Jump to content

Ivy District: Mixed-Use Development In Pearland


clearman

Recommended Posts

image004.jpg

The WaterLights District will include a new national destination --The Presidential Park & Gardens, featuring 43 larger-than-life statutes of all the United States Presidents (Washington to Obama) in a pristine garden setting. This multi-million dollar park will serve as a major attraction for the local community and tourists alike. The Presidential Park & Gardens will be located on Hwy 288 south just south of the Bass Pro Shops in a beautiful, heavily wooded setting between the WaterLights Grand Canal and Clear Creek on the southern border of the WaterLights District.



We would appreciate your feedback. Please complete our online survey and send to your friends to complete. The more votes we get, the sooner the park will be built.

It is our hope and plan to open the park in the Fall 2009.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are there any plans for them to move out of pearland? The first question in this voting is

Would you like The Presidential Park & Gardens to be located within The WaterLights District in Pearland?

I did not get this question.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

www.coming2009.com not working (under construction )

Here is a blog from chron http://blogs.chron.com/pearland/2009/06/wh...aterlights.html

What's up with the Waterlights District?

As I wrote in my last blog entry, I put a call in to David Goswick of Historic Real Estate, the developer of Waterlights District to ask him for a status update on the project. Yesterday I met with Goswick as well as Richard Browne, the urban planner for the project.

I drive by the six president sculptures that were installed in February 2008, and Anna-Megan and I get a lot of comments asking when exactly the project will be "coming soon," as the signs promise. I have to say I've wondered when exactly soon is, too.

According to Goswick and Browne, what will be coming soon, as in this fall, is a "soft opening" of the Presidential Park with a total of 12 presidential sculptures spread out over the property that the public will be allowed to view. (Last year Goswick told Robert Stanton the other presidents would be in by March of this year, so you're not imagining things, the project is taking a little longer expected.)

Currently, the city is working to put in utilities along what was once South Spectrum Boulevard but has been renamed Waterlights Parkway. When that's finished, the Waterlights District developer will begin construction on the first building -- a 96,000-square-foot structure that will have about four restaurants and a wine bar, Goswick said.

The timeline? It will be about another 14 to 18 months before the building is completed and businesses opened. The economy has set the project back when it comes to securing business for the development, Goswick said.

"Developments of this size and scope take a long time to create, and then you throw in the economy on top of it. ... We've been hesitant to accept contracts because of the past six months' economic situation. We're worried about people being able to get financing," he said.

He was hesitant to say what businesses would open. Contracts are being looked at, but nothing signed yet. They would like to have a restaurant such as Killen's Steakhouse to anchor it, he said.

"It's gone a little bit slow because of the recession, but we've been doing the planning things you don't see from the car driving by," Browne added.

Browne pointed out some of the design elements organizers have added and modified since the project was conceived. For example, instead of isolated ponds, they are planning on one continuous waterway with connecting canals. (It will be like the "Venice of Texas," by the time it's done, he added.)

Also planned for the 50 acres are 1,400 residential units, 300,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail space, 115,000 square feet of restaurant space and 500 hotel rooms. All of it situated within walking distance of the Presidential Park, a place to roam and learn about the country's history.

I'm not sure exactly how long a project of this scale is supposed to take, but Browne, who also helped develop The Woodlands, said it will take time.

Rome wasn't built in a day, nor The Woodlands, and I guess Waterlights (the "Venice of Texas") won't be either. What do you think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa. Glad I found this thread as I've been researching Pearland some.

If you go to their website http://www.waterlightsdistrict.com/polling/ they are still taking votes for which restaurants to put in. That tells me they aren't even close. Or they suck at updating their website.

Now over a year later, they are still taking votes.

not sure of pearland's zoning but mock my words, those type of developments will be out there to make a quick buck...there's a reason why the tax credit apartments pop up on all sides of town

Watch out for these. Two high profile ones right now in other areas. The developers of these low income places basically get huge tax breaks for building crap places that kill the neighborhood. It's completely illogical.

Anything new on WaterLights Disctict? Btw, Nano World Headquarters is dead.

Hey where did you hear Nano World is dead? Do you have a link or something?

Drove by it today at around 7:30pm. People are literally worshipping it... people had mats and were bowing down before it... please tell me that was a joke. :o

I wouldn't be surprised in the least actually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Watch out for these. Two high profile ones right now in other areas. The developers of these low income places basically get huge tax breaks for building crap places that kill the neighborhood. It's completely illogical.

I would imagine many of them will go in either unincorporated Brazoria, unincorporated Fort Bend, unincorporated Harris, or in Houston, near Pearland. AFAIK Pearland's zoning restricts the amount of space that multi-family housing can use.

Look at the zoning map here: http://gisweb2.ci.pearland.tx.us/mox52/pla...x52_if_frameset

Edited by VicMan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
It looks like http://www.coming2009.com/ is no more website for the presidential park even though the sign board at the land site still has it. Now this website has info about its founder.

You know how this development has progressed. Type in "coming2010" instead of 2009 and there it is. Note, next year add a year to the website if 2010 shuts down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At first I thought you were kidding .

:lol:B):P

I did not find banghead emoticon ..................

You know how this development has progressed. Type in "coming2010" instead of 2009 and there it is. Note, next year add a year to the website if 2010 shuts down.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

They have a much scaled down website now. They also mention a partnership with Spectrum Special Management District. http://www.waterlightsdistrict.com/

Also, wasn't the nano world headquarters part of this project, or no? Anyway...the website is gone http://www.nanoworldheadquarters.org/ ( i think thats the same one)

Thanks for the update. I know someone who recently became a member of the PEDC. I asked him about the status of this project, and he said it is still coming, but it has been slowed by the recession. Hardly a revelation, I know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

http://www.historicrealestateinc.org/

Any news on this ? Is the waterlight district coming? or the project died ?

Great idea, but I think the market timing is off - way ahead of equal development. Partnerships falling apart, and loan troubles. They have started, and stopped construction several times. Other projects around there are stuttering, and the area is still trying to get a foot hold. I have watched this with real anticipation, as I wanted to build a restaurant in the complex, but can't get any answers from anyone that demonstrate a solid business plan. I'm hoping it gets traction soon, as I really liked the concept from the beginning. Fingers crossed, on the sidelines....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea, but I think the market timing is off - way ahead of equal development. Partnerships falling apart, and loan troubles. They have started, and stopped construction several times. Other projects around there are stuttering, and the area is still trying to get a foot hold. I have watched this with real anticipation, as I wanted to build a restaurant in the complex, but can't get any answers from anyone that demonstrate a solid business plan. I'm hoping it gets traction soon, as I really liked the concept from the beginning. Fingers crossed, on the sidelines....

As a casual observer of this project it looks like they have thrown in the towel due to the following observations 1) I no longer see cars parked at the trailer during business hours. 2) I saw a moving van at the trailer on Sunday. 3) Lights are no longer on at night to highlight the statues. 4) Signage at the site displays 2nd Baptist Church's grand opening instead of the Presidential Park project.

Just Saying.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my neighbors emailed the developer, David Goswick, to ask about the delay. Here is the reply he got.

We have been delayed due to the economy. However, we will make several exciting announcements in February.

In the meantime, we are leeting our good neighbors (the church) use our signs until next week.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for the interest.

David Goswick<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

www.coming2000andsomething.com

I still have hope....... They should at least move a bit quicker with the Presidential Park; I understand they have all the sculptures ready so I think having all of them in place will help them attract more businesses in.

Is there a Hotel going on @ the other side of 288 across from Bass Pro?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my neighbors emailed the developer, David Goswick, to ask about the delay. Here is the reply he got.

We have been delayed due to the economy. However, we will make several exciting announcements in February.

In the meantime, we are leeting our good neighbors (the church) use our signs until next week.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for the interest.

David Goswick<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Any speculation as to what "several exciting announcments" could be? I'm guessing the annoucnment of retailers or the restaurants people voted on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...