The Ion District, Ion Innovation District, or Rice Innovation District is a technology park and innovation district in Midtown Houston which was established as a joint initiative between Rice University and the City of Houston. It has also been called the South Main Innovation District. The district's central hub and first building is the Ion, which opened in 2021 after owner Rice Management Company (RMC) converted it from a former Sears store. The building houses coworking and office spaces, business incubators and accelerators, classrooms, a prototyping lab, investor studio, and restaurants. Current tenants include Chevron Technology Ventures and Microsoft. The district also includes Greentown Labs Houston, a business incubator focused on climate technology and sustainable energy, and a large outdoor plaza. RMC, a division of Rice University, is leading development of the project. Some community members, concerned about the potential gentrification of the nearby Third Ward, a predominantly African-American community, have expressed a range of concerns about the project. Description The Ion District is a innovation district in Midtown, Houston. The district is anchored by the Ion, which serves as a central "hub for startups, corporations, venture capitalists, business accelerator programs, academics and others", according to the Houston Chronicle. The district's Greentown Labs Houston is the largest climate technology and sustainable energy incubator in North America, housed in a building that previously housed a now-defunct supermarket. A large plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations is adjacent to the Ion building. The developer also has plans to build a parking garage and a greenway for pedestrians and bicyclists. Ion building The Ion is a , six-level building on Main Street in what was formerly a four-story Sears department store built in 1939 and closed in 2018. The $100 million renovation project, which began in 2019 and was completed in 2021, expanded the building to include two additional floors and involved removing aluminum sheeting, restoring Art Deco architectural stylings, adding additional windows, and constructing a lightwell. The building has coworking and office spaces, business incubators and accelerators, classrooms, a prototyping lab, investor studio, and restaurants. The building's Forum Stairs event area includes seating for up to 250 people. Tenants include Chevron Technology Ventures, Microsoft, and the coworking company Common Desk. TXRX Labs operates the 6,500 square foot Ion Prototyping Lab (IPL), which provides equipment, engineering and technical support, and training to member entrepreneurs and startups. Equipment includes 3D printers, laser cutters,