Rice Sewall Hall

Construction on Rice Sewall Hall at 6100 Main Street in Houston concluded with the TDLR accessibility review process ending in February 2021. The project involved the interior renovation of a 2,730 sq ft office suite on the ground floor of the five-story building. This specific renovation was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in October 2020, with William Marsh Rice University listed as the owner of record.

The scope of work focused on a single office suite within the existing structure, which includes two underground levels and a ground floor situated on the third level. Gensler served as the design firm for this alteration. The estimated cost for the project was $381,000, resulting in a computed cost of $140 per square foot. The project was privately funded and located on private land for private use within the University Place neighborhood of Harris County.

Project Metrics and County Comparisons

Compared to other renovation and alteration filings in Harris County, this project’s estimated cost of $381,000 is above the county median of $250,000. The scheduled build window of 119 days was longer than the county median of 92 days. Additionally, the $140 per square foot cost is above the county median of $80 per square foot. These figures are derived from 38,953 TDLR-registered renovation and alteration filings in the county.

William Marsh Rice University has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $61,942,991, including work at The Original Lovett College and ION Garage. Gensler, the design firm for this project, has six other registered projects totaling $28,512,500, with locations in Houston, Austin, and Dallas. TDLR closed the project file in February 2021, marking the completion of the accessibility review for this construction.

City of Houston permit records show 14 permits on file at this street address, issued between February 2026 and August 2026. These permits include building permits for various improvements such as a stadium pavilion addition and office remodels. The surrounding area includes other registered renovation projects like Amegy on Main and the Houston Methodist Neurosensory building. The ZIP code 77005 has a population of about 28,231 and a median household income of $215,708, according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates.