The action taken
At a Nov. 18 meeting, Sugar Land City Council unanimously approved a $496,000 agreement with Houston-based Urbano Architects to begin design on preservation of the Char House’s exterior, including roof, window and structural repairs to halt further deterioration.
The contract will build upon the Char House condition assessment completed by Urbano Architects from 2020-21, Assistant City Engineer Robert Wilson said.
The building, located on Kempner Street, opened in 1925 and was operational until 2003, according to a Nov. 18 news release.
Funding for the project is included in a $50 million Certificate of Obligation approved by council in April.
In their own words
"Preserving the Char House is about more than saving a building. It is about honoring Sugar Land’s history and the generations who built this community," Mayor Carol McCutcheon said in the release. "This work prepares the Char House for future redevelopment and ensures that generations of Sugar Landers can continue to experience a tangible piece of our city’s story as we shape its next chapter."
What’s next
Following community input sessions, the Town Planning & Urban Design Collaborative—which led the Nov. 3-6 sessions—is scheduled to propose a plan for the historic district to council by the end of the year.
City staff expect to have the final visioning document available to the public by early 2026 and will choose a master developer in spring 2026, per the release.
Meanwhile, preservation design services will begin immediately and are anticipated to take about four months. Following design, preservation work is expected to start in April 2026 and take 18 to 24 months.
