Vigil mourns partial demolition of Houston’s Kirby Mansion

The gathering took place outside the Midtown mansion on November 1, 2026, in the evening, two days after demolition crews removed part of the building. Historian Mister McKinney organized the vigil, which brought together neighbors, preservation supporters and descendants of lumber businessman John Henry Kirby, who bought the house in 1896. It was extensively remodeled in 1926 into a 36-room Tudor Revival mansion.

Houston inspectors halted demolition on October 30, saying the crew lacked the required permit. The city posted a stop-work notice and cited property owner Iqbal Kaskar. The city said approval of plumbing corrections was still needed before a demolition permit could be issued. Neighbor Jason Fuller said he later learned a demolition permit was issued Friday afternoon; the city’s earlier information predated that change.

Preservation Houston said about half the building had been removed before the inspector arrived. The group said it had sought discussions with the owner about reusing the property and documenting or salvaging architectural features, but received no response. The city has stated the mansion does not hold status as a protected Houston landmark.

McKinney said he hopes to work with the owner to preserve the remaining structure and turn concern over the mansion into wider involvement in historic preservation. He said development and preservation could happen together. The property owner had not responded to a request for comment by then.