HOUSTON — Local leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday for a new cultural hub in Freedmen’s Town, a historic Houston community founded by formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. The project is part of the second phase of “Rebirth in Action,” a restoration effort focused on preserving the neighborhood’s heritage while expanding community services.
The initiative includes the restoration of three historic row houses, construction of a new pavilion, and landscape improvements. The space will serve as a cultural hub offering community gatherings, youth programs, food pantry services, and Juneteenth celebrations. Construction is expected to begin within weeks, with a grand opening planned for spring or summer 2027.
“We are here breaking ground on the new site for the Rebirth in Action Phase Two project, which includes three historical row houses, the construction of a new pavilion along with the landscape site being completed as well,” said Sharon Fletcher, executive director of the Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy. “It is an amazing day to encapsulate all of the folks who are invested in the future of Freedmen’s Town, who see that this history is worth preserving, the space is worth preserving. People who can see that development and preservation can work together. This particular project is the epitome of what that actually looks like.”
The restoration is a partnership between the Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and Mount Horeb Missionary Baptist Church. “The project will return restored structures to community use while reclaiming and renewing a historic shared space through landscape improvements,” said Melissa McDonald Lujan, co-director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.
Planning for the project formally began in 2022. “Our elders have waited for decades to get progress and get restoration and preservation of these structures and activity happening on this site,” said Sharonda Johnson, engagement manager for partnerships between the Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. “For this to be coming is like a dream come true.”