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WestMont: Mixed-Use Development Coming To Montrose


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It'd be cool if half-price rennovated a large old house in the area. They have one like that in San Antonio.

How about combining the two old houses at Stanford and Westheimer to one fab place for 1/2 price books? I have given up my dream that the old Diedrich coffee would return and take over one of them--since Southland Expresso Moved in.

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How about combining the two old houses at Stanford and Westheimer to one fab place for 1/2 price books? I have given up my dream that the old Diedrich coffee would return and take over one of them--since Southland Expresso Moved in.

Hmmm

I forgot that Vin Poscal was going in at 608 Westheimer . . . . But I love the idea of an old house venue for 1/2price books-- maybe that old house down the street next to 'jus Mac- by Bagby.

Edited by trymahjong
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  • 7 months later...

Some disappointing news on the project.

The owner of a partially vacant strip center at the high-profile corner of Westheimer and Montrose will have to wait until at least 2020 to redevelop the property because the remaining tenants refuse to leave.

PM Realty Group, which bought the 44,194-square-foot property a couple years ago with plans to create something new there, tried to buy the existing tenants out of their leases in hopes of moving forward on redeveloping the site.

"They wanted a number more than what we can afford," said Wm. Roger Gregory, president of affiliate PMRG Investments. "They love the area. They didn't want to leave. That's their right."

The owner is now working to lease the center's 20,000 square feet of vacant space.

The nearly 3-acre property at the intersection's southwest corner is located in the heart of the culturally diverse Montrose neighborhood. Spec's and Half Price Books are two of the larger tenants.

The center, which dates to 1937, was designed by City Hall and residential architect Joseph Finger in the Art Deco style to complement the adjacent Tower Theater, which now houses the El Real Tex-Mex restaurant. In the 1980s, the center's facade was covered with stucco.

The property's longest existing lease will expire in about 6 1/2 years, Gregory said.

Until then, he said, the company will fix up the center, spending money on lighting, cleaning, painting and other necessary upgrades.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Energy-Corridor-office-space-to-have-upscale-5660838.php

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I normally dislike strip centers with more than just a row of parallel parking out front, but somehow this one seems comforting to me. I don't mind seeing it around for a few more years. To me it adds to the character of Montrose,; and its replacement, most likely, would have been a souless facsimile of the dozens of midrises popping up in the loop.

I love the scale of Montrose. Would rather the taller buildings surround Montrose in Midtown, Washington, and upper kirby and keep Montrose, Rice and MD more small scale

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I love the scale of Montrose. Would rather the taller buildings surround Montrose in Midtown, Washington, and upper kirby and keep Montrose, Rice and MD more small scale

I agree about the inner neighborhoods, but I would rather see Westheimer widened with midrises from Midtown to Uptown, and along Montrose Blvd.

 

Montrose @ Westheimer to me has been the cross roads of the city, linking all the neighborhoods that are essentially Houston. I don't want to see everything torn down, but the area is already becoming more dense. The Intersection should be a showcase, where the super rich come in from the west, the arts and science from the south, the funk and counter cultures from the east, and the charm and quaint past from the north.

 

Maybe I'm romanticizing this intersection too much.

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Montrose @ Westheimer to me has been the cross roads of the city, linking all the neighborhoods that are essentially Houston. I don't want to see everything torn down, but the area is already becoming more dense. The Intersection should be a showcase, where the super rich come in from the west, the arts and science from the south, the funk and counter cultures from the east, and the charm and quaint past from the north.

Maybe I'm romanticizing this intersection too much.

Nah, your not romanticizing the intersection too much. Look at that development map made by bridjondon(?) recently (I think.. Maybe it was a different mod). The highrise development forms two rows, one from TMC/Hermann Park up Montrose to Waugh, and another from Uptown to downtown, intersecting here at Montrose and Westheimer. It would be kind of funny/cool of they plopped that rumored 102 story tower here as the new midpoint/intersection of the city.

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  • 6 months later...

I'm assuming the mattress store is just renting in the existing building? No strong objections here; one less vacancy and the lease will be equal or shorter to those of spec's and half price so it won't stop the inevitable redevelopment when those run out.

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Sad stuff from yesterday's run, Mattress Firm location coming to this corner. Has there ever been an audit into how exactly they make money? How many mattresses can one city need?!?

 

Why all the mattress store hate? Is it a case people would rather see a more upscale Sleep Number store than a lowly Mattress Firm?

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Why all the mattress store hate? Is it a case people would rather see a more upscale Sleep Number store than a lowly Mattress Firm?

 

It just seems that they are everywhere....I did a search on Mattress Firm's website for stores within 10 miles of 77006 (that was the smallest distance they would show) and there were 24 stores within 10 miles of 77006.  

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It just sucks because of the low frequency of use for any level of the public. Even the richest don't buy a new mattress every year and so they take up spots without enhancing everyday use. I minded them less before they took over all signage of the at Montrose and Dallas.

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It just seems that they are everywhere....I did a search on Mattress Firm's website for stores within 10 miles of 77006 (that was the smallest distance they would show) and there were 24 stores within 10 miles of 77006.  

 

 

It just sucks because of the low frequency of use for any level of the public. Even the richest don't buy a new mattress every year and so they take up spots without enhancing everyday use. I minded them less before they took over all signage of the at Montrose and Dallas.

 

These, mostly. It should be an amazing retail location, but has now been taken by ANOTHER mattress shop. Granted, they were the only ones willing to take on the space and kudos to them for it. But now it means something better can't come along and we're stuck with it until the whole thing is gone in 4-5 years.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 2 years later...

Related to the earlier post regarding the Half-Price Books site, it seems the leases will all be finished by 2020:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/05/29/pmrgs-ceo-rick-kirk-on-merger-i-couldnt-shoot-any.html

 

From the article:

 

“The company's also working on development plans for its land at the corner of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer Road, which currently houses a Half Price Books, a Spec's, a Mattress Firm and a 24-hour emergency clinic. By 2020, Kirk said that all the tenants' leases in the shopping center will have expired. Though specifics are light, he said the company will likely develop a mixed-use project with restaurants, multifamily and maybe even a hotel. 

 

‘It needs to be a little different to fit that neighborhood," Kirk said. "We don’t want to build something that’s totally out of step with the vibe in that area.’”

Edited by houstontexasjack
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3 minutes ago, houstontexasjack said:

Related to the earlier post regarding the Half-Price Books site, it seems the leases will all be finished by 2020:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/05/29/pmrgs-ceo-rick-kirk-on-merger-i-couldnt-shoot-any.html

 

From the article:

 

“The company's also working on development plans for its land at the corner of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer Road, which currently houses a Half Price Books, a Spec's, a Mattress Firm and a 24-hour emergency clinic. By 2020, Kirk said that all the tenants' leases in the shopping center will have expired. Though specifics are light, he said the company will likely develop a mixed-use project with restaurants, multifamily and maybe even a hotel. 

 

‘It needs to be a little different to fit that neighborhood," Kirk said. "We don’t want to build something that’s totally out of step with the vibe in that area.’”

A hotel would be great!  Of course, LaColombe D'or will have a some hotel space in their new tower.  The views from this corner would be incredible.

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13 hours ago, Dakota79 said:

A hotel would be great!  Of course, LaColombe D'or will have a some hotel space in their new tower.  The views from this corner would be incredible.

 

Would be a great location for a Moxy.  Bizarre hotel chain but would fit the neighborhood well. 

 

I stayed at one in Minneapolis's Montrose-ish neighborhood.

 

http://moxy-hotels.marriott.com/hotels/minneapolis-uptown

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Long ago, the owners of Hotel San Jose Hotel and Hotel Saint Cecelia both in Austin were in talks to buy the land that is now where the Montrose Cane's (chicken) is...I was bummed when they decided to pass when the economy took a downturn...

they would be the perfect fit in Montrose but yeah cannot wait to see this be redeveloped!

 

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I go to that Specs and Half Price Books a lot and have used that emergency care spot too. This would look good in that spot but I wouldn't mind seeing the spot where Burger Kind was redeveloped first. Not sure how much people will love staying at such a nice hotel with the crowd that is always at the Valero and bus stop out front. Even the Valero locks it's doors at night thanks to the addicts using the bathroom.

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