Houston family celebrates multi-generational harmony in historic home

HOUSTON - There are so many things about this next story that are almost unheard of. Four siblings and their spouses living in one home harmoniously, on land purchased by their great-grandmother, a Black woman, in the 1800's.    

We first told you about it in 2017, and over the years, this may be the story I've been asked about most.

We caught up with Harvard graduate, Houston Consulting Executive and former Alvin Ailey Dancer Reggie Van Lee who built the house for himself and his sisters.

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The backstory:

The story behind this mansion is just about as stunning as the 20,000-square-foot home itself. 

"I built this house not just for my immediate family, but for my extended family, including friends," Reggie Van Lee explains.

Our initial story received millions of views. Why did it strike a chord with so many people?  

"It just awakened in people the recognition, that at the end of the day, all we really have is family and that too many people, Black people in particular, have given up family land," he says.

The master suite is on a separate side of the home. There you'll notice Reggie in pictures with Rosa Parks, President Bill Clinton, former first lady Michelle Obama, and one photo with Smokey Robinson in the home as a guest.

"When people saw my story, they said, you know we can do that. We should do that."

Reggie has lived at the family home with his three sisters, and one sister's husband since 2012.

"The house is large enough, so when you really want to be by yourself, you can. When you want to be with others, you can as well. Having dinners together, family dinners together. It's just amazing."

The home has every beautiful room you can think of, including a beauty salon and a helicopter landing pad where Reggie sometimes lands.      

"It's an hour-and-half drive from Intercontinental Airport out there, and it's a 35-minute helicopter ride. There's also a chapel because we are a religious family," he explained. "We use all the space. My 77-year-old sister, when she was 76, got married for a second time. She and her husband are both widowed. We held the wedding in the great room. 300 seated guests, and this past year, in May, during Memorial weekend, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of my great-grandmother purchasing that land. She bought the land in 1899."

What's next:

So what's going to ultimately happen with the land? This beautiful family is having a big meeting this weekend to talk about it.

"I want very much for this land and this house to stay in the family. In my will it says if no family member lives in the house, the house actually goes to the Texas Historical Society. It's not going to be a situation where Uncle Reggie dies, they sell everything, and split the money. Especially in these times where there are so many forces of evil against us as people and against people coming together in love as opposed to being divisive, I think families should be the ones to send that message of togetherness."