M2L Associates has collaborated with Kirksey Architecture to reimagine a historic Third Ward landmark — Riverside General Hospital — and give it new life as a modern healthcare hub.
A ribbon-cutting on Feb. 28, the last day of Black History Month, fittingly brought together project stakeholders, public officials and the community to unveil and celebrate completion of the project’s first phase, focusing on the hospital, nursing school and original laundry building, all registered historic buildings on the 4.3-scre site.
Dedicated on Juneteenth in 1927, the Houston Negro Hospital, as it was originally known, was Houston’s first nonprofit hospital for Black patients, founded by African–American doctors who wanted to serve Black patients in a time when other facilities were unavailable because of segregation.
Philanthropist John S. Cullinan, founder of Texaco, donated $80,000 to construct the hospital (approximately $1.7 million today), plus money left in trust for maintenance. The hospital remained a symbol of medical care for the underserved until shuttering in 2015 due to financial challenges.
In 2018, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved the acquisition of the property so it could once again treat underserved communities; several planning efforts sputtered until the current plan to repurpose the campus as a health hub was able to gain traction. The project has also been helped along with broad financial support, including funding from the Houston Endowment, the Qatar Harvey Fund (committed for rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds secured by the late Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, guest speaker at the celebration, has a special connection to the hospital that has driven his passion to oversee the $200 million revitalization. Born in the hospital in 1952 when it was still known by its original name (it was renamed Riverside General in 1961), Ellis has said he sees the redevelopment as a moral imperative, essential because healthcare is a human right that should not depend on race, income or community.
“This is not just about restoring bricks and mortar,” he said at the groundbreaking. “It’s about restoring hope and ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all Houstonians, particularly in underserved areas like the Third Ward.”
Capturing the property’s historical significance was essential in bringing the new Riverside General Hospital to life. Kirksey architects worked to preserve and restore numerous original features of the building, ensuring exterior doors, windows, frames and hardware were carefully replicated to the original look and feel.
Likewise, M2L landscape architects preserved the old oaks lining the property and designed outdoor amenities and the surrounding landscape to respect the history of both the era and the area.
M2L Principal Michael Mauer, an expert in historic and cultural preservation on numerous Third Ward landmarks, led the firm’s design team and attended the ribbon-cutting. “It’s an honor for our M2L team to help revitalize another important Third Ward landmark,” Mauer said. “Riverside General Hospital has been a staple in this neighborhood for a century, and the history comes alive on the property. We’re thrilled to play a part in reimagining Riverside’s next chapter of healthcare and wellness service for all who come here.
“The Third Ward is known for its beautiful, old oak trees that are so important to the neighborhood,” Mauer said. “As we renovate and rebuild these historic landmarks, it’s more important than ever to preserve and protect the century-old trees that provide innumerable benefits to urban areas. Beyond their beauty and aesthetic appeal, these trees and their canopies reduce urban heating, sequester carbon, mitigate stormwater runoff and improve air quality.”
The new Riverside General Hospital, which officially opens to the public on Juneteenth, will offer a wide array of services, including general medical and surgical care, an emergency room, psychiatric care and treatment, substance abuse programs, and community outreach such as screenings, imaging and health fairs. A second phase will construct a four-story headquarters for Harris County Public Health.