BCS MODERN /// VISION
Formed in 2010 as a response to a lack of any development in Downtown Bryan, BCS Modern is fully focused and dedicated in bringing the highest standard of development, design and construction to Bryan. Starting in 2012, we developed and constructed the first commercial development in 50 years in the abandoned county seat. After that - we developed 3 more properties and, finally, others began to join in on other projects. The rehabilitation of the urban center was in full gear and maintains today. We continue to prove our ability to develop in areas that were previously regarded as too risky while at the same time provide unparalleled quality in construction and design.
In addition to our dedication to developing in downtown Bryan, we feel the need to break traditional real estate development models. Integral to providing a development solutions is our need to incorporate art, sustainability and a higher expectation of design and architecture. Our developments are individually selected with great care in regard to the future buildings place on its site. Natural and human factors are at the core of our design expectations and each development must create a sense of place for the occupants and not merely be a response to the function of the building. We simply will not participate in the development of property for purely financial gains and do not chase rfps but instead analyze human need and seek benefits to “community prosperity equations” that typically produce higher returns for all involved.
Continued growth in Downtown is simply not possible without an influx of new residents possessing expendable income that live within a walkable proximity to Downtown. While we certainly believe that other components of growth are necessary, ie. tourism, expansion of industry/job creation and capital improvements to name a few; primary attention must be paid to populations already moving into the Brazos Valley and then showcase the Downtown area. Bryan has been losing valuable human equity to South College Station for years due to factors and influences that simply do not exist any longer in Bryan. It is time move the pendulum back in our direction.
As of today BCS Modern has completed the construction and development of $8 million of real estate in Downtown Bryan - with another $24M million in process with our development team and have purchased or locked in another four acres of vacant or underdeveloped land in the downtown area. Prior to the creation of BCS Modern our core employees have worked on over $1 billion worth of construction across the United States working in education, municipal, retail, multi-use and residential markets. We now wish to bring our expertise directly downtown to begin the cultivation of the next phase of Bryan’s history.
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Chris Lawrence, CEO
Mr. Lawrence co-founded BCSM and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer. BCSM offers planning, design, programming, procurement, and construction management services related to construction and urban development projects. Mr. Lawrence has been directly involved with the planning, management and construction of over $1 billion worth of architecture, development and construction and his most recent projects have been focused on the development of large-scale commercial and retail facilities across the United States. Prior to this Mr. Lawrence was involved in over 100 educational projects including long-term planning, campus construction and bond development with Huckabee, Inc.
Mr. Lawrence received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from Texas A&M University in 1996 and is a Registered Professional Architect in Texas, Illinois and Florida. Mr. Lawrence currently serves on the Historic Landmark Commission, the TIRZ 21 Board of Directors, the COB Design Review Board and Bryan Quiet Zone Committee and previously also served on the Community Development Advisory Committee, Save the Queen Committee, Downtown Bryan Association Board and the Executive Board of the American Institute of Architects in the Brazos Valley Chapter.
René Graham, President
A native of Texas, René Graham is a licensed architect and holds a Master in Architecture from Rice University. Before entering the world of product design and entrepreneurship founding Renzoe Box, Graham achieved significant and diverse experience in architectural practice and real estate development.
Graham is the founder of Renzoe Box, a beauty tech platform that utilizes data science & innovative packaging to solve for makeup customization & waste. She is the co-founder of LaurelHouse Studio, a boutique architecture practice and design studio based in Bryan, Texas. She is also the co-founder of BCS Modern, a real estate development company focused on design-driven community-based development in Downtown Bryan, Texas. Combined, LaurelHouse + BCSModern have designed/developed over $65m in property ranging from small scale residential renovations to multi-story mixed-use commercial facilities.
Graham has taught architecture, design & entrepreneurship at two major universities in Texas. She has received grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, has been featured on a national TV homes show, won the international Good Design Award®, finalist for SXSW 2020 Pitch, is a 2020 Tory Burch Fellow and 2021 Ladies Who Launch Fellow, and holds national & international patents and trademarks for Renzoe Box®. She has served as an invited design critic at Harvard University, SciArc, Syracuse University, Rice University, Texas Tech, Louisiana State, University of Texas, and Texas A&M University.
In addition to leading Renzoe Box, LaurelHouse Studio, and BCS Modern, Graham has served as Board Member of the Downtown Bryan Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to arts, culture & historic preservation of a small Texas downtown district. She has held advisory and committee roles for public & private organizations including the City of Bryan, Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, Leadership Brazos, Startup Aggieland, the Texas Bighorn Society, and the National Science Foundation.
Of all her roles Graham’s favorite has been serving as an educator at The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Considering herself a “design thinker across many scales,” it is at these institutions where she enjoys collaborating with students to help them succeed. In her spare time she enjoys attending the symphony, exploring new cities, hiking Town Lake in Austin, building wildlife guzzlers in the west Texas desert mountains, and snuggling with her nieces & nephew.
Graham is the founder of Renzoe Box, a beauty tech platform that utilizes data science & innovative packaging to solve for makeup customization & waste. She is the co-founder of LaurelHouse Studio, a boutique architecture practice and design studio based in Bryan, Texas. She is also the co-founder of BCS Modern, a real estate development company focused on design-driven community-based development in Downtown Bryan, Texas. Combined, LaurelHouse + BCSModern have designed/developed over $65m in property ranging from small scale residential renovations to multi-story mixed-use commercial facilities.
Graham has taught architecture, design & entrepreneurship at two major universities in Texas. She has received grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, has been featured on a national TV homes show, won the international Good Design Award®, finalist for SXSW 2020 Pitch, is a 2020 Tory Burch Fellow and 2021 Ladies Who Launch Fellow, and holds national & international patents and trademarks for Renzoe Box®. She has served as an invited design critic at Harvard University, SciArc, Syracuse University, Rice University, Texas Tech, Louisiana State, University of Texas, and Texas A&M University.
In addition to leading Renzoe Box, LaurelHouse Studio, and BCS Modern, Graham has served as Board Member of the Downtown Bryan Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to arts, culture & historic preservation of a small Texas downtown district. She has held advisory and committee roles for public & private organizations including the City of Bryan, Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, Leadership Brazos, Startup Aggieland, the Texas Bighorn Society, and the National Science Foundation.
Of all her roles Graham’s favorite has been serving as an educator at The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Considering herself a “design thinker across many scales,” it is at these institutions where she enjoys collaborating with students to help them succeed. In her spare time she enjoys attending the symphony, exploring new cities, hiking Town Lake in Austin, building wildlife guzzlers in the west Texas desert mountains, and snuggling with her nieces & nephew.
Robert Wood, Partner
A long-time resident of Bryan, TX, Mr. Wood was the founding partner of Nutrabolt, the manufacturers of Cellucor, a sports supplement company that has grown it into one of the most successful in the industry. Mr. Wood managed marketing, branding, and concept roll-out of all Cellucor products. His original product concepts and innovative product development made a brand product that has endured exceptional growth and loyalty, with sales reaching $100M+. Currently Mr. Wood is expanding his corporate portfolio to commercial real estate development, social media platforms, food service and a host of other platforms. A graduate of New York University and musician, Mr. Wood is an avid supporter of the arts and Downtown Bryan development.
All life is an experiment.
The more experiments you make, the better.
The more experiments you make, the better.
Ralph Waldo Emerson