The Plant At Harrisburg: 3401 Harrisburg Blvd.

[ljchou]

Can one of y’all provide the text from this?

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Exclusive-Axelrad-developers-East-End-17291259.php

[wilcal]

32 minutes ago, ljchou said:

Can one of y’all provide the text from this?

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Exclusive-Axelrad-developers-East-End-17291259.php

Quote

An ambitious group of entrepreneurs aims to transform a four-acre warehouse complex in Houston’s East End into a walkable, mixed-use district that could become an example of socially conscious real estate development in one of the most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods in Texas.

Houston real estate firm Concept Neighborhood plans to convert more than four blocks of mostly historic properties into a destination filled with hyperlocal businesses, boutique retail, restaurants and small office spaces. Construction is set to begin in late 2022 on the redevelopment of the roughly 80-year-old buildings that once housed the oil and gas equipment manufacturer W-K-M.

The proposed redevelopment, which encompasses nearly 145,000 square feet spread across several sites around 201 Roberts Street, is a few blocks away from another Concept Neighborhood project, The Plant, a 20,000 square-foot mixed-use development on Harrisburg Boulevard, about 1.5 miles east of downtown. Together the projects could bring more change to the 16-square mile East End district, where urban professionals are flocking, property values are rising, and new cafes, condos and storefronts are popping up in the once predominantly industrial area.

Concept Neighborhood’s goal is to create a collection of small businesses reminiscent of the pedestrian-friendly Midtown Houston or the Bishop Arts District in Dallas. The properties are a few blocks from MetroRail’s Green Line, unlocking the potential for a walkable district that urban planners typically only dream of in Houston.

“It will be like Brooklyn in the South,” said Jeff Kaplan, 43, a principal of Concept Neighborhood, who previously helped to develop the popular Midtown beer garden Axelrad with a handful of others.

Kaplan, who lives in the East End, has long had a passion for the concept that residents should be able to access most daily needs within walking or rail-transit distance. His co-principals in Concept Neighborhood - Dave Seeberger, a former private equity professional, David Kelley, a co-housing developer and founder of a community bank, and commercial real estate attorney Jeremy Roberts and former real estate broker Zachary Samet — share his vision. Urban designer and another Axelrad co-founder Monte Large and broker Andrea Daniel are also involved.

To get a sense of what Concept Neighborhood wants to create in the East End, take a look at The Plant, the adaptive reuse project that opened in 2020. Colorful murals advertise businesses inside, where splashes of pastel paint and hanging orb lanterns light up the hallways between boutiques and small offices.

In the mornings hip hop music emanates from the HAM Barber Studio as a barber cleans his tools for the day. Bicycle-riding baristas arrive at Café Louie, where they’ll craft oat-milk lattes alongside bakers painting pastries with melted butter. Next door at a bodega-style grocery shop, called Little Red Box Grocery, hipsters peruse locally-sourced tortilla chips alongside residents of a nearby affordable housing complex shopping with food stamps.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Popston, known for Houston-themed frozen pops, opens in The Plant

In 2016, when Kaplan first hatched the idea for The Plant, he said in an interview that his goal was to create a project that wasn’t “just for the yuppies moving into the neighborhood.” So far it seems that dream is coming to fruition. Overall 83 percent of the businesses in The Plant are owned by women, minorities or people who live in the neighborhood.

“What we have here is a really sustainable example of community wealth,” Kaplan said. “When a merchant is an entrepreneur tied to community, odds of success go up. It’s not just about the money, our neighbors are meaningfully invested in these businesses.”

Concept Neighborhood isn’t just leasing spaces, it’s aiming to help small businesses who might not otherwise have the resources to set up a storefront in a standard retail development. For example, in The Plant, Concept Neighborhood paid for a kitchen for one of its tenants, the frozen treat shop Popston opening soon, and is paying for a soon-to-be-built patio outside. Working with the investment firm Next Seed, Kaplan also assisted Cafe Louie’s owners in raising capital for their new restaurant in The Plant. For some tenants, Concept Neighborhood struck sliding-scale leasing agreements with rents rising as businesses prospered. The developer also provided pre-permitted, move-in ready spaces for tenants such as vintage store The Second Shop to minimize tenants’ set-up expenses and timeline.

The goal is to amplify that approach at the W-K-M redevelopment. The property’s historic designation will allow developers to tap into potentially $8 million worth in tax credits over several years, according to Concept Neighborhood. The location within an Opportunity Zone will also allow the developer to defer taxes on capital gains tied to their investment.

Concept Neighborhood purchased 16 buildings in the former W-K-M campus in December from the Grenader family, known for helping to convert a former textile mill into a mixed-use project, The Heights Clock Tower, among other projects in the Houston area.

The W-K-M properties have been in the family for more than 45 years, said Jonathan Grenader, 71. A few years ago he and his wife, Nonya, a retired architecture professor from Rice University, got the properties listed on the National Register of Historic places, enabling them to access tax credits to restore parts of the buildings into office and retail suites. But as they transitioned to semi-retirement, the two did not have the time or resources to redevelop the entire campus, they said. Instead, they sought to sell to a like-minded developers.

“We really admired (Concept Neighborhood’s) energy and their commitment to continue a certain legacy of the neighborhood, infusing new things and existing things together,” said Nonya Grenader, 68.

Concept Neighborhood plans to redevelop the W-K-M campus over the next four years. The handful of manufacturing tenants in the site will eventually exit the project as it transitions from heavy industrial uses, Kaplan said.

Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter on the first phase, which includes 50,000 square feet of retail and 23,000 square feet of office space, according to the developer. The redevelopment is expected to wrap up in 2026.

Like the rest of the East End, the neighborhood around the W-K-M campus is a mismatch of modernity and industrial relics of a bygone era when the district mostly served as manufacturing and shipping hub near the Houston Ship Channel. Less than a mile from the W-K-M site, the former Maxwell House coffee roasting plant looms over mid-rise warehouses, derelict properties with overgrown grass, chipped paint and semi-rusted structures.

In between, restored craftsman-style bungalows, art studios, trendy cafes and modern townhomes are signs of change in a neighborhood where the median household income has more than doubled in the past decade, according to Census data for the 77003 zip code.

The East End and adjacent East Downtown neighborhoods are peppered with projects converting, industrial sites into residential lofts, retail shops, cafes, restaurants, small offices and coworking spaces. North of the bayou, Midway’s 150-acre mixed-use development, East River, will dramatically reshape the northside of the East End while the nonprofit Buffalo Bayou Partnership has launched a 20-year, $200 million master plan to reimagine of the eastern side of the bayou

Many of these changes build off the expansion of light rail to the East End. Between 2017 and 2019, property values jumped 30 percent on land adjacent to the light rail line along Harrisburg Boulevard, said Veronica Chapa Gorczynski, president of the East End District, the economic development group.

What’s different about Concept Neighborhood’s approach is its efforts to create a transit-oriented neighborhood of hyperlocal businesses “where everyone's from the community and they can get around without being car dependent.”

“And,” she added, “that's the part where they really are breaking new ground and not just for the neighborhood, but I think they're breaking new ground for Houston.”

 

[phillip_white]

On 7/8/2022 at 7:57 AM, ljchou said:

Can one of y’all provide the text from this?

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Exclusive-Axelrad-developers-East-End-17291259.php

Relevant bits:

Houston real estate firm Concept Neighborhood plans to convert more
than four blocks of mostly historic properties into a destination
filled with hyperlocal businesses, boutique retail, restaurants and
small office spaces. Construction is set to begin in late 2022 on the
redevelopment of the roughly 80-year-old buildings that once housed
the oil and gas equipment manufacturer W-K-M.

Edited July 11, 2022 by editor
Edited due to copyright. Remember to summarize and link. Don't copy and paste.

[wilcal]

I'm guessing it is these few blocks of buildings just west of Champ Burger.

Super exciting stuff!!!

[j_cuevas713]

Wow this made my day

[77011transplant]

I'm pretty sure Popston is in their soft opening - they have weekend hours on their Instagram. 

 

This pretty mural is also now up!

[IntheKnowHouston]

Cafe Louie is now Louie's an Italian-American restaurant. The eatery is located in the Plant at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite G.


"Café Louie’s transformation into an Italian restaurant is nearly complete. Louie’s Italian American will open for dinner this Sunday, December 11. As CultureMap has previously reported, Café Louie closed last month to focus on the Italian American fare that it had begun to serve during its popular Red Sauce Sunday dinner special."


https://www.louieshtx.com/

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/promising-east-end-mediterranean-cafe-closes-and-rebrands-as-new-italian-american-bistro/

 

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/rebranded-east-end-cafe-reveals-new-italian-american-menu-and-opening-date/

[JBTX]

1 hour ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

Cafe Louie is now Louie's an Italian-American restaurant. The eatery is located in the Plant at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite G.

So strange. It only recently opened and opened to so many good reviews, yet every time I tried to go, it seemed to be closed (even during listed operating hours). I wonder what happened.

Edited December 9, 2022 by JBTX

[wilcal]

Kinder article on the expansion: https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/plant-second-ward-walkable-houston-east-end

[IntheKnowHouston]

 

A rendering of Concept Neighborhood's The Plant. This is from last year's Houston Chronicle article detailing the developer's plans for the Plant and neighboring blocks:

"A rendering of a patio planned on the  northeast corner of Sampson Street and Harrisburg Boulevard at The Plant, an adaptive re use mixed-use project comprising of neighborhood retail, office, and restaurant space adjacent to the Coffee Plant/Second Ward METRORail stop in the Second Ward."


 https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/the-plant-second-ward-east-end-houston-17589799.php



This rendering is included in new marketing materials for Concept Neighborhood's The Plant / Second Ward. It's labeled as a proposed patio for popsicle shop Popston.

Edited January 20, 2023 by IntheKnowHouston

[IntheKnowHouston]

There is a marketing brochure for Concept Neighborhood's The Plant / Second Ward redevelopment project.

It's a new Loopnet listing created earlier this month.

 

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3218-Sherman-St-Houston-TX/27440904/

https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/FsKDL3rS74AXA9nWOnFH0LbEdl_OFuhZoigdvINztoQ/PlantSecond WardFlyer.pdf

https://www.theplantsecondward.com/

 

Details about the Plant from the brochure:
 

• Former dry-cleaning facility elevated to a mix of uses, primarily retail, including boutique grocer (Little Red Box), critically acclaimed restaurant ( Louie’s Italian ), neighborhood wine bar ( How to Survive on Land and Sea ), local favorite dessert operator ( Popston ) and a variety of other specialty soft-good and service-based retailers.

Possibly an older rendering of the patio planned for the Plant on Sampson St.





Renderings of renovations planned for Sampson St at the Plant

Edited January 20, 2023 by IntheKnowHouston

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 12/9/2022 at 9:05 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Cafe Louie is now Louie's an Italian-American restaurant. The eatery is located in the Plant at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite G.


"Café Louie’s transformation into an Italian restaurant is nearly complete. Louie’s Italian American will open for dinner this Sunday, December 11. As CultureMap has previously reported, Café Louie closed last month to focus on the Italian American fare that it had begun to serve during its popular Red Sauce Sunday dinner special."


https://www.louieshtx.com/

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/promising-east-end-mediterranean-cafe-closes-and-rebrands-as-new-italian-american-bistro/

 

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/rebranded-east-end-cafe-reveals-new-italian-american-menu-and-opening-date/

Louie's last day of service is Monday, April 10. The Italian-American restaurant announced its impending closure last evening on social media.

Helmed by the brother-sister team of Angelo and Luciana “Louie” Emiliani, Louie's opened in December. Prior to Louie's, the 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite G space was home to the duo's all-day cafe concept Cafe Louie's.

In place of Louie's, Angelo Emiliani is transforming the unit into Angie's permanent home. There are also plans to incorporate a bakery into the space. Named Little Louie’s, the bake shop will serve "coffee, pastries, bread, and deli sandwiches."

Emiliani anticipates a late May debut for the brick-and-mortar Angie's / Angie's Pizza.




Below is the announcement shared on Louie's Instagram:

With my pizza oven in tow, I set out for Houston with dreams of serving my community tossed pies that reflected my experiences and culinary beliefs. Thus, Angie’s was born. From the outset, we were fortunate to have our friends at How to Survive on Land and Sea and 8th Wonder share their space for our popular Angie’s pop-ups. A big part of what made Angie’s so special was the grassroots nature of it all – cooking out of our wood-burning oven, building relationships with guests, and thanks to you, we would sell out time and time again. Slinging pizzas brought me insurmountable joy and served as the impetus for my coming home to Houston.

When Louie and I first arrived back home, our focus was to open a space to showcase her prowess as a pastry chef. The Houston community showed up for Louie – forming lines outside the door just to get a bite of her fresh-out-the-oven pastries – and welcomed Café Louie with open arms. With all the accolades and support, I know it came as a surprise when we made the difficult decision to rebrand as Louie’s Italian American. Simply put, Café Louie was difficult to sustain economically. We thought Italian American cuisine – one we were more intimately familiar with from our childhood – was the right path forward.

When Louie’s Italian American opened its doors, Houston – once again – showed us nothing but love and an overwhelming amount of support. And for that, we are eternally grateful, but I still found myself missing the days of slinging pizzas in the parking lot and being one with my community.

Café Louie was always supposed to be my sister Louie’s concept. I wanted to support her through the café’s opening, and always planned to eventually step away in pursuit of my own dream, which has always been Angie’s. However, we had engaged in a partnership that unfortunately did not pan out.

I am excited to announce that we have successfully dissolved the partnership to become majority stakeholders in our own business and are finally free to pursue the dreams we came back to Houston to fulfill.

This is a long-winded way of saying that we are rebranding once again, hoping third time’s a charm.

On Monday, April 10, we will serve our last meal as Louie’s Italian American to set out to do what we wanted all along, and that’s Angie’s. In a few weeks’ time, we’ll re-open our doors once again as Angie’s, where you can expect pizzas (whole and by the slice), pastas and salads with thoughtfully sourced Texas ingredients. Our beverage program will tell the story of Italian drinking culture with a wine program that shares our geographical relationship to Southern Italy. We’ll start with dinner, which will transcend late into the night, and eventually introduce lunch service at our walk-up window.

As for Louie, she’s an extraordinary pastry chef and will continue operating her successful wholesale business. Our plan for Angie’s also calls for “Little Louie’s” – a daytime micro-bakery offering coffee, pastries, bread, and deli sandwiches.

We hope to re-open as Angie’s by the end of May, but we’ll let you know when we have a firm date so we can celebrate together. Thank you again for joining us on this wild ride – we know it hasn’t been the smoothest, but we truly wouldn’t be where we are today without your unwavering love and support.
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqzVMl2OOk0/
 

Edited April 9, 2023 by IntheKnowHouston

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 4/9/2023 at 4:51 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Louie's last day of service is Monday, April 10. The Italian-American restaurant announced its impending closure last evening on social media.

Helmed by the brother-sister team of Angelo and Luciana “Louie” Emiliani, Louie's opened in December. Prior to Louie's, the 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite G space was home to the duo's all-day cafe concept Cafe Louie's.

In place of Louie's, Angelo Emiliani is transforming the unit into Angie's permanent home.

From today's Houston Chronicle about Angie's Pizza's brick-and-mortar at 3401 Harrisburg Boulevard, Ste G:


"The current restaurant will undergo some light cosmetic changes and a pizza oven will seat near the center of the dining room."


https://www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture/restaurants-bars/article/pizza-italian-american-angies-louies-restaurant-17888171.php

[thedistrict84]

7 hours ago, IntheKnowHouston said:

From today's Houston Chronicle about Angie's Pizza's brick-and-mortar at 3401 Harrisburg Boulevard, Ste G:


"The current restaurant will undergo some light cosmetic changes and a pizza oven will seat near the center of the dining room."


https://www.houstonchronicle.com/food-culture/restaurants-bars/article/pizza-italian-american-angies-louies-restaurant-17888171.php

Each of the concepts have certainly been popular, but this constant rebranding and shuffling is a bit disconcerting. I hope this move is successful. I’ll definitely check it out.

[samagon]

rebuilding and rebranding isn't cheap, they've got rich benefactors, or a lot of debt.

doesn't matter too much if they are successful and make good food, it's still expensive.

Edited April 11, 2023 by samagon

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/08/15/the-plant-second-ward-kido-slowpokes-crystal-yoga.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_27&cx_artPos=1#cxrecs_s

"Houston-based Concept Neighborhood has landed three new tenants for its The Plant in Second Ward redevelopment project.

Kido International Preschool and Daycare, Slowpokes and Crystal Yoga will soon open locations in The Plant, the real estate investment, development and management company said."

[IntheKnowHouston]

8 hours ago, ChannelTwoNews said:

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/08/15/the-plant-second-ward-kido-slowpokes-crystal-yoga.html

"Houston-based Concept Neighborhood has landed three new tenants for its The Plant in Second Ward redevelopment project.

Kido International Preschool and Daycare, Slowpokes and Crystal Yoga will soon open locations in The Plant, the real estate investment, development and management company said."

 

From the article, the new additions aren't leasing space in this building The Plant (3401 Harrisburg Blvd). Instead, the businesses will be located on Neighborhood Concepts' others properties that consist of The Plant / Second Ward overall development. So, moreso related to this topic (although, I think moderators should consider merging The Plant at 3401 Harrisburg is part of The Plant / Second Ward development:


https://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/48107-concept-neighborhood-to-redevelop-201-roberts-street-and-surrounding-areas

 

[HoustonMidtown]

Game-changing and wonderfully walkable East End hub adds dining, family care, and lifestyle options

 

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/the-plant-houston-east-end-slowpokes/

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

"Located at 3401 Harrisburg Boulevard — formerly the home of the now-closed Cafe Louie and Louie’s, the 2,800-square-foot space will seat 100 guests, triple the amount of its former space, and will permanently feature some of Street to Kitchen’s more extravagant Friday and Saturday specials, which were inspired by and created using farmers’ markets ingredients. Graham says diners can also expect more elegant dishes that incorporate steak and seafood, plus an all-day menu for lunch and dinner, and eventually, the Thai omelets that Chef G served on Saturdays at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market."

https://houston.eater.com/2023/10/18/23921425/houston-thai-restaurant-street-to-kitchen-benchawan-jabthong-painter-second-ward-openings

[hindesky]

[IntheKnowHouston]

The Hemp Work closed its doors this year in The Plant. I'm not sure when the retail store shuttered its location at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite E. But the vacant space has a new tenant.

Case / Case Chocolates is leasing the unit. The chocolate shop sells "rare liquor-filled chocolates," according to its website. Further details about Case's forthcoming Second Ward location is outlined on its website:


Coming soon to Houston: Chocolate and Cocktails tasting experience

Reservations only. Join us for a journey through fine cacao, wines, spirits, and more in our speakeasy location in East Downtown, Houston.

 

https://www.casechocolates.com/

https://www.instagram.com/case.chocolates/

[dart330]

I didn't see anything posted here about Little Red Box closing Sunday December 3rd.

I was a weekly shopper picking up the Animal Farm CSA, farm fresh eggs, and other goodies.

Will be missed, hopefully they can find a better location with more foot traffic.

[hindesky]

"Crux Climbing Center has announced that it has signed a 22,000-square-foot lease at 3100 Canal St., also known as The Plant in Second Ward."

https://www.chron.com/culture/article/houston-climbing-gym-crux-18549494.php

[ljchou]

On 12/12/2023 at 8:25 PM, hindesky said:

"Crux Climbing Center has announced that it has signed a 22,000-square-foot lease at 3100 Canal St., also known as The Plant in Second Ward."

https://www.chron.com/culture/article/houston-climbing-gym-crux-18549494.php

I'm going to repost this in the Concept Neighborhood thread since it will be part of the new development! How exciting.

[IntheKnowHouston]

In the other topic for Concept Neighborhood's The Plant / Second Ward development, @wilcal noted the following:
 

•  Vintage store, The Second Shop is closing at the end of the month. It is located at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite F in The Plant.
   
• AC Studio closed up shop at The Plant. It was located at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite D. 
   

  

https://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/48107-concept-neighborhood-to-redevelop-201-roberts-street-and-surrounding-areas/?do=findComment&comment=694109

9 hours ago, wilcal said:

Ate at Street to Kitchen last night and noticed that the thrift store next door said that their last day would be 12/31. The print shop also looked to have closed and mostly moved out :/

Eden was pretty full though. 

 

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 12/4/2023 at 6:46 PM, IntheKnowHouston said:

The Hemp Work closed its doors this year in The Plant. I'm not sure when the retail store shuttered its location at 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite E. But the vacant space has a new tenant.

Case / Case Chocolates is leasing the unit. The chocolate shop sells "rare liquor-filled chocolates," according to its website. Further details about Case's forthcoming Second Ward location is outlined on its website:


Coming soon to Houston: Chocolate and Cocktails tasting experience

Reservations only. Join us for a journey through fine cacao, wines, spirits, and more in our speakeasy location in East Downtown, Houston.

 

https://www.casechocolates.com/

https://www.instagram.com/case.chocolates/

A plan reviewing fee permit was purchased today for 3401 Harrisburg Blvd, Ste E.

Details from the permits:

• Use: Remodel, mixed use
• FCC Group: Non-residential alteration

As mentioned, Case / Case Chocolates is leasing the unit at The Plant. The Plant is located in Concept Neighborhood's The Plant / Second Ward multi-block development.

Edited January 17 by IntheKnowHouston

[EastwoodEnvoy]

Quote

CASE Chocolates will open later this spring at the Plant, the East End mixed-use development that’s home to James Beard Award-winning Thai restaurant Street to Kitchen, coffee shop Eden Plant Co., and Neighbors, a casual neighborhood bar that serves pizza and cocktails. The 900-square-feet location will serve as both a showroom for Case’s chocolates and a speakeasy-style bar.

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/sorrento-ristorante-montrose-new-owner/