Bakery opens for business in historic Houston Heights building

In July, the Houston Heights Association Restoration/Historical Committee meeting was held at the old Oriental Textile Mill building on the corner of West 22nd Street and Nicholson. This is a 1894 building easily recognized by locals by the historic clock tower. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties, and has been utilized over the years as a mattress factory, a mill and later as a venetian blind manufacturing plant.

The first floor of the building is currently occupied by Kraftsmen Baking Co., founded in 2002 by Scott Tycer. He is a nationally known chef named one of the top ten new chefs in America by Food and Wine magazine. Kraftsmen currently supplies baked goods to well known Houston restaurants including Mark's, Americas, Benjy's, Brennan's of Houston, Da Marco, Cafe Annie and the Four Seasons Hotel. Products are carefully made from high quality, often organic ingredients to supply local restaurants, hotels, caterers, and consumers with artisan breads and baked goods in a historic but inviting setting. Kraftsmen will utilize 10,000 of the 60,000 square foot building.

Dean Swanson, Restoration/Historical Committee Chairman, said the trend to renovate local historic buildings follows a national trend to use historic buildings for mixed-use projects, to save the environment as well as for historical preservation. The committee meeting was held at the building, he said, because it "highlighted one of the oldest industrial buildings in Houston as an example of recycling a historic Houston Heights property from days past." A large number of members attended the meeting and were given a tour of the bakery and its operations. A Kraftsmen spokesperson guided the tour and pointed out the efforts to restore and preserve the original character of the building in preparing their work area. Those in attendance were treated to an enjoyable evening of bread sampling and an appreciation of the restoration of an historic building.

Houston Heights Restoration/Historical Committee meetings are open to the public quarterly to learn about history and restoration in keeping with the appreciation of the historic nature of Houston Heights. The Committee would like to hear from anyone having a restoration project, or historical information or photos pertaining to the Heights to share at future meetings. Contact Dean Swanson at restoration@houstonheights.org or phone him at 713-880-2832.

(The Banner, August 6, 2008)