txshady Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Home decor, pet stores coming to College StationBy APRIL AVISONEagle Staff WriterA home decor retail shop and a pet store offering equine products and veterinary services are under construction on University Drive in College Station, with mid-April set as the anticipated opening date.The new businesses - PetSmart and Linens 'n Things - will continue a trend of diversity in products and services offered along one of the city's main business corridors, according to Mark Dotzour, chief economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University."I gave a speech to a group of business owners along University Drive about five years ago, and back then, it looked like University was going to become the retail hub for consumers older than 22," Dotzour said. "That's what we're seeing now. I think you're seeing a maturing of the market here in College Station. You're seeing retailers who are selling products to the non-college population."Work began earlier this month on the two new businesses, according to Dennis Carter, who is overseeing the project for Warwick Construction of Houston. His company has built several PetSmart, Linens 'n Things, Old Navy, Auto Zone and Family Dollar stores across Texas.Dotzour said College Station residents can expect to see continued development activity on University Drive."Over the last 10 years or so, a second node has grown up on University on the east side of [Earl Rudder Freeway]," he said. "What you're seeing here is that any roadway that connects these major areas of activity will continue to increase in value from a real-estate perspective.""I think you're seeing a maturing of the market here in College Station. You're seeing retailers who are selling products to the non-college population." The PetSmart and Linens 'n Things planned for University Drive, west of Home Depot, will be a combined 50,000 square feet, Carter said. Shells of the buildings should be up within a few months, said Lance Simms, College Station's assistant director of planning and development.Shana Costarella, a spokeswoman for Phoenix-based Pet-Smart, said the local store will feature a line of about 20,000 equine products. Veterinary services from Banfield, The Pet Hospital also will be offered, and pet training and grooming classes will be conducted at the store.PetSmart will partner with local agencies to offer regular pet adoption events, Costarella said. About 40 full- and part-time employees will be hired, ranging from store associates to pet groomers. A grand opening event is planned for April 19.The Linens 'n Things store will be about 28,000 square feet and will feature home textiles, housewares and accessories. Officials from the store's corporate headquarters in Clifton, N.J., could not be reached for comment.On the other side of Home Depot, just north of the Olive Garden restaurant on Earl Rudder Freeway, dirt is being moved in anticipation of more business construction, but Simms said a rezoning application for the property is on hold.Simms said he's not sure what kind of business is being planned for the area, or if one will be approved to locate there.A development permit was issued to Mitchell and Morgan Engineers and Constructors, and a rezoning application was filed by Bryan businessman Don LaMar, but College Station's Planning and Zoning Commission tabled the application earlier this month and won't hear it again until Nov. 3."All we know is they want to rezone it from residential to commercial," Simms said. "To date, we have not received a site plan or building plan submitted for the property."LaMar could not be reached for comment.The rezoning request was tabled due to concerns about a flood zone, Simms said."It backs up to a creek, and [commissioners] had some concerns about what the fill might do to adjacent properties with respect to flooding," he said.If approval is recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the rezoning application still is subject to approval by the City Council before construction can begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I just got done reading that on theeagle.com. I wonder what types of business are going up around the new Kroger in Bryan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted October 23, 2005 Author Share Posted October 23, 2005 I just got done reading that on theeagle.com. I wonder what types of business are going up around the new Kroger in Bryan?I Know for a fact, other than the Kroger, Papa Johns has signed a lease for that center, and a new, smaller center across from that site, behind the shell/popeye's station will have a new Double Dave's Pizza. I see they are building a Lone Star Mobile 1 Express Lube next to Domino's on William J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 All junk retail if you ask me. We need a Papa Johns in Bryan, but there is nothing spectacular about none of that. How a bout a Joe's Crab Shack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted October 24, 2005 Author Share Posted October 24, 2005 All junk retail if you ask me. We need a Papa Johns in Bryan, but there is nothing spectacular about none of that. How a bout a Joe's Crab Shack.Joe's would be nice, or any other Landry's or Pappas brand. I wish we could get a Pappasito's Cantina. Something that makes me think we wont, at least in College Station is the fact that they have adopted such a "clean" building code, they would have a tough time opening a Joe's with those codes in place. Bryan would be a more inticing (SP?) area with the relaxed codes. And yes, the Lube and more pizza joints are pretty much junk, but anything is good for Bryan's economy at this point, we were pretty much dorment in the 90's, other than Lowe's and Wal-Mart. Hopefully this is just the beginning a bid development spree in Bryan, Im tired of having to drive to CS every time I need something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 College Station had strict guidelines for development on University Drive so it most sat vacant until the past few years when the building boom took place. The results speak for themselves. The development is top-notch. In Bryan, the area along the bypass between University and Briarcrest has sat undeveloped for a different reason, the unwillingness of the owner to sell the land. I believe the development in that area will also be something to be proud of because "junk" development will be priced out of the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 College Station had strict guidelines for development on University Drive so it most sat vacant until the past few years when the building boom took place. The results speak for themselves. The development is top-notch. In Bryan, the area along the bypass between University and Briarcrest has sat undeveloped for a different reason, the unwillingness of the owner to sell the land. I believe the development in that area will also be something to be proud of because "junk" development will be priced out of the market.What about on the other side of the freeway? There are a bunch of forsale signs and no one has bought those lots yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 I am talking about the east side of Rudder Freeway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 I am talking about the east side of Rudder Freeway.Well Some church is building behind Lowes, And all those car lots are taking up farther down. But you know with all of the nice houses going in at Traditions, I think that Bryan's West Side near Villa Maria will start to grow alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Guy Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I find it odd that three pizza chains would all choose to locate at basically the same intersection. Talk about not doing your homework. I agree with Scotch though, new tax money is good tax money. I've heard from a local commercial framing contractor that a hotel is also looking at some land in the Wm J Bryan & Hwy 6 area. Thanks for the news on the Kroger center. I've been curious to hear what else is going in. I know that J.J.'s Liquor Stores is also looking at it for another location. Has anyone heard whats going in on the land that has been cleared near the intersection of Wm J Bryan & Coulter? I would guess housing of some sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I find it odd that three pizza chains would all choose to locate at basically the same intersection. Talk about not doing your homework. I agree with Scotch though, new tax money is good tax money. I've heard from a local commercial framing contractor that a hotel is also looking at some land in the Wm J Bryan & Hwy 6 area. Thanks for the news on the Kroger center. I've been curious to hear what else is going in. I know that J.J.'s Liquor Stores is also looking at it for another location. Has anyone heard whats going in on the land that has been cleared near the intersection of Wm J Bryan & Coulter? I would guess housing of some sort.Thats what I was thinking. I don't think they would put retail in that area. Good to hear about a hotel, It seems like College Station is Building 100 Hotels in a year, I mean so many of them are going up I can't even count them all. Bryan needs a hotel considering there really arent any in the city but Lasalle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Guy Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Thats what I was thinking. I don't think they would put retail in that area. Good to hear about a hotel, It seems like College Station is Building 100 Hotels in a year, I mean so many of them are going up I can't even count them all. Bryan needs a hotel considering there really arent any in the city but Lasalle.Yeah, its really sad when you consider cities like Hearne & Navasota both have had new hotels built there in the past year or so and Bryan, a city of 70,000 people, hasn't had one in years. The only remotely decent hotels are the LaSalle and one or two newer ones right next to the College Station city limit...and those are over 10 years old. This just goes back to the fact that College Station is now reaping 95% of the benefit of A&M's location. They probably take in more in hotel tax receipts than in other city of similar size in the country...other than maybe a resort town. They've got more growth than they know what to do with. My family attempted to build a new office building for our company for 3 years in CS and you would've thought you were pulling teeth just to get a building permit. So, now we're building just across the city limit in Bryan and its smooth sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Yeah, its really sad when you consider cities like Hearne & Navasota both have had new hotels built there in the past year or so and Bryan, a city of 70,000 people, hasn't had one in years. The only remotely decent hotels are the LaSalle and one or two newer ones right next to the College Station city limit...and those are over 10 years old. This just goes back to the fact that College Station is now reaping 95% of the benefit of A&M's location. They probably take in more in hotel tax receipts than in other city of similar size in the country...other than maybe a resort town. They've got more growth than they know what to do with. My family attempted to build a new office building for our company for 3 years in CS and you would've thought you were pulling teeth just to get a building permit. So, now we're building just across the city limit in Bryan and its smooth sailing.Yeah I knew about the ones on Texas Ave that are pretty much in College Station. But you know that Apple Bees is in College Station but the Sign on the street says Bryan City limits. I noticed the samething about Navasota and Hearne, those small towns can get Hotels but Bryan can't. I have lived here my whole live born and raised and I have NEVER seen a Hotel built in Bryan (besides the ones on Texas by College Station) now that is really said for a city of this size. One thing I am happy about though is the Traditions, and Maramont Golf courses that are in Bryan City Limits and hopefully some of College Stations rich will want to live in them. Traditions has the best looking houses I have seen on the West side of BCS or in BCS period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted November 8, 2005 Author Share Posted November 8, 2005 The empty land on William J Bryan, near Coulter is going to be a single family housing development. Did you guys see the eagle.com today? Some developer is going to build a multi-million dollar mixed-use developent on the corner of William J Bryan and Villa Maria. Including moving the power substation... Check it out...http://www.theeagle.com/stories/110805/local_20051108017.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 The empty land on William J Bryan, near Coulter is going to be a single family housing development. Did you guys see the eagle.com today? Some developer is going to build a multi-million dollar mixed-use developent on the corner of William J Bryan and Villa Maria. Including moving the power substation... Check it out...http://www.theeagle.com/stories/110805/local_20051108017.phpThat is really good news, but it doesn't sound like mixed-use that you would find in a big city, but that is still good for Bryan. The only thing that doesn't sound good is the seniors housing, how fun! But once again this is good news and I hope that its not just talk, but action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted November 9, 2005 Author Share Posted November 9, 2005 Yeah, the seniors thing isnt very attractive. But the retail/office space is good... It's a start...If it gets built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Guy Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 Yeah, the seniors thing isnt very attractive. But the retail/office space is good... It's a start...If it gets built.That article was very interesting. For the past couple of weeks I've noticed that there were survey stakes running down Villa Maria to the intersection of Wm J Bryan Pkwy. I was hoping that something was possibly about to happen and today's article was a ray of light. I hope that the city of Bryan approves the TIF proposed by the developer. I too was hoping the development would be less oriented towards seniors and more towards single family and retail but the growth to central Bryan should be welcome. That area, with the exception of Blinn, has basically been dormant for years. While this may not be what I or we had hoped, its at least something. As in everything else development begets development. When one sees new construction taking place it tends to lead to more growth. Just across the street from this proposed project is a new college bookstore and hopfully other retail development. Unfortunately, we can't complain too much because about 2 years ago some developers attempted to build a large apartment complex on this same general site. After complaints by several elderly residents of the Red River neighborhood the city didn't approve the plans and the project died. I'm hoping the same folks don't stand in the way of increased revenues for the rest of the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 That article was very interesting. For the past couple of weeks I've noticed that there were survey stakes running down Villa Maria to the intersection of Wm J Bryan Pkwy. I was hoping that something was possibly about to happen and today's article was a ray of light. I hope that the city of Bryan approves the TIF proposed by the developer. I too was hoping the development would be less oriented towards seniors and more towards single family and retail but the growth to central Bryan should be welcome. That area, with the exception of Blinn, has basically been dormant for years. While this may not be what I or we had hoped, its at least something. As in everything else development begets development. When one sees new construction taking place it tends to lead to more growth. Just across the street from this proposed project is a new college bookstore and hopfully other retail development. Unfortunately, we can't complain too much because about 2 years ago some developers attempted to build a large apartment complex on this same general site. After complaints by several elderly residents of the Red River neighborhood the city didn't approve the plans and the project died. I'm hoping the same folks don't stand in the way of increased revenues for the rest of the city.Is that book store already built? I remember the sign awhile back, but I have not pasted through there latley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txshady Posted November 9, 2005 Author Share Posted November 9, 2005 Nope; they havent even started it. Its still just a blank lot with a sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 HELP! HAIF has been hijacked by posters writing about Bryan-College Station strip centers! Someone make 'em stop! I thought the Senate outlawed the use of torture! Damn you, Dick Cheney! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 HELP! HAIF has been hijacked by posters writing about Bryan-College Station strip centers!Someone make 'em stop! I thought the Senate outlawed the use of torture! Damn you, Dick Cheney! How can you talk, your city is the strip center capital of the United States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Never understood why this site has the BCS topics.Take it to the Aggie board! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Never understood why this site has the BCS topics.Take it to the Aggie board!Why do you guys do us like that? Bryan College Station looks up to Houston. We are an Exurb of Houston also. Plus there is a place for us here, "Other Texas Places," but I think editor should give Bryan/College Station our own section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 I blame the corp turds ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 I blame the corp turds ;-) Now, wait a f*ing minute! I was a corp turd, and I STARTED this thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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