HOUSTON – At KPRC 2, we’re dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston.
Question: What is the history of the downtown building that has been vacant for a long time and are there plans for its future?
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Answer: The abandoned building at 801 St. Joseph Parkway formerly served as multiple hotels.
The property was once a Holiday Inn, then Days Inn before it was purchased by a group led by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the former spiritual adviser to the Beatles, and renamed it “Heaven on Earth Inn,” according to a report by the Chron.
According to the report, the business closed, and by 1997 it was the Houston Downtown Plaza Hotel; however, was soon vacated after failing to meet city fire and building codes.
According to Swamplot, the building’s third owner since its Maharishi-era was SFK Development, which purchased the property in 2012.
In 2018, the building was listed for sale by commercial broker CBRE.
The listing is no longer found on the broker’s website.
KPRC 2 has reached out to CBRE for an update but has not heard back.
Do you have a burning H-Town-related question? Send it our way, and we will try to hunt down an answer.
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