Retail At 421 Fannin St.

[The Great Hizzy!]

If you work/spend time downtown and have been around Preston Station lately, the building at the NE corner of Fannin @ Prairie has a large banner in front that says, "Retail Space Available - New Development".

Do our resident retail/development insiders know anything specific about this? HD or HR?

Or anyone else.

Seems like a good place to have a Jamba Juice or other trendy BS'ers spot near the nightlife district.

[RedScare]

Jamba didn't work at the Rice. Not sure why it would work here.

That sign is recent...no more than a month old. My office stares straight at it. But I haven't heard anything.

[The Great Hizzy!]

That's right. I forgot about Jamba Juice's stint at the Rice.

Anyway, I see that a new retail center--that is, a "health food" burger joint--is opening at the corner of Travis and Walker in the Commerce Towers. Don't know if this has been mentioned anywhere else, but the site is coming along pretty fast. They don't appear to be too far away from opening.

"Topz" healthy burgers.

[Sunstar]

If you work/spend time downtown and have been around Preston Station lately, the building at the NE corner of Fannin @ Prairie has a large banner in front that says, "Retail Space Available - New Development".

Do our resident retail/development insiders know anything specific about this? HD or HR?

Or anyone else.

Seems like a good place to have a Jamba Juice or other trendy BS'ers spot near the nightlife district.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Several years ago that building was home to a small grocery store. The space was then vacated to make room for a possible restaurant or retail store. Needless to say, it has sat empty until now. Perhaps they are finally getting around to restoring the building.

[RedScare]

Sunstar, I think that place caught fire and the store owner did not have insurance. He could not afford to renovate, so he closed shop.

At one time, around 2003 or so, CVS (yeah, that CVS) was rumored to have an option on the building. They could not get another lot for parking, so they went to Main St. I don't know that firsthand, but that was the story I got from some people in the area.

Given its size (17,500 sf), is it safe to assume there will be several retail shops there?

[RedScare]

Looking out my window at the building on Fannin@Prairie, they are making good progress on the facade. However, I can't be sure, but it may be another one of those styrofoam facades like the one on the Jefe Bar.

If not styrofoam, they may have just stucco'd over the brick. Whatever they've done, the red brick exterior is completely covered and has been painted "brick red". I wouldn't make this up. There are tan outlines along the top and up the sides. Hard to tell, since the whole think is blocked by sheeting hanging from the scaffolding.

I'll try to get a better look when I leave the office. I'll try to look inside as well, to see if there are tennants or just a shell.

[Houston Retail]

Heres a rendering of it and a link for more information.

Not sure exactly whats going in. It wont be a club because i dont think you can get a license so close to a church.

http://www.greenbergcompany.com/retail.asp?id=89

Edited November 8, 2005 by Houston Retail

[RedScare]

Yup, that's exactly what it is looking like. What they are doing is putting up a steel stud frame, covering it with plywood, and putting a stucco cover over the whole thing. Cheaper to cover it than rehab the brick facade, I suppose.

As for putting a club or restaurant in there, I highly doubt it. Your front door must be 300 feet fromthe front door of a church, COH considers that ANY door. Christ Church Cathedral is right across the street. City Council created an entertainment zone along Main Street, where the distance requirement is waived. However, that zone ends on the other side of Fannin Street.

It will be interesting to see what non-alcoholic business(es) go in there.

EDIT: The greenberg website site says it IS in the Downtown Entertainment District. However, unless the COH expanded it, they are using the marketing term, as opposed to the legal district boundary.

Edited November 8, 2005 by RedScare

[mls1202]

Can anyone post any pictures of the rehab? Thanks!

[The Great Hizzy!]

Thanks for the info and the link, HR. It's an intriguing location, that's for sure. Personally, I think that section of downtown could use a convenience store. They'd probably do pretty well on Thu - Sat nights. It would also help promote the idea of more residential projects in the area.

[RedScare]

The west facade (along Fannin) is complete, except for windows, and it is depressingly ugly. Nothing infuriates me more than a cheapassed renovation, especially when it's right out my office window.

If the tennants are as weak as the facade on this building, don't expect much.

[sevfiv]

Can anyone post any pictures of the rehab? Thanks!

i plan on being around there this week - i'll see what i can shoot

[The Great Hizzy!]

Yuck, Red. Bare bones. Expect a "Jimmy's Groceries and Bail Bonds". Bail 'em out and buy Cheetos in one trip. Talk about convenience.

[largeTEXAS]

Greenberg has a reputation for doing things cheap. It's too bad that a building with some real character has been made into an eyesore.

[sevfiv]

[mls1202]

Thanks seviv for the picture post. Maybe I'm an optimist, but it looks better than all the negative posts indicated it would. Maybe more credit should go to the photographer than the builder

[WesternGulf]

It looks just like the rendering.

[sevfiv]

thanks, mls...

i do suppose the lightposts, two small trees and scaffolding add a certain flair that the rendering doesn't exhibit

[mls1202]

Can anyone provide any info on what is happening across the street in the old building adjacent to the Mercury Room and Boka Bar? That building is in need of some serious restoration.