Nearly 100 years after opening during segregation, Riverside Hospital — originally Houston Negro Hospital — is restored in Third Ward under a $200M Harris County revitalization.
Nearly a century after it first opened to serve Black patients barred from other hospitals, community leaders gathered Saturday in Third Ward to cut the ribbon on the renewed Riverside Hospital campus — marking a major milestone in honoring one of Houston’s most significant Black medical landmarks.
The ceremony at 3204 Ennis Street celebrated completion of the first phase of a $200 million revitalization led by Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis. The site — originally known as Houston Negro Hospital — will begin offering public health services in June.
Commissioner Rodney Ellis was joined by local and international leaders at the ceremony, including Leah Barton, executive director of Harris County Public Health; Dr. Milton Rahman of the Harris County Engineer’s Office; Ann B. Stern, president and CEO of Houston Endowment; and Consul General Sheikha Tamador Al Thani of the State of Qatar.
Dedicated in 1926 during segregation, the hospital was created to provide medical care to African Americans who were denied treatment elsewhere. Philanthropic support from prominent Houston oilman and attorney Joseph S. Cullinan, along with contributions from the community, helped make the institution possible. It later became the first nonprofit hospital in Houston dedicated to serving Black residents and added a nursing school in 1931 that trained generations of Black nurses.
For Ellis, the project is both personal and symbolic at a moment when institutions tied to Black history have faced political scrutiny and cultural debate nationwide.
“It’s important to me because I was born there,” Ellis said during remarks ahead of the ribbon cutting. “They are trying to not only erase, but rewrite our history. Preserving Riverside means preserving our legacy.”
County leaders said the revitalization was designed to safeguard the hospital’s historical identity while preparing it for modern public health use. Original architectural elements and historical markers remain intact throughout the 20,772-square-foot property. The original name tied to its early days remains visible on the building, even as it operates under the Riverside designation. The Hospital, Nursing School, and Utility Building continue to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The facility closed in 2015 after years of financial challenges. Harris County purchased the property in 2018 and began a phased redevelopment plan aimed at bringing health services back to Third Ward.
The revitalized site will provide essential Harris County Public Health services beginning in June, including vaccinations, immunizations, dental care and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. HCPH’s Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) program will be on site on dedicated days to assist residents experiencing physical and mental health challenges, housing instability, financial hardship, substance abuse and other social inequities.
The updated Nursing School building will serve as community meeting and training space, while the Utility Building will be available for indoor events and organizational use. A second phase of the project, projected for 2028–2029, includes construction of a new Harris County Public Health headquarters on the grounds.
The effort is supported by $9.6 million in grant funding — including $7.1 million from Houston Endowment, $2.5 million from the State of Qatar’s Harvey Fund, and $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — with Harris County Commissioners Court earmarking approximately $200 million overall for the transformation. Groundbreaking began Sept. 9, 2024.
Nearly 100 years after its founding, Riverside stands renewed — its history intact and its mission forward-facing — positioned once again to serve the community that built it.
