Hidden Houston: South Main Street

Everyday, Houstonians make busy tracks through their neighborhoods, often passing right by buildings that house the city’s economic and creative life. Join us to explore two examples on South Main Street. For over 80 years Brochsteins has manufactured custom architectural millwork and furniture for a wide array of commercial clients in this 1930s-era facility comprising 130,000 square feet. Hear about the history of this family-owned business from Deborah Brochstein, third-generation CEO and owner of Brochsteins, and tour the manufacturing floor to understand the marriage of old-world craftsmanship and modern technology. The Rice University Library Service Center, housed in the green warehouse nearby, opened in 2004 to provide the library with off-site storage for low-use and rare materials. The center holds over one million items in a very large vault maintained at a temperature of 50 degrees and 30 percent relative humidity, which extends the life of print materials by about 275 years. James Springer, Manager of the Library Service Center, will tell us about the center’s holdings and guide us on a tour of the facility.