Greentown Labs

The 50,000-square-foot renovation at 4200 San Jacinto St. in Houston is complete. TDLR closed the project file in April 2021, marking the end of the accessibility review process for this construction. The work involved altering an existing building with a mercantile group classification to accommodate new business occupancy.

William Marsh Rice University is the owner of record for this privately funded project. The total estimated cost was $3,351,714, which computes to $67 per square foot. Abel Design Group served as the design firm of record. The project was registered with TDLR in November 2020, with construction starting in the same month.

Comparative Context

This renovation was significantly larger than the typical Harris County project of its type. The median estimated cost for renovation and alteration filings in the county is $250,000, while this project’s cost is above that median. The median size for such projects is 4,000 square feet, making this 50,000-square-foot site much larger. The scheduled build window of 143 days was longer than the county median of 92 days. However, the cost per square foot of $67 is below the county median of $80.

William Marsh Rice University has six other TDLR-registered projects in Houston, totaling $61,942,991. These include The Original Lovett College and ION Garage. Abel Design Group has worked on six other projects totaling $7,340,360, including Williams Tower and IBC Bank Plaza. The project is located in ZIP code 77004, where U.S. Census estimates indicate a population of about 35,866 and a median household income of $65,901.

Greentown Labs describes its Houston location as providing prototyping lab space at this address. A Facebook post by Greentown Labs identifies the site as part of their global community for climate and energy entrepreneurs. City of Houston permit records show one building permit on file at this street address, issued in February 2026, for a 1,977-square-foot remodel with a new storage addition.