Transwestern Breaks Ground on Next Phase of The RO

Construction Underway for The Birdsall, Retail Village and The Clayton

HOUSTON, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Transwestern, a vertically integrated commercial real estate firm headquartered in Houston, today announced the start of construction on the next phase of The RO (pronounced 'row'). An inspired extension of the River Oaks neighborhood, The RO is a large-scale, once-in-a-generation project for the city of Houston that brings together Transwestern's core competencies, including development, investment management, hospitality, and office and retail leasing services.

This visionary mixed-use development on 17 acres at the intersection of West Alabama and Buffalo Speedway features The Birdsall, Auberge Collection, Houston's first Auberge-branded hotel and residences; 80,000 square feet of chef-driven restaurants and boutique retail; The Clayton, a luxury multifamily community; and premier office space. The RO's initial deliveries include a 145,000-square-foot Class AA office building that is nearing completion and scheduled for tenant occupancy in June 2026, with The Birdsall, Retail Village and The Clayton delivering in late 2027.

The Birdsall, Auberge Collection will include 44 private residences situated above a 105-room boutique, luxury hotel. The 34-story tower designed by Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF) includes architectural references to River Oaks, incorporating materials such as reclaimed Cedar Bayou brick, characteristic of the storied neighborhood's original homes. The hotel's interiors are designed by internationally acclaimed Roman and Williams, and the residences by one of River Oaks' most respected architects, Dillon Kyle. Auberge Collection, the award-winning brand and operator of one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, residences, resorts and private clubs, has collaborated with Transwestern's development and hospitality teams on the planning, design and placemaking of The Birdsall and will manage and operate the completed hotel and residences.

"Houston is a particularly meaningful city for Auberge Collection and for me personally," said Dan Friedkin, Chairman, Auberge Collection. "As we continue Auberge's strategic expansion into key urban markets, we are thrilled to add a new city property on The Friedkin Group's home soil and pleased for this opportunity to celebrate what makes Houston such a wonderful destination with every touchpoint of our extraordinary new hotel, residences, and private members' club."

Each Birdsall residence features the privacy and sense of space of a gracious River Oaks estate while emphasizing proportion, natural light and material details you would expect to find in a custom home. Residential-only amenities include a covered, open-air swimming pool, outdoor entertainment deck, summer kitchen, game room, and areas dedicated to wellness and fitness. This is coupled with privileged access to the private members' club, a destination Auberge restaurant, event spaces, a resort-style wellbeing destination, pool, fitness facilities, and dining and social spaces including a European-style café and private garden. Exclusive sales for The Birdsall Residences are being managed by Compass Development Marketing Group in collaboration with Laura Sweeney of Compass and William Wheless of Wheless Realty. 

Retail Village, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, represents a series of small buildings set within lush landscaping that includes a handful of heritage oak trees original to the site. Brick facades and pavers as well as a paseo will capture the aesthetic of River Oaks, which will be reinforced through restaurants and boutiques that balance sophistication with approachability.

"Given the location and design quality of the project, the response from restaurants and retailers has been overwhelmingly positive," said Transwestern Regional Partner Sean Suffel. "We are well-positioned to realize our vision of a sophisticated yet comfortable environment that is an extension of the neighborhood and look forward to announcing initial tenancy in early 2026."

The Clayton is a 317-unit luxury residential tower situated at the corner of West Alabama and Buffalo Speedway. It will integrate seamlessly into The RO through thoughtful architecture that includes masonry façades, gracious window lines and timeless interiors. The Clayton was designed by Pickard Chilton, renowned for iconic buildings around the world, and will be another example of its distinguished work. The RO's initial office building, which is fully leased, was also designed by Pickard Chilton.

Transwestern Executive Chairman Robert Duncan said, "Along with our esteemed partners, we are proud to bring the strength of our integrated organization to the execution of The RO. This ambitious project is placemaking at its finest. By tapping into the defining features of the community to create spaces where people want to live, work and visit, we reflect and honor the unique history of River Oaks and the overall vibrancy of Houston."

The Birdsall, Auberge Collection has been capitalized by Transwestern and private investor partners with a construction loan from Madison Realty Capital. Retail Village has been capitalized by Transwestern and private investor partners with a construction loan from Citizens and Amegy Bank. The Clayton has been capitalized by Transwestern in partnership with Nomura Real Estate Asset Management with a construction loan from Citizens, Amegy Bank and Texas Capital.

About Transwestern
Transwestern is a leading, vertically integrated real estate firm dedicated to serving investors and clients through expertise in investment, development, brokerage and asset services. The firm has offices nationwide and $36.7 billion¹ in assets under management across a diverse array of property types, including logistics, multifamily, healthcare, life sciences, mixed-use, office, and hotels. Since 2012, Transwestern has completed or commenced development on projects with a total cost exceeding $9.0 billion. Our award-winning, collaborative culture empowers 2,200 team members with resources and independence to work across boundaries in pursuit of innovative solutions, reinforcing a reputation for agility and service excellence that translates to measurable results. Learn more at transwestern.com and @Transwestern.

SOURCE Transwestern