Project Row Houses

Significance

Founded in 1993 by artist Rick Lowe along with a group of fellow artists, Project Row Houses transformed a block of 22 historic shotgun houses dating to around 1930 in Houston's Third Ward into an art and social engagement complex combining artist residencies, community programming, and support services for young mothers. The shotgun house, a narrow vernacular residential form with deep roots in African American communities across the American South, had long characterized the working class Third Ward neighborhood, and Lowe's project sought to preserve this architectural heritage while addressing contemporary community needs. Project Row Houses has since expanded into a broader nonprofit encompassing dozens of properties and is recognized nationally and internationally as a pioneering model for preservation based community development, influencing similar art and social practice projects across the United States.

Climate risks tracked

The wood frame shotgun houses that make up Project Row Houses are highly susceptible to hurricane wind damage, given their light construction and elevated but relatively simple pier and beam foundations typical of early twentieth century vernacular housing. The Third Ward's low lying terrain has experienced significant urban flooding during major storms including Hurricane Harvey, which can inundate crawl spaces beneath the houses and threaten original wood flooring and siding. Houston's high humidity combined with the age of these wood structures creates persistent risk of mold growth and wood rot, requiring continuous maintenance investment to preserve the historic building fabric.

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

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1939 · Streamline Moderne

  Eldorado Ballroom

• 1926 · Georgian Revival

  Houston Negro Hospital (Riverside General)