Civic Heart Community Services relocated its headquarters this month to One Emancipation Center at 3131 Emancipation Ave. in Houston’s Third Ward. The 34-year-old organization, the largest Black-founded nonprofit organization in the Gulf Coast region. The organization was formerly known as Change Happens!

Civic Heart outgrew its previous location on Elgin Street, home to the organization for the past 18 years. The new 10-year lease for 13K SF allows Civic Heart to remain in the historic Third Ward, while adding space to accommodate its growing number of programs and services.

The new office space provides additional meeting rooms to host community groups and projects. The expanded technology center will provide resources for area residents to learn, apply for jobs, complete résumés or apply for health insurance. It also allows students without access to computers or internet at home to use technology to study, do homework and get tutoring on-site.

John Guess III, president of The Guess Group, represented Civic Heart in the lease transaction. Vergel Gay & Associates provided project management services and assisted throughout the lease, build-out and move-in process.