Here were some of the top trending Community Impact stories in Houston throughout September.

1. The Ritz-Carlton to bring first branded residences, hotel to Houston

Officials with the luxury hospitality brand, The Ritz-Carlton, announced Sept. 10 that they will bring the first-ever branded residences and hotel to Houston. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences, Houston, will be located in the Uptown district near the Galleria along Post Oak Boulevard.

The project will be 44 stories and over 600 feet tall, with 154 guest rooms and 114 private residences.

Read more from Editor Cassandra Jenkins.


2. 7 Starbucks stores closing in the Greater Houston area

In a Sept. 25 news release, Brian Niccol, the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, announced the closure of hundreds of Starbucks locations across the country, including seven in the Houston area.

In the release, Niccol stated Starbucks is closing locations that failed to succeed financially or create an environment “up to company standards.”

According to the release, the company has notified employees who are affected by the closures and will offer transfers to nearby locations when possible. While the timeline for closures varies, a Starbucks representative confirmed the website is now up to date with hours and locations.


Learn more from Reporter Roo Moody.

3. See all the candidates running for Texas' 18th Congressional District

This November, a special election will be held to fill the vacant Texas 18th Congressional District seat after incumbent Sylvester Turner, who also previously served as Houston mayor, died March 4.

According to the Texas Secretary of State, 16 candidates are running for the special election.


The last day to register to vote is Oct. 6. Early voting begins Oct. 20, and Election Day is Nov. 4.

Read now by Reporter Kevin Vu.

4. George R. Brown Convention Center transformation project expected to create $20B in spending

A new study found that phase one of the George R. Brown Convention Center’s transformation project will help attract new spending, meetings and conventions to the center, as well as drive up hotel occupancy for years to come, according to an Aug. 27 news release.


The first phase of the project, which was the main focus of the study, includes a 700,000-square-foot expansion of the GRB, which the city dubbed as GRB Houston South.

The expansion is also expected to result in more than 337,000 additional group hotel room nights booked annually and help raise the occupancy rate in the submarket by nearly 5%.

See the full report by Reporter Kevin Vu.

5. Houston ISD trustees recognize 12 'Principal of the Year' finalists


Houston ISD trustees recognized 12 principals nominated for the district’s "Principal of the Year” award during the board’s Sept. 11 meeting.

HISD Chief of Schools Sandi Massey said three principals from each of the district's four geographic divisions were nominated, including:To be considered, Massey said the principal was required to have returned to the same school they led the previous year. Additionally, she said the schools must have received A or B scores in the A-F state accountability ratings.

Keep reading from Reporter Wesley Gardner.