Ask Houstonist: A mosque on Allen Parkway?

Do you have any information or ability to dispute a rumor that a mosque is being built at the corner of Allen Parkway and Montrose? — Johnna

The site — on the east side of Montrose between Allen Parkway and West Dallas — won't be home to a mosque, per se, but rather an Ismaili center built by the Aga Khan Foundation. According to the Chronicle, the center will include lecture and conference facilities and space for recitals and exhibitions to "educate the public about Islam's heritage." There will also be a religious component, including a prayer hall and classrooms.

It's not clear yet what the structure will look like, but it will reportedly be similar to existing centers in London, Lisbon and Vancouver. Ismaili centers are, in general, pretty large complexes, and the 11.3 acres of land at Montrose and Allen Parkway should provide lots of room for the buildings and gardens expected to comprise the center.

You may remember that the land on which the center will sit used to hold a CenterPoint facility and the Robinson Public Warehouse, an Art Deco structure built in 1929 as Houston's first Sears store and demolished late last year (Off the Kuff has an excellent series of photos of the demolition — scroll though this page to find them). Though it was a shame to lose that building, which was cooler than most Houstonians realized, Greater Houston Preservation Alliance's David Bush told the Chronicle that the Ismaili center could end up being an architectural destination of its own. "Even though we regret losing a historic building, at least this time it may be replaced by some truly exceptional architecture," he said.

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Photo: flickr user cakuffner