DrFood

Update on Westbury Square and Centerette The link below is to one of the signs that appeared on Friday afternoon on W. Bellfort. Al Antonini is attempting a spec development on the land currently occupied by Westbury Square's shell. Becky Edmondson, WCC President, told me yesterday she had lunch with him on Thursday and learned of his plans. I didn't count the number of residences he proposes. Becky did tell me the plan is to make it a gated community. There's not a whole lot of information available about the project. Hopefully this week at the Civic Club meeting someone will have some details. I do know there is strong opposition by a number of folks in Westbury to this type of development. Why has never been made clear to me. I've owned a house less than a mile from the Square and welcome this type of development as long as it is in the say $400-700K range. Yeah I know I'm a snob, but since home prices are now approaching the $500K range in Westbury I don't see a reason to let lesser priced residences be built. I'll post updates as I learn anything. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNJP0MLluoZRUfmb6fPF7Vwd1FIxs-uNpWoi6zVyxVCUQocTdvq_KhxflcjT4ZMVw/photo/AF1QipPED9-aUsWfRCqcBQtFXi8hyF5w8OVh-akRZQns?key=QS1lYVB5dTJSalpQcHVxR2xIQm9IYVlJeWhjU2xR On the subject of the Centerette demolition. Yes it is gone and the land is cleared off. Now the problem is nothing is planned to be built there. The land owner says LA Fitness will not be built there and they are looking for something to replace those plans. In my opinion they went about it all wrong. You've got 3 major problems still with that land. 1) Autozone and Pizza Hut make it a weird shape, 2) cell tower, 3) access is weird as well. If they had planned to demo the PH and AZ and move them into the ground floor of the parking garage that would have made so much more sense. And if the owner and civic club had worked wiht the COH and redone the intersection at Chimney Rock the current right turn lane could have been melded into the land to make it a less weird shape. It's frustrating as a 20+ year resident to see a lack of imagination on anyone's part to solve issues like Westbury Square and the Centerette land.

May 4 Update Drove by this evening and saw Kohl's sign was up. Opening date I believe is September 25. All of my sources are still saying the following-- Wal-Mart is closing in 2012 and will be demolished. One of 2 things may happen--Mid-rise retirement center or possibly mid-size box store. Academy is coming in early 2012. Still working out details on lease. Chili's will be demo'ed Blockbuster center is either going away or being renovated HEB is in negotiations with developer to have a 99 yr land lease. The deal is bogged down because HEB wants a gas station and car wash, but the developer does not want this. If you recall when Randall's was being remodeled a while back their site plan had a gas station. But it was killed at the last minute by the developer for some reason. At least 3 new restaurants will be built. Rumors right now are for Johnny Carno's, Cheddars, Olive Garden or Red Lobster. I am also hearing rumblings of a CVS being built and possibly a Petco. A lot depends on HEB I think. All of my sources are speaking in unofficial roles as employees. Rumors come true 98% of the time they say. The strangest thing about this whole process is the developer still refuses to answer questions to the Willow Meadows, Meyerland, and Westbury Civic Associations. I know they don't have to tell anyone anything, but this will impact traffic flow and crime in the area. It looks like the developer would want to be a good neighbor and keep the citizens informed of the exciting events taking place. Another interesting development is rumors from Trader Joe's personnel that they are shopping the area for a location.

No the grocery store in Meyerland Plaza was a Henke & Pilot and later became a Kroger. Then an antique store. Yes you are correct about the 2 locations on Bissonett

Here are the locations I recall in Houston. It was interesting that a lot of the "anchored" Weingarten's were also in shopping centers with a Walgreen's. 1. Memorial City. The location is now where the Ice Rink is. The store was huge and could be accessed from the parking lot or the mall. It also had one of those "bucket" systems to send groceries out of the parking lot loading zone. When malls started getting rid of grocery stores it became "United Jewelry and Distributing". 2. Hillcroft and Beechnut. The space is now a Foodarama. I lived in Braeburn Terrace until I was 11. We would actually walk to the store and get our groceries. We had 1 car until I was 10, very normal for families in the early 1960's. When they had the grand opening my mom filled out a card for free groceries. We went in there one day and she had won a ton of stuff. It seemed like it took forever to load the car and unload at home. 3. N. Braeswood and Chimney Rock. The store which is now Belden's was a Weingarten's. Originally the section which is now a wide sidewalk in front of the stores was a mini-mall which went from Walgreen's to Weingarten's and was air-conditioned. 4. S. Gessner and 59 (between Beechnut and 59). I can't recall exactly where in the shopping center it was. The center was anchored by a Handy Dan and the theatres at the time. This was the very first grocery store in Houston that had electronic cash registers and then became the first to have scanners. I remember going in there marveling at how modern the place was. THe registers spoke the price to you. 5. Fondren and 59. The store was in what is now Loehmann's. When Woolco and Weingarten's were running that shopping center was extremely busy. 6. Bellaire Blvd and Kirkwood in Alief. Another one of Weingarten's "mini-malls" connecting Weingarten's and Walgreen's. There was a Goodyear tire center on one end. And in the parking lot was a Tenneco gas station. Many times in 1979 I drove out there after work to stand in line on my "day" to buy gas. Don't recall is I was "odd" or "even". 7. Fondren & W. Bellfort- The store is now a Fiesta. 8. Target Grocery locations-Sometime in the late 1070's Target decided to get out of running/owning the grocery stores connected to their stores. In Houston Weingarten's took that over from them. The 3 locations I can remember this happening were the store on 59 just north of Bellaire Blvd (now a resataurant supply), Katy Freeway between Bunker Hill and Lantern Lane (now Marshall's etc), and S. Loop between Griggs and Wayside (building became and Auchan's briefly). 9. Hillcroft & Westheimer-South side in shopping center where 99 cent only and Office Depot are. Store was somehere in the middle of the shopping center. I remember my mom had her favorite stores that we were only allowed to shop at. These were her top 4. 1. A&P 2. Weingarten's 3. Sacco Bros. 4. Henke & Pilot Then as the landscape changed so did her list. 1. Lewis & Coker 2. Piggly Wiggly 3. Rice Food Market She was never really enamoured with Randall's. She said only "rich" people shopped there. She did not like Kroger after she said they destroyed H&P. She went to school and grew up with the kids of the H&P family. When Safeway made its failed attempt to come in she refused to shop there because the stores were filthy and they were from California and we knew what came from California.....fruits and nuts is what she said. I love my mom dearly but she just lived in that generations world. Now she and my dad almost exclusively shop at Foodarama.

Does anyone have any official word on what is going on at Meyer Park shopping center. Luby's is building a new location as a pad site in front of their current location. The AMC theatre is now a pile of rubble except for the front wall. Employees at Randall's say they are going to be unemployed in 2011 because that store is closing. I am hearing rumors from the Willow Meadows folks that Wally World is going to build a new Super Center there. Also from Westbury and Meyerland Civic Clubs there is a reponse "we've heard rumors" to the Super Center. I've asked several real estate folks and they are worried about the impact on property values if this rumor is true. Can anyone find anything official as to what is going on there? Thanks.

Both Globe and Sage started off as membership type stores. My dad's employer, Dresser Industries offered their employees memberships via the credit union. I don't have many details on exactly how the membership worked. But Globe eventually stopped requiring a membership card to enter the store. Sage never stopped requiring the card until the bankruptcy. Sage had locations in Houston and Austin. It was locally owned. The departments inside the store were leased by different companies. An example was the housewares department. Arnie of Arnies on Hicks family owned the housewares department "franchise". At one point late in the life of the stores Lewis & Coker owned the franchise for the grocery department. Globe had locations nationwide if I am not mistaken. Globe was owned by Walgreen's. Sage went belly-up in the late 80's during the oil bust. Globe went belly-up in the mid to late 70's. Walgreen's wanted to focus on their drug store chain. Locations Sage Department Stores Beechnut & Loop 610. The building was used by Builders Square for their store when it was there. When Lowes purchased the land they demolished the store and built a new building. The current McDonald's and Ihop replaced the gas station/auto center for Sage. Beltway 8 & I-10. Currently the site of a detention pond for the newly constructed I-10. The structure sat empty for years until someone tried to put in a flea market. Never worked. I do not recall a gas station at this location. They did install tires in the auto center that was built into the store. I-45 & College. Building still exists and is a school if I am not mistaken. The auto center was out in the parking lot close to I-45. They did sell gas at this location. I do not remember the Austin locations. Nor do I have information on their fate. Sage Drug Stores Bellaire & Ranchester. The store was converted to a Walgreen's with the bankruptcy and then was converted as part of the center with the now Asian grocery store (formerly a Lewis & Coker). When in High School I worked at this location in the Camera Department and was the manager of the department the summer after my freshman year in college. Westheimer & Stony Brook. Currently Guitar Center. Only 2 drug store locations opened. There are some that claim 1 was opened on the north side of town. I've dug into telephone books from the mid-70's and can only find 2 listing. If anyone can find evidence of other stores I would love to know where they were. Globe Shopping City (official name)--Tag line "Everything Under the Sun for LESS" and they used a smiling sun as a "mascot" Bellaire Blvd & Hillcroft. Currently is the Fiesta Mart. Previous to Fiesta was a Fed-Mart. Another membership type store that converted to a non-membership format. They had an automotive center that did most mechanical stuff and sold gas. If I recall they had 12 pumps. The building still stands and is where the pawn shop and restaurants are in the parkling lot. I-10 & Gessner. Structure demolished. Currently is the location of the Memorial Herman robot tower. Previously was home to Oshman's Super Store and before that a Mervyn's. I do not recall an auto center or gas at this location. Woodridge between I-45 and 610. The building was demolished to build the Lowe's currently at that location. The store was behind Frizzell Pontiac, home of a "Whale of a Deal". This particular Globe store caught fire during the late 1960's if I recall correctly. The news media reported that fire fighters could not advance on the fire because of ammunition and paint cans exploding inside the store. The store was rebuild and reopened very quickly. Mervyn's took over the location after the closing. Then the building sat empty for years. Until Ed Wolfe bought Gulfgate and rebuilt the area. I remember an auto center and gas station, but I do not recall the exact location. Sage was kept up a bit better than Globe. But I would never characterize Globe as a dump. My family spent many many many MANY dollars at both stores.

Unfortunately I did not make it to the Civic Club meeting last night. Hopefully there would have been some discussion about the court date of Westbury Square. Also, an FYI for folks in Westbury. There are evidently plans for the shopping center on the SW corner of W. Airport and Chimney Rock. There is supposed to be a variance sign being erected by the city. The owner of the center was supposed to be at the civic club meeting last night to discuss the plans. If I find anything out on this I will let the group know. And thanks for listing sevfiv. Wow, brings back some memories of when life was simpler.`

Update on Westbury Square legal case. City Attorney informed civic club the case has been moved to sometime between July 27 and August 7. I don't have the details, when I do I will let y'all know.

My frustration really gets the best of me when folks try to equate Westbury with Fondren Southwest as far as crime and liveability. And these are typically folks who don't know jack about Westbury or have heard from friends. I agree until we can get Antonelli and his group booted from WS there is a perception problem. But we keep fighting. The COH has been after him since Cathy Whitmire's days in office. He just seems to have the ability to not do anything. Hopefully with Clutterbuck and White we can finally get the place demolished. I've contacted El Franco Lee's office (our County Commissioner) and there is absolutely zero interested in helping Westbury. He inherited this area when Tom Delay's henchmen in Austin redrew the legislative boundaries a few years back. If you ever need to get hold of Clutterbuck the best way to do so is via her aids Barbara or Tim. I've never had a problem getting through to her when I contact them first. In fact usually Tim can get things done easier than Clutterbuck can. You know what they say about political assistants, they typically have more power than the politicians. :-) The centerette buildings are to all be demolished. If you look at the block bounded by W. Bellfort/Chimney RockCedarhurst/Moonlight, the only buildings that will be left standing will be the AutoZone and Pizza Hut. Gas station, strip center facing W. Bellfort, strip center facing Cedarhurt (with the washteria), old gas station, and the 2 story brick building on Chimney Rock.....all to be demolished. Evidently Pizza Hut and AutoZone own their parcels of land is why they are not involved. The theatre needs to do more to get the community involved. They could advertise in the Westbury Crier (our monthly newsletter) and post to the Westbury yahoo group if they would only contact someone. I can tell you in 14 years I've never seen one single advertisement or any inclination by them to let residents know what is going on. I would almost be afraid to go into the building knowing how badly it is maintained. The walls or ceiling might collapse due to rotten wood or something. As for the Cozy Corner. Yes it is a very interesting place. And yes it is a bar. There was a Houston Chronicle article about it a year or so ago. I can't find the link but I know it is there. They've put the porch on it recently to accomodate smokers. I'm not sure it is legally meeting the city ordinance or 25 feet from the entrance. My understanding is that Friday night is karaoke night. Never been myself. I am allergic to smoke and I'm pretty sure the place still reeks of smoke even now that you can't smoke inside. Not sure how it stays in business with the church just a few feet away. I thought there was a state or city or both law about alcohol service within X feet of a church. I know Vien Thai (Thai restaurant on Long Point) in Spring Branch can't get a liquor license because of the church in the same strip center. All persuassions of folks are welcome. I've heard on weekend nights there are a lot of gay/lesbian couples from the neighborhood there hanging out. And no it's not some gay/lesbian pick-up bar for those of you weird conservative folks who think "oh no the gays want me or are going to molest me" everytime they hear gays go someplace. Glad a couple of folks are following the discussion. If you've got other questions or comments post them. I check here about once a day.

There is limited electrical service to Westbury Square. I was over there this afternoon and could only find 1 apartment unit that had a good electrical meter. It is probably some friend of Antonelli's or something like that. The rest of the square except the theatre group and the school house has no electricity unless they have hidden the meters. It is interesting that you mention crime around the shopping center. I spoke with 2 HPD officers this evening and they told me that the shopping center has very little crime. Not sure where anyone gets information to the contrary. Westbury as a subdivision has very little crime. And I do not appreciate anyone spreading talk that there is a crime problem. I have lived here since 1994 and have monitored the crime reports periodically and there is not a crime problem in Westbury. Take a look at the HPD stats versus areas like Spring Branch or Montrose or Midtown or look at Bellaire's crime stats. It is unfair to paint Westbury in the same brushstroke as places like Sharpstown or Fondren Southwest or Mission Bend or the east end. The auto repair place that is there now is an independent and very nice guys. Much nicer and I feel very honest vs Angels (Burdine/Chimney Rock). You are correct we DO NOT need 2 check cashing places in the shopping center. But right now these are the cards we are dealt. I think these type of places are simply a cancer that has infested all areas of town including Kingwood, Clear Lake, areas of Memorial, and the Heights. The sooner Congress passes legislation regulating them the sooner we get rid of them. My understanding is that Weingarten still owns the shopping center through one of their off-shoot companies. A commercial real estate friend tells me they have several branches that they lease their "lower tier" shopping centers via. I may be wrong, but that is based on information from several real estate folks. Now I know for a fact that the HEB where 99cent only is now was not closed due to crime. A very close friend of mine is in a very high level management position at HEB's corporate office in San Antonio and the reason the store was closed is 2 fold. 1. They had planned to open a new store at W. Fuqua and Beltway 8 within 1 year of closing the W. Bellfort store. This plan was scuttled because Chimney Rock would not be put through, being replaced by Ft Bend Tollway. HEB's plans were to have a HEB Plus concept there and since the CIty of Houston had planned to run CR through they would have access to Westbury & Meyerland residents. They would then close down the Chimney Rock/S. Braeswood store. Secondly, the W. Bellfort store was also closed due to Weingarten's greed. They wanted to raise the rent significantly on HEB so HEB chose to close the store when their lease expired. Many in Westbury knew of the stores closing months before it closed, not days. Another contributing factor to the closure was HEB's decision to end the Pantry concept in Houston. This W. Bellfort store was smaller than the S. Braeswood store and could not be easily converted into a "regular" small footprint HEB. (Just an FYI, it appears the HEB in Bellaire will be closed when the HEB on Buffalo Speedway is opened) As for demoing the shopping center and letting it grow over. The civic club would not let that happen. There is enough political clout these days with Mayor White and Councilperson Clutterbuck that it simply would not be allowed to happen. I think Anne is gathering enough political steam to be like Martha Wong when she did a lot to update parts of Fondren SW before leaving office. The plans for the centerette are communuted due to Pizza Hut and Auto Zone. The entire block bounded by Cedarhurst/Moonlight/W. Bellfort/Chimney Rock will be demolished EXCEPT Pizza Hut and Auto Zone. There will also be a 're-engineering' of the NE quadrant of the intersection to smooth out traffic turning from W. Bellfort (westbound) to Chimney Rock (northbound). My understanding is that CVS will build a new standalone store on the parcel and there will be a shopping area with 2-3 stories of residential units above that. I'm trying to get someone to take the old Centerette sign and repair it and relight it with the clock once the new center is opened. Time will tell. Once we get past the economic problems there are some other projects that are very exciting planned for the area including covering the drainage ditch running in the middle of Chimney Rock. And I believe the COH is looking at the storage tank at Kinglet and Chimney Rock to "rightsize" that facility. I'd love for them to build a nice water tower like at Bellaire Blvd and S. Gessner and let Westbury put its logo on the tower.

Larry and other interested parties. I spoke with Managers of 3 Home Depots in the area....Hillcroft/Bltwy 8, Pin Oak (610/59), and I-10 Spring Branch. Not one of them have heard anything about Westbury HD closing or even having business issues. In fact 2 of them say that Westbury is one of the top performing stores in Houston. And about 3 months ago I talked to a HD district manager and his response was anyone that thinks Westbury will close is crazy. I'm planning on visiting the store next week and talking to folks there plus calling Atlanta and asking. As for the 99 cent store there. Business is down about 50% since Ike (per a friend in the retail area) and they have reduced the size of the store. I also have been told their lease runs out in 2009. Hopefully they will close the store at that time. Westbury Square may have residents, however the City of Houston has virtually condemned the place. That is why there are legal proceedings against the current owner. I drive by the square 2 times a day and never seen anyone there. There is no security lighting for residents if there are any. The roof is nothing but tarpaper from what I can tell. I have no idea about the theatre. They never seem to advertise or communicate with the residents. They certainly do not seem to be very interested in promoting themselves. As for the future of WS, HD, 99 cent store center, and Chase bank building. There is zero desire by anyone to demo these to build single family homes. Part of the reason would be traffic impact. The impact would snarl Chimney Rock and W. Bellfort. Plus the added burden on services in the area. In addition, because the homes would be zoned to Westbury HS, Fondren MS and Anderson Elem I doubt there would be many folks wanting to purchase them. These are all considered to be substandard schools by most folks. Both Harris County and the COH would love to have the WS land to do something with such as I have mentioned. A new county library (county libraries are totally different entities vs COH libraries) and new fire station plus a police/constable station. HEB has definite interest in building a store in the Westbury/Meyerland area to replace the old Pantry store that used to be where 99 cent is now PLUS the store at Chimney Rock/S. Braeswood. They are interested specifically in the land at W. Bellfort/Chimney Rock if it ever became available. Petsmart has also indicated an interest as well as CVS. And finally the old Westbury Centerette is going to be demoed. Finally. And I have been told it will be a retail village and housing. Details are still being worked out on the development. You asked about the La Peak apts. My understanding is they are slated to be demoed. I have been told that they are owned by a woman in California. Originally she had looked at turning them into condos, but the cost of renovation was prohibitive. So it is cheaper to demo them and wait for better financial times.

Yes, that is the owner. At least he's the last I knew of. Seems the ownership changes periodically when there is legal issues. At least that is what I've been told. I don't know much more than what I'm told by the members of the civic club board.

The latest news about Westbury Square..... There is a trial scheduled in Harris County Civil Court against the owner(s) of Westbury Square. The trial has already been scheduled a couple of times before and keeps getting postponed. Gotta love attorneys. I do not have the details. You might contact the Westbury Civic Club to get further details about the trial or look it up in the Harris County Courts web site. The sno-ball trailer that has been located in the parking lot since 1994 (that's when I moved here, it might have been there before) has not reappeared this year and the electric meter that has been used by them is no longer on the pole in the parking lot. Not sure if they've decided not to come back this season or not. All of the awnings facing W. Bellfort have been taken down. From what I can see the roofs still have no shingles on them. Due to the economic conditions the retail that had been planned for across W. Bellfort (townhomes were torn down) is on hold. Located east of Westbury Square at W. Bellfort/Chimney Rock is the old Westbury Centerette. The Centerette is scheduled to be torn down. It appears that the only structures to be left will be the Pizza Hut and AutoZone. The remainder will be demoed and replaced. Including the old Exxon station that was abandoned.

Firebird-- Just a couple of pieces of information to update your post.............. Walgreen's presence in Houston goes way back to the 1930's or 1940's, possibly earlier. There are a number of historic photos of downtown Houston from those time periods showing at least 2 Walgreen's location on Main Street in the CBD. Growing up we shopped at Walgreen's location in Sharpstown Mall and on Weslayan at Bissonett. Plus numerous others. Grant's dates back years and years also. It was more of a Five and Dime on steroids if I remember correctly. The company was officially the W.T. Grant company. Grants competitors would have been F.W. Woolworth, J.J. Newberry and Kress' if my memory is serving me correctly. I remember going to Grant's downtown with my mom on the Shoppers Special bus. Plus there was a Grants that semi-anchored the original Gulfgate Shopping Center. It later because a Wilson's (after Grants went under) who was then purchased by Service Merchandise. Locationwise in Gulfgate it was right by the bridge that goes over 610. The downtown location I remember was at least 2 story (basement and ground level) and the Gulfgate location was 2 story with the "basement" also being ground level to the parking lot. The upper level connected to the mall. And if I recall there was also a Grants in Meyerland, I just can't remember exactly where it was if there was a location there. Woolco was a discount big box created by Woolworth. It came into Houston in the 1960's and major competitition was Fedco, Globe and Sage....and somewhat Gibson's if the Woolco was far enough in the burbs/country. Gemco came in from California and honestly I do not remember if Woolco was still in business when Gemco came to Houston.

Weingarten Realty was famous or is it infamous for their stretching of terms based on the current marketplace. I can remember in the 1970s and into the 1980s that they had several "shopping centers" that they built that had airconditioned hallways that they referred to as "malls". One was Braeswood Square at the corner of N. Braeswood and Chimney Rock in the Meyerland area. This was referred to as a mall but only had an airconditioned hallway between the Walgreen's and Belden's (originally a Weingarten's). You can still see the remants of the "mall/hallway" by the way shops are set back and the pillars where the glass used to be. Another was Beltway Center at Ranchester/Bellaire Blvd. The center was originally anchored by Sage Drug (division of big box discounter Sage Department Stores) and Lewis & Coker. Again it was nothing more than an air conditioned hallway, but was referred to as a "mall". Beltway center has certainly changed from what it was in the early 1970's to today. And I think, someone correct me if I am wrong, that the center at Westheimer/Hillcroft which now house 99 cent only and Office Depot was also one of these air conditioned hallway formats when built. Weingarten also developed this center. I have to agree that a mall should only be referred to as a mall when it is surrounded by parking. But you know how marketers are.....every one of them think they have mad skills to make money by using the terms of the day.