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Exclusive: Developer to relaunch Houston micro-unit condo project

Novel Creative Development LLC plans to relaunch The Ivy Lofts, Houston’s first major micro-unit condominium tower.

The Houston developer, which considered redesigning Ivy Lofts into a condo-hotel earlier this year, will unveil its latest plans for the project at an on-site reveal party at the Ivy Lofts sales center on Nov. 5.

Instead of a condo-hotel, Novel Creative Development is now proposing a 28-story, 412-unit condominium tower. Nearly 80 percent of the units — 326 units — will be considered micro-units, or homes that are less than 500 square feet.

The revamped Ivy Lofts — designed by Houston-based EDI International — is slightly taller, but offers fewer units than the original plan, which called for a 24-story, 550-unit tower. Some of the floor plans are also larger, with wider showers and more functional storage space with the taller ceilings.

Ivy Lofts will be on an 1.4-acre city block at 2604 Leeland Ave. in East Downtown, a transforming neighborhood close to Downtown, Midtown and the Texas Medical Center.

“This is our best plan to date,” said Jared Anthony, spokesman for Ivy Lofts. “We’re hoping this one sticks.”

Ivy Lofts will offer a variety of condo units, from a 400-square-foot efficiency to a 2,000-square-foot penthouse. There will be 10 two-story penthouse units on the top two floors. Condo prices will start from $159,900.