The Swift BLDG, a historic warehouse in the Heights that's being converted into a 60,000-square-foot neighborhood hub, just announced its first two restaurant tenants: San Antonio-based Merit Coffee and a location of Tex-Mex spot Escalante's.

They're expected to open in fall 2026, according to a news release. Radom Capital and Triten Real Estate Partners just broke ground on the building, located at 621 Waverly, this summer.

The project, a revamp of the old Swift and Co. refinery complex, will combine 30,000 square feet of office space with restaurants, cafes and wellness spots like a spa and fitness studio. With green spaces nearby, some of the patios, including Merit's, will overlook the Heights Hike and Bike Trail.

This will be Merit's first location in Houston, though the craft coffee chain had already spread to Austin and Dallas. The company sources coffee beans directly from farmers in Africa and Central and South America before roasting them in-house.

“We’re beyond excited to finally bring the Merit cafe experience to Houston,” Merit Coffee CEO Bill Ellis said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to create new community spaces where our guests can enjoy world-class coffee, thoughtfully designed environments, and genuine connection.”

Escalante's, meanwhile, already has seven restaurants in Houston. Its eighth will bring classics like queso blanco and margaritas to the Swift.

"It’s an honor to share Escalante’s heritage in a place that carries more than five decades of rich history itself,” John Iannucci, CEO of Escalante's parent company Mas Mex, said in the release.

Originally opened in 1917, the Swift and Co. refinery had first processed cottonseed oil before announcing it would become a massive meatpacking facility in the early 1950s. The building is now being developed by the same team behind the nearby M-K-T project, a similar mixed-use complex with green space, shopping, dining and corporate offices.