Transwestern breaks ground on The RO mixed-use project in Upper Kirby
By Jeff Jeffrey – Senior reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jun 24, 2024
Construction work is officially underway on a long-awaited mixed-use development in the Greenway-Upper Kirby area.
Transwestern Development Co. announced June 24 that it has broken ground on The RO, a 17-acre development at 3120 Buffalo Speedway, near the corner of West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway.
When it is completed in 2027, The RO, pronounced “row,” will include Houston’s first luxury Auberge Resorts Collection hotel with attached condo units, a sprawling retail village with up to eight restaurants, more than 700 apartment units and creative office space.
In all, the project will encompass about 740,000 square feet.
Connecticut-based Pickard Chilton is overseeing the master plan. Transwestern tapped New York-based Kohn Pederson Fox to design the hotel and condo building, with Houston-based Dillon Kyle Architects overseeing the condo interiors and New York-based Roman & Williams designing the hotel’s interiors. San Francisco-based House & Robertson Architects was tapped to serve as architect of record for the hotel and condos.
House & Robertson Architects is also serving as architect of record for the retail portion of the project, while the Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is the retail design architect.
For the multifamily and office component, Transwestern again hired Pickard Chilton as design architect.
Houston-based MaRS Culture is overseeing the multifamily interiors. Atlanta-based Preston Partnership is the architect of record for the multifamily component, and Houston-based Kendall Heaton Associates is the architect of record for the office component.
OJB Landscape Architecture, based in Houston, is the landscape architect, while Houston-based Tellepsen and Alabama-based Hoar Construction are serving as general contractors.
The Birdsall will likely be coming soon, based on this account from hindesky on HAIF
Quote:
Heading westbound on W. Alabama St. I saw a new sign so I had to go back to see what it said.
It's the SWPPP - Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan sign for Phase 1 with Hoar as the contractor.
Earlier this week I saw a CoH permit for a "new foundation mixed use high rise building for the Birdsall" with an address listed at 3120 Buffalo Speedway.
Looks like there may be a lot more activity happening here soon. Both of the towers sound like they could be coming out of the ground in the near future.
It looks like both The Birdsall and The Clayton will go up together?
There is a "new" marketing brochure out. I did not know the multifamily apartments were named The Clayton. Is this in reference to William L. Clayton of Anderson, Clayton and Company?
The RO now mentions two separate high-profile, River Oaks, socialites. Birdsall P. Briscoe, the famous Houston architect and William L. Clayton the famous cotton businessman of MD Anderson fame.
The Clayton will go up on the corner of Buffalo Speedway and West Alabama. Hot, Hot, Hot!!!
Hoar Construction's field office is located at 3303 Mercer Street.
For Reference
The Birdsall (34 Floors)
The Clayton (28 Floors)
Site photos from the same user
Facade
Fencing and water management for Phase II - The Clayton.
A total of 3 excavators were located further inward towards The Birdsall.
Looks like there may be a lot more activity happening here soon. Both of the towers sound like they could be coming out of the ground in the near future.
The RO mixed-use development's Phase 2 breaks ground, featuring Houston's first Auberge Collection property
By Jeff Jeffrey – Senior reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 4, 2025
Updated Nov 4, 2025 12:50pm CST
A high-profile mixed-use development in Upper Kirby has broken ground on its second phase, which will include the city’s first property from The Friedkin Group's Auberge Collection.
Transwestern announced Nov. 4 that it is moving forward with the next stage of The RO, a 17-acre development pronounced "row" at the intersection of West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway, south of River Oaks.
The second phase includes The Birdsall, Auberge Collection, a luxury hotel and condominium tower; a sprawling retail village with 80,000 square feet of space devoted to up to eight restaurants; The Clayton, a luxury multifamily community with 317 apartment units; and high-end office space.
The RO's first phase includes a 145,000-square-foot Class AA office building that is preparing to top out and scheduled for tenant occupancy in June 2026.
The office tower already is fully leased to Geneva, Switzerland-based energy company Vitol Inc.
In all, the project will encompass about 740,000 square feet.
The Birdsall, the retail village and The Clayton are scheduled to deliver in late 2027.
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