HOUSTON, TX (November 2022) – Please join the North Houston District in welcoming Robert Fiederlein as our Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure and congratulating longtime District leader Bart Baker in his transition to Chief Operating Officer.
RE-WELCOME ROBERT FIEDERLEIN
Robert Fiederlein is well-known and well-respected in the Houston development industry, and the North Houston District is proud to announce that he came on board as our Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure, effective August of 2022.
Robert has more than 20 years of experience in project management, public finance, and economic development. He has a keen business sense and deep knowledge of what it takes to implement successful projects. He looks at plans from every angle – environmental, financial, legal, contract and administrative. He has a heart for equitable housing and is a huge Houston sports fan, avid Texas history buff, kayaker, and half-marathon man!
In addition to finalizing ongoing District initiatives, Robert will focus on implementing recommendations from the 2020 Livable Centers Study and 2021 Public Art & Placemaking Report, as well as liaison on the METRO Boost Network, which will provide customer enhancements to high-frequency bus routes and improve multimodal transportation to and from North Houston District.
Does the name sound familiar? It might- because Robert worked for the District in 2016 and 2017. We’re thrilled to have him back and excited to share a few other staffing updates.
BART BAKER
Bart joined the District in 2003 as Manager of Urban Planning, focusing primarily on inter-governmental coordination in urban design, parks and trails, transportation, and long-range development and redevelopment initiatives. Over the years, he has worked to extend the District’s parks and trails system, expand the Clean and Green initiative, improve mobility, increase flood mitigation and facilitate capital improvement projects. Bart has represented the District on numerous boards and Property Owners’ Associations, including Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition and Alliance of North Houston Chambers of Commerce.
For several years Bart served as the District Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, including responsibilities for planning and infrastructure initiatives. While he excelled at carrying both significant duties, he was asked in May 2022 to focus on the EVP/COO role and lead the District’s financial and support services. He is responsible for strategic financial planning, manages the financial side of District projects, and oversees all day-to-day financial and administrative matters for the District.
ASDRUBAL “DRU” GUTIERREZ
Dru was promoted to Field Services Director in early 2022. His role recently expanded to include management of the District Parks and Recreation activities at North Houston Skatepark, Dylan Park, and the Rockstar Energy Bike Park. Congratulations on the expansion, Dru!
MORE ABOUT ROBERT F. FIEDERLEIN
Robert Fiederlein has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from UT Austin and a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health from the UT Health Science Center in Houston. Robert’s vast experience includes serving on the Board of Directors for Avenue CDC, one of Houston’s largest 501©3 nonprofits dedicated to building affordable homes, and then joining the staff as Senior Director of Real Estate. He also worked in the City of Houston’s Finance and Administration Department, where he worked on TIRZ management and economic development. He has held leadership roles at three Houston-area management districts, including Memorial City District, East End District, North Houston District.
“There’s a common thread woven through all my various positions,” he explained. “Projects. I have been working on projects my whole professional life. One type of project has led to another type, and I gravitated toward the financial and legal aspects of getting projects accomplished.”
Immediately before rejoining North Houston District, Fiederlein served as Chief Financial Officer for Urban Partnerships Community Development Corp and spearheaded the completion of the East End Maker Hub, a $37 million, 300,000-square-foot maker space that opened in early 2021. The Maker Hub is expected to create more than 400 new jobs for local manufacturers, artisans, makers, and innovators. The project ensures equitable access to affordable workspace for production-based businesses.
PREVIOUSLY AT NORTH HOUSTON DISTRICT
In 2016 and 2017, Robert served as the District’s Vice President of Strategic Planning. It was an economic development focus, working to bring new projects to the District. During that time, Robert executed an incentive for Amazon, which resulted in construction of an 855,000-square-foot Amazon Fulfillment Center at Pinto Business Park, and focused on the five commercial buildings that now make up CityNorth.
WHAT’S NEXT
Robert is focused on furthering many of the projects started by Bart Baker, such as the Gateway Improvement Project, which is adding branded monument signs and landscaping at the major entrances along primary District thoroughfares.
“We will continue advocating for projects that benefit people who live and work in the District,” he said. “We will concentrate on developing new public-private partnerships and implement projects from the Livable Centers Study.
Robert said the Livable Centers Study provides a planning roadmap and strong vision for next five, 10 and 15 years.
“The District has some capacity to implement projects,” he said,” but the long-term changes we want to see require partnerships. We’re going to spend a lot of time improving existing partnerships and developing new ones. There are opportunities to build relationships with businesses coming to the area.”
As the needs of our community ebb and flow, the North Houston District will stay committed to our mission of attracting the best in commercial and residential life to our appealing, safe, accessible, and green activity center.
Robert will help further our mission of keeping the area appealing, safe, accessible, and green so that investors want to invest here, businesses want to locate here, employees want to work here, and people want to live here.
About the North Houston District
Created in 1991 by the Texas Legislature, the North Houston District is a business improvement district that leverages public and private partnerships to provide enhanced services in transportation mobility, public safety, beautification and recreational development, marketing and strategic planning and development. Minutes from Bush IAH, the District’s 12-square-mile service area has 20 million square feet of office, retail and industrial properties. The District area includes more than 3,800 businesses, 68,000 employees and 118,500 residents. For more information, visit www.northhouston.org.
