JW Marriott officials announced in a June 16 news release that the Downtown Houston hotel is set to undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion that will take over the historic Battelstein Building.

The background

The Battelstein Building, located next door to the Marriott, is a commercial skyscraper that housed a large family department store owned by Philip Battelstein from 1924 until its closure in 1981, according to the Heritage Society website.

The 63,960-square-foot building is roughly 10 stories high and has remained vacant since the department stores closure in the '80s. However, the structure was established as a historical landmark by the City of Houston in late 2024.

Now, the JW Marriott will seamlessly integrate the icon with the 22-story Samuel F. Carter Building that serves as the Downtown Houston hotel, which was built in 2014 and features 328 guests rooms, more than 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, spa, health club and executive lounge.

The details

According to the news release, the acquisition of the Battelstein Building will add 56 rooms to the hotel, for a combined 384 guests room, including 89 suites. The expansion will also include:

• An additional 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space
• A redesigned ground floor restaurant and lounge
• A new rooftop space with a bar, restaurant and pool

“This initiative represents an exciting evolution for the JW Marriott Houston Downtown,” said General Manager Jelle Vandenbroucke in the news release. “We are not just adding rooms—we are redefining the guest experience by creating a hospitality destination that captures the energy, diversity and sophistication of Houston.”Stay tuned

The expansion is intended to be complete in early 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup, per the release.