MadMax

Thank you! 

Construction fencing has gone up along the southwest corner...a pretty large expanse of land that stretches from what used to be a gas station west to past what used to be a La Quinta (that motel is still standing).

I'm hearing rumblings of mixed use, similar to CityCentre.

Anyone know anything about this?  

I've been trying to find old pictures of T&C Village, pre-mall if possible, for a while now. I can't seem to find any. Was hoping to show my wife what it used to look like. If any of you can find and post any pictures like that, I'd appreciate it.

They look very similar but they're both empty. The title of the thread says "Katy Freeway at Voss" and the Hwy 6 address was added later.

Nice job hijacking someone else's thread and then telling posters what the OP actually meant. Well played.

sorry if i offended someone.

i saw a picture of a strip center i know to be at Highway 6 @ I-10 in the OP

with an address that i know to be at Highway 6 @ I-10 in the OP

there's a question mark in the thread title as to location of the strip center....

so i assumed it was ok to point out that the location was at Highway 6 @ I-10.

This is same location where the old REI store used to be (it moved to Westheimer) and was torn down to make room for the widened freeway. I always assumed that this strip center would start filling up once the freeway opened, but I've noticed too lately that it's still empty. Kinda sad.

No, it's not. This is at Highway 6 and I-10. The 14000 block of the Katy Freeway is well past the beltway. It's the 11000 block at Kirkwood.

Went there this weekend to Studio Movie Grill. The parking garages are super convenient. You definitely get the idea of the potential this project when you walk through it.

Feel sorry for the developers on this project. Nobody has moved in for months!

It's been vacant for like 8 months? Maybe it's the color scheme?

Golden Oaks Center

14515 Katy Freeway

Houston, Texas 77079

http://www.loopnet.com/property/15574717/14515-Katy-Freeway/

Ok to delete this, I found the information I was looking for.

14515 is at Katy Freeway @ Highway 6.

Real estate that ended up getting owned by the government was resold very quickly and efficiently to new owners that could turn distressed assets around and make money on them again. Investors are so skittish right now that transactional volumes have basically collapsed. Nothing is going on and prices aren't really coming down (in Texas). The market is stuck in disequilibrium.

"In Texas" being the operative words in this phrase. I can tell you absolutely distressed financial assets (many secured by real property) from around the country are being auctioned off like crazy at very low prices. They are finding buyers now. Many of the same people who made tons after the last downturn have positioned for the next wave of this stuff.

The S&L crisis is almost a mirror image of what we see going on in NY right now.....nearly every bank in Texas failed. I think Frost Bank was the lone survivor. This problem is to NY was the S&L crisis was to Texas. And eventually it spreads.

I used to walk my toddlers through T&C to Stride Rite in the late 90's,early 00's. Nicest, cleanest and quietest mall in the Houston area. It was light and happy and I always felt safe there..

I wish that Neimans could have hung on. I think it would ahve done well in the new Centre thing that's going up.

My husband claims the Beltway killed it. But it seems the City Centre marketers are counting on the Beltway to make it fly.

I don't think it was the Beltway that killed it....it was the construction on the Beltway (which seemingly took forever) that killed it.

Had the Beltway already been there, I have no doubt that T&C Mall could have survived.

I lived right across the street from T&C Mall growing up (...and still do) and have nothing but fond memories of the place. I loved how open and sunny it always seemed. It had these staircases and escalators that jutted out into the main walkways, so when you were going up or down them you always felt the vastness of the space with its three-story ceilings and bright skylights.

This is excellent. You're absolutely right. It was open and light...and great point about the stairs. It was contemporary and felt like it was ahead of its time when you were in there.

You and I are probably roughly the same age and grew up in the same area...with the same memories of this place. Playing Ikari Warriors at Tilt was all good.

Thanks for the information! My kids will be glad to know Toys 'R' Us isn't gone forever from our side of town.

I grew up on the west side, and that Toys 'R' Us location has been around for as long as I can remember. It's been closed up since Ike. Any idea what's happening with it?

I'd just like to say that the Cuban tacos at El Rey are proof of the existence of God, andI'm thrilled it's closer to home now. That is all.

Wait...one more thing...when does Freebird's open? I haven't seen any signage there that this is opening up there.

It's my understanding that most of the tenants committted to the second office tower have backed out now. Economy sucks.

Looking forward to Studio Movie Grill, though!!!

Does anybody else remember the traffic problems this train caused, especialy at Gessner and I-10. I used to work in this area, and it never seemed to fail that everyday around 5:30 some slow moving freight train would roll by and just screw everything up!

I remember having to detour all the way back through the neighborhoods to beltway 8, just to get on I-10 west. I would be after 7:00 most days geting home.

As far as the city converting this to some type of light rail - I don't think there was room for that. I-10 had to be expanded, there was no way around it! That....and the MKT right of way wasn't realy wide enough for commuter stations. There would have also been a problem with access to those stations, because people would have needed to cross what was an often very busy Old Katy Rd. just to get to them.

Now out near Fry and Mason, this would have been a bit of a different story. They could have set up some type of Park and ride operation, but then again they already had the HOV lanes. So.....ehhh. It's gone now.

I grew up on the west side, and I absolutely remember that. The train moved super-slow through town and you'd wait forever for it to go by.

I also remember hearing the train at night from my home off of Dairy Ashford, as a kid.

here's a real life example of what's going on. just got back from shopping a class "a" community, stabilized (93% occupied), 2 years old, and in a prime location (greenway/river oaks).

1) 2 months free

2) $1,000 look and lease

3) 100% locator fee

4) $99 move in

effectively, that's almost 4 months free on a 13-month lease. that's not a gimmick... ask any other board members that know the business (niche and tnj come to mind) how bad these concessions are.

is it a sign of things to come? no one knows for certain but it aint looking pretty.

My antecdote:

I own a business that had a 4 year lease come up in January. All year our agent was telling us that our class B space on the west side would get for their space whatever they were asking with no concession. Because that's just the way it was.

But we waited, anyway....

and in November, they matched an offer we had from Class C space down the street and added 3 months of free rent to sweeten the pot.

I'm happy we waited.

The Randall's at Dairy Ashford @ Memorial used to be a Handy Andy.

Safeway was across Dairy Ashford where HEB is now.

TG&Y was where Sandy's Produce Market is now, on I-10 between Dairy Ashford and Kirkwood. That was a KMart, as well, after being TG&Y.

Okay, I'm not remembering a Loews 6 upstairs at all. I don't think that is correct. There was the original balcony theater w/ red plush carpeting and a grand staircase near the current Forever 21. I'm not sure when that closed as my memories of that are few (see previous post). Then they opened the multiscreen theatre on the ground floor down in the Sears wing -across from the access to today's theater. As you were walking in the mall towards Sears, it was on the right hand side just before a hallway that lead to the parking lot (I believe this hall is still there w/ a restaurant - maybe Beck's Prime?) and then past the hall was Sears. I can't remember what is in that space now, but there were doors from that side hallway and the main corridor to access the theater. I think this theater closed in the late 90's.

As far as the upstairs amusement park, I've read alot about this over the years and it perplexes me as I have no memory of it at all. It might just be the timing is off for me to remember it as I think some dates put it around 93-94 and I was away at college then. I do remember hearing of a play place upstairs that existed when I was really little near the old original theatre (current Forever 21 area), but have no memory of accessing such a place later on in that location. I do remember a place I think that was called Exhilarama that actually had rides and I believe was 2 stories in the mid 90's. It started where the little arcade in the food court is today and went way back for a long ways (probably into what is currently some of Penney's space). There was a staircase to a 2nd floor w/ more stuff if memory serves me correctly. I only went there once or twice w/ my nephew when he was little. I remember a 2nd floor there, but all these things I read about a 2nd floor play area near Sears confuses me. Can anyone help me w/ this? I've always wondered about this inconsistent memory.

The second floor actually wasn't near Sears...it was above the old mall offices...there was a staircase to it (it was called Kids' Kingdom) from the site where Forever 21 is now...and a staircase to it from the old food court. It was particularly geared towards younger children. You are right...given you were born in 1974, it would have been when you were away at college. They had another spot at the exact same time down where the ice rink is today (general vicinity) called Outer Limits. It had roller skating and batting cages. So one summer I came home from college and worked the batting cages...and the next I worked cash control for both from the mall offices.

Exhilarama came later...and the people who worked for MetroNational were fired up about it. I think they envisioned it would last far longer than it did...and that it would be much more impactful than it was. Now it's just a Tilt....and doesn't have very much to offer at all.

I actually wrote advertising copy for the mall directed to high school kids when I was in high school. Remember the book covers that you'd have to use to cover textbooks at school? I got to know the management of Memorial City pretty well..particularly the marketing folks...and they asked me to design something. I wrote a top ten list and had someone help with other stuff...it ended up placing 2nd in a national competition, up against stuff designed by professionals! I sound like I'm patting myself on the back, but it's too long ago for it to really matter or for me to take any credit for it!!!

I can add in some more info...

When the mall opened it didn't have elevators (well the big stores did, but not out in the mall), they were added later with Scotty from Star Trek doing the honors. McDonalds was on the third floor and Neuhaus Chocolates (which was on the first floor, across from Hanson Galleries) kept their cakes in their freezers. There was also a pretty large food court on the third floor near McDonalds for that first year or two with a Corn Dog 7, Chinese Place and probably 3 or 4 others.

My brother worked at the AMC 3 theater and was the guy who popped all of the popcorn from 84-86. He would pop it in the morning and they would keep it in big bags to dole out that evening. So, you probably didn't have fresh popcorn while watching a movie there.

Also when it first opened they had coupon books that you took to many of the various stores. Radio Shack gave out big grey flashlights and then would sign you up for the battery of the month club? I think you got a free battery each month with some random discounts?

During Hurricane Alicia, the fabric on the center portion of the roof tore open in multiple places, but the mall opened a few days later with air conditioning and a view of the sky:) I hung out at the mall for about 12 hours just to be in the AC...my house didn't have power for more than a week.

The arcade Tilt was originally on the 3rd floor, but eventually moved to the second floor and started charging 10 cents per game. The computer store Babbages was on the 1st floor. Another computer store, Electronics Boutique was on the second floor. I wish I had an old map of the place. My friends and I used to call the end of the mall past Babbages the 'Dead Zone' since nobody went down there.

I worked at Neuhaus and Babbages from 88-92ish. One of the mall security guards named Rodney used to let us in after close to roller blade around the mall, which was surprisingly cool.

Down the street towards I-10 was a Zindlers clothing place? I remember buying some Birdwell's Beach Britches for summer swimming there. Anybody else remember those?

Sorry for the rambling. Let me think what else I can dig up in my noggin'.

I remember a lot of that! Zindler's I definitely remember.

My family lived in the Sheraton there...which is a Sheraton now, again...for 7 weeks while repairs were done on our home after Hurricane Alicia. I vaguely recall that the roof was torn in the mall.

I definitely remember Babbage's and buying video games there.

so funny you remembered the Star Trek character being there to "open up" the new elevators! I remember that, too.

Definitely an interesting story there - Swamplot had a good write-up on it earlier this year: Link

Wow! Thanks so much!!

I'm putting this in the historic section becauase though this building is still standing...there's no activity there....and as far as I know, hasn't for years.

In high school we used to drive by this thing to figure out what it is.

It's near the Alief area....it's off Dairy Ashford south of Westheimer, but before you get to Elsik/Hastings cross-street (name of that street is escaping me).

Anyone know what I'm talking about?? Any history on it if you do??

Here's a link to a picture I found by googling: http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x277/ma.../GoldGlobe2.jpg

- Some confusing aerial photography suggests that the mall never did a major expansion. It looks like Foley's was razed for Dillard's, and that was it.

- Was the original Foley's one story or two?

- When did the food court open?

- An upstairs area near Sears was once a Loews 6, and at another time it was an amusement park area. When were they these things, and what is it now? Please note that in looking in an aerial that shows the sides, it does NOT connect to the current cinema. So what is there now? A possible suggestion is that the escalators once led up to it is in the space reserved for that new sports grill. Do they occupy it now?

- I'm preparing a replacement to the Wikipedia article for the mall, which you can see here. Please edit and tell me what I did wrong/need to add.

I'll try:

1. Foley's was one story...it was not where Macy's is today. It was on the east side of the mall...but the mall stretches out further east now than it did then, i believe.

2. The newly remodled food court opened in the last 4-5 years or so...before then it was just an expanse of space to the west if you entered from the south/central entrance. Before that...I'd really have to go back in memory...I don't remember a food court...I remember a York Steak House that was in the same general vicinity, though, within the mall.

3. There have been 3 movie theaters in MCM. The first was centrally located...my grandfather ran the projection there when that used to be a union job. It was near where Forever 21 is now. It was a Lowe's. It was an upstairs facility but I believe it only had 3 screens. It closed down and for a while there was no theater there in the mall...but about 89 or so they opened up the second Lowe's theater which was near Sears. It was all on the first floor, however. It had 6 screens, I think. And then it closed down and we didn't have a theater there again until the new Cinemark opened up about 2 years back.

Restaurants did dot the T&C acreage in free-standing, isolated locations, none connected to the shops. The Pappas BBQ restaurant was one (on the west side of the complex)

I think you mean Demeris BBQ. It was right by the Town & Country James Coney Island, which was JCI's 2nd location.

Panjo's Pizza was in that old T&C Village, too.

There was a childrens' clothing store there called Chocolate Soup...it's still there in the new T&C Village version.

I spent lots of time at T&C mall in junior high. For a while it was clearly better than Memorial City Mall, which found itself run down.

By the time I had graduated from college, moved back to Houston and married my wife, T&C mall was closing at 6 p.m., aside from Dillard's and a few other exceptions. It was actually kinda nice, because it was never crowded...and we had registered at Dillard's.

Looking back, I think the tollway construction killed it. Or at least played a major role in its demise.

and I just recall a small theater at Town & Country where we saw Disney's "Tron"

very strange film. Courtesy of 101 KLOL circa 1982.

There were two, actually. There was a Lowes Town & Country 3...and Lowes Town & Country 6. Both stuck around until about 1987, I'd guess...when AMC opened up it's T&C location (10 screens) just on the other side of the freeway, next to a Chili's and Bennigan's. The Chili's is still there. Bennigan's has gone the way of the do do. The theater is now used by HCC for performing arts and multimedia classes.

Wasn't it on Westheimer, near Fountainview. I think in a building that later became Mama's or some diner type place.

Actually there is still a Christie's at that location. I guess what I'm asking is.....is that the same location as in this old picture? If so, it's an interesting look at what Westheimer looked like.