It may be hard to believe now, but 25 years ago the east side of downtown Houston was a no-man's land of abandoned buildings and vacant lots. City officials convinced voters to pass a bond issue to build a new convention center in that location — and the rest is history.

The George R. Brown Convention Center celebrates its silver anniversary on Wednesday, but its distinctive industrial exterior, which resembles the Pompidou Center in Paris, has remained fresh and modern. It anchors a revitalized area of downtown Houston, with Discovery Green, Toyota Center and the Hilton Americas-Houston as neighbors.

------

George R. Brown Convention Center as seen from Discovery Green