Project Row Houses - Partners for Livable Communities

Houston, TX

A neighborhood-based cultural organization with programs that combine arts education, historic preservation and community development.

Since 1993, Project Row Houses (PRH) has worked to restore and renovate a neighborhood of shotgun-style houses in Houston’s Third Ward, as well as transform the area through celebrating the arts and African American culture. Project Row Houses was established in 1993 on a site of 22 abandoned shotgun homes. Its goal was to connect local artists with the revitalization of the third ward community. Under PRH's founder Rick Lowe, the organization sought funding and resources to renovate the 22 dilapidated houses into artist studios and galleries.

Nuts and Bolts:

With the help of DiverseWorks, an alternative arts space in Houston, the group secured a National Endowment for the Arts public art grant in 1992. In their first year, with a budget of only $35,000 dollars, in-kind donations, and immense volunteer help, the group was able to renovate the exterior of all 22 houses.
Through an initiative called the House Challenge, ten sponsors each contributed $3,000 dollars for materials, provided volunteers, and rehabilitated one of the shotgun houses. Amoco Corporation and others renovated the remaining 12 houses.
Although still expanding, the campus currently includes 13 units of low-income housing, two of which are artist residences, and two commercial buildings.
Today’s inhabitants remain primarily African American, with a small amount of Latinos and Caucasians. The average age of the housing units in the area is fifty, qualifying the area as a historic district.
Today, Project Row Houses has three main project areas: the Artists’ Projects, the Young Mother’s Residential Program, and the Education Projects. Project Row House’s core program is their Public Art program.
Through the Artists Project, seven artists each create installation art in one of the row houses. The artists come every six months, and by working on-site, interact with members of the neighborhood, which allows for dialogue across ethnic, cultural, and social boundaries about issues concerning the neighborhood. Teen-aged interns assist the artists and act as tour guides. The artists also conduct after-school and weekend workshops. Tours are given through the row home sites, attracting many people throughout Houston of various cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds.

Successes:

Since the initial construction, the organization has grown into a comprehensive community development group, with programs focused in the arts and culture, education, and historic and community preservation and revitalization.
Through their public art programming, PRH involves artists in issues of neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, community service, and youth education.
In 2004, Project Row Houses was one of twelve organizations nationwide to receive a $150,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to continue their community transformation efforts. PRH will use these funds to continue and expand their programming, as well as the work of the Row House Community Development Corporation.
In addition to its grant from the Ford Foundation, Project Row Houses receives support from several public and private organizations, including the Warhol Foundation, the Houston Foundation, the Cultural Arts Council of Houston, and JP Morgan Chase.
Through its arts, culture, and community development efforts over the past decade, Project Row Houses has helped to revitalize a struggling section of Houston, reconnect it with its African American culture and history, and protect its future against the imminent threat of gentrification.
PRH has also renovated two shotgun houses on Eldorado land, and developed an artist-in-residence house on the property. Through the acquisition of this land, PRH has been able to expand their community revitalization and arts efforts, and preserve an area that might otherwise become subject to gentrification.
An individual donor, provided Project Row Houses with a 99-year lease of the Eldorado property, an historic venue for upscale blues and jazz shows, including B.B. King. The renovation of the building was completed last May, and PRH, in collaboration with the Houston Blues Society, presents free monthly music series at the Ballroom.
PRH has also renovated two shotgun houses on Eldorado land, and developed an artist-in-residence house on the property. Through the acquisition of this land, PRH has been able to expand their community revitalization and arts efforts and preserve an area that might otherwise become subject to gentrification.

For more information on this program: Project Row Houses