Neuhaus, Hugo V., Jr. House
Why it's listed
Completed in 1950 on Lazy Lane in Houston's River Oaks neighborhood, this one-story house was designed by architect Hugo V. Neuhaus, Jr. for his own family. Its flat roof, steel frame, smudge-faced brick and walls of plate glass create a transparent pavilion built on an H-shaped plan around garden courtyards. A three-level terrazzo patio and a pool set between the living and dining rooms connect the interior to the landscaped two-acre site, planted under a plan by C. C. Pat Fleming. A small bath house, now a guest house, repeats the main house's design. The nomination describes it as the first building in Texas to show the influence of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, and it received a local American Institute of Architects award in 1951. Alterations in 1957, 1985-86 and the 2000s are mostly hidden, and the property is listed for architecture and landscape architecture at the state level.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house was the first building in Texas to reflect the influence of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, and is one of the most outstanding examples of Miesian domestic architecture in the state. It is also an outstanding work of Neuhaus and his firm Cowell and Neuhaus. Under Landscape Architecture, it is an early example of modernist garden design in Texas, with the site developed by C. C. Pat Fleming.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05000246, listed March 30, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2910 Lazy Ln., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | March 30, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000246 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1950 |
| Architect / builder | Cowell and Neuhaus (architect), C. C. Fleming (landscape architect), Kaiser-Oakes Construction Company (general contractor) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: International Style |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a single-dwelling house with a guest house (the former bath house) and gardens; altered in 1957, 1985-86 and after 2003 but retaining a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 29.75798, -95.41702 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05000246.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107317812
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.