Developers Have Ideas For Imperial Sugar Factory

[Luminare]

Will be a really one of a kind development. I'd drive down there just to see it.

 

Agreed. In this town thats saying something. I really really do not like that "museum" sign x.x yuck. That thing sticks out like a sore thumb. Other than that...I love the rest. Could use a little more residential, but this could actually a great place for Sugarland to centralize a little more.

[Naviguessor]

Luminare...had the same reaction. Was scrolling through...saw that...scrolled back up and thought "eew". Then I thought "children's museum", then though "eew", again. I'm sure, or at least hoping, that it just represents the museum component.

[Luminare]

Luminare...had the same reaction. Was scrolling through...saw that...scrolled back up and thought "eew". Then I thought "children's museum", then though "eew", again. I'm sure, or at least hoping, that it just represents the museum component.

 

Thats where I recognized it! They obviously ripped it from there and made some quick modifications in sketchup/photoshop. Its amazing how important context is. That same marquee works at Robert Venturi's Childrens Museum, but in this context its just completely out of place especially when everything else is so industrial.

[Mab]

 

 

Sugar Land's Imperial Market, the mixed-use development designed to incorporate the historic structures once used to refine sugar at the former Imperial Sugar plant, has snagged Alamo Drafthouse Cinema as its first major tenant.

Geoffrey Jones, one of the project's developers, said the retail portion of the project is nearly one-third preleased and falling oil prices have not hampered his efforts. Construction will start in March and be completed in the summer of 2017.

 

"Our project has been unscathed by what has been occurring in the energy industry," Jones said.

While other sectors of the commercial real estate market are slipping, Jones said Houston-area retail builders are in good shape because there's not a glut of available properties.

Alamo Drafthouse will be part of a newly constructed, two-story retail building. The Austin-based entertainment concept, which combines movies and dining, will have nine screens at its Imperial location. Triple Tap Ventures, which will run the theater, owns and operates two other Houston-area Alamo theaters. It's planning another in the Regent Square development slated for a site near Allen Parkway and Dunlavy.

Off U.S. 90 between Texas 6 and U.S. 59, Imperial Market is expected to have 275,000 square feet of retail space, 106,000-square feet of office space and a 185-room boutique hotel. Apartments are also part of the plan.

The size has been expanded slightly since the developers announced it in July. Otherwise, the character of the project has not changed, said Jones, referring to the property's historic structures set to be restored and reused, including storage silos, smokestacks and the eight-story char house. Jones is developing Imperial Market with James Murnane.

On Tuesday, Sugar Land City Council approved plans for the 26-acre development.

The project is the commercial hub of the 720-acre Imperial planned community, which is under construction and will have nearly 2,000 new homes when completed.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/sarnoff/article/Alamo-Drafthouse-expanding-to-Sugar-Land-6673931.php?t=6cee9504f4&cmpid=twitter-premium#photo-9056362

[cspwal]

With Flix Brewhouse coming to Sugar Land too, this is welcome news for moviegoers. But why can't Midtown get its Alamo Drafthouse?

 

Where could an Alamo drafthouse fit in Midtown?

[BigFootsSocks]

Regent Square

Edit; I'm dumb. Is RS considered part of Midtown?

Edited December 4, 2015 by BigFootsSocks

[cspwal]

Regent Square

Edit; I'm dumb. Is RS considered part of Midtown?

 

I wouldn't think so, since it's west of Montrose BLVD.  I also completely forgot about that development and the promised for Movie Tavern.  Would this area be Montrose, or something different?

[Fringe]

With Flix Brewhouse coming to Sugar Land too, this is welcome news for moviegoers. But why can't Midtown get its Alamo Drafthouse?

Win Fix and Alamo a mile apart? Guess i'm going to a lot of movies. 

[BigFootsSocks]

I wouldn't think so, since it's west of Montrose BLVD. I also completely forgot about that development and the promised for Movie Tavern. Would this area be Montrose, or something different?

What is that area designated then? WeDo?

[curbur]

What is that area designated then? WeDo?

 

I'm not saying this is correct, but Google Maps has the area extend all the way west up to River Oaks with Shepherd as the boundary line.

 

Edit: Then again.. those boundaries have Montrose taking up a significant portion of Fourth Ward and a little bit of Downtown even, so that has to be wrong.

Edited December 6, 2015 by curbur

[cspwal]

I'm not saying this is correct, but Google Maps has the area extend all the way west up to River Oaks with Shepherd as the boundary line.

 

Edit: Then again.. those boundaries have Montrose taking up a significant portion of Fourth Ward and a little bit of Downtown even, so that has to be wrong.

 

I didn't know Montrose had an Amtrak station AND an aquarium!

[stan the man]

Alamo Drafthouse to Imperial Market...wow! Would have thought an arthouse-focused, non-brewery-cinema would have gone into that space, especially considering Flix Brewhouse further down 90 at the Telfair development.

 

It will be very interesting to see how two brewery-cinema combinations will pan out in Sugar Land, and whether or not these cinemas will feature the arthouse films that are of interest to folks in and around SL, especially those who can't see themselves seeing a movie at the AMC near First Colony Mall.

 

But what's also interesting is the large amount of space devoted to restaurants including in the silos and near the "Pink Lady" that's fixing to become aloft (assuming Marriott does not dissolve the brand in its purchase of Starwood). Imperial Market's developers are surely taking cues from Hughes Landing in The Woodlands which has its own iteration of a "Restaurant Row", except in the case of Imperial Market the experience is likely going to be more authentic and probably scenic in comparison.

 

Don't expect a Christian's Tailgate, though...that apparently has already been earmarked for Telfair.

[jrc]

If the Alamo Drafthouse plans had been released first, I doubt Flix would have seriously considered a site just a mile away. One has to wonder if they might rethink their plans. Of course, World of Beer moved into Sugar Land Town Square after the Flying Saucer, and they draw completely different clientele, so who knows?

[Naviguessor]

I'm sorry that the Independent Boutique Hotel concept has been eliminated.  Alofts are fun and decent hotels, but not really all that special after the first couple of times you've stayed at them.  They are just a formulaic chain. 

I wonder if the rooftop lounge will still be incorporated. 

[Houston19514]

The boutique hotel, housed within the 90-year old iconic Char House building at Imperial Market, will be named Char House Hotel. According to the website:

 

Per the Chronicle this summer:

 

This would make three Aloft hotels in the Houston area. Does anyone think a W hotel will follow soon? I don't understand as the fourth largest city in the country and largest in the south, that the area doesn't have one.

 

It seems the only mention of it being an Aloft are in the Chronicle's very brief article from last summer.  Given that the development's own website does not mention "Aloft" at all, it seems there's a very good chance, that, if it was ever planned to be an Aloft, perhaps those plans have changed. (and there's at least as good of a chance that Aloft was never in the plans at all and the Chron just got it wrong.)  Interesting to note, also, that the developer's website says it will be a 185-room boutique hotel, while the Chron says the Aloft was going to be 120 rooms.

 

FWIW, if this actually going to be an Aloft, it would make five Aloft hotels in the Houston area:

 

1. the existing Aloft by the Galleria

2. Aloft downtown scheduled to open in June 2016

3.  Aloft Houston West (Katy) scheduled to open in 2 years

4. Aloft Shenandoah (Woodlands) scheduled to open in 2 years.

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Houston19514

[Naviguessor]

oh.  I think I got it backwards then. I thought the latest report was that it was going to be an Aloft. 

Go independent boutique brand!

[Urbannizer]

 

District Lofts - 20% funded.

 

Imperial Refinery District Lofts will be a premier Class "A" development, pioneered by Houston EB5 and the award-winning Houston based real estate developer Sueba USA Corporation. The meticulously designed project will encompass 273 units and will include a comprehensive amenity package. As part of the Imperial Sugar Land master-planned community, residents will have access to all of the city's hospitality and entertainment venues plus convenient access to Downtown Houston.

 

http://houstoneb5.com/project_DistrictLofts.cfm

 

[cspwal]

5 minutes ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

The Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center, located within Imperial Market at 198 Kempner St, will hold its ribbon cutting grand opening May 28, 2016. The Discovery Center will occupy a 10,000 square foot restored building and house six exhibits with an additional outdoor space. This is Imperial Market’s first retailer to open in its much-awaited commercial property development on U.S. Route 90 in Sugar Land.  (From Katy News)

What is going on with that facade?

[Urbannizer]

Construction to begin in September.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2016/06/28/mixed-use-development-in-sugar-land-to-break.html

[Urbannizer]

Historical commission process delays groundbreaking to Feb 2017.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.chron.com/business/bizfeed/amp/Start-of-Imperial-Market-development-pushed-to-10632642.php?client=safari

[ChannelTwoNews]

As of a January Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, there may be plans for a hotel and restaurants to be located on the west side of the development, just northwest of the ballpark. 

https://communityimpact.com/houston/sugar-land-missouri-city/city-county/2017/01/30/sugar-land-commissioners-hear-plans-site-near-constellation-field/

 

This week, the terms of an agreement for the Heritage Museum were finalized. The City's Visitor Center and Heritage Museum will be located on the 2nd floor of a warehouse under renovation at this time. The Children's Discovery Center will be on the first floor. The agreement also says for the Heritage Museum to be open by June 1st.

 

https://communityimpact.com/houston/sugar-land-missouri-city/city-county/2017/02/23/things-know-tuesdays-sugar-land-city-council-meeting/

[ChannelTwoNews]

From the past couple of weeks

 

FAA filings for a 60' Building

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=364462638&row=15

 

& a '300 Crane

https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/searchAction.jsp?action=displayOECase&oeCaseID=363948605&row=14

[CaptainJilliams]

Another update via The Chronicle:

 

https://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/Imperial-Market-property-sold-in-foreclosure-sale-13372976.php#photo-10766466

 

From the article:

 

"Geoffrey Jones, one of the developers, said the property will be conveyed back to Imperial Market Development once a construction loan is secured. A substitute trustee's deed filed with the county cites a default, however, Jones said his group has been meeting its obligations.

He said the project is around 60 percent preleased, with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema as its lead tenant. Construction, which has been delayed, is expected to start at the beginning of next year."

[htownbro]

https://www.chron.com/news/investigations/article/For-Texas-children-Sugar-Land-development-is-13643286.php

[CaptainJilliams]

15 minutes ago, CrockpotandGravel said:

Alamo Drafthouse is still going to open at Imperial Market, the mixed use development in Sugar Land.

A web page for the Sugar Land location ( 198 Kempner St ) was created last fall or early 2019:

https://drafthouse.com/houston/theater/sugar-land



Also from Community Impact in January:

 

Additional plans for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema location coming to Imperial Market in Sugar Land were revealed during Tuesday night’s Sugar Land City Council meeting.
 

Originally announced as a major Imperial Market tenant in December 2015, the cinema’s groundbreaking was delayed as was construction on the overall mixed-use site.
 

Officials with Alamo Drafthouse shared updated plans for the theater during the meeting, including screen and seat count. The cinema will hold 10 screens and roughly 1,100 luxury seats—a decrease from the original estimate of 1,500 standard seats.
 

Although the seat count has decreased, the anticipated square footage of the overall project increased, City Planner Douglas Schomburg said. The footprint of the project will not change. However, 100 percent of the building’s top level will be used, instead of 70 percent as originally proposed.
 

Alamo Drafthouse officials anticipate the cinema will open by September 2019.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/sugar-land-missouri-city/development-construction/2018/01/03/plans-move-forward-alamo-drafthouse-cinema-imperial-market-sugar-land/

 

Great to hear this is still happening! I was worried because I hadn't heard much from this project the past couple months.

[DotCom]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2022/12/11/imperial-sugar-land-mixed-use-development.html

Developer plans to repurpose Sugar Land's Imperial Sugar property into walkable, mixed-use district

Now Houston-based boutique real estate firm Puma Development is proposing to repurpose the Imperial Sugar property, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and State Highway 6, into a walkable mixed-use district.

The preliminary plan is to include experiential retail, entertainment, restaurants, multi- and single-family homes, offices and park space while conserving the historic sugar company buildings.

Edited January 13, 2023 by editor
Edited due to copyright. Remember to summarize and link. Don't copy and paste.

[DotCom]

https://sugar-scoop.com/2022/12/01/city-of-sugar-land-prioritizes-preserving-iconic-imperial-char-house-puma-development-proposes-plan-to-redevelop-site/

[BEES?!]

I’m hoping that they actually go through with this. They’ve been talking about what to do with the site since I was a kid basically. It’s a neat piece of SL history

[editor]

6 hours ago, BEES?! said:

I’m hoping that they actually go through with this. They’ve been talking about what to do with the site since I was a kid basically. It’s a neat piece of SL history

Surely they'll try to lure a Sugar Factor to this location.

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://fbindependent.com/new-imperial-historic-redevelopment-plan-calls-for-apartments-financi-p15720-1.htm

"The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing and make a recommendation on the Land Use Plan amendment and General Development Plan (GDP) to the City Council on February 14th. Following the Commission’s recommendation, City Council will hold a public hearing and 1st reading of the Land Use Plan amendment and rezoning ordinance; this is anticipated to take place on February 21st, followed by a second reading of the ordinance on March 7th"