Turning Houston’s Aging Properties into Million-Dollar Masterpieces

David W. Crow’s renovation-first approach captures a growing market of homeowners who want modern luxury without leaving their established neighborhoods

In Houston’s West University neighborhood, where median home prices hover near $2 million and properties sell in just eight days, David W. Crow has carved out a distinctive niche. As founder and president of Stonehenge Classic Homes, he transforms aging properties into modern showcases while preserving their architectural integrity.

“The core of my business is myself and my experience and my ability to be creative and see and have a vision for how I can reinvent,” says Crow, who established his company in 1995. His approach differs markedly from traditional builders who focus solely on new construction. Instead, Crow specializes in reimagining homes built 25 years ago or more, particularly in West University, where he has lived and worked for over two decades. “A lot of people coming to me now are buying houses that need to be reinvented for today’s looks and needs.”

The shift toward renovation reflects broader market dynamics. With mortgage rates remaining elevated and Houston’s luxury home market generating $5.7 billion in economic activity last year, many homeowners are choosing to renovate rather than relocate. Crow anticipated this trend.

“Many have realized that if they sell their house and buy a new house with the new interest rates, the math isn’t working. So, a lot of people are deciding to stay put and renovate,” he explains. His company, which generates between $10 million and $25 million in revenue annually, has positioned itself at the intersection of creativity and practicality, offering clients a path to modern luxury without leaving their established neighborhoods.

West University’s Transformation

West University’s evolution mirrors Houston’s broader luxury housing market, where changing demographics and property values drive renovation over new construction. The neighborhood, which has seen land values increase 95 percent over the past decade, attracts affluent buyers seeking larger properties in established areas.

“West University has a uniqueness of being its own city within the city of Houston,” Crow explains. “My feeling about West University is the property values have been pretty steady increasing even during the bad times. West U’s been pretty good.” The area’s resilience stems partly from an influx of high-income professionals relocating from other cities. “A lot of what’s going on in the world has caused an influx of higher income individuals moving to Houston and finding the West U market very appealing because of the proximity to downtown and the value of what you get here versus the cities they’re coming from.”

Yet West University presents specific challenges. “They want large lots, and West U’s negative is they don’t have a lot of large lots. They have large properties, but there’s 4,000-foot houses on 6,000-foot lots. So, there’s no yards on those type houses,” Crow notes. When buyers seek 10,000 square foot lots with privacy, empty parcels remain scarce. “When they’re looking to build new, they have the consideration of am I going to go backwards and tear down a house that has some value and start from scratch and lose that equity, or can I save the equity that might be in the good bones of the house and turn it into a new house without having to tear it down?”

Bridging Architecture, Design, and Construction

Crow’s hands-on approach sets Stonehenge Classic Homes apart in Houston’s competitive luxury market, where builders typically delegate design and interior decisions to outside professionals. His comprehensive service model addresses a critical gap in the renovation process.

“I’m able to provide a quick evaluation and a rough summary of what I think it might take to get there so they can make that decision to purchase the house,” Crow says about his pre-purchase consultations. “And then ultimately if they do end up purchasing the house, I most likely get hired to do that reinventing before they move in.” This front-end involvement eliminates the time-consuming process of coordinating multiple professionals before making an offer in West University’s fast-moving market.

His creative involvement runs throughout the project. “I like to be hands-on. I absorb the knowledge that I’ve learned from all the professionals I’ve worked with on all those levels, but I’ve always had an interest in interior design and architecture,” Crow explains. “I can definitely provide input, which I do most of the time. I work side by side with the owner and that architect to get to the design they want.”

This collaborative approach resonates with clients seeking personalized solutions. “Some of my clients decide they don’t want to use a decorator. They just want to do it themselves and work with me, and I try to fill that box too,” he notes. However, Crow acknowledges the trade-offs. “Some architects want to be the front man on the design, and decorators are the same. Those tend to not want to work with me because I can’t help myself. If my client is not liking what they’re recommending, I have to throw in my ideas.”

Building for the Modern Homeowner

As Houston’s remodeling market projects 4.6 percent growth for 2025, Crow balances traditional craftsmanship and modern technological demands. His approach illustrates a practical understanding of how contemporary homeowners actually use their spaces.

“The number one thing that every client wants is strong Wi-Fi, and a lot of my products will deflect the signal,” Crow acknowledges. “I use thicker materials or a heavier roof or a lot of steel windows that might not make the Wi-Fi great in the houses I build.” Rather than compromise on quality materials, he adapts. “I do have to put a lot of access points in the houses and do things to make sure the Wi-Fi goes through the house because I’m not doing thinner walls and thinner doors to make it easier for the signal to get around.”

Security concerns drive other technological decisions. “There’s a lot more clients that want easy access, meaning there’s a lot more hardware you can access with codes or fingerprints to get in and out of your house,” he notes. Yet Crow remains selective about automation. “I’m not big on lighting control. The only ones that I tend to get into a lot of hard wiring would be for security reasons with clientele that do a lot of things they don’t want to do on Wi-Fi.”

His pragmatic approach also covers construction technology itself. “If I can’t see a roof, I’ll fly a drone up to look for problems,” he says, quickly adding, “But no, I would say I’m not using drones for delivering materials or robots to build.” For Crow, technology serves the project, not the other way around.

From Empty Lots to Integrated Living Spaces

Recent projects showcase how Stonehenge Classic Homes transforms challenging properties into cohesive living environments. These renovations demonstrate Crow’s ability to see potential where others might see limitations.

“That was a house that another builder built probably 15 to 20 years ago,” Crow describes one standout project. “The people, when they bought the house, they bought an empty property on either side. They lived in a house that was on basically three lots.” The original structure failed to capitalize on the additional space. “Because the house wasn’t designed to have empty lots on either side, it didn’t really take advantage of the nice property they had.”

The transformation took patience and vision. “It was actually probably a 10-year process of this client meeting me 10 years before I started their project, considering adding on or selling it all and building somewhere else,” he recalls. The final design, created with Robert Dame of Dame Designs, revolutionized the property. “We designed an addition on the lot to the left that really reinvented the house and the garage and how the house opens up to the properties around it better.”

Another notable project addressed specialized lifestyle needs. “They bought the lot next door and we added a whole house that’s connected to the existing house because the lady teaches aerial yoga and she needed a yoga studio,” Crow explains. “She wanted it to be more like a retreat for her clients. So, there’s a pool and just a whole outdoor space. It’s kind of like a house that’s half yoga studio, half guest house.” These projects exemplify how renovation can achieve results impossible with standard new construction.

Military Values and Entrepreneurial Spirit

The philosophy driving Stonehenge Classic Homes traces back to Crow’s formative years under military influence. These early experiences shaped both his business approach and his decision to forge an independent path.

“My stepfather was a colonel in the army. I remember duty first. There were a lot of mottos, but duty first would be one that I’ve used a lot,” Crow reflects. “I was a Boy Scout, so being prepared is another one.” These principles permeate his business operations. “I know that I have to get the job done. I feel like my duty is to my clients first.”

His stepfather’s military discipline, though challenging at times, proved foundational. “I went through my teenage years with my military stepfather who I didn’t necessarily get along with because he was hard on me in a military way, but a lot of what he instilled in me I think helped me in my career.” Additional military influence came from family connections. “I also had in the mix my mother’s first cousin who was like a brother to her, and he was a three-star general in the army. So, I had that double army influence growing up.”

Yet Crow chose entrepreneurship over corporate structure, influenced by his father’s experience. “My father was more of a corporate lifetime guy, and he was passed over for a high management position and went into early retirement,” he explains. “I always felt like his corporate experience was kind of a ‘we used you up and spit you out into the real world’ later, so it inspired me to be more of an entrepreneur and not rely on a corporation.”

Picking Quality Over Quantity

While Houston’s luxury home market continues its robust growth, Crow deliberately constrains his company’s expansion, focusing instead on operational excellence and succession planning. His selective approach shows a mature understanding of sustainable business development.

“The advertising I might get through doing this interview and magazine publication with you and my website and signs on my jobs are really my only form of advertising,” Crow states. “I have enough influx of calls and potential jobs to not really go out and do much advertising.” His measured stance on growth remains firm. “There’s a limit to where I am in my career. Without being negative, I just am not looking to expand and do double the volume of what I’m doing. I would be a little nutsy if I did.”

Instead, Crow focuses on refining operations. “My main focus right now is working on my business being more efficient and more organized. I think technology has got us to where there’s a lot easier ways to be more efficient by utilizing the tools that are out there,” he explains. The goal is strategic delegation. “I’m trying to make the efficiency there so I’m less involved in the day-to-day running of the business that I am too involved in right now.”

Looking ahead, succession remains an open question. “I am the face of the business. I do play a lot of roles, and if I decided to retire, Stonehenge Classic Homes would need to reinvent themselves if I was not here,” Crow acknowledges. “There’s a chance I could bring in a second generation of family, or there’s the chance that I do end up taking all the ideas I’ve had to turn it into a business that somebody else could buy and run.”

For now, Stonehenge Classic Homes continues serving Houston’s evolving luxury market, where creativity and craftsmanship meet modern demands. In West University and beyond, Crow’s vision transforms yesterday’s homes into tomorrow’s treasures.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Stonehenge Classic Homes, Inc.

What: High-end residential builder specializing in renovations and custom homes, generating $10-25M in annual revenue

Where: Houston, Texas

Website: www.stonehengeclassichomes.com