sevenmeadows

Wow, three stories of apartments above retail! At least it's walkable space for those residents, assuming the big store in the back is still grocery.

I'd love to see townhomes instead of apartments; pride of ownership goes a long way towards keeping a complex looking nice.

I had assumed they meant owner-occupied apartments, but now that I reread, I bet you're right. Being that we're not in NY, they'd probably call them condos or townhouses if they weren't rentals.

I would think that they'd have to charge fairly steep rents to keep the apartment population from detracting from the retail environment. I feel pretty confident that things will be well-maintained because La Centerra will lose its retail tenants if it goes downhill. Nonetheless, I would also prefer owned units to rentals.

I haven't seen this posted on here. I really like the potential for this development. Very nice looking.

Thanks for posting this. Do you have the link to the website where it's located? I was wondering if I could get a larger blow-up of the picture since some of the retailer names are difficult to read.

By now most of us know what La Centerra has or is going to have in phase one, but I just found out this afternoon what they have planned for phase two. None of this is set in stone yet and very subject to change, but the proposed tenant list is:

Rocky Mountain Chocolate

Chipotle

James Avery

Swoozies

Ann Taylor

Sigrid Olsen

Lucy

Buckle

PacSun

Delia's

Cinco Day Spa

Fossil

Williams- Sonoma

DSW

Bananna Republic

Petite Sophisticate

The Children's Place

There is also supposed to be 3 different 5000 square foot stand alone restaurants and what they are labeling as a 38K square ft "specialty grocery"

Also it looks like the other restaurant across from Perry's Steakhouse in Phase 1 that is looking into moving in is Chuy's

The proposed list of tenants looks great. I would LOVE to have a Williams-Sonoma nearby. The clothing shops would be great additions as well. You haven't heard anything about a Harold Powell opening have you? It would seem to fit well with the other retail.

That is also great news about the Chuy's and additional restaurants. It looks like Katy's dining options are really starting to expand. Any word on what the specialty grocery will be?

............

JV Pencils May Start for $80M Second Phase

By Amy Wolff Sorter

LaCenterra(For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL and the multifamily market, click here.)

KATY, TX-With its first retail phase 60% preleased, Vista Equities Group and its Denver-based partner, Amstar Group, will break ground on an $80-million second phase for LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. In May, work will start on 160,000 sf of retail and 230 residential units, all planned for completion in fall 2008.

The development partners are in the process of wrapping up work on the $60-million first phase for LaCenterra, where 170,000 sf of retail and 90,000 sf of office space is delivering at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. The 34-acre, 700,000-sf development got under way in late January 2006.

http://www.globest.com/news/838_838/houston/152721-1.html

................

Thanks for the link. This is great news! It looks like the retail space will almost double. I wonder what additional shops are planned...

I read that it was a self-inflicted wound. This is so terribly sad. I am glad that at least no other students were harmed.

Has anyone heard any more details on the student's condition and what may have triggered him (assuming it was a boy) to do this?

We would definitely like to see some nice retail such as:

Cache

Storehouse

Z Gallery

Sharper Image

Visible Changes

and for dining-

Perry's Steakhouse

Cheesecake Factory

PF Changs

Pappadeaux's

Carrabba's

La Madeline

It would be very nice to have these places at arm's length rather than in another city.

It would also be great to have a Williams-Sonoma nearby.

I went to John Paul II for a year, and never looked back. That school has some shady business going on.

Trae, I'm interested in what you experienced at the school. I had always heard good things about it (test scores, Blue Ribbon, etc.) but I haven't heard many first-hand experiences.

hopefully it will be. what schools in katy are private anyway? (besides for the forementioned Catholic high school)

is there a catholic elementary or junior high in katy?

...thats something that katy could think about- private schools. Imagine schools even better than KISD

Currently the nearest Catholic grade schools are John Paul II and Cardinal Newman. Both are prek-8th grade and are located in the Briarforest & Eldridge area.

John Paul II is the more established of the two. It was started by the same group that later started John XXIII high school. I believe there is also another Catholic elementary/jr high somewhere near north Highway 6.

I agree that it would be great to have more private schools in Katy. In the meantime, at least Eldridge is not too terribly far by Houston standards.

how is low income housing a bad thing? honestly?

The problem with low-income housing is that it is not well-maintained, increases crime, and lowers property values. There are few residents eager to add an unsafe eyesore to their area.

It's not bad at all. Some low income housing might be nice near Westpark. There is already that neighborhood that Seven Meadows built around. I don't think all of Katy needs to become a Cinco Ranch look-a-like, so leave Mason Road alone.

I don't think Hickory Creek (the neighborhood near Seven Meadows) is what was meant by "low income housing." While the neighborhood is not as upscale as Seven Meadows, a quick glance at har.com shows its homes are listed in the low to middle $100s. That is hardly the same thing as the projects.

Also, I understand that everything doesn't have to look like Cinco Ranch, but is the shabby look of parts of Mason really such a great alternative? In a perfect world, everything would be nice AND unique, but in the meantime I'd take upscale cookie-cutterness over a run-down hodge-podge.

some low income housing near westpark.

I can't understand why low-income housing would be wanted. I don't see how the transformation of south Katy into the ghetto is anything to be desired.

That said, I would like the following:

Pappadeaux and Pappasitos

Romano's Macaroni Grill

More restaurants in general

Better retailers in a nicer setting (something along the lines of Town & Country, etc.--hopefully some of the planned projects will take care of this)

I'm relatively happy with the landscaping in the Cinco Ranch/south Grand Parkway area. The overall area of Mason closer to I-10 could use some revitalization though.

I like more a "rural" setting. With all the Housing/Commercial Mega Developments in the Katy Area (Cinco Ranch) we have the risk of becoming the next Sharpstown...

http://www.texasfreeway.com/Houston/photos...n_history.shtml

I really don't feel upscale retail would put us in danger of being the next Sharpstown. One finds nice retail and restaurants in affluent suburbs everywhere and they do not all subsequently become ghettos.