The Kirby Mansion, a 36-room Tudor Revival home at 2000 Smith St., began as a house built in 1894 for Houston businessman J.S. Price, who later sold it to lumber magnate John Henry Kirby — the namesake of Kirby Drive. Kirby later rebuilt the house into its current form in 1926 and is described as one the largest remaining historic homes from South End, the area now known as Midtown.
Over the years, the property changed hands and served various uses, including as the American Red Cross’ headquarters from the late 1940s to the late 1970s and later as law offices, before it was sold in 2018 to a buyer who initially planned to replace the mansion with a car dealership. Those plans never came to fruition and the space was primarily used for storage.
The recent sale of the property to OB Texas Properties LLC, a company known for developing convenience stores, sometimes with gas stations, has raised concerns among community members. Some protested over the weekend to draw attention to the historic site.
Jim Parsons, program and communications director for nonprofit Preservation Houston, said it is still unclear what the company plans to do with the property.
“I know there’s a lot of speculation out there about the mansion being replaced by a gas station,” Parsons said. “But we haven’t seen any evidence either way.”
While demolition plans have not been confirmed, recent filings include a sewer disconnection permit and an asbestos abatement notification.
The registered agent for OB Texas Properties LLC, Omair Bashir, did not respond to a request for comment. In an email exchange between Bashir and Preservation Houston, the agent hinted that a few law firms were looking to lease the property for offices.
Parsons said he hopes someday the mansion could return to productive use while retaining its historic and architectural features, citing tax incentives to allow for rehabilitation of the property.
“Houston is always going to be growing and it’s always going to be changing, but preservation can be part of that growth and change,” he said.