Asian City Plaza: Mixed-Use For Chinatown

[Urbannizer]

Looks to be a mixed-use development looking for investors. Can anyone make out the exact location?

 

The event was held April 18th

 

Edit: So I searched for the Hilton Garden Inn where the event was held and it turns out the hotel matches the one in the background (lower left corner). 

 

Site for this proposal is a grass field along  Sam Houston Parkway

 

[AREJAY]

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldjournal.com%2F6243373%2Farticle-休士頓旺區-亞洲商城預購熱烈%2F%3Fref%3D首頁

 

Here's a translated news article about the project. It reads like the proposal is only the 6 story "mall". Maybe it is planned in phases?

 

Quote

 

Chinatown, the Huaying business district in southwestern Houston, once again launched the owner-occupied store investment project. In the prime location of the Chinatown heart district, Asia City Plaza, the new theme business district will be again Shuffle the Chinese business district and present a different Asian city style.

 

Quote

In line with the strong demand for shops and offices in the Greater Houston Asian Quarter, it is located in the prime location of Baili Avenue and Asia Mall next to Highway 8, and will officially accept the pre-order of the first floor store area and the fifth and sixth floor office areas on May 4th. .

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by AREJAY

[htownbro]

Another emerging skyline in Houston? 

[august948]

That's just south of Bellaire along the feeder for Beltway 8 north.  If you could pan that rendering left, you'd see the First American National Bank building, which is about 12 or 14 floors.  So, yes, this area may become the "downtown" of Chinatown.

[AREJAY]

Noticed a sign with a rendering of the project on this site today. It wasn't there last week 

[Timoric]

-

Edited July 12, 2019 by Timoric

[htownbro]

15 hours ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

More details on what may be called Asia City Plaza in Houston Chinatown:

Mostly same details as above.


 

Xu Wenzhong, head of the Hilton Hotel in Chinatown, officially publicly announced the construction of Asian City Plaza in the Asian shopping district at a press conference in mid-April. The first phase of the project will be built. 6 storey commercial building. The first floor is a shop, the fifth and sixth floors will be used as office floors, and the three-story building in the middle will be a parking lot, which is convenient for first-floor and top-level users. In order to ensure user safety, all incoming vehicles will be closely monitored and recorded. Enter and exit the license plate number (Xu Wenzhong).
 

In the current situation of the hard-to-find shop in Dun Huang Plaza, the Asian City Project will continue to provide entrepreneurial venues for entrepreneurs with lofty ideals, and also add more business opportunities to the already prosperous Chinese city. After the completion of the first phase of the Asian City project, it will be connected with the surrounding Dun Huang Plaza, McDonald's and Hengfeng Bank, so that the moving line will be unimpeded (Zhong Wenzheng Li Shuzhen).
 

Xu Wenzhong said that in order to expand the Chinese business sector, the construction of Asia City hopes to attract more ethnic groups into Chinatown and accelerate the prosperity of the entire Asian business district (Xu Wenzhong Ye Hongzhi).
 

The first phase of the Asian City project will be sold by 48 units, ranging from 1,288 square feet of 370,000 square meters to 2,608 square feet of more than 990,000 US dollars, suitable for all types of enterprises to enter, and will start at 10 am on May 4th.


http://homemem.com/Community/2019/Community_0502_2019.html

 

 

Video

what's the 2nd phase?

[WakeUpHouston]

Phase II is the proposed Asia City Plaza East Tower at 33 floors (estimated height of 438.85 ft), and Phase III, the Asia City Plaza West Tower also at 33 floors (estimated height of 438.85 ft) or vice verse depending which they choose first.

Designed by architect Wen Zhongzheng. As mentioned his work contains the elegance of the literati, the innovative and harmonious design style, and the appearance and the interior as a whole give a sense of harmony and comfort. With that said, 33 floors would be the ideal number as it sounds alike "double" life, as literaly translated growth or reproduction (of wealth).

 

Edited May 15, 2019 by WakeUpHouston

[nonenadazilch]

On 5/14/2019 at 6:19 PM, Timoric said:

In the 1980s Japan bought Real Estate in Los Angeles, they were considered the smartest guy in the room "American's think 5 minutes ahead, Japanese think 5 decades ahead."

 

I always hoped Chinese investors would build and buy in Houston, we had Yao Ming for one thing, but has anything happened and why not?

 

The lead developer and his wife are Taiwanese immigrants and Houstonians for decades.  In the 1980s they lived in Ponderosa Forest on FM1960W.

[Triton]

Quote

After the completion of the first phase of the Asian City project, it will be connected with the surrounding Dun Huang Plaza

Such a smart move. They'll be getting a lot of foot traffic from Dun Huang Plaza. That plaza has to have some of the biggest nightlife, from clubs and hang out places, outside the inner loop. So packed on the weekends that it's quite difficult to find parking and it feels like there's a new milk tea or some other restaurant there every other month.

[WakeUpHouston]

Just a half block east from Dun Huang Plaza is the BELLAIRE FOOD STREET which is completed and scheduled to be open very soon -  https://bellairefoodstreet.com
It is an almost 2 acres lot being build on. The area around Bellaire Blvd and Beltway 8 is going to be even more congested and good for business.

[htownbro]

On 5/15/2019 at 12:36 PM, WakeUpHouston said:

Phase II is the proposed Asia City Plaza East Tower at 33 floors (estimated height of 438.85 ft), and Phase III, the Asia City Plaza West Tower also at 33 floors (estimated height of 438.85 ft) or vice verse depending which they choose first.

Designed by architect Wen Zhongzheng. As mentioned his work contains the elegance of the literati, the innovative and harmonious design style, and the appearance and the interior as a whole give a sense of harmony and comfort. With that said, 33 floors would be the ideal number as it sounds alike "double" life, as literaly translated growth or reproduction (of wealth).

 

Now if KP Plaza at Beechnut and Beltway can get their 2 towers up.  

[AREJAY]

I saw some new surveying stakes on this location this morning. 

[Paco Jones]

NAME:

Asian City Plaza

 

ADDRESS:

6865 West Sam Houston Parkway South

Houston, TX 77072

 

OWNER/DEVELOPER:

Asian City Development, Inc.
6833 W. Sam Houston Parkway South # 202
Houston, Texas 77072

 

ARCHITECT:

WCA Architect (Sole-Practitioner Architect)

 

INFORMATION:

6-story free standing 157,437 sq ft building. The project includes 1 level of Retail Space, 3 levels of Parking Garage, and 2 levels of Office Space.

 

Level 1 Retail:                   21,210 SF

Levels 2-4  Parking:         80,690 SF

Levels 5 & 6 Office:          56,535 SF

 

https://www.emporis.com/complex/143480/asia-city-plaza-houston-tx-usa

No information on the listed 33-story from the above link.

 

[Urbannizer]

Merged with the existing thread @Paco Jones

[cspwal]

This development is literally half parking

[ZRFkris]

I really hope that they follow through with the two towers, I feel like it would really elevate the area, even though it is nice already, but adding some luxury residential would raise the demand for more fine restaurants and shops; taking our Chinatown up a level. 

[samagon]

I don't mean to get all SJW in here, and I certainly don't like to just follow the marketing line of a TIRZ...

 

but there are so many first generation immigrants from other culture's and nationalities represented in the area of town that is centered on Bellaire and BW8, International District really is a better moniker for the area than Chinatown.

[aachor]

2 hours ago, samagon said:

I don't mean to get all SJW in here, and I certainly don't like to just follow the marketing line of a TIRZ...

 

but there are so many first generation immigrants from other culture's and nationalities represented in the area of town that is centered on Bellaire and BW8, International District really is a better moniker for the area than Chinatown.

I'd bet that's why they're calling it "Asia Town," which sounds more interesting and specific, in my opinion, than "International District." As a white dude who grew up in the woods of Michigan, this whole city is an International District which is one reason why my wife and I love it. Outside of Chinatown, there are parts of the city which are distinctly Middle Eastern, others which are distinctly Central American. I feel calling one specific neighborhood "International District" would be confusing to outsiders in light of all of the other international areas. 

[august948]

3 hours ago, samagon said:

I don't mean to get all SJW in here, and I certainly don't like to just follow the marketing line of a TIRZ...

 

but there are so many first generation immigrants from other culture's and nationalities represented in the area of town that is centered on Bellaire and BW8, International District really is a better moniker for the area than Chinatown.

 

That particular intersection is primarily east asian.  "Chinatown" may not be exactly representative of the origins of the immigrant businesses there but it's generally acceptable even in the asian communities.  International District is way too general for that area.

4 hours ago, cspwal said:

This development is literally half parking

 

That's the norm for that area.

[Triton]

Honestly, most of the Asian community, including my wife, just call this area Bellaire, even if it's technically not the city of Bellaire. I only hear white people, such as my family, call this Chinatown.

[ZRFkris]

4 hours ago, Triton said:

Honestly, most of the Asian community, including my wife, just call this area Bellaire, even if it's technically not the city of Bellaire. I only hear white people, such as my family, call this Chinatown.

This is what I usually refer to this area as, as well. 

[kbates2]

I hear it called Bellaire sometimes.  Doesn’t make any sense since they are just naming it after a Street and a Bellaire already exists. Most of the people I’ve talked to don’t know there is a Bellaire.

[samagon]

I grew up and lived in Alief (Bellaire and Kirkwood) until 2009. So I'll still call most of the area Alief.

 

but that is what is jarring to me when I see the name Chinatown added to anything around Alief or Sharpstown. 

 

15 hours ago, aachor said:

I'd bet that's why they're calling it "Asia Town," which sounds more interesting and specific, in my opinion, than "International District." As a white dude who grew up in the woods of Michigan, this whole city is an International District which is one reason why my wife and I love it. Outside of Chinatown, there are parts of the city which are distinctly Middle Eastern, others which are distinctly Central American. I feel calling one specific neighborhood "International District" would be confusing to outsiders in light of all of the other international areas. 

 

this is what I too love about Houston. the diversity of people that have different views and backgrounds than I do is huge. and that makes it such a wonderful place.

[rechlin]

I've mostly only heard it called Bellaire by people in the Vietnamese community.  Chinese are more likely to call it Chinatown in my experience.  Calling it Bellaire is so misleading and confusing because it's not especially close to the city of Bellaire.  But I realize calling it Chinatown is not very inclusive of the large Vietnamese community.  I do like the idea of calling it Asiatown, or maybe just calling the Sharpstown part (inside the beltway) as Chinatown and the Alief part (outside the beltway) as Little Saigon, and that divides things up a little more accurately.

[Urbannizer]

https://www.wcaarch.com

[hindesky]

Houston Business Journal has an article about Asia Town going up. I don't have a subscription.

Construction underway for mixed-use Asian City Center in Houston’s Chinatown

"The 4.5-acre development will include retail, office and high-rise residential space."

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by hindesky

[zaphod]

So are the towers actually happening?

[79ta]

Quote

Construction underway for mixed use Asian City Center in Houston’s Chinatown

 

A Houston-based developer has broken ground on the first building of a 4.5-acre commercial development called Asian City Center at Beltway 8, just south of Bellaire Boulevard.

Real estate investor and developer Steve Hsu, whose firm Asian City Development Inc. is building the center, said the six-story retail and office building will be completed by the end of the year.

Houston-based Landmark Development Group is the general contractor, and Seguin, Texas-based First Commercial Bank is providing financing.

All 48 commercial units will be available for sale, not rent, and 30% are already presold, Hsu told the Houston Business Journal.

The first floor will be reserved for retail and include Asian restaurants and tea shops. A parking garage will occupy the second, third and fourth floors, and the fifth and sixth floors will primarily be office space. Units that are already presold include offices for medical, attorney, insurer and real estate tenants, Hsu said.

Units range from 1,288 to 2,189 square feet for $386,400 to $798,460.

With this commercial condo concept, Hsu said companies won’t have to worry about paying rent. “Here you can finance it, pay the mortgage payment, and then you own it and you enjoy the appreciation,” he said.

The next phases of the development include two 15-story residential condo towers each with 250 one- to three-bedroom units. Hsu said he hopes to start construction on the first tower in the third quarter of this year.

He acquired the property not long before the start of the pandemic and had planned to begin developing in 2020, Hsu said. But like so many projects during this time, it was delayed, and Hsu just got the building permit in November.

Chinatown was one of the first parts of Houston that felt the impact of the coronavirus — even before the first confirmed case in Texas. Many retailers and restaurants lost business as early as in January 2020 as false rumors about the virus in Chinatown spread on mostly Chinese social media.

Hsu is optimistic that now is a good time for the development, even though there is no end in sight for the Covid-19 pandemic. “Now, people have to live with (the virus),” he said. “They are cautious in the public area, … and people get the vaccine injections, so they are more comfortable.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2022/01/25/asian-city-center-groundbreaking.html

 

@zaphod yes but 15 floors rather than the 30+ shown in the render above

Edited January 26, 2022 by 79ta

[ZRFkris]

Still awesome but 33 story twin towers would have been really cool for this area.

[toxtethogrady]

On 4/29/2019 at 7:04 PM, Urbannizer said:

 

This render showed up in a recent announcement about start of construction on the first building, but the apartment towers appear to be much taller than the fifteen stories that were mentioned in the news article. Has the new design been rendered yet?

[aachor]

May 17, 2022