Greater Houston Partnership has released an overview of the projects to look forward to in 2023 and Beyond, and the professionals and Lumicre are excited to share the game-changing developments. A.J. Mistretta reports that 2022 was a year of significant economic growth for Houston. The Texas Workforce Commission reports metro Houston gained more than 150,000 jobs in the first 11 months of the year, and while that estimate will likely be pared back when revisions are released it will still rank among the best years for metro job creation on record. Meanwhile, Fortune 500 company Hewlett Packard Enterprise opened its new Spring-area headquarters early in the year, motorists were using new tunnels beneath land bridges reconnecting Memorial Park by spring, and the University of Houston opened its $80 million College of Medicine building over the summer.
While the world faces uncertainty—from the effects of the war in Eastern Europe to instability in China—Houston’s prospects appear solid moving into the new year. The Partnership anticipates another year of solid job growth across the majority of sectors and new projects on the horizon hold tremendous promise for our region. Here’s a look at some of Lumicre’s favorite projects to watch this year.
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Generation Park
Houston’s largest new commercial development. Spanning 4,000 acres, Generation Park is a mixed-use master-planned enterprise park going in right next to Summerwood. Located on the northeast corner of Beltway 8/Sam Houston Tollway and West Lake Houston Parkway, With more than 37 million square feet to be developed.
HTX Surf at Generation Park
HTX Surf is going to make Houston, Texas the go-to surfing and action sport destination in America. Anchored by perfect waves which peel the length of two football fields, HTX Surf will also provide international food and drink options, pump track, training and wellness facilities, music and event lawns, a leisure pool and beach club, and a membership club. We create a relaxed, ocean front environment that is guaranteed to feature highly on the must-visit lists of surfers and beach enthusiasts. In addition to being a place where friends and family can surf perfect waves both big and small, HTX Surf will literally bring a beautiful beach and resort experience to the center of Houston, Texas.
The Plant/Second Ward Development
The Plant/Second Ward is a mile-long stretch of properties spanning from Harrisburg Boulevard to Buffalo Bayou East in Houston’s historic Second Ward, representing the first real estate redevelopment of its kind in Houston to embrace the notion of walkable urbanism by connecting the light rail to the bayou trails.
The dynamic plan includes 250,000 square feet of retail, creative office and urban maker space in addition to 1,000 multifamily units designed for market-based, workforce housing. The developer behind The Plant/Second Ward, Concept Neighborhood, aspires to use retail as a form of placemaking with plans to repurpose the industrial warehouses into hyperlocal retail spaces that reflect the rich culture and diversity of the Second Ward neighborhood.
Trill Burgers
Eater Houston reported at the end of 2022 that at long last, Bun B’s famed smash burger pop-up, Trill Burgers, has found a permanent home. The Houston icon and legendary Third Coast rapper made his wildly popular smash burger concept available to the masses by way of sporadic pop-ups since launching in 2021, but will soon open the doors to his first brick-and-mortar location in Montrose in early 2023.
The highly anticipated restaurant is taking up residence in the former James Coney Island space on Shepherd Drive at Richmond — an outpost that was among the historic Houston hot dog chain’s longest-running locations. Situated at one of the city’s busiest intersections, the 3,236-square-foot building is a fixture familiar to so many and is conveniently fitted with a drive-thru window.
East River
East River is more than redevelopment; it’s a reimagination of how we can work, live, and play in harmony with our surroundings. As East River rises, its aspirations will be measured by its impact far beyond brick and mortar. A set of five guiding principles steers decisions and design from the outset of master planning and through each phase of execution.
URBAN East River is urban in nature. Its scale, density, sensibility, and aesthetic fit a multicultural, international city.
ACTIVE East River connects people to green spaces and more than a mile of waterfront, making it easy and inviting to enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle.
EXCELLENT East River achieves excellence, from thoughtful design and attention to detail, to synergies of complementary uses, and through to diligent execution.
AUTHENTIC East River is unique and differentiated. Inspired by local context, history, natural amenities, and the city’s energy, East River does not imitate another place.
EXPONENTIAL East River’s mix of uses increases the value of assets by creating synergy with other complementary uses.
TMC Helix Park
Helix Park is a world-class life science campus that will unite the best minds in medicine, science, academia and commerce to rapidly drive new research breakthroughs. A first-of-its kind translational research initiative, the visionary 37-acre campus will include shared and proprietary research centers, multidisciplinary labs, healthcare institutions, a hotel and conference center, a residential tower, retail, restaurants and a unique double-helix green space.
Houston Zoo Expansion
The Houston Zoo announced its Keeping Our World Wild Centennial Capital campaign in April 2018, looking forward to 2022 and the celebration of its 100-year anniversary. Approaching this milestone, the Zoo is creating a series of transformative exhibits, new public amenities, and enhanced public spaces. These projects are being completed in a six-year, multi-phase plan across the Zoo’s 55-acre site, situated in Hermann Park southwest of downtown Houston. The largest initiative in the campaign is the Galápagos Islands, which will open to the public on Friday, April 7, 2023.
The first major exhibit of its kind to showcase the remarkable wildlife of the legendary island chain, the Houston Zoo’s Galápagos Islands will immerse guests in an environment evoking the archipelago’s unique landscapes and oceanic habitats. No place on our planet better exemplifies the wonders of unique species, the delicate balance of ecosystems, or the pressing need for conservation action than the Galápagos.
Great Wolf Lodge
Great Wolf Lodge is coming to the Houston area, providing families along the Gulf Coast, and Central and Southeast T exas, with a new, fun, adventure-filled getaway to help strengthen their packs in 2024.
Great Wolf Lodge Gulf Coast Texas in Webster, will become the second Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort in Texas and the company’s 22nd resort in North America. Located in Harris County, the 532-room resort will encompass 27-acres and feature a 95,000 square-foot indoor water park and a 58,000 square-foot Great Wolf Adventure Park. The resort will be a major part of the Flyway at Clear Creek development, located east of the Gulf Freeway and south of the NASA Bypass.
Flyway
Perfectly positioned midway between downtown Houston and sun-drenched Galveston, a new destination is taking shape along I-45 in Webster’s southeast quadrant. Flyway is unfolding with iconic entertainment, dining, recreation, and sports entertainment venues anchored by the region’s only Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterpark resort hotel and conference center. The 80+ acre destination development will fuse the indoors with the outdoors in remarkable, unprecedented new ways with best-in-class dining and entertainment venues amid a walkable, inviting atmosphere with a boardwalk, event lawn, and unique amenities. Flyway takes the outdoor experience to the next level creating gathering areas and walkable spaces that inspire visitors to extend their stay and visit multiple venues.
Buffalo Bayou East
Continuing a legacy of creating transformative and award-winning green spaces, Buffalo Bayou Partnership launched a Master Plan in 2019 for the waterway east of downtown Houston. The Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan envisions integrating bayou parks and trails, dynamic recreational and cultural destinations, and connections into the surrounding neighborhoods.
Thanks to a historic public-private partnership anchored by a $100 million gift from the Kinder Foundation, BBP’s visionary Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan will become a reality!
Pit Room
Michael Sambrooks brought craft barbecue to the eclectic Montrose neighborhood in 2016, becoming one of the best joints in the state with a similarly eclectic menu of tacos and other dishes. Pit Room is a neighborhood restaurant for Montrose residents, but it also draws fans from all corners of Houston. This year, Houstonians can enjoy two locations to choose from with the Pit Room’s expansion to Memorial City in the fall of 2023. In Montrose, the restaurant is close to the Texas Medical Center, and in the middle of a thriving restaurant-rich district. The Pit Room saw similar potential in Memorial City, with the Energy Corridor driving lunch crowds, but also bars that create a hub for socializing.
Typhoon Texas Expansion
At the end of 2022, Community Impact shared news that the Typhoon Texas Waterpark and entertainment center announced plans to open a $4 million interconnected water park exclusively for children by summer 2023. Construction on Typhoon Junior began in mid-October and is estimated to end in April ahead of Memorial Day. It is intended to offer kids a chance to grow with Typhoon Texas as they get older, according to officials.
The park-within-the-park will feature five new water slides for kids under 48 inches tall, all surrounding the Gully Washer attraction—an 800-gallon water bucket and four-story play place for kids ages 3-10. The Rain Fortress play structure has more than 100 spray areas, eight platforms, seven different slides, elevated walkways, rope bridges and a splash pad for children ages 2-4, which will be extended by half an acre once construction is completed.
Memorial City Mall Transformation
Houston development company MetroNational is bringing big changes to Memorial City Mall including the transition to a town square. This new development will transform an area previously devoted to parking into about 190,000 square feet of residential and retail space. According to Johnson, retail locations will arrive first. Then, the project will turn its attention to the residential areas. Finally, the project will include a new 375,000-square-foot office building. These efforts will result in a tower with more than 250 residential units and 50,000 and 60,000 square feet of retail on the first floor. A new parking area will keep the site accessible with 1,000 spaces for the town center. Casual eateries and dine-in restaurants will make up about 35% of the new town center.
Interested in buying, selling or investing in retail property in Texas? Contact the Retail & Alternative Investments Group below.
Sources:
https://www.houston.org/news/rising-houston-projects-look-forward-2023-and-beyond
https://www.hkatexas.com/category/generation-park/
https://htxsurf.com/
https://www.theplantsecondward.com/
https://houston.eater.com/2022/12/14/23509414/trill-burgers-has-found-a-permanent-home-in-montrose
https://www.eastriverhtx.com/
https://www.tmc.edu/about-tmc/
https://www.tmc.edu/tmchelixpark/master-plan/
https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/exhibits/galapagos/
https://www.greatwolf.com/webster
http://flywaytx.com/
https://buffalobayou.org/our-vision/buffalo-bayou-east/
https://houbbqguide.com/bbq-joints/the-pit-room/
https://www.chron.com/food/article/pit-room-memorial-city-17589283.php#:~:text=But%20as%20the%20Montrose%20barbecue,from%20all%20corners%20of%20Houston.
https://communityimpact.com/houston/katy/development/2022/11/07/katy-water-park-typhoon-texas-invests-4m-in-new-attractions-for-younger-kids/
https://www.memorialdistrict.org/memorial-city-mall-redevelopment-project-begins/