Bryan Guy

Here's a real blast from the past. Anyone remember the "Tokyo Steakhouse"? The Coldwell Banker office just north of Texas & University was originally an upscale japanese steakhouse if you can imagine that. I remember a few dinners there as a small kid. Had the sliding paper doors and everything if I recall correctly.

Fajita Ritas! One of the hottest spots in town til probably the mid-90's or so when all of the franchise places started popping up. Now some random lil' mexican joint that can't be long for this world.

Casa Thomas...in the center at Rosemary & Texas. Used to have a line out the door every Sunday. Fountain in the center kids would throw pennies into. Had my fair share of Roy Rogers (cherry coke) and Shirley Temples (cherry sprite) there. Now a quilt shop or something.

Too young to remember Youngbloods but I've certainly heard about it.

The Prosperity Bank in Bryan at Texas & Villa Maria (formerly State Bank, First State, First Federal S&L, etc) was an upscale seafood restaurant at some point? Too young for that too but man, how random.

My parents had their rehearsal dinner at Ken Martin's on Texas in Bryan...in the cave room. I have a couple of brief memories of the place before they moved to 29th Street. My folks tell me it wasn't their first choice but there literally were very few options in B/CS in the mid '70's.

Oxford Street in Bryan was originally a Steak & Ale when that was one of the nicer chains in the south.

There used to be a private club called "Plaza Club" on the top floor of the now Wells Fargo Plaza at Briarcrest & Hwy 6. Closed in mid '90's or so. Served dinner, drinks, etc. Its amazing how many really nice things this town used to have that have faded into history.

The Texan!!! You have to have lived here for a while to know about the Texan. Its now the scuzzy cigarette shop at S College & Villa Maria. Was a 5 star restaurant for years owned by the Tapley family. Served mahi-mahi, conche, amazing steaks, ostrich, crab, etc, etc, etc. The place was always a hole but you went there for the food! Silver Lining Salad, Kubra Libra Salad, Ceasar like you've never seen before..man, oh man, that was a big night out on the town. Had several birthdays, senior prom, etc there. Closed in 2000 or so....almost immediately after Christopher's opened and their regulars bailed.

The nail shop at Texas & Southwest Pkwy was originally "Pelican's Wharf". Very nice seafood joint. Vacant for years then it was Pasghetti's....same owner as Fajita Ritas I think. Didn't last long. Then it was a cake & pie place owned by a family out of Round Top, now an asian nail shop....go figure.

Man, I could go on and on.

Not that I've seen...

I actually attended a luncheon hosted by the Research Valley Partnership held at Pebble Creek Country Club a month or so ago regarding this proposed development. Several members of the "task force" attempting to bring this to B-CS were there. I believe at that point B-CS was on a list of 16 remaining communities still under consideration. There was to be an envoy from the government visiting the proposed site within a week of that luncheon to make an actual physical tour of the site. I haven't heard anything since then so I'm thinking we may've been cut...but who knows. Our community had several things that made us a desirable location but so do a lot of the other towns. If I hear anything I'll post it.

P.s., has anyone else in the area noticed how Miramont is a beautiful monstrosity with very few homes, while Traditions has understated (i.e., almost no) landscape enhancements, but plenty of gorgeous homes that are being built & purchased very quickly? Hmmm.... Someone noted earlier that Don Adam's projects generally take forever to complete, and Miramont/University Dr. HQ/Bldg. on Briarcrest near Broadmoor are prime examples.

As a born and raised resident of both Bryan and College Station I agree with you. Bryan leaders and those in the private development sector have made HUGE strides in recent years. The HSC is just another feather in their cap. Miramont is growing and I think 5 years from now it'll be largely built out. My parents live on what is arguably the nicest, most expensive street in Pebble Creek. Some time ago they bought a lot on what was a largely undeveloped street after the lots had been cut for almost a year. Then over a year later, when they completed their home, they were still only one of the handful of homes on the street. Even now, 8 years later the street still has at least 2 vacant lots. My point is when you're dealing with properties like those it takes time in B-CS. Miramont is catering to a niche market...escpecially in Bryan. It'll get there and I'm glad the development is there. Who would've 5-10 years ago that Bryan would be home to two of the nicest country clubs in Texas and both would be growing? I think Traditions' major leverage over Miramont is that they've got the full backing of A&M and the vast network of former students, a more challenging course (though not as lavishly landscaped as Miramont), and a wider availablility of homes, etc. I hope both are wonderful successes. Again, kudos to Bryan on landing the A&M HSC.

Bryan site chosen for Health Science Center facility

By APRIL AVISON

Eagle Staff Writer

The Texas A&M University System accepted a $6.6 million land donation from Bryan on Friday and will build a new Health Science Center campus at the corner of Raymond Stotzer Parkway and Texas 47.

Although city officials acknowledge it's a significant investment, they said Friday they consider the deal a victory.

"It will promote growth in the city of Bryan, and it brings name recognition not only locally but nationally," Bryan Mayor Ernie Wentrcek said at the A&M system's Board of Regents meeting in Prairie View on Friday. "The return will be in the long term. It will play out over decades."

The land is on the College Station border with Bryan, near Easterwood Airport, but entry to the Health Science Center will be from Bryan, the mayor said, adding that when the new campus is built, its name will include the word "Bryan," in accordance with an agreement between the city and the A&M system.

Bryan officials exchanged handshakes and congratulations after the regents made their decision and shrugged off questions about the potential financial impact that could come from "fronting" $6.6 million to pay for the land they're giving away.

The city won't issue debt or raise taxes to pay for the land, Wentrcek said.

"This in no way will impact our ability to provide service," he said.

The city didn't offer any cash bonuses and won't pay for infrastructure on the land.

The gift from Bryan amounted to about 200 acres. The Health Science Center campus, which will include a research building, a college of medicine and an education facility, will be built on 150 acres. An adjacent 50 acres will be used to recruit public-private medical partnerships.

The city owns an additional 88 acres next to the donated land, and officials hope to attract some complementary - and taxable - businesses, said Bryan Business Council director Dennis Goehring. The acreage occupied by the Health Science Center campus will be tax-exempt.

Adjacent to the planned Health Science Center campus is 55 acres currently owned by local resident Tommy McDonald. Plans are in the works for a retirement community that will include homes and an assisted-living facility. A group of former Texas A&M yell leaders is under contract to purchase the land, and the retirement community would be marketed to university alumni, Goehring said.

"We thought that would be a great fit," Goehring said. "With all the research going on at the Health Science Center, the retirement community would have an opportunity to interface with them."

The retirement community alone would have a $100 million property value, Goehring said. The Health Science Center, its pharmaceutical companies and medical offices would be worth more than $300 million in the next 10 years, Goehring said.

Although Bryan had to spend $6.6 million to pay for the land, only to give it away, the return on the investment will more than cover the cost, Goehring predicted.

"I would spend $6.6 million to get $100 million any day," he said.

The city began trying to recruit the campus several months ago, originally offering its golf course property on Villa Maria Road. Although that option was briefly considered by the Board of Regents, it was later taken off the table for undisclosed reasons.

But the Bryan Business Council continued to pursue the campus, holding meetings with A&M officials and spending $70,000 in earnest money to secure the land on Texas 47 from several property owners.

Nancy Dickey, president of the Health Science Center, recommended earlier this year that the new campus be built on a system-owned site at the corner of F.M. 2818 and George Bush Drive in College Station. Her recommendation came when Bryan was still offering the golf course land rather than the tract at Texas 47 and Raymond Stotzer.

Dickey said Friday after the regents meeting that she's thrilled with the selected site.

"It's in an area where there's lots of opportunity for development," she said. "It's close to campus, but it will be clear that we have two major universities. It's important that we have different identities."

But there was another major selling point that set this property apart from the others, Dickey said.

"Certainly, the fact that it was a gift didn't hurt."

Site selection

The process of selecting a site has been lengthy and has received a lot of local media attention, explained Erle Nye, chairman of the regents building committee.

"I think it's been in the newspaper enough that everybody knows we have a great vision for our Health Science Center," Nye said, pointing out that the center plans to double its enrollment to more than 2,000 students over the next few years.

The Bryan site was "clearly superior" to two others that were discussed during a closed session Thursday, Nye said.

In previous meetings, regents considered the site at George Bush and F.M. 2818, and 53 acres known as the "Westinghouse property" off Earl Rudder Freeway in College Station.

The Westinghouse site is too small for expansion, Dickey said in a report to the regents.

The Bryan site, however, is "appropriate and advantageous," Nye said.

"We have benefited by our friends from the city of Bryan," he said during Friday's meeting, as he acknowledged the mayor and council members who attended. "These gentlemen have worked very hard to bring us a site that will provide 200 acres at what we believe is an excellent location."

Regent Phil Adams said after the meeting that the location is conveniently close to the Texas A&M campus and complements the existing development in the area. Traditions golf and residential community is to the east of the property.

It's also close to Easterwood Airport and Texas 47, which provides good access for travelers, Dickey said.

"As frustrating as this process can be, it has taken some time to get the best site," she said. "It would be hard to top the list of advantages it comes with."

The future

System construction projects generally take about four years from the time the agreement is finalized to the day of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dickey said.

Now that the site has been approved, A&M and Bryan officials will get to work on a master plan.

"We intend to start Monday morning," Dickey said.

Some ideas are already in the works - although they won't necessarily be used when officials sit down to craft a master plan.

Seven teams of A&M architectural design and construction science students recently completed a research and design project and will present models of their proposed Health Science Center campuses Monday afternoon.

The presentations are scheduled from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building. The models will be presented to Health Science Center faculty and staff.

The projects were compiled without a specific site in mind.

When actual construction begins on the Bryan site, it will likely be done in phases, with expansion projects and facilities added over time, Dickey said Friday.

Because the Health Science Center aims to double its enrollment, plans call for the system to spend about $130 million on construction over the next five years, Dickey has said.

"Even our short term will be 10 to 15 years," she said Friday. "Long term, we're looking at a 50-year plan."

The mayor said he believes, over time, the area will "explode" with medical offices and research facilities. While 1,300 people are employed by the Health Science Center now, that number will skyrocket in the next decade, and more homes and property taxes will follow, he predicted.

"What this project will bring to the west side is the start of what is possible in Bryan," Wentrcek said. "About 135 years ago, the Legislature decided to put the A&M campus south of Bryan. Now we've finally got a campus in Bryan."

I almost couldn't believe it when I saw the headline in Saturday's Eagle. Way to go Bryan! I hope this pays off the way it appears it could. I can see this having a huge impact on Traditions and west Bryan as a whole plus who would've thought you'd ever see this title: "Texas A&M Health Science Center at Bryan"?

It is not free, but it is a municipal course so it is much cheaper than courses than require memberships or only allow non members to golf at a premium rate.

I believe that the Muni course is off the table, and I wish it wasn't. I think that location would have been great for all involved. The new site is probably along Hwy. 47.

That would be my guess as well...or possibly on West Villa Maria between 2818 and 47. What better way to connect Traditions to A&M than have the A&M Health Science Center within a block or two? The city is working to annex an additional 20 acres basically across the street, adjacent to Oak Meadow subdivision as we speak. Of course, that doesn't have road frontage and I think A&M is looking for a fairly large parcel of land. I wonder if they're considering something near the new county exhibition hall? That could prove useful to the Health Science Center...to have a convention center very close. I know the county scaled back their plans quite a bit to stay within budget but I'd guess an investment by A&M in that part of town could spur them to go ahead and build the structures they dropped from the plan. Sonsider this as a far out idea too: Traditions was originally to include a hotel & convention center of its own. Can you imagine what a kickstart this center would be to those plans, if they located it within the overall Traditions development?

There's tons of room to the south of the golf course & club. Who knows?

As a Bryanite and third generation Aggie I'd love for the Health Science Center to locate here but I have to admit its a long shot.

The new Life Sciences & Mitchell buildings seem to be a major break from standard architecture on A&M's campus. You can see just behind the Mitchell building the basically brand new Chemical Engineering building which is very typical for A&M...tan brick, angular, etc. University Drive is going to be almost unrecognizable. I'm not saying these are bad additions. A little change will be nice.