Creative Space Transforms Former Halliburton Plant

HOUSTON—Sawyer Yards is a creative community in the heart of Houston’s historic First Ward, surrounded by an active rail yard with more than 20 daily trains. Against this backdrop, industrial warehouses transformed into built-for-purpose studios are now home to one of the largest working artist communities in the country.

The 48,000-square-foot warehouse, Sabine Street Studios, is the eighth for the creative campus located in the First Ward neighborhood. Sabine joins the other renovated industrial buildings that provide creative workspaces for more than 400 local creatives.

Located on more than 55 acres at the intersection of Silver and Spring streets, this art community is complemented by creative businesses, public galleries, unique dining and entertainment venues with a schedule of special events. Sabine Street is adjacent to Spring Street Studios on the north yard of the Sawyer Yards creative campus.

“We’re excited about the way Sawyer Yards continues to evolve as an arts and entertainment destination in Houston’s urban center,” said Jon Deal, owner of The Deal Company, one of the principal developers of Sawyer Yards. “The heartbeat of Sawyer Yards is its creative community and we’re pleased to welcome even more artists and creative businesses with the opening of Sabine Street Studios.”

After purchasing the warehouse in 2016, Deal spent the past two years designing, permitting and repurposing the former Halliburton manufacturing plant for creative workspaces. The building has 67 studio spaces available for lease to local artists and creative businesses.

“We continue to grow our year-round rotating exhibitions programs, indoors and out, that are available to the public seven days a week. These programs and efforts have set the stage for individuals to realize their pursuits within what started and continues as a grassroots community. Complementary uses on campus include four event spaces, a theater, restaurants, a brewery, five fitness centers and many creative businesses that office amongst the artists and add to the creative energy,” Deal tells GlobeSt.com.

The public will get its first look at Sabine Street Studios on April 28 from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., during the Sawyer Yards Spring Biannual Art Stroll. This is one of two free campus-wide events where patrons can view and shop hundreds of pieces of art from Sawyer Yards artists. On the second Saturday of every month, Sawyer Yards hosts open studios for visitors to explore and meet artists throughout the campus.

“Our vision and goal is to expand on the creative mixed-use that currently exists to reach a point where locals and tourists alike can come to enjoy a cup of coffee, visit a farmers market, stay for lunch, tour exhibitions on campus and visit the studios of artists who have their doors open that day,” Deal observes. “If they haven’t exhausted themselves with those activities, the campus also offers options for dinner, as well as theater shows or events in one of the event spaces or in Art Alley, our public art plaza.”

Sawyer Yards is central to the Washington Avenue Arts District, a designated Texas Commission on the Arts Cultural District since 2014. In addition to Sabine Street Studios, Sawyer Yards includes Winter Street Studios, Spring Street Studios, Silver Street Studios, The Silos at Sawyer Yards, Summer Street Studios, the Tech Center, 2500 Summer Street and The Shops at Sawyer Yards.