Richmond broke ground this week on a project that will turn the city's former fire station into a riverside food and beverage destination overlooking the Brazos River, with hometown seafood favorite Pier 36 signed on as the anchor tenant. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at 112 Jackson St., where the roughly 1-acre site will eventually house two restaurants totaling more than 7,000 square feet, a covered patio, and a landscaped half-acre backyard.
A Public-Private Deal Years in the Making
The redevelopment, called Richmond Station, is the product of a public-private partnership between the City of Richmond and Houston-based Revive Development, according to the Fort Bend Herald. Revive Development spent three years researching downtown Richmond, including studying architectural styles along Morton Street, before entering into the formal redevelopment agreement with the city, according to KHOU. Revive president Bryan Danna said the firm has an opportunity to reimagine the historic building as a hospitality destination, per the Herald's report.
Richmond Mayor Becky Haas said the old fire station will be renovated into Richmond Station, and that the partnership will create a new path for investment, activity, and growth in historic downtown Richmond while preserving an important piece of the city's history, the paper reports. The project is expected to create more than 80 new direct jobs and is projected to generate thousands of new visits to downtown Richmond each week, according to the same account.
Pier 36's Long Road Back Downtown
Pier 36 owner Jimmy Cantu spent more than 15 years trying to secure a location in downtown Richmond, facing recurring delays from major infrastructure work on the nearby Highway 90/359 overpass and further disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to KHOU. Cantu said the move brings Pier 36 home to downtown Richmond, per the Herald. The restaurant has signed a lease for more than 3,800 square feet at Richmond Station and is relocating from its longtime location just east of downtown, with an opening targeted for spring 2027. Richmond Station will offer views of the Brazos River and the city's iconic rail bridge, and a second restaurant at the site is targeted to open in late summer or early fall of 2027.
Pier 36 Seafood & Oyster Bar was originally established in 1997 off Highway 36 in Needville by Jimmy Cantu and his parents, Pete and Olga Cantu, before opening its Richmond location in 2006 and a Fulshear branch in 2018, according to UpClose Dining Magazine. The restaurant's culinary model relies on scratch-made family recipes passed down from Cantu's mother, featuring wild-caught Gulf shrimp and domestic farm-raised catfish, Community Impact reports. Pier 36 also maintains a company policy of closing every Sunday to guarantee employees dedicated days off with their families, per UpClose Dining Magazine.
A Building With Deep Public Safety Roots
The structure at 112 Jackson St. was originally constructed in 1964 to house both the Richmond Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Police Department, with the police department operating out of the building until relocating in 1986, according to the City of Richmond. The property served as the city's fire station for decades before the redevelopment. Richmond was incorporated in May 1837, though organized municipal fire protection did not begin until July 1897 with the founding of Pioneer Hose Company No. 1, per the city.
State regulatory filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation estimate the core-and-shell renovation costs for the 7,110-square-foot building at $1,000,000, registering the property under Richmond Station, LLC with an estimated core restoration completion target of February 2027, according to Zabalist. The project fits into a broader wave of investment in the area: across the 77469 ZIP code that includes Richmond, real estate tracking records show 472 active commercial and residential construction or renovation filings in 2026 totaling approximately $1.18 billion in estimated project value, per the same source.
Part of a Larger Downtown Push
Revive Development is a Houston-based commercial real estate development and investment firm that specializes in adaptive reuse and neighborhood retail curation, having developed, leased, and revitalized commercial properties throughout Houston's Heights and surrounding neighborhoods. Its portfolio includes projects such as Stomping Grounds, Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar, and Camaraderie, and the firm is a member of 1% for the Planet.
Richmond Station arrives as part of a broader municipal strategy to revitalize downtown along the Brazos River. The Development Corporation of Richmond has been driving that push through public-private initiatives, including issuing requests for proposals for major projects such as a proposed hotel and convention center at River Point Development, according to the Development Corporation of Richmond. With Pier 36's spring 2027 opening and a second restaurant expected by early fall, the old fire station's next chapter is still months from being fully written.
