First look: Raven Tower to debut at White Oak Music Hall next week

According to a supplied rendering once the entire White Oak Music Hall and Raven Tower area is completed this is what it should look like. According to a supplied rendering once the entire White Oak Music Hall and Raven Tower area is completed this is what it should look like. Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close First look: Raven Tower to debut at White Oak Music Hall next week 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

The Houston Chronicle recently toured what is shaping up to be a pretty rocking block just north of downtown Houston. The White Oak Music Hall doesn't open up until early summer, but the new Raven Tower venue opens its doors on Jan. 19.

The whole thing can actually be seen from Interstate 45 heading just outside of downtown on the right just before the North Main exit. The five-acre complex, at 2915 N. Main and North Street, has been under construction since mid-2015. It’s the work of W2 Development Partners in conjunction with Pegstar Concerts, which will be booking the stages.

The teal-painted room at the top of the four-story tower was a nifty bachelor pad in a former life. Once the tower is up and running it will house a small, exclusive lounge area. It offers a 360-degree view of the area included a great vantage point of downtown.

“People drive by it every day on I-45 but no one has any idea what it is. Keeping it as part of the project was a no-brainer,” W2 partner Will Thomas said last week. He sees it as a sort of Stonehenge of Houston.

Local general contractor Kuehn Inc. has been working on the renovations and build out of the Raven Tower and bar below.

Architectural firm Schaum/Shieh has been the lead designer on the whole complex for the last 3 years, including architecture, landscape and interiors, bathrooms, bars, finishes.

Houston-based interior design firm gindesignsgroup has also done design work on the project.

RELATED: White Oak Music Hall brings multi-stage music experience to Houston

The real meat of the Raven Tower though is inside a repurposed metal warehouse, formerly a welding shop, which will include a bar with two stages for music. There is one stage coming up inside and another smaller one outside overlooking Little White Oak Bayou. Live music will only happen occasionally, though the bar will be open for business seven days a week.

On Jan. 19 the Raven Tower will have its grand opening party featuring Matthew Logan Vasquez, lead singer of Delta Spirit, local openers Grand Old Grizzly, Kelly Doyle, and DJ Fredster. Another surprise musical guest has been teased as well.

The sporadic shows at the Raven Tower bar will be on the smaller spectrum. There are more shows already announced including a return set from Vasquez with locals Buxton on hand for support, plus shows from Electric Six, the Seratones, and Wood and Wire.

There will be 1,800 square feet of patio space and another 1,000 square feet inside.

RELATED: City grants White Oak Music Hall incentive

La Macro, a taco truck known for its delicious foodie-approved trompo, will be on site slinging traditional tacos for drinkers and music listeners until a permanent food concept takes residence at Raven Tower later in the year.

The taco enterprise is native to the Near Northside area and lost their brick-and-mortar location because of nearby light rail installation.

The developer also plans to build three parking lots to limit the amount of on-street parking in the neighborhood, a concern of nearby residents. The developer will also build sidewalks, improvements, landscaping improvements, street lighting and an upgrade to the public sanitary sewer line.

There is already a large parking lot built into the middle of the development which can be seen in the pictures posted above.

Back in mid-December an incentive passed by Houston City Council granted a reimbursement not to exceed $1.1 million for public improvements costs to the developer based on the incremental increases in the city's portion of its sales tax and mixed beverage tax revenues in the area.

As for White Oak Music Hall itself the outdoor stage component is slated to open in late spring and the indoor portion is scheduled to host its first show in early summer. The venue will have two indoor stages, one on the ground floor and a smaller one on the second floor.

This week the concrete for a third-floor landing was poured. There look to be plenty of restroom and bar space inside WOMH too.

The announcements for the first concerts for the indoor and outdoor stages are coming at the end of January.