feet of retail space, Downtown’s 6.5-mile tunnel system that including prominent restaurants such connects over 65 buildings. as Xochi, Potente and Theodore Rex, Phoenicia Specialty Foods Grocery and Downtown’s newest food hall, Finn Store, a 35,000 square foot gourmet Hall. Food halls are leading the charge in food market in the heart of Downtown, elevating and diversifying Downtown’s features over 10,000 products from culinary offerings and adding vibrancy more than 50 countries, in addition to this 24–7 urban core. All within the to offering prepared foods, catering span of one year, three new food halls and delivery services to Downtown will call Downtown home: Finn Hall residents and visitors. CVS/Pharmacy opened in December 2018; and Bravery now has two Downtown locations, Chef Hall and Understory Food Hall will including their newest store at Market open this summer. Square Tower in Historic Market Square.

downtowndistrict.org | 2019 21 RESTAURANTS & RETAIL

Hundreds of other retailers and service A favorite destination for Historic building providers are within walking distance, Downtowners and visitors alike, Historic and several major grocery stores are Market Square is located on the northern facades line the also available within a 2-mile radius. portion of Downtown. Historic build- The Shops at Houston Center, ing facades line the streets, and with a streets, and with a GreenStreet and Avenida Houston, high concentration of residential build- high concentration of located in Downtown’s Shopping and ings, Historic Market Square feels like a Convention Districts, are home to major neighborhood despite the skyscrapers residential buildings, retail brands like Forever XXI, JoS. A. just a few blocks away. At the heart of Banks, niche retailers such as Make(her) the neighborhood is the award-winning Historic Market Boutique, Social Graces Social, LAUNCH, Market Square Park, a small but dynamic Flight, The Landing, Lone Star Traders green space that supports the resi- Square feels like a and several smaller merchandise retail- dential and business community. Local neighborhood despite ers. Sports fans can also pick up clothing up-and-coming and esteemed chefs and fan items at the Astros, Rockets, and entrepreneurs have chosen Historic the skyscrapers just a and Dynamo and Dash team stores. Art Market Square to open their unique and and vintage enthusiasts would also love incredibly popular concepts with cool few blocks away. Downtown’s curated and pop-up mar- and funky bars, small live music venues, kets such as Heartmade Art Market and and boutique hotels rounding out this Flea by Night. charming district. GreenStreet’s three block mixed-use The Rustic shopping, entertainment and dining center provides visitors, employees and residents with a complete experience and includes blockbuster tenants such as House of Blues, Lucky Strike Lanes, McCormick & Schmicks and local eatery Guadalajara del Centro. Ground ﬂoor retail, including boutique stores and restaurants are located at street level in both commercial and residential buildings throughout Downtown. The newly designed Avenida Houston, located in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center and tailored to foot trafﬁc, integrates dining with art and entertainment. Restaurants including local favorites Pappadeaux and Grotto sit next to mega art instal- lation Wings Over Water, a 30-foot interactive kinetic winged-sculpture centered in the Fountain of the Americas, and Discovery Green park. The Hilton Americas-Houston and the new Marriott Marquis hotel anchor Avenida and The Rustic, a 25,000-SF Texas-sized restaurant and outdoor patio with a stellar lineup of live music seven days a week. This new dining, entertainment and arts district was the epicenter of the 2017 Super Bowl LI festivities.

downtowndistrict.org | 2019 22 DOWNTOWN AT A GLANCE

Transit

Greenlink Downtown Circulator

Approximately 80,821 A network of integrated multi-modal 31 percent of Downtown employees use transit systems provides convenient public transit and another 13 percent use passengers transit travel options for thousands of employ- alternative modes to get to work, com- ees and visitors commuting in and out of pared to only 2.2 percent public transit through Downtown on Downtown daily. A major transit hub for users in the Houston region. Greenlink METRO local bus, park & ride and light rail, ridership in 2018 was 209,710. a daily basis. over 80,821 passengers traverse through Getting around Downtown has never Downtown on a daily basis. Average been easier and safer. Rent a bicycle for weekday ridership for the METRO System an hour or a day from Houston BCycle to was 279,435 in 2018. explore Downtown, ride along the Bayou, Downtown is strongly committed or run errands. Hop on a Greenlink bus, to environmental sustainability. ‘Green’ a free, environmentally-friendly bus transportation options, including ﬂeet that runs on Compressed Natural Houston’s BCycle bike share program, Gas, and connect to dozens of attrac- Downtown’s free circulator Greenlink, tions and destinations. Take a fun ride in RYDE’s free electric shuttles, along with one of RYDE’s free electric shuttles for

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 American Community an extensive network of sidewalks, a ‘Downtown Houston’s Most Photogenic Survey (ACS) 4-year Data (latest data); U.S. Census Bureau, growing number of bicycle lanes and Tour’. Walk around Downtown on the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD); HAR. over 145 bike racks, provide commut- wide, beautifully paved and landscaped com; Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau; CoStar; ers with alternative transit options and sidewalks, using wayﬁnding signs for JLL; Berkadia; STR; Redﬁn; Houston Downtown Management District (HDMD), Central Houston, Inc. (CHI), Downtown reduce car dependency. A 2018 com- easy navigation. Redevelopment Authority (DRA) mute survey revealed that approximately

downtowndistrict.org | 2019 23 Please contact Central Houston or Downtown District with any questions you may have:

Robert Pieroni Director of Economic Development [email protected]

Angie Bertinot Director of Marketing [email protected]

Uchenna Onuzo Research Consultant [email protected]

Will Matthews Business Development Manager [email protected]

centralhouston.org downtowndistrict.org downtowntirz.com

RESOURCES

Reasearch & Reports, including the Downtown Development Map Downtown Webportal Downtown Parking Map Sign up for our weekly newsletter The List!

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