Generation Park: Mixed-Use In Northeast Harris County

[Mr.Clean19]

Would be great if a large university from outside of Houston partnered with these guys to make a technical school for Engineering or Medical. The north side of houston could really develop around this area and support it. 

[htownbro]

1 hour ago, Mr.Clean19 said:

Would be great if a large university from outside of Houston partnered with these guys to make a technical school for Engineering or Medical. The north side of houston could really develop around this area and support it. 

Herons Kingwood Marina will bring about much development in NE Houston

[Mr.Clean19]

Not sure if this belongs here but somewhat tied to Generation Park.... Fall Creek's new website has a lot of sales info regarding this area and location:

 

https://fallcreekhouston.com/

 

[Urbannizer]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/10/24/first-apartments-nearly-complete-in-massive-mixed.html

 

By year’s end, residents will be able to move into a new multifamily building under construction in Generation Park, Houston-based McCord Development's 4,000-acre project in northeast Houston.

 

McCord Development President Ryan McCord said the apartment building, dubbed 255 Assay Street Luxury Apartments, is set to wrap up construction in December.

 

255 Assay was built in Redemption Square, which is already home to an office building at 250 Assay Street. The office building’s tenants include McCord, Apache Industrial Services and Global Tubing LLC. In June, Wholesome Kitchen and Wholesome Pies opened joint restaurants at 250 Assay.

 

Redemption Square is a 52-acre mixed-use district within Generation Park, which is bisected by Beltway 8 in northeast Houston. In addition to the existing office building and apartments underway, Redemption Square is expected to include hotels, restaurants, shops and more in a walkable lifestyle district.

 

McCord said that once construction is complete on 255 Assay, his company will shift its focus to developing two additional multifamily projects in Generation Park.

 

The first is another Class A apartment building that McCord said will closely resemble 255 Assay. That project is scheduled to break ground in the second quarter of 2020.

 

A third apartment building is also in the design stage, McCord said. That building will offer apartments at a lower price point as a way to capitalize on the Ikea distribution center set to open on a 117.4-acre tract the Netherlands-based furniture company purchased from McCord Development last year.

[Mr.Clean19]

I never saw clarity on how many jobs that IKEA factory would produce

[Houston19514]

17 minutes ago, Mr.Clean19 said:

I never saw clarity on how many jobs that IKEA factory would produce

 

It's a distribution center, not a factory.  Likely will employ less than 200 people, judging from what they employ at other distribution centers.  (See, for example:  https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20070627005739/en/IKEA-Opens-State-of-the-Art-Distribution-Center-Savannah-Company)

[Highrise Tower]

On 9/10/2013 at 1:46 PM, Urbannizer said:

 

Developer Shares details on Generation Park mixed-use Project

 

I don't follow this project, but a recent Instagram story has a slightly different design.

 

[BigFootsSocks]

An Alamo Draft House would be nice 

[Mr.Clean19]

They have plans for a gym, daycare and other things in that area just to the right side of the apartments that went up. Hopefully they will get something going soon with the Marriott hotel going up.

[Luminare]

Decided to take a look to see what this area is like in 2020. Went here and The Grid just to see the two approaches in this early stage. While its still too early to tell which of these will be successful in the long run, it was interesting to see both initial approaches to development. While The Grids initial approach left me wanting, and disappointed, Redemption Square at Generation Park left me impressed and hopeful for the future. I got the sense even though this was only just a couple buildings that they have an clear mission in what they want to do, and are pursuing that mission from the start. While this initally will probably make it feel empty in the beginning because its trying to establish itself as something different, like CityCentre (which also started slow), as it adds layers it will start to become a destination for the area and be seen as something different and unique. Here are pics from trip out there (pardon the darkness of the photos. taken with my camera and didn't have time to edit them):

 

The Square itself felt like a place already. Looking forward to this being fleshed out with retail and seeing people use it. Especially with it being set in the middle of nowhere it was nice to be contained in an enclosed environment:

 

 

 

 

Even the Courtland Marriott which is normally a symbol of suburban development is being incorporated into an urban square setting which was interesting. It proved to me that they are really trying to put effort into developing this as a concept:

 

 

 

Then there is the first residential development for this site. The entire bottom portion that faces the square will have ground floor retail. It will take awhile for it to fill out, but once it does it will be very nice. The scale was good, and the building felt like something of quality while I was there. Apparently its near completion and has already started leasing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The office building really came out nice as well:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are setting up fencing for the next phase I think:

 

 

 

 

Further down the main road from Redemption Square is construction for the San Jacinto Campus:

 

 

 

Thats about it. Though small right now, its a great start. From aerials on google maps you just don't get that sense that anything has happened here yet, but once you take a look for yourself it does feel like an actual place with a lot of potential. I can't say the same thus far for The Grid. To find out what I said about that development then go to that thread. Redemption Square is staying true to their mission, and feels like they are in this for the long haul and want to get it done right. Looking forward to what evolves out of this in the future.

[Mr.Clean19]

Great overview. The potential for this development is staggering. The owners are sticking with the plan and avoiding compromising the plan for cheap / quick gains. They are expecting another 600+ homes built between Balmoral and the Groves per year in the area. Along with Apartment, you could expect a population increase of ~25k over the next 5 years just adjacent to this property. You have a lot of good things going for this area, but like you said, the perception is that this is in the middle of nowhere. 

[jmancuso]

It IS in the middle of nowhere. I live in Kingwood and take the beltway to Clear Lake and pass this along the way and it's pretty isolated. It probably won't be in 5-10 years but in the meantime, it's setting is pretty remote. 

[Moore713]

Still wish these kind of places would go for a little more architectural diversity. They are all starting to look alike.

[Twinsanity02]

2 hours ago, Moore713 said:

Still wish these kind of places would go for a little more architectural diversity. They are all starting to look alike.

Clean but dullish.

[Luminare]

2 hours ago, Moore713 said:

Still wish these kind of places would go for a little more architectural diversity. They are all starting to look alike.

 

37 minutes ago, Twinsanity02 said:

Clean but dullish.

 

I can agree with both of these. Definitely not cutting edge and very far from bleeding edge, but its the overall goal, the vision, the mission that they are getting right. If they can get that right then cool design stuff can happen later. It would be wise for use to moderate our expectations in that way. The only thing we can do is hold them up to the standards they set for themselves. If you are going to pitch urban mixed-use cores then build them. I don't even mind if you also cater to the suburban crowd as long as it doesn't sacrifice from the overall mission.

[Highrise Tower]

Houston developer buys land from Exelon to expand 4,000-acre development

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2020/05/18/mccord-generation-park-exelon-land-acquisition.html

 

Quote

 

Houston-based McCord Development Inc. purchased 201.19 acres of land to expand its 4,000-acre Generation Park development.

 

The seller was Exelon Generation Company LLC, part of Chicago-based energy provider Exelon Corp. (Nasdaq: EXC). Cushman & Wakefield brokers David Cook, Jeff Peden and Scott Miller as well as Cresa Global Inc. brokers Will Condrey, Kayla Black and Ben Sample represented Exelon, according to a press release from Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK).

 

The value of the deal was not disclosed, but the Harris County Appraisal District valued the land at nearly $3.54 million as of Jan. 1, unchanged from a year earlier. The deal closed in December, according to HCAD.

 

Expansion is limited in many directions due to parks and other natural preserves as well as the Summerwood community to the north. The additional land will allow McCord to expand the western portion of Generation Park, per the release.

 

“While most of this acquisition is for commercial use, a sizeable portion will be used for enhancing the quality of life we provide our clients by becoming part of our upcoming trail and park network connecting each region of Generation Park,” Ryan McCord, president of McCord Development, said in the release.

 

 

[Mr.Clean19]

I believe IKEA will be right next to that. I wonder if it is in the tax free zone next to rail?

[Montrose1100]

51 minutes ago, Mr.Clean19 said:

I believe IKEA will be right next to that. I wonder if it is in the tax free zone next to rail?

Just a distribution warehouse right, not a full blown store?

[Mr.Clean19]

Correct. I think it is 160 acres. Probably about 80-100 full time jobs. Still with the amount of land they have available here, adding 250 acres adds ~10% to their land... and its on the side of the property that will be built first. This would be a fantastic place for Elon to move his HQ along with manufacturing. There is ample space and growing real estate/schools/technical resources..

[Moore713]

5 hours ago, Mr.Clean19 said:

Correct. I think it is 160 acres. Probably about 80-100 full time jobs. Still with the amount of land they have available here, adding 250 acres adds ~10% to their land... and its on the side of the property that will be built first. This would be a fantastic place for Elon to move his HQ along with manufacturing. There is ample space and growing real estate/schools/technical resources..

 That would be cause a development explosion  for this place

[Urbannizer]

100 N Redemption Square

 

http://generationpark.com/listing/medical/100-n-redemption-square-premier-medical-offices/

 

 

[Montrose1100]

Apart from the birds, it's about as cute of a suburban office as we can get. 

[Texasota]

It's a good looking building with weird bird glass tumors.

[Mr.Clean19]

Great addition to the area. And their brochure shows a lot more.

[Highrise Tower]

Coworking Space.

[Paco Jones]

Project:

Hope Media Group Ministry Center
 

Owner:

Hope Media Group

 

Architect:

Gensler

 

Information:

A new three (3) level office building of approximately 50,000 SF for Hope Media Group.  Building use to be for radio broadcasting services and administrative offices.  Parking for the office building will be off-site.  The site ( North Redemption Square Road), is located immediately south and west of the intersection of West Lake Houston Parkway and Beltway 8/Sam Houston Parkway and bound on the west by Lockwood Road.

The overall site improvements will be minimal, with a service entrance on the east side of the office building and small
landscaping beds around the ground level of the building. The west-adjacent property will be developed into a pedestrian plaza (by others) and will serve the main the entrance to the new office building. The north-adjacent property, a Harris County drainage easement will be developed by McCord into a pedestrian park with landscape features including a pedestrian bridge.

 

 

 

 

[BigFootsSocks]

Like our own mini Zion's Landing at Redemption Square 

[j_cuevas713]

I wish more developers would have built smart in this way from the Loop to the Beltway. I do love how this resembles CityCenter in terms of density and planning. I was honestly asleep on this entire project. 

[hindesky]

"HTX Surf, set to open in fall 2024, will feature up to 1,000 ocean-like waves per hour and conditions that can be tailored to surfers of all skill levels."

https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/retail/generation-park-developer-hopes-unusual-experiential-will-have-everybody-gone-surfing-115788

[hindesky]

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/htx-surf-houston-generation-park/

[79ta]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/generation-park-mccord-houston-12-billion-17655009.php#photo-23276395

 

Not sure how much of the information is new but here are some of the key points:

• Generation Park lost out on a $550 million biomanufacturing plant

• San Jacinto College and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training are in late stage talks to create a new Biotechnology Training Center

• new high-tech distribution center planned by Ikea

• (posted above) 6-acre man-made lagoon with waves meant to mimic surfing, called HTX Surf

 

There's a good Q&A at the link too

 

rendering of a proposed life sciences building

 

the six-acre lagoon

[toxtethogrady]

More on that biotech center, which is (according to the sponsors) a big deal...
NIBRT Tech Center

[kennyc05]

Houston is going all I'm biotech!

[steve1363]

It’s perplexing to me how disbursed all of these biotech facilities are.  We have TMC3, Levitt Green, The Woodlands, and now far NE Houston.  

Maybe it doesn’t matter?

[004n063]

18 minutes ago, steve1363 said:

It’s perplexing to me how disbursed all of these biotech facilities are.  We have TMC3, Levitt Green, The Woodlands, and now far NE Houston.  

Maybe it doesn’t matter?

All I heard was "train" 

[toxtethogrady]

No one expected TMC to outgrow its boundaries, but now there is TMC3 (Helix Park) and TMC4 (the Bioport)...

Edited December 21, 2022 by toxtethogrady
Updated

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/03/29/mccord-development-next-phase-generation-park.html

Some bits from this piece about the new Senior Director of Development for McCord...

-San Jacinto / NIBRT Biotech Training Facility still on the table. Wanting to start later this year and have it finished by the end of 2024.

-Biotech in general is still a big focus. Wanting to create a 45-acre campus called BioHub Two with warehouses starting at 75kSF and going up from there. The existing BioHub One (another McCord project) is in the Boston area.

-Redemption Square was discussed. Wanting to add 300kSF of retail and another 250-unit apartment building to complement the existing one. Also discussed was the possible addition of 100kSF of flex/industrial space and 8600kSF for events space and bar. No timeline for any of this.