Cheek-Neal Coffee Company Building

Significance

Built in 1917 to designs by Joseph Finger and James Ruskin Bailey, the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company Building was the Houston plant of the Nashville coffee firm whose founders created Maxwell House coffee. Here the company roasted, blended and packaged coffee for the Texas market, part of the wave of light industry that grew up along the rail lines east of downtown. The building is a handsome example of early 20th century industrial commercial architecture, with generous windows that lit the factory floors. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 and designated a City of Houston Protected Landmark in 2015, it anchors the historic warehouse district now surrounded by the rapid redevelopment of EaDo.

Climate risks tracked

EaDo's low, flat streets flood quickly in intense rain, and the building's large ground floor openings are its weakest point; removable flood shields and raised utilities protect interiors without altering the historic storefronts. Its industrial sash windows should be repaired and weatherstripped rather than replaced. The brick walls and flat roof absorb summer heat, and the original design relied on operable windows for cooling; modern efficient air conditioning paired with a reflective roof surface reduces heat load while leaving the facade untouched. Wind bracing of the parapet and rooftop sign structure is the key hurricane measure.

Use the preservation assistant to talk through retrofit strategies for these specific threats.

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1910 · Chicago School

  National Biscuit Company Building (City View Lofts)