Retail Center At 250 West 20th St.

[Angostura]

Really contradicts the last few paragraphs of this, which specifically said parking would be in the back.

[s3mh]

The groupthink amongst retail lessees in Houston is that parking in back=death.  Given that the line for Torchy's goes out the door every day at lunch even though you have to (horrors of horrors) park in back, I would think that Braun would not enslave themselves to the groupthink.  But it looks like pedestrians along Rutland will get to smell the rotting hummus in the dumpster instead of being able to walk up to a restaurant or shop without having to maneuver between cars coming and going from the parking lot. 

 

Same as it ever was . . . Same as it ever was (tapping left hand on top of right forearm while wearing dark suit with small bow tie). 

[Purpledevil]

Wait! Has something changed that I'm not aware of? All of this talk of restaurants and bars on 19th, but isn't 19th still dry? Same reason the Kroger on 20th can't sell liquor, wine, or beer.

As for the Weingarten's property across the street, there is no current plan to demo or repurpose the strip. Kroger actually wanted to buy it, demo it, and build a Signature there. Walgreens actually had a problem with that, and held the lease on their spot until another establishment could fill the empty space.

Wouldn't been the first time that entire property housed a single, mammoth grocer.

[Angostura]

The property in question is across 20th St. from the Kroger, on the SE corner of 20th and Rutland, where a former church annex has already been demo'd.

 

With respect to the area being dry, it IS possible (but kind of a pain) for restaurants to work around this by getting a private club license.  Downhouse, Shade, Torchy's and HGS all serve alcohol.  There is no such loophole for grocery stores, so the Kroger will remain dry.

 

 

 

[Purpledevil]

Funny how that works. Yes you can sell it in a restaurant, but no you can't sell it at a grocer or convenience store. That does make sense, though. Come to think of it, La Caretta on 20th has always served beer and margaritas, iirc.

[Purpledevil]

Yes, I saw Baptist Temple is now missing the old church building and the new sanctuary building. Only building still standing is the one that houses the chapel now. This was my grandparents' church. I spent many days in those buildings. Would've never imagined it being downsized like it has been recently. Without the school, the gymnasium, and now the big sanctuary, it appears that Baptist Temple is coming closer and closer to its last days.

What I meant in my last post was in response to the earlier question regarding the strip owned by Weingarten Realty across the street, which houses the Kroger and Goodwill. Most folks don't know or don't realize how close that building came to being a memory as well. Walgreens can be thanked for that not happening, as they held on to the lease at the old spot next to Kroger's, giving Goodwill enough time to get the space leased and stopping Kroger's from expanding.

To think, W. 20th could've ended up looking a lot like W. 11th's or W. 43rd's store. Minus the alcohol.

[Angostura]

What I meant in my last post was in response to the earlier question regarding the strip owned by Weingarten Realty across the street, which houses the Kroger and Goodwill. Most folks don't know or don't realize how close that building came to being a memory as well. Walgreens can be thanked for that not happening, as they held on to the lease at the old spot next to Kroger's, giving Goodwill enough time to get the space leased and stopping Kroger's from expanding.

To think, W. 20th could've ended up looking a lot like W. 11th's or W. 43rd's store. Minus the alcohol.

 

 

I'm not convinced the current situation is preferable. The surrounding area is not exactly suffering from a lack of thrift-store options, and that Kroger is in need of some work.

[Purpledevil]

I agree wholeheartedly. That Kroger needed "some work" when it was still a Safeway. Now, it needs a whole other building run up under it.

Don't even get me started with the new location of the courtesy booth and the one door in and out now. Only reason I still shop there after all these years is the familiar, friendly faces within.

Unfortunately, those too are disappearing a little at a time over the years...

[s3mh]

Construction fence is up.  Looks like they will be breaking ground soon.

[TXdesign]

I'd actually prefer the 20th street Kroger to stay like it is. They have made enough improvements to allow me to buy my grocery staples and be in and out in 10 mins.

For my other stuff there is Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

[Heightsfamily]

dumpy as the 20th street Kroger is, it is my favorite. Kroger overall is not my thing (really not my thing), but the employees at 20th street are some of the nicest, most patient people I have ever seen. They are unfailingly nice to the older folks and disabled folks who come from the two nearby facilities. Always a cheerful response and usually a "Blessed" response to "how are you?". Plus I can run in there at the last minute and grab some simple item I overlooked in my shopping list at the last minute. Try running into the 11th street store quickly . . .

[Triton]

[Angostura]

I saw the concrete on a quick drive-by over the weekend. It wasn't immediately clear whether it was parking lot or slab for the structure. If the latter, it would seem like they've gone back to having the building front (at least part of) the sidewalk, instead of doing parking along the 20th St frontage.

 

 

[s3mh]

My guess is that the building will be fronting 20th and the parking in the rear.  The slab that was poured is in line with the setback for the Walgreens down the street.  It is not wide enough for parking and has too many utilities and structural elements poking out of the concrete.  If this is true, it will be very good news.

[Angostura]

My guess is that the building will be fronting 20th and the parking in the rear.  The slab that was poured is in line with the setback for the Walgreens down the street.  It is not wide enough for parking and has too many utilities and structural elements poking out of the concrete.  If this is true, it will be very good news.

 

Fingers crossed.  The flyer on Braun's website is unchanged.

[s3mh]

They started putting in the frame on the slab.  Parking will definitely be in back. 

[Luminare]

The groupthink amongst retail lessees in Houston is that parking in back=death.  Given that the line for Torchy's goes out the door every day at lunch even though you have to (horrors of horrors) park in back, I would think that Braun would not enslave themselves to the groupthink.  But it looks like pedestrians along Rutland will get to smell the rotting hummus in the dumpster instead of being able to walk up to a restaurant or shop without having to maneuver between cars coming and going from the parking lot. 

 

Same as it ever was . . . Same as it ever was (tapping left hand on top of right forearm while wearing dark suit with small bow tie). 

 

This maybe true, but for the life of me I can never understand the logic of giving up nice real estate at the front of the property and give it to asphalt or a large concrete frying pan in front. Luckily this attitude is changing....slowly -.-

[Angostura]

They started putting in the frame on the slab.  Parking will definitely be in back. 

 

 

Noticed that. Good.

 

Not clear what the rectangular hole in the middle of the slab is for.

[lowndes]

Has anybody heard any plans for developments along 20th street in the Heights (thinking primarily between Studemont and Heights Blvd).  There seems to be several underutilized industrial type spots, car repair shops, etc. on that stretch.  I'd imagine something will eventually come in there kind of like what happened to White Oak but haven't heard much about it yet.

[BullMan008]

Has anybody heard any plans for developments along 20th street in the Heights (thinking primarily between Studemont and Heights Blvd).  There seems to be several underutilized industrial type spots, car repair shops, etc. on that stretch.  I'd imagine something will eventually come in there kind of like what happened to White Oak but haven't heard much about it yet.

 

 

There are already businesses there. What type of developements are you referring to? Those big nasty homes or more bars that serve craft beers? I havent heard of anything starting up around this area but it would just be another nail in the coffin if it were to turn out like WhiteOak. 

[west20th]

Most of the businesses seem pretty successful and probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The exception being the hand car wash an the SE corner of Shepherd and 20th. Those are generally just place holders waiting for a developer with a wheelbarrow of cash. 

 

The properties I've been wondering about are the site where the water tanks were removed. Will the city give up that land? Also, the Chase bank site. It would seem they could contract and free up a good chunk of that property. 

Edited July 21, 2014 by west20th

[s3mh]

If the current rate of growth in the area is sustained for another few years, I think you will see redevelopment along 20th.  The tax burden is already getting a lot of industrial properties to pack up and move out.  Most are too small to mount a tax challenge and pay a hefty price to hang on to the prime real estate. 

 

But for now, the only thing I have heard about is a restaurant going in where Blockbuster used to be.  The City's property has to go through their process.  They first offer the property internally to other City departments and then put it on the market.  Probably looking at 18-24 months to get the property through the process and sold at auction. 

 

The real prize is the Death Kroger shopping center.  Kroger will hold on as long as they can to their lease, but once the lease is up, that property could get built up in a big way.

 

 

[lowndes]

Thanks, I've been wondering about what blockbuster will become.  There are a few industrial buildings along there too that it seems as the area continues to appreciate in value that it would be hard to justify keeping them.  I can't wait for the day that Kroger becomes something better.  With it would become something other than Kroger but don't think that will ever happen.  Excited to see what goes in across the street on the land the baptist church sold.

[Purpledevil]

Thank you Bullman! +1.

...btw, that car wash has been on that corner for over 30 years now. Hardly a place holder. The funniest part of all of this to me is the excitement of the strip center being built on the former site of the historic Baptist Temple sanctuaries. The both of them. Sickening, absolutely sickening. I bet that strip center doesn't play a beautiful bell arrangement once it's complete like the church did.

[Specwriter]

Thank you Bullman! +1.

 I bet that strip center doesn't play a beautiful bell arrangement once it's complete like the church did.

 

I'll bet you are right, Purpledevil, although shopping centers with carillons is not unheard of (pardon the pun). There is The Carillon (actual name) at 10001 Westheimer and one at the corner of Wirt and Westivew.

 

[barracuda]

I can imagine the various nail salons and washaterias on 20th eventually succumbing to gentrification. But there really isn't all that much commercial along 20th between Heights and Studewood, and most of the residential is already built out. I think N Main south of 20th has greater prospects for redevelopment, as it has more sizable low-rent commercial properties and vacant lots to take advantage of. Take for example Braun redeveloping 4721 N. Main, and all the growth/gentrification taking place in Brooke Smith.

[tiger198619]

according to the link below from braun enterprises one of the tenants will be a Zoe's Kitchen,not sure what else will go in the strip center, also the church bells will not be returning as they already tore down the bell tower they used to ring from, I guess if the neighborhood threw tons of cash the churches way(which im sure the church wouldn't have mind, lol) it might could have been saved.

 

http://www.braunenterprises.com/?q=Property/PropertyDetail&id=a906aff5-3005-3e9e-0da5-528fa51b92ec

[txcat84]

What would the 20th Street Kroger become? Doubtful another grocery chain would move in with the inability to sell alcohol. Frankly, I'm fine with the Kroger. I think it could use a facelift, and yeah, it would be great if it could sell booze, but regardless I enjoy the convenience of a small local grocery.

 

If I had the capital I would turn the Sand Dollar or whatever that huge resale shop is on the corner of 19th into a movie theatre ala River Oaks. No, I'm not Mr. Death to the Locals, but since the nice Goodwill went in, I don't think these places within a mile of that GW are serving the purpose they once did.

[HAG]

Lots of workers last week working on the fmr Eckerds on 20th across from Blockbuster. Any word on what's going on/who's moving in? Last I checked CVS still owns the property.

[lowndes]

I noticed that as well but no clue. Hard to imagine it would be a CVS though as there in one less than a mile away.