Memorial City Mall Developments

[Pumapayam]

Double post, by accident.

Edited February 12, 2009 by Pumapayam

[IronTiger]

Wait, the Westin isn't going to connect to the Mall is it?

[NancyB]

It looks like the crosswalk will lead from the Westin and the Med Prof Bldg to the Mall, but this is just from looking at it from the outside unfinished. I plan to do some walking around inside the area soon ( I take my dad to the Hosp for transfusions bi-weekly). I am curious about the layout of everything to do with the hospital area since he has quite a few hospitalizations and appts. there and I need to be familiar with changes.

My concern is that the crosswalk may be a "crosswalk to nowhere" for awhile. I suppose the economic situation could delay construction of the retail at the mall which the crosswalk will connect to eventually. Also, it seems like the progress of the Westin slowed. Just wondering if anyone knows what's going on.

Also, by the way the intersection of Gessner and Barryknoll is scheduled to be closed for week starting Monday.

[citykid09]

What was torn down on the mall where that sky bridge goes across? Also looks like the sky bridge was ate up at the end and doesn't connect to anything yet.

[Gary]

What was torn down on the mall where that sky bridge goes across? Also looks like the sky bridge was ate up at the end and doesn't connect to anything yet.

Mervyns was torn down several months back. The sky bridge is waiting for the the new buildout where the Mervyns used to be.

[citykid09]

Mervyns was torn down several months back. The sky bridge is waiting for the the new buildout where the Mervyns used to be.

Okay, its been a while so I could not really tell what was missing. The whole area is getting crowded with lots of different things to see and do. Exciting!

[Rammer]

Is there a Dell store at the mall? The internet says yes, but when I call it's not a good number any more. I need a laptop part and can't stand talking to the Dell people on the phone. Everyone hates them.

I used to love the Dell kiosk, but they foolishly decided to discontinue it.

Dell made a really poor decision in choosing frustrating telephone service over personal human service.

[lockmat]

found this:

http://alquemie.smartbrief.com/alquemie/se...f7-ca5c11478ab7

[IronTiger]

Seen it. The link inside the one you gave is broken.

[Houston19514]

found this:

http://alquemie.smartbrief.com/alquemie/se...f7-ca5c11478ab7

See Post #242 on page 9

[lockmat]

See Post #242 on page 9

I think I went through every page but page 9 before I posted that darn thing.

uff!

[IronTiger]

I think I went through every page but page 9 before I posted that darn thing.

uff!

It's okay. Has anyone driven by the old Mervyn's site recently? What's happening?

Edited May 15, 2009 by IronTiger

[sheeats]

I'm confused. There has been absolutely no progress made on that wretched-looking hotel next to the Decepticon *ahem* new medical tower in months. Did they run out of money? Permit issues? Does anyone know why the construction has completely stopped?

[sunsets]

I make weekly treks to Memorial City to play Saturday night hockey, so I can tell you this:

Nothing has happened to the Mervyn's site, either.

The pedestrian bridge still goes nowhere.

Gessner is all torn up between the hospital and the mall.

The empty storefront of the former Sun and Ski shop is still there, unused.

The mall is constantly packed every Saturday, however.

[LTAWACS]

I hear the traffic is really bad up there... ugh.

[samagon]

I was eating at Rudi Lechner's on Wednesday with the folks, and decided to drive up Gessner to I-10 to get back to town, huge mistake, it took 5 minutes to get from there to Barryknoll, then I got stuck at the light at Barryknoll, and every single 1 of the 5 lights between there and I-10 are timed so you get to sit at them... at 10 o-clock at night.

Granted they are still doing work on the road, but I will be doing everything in my power to not drive down Gessner until this is completed.

[Boris]

Just saw that they put up a new wooden fence around the old Mervins area. There are also a couple of bulldozers in the empty lot.

Looks like they might start construction on the outdoor section of the mall soon.

Interesting that they tore down the Olive Garden for more parking space. Perhaps Olive Garden is going to build in the new outdoor mall area.

Anyone know?

[Ducks]

Just saw that they put up a new wooden fence around the old Mervins area. There are also a couple of bulldozers in the empty lot.

Looks like they might start construction on the outdoor section of the mall soon.

Interesting that they tore down the Olive Garden for more parking space. Perhaps Olive Garden is going to build in the new outdoor mall area.

Anyone know?

Olive Garden moved to the HEB shopping center at Bunker Hill.

[Boris]

Thx for the info. Hadn't noticed they had built over on the other side.

Any info on whether they are starting construction on the old Mervin's site at the mall?

[IronTiger]

I heard there's still the fake building facades and the walkway to nowhere, just as it had been in March 2008.

[Gary]

I heard there's still the fake building facades and the walkway to nowhere, just as it had been in March 2008.

I was there yesterday and all remains the same. In fact, there isn't even a fake building facade at the Mervyns site. It looks pretty bad.

[Ducks]

I think the building facade was ripped off during Ike and never replaced.

[SpringShadows]

I think the building facade was ripped off during Ike and never replaced.

Yep.

[Potsey99]

I am having lunch at the Panera in MC Mall. It looks like they are FINALLY continuing the construction on the bridge, maybe they will work on finishing the rest of it up.

[AtticaFlinch]

I am having lunch at the Panera in MC Mall. It looks like they are FINALLY continuing the construction on the bridge, maybe they will work on finishing the rest of it up.

My office is nearby. I haven't seen much of anything change in about a year. It's as if we ate too many "magic" mushrooms and time just stopped. It's a good thing they finished the actual hospital before time stopped. By the way, I've heard from someone on the inside of MetroNational that the company is struggling financially, and the whole thing could possibly implode altogether. We could end up with another partially completed shell of a building. It's a good thing we're growing accustomed to seeing those around Houston. It's not Lebanon, Father. It's the economy.

[SpringShadows]

My office is nearby. I haven't seen much of anything change in about a year. It's as if we ate too many "magic" mushrooms and time just stopped. It's a good thing they finished the actual hospital before time stopped. By the way, I've heard from someone on the inside of MetroNational that the company is struggling financially, and the whole thing could possibly implode altogether. We could end up with another partially completed shell of a building. It's a good thing we're growing accustomed to seeing those around Houston. It's not Lebanon, Father. It's the economy.

Not true. It drives me nuts on these forums that people keep posting this speculative crap. I've posted many times in this forum on this very subject that there was a problem with the windows in both the Tower and the Hotel. That's why things are moving slow, period.

I've seen people posting that funding was pulled, that Metro National was going belly up, etc. I don't get it. I remember that in a thread about the new condo's going up on the south side of I-10 and Bunker Hill someone was going ballistic about the faux-stucco being used over the entire face of the building when it was painfully clear to anyone that they were simply pulling the parking garage veneer around the front of the building for ascetics. Of course I posted that observation and now one can see I was correct.

I know that forums are built around the principle of speculation but why does everyone err to the negative rather than the positive when we're talking about any project happening outside of the 610 loop?

Edited September 18, 2009 by SpringShadows

[gto250us]

I noticed a crane at the Mall side of the walkway over Gessner. Does anyone know what will be built at that connection point with the walkway. Will it be one store? or an additional "wing" with many stores?

[SpringShadows]

I noticed a crane at the Mall side of the walkway over Gessner. Does anyone know what will be built at that connection point with the walkway. Will it be one store? or an additional "wing" with many stores?

[sunsets]

They're definitely expanding/finishing the pedestrian walkway. No sign of building any addition to the mall yet.

The new brick crosswalks and street prettifications on Gessner are looking really nice. Hopefully the construction barriers leave soon and there are safer places for people to wait for the bus than the gutter of Gessner!

Also, the hotel facade is getting finished as well.

[tpgraham]

Does anyone know what is going up on the west-side parking lot where Olive Garden used to reside?

[jgriff]

It's a bank.

[SpringShadows]

If that's true that sucks.

[jgriff]

If that's true that sucks.

It is. I've heard it from people who are working on the hotel across the street. Also, I can see the site very well from the Metro bus I ride by it everday. It's far enough along that you can see the drive through lanes.

[Subdude]

If that's true that sucks.

Why?

[tpgraham]

The last thing we need in this area is another bank, that is why it sucks. I would rather them use it for parking space.

[20thStDad]

But some banks have free cookies in the lobby. FREE COOKIES!!! I've never seen a parking lot do that.

[SpringShadows]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I don't think it's a bank. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong but there was no Safe that I ever saw. When the MetroNational bank went up the safe was visible for weeks. Also, the "drive thru lanes" look more like a very nice overhang to me. Almost like a classy restaurant.

My gut tells me this isn't a bank. Again, I could be wrong but I don't think so.

[jgriff]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I don't think it's a bank. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong but there was no Safe that I ever saw. When the MetroNational bank went up the safe was visible for weeks. Also, the "drive thru lanes" look more like a very nice overhang to me. Almost like a classy restaurant.

My gut tells me this isn't a bank. Again, I could be wrong but I don't think so.

I guess I could be wrong. It appears to have drive through lanes on the north side and I can see what looks like the pneumatic tube system being placed in the ground near them. I'll try to take a photo this week. I get a really good view of it from the bus since it's higher than a regular car.

[rgraham]

Iberia Bank, I've heard.

[SpringShadows]

Yeah, drove by yesterday. Sadly I was wrong, it is indeed a bank.

[texasdago]

Reminds me of the corner of Winrock and San Felipe... they tore down a series of apartments and built 1 CVS and 4 banks, three of which are next to each other. Simply stupid and adds nothing to the area.

[cumby]

Reminds me of the corner of Winrock and San Felipe... they tore down a series of apartments and built 1 CVS and 4 banks, three of which are next to each other. Simply stupid and adds nothing to the area.

Ha ha, I worked at one of those you're talking about years ago when they went up. I could see the another branch of my bank from the drive thru window and with banks changing hands that bank now has three on that corner. As soon as all those banks started going up, that was the end of the industry. And yet they continue to go up...no one learns. They are useless.

[jgriff]

I use one of those banks all the time. It added something to the area for me. I was also glad to see the crummy apartments go.

[sunsets]

I can't believe no one has picked up on the fact that a Cheesecake Factory is going up in place of the old department store on the west side. That's where the skywalk from the hospital/hotel will connect.

So there's your Memorial City Mall construction news for the month.....

[SpringShadows]

I can't believe no one has picked up on the fact that a Cheesecake Factory is going up in place of the old department store on the west side. That's where the skywalk from the hospital/hotel will connect.

So there's your Memorial City Mall construction news for the month.....

LOL. Thanks.

[sunsets]

So I lied, I have additional news.

The Cheesecake factory construction is also including an addition of a second floor on top of the existing locker rooms next to the ice rink. I've been told there will be a bar/observation area up there.

If it does turn out to be a bar, there are going to be a lot of happy adult hockey league participants!

[sunsets]

They are installing escalators from the second story of the new Cheesecake Factory addition to the ground floor just to the south of the ice rink (near the CA Pizza Kitchen). Obviously someone is expecting significant traffic flow from the hospital/hotel crossing.

Now if they'd just finish up whatever they're doing to the plumbing and get the locker room hot water back on I'd be pleased.

[NenaE]

They are installing escalators from the second story of the new Cheesecake Factory addition to the ground floor just to the south of the ice rink (near the CA Pizza Kitchen). Obviously someone is expecting significant traffic flow from the hospital/hotel crossing.

Now if they'd just finish up whatever they're doing to the plumbing and get the locker room hot water back on I'd be pleased.

I just saw a hotel sign on the bldg, Westin? Anyway, that new hospital redevelopment/ new construction is beautifully done, on the inside.

[sunsets]

Yep, it's a Westin. Never been inside, but I hatehatehate the outside facade of that hospital. What the heck IS that thing, a spaceship?????

[sunsets]

Westin opening is scheduled for March.

Cheesecake Factory is up and running. And they have at least 50 valet spots roped off on the west side of the parking lot. Woe to the ice rink users who attempt to park nearby during mall business hours. There are some very unhappy hockey parents at Mem. City at the moment.

The walls of second floor addition to the rink that connects to the sky walk are currently lined with really creepy fake storefront designs. I don't know what the plans are for that space, but the fake stores have got to go. Let kids paint murals or something. Right now all I think about when I look up there is the marketplace from "Total Recall".