A former unfinished penthouse tied to the family of Houston billionaire Bob McNair—the late founding owner of the Houston Texans—is back in the spotlight, this time asking $11 million after being completely rebuilt from a raw concrete shell into a full-blown sky residence.
Now known as The Penthouse at The Belfiore, the nearly 9,000-square-foot duplex stretches across the top two floors of one of Houston’s most exclusive high-rises—just 45 residences in total—positioning it firmly in “once-in-a-generation opportunity” territory, according to the listing.
The home also carries a small but notable link to Texans history: developers say a commemorative plaque inside the residence references McNair’s legacy and is reportedly signed by former Texans star J.J. Watt.
Developers Jeffrey Fawaz and Mike Elaridi of Fratelli Companies, say the discovery itself came almost by chance, thanks to a longtime building engineer who has been on-site since the tower was built. “He’s the one who told us to go check on this column—that’s how we found it,” one of the team noted, describing how the hidden structural detail (and the penthouse’s potential) first came to light.
Fawaz and Elaridi, working in collaboration with Ghandi Saad and Salim Obeid of RSG Development Group, acquired the top unit at The Belfiore from the McNair family roughly a year ago. When they bought it, the space was still an unfinished shell—exactly as it had been when McNair originally purchased it from the developer in 2016.
“It took us five years to get to it,” Fawaz said, explaining that the team first identified the unit’s potential around 2020. At the time, however, the numbers didn’t work, and the penthouse remained untouched for several more years before finally coming back into play at a lower price point.
The developers described the firm’s broader approach to the project, adding, “We try to bring in influences from Europe or mountain towns and create something that feels different from what’s already in Houston.”
Bob McNair, who brought the Texans to Houston in 2002 and helped anchor the city’s return to the NFL after the Oilers era, originally envisioned the scale of the space when he purchased it more than a decade ago. That original floor plan still anchors much of the layout today.
Now fully transformed, the 8,689-square-foot residence includes five bedrooms—among them two primary suites—and unfolds as a dramatic, glass-filled home in the sky. A sweeping curved staircase acts as a centerpiece, connecting expansive living areas framed by 11-foot ceilings and terraces with wide-open views across Houston in multiple directions.
“There’s nothing like this in Houston right now,” said listing agent Justin Dugat of Douglas Elliman, who shares the listing with Misty Meredith, also at Douglas Elliman.
Finishes lean heavily into high-end craftsmanship: Venetian plaster walls, imported marble, custom millwork, layered lighting, and herringbone white oak floors throughout. The listing also highlights a 680-square-foot dressing room, media room, office, wet bar, massage room, wine cellar, and private elevator vestibule, along with full smart-home automation and a chef-grade kitchen with La Cornue and Gaggenau appliances.
Developers say the penthouse fits a growing wave of buyers looking to trade traditional estates for high-rise living. “A lot of people want the security and the privacy of being in a high-rise… they’re empty nesters and it’s just too much exposure for them to be in a house,” Fawaz said, adding that many residents are coming from River Oaks and Tanglewood in search of a more private, lock-and-leave lifestyle in the sky.
