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Vintage Park Shopping Village Developments

mrfootball

By mrfootball
in The Great Northwest

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Jonah

Jonah

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I'm not sure why people get so excited over projects like this. This is basically a mall with the roof taken off. It's surrounded by a huge parking lot and subdivision all around. This does not increase density in anyway. There are projects like this all over suburban Los Angeles. The only "town center" in Houston that makes sense would probably be the one in Sugar Land. At least it is making the most use out of it's land by having residential and office space on top of retail and using parking garages instead of parking lots.

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Guest danax

Guest danax

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I'm not sure why people get so excited over projects like this. This is basically a mall with the roof taken off. It's surrounded by a huge parking lot and subdivision all around. This does not increase density in anyway. There are projects like this all over suburban Los Angeles. The only "town center" in Houston that makes sense would probably be the one in Sugar Land. At least it is making the most use out of it's land by having residential and office space on top of retail and using parking garages instead of parking lots.

No doubt this is suburbia. Not dense and I'm ok with that. Other than apartment clusters, suburban density occurs while shopping, eating or recreating. then it's back to the peace and quiet at home. Real big city density is a long way off where this is located. Even if they'd spend the extra dollars to make it mixed use, living on top of one of these shops would be a bit strange. Once the place closes down for the night, there's probably more possums nearby than people. True density happens naturally and it's happening in Houston in places like the Warehouse District, Midtown and Rice Military/Upper West End.

This is better than the other so-called lifestyle centers closer to town like Gulfgate & Meyerland, which are just fancy, supersized strip malls. At least here you can get out and walk or sit down and relax a bit.

I like to be outside personally but I wonder if these places are just a tad trendy and will be short lived. As much as everyone complains about the humidity here it would seem that the indoor malls would make more sense and attract more shoppers. Maybe people got tired of indoor malls being such teen hangouts.

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ProHouston

ProHouston

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I'm not sure why people get so excited over projects like this. This is basically a mall with the roof taken off. It's surrounded by a huge parking lot and subdivision all around. This does not increase density in anyway. There are projects like this all over suburban Los Angeles. The only "town center" in Houston that makes sense would probably be the one in Sugar Land. At least it is making the most use out of it's land by having residential and office space on top of retail and using parking garages instead of parking lots.

So?

This is the kind of retail that is in fashion. The people that live in this area aren't looking for "dense." They're looking for what this development has to offer. If they wanted dense, they'd live in town.

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mrfootball

mrfootball

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True density happens naturally and it's happening in Houston in places like the Warehouse District, Midtown and Rice Military/Upper West End.

Gawd I hope it never gets like that. Those areas are overbuilt fusterclucks of neverending condos and townhomes packed in wherever they can fit them.

There will be a considerable office & corporate component in the other parts of the entire Vintage development. Office towers etc. This is but one component of a much larger total package. If they plan it right, they could have something special.

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TheNiche

TheNiche

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This is better than the other so-called lifestyle centers closer to town like Gulfgate & Meyerland, which are just fancy, supersized strip malls. At least here you can get out and walk or sit down and relax a bit.

I like to be outside personally but I wonder if these places are just a tad trendy and will be short lived. As much as everyone complains about the humidity here it would seem that the indoor malls would make more sense and attract more shoppers. Maybe people got tired of indoor malls being such teen hangouts.

Speaking of which, when my mom first saw what had become of the new Gulfgate, she mentioned to me that the original Gulfgate was in fact an open-air shopping center that was later enclosed once the owners figured out that...well you know...it rains a lot in Houston. I'd never heard this before. Is this true or is she just full of it?

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utdeveloper

utdeveloper

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I'm not sure why people get so excited over projects like this. This is basically a mall with the roof taken off. It's surrounded by a huge parking lot and subdivision all around. This does not increase density in anyway. There are projects like this all over suburban Los Angeles. The only "town center" in Houston that makes sense would probably be the one in Sugar Land. At least it is making the most use out of it's land by having residential and office space on top of retail and using parking garages instead of parking lots.

Market Square...The Woodlands?

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Houston19514

Houston19514

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Speaking of which, when my mom first saw what had become of the new Gulfgate, she mentioned to me that the original Gulfgate was in fact an open-air shopping center that was later enclosed once the owners figured out that...well you know...it rains a lot in Houston. I'd never heard this before. Is this true or is she just full of it?

Prior to the advent of the fully-enclosed shopping mall, there were open-air shopping centers all over the country, many of which were later enclosed. I think Gulfgate was probably one of those.

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mrfootball

mrfootball

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Construction begins on retail development on former HP land

Center to bring a touch of the Mediterranean to the northwest

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/cyf...ws/4201016.html

By KIM JACKSON

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Developers have started construction on the 350,000-square-foot "Vintage Park" retail development on land formerly owned by Hewlett-Packard at the southeast corner of Texas 249 and Louetta Road.

Officials with Vintage Park LLC — a partnership between Interfin Companies LP and V&W Partners — said the lifestyle retail center will be similar to Market Square in The Woodlands and Uptown Park off the West Loop.

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Houston19514

Houston19514

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Mediterranean to the northwest? Good grief! MAJOR faux alert!

Why not bring the US Northwest to northwest Houston?

Something that would acutally make sense instead of faux-Mediterranean?

I'll miss this land. We'd jog there during lunch back in my Compaq days.

How would bringing Washington and Oregon to northwest Houston make any more sense than bringing the Mediterranean to northwest Houston??

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MidtownCoog

MidtownCoog

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Well, if you HAVE to be fake, they could take advantatge of the existing trees.

There is a new Wells Fargo in Fall Creek that looks like a mountain lodge which blends in pretty well as opposed to fauxness that is the Mediterranean on 249.

And didn't they already rip-off the Mediterranean in The Woodlands?

But Vincent is so gaudy cheesy, so if he's involved, this should have been expected.

dubrovnik.jpg

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PureAuteur

PureAuteur

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This is really a bad idea. I'm so sick of "lifestyle centers". Why doesn't any development have an organic feel to it anymore? It's going to look nice, but I feel like it's also going to be very boring as well. I'd almost rather they built a hotel in that area.

There was something in the article about an HEB. Now this is something that I'd be interested in, since I used to shop there during my college days in San Marcos, and because I've become dissatisfied with Kroger and Randalls. Right now I don't think there are any in proximity to the Willowbrook area. You have to drive out to Klein, or Gessner @ Kempwood, which is pretty far.

I'll still be upset though if they build the HEB where the forest of trees runs along the right side of 249 going north at around Cypresswood Dr. I'm not sure if that's where the HEB is going or if that land is still owned by HP. Does anyone know?

" Hewlett-Packard still owns the 94-acre property at the southwest corner of Cutten and Louetta roads. "

I'm hoping that's the corner I'm thinking of, and that the HEB will be closer to Cutten and not right on the freeway.

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PureAuteur

PureAuteur

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Well, if you HAVE to be fake, they could take advantatge of the existing trees.

There is a new Wells Fargo in Fall Creek that looks like a mountain lodge which blends in pretty well as opposed to fauxness that is the Mediterranean on 249.

And didn't they already rip-off the Mediterranean in The Woodlands?

But Vincent is so gaudy cheesy, so if he's involved, this should have been expected.

dubrovnik.jpg

Where is Fall Creek? Are you referring to Market Street in the Woodlands or something else? Market Street isn't Mediterranean themed.

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mrfootball

mrfootball

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I too think the idea of a German or Central European (even northern italian - Lake Como?) style shopping center ought to be explored here. We've got the woods. We've got the Germans (highest single % of area residents hold german ancestry per their own website Demographic data, next being central european, northern european) and we've got the history as this part of the city (Klein & Cypress) was settled by German farmers. It would blend more naturally and certainly be more noteworthy.

With that said, I'm confident that this will be a beautiful center. It's something this area definitely wants, I've no doubt it'll be a hit. They do have to appeal to wider demographic and the Italian/Mediterranean look is a proven commodity. I'd just like to see it have a more logical connection with the area in which it sits. More 'organic' as Auteur put it. I want a Lifestyle center. I want a Town Center. I want a Central business district. I want them to realize how prized that property is to the area. It's a beautiful parcel.

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PureAuteur

PureAuteur

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MrFootball, finally we share a sentiment on something. I was thinking the same thing about how tired all the faux-Tuscan/Italian/Mediterranean developments are.

When I said "organic" I meant not only that the architecture would reflect the area's people and geography, but that it would be built by people from that area. Uptown Park is nothing special. It looks nice from the freeway, but when you get in there it feels very faux-ish. Even if they did built The Vintage in German style or Czech style, it would still look like a joke. They need real Germans or real Czechs to come here and develop that parcel, and if that's not possible, why don't the residents of the Klein/Champions area go after it? I'm sure they'd be much more sensitive to the land since they are from the area, and they'd do a better job on the quality of building materials and workmanship.

I just thought of something. Isn't the Willowbrook Plaza on Gessner already Mediterranean themed? Isn't it a lifestyle center with a movie theater, retail, restaurants, and entertainment? Why do we need another one of those?

I wonder if it's too late to change the architectural plans, since nothing has been built yet. I say make it look like an old German village with narrow streets and authentic construction and street lamps, something similar to Old Town Spring. If you want to help me out, I'm thinking of writing a letter to the investment company explaining how much more of a profit they could turn if they change the architectural style. They already own it, might as well convince them.

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PureAuteur

PureAuteur

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They don't fit this city at all. Uptown Park looks more out of place than that neon-blue Ferris Wheel in downtown Houston that the Landry fellow built adjacent to his Aquarium. The Vintage-Kickerillo neighborhood looks so boring, like something that's been done thousands of times before, and I wouldn't even consider looking for a home there. I'd rather buy a custom home designed by Rick Perry himself than to live there, and yes, I mean the governor.

Using Italian names for apartments and subdivisions is about as tired as using mix-and-match with nature words to create names. It's stuff like this that makes me want to go live in the Heights or even the Oak Forest/Inwood Oaks area where there is no new development going on constantly and the commercial markets are relatively quiet.

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mrfootball

mrfootball

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Ok, let's step back for a second...

While I think we all have our own opinions and suggestions about this project and all agree that this is a great parcel that we want to see developed as intelligently as possible. I think we should also recognize that its going to be pretty nice.

The architect, Brand + Allen, has done some remarkable designs on Rodeo Drive, NYC, the San Antonio Riverwalk, etc with a pretty significant cache of luxury retail clients.

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