Ribbon Cutting Celebrates Opening of Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Community for Veterans and First Responders
(HOUSTON – Sept. 17, 2025) The Tunnel to Towers Foundation marked a major milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Phase II of its Veterans Village in Houston, a redevelopment of a former 161-room hotel. The new phase adds 14 fully furnished Comfort Homes, which officially opened August 13.
Each 500-square-foot Comfort Home includes a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living area, giving senior veterans privacy and comfort while keeping them close to on-site support services in the main village. These services include health care, counseling, job training and case management.
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) provided site civil design services for the project. Burrer Engineering delivered electrical engineering, and the architectural partnership included work with Gensler.
The Veterans Village is designed to provide safe, stable housing for homeless veterans. The homes are equipped with smart technology to promote independence and improve quality of life. Housing assistance and support services also help residents transition successfully.
“This project demonstrates the power of thoughtful design and collaboration in addressing some of our community’s most pressing challenges,” said Eddie Streich, PE, senior associate and practice leader at LAN. “By transforming a former hotel into a supportive, accessible environment, we are helping to provide stability and dignity for those who have given so much.”
The Houston Veterans Village, part of Tunnel to Towers’ nationwide Homeless Veteran Program, has already served more than 130 veterans and provides both permanent and transitional housing along with services such as mental health care, case management and job readiness training. Nationwide, the program has supported more than 10,000 veterans.
