Foley's Department Store Warehouse Complex At 2103 Ernestine St.

[silverartfox]

As an East End resident, I'm wondering what will happen to the huge Foley's warehouse complex when Foley's is eradicated from Houston later this year. Will Macy's use it as a distribution center, or will it be sold? There's a lot of acreage involved, and with such a lack of decent shopping in midtown and adjacent neighborhoods it would seem to be a good location for large-scale retail development. Those of us who live nearby just hope that if it is redeveloped it won't be cheaply-built townhomes or apartments.

[CE_ugh]

As an East End resident, I'm wondering what will happen to the huge Foley's warehouse complex when Foley's is eradicated from Houston later this year. Will Macy's use it as a distribution center, or will it be sold? There's a lot of acreage involved, and with such a lack of decent shopping in midtown and adjacent neighborhoods it would seem to be a good location for large-scale retail development. Those of us who live nearby just hope that if it is redeveloped it won't be cheaply-built townhomes or apartments.

Well if Macy's decides to sell; UH might be interested.

[TheNiche]

Good luck with that shopping center idea, but it is highly improbable. Since it's located off of Lockwood, which is where Spur 5 branches off to the south of the Gulf Frwy., access can be difficult from some directions if people don't already know exactly where they're going.

More importantly, though, there aren't enough high-income households within a 1-, 3-, or 5-mile radius to justify building a large center that will then have to compete with Gulfgate and its neighbors, all of which have superior locations and accessibility.

If it is redeveloped, a big IF, I'd be more willing to bet that apartment housing oriented toward students and perhaps a supporting strip center would be more likely. But even that is improbable in my view.

[Guest danax]

Maybe Macy's will hang onto it long enough for the gentrifiers to hit critical mass that would eventually warrant conversion into something that would enhance the area, although the mini train yard alongside doesn't help those chances.

I agree that if converted while the area is still transitional, apartments would be a possiblity, or possibly an Eastwood Transit Center expansion. Since there are decent skyline views there, a wildcard pick would be a residential highrise, or maybe office space.

[zaphod]

i dunno if its going to close. Southeast Texas has tons of healthy Foley's stores that are going to stay around as macy's, and they are gonna need some sort of distribution center. Also, its not like we have a bunch of macy's around here or a major macy's distro center(do we?)

[The Great Hizzy!]

Isn't the DT Foley's Texas' most profitable? Or am I thinking about the Neiman-Marcus in the Galleria?

[Vertigo58]

As an East End resident, I'm wondering what will happen to the huge Foley's warehouse complex when Foley's is eradicated from Houston later this year. Will Macy's use it as a distribution center, or will it be sold? There's a lot of acreage involved, and with such a lack of decent shopping in midtown and adjacent neighborhoods it would seem to be a good location for large-scale retail development. Those of us who live nearby just hope that if it is redeveloped it won't be cheaply-built townhomes or apartments.

Even scarier if they build "affordable" housing as they so kindly put it. That will destroy whats left of the area. Honest, I know it doesn't sound pleasant but its truthful. I worked at the FEMA recovery center (by the old Target store on 610/S. Wayside last summer as a temp (thank God) and I know of specific persons that were sending majority of Katrina evacuees to "affordable" housing units anywhere in the city. Most were placed in (hmmm) SW West, Humble, Spring & Missouri City areas. Look at the 1960 area is headed towards a SW Houston type of war zone environment, others quickly catching up. The media and especially the Mayor quickly downplay this of course they don't have to live near it or deal with it on a daily basis. I don't believe in sugar-coating reality and some people rather keep thier heads in the sand. Not I.

As a kid we used to fly our kites in that big field where Foley's warehouse now stands. It was dream like. All we had was the strong gusts of wind surrounding us and the distant sound of the Austin HS band practicing in the distance. Just a memory.