Sugar Land officials are moving forward with the preservation of the Imperial Sugar Char House as staff continues to look at private partners to develop the building.
In a nutshell
At an Oct. 20 meeting, Sugar Land City Council unanimously approved a $15.88 million contract with Bellows Construction to preserve the Imperial Sugar Char House.
The contract comes after the building has faced deterioration following the Imperial Sugar Factory location closure in 2003, said Emily Pollard, communications manager in the Department of Redevelopment.
Building wear includes a worn-down roof, shattered windows, deteriorated bricks and the detachment of the liquor gallery, which is the rectangular part of the building hanging off the north side.
What you need to know
The renovations will make the building sturdy enough to last at least 20 years with regular maintenance, Assistant City Engineer Robert Wilson said. The building is made of steel and surrounded by brick, so he said he expects it to stay in place for a long time.
Renovations include:
Replacing the roof
Replacing windows to board the building, mitigate noise and mimic the 1920s window style
Resecuring the liquor gallery
Relocating signage on the south side of the building to the east, which is where it was when the building was built
Repairing steel and brick
Electrical and ventilation repairs
In the 1970s, building renovations resulted in some new windows and moving the signage to the south, Pollard said. The new 1920-style windows and moved signage will make the Char House resemble its original look more, and are in line with Texas Historical Commission standards, which will make the building eligible to receive future historic tax credits.
“We are Imperial,” Director of Redevelopment Devon Rodriguez said. “The Char House is the most iconic piece of that site. This has been a desire of the community for 20 years to preserve this structure and eventually redevelop the Imperial Sugar site.”
In case you missed it
City staff conducted a noise mitigation study to address loud noises from the train that runs directly next to the Char House.
At a Sept. 22 workshop, council members reviewed different window options that would determine how soundproof the building is. The more soundproof a building is, the more options it has for redevelopment, Wilson previously said.
The approved $15.88 million contract covers the cost of the second option, which focuses $1.17 million on glazing the windows for increased noise mitigation, per agenda documents. The option allows for potential commercial, retail or office use in the future.
The background
The Imperial Sugar Char House was built in 1925 and rooted in the city’s founding, according to the city’s website. Since its 2003 closure, private companies have bought the building with hopes of renovating it, but their attempts have not come to fruition.
In 2025, after increasing its focus on redevelopment, the city bought the historic district that houses the Char House through a $31.5 million acquisition. To fund the acquisition and preservation, the state gave the city a $50 million certificate of obligation, which is a type of loan that the city will pay back with sales tax.
Looking ahead
City officials are narrowing down a few options for private development partners and staff expects to pick a partner by the end of this year or early next year, Pollard said.
They will have a better idea of what the Char House will be once a partner is selected, but final uses within the development are subject to change as the project progresses.
Other important dates include:
