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Planning Commission denies variance for 40‑room hotel proposed next to Xavier Academy on Hillcroft
Summary
After a day of testimony both for and against, the Houston Planning Commission voted to deny a variance that would have allowed a 40‑room hotel within 750 feet of a school, citing community concern for student safety despite developer assurances and letters of support from several local entities.
The Houston Planning Commission on Sept. 4 denied a variance request to allow a 40‑room hotel at 6200 Hillcroft to be sited within 750 feet of Xavier Academy, a school located adjacent to the proposed hotel site.
The applicant sought a waiver of a zoning‑adjacency rule that restricts small motels from locating close to schools and certain protected uses. Planning staff recommended denying the variance, and the commission voted to sustain that recommendation.
Why it matters: the proposed redevelopment, as presented by the applicant’s representatives, would replace two aging office buildings with a mixed‑use commercial project that includes a fuel/convenience use, car wash, retail and a 40‑room hotel. The developer said the full mixed‑use project is financially dependent on the hotel component; neighbors, school leaders and youth‑service organizations urged the commission to protect students from potential harms associated with small motels near schools.
Applicant presentation and supporters: Chris Brown of EHRA Engineering described the site as part of a 4.5‑acre mixed‑use redevelopment and said the applicant had studied and replicated a model used successfully at a Fountain View site. "This is the kind of site that you see painted orange and turned into storage units these days. So they're not viable as a reused commercial site," Brown said, describing the applicant’s intention to clean up and reactivate the property.
Co‑owner Nabil Ali said the family company would invest roughly $15 million in the overall project and predicted job creation and increased tax revenue. He also cited the Fountain View example and said the developer operates and manages multiple hotels with on‑site security, camera systems and strict check‑in policies. "Since opening, HPD's Lexus Nexus database confirms that we've had 0 police related incidents on our property," Ali said of the other location.
Opposition and community concerns: Richard Della Quadra, founding principal of Xavier Academy, opposed the variance and said the proximity of a motel to classrooms and therapy offices poses unacceptable risks for students. "My kids need your protection," Della Quadra said, asking the commission to deny the request. Marvin Pierre, executive director of 8,000,000 Stories, and neighborhood residents also urged denial and delivered petition signatures opposing the hotel.
Staff and other stakeholders: Planning staff recommended denial after assessing proximity to protected uses and the information provided by the applicant. The commission packet included letters of support from the council member’s office, the Southwest Management District, Golfton Management District and TERS; Xavier Academy told the commission it remained opposed.
Commission action: Commissioner Baldwin moved to disapprove the variance; the motion was seconded (record shows a second was noted as "colleague"). The motion passed. Two commissioners — Tahir and Jones — were recorded as opposing the motion.
What the vote means: denial of the variance prevents construction of a 40‑room hotel on the proposed portion of the site under the requested adjacency waiver. The broader mixed‑use concept may still be pursued in other forms, but the hotel as proposed cannot proceed under the variance requested on Sept. 4. The applicant and supporters reiterated that the project’s economics rely on the full mix of uses, and said they would consider next steps following the commission’s decision.
