Kroger At 1440 Studemont St.

[houstonray]

Just saw an article online that Kroger purchased the property at 1400 Studemont, by Arne's. It borders Summer Street to the South. Anyone have more details?

Wish HEB had purchased it for a "Heights Market".....

[aggie92]

http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/02/a_new_kroger_neart_the_heights.html

[Lotus]

And it will likely cut into the new Whole Foods' pull if it's a Signature version.

[Angostura]

Ugh. Another Kroger.

I wish HEB would get their act together and build something decent in/near the Heights. I'm tired of driving to Bunker Hill or Buffalo Speedway to find a decent grocery store.

[Northwood]

Ugh. Another Kroger.

I wish HEB would get their act together and build something decent in/near the Heights. I'm tired of driving to Bunker Hill or Buffalo Speedway to find a decent grocery store.

I totally agree. Come on HEB!

[heights_yankee]

Ugh. Another Kroger.

I wish HEB would get their act together and build something decent in/near the Heights. I'm tired of driving to Bunker Hill or Buffalo Speedway to find a decent grocery store.

Agreed here as well. I would like an HEB because their store brand stuff is way better than Kroger and their meat is usually better as well. However, I would really be fine with no more supermarkets in the area. 11th St Kroger is huge, they have a neglected one on 20th to deal with. HEB could do something great with their location on TC Jester/Ella. Plus we have 2 good Fiestas and the Target on Sawyer is super-expanding their food lines. How much more food can the Heights possibly buy?

[Angostura]

Agreed here as well. I would like an HEB because their store brand stuff is way better than Kroger and their meat is usually better as well. However, I would really be fine with no more supermarkets in the area. 11th St Kroger is huge, they have a neglected one on 20th to deal with. HEB could do something great with their location on TC Jester/Ella. Plus we have 2 good Fiestas and the Target on Sawyer is super-expanding their food lines. How much more food can the Heights possibly buy?

That's the thing. Between 11th St Kroger, a possibly remodeled 20th St Kroger, Studemont Kroger, WF on Waugh and Walmart, HEB may feel like there's no good reason for them to expand into the area.

The little Timbergrove HEB is probably too small to justify a big remodel.

[heights_yankee]

That's the thing. Between 11th St Kroger, a possibly remodeled 20th St Kroger, Studemont Kroger, WF on Waugh and Walmart, HEB may feel like there's no good reason for them to expand into the area.

The little Timbergrove HEB is probably too small to justify a big remodel.

Yeah, I'm sure they look and see an already saturated market. However, I would bet a large percentage of people would stop shopping at any of the assorted Krogers if there was an HEB. I know many who already drive out to Bunker Hill as it is.

But again, I am just fine with the number of markets currently in the Heights area...

[heights]

Chron has an article about a new Kroger to be built near Studemont / I-10 and the associated 380 agreement. All you NIMBY's will have a whole new thread to jump on now!

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/City-to-offer-rebates-to-another-new-store-near-2225281.php

[s3mh]

Except it isn't in anyone's back yard. It is surrounded by commercial buildings on every side. Traffic might be a delicate flower, but this is a far cry from Walmart. Half the size, doesn't dump traffic into residential neighborhoods, and no bridge issue. That is not to say it is perfect. There is no way Kroger should be getting a 380 agreement. And the grandfathered drainage detention is really irritating considering that we are all shelling out extra bucks for drainage improvements while developers get a free ride on doing detention.

[J008]

Except it isn't in anyone's back yard. It is surrounded by commercial buildings on every side. Traffic might be a delicate flower, but this is a far cry from Walmart. Half the size, doesn't dump traffic into residential neighborhoods, and no bridge issue. That is not to say it is perfect. There is no way Kroger should be getting a 380 agreement. And the grandfathered drainage detention is really irritating considering that we are all shelling out extra bucks for drainage improvements while developers get a free ride on doing detention.

I disagree. This will make traffic on Studemont worse after the new I-10 interchange has already caused more congestion, and for what? Another Kroger. You are correct that this stretch of Studemont already has trucks doing U-turns (or getting stuck doing them as I witnessed last week), but again- another Kroger is really not worth the inconvenience. The grocery store availability for this area is well past saturation. The fact that Wal Mart and Kroger get welfare to be there just makes it harder for the non-360'd ones to compete (Fiesta).

[DrLan34]

http://swamplot.com/studemont-kroger-would-break-on-through-to-the-still-industrial-side/2011-10-18/

[RedScare]

Except it isn't in anyone's back yard. It is surrounded by commercial buildings on every side. Traffic might be a delicate flower, but this is a far cry from Walmart. Half the size, doesn't dump traffic into residential neighborhoods, and no bridge issue. That is not to say it is perfect. There is no way Kroger should be getting a 380 agreement. And the grandfathered drainage detention is really irritating considering that we are all shelling out extra bucks for drainage improvements while developers get a free ride on doing detention.

That 380 agreement is largely to reimburse Kroger for building a new street for the City, a street that Kroger does not need in order to conduct business. The City hopes to eventually connect Taylor and Studemont through Summer Street, opening all of that industrial land to new commercial, retail, and other consumer purposes. When that occurs, the City gets benfit of not only the value of the new construction, but the sales tax revenue from the various retailers and restaurants. The City figures that, while it doesn't have the extra $2.5 million laying around to build the street itself, it can spare a couple of hundred thousand a year if Kroger will do it. Remember, this $2.5 million will be paid out of the increased property and sales taxes. Currently, this is a vacant lot with 0 sales taxes produced. Kroger will increase the land value by about $5 million, and sell a crapton of overpriced wine and cheese to the surrounding neighbors. Why else would they build this store? It is profitable.

Oh, and as for the drainage, Kroger will pay a monthly fee on the new impermeable area it creates, at the business rate.

[HoustonMidtown]

The grocery store availability for this area is well past saturation.

I lived in the Heights 3 yrs ago and the one thing I didn't like was that there weren't any grocery stores....there was Fiesta on Studemont and the nasty one on 11th ( I think it has been remodeled since I left)....where are the other ones that have over-saturated the area ?

[samagon]

so what affectionate name will this Kroger have? well, assuming it gets built..

380 Kroger?

We wish this was on Yale and called HEB cause then we probably wouldn't have had a problem with the 380 Kroger?

Bad storm drain Kroger?

Traffic Kroger?

[Montrose1100]

I'm personally excited about connecting taylor & studemont. It will make it a lot easier to go south while avoiding the at-grade tracks on taylor.

Plus Krogers is cheaper then Target. But not as cheap as HEB!

[s3mh]

That 380 agreement is largely to reimburse Kroger for building a new street for the City, a street that Kroger does not need in order to conduct business. The City hopes to eventually connect Taylor and Studemont through Summer Street, opening all of that industrial land to new commercial, retail, and other consumer purposes. When that occurs, the City gets benfit of not only the value of the new construction, but the sales tax revenue from the various retailers and restaurants. The City figures that, while it doesn't have the extra $2.5 million laying around to build the street itself, it can spare a couple of hundred thousand a year if Kroger will do it. Remember, this $2.5 million will be paid out of the increased property and sales taxes. Currently, this is a vacant lot with 0 sales taxes produced. Kroger will increase the land value by about $5 million, and sell a crapton of overpriced wine and cheese to the surrounding neighbors. Why else would they build this store? It is profitable.

Oh, and as for the drainage, Kroger will pay a monthly fee on the new impermeable area it creates, at the business rate.

Of course Kroger and the City want you to think that this is some great benefit for the City and has nothing to do with what Kroger should be responsible for doing. Kroger needs road work on Studemont to provide left turn lanes for their development. Those improvements exclusively benefit Kroger and are only needed for Kroger. The Summer St. cut through provides Kroger with traffic mitigation that will keep it from degrading other intersections and triggering much more costly traffic mitigation measures (including reducing store sq ft). It will allow them to signalize the intersection at Studemont. Aside from some sort of conversion of Addickes' stuido, there is absolutely no potention for development on Summer St. between Kroger and Target. It is all industrial, with a number of facilities firmly entrenched with recent upgrades of their properties. There are a thousand and one needed road projects in Houston that would have a million times higher potential for spurring development than providing a cut through to a bunch of industrial properties. The idea that the Summer st. extension is a good investment is pure fantasy. Further, the preliminary estimate for the improvements is 1.8 mil, with 750k of that going to pay for the ROW for Summer st. Kroger will see a hefty profit on that sale compared to what it might have recieved in an emmanent domain proceeding. Just more public funds being transfered to very wealthy private hands. Lastly, the idea that tax increments are found money is a complete fiction. City budgets need revenue growth. A major reason the City is in financial trouble is not over spending, but lack of revenue growth. If the City kicks back the tax increment everytime a Fortune 500 company wants to build in Houston, we will be stuck in a permanent budget crisis. The City of Houston has a big advantage over the vast majority of cities in the country. We have a good economy and solid growth inside the loop. Developers need us more than we need them. We do not need to coddle Kroger and Walmart with tax giveaways. They can pay their own way. Use tax money to spur investment in areas that really need it. The Heights/West End/1st ward are on fire with new development. Let the free market do its job in those areas.

[J008]

I lived in the Heights 3 yrs ago and the one thing I didn't like was that there weren't any grocery stores....there was Fiesta on Studemont and the nasty one on 11th ( I think it has been remodeled since I left)....where are the other ones that have over-saturated the area ?

Here are 11 stores within 4 Miles.

Krogers

2.2 Mi from River Oaks Kroger

2.2 Mi from Disco Kroger

2.8 Mi from Texas Korger (11th St)

3.0 Mi from 20th st Kroger

Fiestas

1.8 Mi to 14th St Fiesta

3.1 Mi to Quitman Fiesta

3.9 Mi to Shepherd Fiesta

Others

1.0 Mi from new super walmart

1.3 Mi from Revival ( not a true comparable, but a grocery nonetheless)

1.4 Mi from Whole Foods

2.7 Mi from Midtown Randalls

[J008]

That 380 agreement is largely to reimburse Kroger for building a new street for the City, a street that Kroger does not need in order to conduct business. The City hopes to eventually connect Taylor and Studemont through Summer Street, opening all of that industrial land to new commercial, retail, and other consumer purposes. When that occurs, the City gets benfit of not only the value of the new construction, but the sales tax revenue from the various retailers and restaurants. The City figures that, while it doesn't have the extra $2.5 million laying around to build the street itself, it can spare a couple of hundred thousand a year if Kroger will do it. Remember, this $2.5 million will be paid out of the increased property and sales taxes. Currently, this is a vacant lot with 0 sales taxes produced. Kroger will increase the land value by about $5 million, and sell a crapton of overpriced wine and cheese to the surrounding neighbors. Why else would they build this store? It is profitable.

Oh, and as for the drainage, Kroger will pay a monthly fee on the new impermeable area it creates, at the business rate.

If development occurs that wouldn't have occured elsewhere. It is hard for me to think there is a whole lot of new restaurants, commercial centers, or retailers that are sitting on the sidelines until they can wedge their shop between arne's and a halliurton field office. It is just furthering the patronage model of city govt.

[Angostura]

Further, the preliminary estimate for the improvements is 1.8 mil, with 750k of that going to pay for the ROW for Summer st.

The acquisition of right-of-way is the sleaziest part of these deals. The ROW for Koehler St in the Walmart 380 was valued at (IIRC) $58/sf, which is about double what HCAD values land in that area.

[RedScare]

Say what you want. I am in support of new development that makes my life easier, and increases my home's value. I don't decide to be pro-development if it is Target/HEB/Whole Foods, and anti-development when it is Walmart/Kroger. I find that mindset to be, oh, what's the word I'm looking for? OH! Hypocritical! That's it.

If the arguments had merit, I would agree. But, they do not. The complaints about the feeder roads on I-10 increasing Heights traffic were wrong, as motorists using those roads (including me) now do not drive on Heights residential streets. Encouraging more development around the Target shopping center allows me to complete my shopping in one trip, rather than going in opposite directions to hit Kroger and Target. This is good for me and my neighbors, so I support it.

HEB has had two opportunities to secure this and the Walmart property. They chose not to. Your arguments need to be directed toward San Antonio, not downtown. As for 380 agreements? Cities that do not improve, decline. I am much more in favor of a few million to improve infrastructure around my neighborhood than the alternative, leaving them derelict. Both of these lots were vacant. Now they will contribute. If you didn't want a thriving gentrifying neighborhood, then you should have moved to the Heights in the 80s, when it was a slum. The 5th Ward has soome nice historic homes for sale within your budget, too, if crappy grocery stores and infrastructure is your thing.

[samagon]

I bet Trader Joe's would get a pass as well.

[HoustonMidtown]

Here are 11 stores within 4 Miles.

Krogers

2.2 Mi from River Oaks Kroger

2.2 Mi from Disco Kroger

2.8 Mi from Texas Korger (11th St)

3.0 Mi from 20th st Kroger

Fiestas

1.8 Mi to 14th St Fiesta

3.1 Mi to Quitman Fiesta

3.9 Mi to Shepherd Fiesta

Others

1.0 Mi from new super walmart

1.3 Mi from Revival ( not a true comparable, but a grocery nonetheless)

1.4 Mi from Whole Foods

2.7 Mi from Midtown Randalls

Ah.....I thought you meant grocery stores in the Heights......definitely lots of grocery stores in the neighboring areas...

[J008]

Ah.....I thought you meant grocery stores in the Heights......definitely lots of grocery stores in the neighboring areas...

Since you can't sell booze in the "Heights" I imagine it will remain just 1 kroger in that strict definition.

[s3mh]

Cities that do not improve, decline. I am much more in favor of a few million to improve infrastructure around my neighborhood than the alternative, leaving them derelict.

You are making the false assumption that without the 380 agreements both developments wouldn't happen or, if they did happen, would provide no infrastructure improvements. Both are going to happen. The land was purchased long before the 380 agreement came about. The infrastructure improvements are mostly needed just for the development as noted above.

And you are also wrongly assuming that these properties are some sort of high risk gentrification project in some sketchy, newly emerging inner city neighborhood. They are not. Kroger, HEB and Walmart have been fighting it out to get into the Heights because Target has been making piles at their location and the Shep Kroger has been printing money. These projects are slam dunk profit makers. Forget Bellaire, Rice Village, West U, the Heights is the place to be now. We don't need to spend millions to get developers to do what they are already committed to doing. It is nothing more than a wealth transfer.

[innerlooper]

They're moving a lot of dirt at 1440 Studemont (near Arne's). HCAD comes back to Kroger......

Apologies if this is somewhere else on HAIF.

[Stephen]

I'm not sure if there's a thread here or not but it's been on swamplot a few times over the last several months.

Here's the easiest thing: https://www.google.com/search?output=search&q=site%3Aswamplot.com+studemont+kroger

[innerlooper]

Thanks. I should know better and should spend time there but S-L is so.....random and confusing. I like old fashioned fora like here.

[Stephen]

I know what you mean - i just keep it in my google reader! same for this too actually

[RedScare]

Try this thread.

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/25620-new-kroger-coming-to-studemonti-10/