Harrisburg Crossing: Mixed-Use Development At 4400 Harrisburg Blvd.

[4thWardBoy]

I see Stewart's & Stevenson's is gone. What will become of this corner in the future?

[hokieone]

I originally thought that was going to be where Wulfe was going to develop a grocery store center. However, if you look on their site, there is nothing listed there anymore. When you say gone, do you mean demolished or just abondoned? Don't know if maybe somebody else is developing something there.

[gnu]

Here is a quote from Danax in another thread from July:

....That old Stevenson and Stevenson plant on Harrisburg has been bought by Wulfe & Co, (Gulfgate, Meyerland and many others) and they're just waiting for a bonafide supermarket anchor before they begin to turn it into something.....

Maybe he knows if something has changed? Danax?

[Guest danax]

Here is a quote from Danax in another thread from July:

Maybe he knows if something has changed?  Danax?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had talked to Steven Tou at Wulfe & Co. quite awhile ago, maybe even a year ago, about plans there. He said that they were waiting for a major grocer to step up and anchor the site and "didn't want it to be a bunch of dollar stores". There was an HEB a couple of blocks away on Harrisburg that closed down about the same time Wulfe bought that land so maybe grocers are spooked. I have no idea if anything has changed with Wulfe's plans.

It's a transitional area so maybe it's still kind of early over there for what they envision. A lot of people are coming over from other parts of town to Eastwood, Warehouse Dist, Clinton Dr. and older East End neighborhoods but this stuff takes years. They know it's potentially one of the best corners on the East End, especially with Lockwood being the main route to the future Symphony Island, Botanic Gardens and all of the rest of the stuff they plan for the Bayou. The BRT will also go right past it.

I hope they can hold on.

[4thWardBoy]

there's also a run down car lot right across the street. seems this location would be excellent for a service station or something.

[Subdude]

Latest on this project, from Houston Business Journal.

Ambitious project on hold as East End goes through transition

Houston Business Journal - March 31, 2006by Jennifer DawsonHouston Business Journal

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Developer Frank Liu's ambitious retail project planned for the East End still has not gotten off the ground. The cause of the delay could be that the project was a little ahead of its time.

Liu's company, Lovett Commercial Realty, acquired an old industrial site in 2004 with plans to develop retail, restaurants and a grocery store east of downtown Houston. The bulk of the project was slated for 16.5 acres on Harrisburg at Lockwood formerly occupied by the manufacturing operations of Stewart & Stevenson Services Inc. (See "Retail to replace landmark industrial complex," April 23, 2004.)

Elizabeth Jacob of Lovett Commercial says the project is on hold because retailers are not yet ready to commit to an area of town in transition. Gentrification is starting closer to downtown, Jacob says, and is slowly moving southeast toward the Harrisburg tract.

"It's taking hold, and it's going," she says.

Even though new residential properties are under development in nearby areas, Jacob says, the existing demographics have not convinced retailers to build in the area.

"It's going to be a very desirable area to live in," Jacob says. "It's just in transition."

The Houston East End Chamber of Commerce Web site says the downtown additions of Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center and the Metro light rail system have prompted more than 60 new residential and commercial developments in the area.

Link to full article

[lockmat]

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/east/news/4979792.html

Liu said he's working on mixed-use development on the old Stewart and Stevenson complex at Harrisburg and Lockwood.

[musicman]

"Well, our barbarians are energy costs," he said. "Energy costs are going to continue to rise and never get cheaper, and so it becomes more important to establish high-density city centers."

Building using energy efficient techniques would save energy whether it be high density or not.

[Guest danax]

"I have so much faith and trust in the East End because I really think that one day, maybe soon, driving (cars) will not be cool anymore," said Frank Liu, director of Lovett Homes.

Liu said he's been working on that project with the Florida-based architect Andres Duany, a proponent of the "new urbanism" movement, which promotes walkability, mixed-income housing and sustainable development.

I know both of these guys have been criticized here and elsewhere, but at least it sounds like they're willing to give the urban/walkable idea a shot, and few others seem willing to.

It's good to see a developer get excited about the East End's potential. With the overall vastness of the area, the tracts of redevelopable land, low-barrier, low-crime nabes and a superior natural recreational future, the area is poised to become Houston's high-density boomtown for the moderate income masses.

[Vertigo58]

I see Stewart's & Stevenson's is gone. What will become of this corner in the future?

There was a very interesting aerial photo in one of the offices inside of Stewart & Stevenson. Lockwood was just 2 lanes and quite narrow. That old gas station was in the pic with cool classic cars filling up. That corner was all trees, across the street were big old homes. S & S was fun to work at while it lasted.

[crunchtastic]

don't go getting excited now, but I saw a 'CVS coming soon' sign today on the corner of Lockwood and Harrisburg.

Which was sort of funny, because I was coming back from the CVS at Cullen and Polk. Which sucks, by the way. How does a drugstore not have hydrogen peroxide? I understand I'm not gonna shop for makeup and bath salts in the 'hood, but come on.

[LTAWACS]

I was hoping they would build some residential units there but no. We have succumbed to CVS creep.

[TheNiche]

I was hoping they would build some residential units there but no. We have succumbed to CVS creep.

Lovett is still working on true lifestyle retail for that site, but it may be a little while more in coming. It'll take a while to complete road work on Harrisburg, and by that time hopefully the entire retail sector won't be in quite such desperate financial circumstances.

If I had to guess, I'd imagine that the hard corner was going to get sold as a pad site, one way or the other. It's really too valuable not to parcel off.

[CHiPs]

I was hoping they would build some residential units there but no. We have succumbed to CVS creep.

Oh no!...we're evolving into a suburb...eeek!

[LTAWACS]

Lovett is still working on true lifestyle retail for that site, but it may be a little while more in coming. It'll take a while to complete road work on Harrisburg, and by that time hopefully the entire retail sector won't be in quite such desperate financial circumstances.

If I had to guess, I'd imagine that the hard corner was going to get sold as a pad site, one way or the other. It's really too valuable not to parcel off.

Perhaps something similar to the hardy rail yard project would be good for this location. Now all that must be done is to remove all the bloody railroad tracks from the middle of the neighborhood.

[Vertigo58]

Still hard to believe that the blasted Churche's Fried Chicken is still there! If they dropped the H bomb that place would still be in operation. The tiny old former 1930's gas station across the street is the only real thing of historical significance in that intersection. I worked very briefly at S & S around 1980 and my boss had an aerial view photo of that very interesection. There were classic cars filling up gas and Lockwood was like just 2 lanes! The homes there had much larger frontage property. City must have gobbled it up from them to widen back when. The building we worked in is gone.

That company used to employ many of the men/women from that neigborhood most would just walk in with lunch box in hand. Those were the days when you came out of the military, got married and got a job right there and stayed for decades. Something you wont see ever again. I can still hear that whistle blow to take a break, lunch and go home. Bygone era.

[GovernorAggie]

He has a ROSS identifed on the site plan also:

http://www.lovettcommercial.com/index.php?...mp;listingID=19

[LTAWACS]

For some reason that link wont open. What is it?

[GovernorAggie]

For some reason that link wont open. What is it?

It's a link to the leasing information site (Lovett Commercial).

[TheNiche]

[crunchtastic]

This confirms the rumors we've heard for a a few months about a Ross.

Still plenty of room in there for a Verizon store and Payless Shoes! It's easy to be snarky... it is a vast improvement for the corner. I have to wonder, though, given the current economic climate. There's still a mostly empty, brand new strip center just down Harrisburg.

[musicman]

the indigenous like ross

[crunchtastic]

the indigenous like ross

lol! my non-indigenous ass has got plenty of t-shirts and pants from Ross. I guess I picked the right hood.

[TheNiche]

I have to wonder, though, given the current economic climate. There's still a mostly empty, brand new strip center just down Harrisburg.

Along that line of thought: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6126675.html

But the vacant strip center at Harrisburg and the railroad tracks is in a terrible location with poor accessibility and was not even designed to have an anchor store. It was built completely on spec and they tried to lease up even as METRO was hyping the East End LRT corridor, which any retailer knows is a death sentence while the street gets reconstructed. And since then it has become known that that retail center will be in the shadow of an overpass.

Comparing Lovett's situation to that of this non-starter is to compare a just-picked apple to a rancid, moldy orange.

lol! my non-indigenous ass has got plenty of t-shirts and pants from Ross. I guess I picked the right hood.

I'm not indigineous either, and I just bought a pair of jeans and a new belt at the Ross in Meyerland yesterday.

[4thWardBoy]

as someone who may have some infuence on what happens to that old, ugly car lot on lockwood and harrisburg, across the street from the old s&s. what do yall suggest for a business there? i was thinking a full service gas station, car wash, inspection, food mart type set up. any other suggestions would be appreciated. thanks.

[Vertigo58]

A huge mega gas station like Racetrack gas stations have or a Bucee's (with heavy security of course)

[sweetpotato]

"CVS creep" LOL

I know I live in the Med Cent and everything, but on my 3 mile drive to Rice Villages for work I pass THREE CVS's an TWO Walgreens. I also pass 3 Lubys. It's a little crazy.

[Vertigo58]

This CVS, etc is going up quick! This may sound crazy but that is the best thing that has happened to that specific area in hmmm about 40 plus years. There should be as much fanfare/media glitz when it opens like they do in Las Vegas when they open a new Hotel/Casino!

Now to continue the new growth in all 4 directions. Dreaming I know.

[CHiPs]

as someone who may have some infuence on what happens to that old, ugly car lot on lockwood and harrisburg, across the street from the old s&s. what do yall suggest for a business there? i was thinking a full service gas station, car wash, inspection, food mart type set up. any other suggestions would be appreciated. thanks.

A nice cafe ala Brasil. Would have nice view of the DT skyline and the Metro rail...just my 2 pesos.

[2people2dogs]

Hello,

My husband and I were in Houston a couple of weeks ago and looked at several houses in Eastwood. We met the owner of Garland Company and were able to see his homes under renovation as well. We were quite impressed with him and the quality of his work. We are particularly interested in a home on Rusk that is being restored. This home backs to the new retail area.

How do you think the new retail could impact the home? (Some of our concerns are things like bright lights lighting the parking lot, increased pedestrian activity close to the house, other potential businesses that could go in, etc). Or could the new retail bring potential benefits?

I recognize there is some distance between the house and the retail center but I can't quite remember how much.

Thank you in advance for your opinions and comments.

Edited March 5, 2009 by 2people2dogs