Star Engraving Company Building facts for kids
The Star Engraving Company Building is a historic building located at 3201 Allen Parkway in Houston, Texas. It was built in 1930 and designed in the beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival style. The building was originally home to the Star Engraving company, where they made special engraved items. Today, the building is owned by the city of Houston and is known as the Houston Center for the Arts. It is a busy place that houses several important groups, including the Stages Repertory Theatre, the Houston Arts Alliance, and the Bayou Preservation Alliance.
Quick facts for kids |
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Star Engraving Company Building
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The building's exterior in 2010
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 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3201 Allen Pkwy Houston, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | R. D. Steele |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 94001521 |
| Added to NRHP | January 6, 1995 |
A Special Building in Houston
This building is very important to the city's history. It was officially named a local historic landmark in 1986. Later, in 1995, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of buildings, sites, and objects across the United States that are considered important to American history.
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Home to Arts and More
Since 1985, the Stages Repertory Theatre has been located in the Star Engraving Company Building. Another group, the Children's Museum of Houston, also used to be there until 1992.
In 1992, there was a discussion about the building's future. The owner at the time wanted to turn the building into apartments. This would have meant that Stages Theatre and the Children's Museum would have to move out. The Children's Museum was already planning to move to the Museum District. However, Stages Theatre and its supporters were worried that moving would harm their theater group. They asked for help from the local government to buy the building.
A few months later, the plan to turn the building into apartments did not happen. The owner then offered to sell the building to Stages Theatre. But Stages Theatre could not afford the price. Eventually, the City of Houston bought the building. The city decided to turn it into a center for the arts for everyone to enjoy.
More recently, in 2020, a real estate company bought the property. They updated the building to create modern offices, restaurants, and shops.
