The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has broken ground on a historic 1-million-square-foot agricultural complex known as The Farm.

The overview: Located roughly three miles south of Reliant Park, the $300 million project will not relocate the Rodeo or its major offerings from Reliant Park but will supplement existing operations year-round. The four-quadrant complex is slated to feature:

• An approximately 140,000-square-foot event and education center

• 900,000 square feet of air-conditioned space split between livestock and equine wings

• 800 horse stalls, 60 wash bays and more than 200 recreational vehicle hookups

The facility will host all horse show competitions, non-haltered cattle sales and various livestock shows. Meanwhile, junior market auctions, registered cattle sales, final judging, champion drives and fan-favorite traditions will remain at Reliant Park.

Looking ahead: With construction of The Farm’s livestock building now underway, HLSR officials estimate the entire project to be completed by March 2029 in time for that year’s Rodeo season, per the project’s website.

Einstein Bros. Bagels will bring a new bakery to Bellaire next year, according to a project filing by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

In a nutshell: The filing shows that the popular bagel chain will transform approximately 1,976 square feet next to the new Trader Joe's, which is currently in the construction phase.

The $350,000 renovation project is set to kick off construction in mid-January, with an anticipated completion date in May.

On the menu: Einstein Bros. Bagels is one of the largest fast-casual bagel franchises in the nation, according to its website. The bakery specializes in baked bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Coffee, tea and juice refreshers are also often available for purchase.

• 5130 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. 140, Bellaire

West University Place is informing residents about CenterPoint Energy’s tree management and vegetation practices, all while greenlighting assessments that will identify how much tree overgrowth exists citywide and the proper way to resolve it.

What happened: Joshua McGinty, service area manager for CenterPoint, broke down the utility company’s operations related to cutting down problematic vegetation in a Nov. 9 presentation.

McGinty said that CenterPoint utilizes light detection and ranging technology, or LiDAR, to analyze heavy vegetation areas. Prior to conducting any work, inspectors are charged with visiting the analyzed sites to verify the accuracy of the mapped land surface.

Crew members are trained to directionally prune overgrown tree limbs, which is in line with industry standards and is intended to “train” trees to grow away from power lines, officials said.

A closer look: West U officials also discussed at length the possibility of a one-time tree trimming program being created. This program would address trees whose branches surround streetlights, affecting the illumination of streets and sidewalks.

Houston officials approved a handful of properties in District C as protected landmarks.

What happened: The properties, which are all houses, will now be protected from demolition. They will also be eligible for a historic tax exemption and reduced parking requirements.

“This is really pertinent right now after what happened with the Kirby Mansion,” Panzarella said. “I want to commend the individuals who came forward and registered their houses.”

The approved properties include:

• Irene and George Robinson House — 2322 Dunstan Road

• Myrle and Vernon Williams House — 2107 Tangley St.

• Ince-Crain House — 1914 Dunstan Road

• Helen and Jesse O. Webb House — 2232 Dunstan Road

• Myer-Jones House — 2232 Tangley St.

• Mae and John Wallace Donaldson House — 2306 Tangley St.

Some background: The Kirby Mansion, located at 2000 Smith St., was built in 1894 and was remodeled in 1926, according to Preservation Houston. In late October, the new owners began demolishing the house without a permit, the organization said.

Half of the building was torn down before the city issued a stop-work order.

The Texas A&M University Space Institute will be celebrating its grand opening in mid-November, officials said.

What you need to know: The new facility serves as a hub for collaboration among researchers, industry leaders and government agencies working to solve challenges in space exploration while developing the workforce and technologies needed for future missions, officials said.

The cost: The project cost $200 million, which was paid for through the state’s Texas Space Commission, which was passed in the 88th Texas Legislature and allotted $350 million for space programs in Texas, including $200 million for the institute, according to documents from the university.

📍17475 Saturn Lane, Houston