SkylineView Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 (edited) Given the recent report that the Houston-Dallas HSR could terminate in the Galleria / Uptown Park area rather than Downtown... is there a chance this site becomes the station (link to article below)? A College Station stop was also referenced which would point to a 290 route into town. I can't find the article, but my recollection is that 20-40% of JR profits are from associated real-estate development at their stations (hotels, retail, etc...). A large site with additional development potential would seem reasonable If we assume they bring a similar model to the US. [EDIT: see 2013 financial report... ~25% operating profit comes from non-transportation though their subsidiary structure is complicated so that may not be exactly right ... https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/investor/ar/2013/pdf/ar_2013_all.pdf] http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/08/state-transportation-official-says-houston-dallas-rail-a-certainty/ Edited August 31, 2014 by SkylineView 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 If the 290 route is a certainty, then the clearances shown in a 290 plan I saw really are true and a lot of buildings are gone on that side. Goodbye rice mill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 If that happens...I will kill myself >.> Abandon shopping malls will be one of the bigger design/urban planning challenges my generation and the generation before will have to face in the coming decade or two. They present so many opportunities, but at the same time so many problems because of the shear scale of the land you are given. Especially since the immediate area is also vastly underdeveloped you get into a situation as to what exactly do you put there!? Mid-rise development doesn't really make much since because there is nothing else around it to support it....unless you decide to build a new town from scratch (which could be an option...a very interesting one I might add!). We don't need another entertainment venue as we have way to many. Theme park is out of the question because there are like two going up right now and not to mention it would be a real headache for this area. You can't build small residential as the value of those homes would plummet afterwards as a good portion of this area is still in decay and nobody builds those kinds of developments this deep into town anymore. Commercial campus?? Maybe if it was the right investor with a big brand. What I'm scared of is that it might be turned into distribution centers -.- since that is the main business of the immediate area. A large piece of land, mostly paved over, near the intersection of 3 freeways, central location in the metro area. Sounds like the best use may well be for a distribution center. Dead malls are usually in areas that are in decay so it's not really going to be that much of a challenge to figure out what to do with them. Since the mall is an invention of the automobile age, they are frequently on or near highways and/or intersections of highways. Those that are in decaying areas can go the distribution center route and those that are still in nice areas can be redeveloped into mixed use or indoor/outdoor retail (a la Memorial City Mall and Town & Country, now City Centre). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Interesting. It seems like a lot more than 51 acres... but maybe that's just the feeling of an empty parking lot. 20 or 30 acres of the site became freeway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 By the way, the old JCPenney Auto/Firestone became a marble/granite place but I didn't catch the name of it. What was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mab Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2014/09/major-mall-hits-the-market/ The owner of Northwest Mall, the regional shopping center tucked behind the massive roadway construction project at U.S. 290 and the 610 Loop, is selling the 52-acre property.The site is ideally suited for a hotel, multifamily, office and retail development, said Rusty Tamlyn, senior managing director of HFF, which has the listing.All of the tenants in thee 800,000-square-foot mall can be moved within a short timeframe, Tamlyn said.Price expectations are in the $38 per square foot range or $86 million for the entire property. The owner would consider breaking up the site into multiple pieces.Houston-based Levcor bought the property from Glimcher Realty Trust in 2007 with plans to renovate the site and potentially turn it into a mixed-use center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Still think this would be a great spot for the HSR station, along with all of the aforementioned possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky-guy Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Still think this would be a great spot for the HSR station, along with all of the aforementioned possibilities. Too far away from DT, Med. center, Bellaire, Etc. Still think this would be a great spot for the HSR station, along with all of the aforementioned possibilities. Too far away from DT, Med. center, Bellaire, Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lithiumaneurysm Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Too far away from DT, Med. center, Bellaire, Etc. If it has the proper mass transit connections I don't think it would be too remote a location. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 You're both right. It is pretty far from the other more important aspects of this city but with the rumors of the Gulf Coast Regional Rail Authority coming in it sounds like there is some serious progress moving in connecting the HSR terminal, wherever that may be, into downtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasek Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 I live on the other side of 610 from this mall I love this area it is far from decayed and there's plenty of stuff to do around the areaThe heights is an easy drive down 18th and the 290 and 10 corridors have plenty of restaurants and shopping Perfect area for "suburban" living with city access If that happens...I will kill myself >.> Abandon shopping malls will be one of the bigger design/urban planning challenges my generation and the generation before will have to face in the coming decade or two. They present so many opportunities, but at the same time so many problems because of the shear scale of the land you are given. Especially since the immediate area is also vastly underdeveloped you get into a situation as to what exactly do you put there!? Mid-rise development doesn't really make much since because there is nothing else around it to support it....unless you decide to build a new town from scratch (which could be an option...a very interesting one I might add!). We don't need another entertainment venue as we have way to many. Theme park is out of the question because there are like two going up right now and not to mention it would be a real headache for this area. You can't build small residential as the value of those homes would plummet afterwards as a good portion of this area is still in decay and nobody builds those kinds of developments this deep into town anymore. Commercial campus?? Maybe if it was the right investor with a big brand. What I'm scared of is that it might be turned into distribution centers -.- since that is the main business of the immediate area. A large piece of land, mostly paved over, near the intersection of 3 freeways, central location in the metro area. Sounds like the best use may well be for a distribution center. Dead malls are usually in areas that are in decay so it's not really going to be that much of a challenge to figure out what to do with them. Since the mall is an invention of the automobile age, they are frequently on or near highways and/or intersections of highways. Those that are in decaying areas can go the distribution center route and those that are still in nice areas can be redeveloped into mixed use or indoor/outdoor retail (a la Memorial City Mall and Town & Country, now City Centre). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Allen Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 For years, I have often wondered what the best use of this land would be. My wishes for this space are as follows; too bad our commuter transportation is not, say 20 years, ahead of now. This would make an incredible hub for either light rail or that bullet train we keep hearing about which will connect HTown with Big D, Austin and SA. OR, a vast recreational center, ie, pools, gym, tennis and racquetball courts, rock climbing venues, etc., with a parking structure on which a 15 to 20 storey multiuse hotel/ residences would sit. But I do think it prudent to wait until construction is completed, and then perhaps present it to potential buyers as one of the few blank slates left in inner Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 (edited) I would assume that the best use for a parcel this size and in this location would be a large neighborhood shopping center (something like the HEB anchored center at the northwest corner of Bunker Hill and I-10). Many former chain retail, and even restaurant moved further out 290 beyond pinemont over many years, some of which I think would be better served closer to Oak Forest, Timbergrove, etc. I assume the main issue would be that it may have too weird of a shape for the best possible visibility and frontage. Its kind of triangular and the best side to line front the site against is probably Hempstead, the side which faces away from all main avenues of approach. I'm guessing that connecting up N Post Oak through the site to 18th would probably be the fix in the case of a large retail center. Edited September 29, 2014 by JJxvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 can you say mixed-use development with transportation hub? so much potential for this property! rail lines nearby could easily connect to light rail through uptown and/or the rail leading downtown to the hardy rail yards. light rail line from here down washington avenue to downtown.....many, many opportunities for a transit system pivot point. 1. adaptive reuse of existing mall structure maintaining some retail capacity (or increased)2. integration of new and proposed suburban rail and intercity light rail lines3. add residential (affordable) components4. add entertainment (or public use) component(s) i would wager that there are MANY entities peeing their pants over this location. https://www.ted.com/talks/ellen_dunham_jones_retrofitting_suburbia check out this ted talk on "retrofitting suburbia". it will give you hope for the plight of malls across the country. I think you are on to something here... it seems to be all the rage now. Mixed-Use Development, and the best part is it's location - boarders 610 Loop, is close to I-10, and (best part) has minimum interaction with Hwy 290. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mab Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 RN: We have heard some buzz on the street about Northwest Mall. Can you tell us anything for publication on that asset?Levine: Yes, we have this fifty acre project listed for sale with HFF, and are inviting offers. TexDot took a large chunk of the parking and some of the tenants and free standing self-owned stores failed. We are in discussion with multi-family developers, corporations for campuses, mixed use developers, and overseas investors who are looking to just ‘park money’ for five years and wait for the site to appreciate.http://www.rednews.com/2014/11/larry-levine/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) It's under contract. Hopefully we'll know who soon. https://www.hfflp.com/properties/3828/51-75-acres-nw-mall.aspx Edited April 15, 2015 by lockmat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 "Welcome to Station 2 of TCR's high speed rail!" *crosses fingers* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 "Welcome to Station 2 the Houston terminus of TCR's high speed rail!" *crosses fingers* Fixed it for you 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Fixed it for you Hey now, we know there will be multiple stations in Htown...this just may be the inital one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Listed as on the market again. Guess the sale fell through. https://www.hfflp.com/properties/3828/51-75-acres-nw-mall.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mab Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I can't find anything on HFF website on Northwest Mall Is it still for sale?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mab Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Update from NW mall facebook page Thank you for your interest. There are no plans to close or sell Northwest Mall. There is a lot of construction in the area which has slowed traffic to the mall significantly, however, we are still leasing. Once the construction is complete, we hope to renovate the mall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Renovate into a rail depot...? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) Renovate!? First of all, the demand for malls is low unless you have upscale shops like the Galleria or a nice mixed use development to encourage foot traffic like Memorial City. Secondly, does this mall really think it can compete with either mall just a couple miles in either direction? They would have to basically make it heaven on earth for it to draw people. Edited December 30, 2015 by j_cuevas713 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towerjunkie Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Don't remodel it, turn it into an theme park dedicated toward antiques.. I can see it now... Antique World! The most retro place on earth! Located at Northwest Mall, an antique itself! -a Contour Entertainment park- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 strange. I wonder why they changed their minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo Mitchell Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 when I moved to Houston in 90 every store front was open. We used to go to the Piccadilly for lunch all the time when I worked off Hollister and 290. I live off Longpoint and wish the mall was the way it was 26 years ago. Then I would not have to drive all the way to Willowbrook. Despite the fact I am close to Memorial City, I don't go to that mall because its overpriced and snooty like the Galleria now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 6 hours ago, Margo Mitchell said: when I moved to Houston in 90 every store front was open. We used to go to the Piccadilly for lunch all the time when I worked off Hollister and 290. I live off Longpoint and wish the mall was the way it was 26 years ago. Then I would not have to drive all the way to Willowbrook. Despite the fact I am close to Memorial City, I don't go to that mall because its overpriced and snooty like the Galleria now. What? Memorial City & Willowbrook have almost the exact same stores. In fact, looking at both of their directories, Willowbrook actually has more "higher end" stores. Memorial City has a Target & Military recruitment offices. So I have no idea what you mean by overpriced and snooty. Personally, I've been to both, and prefer Willowbrook too (but for different reasons). Apart from the Holidays I have never seen that many people in Memorial City. There are empty store fronts by the kids play area/movie theater, and it smells awful. The only way I could see Memorial City as being snooty is the area it's in. If you include the Town & Country area, City Centre, and the new highrises/restaurants, then yeah... I guess it's snooty? The difference is Willowbrook is more suburban. The same surrounding stores/restaurants exist along 1960, a little further. Also, the Galleria is not snooty. A majority of the shoppers are average people. Of all the times I've been (Live really close by), I have yet to be trampled by women in fur coats, followed by their assistants carrying multiple cylinder hat boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston? Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 16 minutes ago, Montrose1100 said: What? Memorial City & Willowbrook have almost the exact same stores. In fact, looking at both of their directories, Willowbrook actually has more "higher end" stores. Memorial City has a Target & Military recruitment offices. So I have no idea what you mean by overpriced and snooty. Personally, I've been to both, and prefer Willowbrook too (but for different reasons). Apart from the Holidays I have never seen that many people in Memorial City. There are empty store fronts by the kids play area/movie theater, and it smells awful. The only way I could see Memorial City as being snooty is the area it's in. If you include the Town & Country area, City Centre, and the new highrises/restaurants, then yeah... I guess it's snooty? The difference is Willowbrook is more suburban. The same surrounding stores/restaurants exist along 1960, a little further. Also, the Galleria is not snooty. A majority of the shoppers are average people. Of all the times I've been (Live really close by), I have yet to be trampled by women in fur coats, followed by their assistants carrying multiple cylinder hat boxes. MCM is ALWAYS crowded. Parking is horrendous just like CityCentre and Town & Country. MCM is going through some type of renaissance in which it's becoming more like Galleria II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 12 minutes ago, Houston? said: MCM is ALWAYS crowded. Parking is horrendous just like CityCentre and Town & Country. MCM is going through some type of renaissance in which it's becoming more like Galleria II. Maybe I've been lucky to avoid the crowded days, I've only visited it on the weekends, so I'll give you that. Any mall will have horrendous parking. Even Greenspoint can make you walk for it... MCM went through a renaissance, and now it is on par with Willowbrook (almost). Neither of which are close to the amount of visitors or stores that the Galleria has. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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