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Saturday, February 28, 2026 • Vol. 71 • No. 8
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UPDATE: Garden Oaks Theater demolition appears imminent, emergency fundraiser launched By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
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INSIDE.
Community members and preservation advocates are mounting a last-minute effort to save the historic Garden Oaks Theater, launching an emergency fundraising campaign aimed at securing a 30-day delay on the building’s demolition. The North Shepherd District is seeking donations to cover the cost of the temporary de-
lay, which organizers say would provide critical time for a group of interested investors to present a formal offer to purchase the property. With demolition equipment already on site, supporters describe the situation as urgent, warning that without immediate action the longtime neighborhood landmark could be lost before alternatives are fully explored. The fundraising effort follows recent attention on the
theater’s uncertain future and has quickly become a rallying point for residents who see the building as more than just an aging structure. For decades, the Garden Oaks theater building was a recognizable fixture along North Shepherd, serving as both an entertainment venue and a visual anchor for the surrounding community. Like many historic neighborhood theaters across Houston, it reflects an See THEATER P. 2
Photo by John “Gusty” Gustafson
The sign for Grace Church, formerly the Garden Oaks Theater, has already been removed within the last week.
INTIMATE INDULGENCE
Heights Rodeo kicks off with community honors at VIP reception By BETSY DENSON The Leader News Contributor
Coming to a Table Near You: Crawfish boils, wine showdowns, and rodeo bites
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$1 million secured for Fulton corridor revitalization
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Photo by Bear Media Co.
Guests dine in a cozy, intimate setting at The Green Room
The Green Room adds chef-driven dining to the Heights restaurant scene By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
Nominations open for Houston-area teachers for a weekend retreat
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Art Valet: First Saturday Arts Market celebrates 22 years March 7
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As the Heights continues to evolve into one of Houston’s most active dining and nightlife corridors, a new small-scale restaurant is betting that intimacy and hospitality can still stand out in a crowded field. The Green Room, a 26-seat, chefdriven concept from Doke Concepts, is set to open Thursday, March 5, at 1343 Yale St., adjacent to Heights & Co. The restaurant is led by chef-owner Daniel Davidson and James Beard Award–winning chef de cuisine Tom Cunanan, and owned and operated by Doke Concepts partners Brian Doke and Evin Wood, whose local portfolio also includes Heights & Co. and Lazy Lane. In a part of the city better known for busy patios and high-energy dining rooms, The Green Room is designed as a deliberate counterpoint. The space offers a quieter, more
Community Improvement Awards
ing but never intimidating,” Doke said. “With The Green Room, we wanted to create something ambitious yet approachable, where the food is elevated, the wine over-delivers, and hospitality feels personal from the moment guests walk in.”
Brie Kelman, an HHA board member, spearheaded the Community Improvement Awards, which recognize properties nominated by neighbors and selected by committee. This year’s honorees reflected the ongoing investment residents and businesses are making in the Heights’ built environment. On the commercial side, Padre’s Wine Shop + Bar took home the Commercial Renovation award. Owner William Farley transformed the historic Obsidian Theater space at 3522 White Oak Drive into a neighborhood gathering spot when he opened Padre’s in 2023. Farley left a career in the energy business to pursue a passion for wine and to honor his late father, Mike, whom friends and family called “Padre.” Hotel Daphne was recognized for Commercial New Construction. The fivestory, 49-room boutique hotel opened in December 2025 at 347 W. 20th Street, developed by Ben Ackerley and Wood
See GREEN P. 5
See RODEO P. 2
Photo by Bear Media Co.
Chef-driven dishes at The Green Room
personal experience, intended to feel more like a thoughtfully hosted dinner party than a traditional restaurant, while still adding to the area’s growing reputation as a destination for food and drink. “We’ve always believed Houston deserves experiences that feel excit-
Before the mechanical bull started spinning and the petting zoo drew its first crowd, the inaugural Heights Rodeo opened with an event recognizing those who make the Heights the special place it is. The Houston Heights Association hosted a VIP Reception on February 21 inside the Heights Fire Station, where fifteen awards were presented across three categories to recognize the neighbors, businesses, and volunteers who have shaped the Heights into the community it is today. The celebration set the tone for what turned out to be a wildly successful afternoon, with organizers estimating a few thousand attendees, far beyond the five hundred they originally hoped to draw. “We originally thought if we had five hundred people, we’d be so successful,” said Hannah White, outgoing HHA board president and one of the event’s four lead planners. “I think we had a couple thousand, so we definitely overachieved.” But first came the awards.
Jax on the Tracks replaces The Union Kitchen in Garden Oaks By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com St. Ambrose students earn top honors at STREAM and history fairs
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A familiar Garden Oaks address is getting a fresh chapter. Gr8 Plate Hospitality has opened Jax on the Tracks at 3452 Ella Blvd., transforming the former Union Kitchen space into a casual, family-friendly neighborhood bar and grill designed to serve as a community gathering spot. The restaurant began a soft opening Tuesday, Feb. 18, and will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, Feb. 28, from noon to 4 p.m., with food and drink specials and familyfriendly activities. The new concept takes its name from its lo-
cation alongside the railroad tracks and represents the next evolution of the Jax Grill brand, reimagined for families, neighbors, and regulars in the Garden Oaks and Heights areas. “We are thrilled to bring a neighborhood bar and grill to Garden Oaks and the Heights, somewhere that feels easy, welcoming, and genuinely family-friendly,” said Paul Miller, owner of Gr8 Plate Hospitality. “By staying in the same location, we were able to build on the neighborhood connection that was already there and create a place people can return to again and again.” Outside, a patio play area with turf and oversized games — including giant Connect See JAX P. 2
Jax on the Tracks interior
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