[flatline]

[WestGrayGuy]

I really think this will be a good development. I, for one, am excited about it. The area now is a wasteland.

[Talbot]

It's about time a box store developer goes pedestrian friendly. Although target is pretty good with suggestions. Unlike a Wal-Mart..

[Htowngirl]

From HBJ:

Developer assembles 12 separate tracts for new retail center
Jennifer Dawson
Houston Business Journal
Property Commerce closed on a dozen separate land purchase transactions on Oct. 29 to piece together a 24-acre retail center site just outside of downtown Houston.

Sawyer Heights Village will occupy mostly former industrial land on the south side of Interstate 10, east of Studemont and just west of Taylor/Sawyer.

A Target store will anchor the lifestyle center, which has space for several other retailers such as banks, restaurants and apparel stores.

Chad Moss, a broker with Property Commerce, says Sawyer Heights Village is a significant deal, even for the prolific Houston-based retail developer, which handles all of the Target and Home Depot developments in the area.

"This will be one of the highest profile deals we've ever developed in our 28-year history," Moss says.

The company had a party this week at Pappas Steakhouse for the 50 or so people who worked on the complicated deal.

Construction is expected to begin on Sawyer Heights Village in early 2005 and begin opening in 2006.

Property Commerce was represented by Moss on most of the recent land transactions.

Jose Porth of International Realty Group assisted the developer in buying some residential properties that will be razed for the project. None of the 12 individual landowners used a broker on their deals, Moss says.

A large chunk of the property was acquired from the Verandah Cos., which two years ago bought the land to build an upscale multifamily complex. Verandah cleared the site where Bowen Tool Co. used to operate before scrapping residential development plans altogether.


Terms of the land transactions were not disclosed.


"The land's very expensive there," Moss says. "It's 'inside the Loop' prices."

Target bought its own land in connection with Property Commerce's acquisitions two weeks ago. While the national retailer will own the land, Property Commerce expects to ground lease to other tenants that will construct their own buildings.

"We've had tremendous interest from sit-down restaurants," Moss says. "We've had great interest from many national retailers. Banks are going nuts on this site."

The property is situated near quite a bit of new residential development, including high-density homes around downtown, Midtown and The Heights.

Moss says it was a feat to put together this much land for a close-in retail project. In fact, it could have been a larger project if the developer had been able to buy a few random pieces of land that the development will now have to snake around.

"You can't assemble 24 acres inside the Loop," Moss says. "It doesn't exist."

Sawyer Heights Village will be an urban shopping center, similar in style to Highland Village and Town & Country Villages, Moss says. The developer is turning Taylor/Sawyer into a heavily landscaped boulevard with brick roadways, and has designs to make the entire project pedestrian-friendly, Moss says.

The project also will be a little more driver-friendly after some work is done by the Texas Department of Transportation.

I-10 does not have a south side service road linking Studemont to Taylor. However, the road has been planned and is expected to begin construction by early 2008, Moss says.

[NYC Texan2]

This is a great addition to the neighborhood and should support the continued growth of the Heights, the Washington corridor and downtown. The Washington corridor, in particular, could lose some of its urban wasteland feel through the addition of the retail in this development. I have yet to hear anything convincing about the design of the center, but at least they are saying the right things. I really like that Target has already bought the land, which indicates very serious interest on their end.

On the other hand, I really hate the idea of extending the service road. Why do we have to have service roads, anyway? This city is absolutely obsessed with them in a way that no other city I know of is, and I liked living in an area without it.

[dbigtex56]

Htowngirl, on Monday, November 15th, 2004 @ 2:32pm, said:

From HBJ:

Jose Porth of International Realty Group assisted the developer in buying some residential properties that will be razed for the project.

This being a very old part of Houston, it seems likely that a least a few of these houses would contribute to the 6th Ward or some of the older parts of the Heights as infill. Perhaps they could be moved rather than demolished.

[jookyhc]

flatline, on Friday, October 15th, 2004 @ 12:28pm, said:

From the Woodland Heights Assn. Website www.woodland-heights.org:
Construction is scheduled to commence approximately in March 2005.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyone heard anything new about this Target?

I'm going to be priced out of the neighborhood by the time the ribbon gets cut.

[kjb434]

This is great. I won't have to go to the Target at San Felipe and I-610 anymore.

[rps324]

dbigtex56, on Wednesday, November 17th, 2004 @ 8:53pm, said:

This being a very old part of Houston, it seems likely that a least a few of these houses would contribute to the 6th Ward or some of the older parts of the Heights as infill. Perhaps they could be moved rather than demolished.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not sure of the boundaries, but I don't think there are any houses over where they are putting this, just warehouses.

[Rehan]

Does anyone have a map of the boundaries for this project?
I'm familiar with the area, but I just wanted to know which buildings are going to be demolished.

[kjb434]

A section of the buildings are alread cleared. A few more need to go. I need to pass by this weekend and look.

[UrbaNerd]

Here is the site plan, if anyone wanted it:

[KinkaidAlum]

Another crap project.

How in the hell did this project get so much surface parking approved right next to the bayou?

[Subdude]

I really hate these big "lifestyle centers" with stores scattered over acres of parking. It really discourages walking between stores. You see people get in their car and drive to the other end of the parking lot to go to another store or Applebees or whatnot.

[dalparadise]

Subdude, on Saturday, April 23rd, 2005 @ 12:33pm, said:

I really hate these big "lifestyle centers" with stores scattered over acres of parking.  It really discourages walking between stores.  You see people get in their car and drive to the other end of the parking lot to go to another store or Applebees or whatnot.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Although this was called a "lifestyle center" by the reporter, it looks more like a "power center" to me. The Lifestyle center that really looks interesting to me is the proposed Parks at Boulder Creek in Pearland. The "lifestyle" here calls for a pedestrian environment, townhomes on the property, two midrise office buildings, a waterway and retailers such as Williams-Sonoma, Virgin, Banana Republic, etc. It's sort of a mini-Woodlands Town Center/Market Street, by my estimation. That's closer to the lifestyle center idea, at least as I understand it.

Also, the parking for Parks at Boulder Creek seems to be garages or back-of-the-property stuff -- not on the Pearland Parkway -- cool. I'm sorry I don't have any drawings or links. I've only seen drawings in trade magazines. One caveat -- It's a Jefco development -- they of the Portofino Center in Conroe. Let's hope they use the same sense of grandeur, but a heightened sense of style in the Pearland development.

[kjb434]

Actually, that is a lot less parking that I would envision for a development of that size.

It's probably the bare minimum. Also, the city will require the planting of trees throughout the project like the Kroger on Buffalo Speedway and US 59.

Some of those trees were existing, but many or new as required by the city for new developments with large parking areas.

[GovernorAggie]

Well, I was under the impression from those who drink the Target-is-much-better-than-Walmart-for-urban-development Kool-Aid that this project would have a much better design. It's not much different than the Target development near 290/Barker Cypress.

With that said, they must be planning on several restaurants and big-time retailers with the lay-out of the parking.

[kjb434]

Good point GovernorAggie. Where is that pro-urban Target attitude that people talk about. Wal-Mart had build facilities just like the above. The good thing is that I would rather go to this Target than the one on San Felipe by the West Loop that I go to.

[kjb434]

Also, I looked at the aerial photo for the site. It seems they are keeping most of the site in tacked as for as the platting goes. Other than the one road they are going to have abandoned.

True the site plan is not in a generall pro-urban concept, but it seems no neighborhood jumped in to voice their opinions. Also, the placing of a typical commercial site on abandoned warehouses is better than nothing at all.

[BrentO]

Here's the Google Maps satellite photo of the site, and it corresponds to the site plans. Helpful for those of us who aren't so familiar with the specific warehouses:

Google Satellite Map

[BrentO]

Professional Hornblower, on Tuesday, April 26th, 2005 @ 4:31pm, said:

They could do a mixed-use project- perhaps a loft above the "electronics department", a law office above the "planted pots", or a penthouse suite above the entry canopy.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, this is Houston - think more along the lines of a strip club above the lingerie department.

[HeightsGuy]

I am one of the target lovers that looks at this plat and says "why?", but they haven't come close to breaking ground, a lot can change in the eventual design between now and then even if the big pieces are set. One thing is for sure though, there is a lot more land around this site that could potentially be flipped from light industrial to other uses.

I predict a lot of activity in that area over the next 10 years, and I think it could become the natural choice for a concentrated retail center ala Rice Village. Before you laugh me off take a look at demographic shift in the general area: Heights has always been there and has starved for this for a long time indeed, plus the activity in the 6th ward, West End, etc. and you start to see why Target is going in in the 1st place.

[MidtownCoog]

$50 this one looks like the one on South Main.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[UrbaNerd]

Sure, the first step may lead to a bit of a stumble, but..we may eventually be running with this thing. I hope this starts some good stuff up for that area!

[KinkaidAlum]

Seriously, we need to raise our collective expectations.

This design will only encourage all new development in the area to provide the same "amenities" such as surface parking and drive thru pod sites.

At the VERY least, the developers should have considered the site's high visibility from I-10 and proximity to the bayou and built a parking garage.

Additionally, if you look at the retailers that tend to follow Target in these type of commercial developments, I see very little to be excited about. This site will be filled with a drive-thru CVS/Walgreens, 1 or 2 drive thru bank branches, likely drive thru fast food joints, and some Applebees type restaurant chains.

Whoopy doo.

[MidtownCoog]

yea, maybe they should put a museum in the parking lot

[kjb434]

Yeah, because god forbid if an Applebee's or a fast food restaurant wanted a good location that can make some money.

[Trophy Property]

BrentO, on Tuesday, April 26th, 2005 @ 7:11am, said:

Here's the Google Maps satellite photo of the site, and it corresponds to the site plans.  Helpful for those of us who aren't so familiar with the specific warehouses:

Google Satellite Map
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I never knew Google offered that information. That is really cool. Especially if you are looking at land to develop. Aerial photography can be very expensive.

[UrbaNerd]

KinkaidAlum, on Wednesday, April 27th, 2005 @ 10:04pm, said:

Seriously, we need to raise our collective expectations.

This design will only encourage all new development in the area to provide the same "amenities" such as surface parking and drive thru pod sites.

At the VERY least, the developers should have considered the site's high visibility from I-10 and proximity to the bayou and built a parking garage.

Additionally, if you look at the retailers that tend to follow Target in these type of commercial developments, I see very little to be excited about. This site will be filled with a drive-thru CVS/Walgreens, 1 or 2 drive thru bank branches, likely drive thru fast food joints, and some Applebees type restaurant chains.

Whoopy doo.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A decent example of this type of development is that AMREIT thingy at Westgreen/I-10. Sure, it has tons of parking, but, at least it looks interesting from the highway(not that it's beautiful..).

[arche_757]

Overall Im dissapointed that this wasnt more of a urban design statement for Target - which I think of as a more progressive company than WAL-MART, but its clear that Target takes little time or money to really examine the issue of urban planning and true pedestrian "walk-able" shopping areas. But then they arent totally to blame are they? Its the developer who should be stopped or cautioned about doing this - as planned.

Clearly their idea of a pedestrian shopping center is one that allows people to walk from car to shop, then to car again, then move car, then go from car to another shop.

No point in walking when you can park 400 feet from the door. Then walk 400 feet back to your car, then drive 200 feet to a shady/"closer" place - by the next shop - and then walk 200 feet to the shop...... then get back in your car...... then park...... then.... park.... then.....

[BrentO]

arche_757, on Saturday, May 7th, 2005 @ 9:13pm, said:

Clearly their idea of a pedestrian shopping center is one that allows people to walk from car to shop, then to car again, then move car, then go from car to another shop. 
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I read this right, you're asking for an outdoors mall like Rice Village. I love Rice Village, and I go all the time - during the winter. But when the temperature breaks 85 and the humidity is giving the temp a run for its money, outdoors shopping and walking around is out of the question. Plus, the way The Village is organized, it's almost impossible to find a parking space on the weekends.

Target doesn't have an interest in building the kind of shopping area where other shops are in close proximity, close enough to walk to. They want you to go into the Target and get EVERYTHING you need - food, drugs, CDs, clothes, you name it. They even partner with Starbucks to put restaurants inside the stores. Why would they want to have other retail stores close enough to be an impulse purchase?

Going after Target is barking up the wrong tree. If you want to change this (not like you could), you would want to target the developer.

[arche_757]

Actually I dont like the "village" --- there are certain eateries, and a few decent bars....

The village would work on a smaller scale, its just gotten to large.
Answer this (anybody) is Target developing the site? Or is a private developer developing the site - and fished around for a "main" tenant and found Target.

They may not usually go into shopping centers like Market Street in the Woodlands or Sugar Land Towne Square but they go wherever there is enough parking and land to construct there store. The parking could be horizontal or vertical.

Which brings me to another point - you prefer not to walk from shop to shop - yet you dont mind walking from shop to car, car to shop? Can you explain????

[BrentO]

arche_757, on Sunday, May 8th, 2005 @ 10:12pm, said:

Which brings me to another point - you prefer not to walk from shop to shop - yet you dont mind walking from shop to car, car to shop?  Can you explain????
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure. I drive to wherever I'm going (like the Target with food on San Felipe), park and go in. Once inside, I go to the Starbucks for coffee, then shop for everything I need, and then I go back out to the car. I'm only outside twice. Did it this weekend, in fact. Their grocery selection has gotten good enough to where I only need to shop at two places - Central Market and Target.

If you're talking about small boutique shopping for clothes or home accessories, it's usually much more convenient to do the car thing during summer because you can usually pull right up to the door, or within 30-40', of most small shops. However, if you want to walk from shop to shop, odds are you're not stopping in every single shop. I don't have much use for Cisco, Abercrombie & Fitch, half a dozen Chinese and Thai restaurants in a row, etc. It makes more sense to drive past those in AC and get to the stores you really want to get to.

Plus you don't have to carry bags around while you shop, which is a pain in the rear. When I go into a bookstore, I want to be able to browse around for an hour or more, and you don't want to be rustling a bunch of bags shifting from hand to hand in a place like that.

[arche_757]

Then Houston is the place for you BrentO since you can and more than likely will be able to do "drive-up" shopping for the rest of your life.

I prefer more pedestrian friendly areas - but dont consider West U. or Rice Village as one of those. The "Village" is to conjested with single use one story buildings - there really isnt enough parking. By that I mean - there are to many reserved for "store X" ect... and not enough general parking. Thats what is great about parking meters.

I still would prefer to have this development be more "Long-Term", as 10 years from now that property is going to be to expensive for surface parking.

[Trophy Property]

Professional Hornblower, on Tuesday, April 26th, 2005 @ 5:31pm, said:

This new Target will really add  urban vibrancy to the neighborhood. They could do a mixed-use project- perhaps a loft above the "electronics department", a law office above the "planted pots", or a penthouse suite above the entry canopy. This would really encourage interaction and a livability quality not felt since the mid 1940's. 
A Kohls or a Mervyns would have definetly stopped all momentum.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

HAS THIS broken ground yet. I need to drive over there and check it out.

[kjb434]

The site is just being cleared an prepared. This facility doesn't take long to build. If they want it open for the summer of 2006, they'll probably start construction late this summer or in the fall sometime.

[texasboy]

that site plan is so confusing.

i see there is more than enough parking. probably more than needed. will some of the stores face some streets atleast? Maybe someone can tell me that understands the site plan better than I can.

[kjb434]

Something just hit me, the track running through this development is one of the proposed alignments of Metro's light rail from downtown to the Northwest Transit Center. This line open the doors for a line down Katy Freeway, a line to Uptown, and the proposed commuter rail to the northwest. I'm thinking this Shopping center will have a stop proposed right by it.

[texasboy]

[texasboy]

For comparisons sake, here is the new edgewood shopping center in atlanta that might be along the same concept, with some stores having pedestrian friendly designs, but the back is used for parking.

[MidtownCoog]

oy vey

[kjb434]

Yeah, that is more of the New Urbanist concept where parking is not elminated, just hidden to make thing look prettier and to provide more pedestrian access. I'm sure the Target set up will be full of trees too. If not, someone needs to adress the planning commision in regards to the platting to ensure reserves for greenspace and require trees. The city requires it to some point.

[Subdude]

That looks similar to a development near to where I am right now in the Midwest. There is a kind of main street lined with well-known name brand stores. There is some street parking on the main drive, but most of the large lots are behind the stores. Compared to the Atlanta plat though there are fewer big boxes and parking, and more of a small town feel.

The Houston plan looks more just like a collection of big boxes and Applebees etc without any real street orientation.

[flatline]

I believe the R.O.W. through the center is the abandoned rail track that TxDOT owns. It's been the subject of numerous rumors: (1) hike and bike trail, (2) that debacle of a Harris County Toll Road Plan for a toll road ripping through the Heights, and (3) Metro eyeing it for the western light rail line.

[kjb434]

A little bit about the abandoned railroads in Houston. TxDOT usually purchases them because they have the power to do so easily without needing much approval. Many of times a transfer is done to HCTRA. This doesn't mean a toll road will be built. This just pust the rail corridors in the County's hands. This rail corridor which eventually heads east under Shepherd, Durham, and TC Jester to head on to the Northwest Transit center is part of Metro's light rail expansion as shown by there recent study.

So right now TxDOT owns this portion. Some portions on the western end are being currently transfered to HCTRA. They have no plans for a tollroad in this area though. I-10 has plenty enough capacity. I-45 is under consideration as mentioned in another topic for widening and including a managed (tolled) lanes in the center. This would avoid toll roads through the Heights.

The corridor is likely to become part of the light rail corridor with a hike-n-bike trail along it.

The west park corridor was owned by TxDOT, then HCTRA. Its a manuevering process. TxDOT is buying some portions of the rail corridor from the Hardy Toll Road to Downtown. This will be transfered over to HCTRA to finish the Hardy Toll Road to downtown.

[HeightsGuy]

The rails-to-trails for that ROW is discussed here:

http://www.publicworks.cityofhouston.gov/b...ailtotrails.htm

The page says the design phase is scheduled for completion in June.

[HeightsGuy]

And, being a resident of Shady Acres, it excites me knowing that one day I could ride my bike down a dedicated trail from my house to the area and on to downtown for work.

[kjb434]

That's the concept. The city would like to have bike trails to link many areas of the city to offer other options for commuting. If I worked downtown and live by White Oak Bayou like i currently do, I would definitely use those trails.