Star Engraving Company Building
historic place
The Star Engraving Company Building, a historic place in Harris County, Houston, was erected in 1930. Designed in the Spanish Mediterranean style by architect R.B. Steele, the building sits at 3201 Allen Parkway, overlooking Buffalo Bayou. The Star Engraving Company, incorporated in Houston in 1911, used this facility to manufacture high school class rings, engraved diplomas, and graduation announcements for nearly half a century. The company's trade territory encompassed 16 Southern states. The Star Engraving Company occupied the building until 1965. In the mid-1980s, the building was rehabilitated and repurposed as a cultural center and office space. The City of Houston purchased the building in 1992 to preserve it as a cultural arts center. It has since housed various arts groups, including Stages Repertory Theater. The Star Engraving Company Building was designated a local historic landmark in 1986 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. It was further designated a City of Houston Landmark in 2010. This building is significant for its architecture and its role in Houston's commercial and cultural history.