First Colony Developments

[UrbaNerd]

(I googled First Colony Mall Expansion, and I got these various results)

http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/ae/...girl/index.html

What's up at First Colony?

Inquiring minds have been asking about the activity around First Colony Mall in Sugar Land, and I have answers. Sectioned off parking lots and loads of dirt are thanks to an expansion project that will bring four new, nationally known restaurants to the area. When the project is finished, First Colony Mall will have a restaurant plaza, complete with a bayou running through it. The Cheesecake Factory, the first restaurant on the project list, should be open in early 2005.

Location: 16535 Southwest Freeway.

More info: Call 281-265-6123 or visit www.firstcolonymall.com.First Colony Mall - Sugar Land, Texas

Sugar Land, Texas

http://www.generalgrowth.com/properties/erFirst_colony.htm

First Colony Mall, located in Southwest Houston in the thriving suburb of Sugar Land, is in the planning stages for a potential expansion of up to 80,000 feet. This new addition will be strategically located at the front door of this one million square foot regional shopping center making First Colony Mall an extremely desirable shopping destination. Fine restaurants and trendy home furnishings retailers will be in the merchant mix. Lifestyle retailers will benefit from the current strength of First Colony Mall's retailers including Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Origins and Talbots, just to name a few. The primary trading area average household incomes are in excess of $75,000 and a growth rate of 6% per year is expected over the next five years, making this new lifestyle addition an outstanding retail opportunity.

Back to Expansions & Redevelopments

[111486]

It might be the left overs from the Sugar Land Town Square. I pass by quite a few times and my only guess of why dirt would be there is the Town Square.

[houstonsemipro]

Just peachy! I haven't been in Sugarland since I didn't know when. I have to make my rounds to that area.

[UrbaNerd]

There is some dirt behind the mall, where they are extending the parking lot to before they knock down some walls for the main mall expansion. The "restuarant area" is right by Town Square. Town sqyare also has some new retail coming soon, and they look ALOT like some of the buildings in Market Street. (I saw a bunch of signs when I went earlier)

It seems like they are trying to copy the woodlands a bit...good

I hope they also change some of their plans when it comes to LakePointe Town center.

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[UrbaNerd]

Lol, I was there earlier today (TW) and yes, it does seem a tad disconnected, and somewhat BORING! The Market Street is nice, but its delves too deep into the old fashioned TV style main street idea. Its nice, and, that was probably the intended result(the idyllic setting almost made me want to either barf or break out in song), but I prefer the urban feel of SL Town Square. The Woodlands: Wild, wooded. Sugarland: Neat, orderly. (oh, and did I say orderly?)

Also, the "restaurant row", under construction, seems to be a sort of "connector" for the mall, and town square. This will greatly improbve the area, and hopefully provide a BIT of "urbanity" (maybe they will even build a garage somewhere in the mall part, to make better use of land, and to allow contruction!

OH, and yes, the retail on the sign looked very much like the market street stuff, but it has some "sugar Land elements" of course (although I was surprised to see a break from the traditional tan brick).

[citykid09]

Another Cheesecake Factory! WOW! That's great news! That's the third in the Houston Area. And they are opening a Grand Lux Cafe too.

[UrbaNerd]

The development looks like it will be similar to the new Woodland's mall expansion (with the restaurants overlooking some water) It is also getting a Cheesecake factory, too! Maybe we will also be seeing a Brio tuscan grill, Rockfish grill, and maybe (even though it isnt part of the TW Mall) a Landry's or something.

[kzseattle]

Another Cheesecake Factory! WOW! That's great news! That's the third in the Houston Area. And they are opening a Grand Lux Cafe too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Grand Lux in Uptown is already opened. Did you mean that one or are they opening another one in SL too?

[111486]

The development looks like it will be similar to the new Woodland's mall expansion (with the restaurants overlooking some water) 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may be right.

[kzseattle]

Lol, I was there earlier today (TW) and yes, it does seem a tad disconnected, and somewhat BORING!  The Market Street is nice, but its delves too deep into the old fashioned TV style main street idea.  Its nice, and, that was probably the intended result(the idyllic setting almost made me want to either barf or break out in song), but I prefer the urban feel of SL Town Square.  The Woodlands: Wild, wooded.  Sugarland: Neat, orderly. (oh, and did I say orderly?)

Also, the "restaurant row", under construction, seems to be a sort of "connector" for the mall, and town square.  This will greatly improbve the area, and hopefully provide a BIT of "urbanity" (maybe they will even build a garage somewhere in the mall part, to make better use of land, and to allow contruction!

OH, and yes, the retail on the sign looked very much like the market street stuff, but it  has some "sugar Land elements" of course (although I was surprised to see a break from the traditional tan brick).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone know what is going to be built on the SE corner of I-59 and Highway 6 intersection as well as on the NE corner?

[UrbaNerd]

^^

lake point town center. See the "flour daniels" thread.

[UrbaNerd]

I passed by the mall recently, and there is alot of work going on. They just expanded the parking lot, and the building where the cheesecake factory will go is almost done. They are also starting up the other restaurants. I can't wait to see how this will turn out!

[UrbaNerd]

I got this from the Sugarland website:

AGENDA REQUEST

BUSINESS OF THE SUGAR LAND 4B CORPORATION

CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS

AGENDA OF: 02/10/05 DEPARTMENT OF ORIGIN: Econ. Development REQ. NO. IV D

DATE SUBMITTED: 02/08/05

PREPARED BY: Joseph Esch, Economic Development Director

SUBJECT: First Colony Mall

PROCEEDING: Review and discussion on First Colony Mall Expansion Project

CLEARANCES: Director of Finance

EXHIBITS:

APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Joseph Esch, Economic Development Director*

EXPENDITURE REQUIRED: $_______________

AMOUNT BUDGETED: $____________________

APPROPRIATION REQUIRED: $_____________

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The First Colony Mall was one of the first and most successful large economic development initiatives for the City of Sugar Land. The project was a result of efforts by the City, the Sugar Land Development Corporation and the Sugar Land 4B Corporation to work with Planned Community Developers, and other players to construct a major retail venture. The City

[111486]

Phase I

    * 4 upscale restaurants ~10,000 sq. ft. pad sites closest to the intersection of the ring-road and Town Center Drive.

    * Will contain a fountain and outdoor area in the center of the four buildings.

    * The Cheesecake Factory as the first restaurant tenant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That sounds extremely nice. So pretty much a traffic circle with retaurants around it with a fountain in the middle. Damn, I want to move to Town Square once they lower the prices on some of their residences.

[kzseattle]

I got this from the Sugarland website:

AGENDA REQUEST

BUSINESS OF THE SUGAR LAND 4B CORPORATION

CITY OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS

AGENDA OF: 02/10/05 DEPARTMENT OF ORIGIN: Econ. Development  REQ. NO. IV D

DATE SUBMITTED: 02/08/05

PREPARED BY:  Joseph Esch, Economic Development Director

SUBJECT:    First Colony Mall

PROCEEDING:  Review and discussion on First Colony Mall Expansion Project

CLEARANCES: Director of Finance

EXHIBITS:

APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL:  Joseph Esch, Economic Development Director*

EXPENDITURE REQUIRED:  $_______________

AMOUNT BUDGETED:  $____________________

APPROPRIATION REQUIRED: $_____________

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The First Colony Mall was one of the first and most successful large economic development initiatives for the City of Sugar Land.  The project was a result of efforts by the City, the Sugar Land Development Corporation and the Sugar Land 4B Corporation to work with Planned Community Developers, and other players to construct a major retail venture.  The City

[111486]

By the way, how would you rank Nordstrom, Foleys, Dillards, Lord & Taylor and Macy in order of high-end to low-end?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kind of off subject, but easy

Nordstrom

Macy's

Lord and Taylor

Dillard's

Foley's

[kzseattle]

Kind of off subject, but easy

Nordstrom

Macy's

Lord and Taylor

Dillard's

Foley's

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought about starting a new thread but since we were talking about the mall, I took this opportunity. But hey, after all, how many threads stay on the original topic

I thought Foley's was a higher end store than Dillard's. So we got only one each of the first three and they are all in Galleria (Lord & Taylor is shutting down though). Every other mall is anchored by Dillards and Foleys. In Seattle, every mall is anchored by Nordstrom and Macy so when I first came here I thought Foleys and Dillards were on par with Nordstrom and Macy. Of course, since Nordstrom is based in Seattle, it isn't unusual that it has a larger presence in that city.

[111486]

That is usually how it goes. There are tons of Macy's stores in the Bay Area in California, so a lot of the stores are not as high end as the one in the Galleria. I'm not saying that the one in the Galleria is high end, but it is on a higher lebel than the ones in the San Franciso area, except for the one in downtown SF. Same goes for Nordstrom in Seattle, the flagship store in downtown is nice, but it seems like the other ones are on a lower tier. The less stores you have in an area the more high end that one store will be in the city. Kind of like the Flagship Foley's in Houston at the Galleria compared to the rest of them. Now I'm getting off subject. lol.

[kzseattle]

That is usually how it goes.  There are tons  of Macy's stores in the Bay Area in California, so a lot of the stores are not as high end as the one in the Galleria.  I'm not saying that the one in the Galleria is high end, but it is on a higher lebel than the ones in the San Franciso area, except for the one in downtown SF.  Same goes for Nordstrom in Seattle, the flagship store in downtown is nice, but it seems like the other ones are on a lower tier.  The less stores you have in an area the more high end that one store will be in the city.  Kind of like the Flagship Foley's in Houston at the Galleria compared to the rest of them.  Now I'm getting off subject. lol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

By the way, I forgot there are two Lord & Taylor. I am surprised it is higher on the list than Dillards or Foleys. There is something about its atmosphere that every time I go there I feel like I am in JC Penny. But may be that's just me. Or may be because its going out of business!

[UrbaNerd]

isnt L&T leaving Houston?

[kzseattle]

isnt L&T leaving Houston?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought it was going out of business. Maybe it's just leaving Houston. I dont know.

[Houston19514]

It looks like it belongs on the hood of a Buick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

By the way, I forgot there are two Lord & Taylor. I am surprised it is higher on the list than Dillards or Foleys. There is something about its atmosphere that every time I go there I feel like I am in JC Penny. But may be that's just me. Or may be because its going out of business!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL L&T is owned by the same company that owns Foley's (May Co.) and they are actually trying to be more upscale. Your comment is an indication of how much of a struggle they are having and why they are pulling out of Houston and a number of other markets. They are not going completely out of business, just leaving a bunch of markets, including all of Texas. May Co. has been stumbling around in the dark for a number of years in my opinion. One minute they remodel the Galleria store and the next minute they build a new prototype L&T store at Memorial City Mall, going for their new slightly upper-scale market, the next minute they decide to pull out of Texas altogether.

Speaking of L&T. Has anyone heard any rumors of what might replace them at either the Galleria or Memorial City?

[UrbaNerd]

Maybe Neiman may relocate to MemorialCity to fill in L&T's void...

[Houston19514]

^ One can never predict of course, but Neiman's has looked at relocating to MCM several times in the past and has always decided to stay put. In fact, one time there was even a relocation announced, that was to happen in conjunction with the massive refurbishment of MCM. But something happened to change Neiman's mind.

[UrbaNerd]

How are they going to stay put at the old T&C, anyway?

[tw2ntyse7en]

...

[citykid09]

I saw the new Cheesecake Factory in Sugar Land going up.

[houstonsemipro]

Suagrland is a nice area, but it's kinda dead after 9 or 10 o'clock. They need something live up the scene like, clubs. They doing a great job what they doing now, but they need something live. One big club in the town center would be nice.

[UrbaNerd]

Town Square has pubs, BTW.