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Greenspoint Redevelopment


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An Excerpt from the link.

"An agreement between Greenspoint's Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) and Greenspoint Mall owners has been reached to begin a $32 million redevelopment of the mall, which is owned by a group whose principal is Bob Yari, producer of the Academy Award winning movie, "Crash." The TIRZ will reimburse the mall owners for converting 15 acres into public plazas and pedestrian areas, water features, improved roadway access, lighting, benches, etc. Triyar Cannon Group, the mall owner, will construct restaurant pads around the water features, add new exterior facades and interior flooring, and launch an aggressive campaign to attract new retailers, including a movie theater. The renovated mall will be called The Renaissance. Construction will begin in early 2007. To view one of the conceptual designs, click on the link below. NOTE: THE RENDERING IS ONLY CONCEPTUAL IN NATURE AND NOT A FINAL DESIGN."

My Rant: Bob Yari has owned Greenspoint as well as San Jacinto Mall (Baytown) for going on 10 years. He is all talk and has yet to improve either of those malls in any significant fashion. When I first met him he was doing due dilligence on the San Jacinto Mall and he was very focused on the purchase and the possibilities of changing the Baytown landscape. Well he has done squat out there. I am not sure what has happened at Greenspoint, but I think it is more of the same.

Notice the blurb mentions his credit as producer of Crash. Movies are his focus these days. He produces quit a bit of movies per year and wants to be a part of that click more so than he cares to change Greenspoint or San Jacinto. Quite frankly he does not have the time.

In his defense I have heard that he appointed a lead person here to manage the properties so maybe there is hope in the air.

RANT OVER..

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  • 2 months later...

Year 1981 xyophones in the background throwing quarter's in the fountains for a wish. it was christmas time by the way.

Edited by Marty
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While technically being located squarely in North Houston -- Greenspoint for years was the quasi-Central Business District for Northwest Houston and The Woodlands (even Kingwood).

It has experienced a great deal of competition from newer developments in The Woodlands and along Hwy 249, however in its day (1970's to the early 1990's) it was a major destination for the residents of the NW quadrant.

Edited by mrfootball
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  • 11 months later...
it's been stated before that there are hundreds (or thousands) of new homes in close proximity to greenspoint. these consumers have to drive to deerbrook, willowbrook or the woodlands. a redo of greenspoint may be a no-brainer.

Maybe I am not understanding the definition of "redo." If we are talking a repositioning like Gulfgate or Northline, then yes I can see that. But if we are talking about trying to make it more "upscale" , then no, I don't see it.

I don't see being able to support a tenant mix like a Woodlands Town Center with the KB-type starter home developments going in just to the north of Greenspoint.

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I don't think it will be upscale, but at least better than what it currently is...

Maybe I am not understanding the definition of "redo." If we are talking a repositioning like Gulfgate or Northline, then yes I can see that. But if we are talking about trying to make it more "upscale" , then no, I don't see it.

I don't see being able to support a tenant mix like a Woodlands Town Center with the KB-type starter home developments going in just to the north of Greenspoint.

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I don't think it will be upscale, but at least better than what it currently is...

The daytime crowd in the Greenspoint Business district is far different from the nightime crowd.

Think of Downtown Houston. Most of the business there is done during the daytime, serving the downtown workers. Greenspoint's model is not unlike Downtown's.

I think they're counting on the daytime crowd which is made up of mostly businessmen, corporate types and other workers. There are a lot of office buildings around there, including the facilities across the freeway, on the Beltway, and over near the big airport. The Woodlands has certainly done its part to lure business from Greenspoint with that awesome waterway, but the city as a whole has grown and they've managed to fill those departures quickly. Greenspoint still is within a 'relatively' easy drive of commuters from Kingwood, Klein, Spring and The Woodlands. It will remain a key hub for North Houston business, attracting a daytime crowd with disposable income.

Edited by mrfootball
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The daytime crowd in the Greenspoint Business district is far different from the nightime crowd.

Think of Downtown Houston. Most of the business there is done during the daytime, serving the downtown workers. Greenspoint's model is not unlike Downtown's.

I think they're counting on the daytime crowd which is made up of mostly businessmen, corporate types and other workers. There are a lot of office buildings around there, including the facilities across the freeway, on the Beltway, and over near the big airport. The Woodlands has certainly done its part to lure business from Greenspoint with that awesome waterway, but the city as a whole has grown and they've managed to fill those departures quickly. Greenspoint still is within a 'relatively' easy drive of commuters from Kingwood, Klein, Spring and The Woodlands. It will remain a key hub for North Houston business, attracting a daytime crowd with disposable income.

There is a significant amount of office space there, but that is nothing new. Will this little mini waterway thing really change things enough that the office workers suddenly support the mall? Both have been there all along, the mall and the office buildings. The office buildings being there all along hasn't kept Greenspoint Mall from declining in the past, but now they (office workers) are the answer to change its future? I wish them the best of luck with that, but I doubt it.

Again I hate to be the naysayer, but I don't see Greenspoint coming back. The people from Klein, Woodlands, Kingwood, etc are not going to shop there. They will continue to go elsewhere.

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i agree, it has to be a completely different animal than other "redos". i think it will reflect the needs of it's current environment (office worker, area residents) and, perhaps, create a positive change in the area. i don't recall any recent reports on the project though.

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The "redo" of the Greenspoint area will not make any difference - it is already a lost cause. People do not move out of an area because it is being renovated and is getting nicer. The Gunspoint area is filled with low to middle class apartments and tract housing developments that will not change just because the area mall is being spruced up. There are a number of nice subdivisions in the general Greenspoint area. The folks that live there need to move out now, because housing prices will NOT be appreciating - get out while you can.

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I shopped there when I worked for Anadarko (before they moved to The Woodlands). A lot of people go over there for lunch.

I'm sure they do. An improved restaurant selection would probably spruce the mall up a little bit and be supported, but as you have pointed out the office workers have been going over there all along. Again, since that isn't "new" then how is that going to be some sort of basis to change things? I guess that is where the whole concept is lost on me. It obviously wasn't enough business to keep the mall from declining in the first place, so I am not hopeful that it will be enough business to significantly reposition it upwards.

Someone mentioned redoing the residential too. That's been tried, and failed. That sector isn't going to change either, even with a mall spruce up.

I certainly applaud any efforts of theirs to keep the place up to date, and relevant to the community it serves. Some updates would be great and badly needed, & a spruce up would certainly be welcome, but I guess my point is I do not see a significant repositioning of the mall. It has been losing business to the North from Woodlands Mall, Willowbrook & Deerbrook for years. It could potentially face new competition from the renovation at Northline. Competition Greenspoint has never really had in the past. I just don't see much change happening out there. Hopefully time will prove me wrong.

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There is still a lot of open land around Greenspoint, and with the proximity to the airport, I doubt it declines any further. The new redevelopment will give the mall a better look and feel and more people will shop there. Just look at Memorial City, or West Oaks Mall for an example.

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I'm sure they do. An improved restaurant selection would probably spruce the mall up a little bit and be supported, but as you have pointed out the office workers have been going over there all along. Again, since that isn't "new" then how is that going to be some sort of basis to change things? I guess that is where the whole concept is lost on me. It obviously wasn't enough business to keep the mall from declining in the first place, so I am not hopeful that it will be enough business to significantly reposition it upwards.

Someone mentioned redoing the residential too. That's been tried, and failed. That sector isn't going to change either, even with a mall spruce up.

I certainly applaud any efforts of theirs to keep the place up to date, and relevant to the community it serves. Some updates would be great and badly needed, & a spruce up would certainly be welcome, but I guess my point is I do not see a significant repositioning of the mall. It has been losing business to the North from Woodlands Mall, Willowbrook & Deerbrook for years. It could potentially face new competition from the renovation at Northline. Competition Greenspoint has never really had in the past. I just don't see much change happening out there. Hopefully time will prove me wrong.

I do believe a renovated mall like the renovated Memorial City Mall would do wonders, seeing how it is in Greenspoint activity center. Northline Mall renovating has more to do with the North GRT/LRT line running down Fulton. I would rather see Greenspoint reinvent it self like MCM ( Memorial City Mall). I think they should continue on Northline as more pedestrian/transportation friendly with rail stations nearby. I think Greenspoint is about the same distance from Woodlands as MCM is from Katy Mills. With Greenspoint that would give the Northsiders two options for malls in Greenspoint or WillowBrook. When I lived on the Northside(I-45) we always choose Greenspoint over Northline as it was much Nicer. I hope Northline will be more like Gulfgate but with GRT. After living on the Northside I never remember going to Dearbrook unless you lived on the Eastex Frwy.

.

The Northline Renovation is looking nice(I hope we Do not loose Magic Johnson Theaters.)

The Greenspoint Mall renovation-could happen a lot sooner.

WillowBrook Mall Renovation could happen alot sooner also.

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Memorial City is in the middle of Memorial, one of the highest end areas of Houston.

Greenspoint is in the middle of northside, which, um, isn't exactly Memorial.

The only comparison you can make is both malls will draw largely from their immediate surroundings. Memorial City reflects the affluence of the community it serves and Greenspoint reflects the lack of affluence in the community it serves.

There will be no turning Greenspoint into another Memorial City.

As for the vacant land all around, so what? That land could sit vacant for the next 50 years. Houston has a habit of leaving parcels undeveloped and "leap-frogging" development farther out. If it does develop, I don't see a bunch of KB tracts homes changing the fortunes of Greenspoint that significantly.

As for close proximity to an Airport preventing an area from declining, I will be sure to remember that the next time I leave the house and take Broadway Blvd or Telephone Rd. It didn't stop Greenspoint from declining in the first place.

Edited by rps324
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  • 3 months later...
it's been stated before that there are hundreds (or thousands) of new homes in close proximity to greenspoint. these consumers have to drive to deerbrook, willowbrook or the woodlands. a redo of greenspoint may be a no-brainer.

I'm one of them. I would much prefer a renovated Greenspoint as I despise the drive and traffic to Willowbrook.

A revitalized Greenspoint would suit me by its proximity and ease of getting there and back home.

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  • 1 month later...

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