Subdude Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 What I find interesting about this discussion is that there seems to be an assumption that this is a community decision. Sears gets to make the decision about how they operate that location and whether they think that they need to do any renovations.This is a classic example of how lack of competition causes entropy. They aren't doing anything with the store because they have no competition. People shop there because it's close and they don't have a better alternative. Sears doesn't do anything because they are getting good revenue and they have no reason to invest in the property.If you really want Sears to either upgrade their store or vacate the premises, then someone should open a power center with a Target and a Kohl's 1/2 a mile a way and watch how quickly changes come to the Sears property. If someone opened a Target 1/2 mile away watch how quickly Sears Midtown will close. Probably the only possibility for restoration of the building is if another buyer decided to make it some sort of showcase renovation. Into what, I don't know. Like the Astrodome, this is a case where adaptive reuse is really a difficult concept. As for Sears, they have no particular incentive to do anything but milk it for whatever cash flow it is providing until the corporation curls up and dies. I can't see how additional competition in the neighborhood would cause them to do anything different. What bank would finance expensive renovations of an old-fashioned two-story department store for a corporation that is on its last legs? It doesn't make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 If someone opened a Target 1/2 mile away watch how quickly Sears Midtown will close. Probably the only possibility for restoration of the building is if another buyer decided to make it some sort of showcase renovation. Into what, I don't know. Like the Astrodome, this is a case where adaptive reuse is really a difficult concept. As for Sears, they have no particular incentive to do anything but milk it for whatever cash flow it is providing until the corporation curls up and dies. I can't see how additional competition in the neighborhood would cause them to do anything different. What bank would finance expensive renovations of an old-fashioned two-story department store for a corporation that is on its last legs? It doesn't make sense. Let me clarify my point. If Target opened down the road, one of two things would happen. Sears would either close the property because it couldn't compete, or it would have to upgrade the property in order to compete. Given Sears current financial situation I agree that they probably wouldn't upgrade and would probably close which then opens the property for better use. I don't see that as a bad thing at all. The area gets better shopping options and the property is now available for renovation that won't happen as long as the status quo exists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 With Sears having bought a Kmart a decade ago, you'd think they could've remerchandised it to better serve the community. It certainly is an old building, and if it survives the year, it would've been operating for 75 years as a Sears! Incredible! Actually KMart bought Sears. KMart Holdings then changed it's name to Sears Holdings. Not that it makes a difference now, they are both endangered species. I've shopped at both this Sears and the one in Texas City. I find everything I need. It is convenient to park and pay.I've been inside a Target a time or too. Never found anything I wanted to purchase. They don't have tools, automotive, hardware, appliances, or anything that I want to but..............except for their popcorn. So go ahead and build your Target store, so that one more middle aged guy can drive by it on his way to Sears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Sears relevance is based upon appliance and gardening tools, don't see where they would lack relevance in the 21st century. Maybe nobody needs a lawnmower in Midtown but a washer and dryer yes. I think if the sears were remodeled it would spark development around it. Overall after my weekly drive through various parts of the city, I am pleased with how nice Houston is becoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota79 Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 If ever there was a place for Sears to reinvent itself, midtown Houston would be it. Let's start an email campaign to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 (edited) You guys are 100% correct. Sears is completely healthy. Their business is so strong that they reported -7% top line growth for 2013 and -9.4% for Q4. Those are great numbers! Much better than the +8.2% that losers like Home Depot showed. No question that they're going to look to into immediately reinvesting those strong earnings into renovating the Midtown store. I expect them to start construction any day now, keep watching this thread for updates. BTW, their stock is a hot buy. I'd invest heavily in it.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-22/business/chi-sears-close-loop-flagship-20140121_1_sears-holdings-traditional-department-stores-sears-and-kmarthttp://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20140124/NEWS/140129916 Edited February 14, 2014 by livincinco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota79 Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 We aren't saying Sears is doing well. But they must make changes to survive. They should either sell the land or renovate to survive. It looks like it should be on the side of I-30 in El Paso at this point. Tired, and resigned to crumble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Vik Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 You guys are 100% correct. Sears is completely healthy. Their business is so strong that they reported -7% top line growth for 2013 and -9.4% for Q4. Those are great numbers! Much better than the +8.2% that losers like Home Depot showed.No question that they're going to look to into immediately reinvesting those strong earnings into renovating the Midtown store. I expect them to start construction any day now, keep watching this thread for updates.BTW, their stock is a hot buy. I'd invest heavily in it.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-22/business/chi-sears-close-loop-flagship-20140121_1_sears-holdings-traditional-department-stores-sears-and-kmarthttp://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20140124/NEWS/140129916 Are you not aware of the golden rule? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Here's an idea: convert the Sears into "Sears Hometown" store, which would keep the Sears name and merchandise but disconnect it from Sears Holdings' ownership. Hopefully being semi-independent would allow the new owner to renovate the building inside and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 We aren't saying Sears is doing well. But they must make changes to survive. They should either sell the land or renovate to survive. It looks like it should be on the side of I-30 in El Paso at this point. Tired, and resigned to crumble. That was my point earlier in the thread. The store is apparently profitable and faces no competition. Sears has no incentive to renovate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Nobody said that Sears as a whole was profitable, but this single location apparently is. I'll continue to shop there as long as it is open. It's convenient and has the merchandise I need at a reasonable price. When it closes I'll be forced to go somewhere else. Pssst, but won't be Target! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Actually KMart bought Sears. KMart Holdings then changed it's name to Sears Holdings. Not that it makes a difference now, they are both endangered species.I've shopped at both this Sears and the one in Texas City. I find everything I need. It is convenient to park and pay.I've been inside a Target a time or too. Never found anything I wanted to purchase. They don't have tools, automotive, hardware, appliances, or anything that I want to but..............except for their popcorn. So go ahead and build your Target store, so that one more middle aged guy can drive by it on his way to Sears.Folks like you are what always made Sears tick - practical, not swayed by image or advertising campaigns. If they had played their cards right I think they might have benefitted from the recession. Look how it helped Dollar General and other discounters. Sad story - I registered at Sears for my wedding a few years ago and got almost nothing from there. Everyone flocked to the other places we registered like Crate & Barrel. We had relatives saying "You're not supposed to register at Sears." Why? Because, well, it's just not, you know, we want the best for you, etc., etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Folks like you are what always made Sears tick - practical, not swayed by image or advertising campaigns. If they had played their cards right I think they might have benefitted from the recession. Look how it helped Dollar General and other discounters.Sad story - I registered at Sears for my wedding a few years ago and got almost nothing from there. Everyone flocked to the other places we registered like Crate & Barrel. We had relatives saying "You're not supposed to register at Sears." Why? Because, well, it's just not, you know, we want the best for you, etc., etc. I went to Sears about 6 months ago to look at buying kitchen appliances -- they were more expensive than any other place I went (Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy etc) and the salesmen knew absolutely nothing about them and couldn't be bothered with helping me make a $6000+ purchase (I even asked them to check the inventory at their outlet store on Griggs Road and they had no idea what I was talking about) -- I hadn't been to Sears for years before that and I won't be back...very bad experience Edited February 20, 2014 by HoustonMidtown 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrLan34 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 surgehomes.com Shows that 4001 Main may have plans for condos/townhomes. They also show condominium plans for 103 N. Jackson St. in downtown but I don't know if they have added any signage to that site... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Good find. So... is it the condos or the townhomes, or both? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Urbannizer Posted November 10, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted November 10, 2014 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrLan34 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) - Edited November 10, 2014 by DrLan34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Another LRT development! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Man - they (Surge Builders) are all over the place all of a sudden....Heights...Downtown.... http://blogs.houstonpress.com/news/2014/11/plans_for_the_controversial_freeland_district_development_are_back_sort_of.php Edited November 10, 2014 by HoustonMidtown 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Did anyone else think of Serge? Serge.bmp (Side note: What is the deal with uploading images on here? Over and over, "that image extension is not allowed on this community." Jpeg, bitmap, etc.) Edited November 10, 2014 by H-Town Man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 very nice! the more the merrier... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 When I looked at the Ventana a few years back I walked past this block and it was like a huge homeless lot. Not that it bothered me, but I'm glad to see it be occupied. Also glad to see more blocks getting filled in. The more units the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Man - they (Surge Builders) are all over the place all of a sudden....Heights...Downtown....http://blogs.houstonpress.com/news/2014/11/plans_for_the_controversial_freeland_district_development_are_back_sort_of.php"Surge Homes, the company mentioned on the sign, is simply a new brand created by the same developer: Canadian firm Group LSR, known locally also as Inner Loop Condos. The same firm built the Piedmont condo building kinda near River Oaks and the Serento sorta near the Med Center."http://swamplot.com/a-new-sign-of-future-development-appears-on-heights-hike-and-bike-trail-site/2014-11-07/ 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 One more vacant block on Main going away would be great, and I even don't hate the design. Now if only that church across the street would sell off its enormous parking lots. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdotwill84 Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 One more vacant block on Main going away would be great, and I even don't hate the design. Now if only that church across the street would sell off its enormous parking lots. was thinking the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 At least it's more contemporary than the faux classicism of it's superblock neighbor. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surge Homes Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 @H-Town Man. We are testing the idea of both townhomes and condos on our site, www.surgehomes.com, to see which type of product there is more interest for on this site. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largeTEXAS Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 @H-Town Man. We are testing the idea of both townhomes and condos on our site, www.surgehomes.com, to see which type of product there is more interest for on this site. Thanks and welcome to the site, Surge Homes! Either option sounds great, especially for the location. However, the one thing that Midtown, especially Main Street, desperately needs is decent retail. At least 8,000 sf of retail is essential to any project being built on Main Street in Midtown. I'm sure you're aware of what's happening on the Sears site and the other surrounding sites. It would behoove you and your investors to capture that additional income stream. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Now if we can just get Hines and others to get on this site too.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Surge Homes Posted November 12, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted November 12, 2014 Thanks and welcome to the site, Surge Homes! Either option sounds great, especially for the location. However, the one thing that Midtown, especially Main Street, desperately needs is decent retail. At least 8,000 sf of retail is essential to any project being built on Main Street in Midtown. I'm sure you're aware of what's happening on the Sears site and the other surrounding sites. It would behoove you and your investors to capture that additional income stream. The condos that we are proposing would have ground floor retail. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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