Society / The Seen

Houston’s New Stunning Rooftop Garden With Striking City Views Shown Off: Record $8 Million Gift From BBVA Sets a New Glassell Stage

BY // 05.22.18
photography Jenny Antill Clifton, Wilson Parish

Sandwiched between an intimate dinner for donors last Monday and the grand public opening of the Glassell School of Art on Sunday, BBVA Compass hosted a chichi cocktail party, introducing the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s newest structure to clients, museum guests and the consular corps.

More than 500 toured the striking new building, strolled through the Brown Foundation Inc. Plaza, many getting their first look Anish Kapoor‘s “Cloud Column,” and were welcomed to the BBVA Compass Roof Garden where official remarks were made. Visitors arrived via the steps of the Roof Garden slope, via the indoor stairways and by elevator, coming together on the rooftop which allows 360-degree views of the city.

Among those greeting guests were Mark Montgomery, BBVA Compass Houston Market CEO; and Rey Ocañas, president of the BBVA Compass Foundation and director of Corporate Responsibility and Reputation; and Donette Stubblefield, Houston Market Global Wealth executive.

BBVA Compass contributed $8 million dollars to the project, the largest corporate campaign gift in the history of MFAH. It is also the holding company’s largest charitable gift in Houston.

“Houston is the hometown for our holding company BBVA Compass. Our CEO lives here,” Ocañas tells PaperCity, adding, “We believe it’s a great anchor investment for us and especially because we’re hopeful that Houston continues to innovate and to find that creativity to keep it growing. . . Because we are also a technology company, innovation and creativity are important to us. It’s at the centerpiece of what we need to do as well. So, it’s inspiring future artists that is part of our mission.”

In a generous spirit of hospitality, BBVA Compass arranged for cocktail bars on several levels and tapped City Kitchen to provide a wealth of party foods that ran the gamut from Indonesian beef satay to Moroccan chicken tagine, from bacon-wrapped quail to grilled chicken Banh Mi sandwiches, the menu reflecting the diverse cultures that color the city.

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