Food Maker Campus - 6600 Harrisburg Blvd.

[EastwoodEnvoy]

The Magnolia Fund has announced that they're under contract at 6600 Harrisburg. The Magnolia Fund is an investment fund looking to build entrepreneurial opportunities for East End residents while maintaining the neighborhood's culture. They plan to redevelop the three buildings on this lot for food entrepreneurs while also providing meeting and entertainment space.

If successful, I think this project could spur a lot of development in the blocks around the Cesar Chavez stop on the Green Line. There are some really cool buildings with minimal setbacks throughout this stretch of Harrisburg that could activate the pedestrian space along the rail.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/6600-Harrisburg-Blvd-Houston-TX/20187877/

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1xVuBQOWao/?img_index=2

[IntheKnowHouston]

5 hours ago, EastwoodEnvoy said:

The Magnolia Fund has announced that they're under contract at 6600 Harrisburg Blvd.

According to the linked LoopNet listing, 6614 Harrisburg Blvd is also for lease along with 6600 Harrisburg Blvd.

I'm not familiar with Magnolia Fund, but their devotion to the Second Ward's economic development and cultural preservation is commendable.

[hindesky]

A local investment firm is looking to turn the center of Magnolia Park—one of Houston’s oldest Hispanic neighborhoods—into a 50,000 square-foot playground, complete with restaurants, a coffee shop and maybe a bar.

The Magnolia Fund’s plans for the 6600 block of Harrisburg Boulevard all center around one phrase: la sala or “living room,” according to co-owner Erik Ibarra.

Ibarra says he has spent nearly his entire life in the neighborhood, which has historically been perceived as, in his words, “rough”. He left Texas for college and spent years developing a career in tech. When he returned, Ibarra saw more and more developments in the area–the result of gentrification.

“It felt like seeing someone in your living room playing Monopoly, but you don’t get to play,” he said.

To advocate for his fellow East Enders, Ibarra said he and others created the Magnolia Fund to get a say in the changing landscape of the neighborhood. He also wants to educate others in the neighborhood about ownership in the face of increasing gentrification.

Tentative plans for the 50,000 square-foot property include two restaurant concepts and two beverage spaces. Ibarra said they are hoping to debut a coffee shop on the campus, though plans for a bar are also possible.

Other plans for the space include commercial kitchens, which can serve as a resource for entrepreneurs in the community. Pointing to Street to Kitchen, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant originating from the East End, Ibarra notes the immense talent and potential of the area. Retail shops, meeting rooms and an outdoor patio for live music and events are also on the docket, with details available at a later date. 

Though no specific opening date is set in stone now, Ibarra estimates that the property will hopefully launch next year.

https://www.chron.com/food/article/houston-east-end-restaurant-development-18639772.php

[IntheKnowHouston]

Houston Chronicle published an article today on the changes coming to 6600 Harrisburg Blvd and 6614 Harrisburg Blvd. The article is located in the Business and Real Estate section.

The sites will become a "food-maker campus."


From the article:

Magnolia Fund, a real estate firm co-founded by East End native and serial entrepreneur Erik Ibarra, has agreed to buy 6600 and 6614 Harrisburg Blvd. from Houston investor Paolo Fronza. The sale is expected to close by this summer, Ibarra said. 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/houston-east-end-food-maker-campus-magnolia-park-18651616.php