Construction of a more than 5,000-square-foot performance stage in Houston’s Emancipation Park is now complete, according to a June 18 news release from the Emancipation Park Conservancy.

The completed stage is just one part of the EPC’s mission to maintain the park’s legacy as a historic landmark in the city of Houston, as well as enhance its role as a communal space where the general public can gather for special events, fine arts and cultural performances and other recreational opportunities, EPC officials said.

A closer look: Some features to be expected of the new state-of-the-art platform include an outdoor performance stage for artists and spectators to enjoy, green room facilities, climate-controlled storage and an audio-visual technology room.

The funding source: The stage’s construction was funded by the Kinder Foundation—an organization dedicated to supporting visionary projects in Greater Houston through grants—with additional oversight being given from the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

Kinokuniya Books, a bookstore that specializes in Japanese literature and stationery, will open its second Houston-area location in Rice Village in the fall.

What they offer: Kinokuniya offers a wide variety of books, magazines, and stationery from Japan, including manga, graphic novels, art and design books, cookbooks, travel books and children's books. Books are available in both English and Japanese.

More details: Currently, there is one Kinokuniya location in the Houston area, which is located in Katy.

"Kinokuniya typically has just one store per city, but the Katy location is doing particularly well, so they wanted another one," Heather Nguyen, managing director and executive vice president of Houston-based NewQuest, said.

According to NewQuest, the deal was made in an off-market leasing coup after a vacancy at Rice Village. The 5,582-square-foot location was formerly Village Fitness.

Kinokuniya is one of Japan's oldest retailers and will turn 100 next year.

• 2369 Rice Blvd., Houston

The Houston-Galveston Area Council has named Ron Papsdorf as its new executive director, officials announced in a June 16 news release. Papsdorf, who is currently serving as H-GAC’s chief transportation officer, will replace Chuck Wemple, who is retiring after eight years.

Diving in: In his current role, Papsdorf oversees transportation across the region and assists local governments in collaborating on transportation projects, per the release. Papsdorf previously served as a division director at the Denver Regional Council of Governments, where he led the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

“I am honored to be chosen by the H-GAC board to serve the region in this new role,” Papsdorf said in the release. “Our region is growing and changing rapidly, and I am eager to work with the board, our staff, our communities and our partners to make us the best region in the country to live, work and do business.”

Looking ahead: Papsdorf will begin his role as executive director July 13, per the release.

The May Housing Market Update from the Houston Association of Realtors reports pending single-family home sales in the Greater Houston area are at their highest point since May 2022.

However, there has been a slight decline in closings and total sales since last May, data shows.

By the numbers: Single-family home sales fell by 3.2%, with 8,631 homes sold in May compared to the 8,915 sold last May. Meanwhile, home prices grew 0.4%, bringing the median price to $340,000.

Total property sales across the Houston area fell by 3.1% with 10,088 properties sold, and the number of active property listings rose by 0.7%, equaling 57,592.

What the experts say: “The increase in contract activity tells us prospective buyers remain confident in our local housing market,” HAR Chair Theresa Hill said. “People are continuing to make moves for life reasons, and many are finding that today's market offers more flexibility and more choices than we've seen in recent years.”