Shopping Centers

New Construction, Retail, Shopping Centers

16 Comments

The first-of-its-kind Apple Store scheduled to open to long lines of new iPad buyers 2 days from now in the Highland Village Shopping Center is much bigger than it appears from the outside. That’s because more than a third of the space in the 9,000-sq.-ft.-plus seemingly single story store is disguised from street view above 2 adjacent shops. A 3,510-sq.-ft. you-wouldn’t-know-it’s-there second floor extends above both the Sprinkles Cupcakes shop (shown at right) and the Paper Source to its west. Some of this secreted space may be open to customers at various times. Included in the hidden second story are a briefing room with a capacity of 46 people, as well as offices, work spaces, a break room, employee restrooms, and storage space.

77027, Highland Village Apple Store, Highland Village Shopping Center, New Construction, Retail

New Construction

01/30/12 10:04am

Trader Joe’s Trying on Woodlands Shopping Center Packaging

Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

4 Comments

One of several Trader Joe’s stalkers in The Woodlands sends us this pic of the shopping center site at 10868 Kuykendahl Rd. near Woodlands Pkwy., “looking more and more like a store!” The photo was taken Sunday; no opening date is listed on the Trader Joe’s website, but it’s expected to be sometime this spring.

Previously on Swamplot: Trader Joeâ€™s Braces Itself for a Woodlands Shopping Center Landing, Your Early Photos of the Trader Joeâ€™s in The Woodlands, Hereâ€™s Where the First Trader Joeâ€™s Is Going â€” in The Woodlands

Photo: Swamplot inbox

77382, Grocery Stores, New Construction, Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

First Ward

01/20/12 3:35pm

Here’s Your Sawyer Heights Chick-fil-A

Franchises and Chain Stores, New Construction, Restaurants, Retail, Shopping Centers

34 Comments

The folks at the Chick-fil-A rising at the corner of Spring and Sawyer in the First Ward (across from the Sawyer Heights Shopping Center) aren’t quite ready to take your order, but judging from this photo it looks like they might be sometime soon. The fast-food drive-thru is going up on the site of the former Riviana Foods warehouse at 2222 Shearn St., which was demo’ed last fall. Now if they’d just add a second Starbucks somewhere near the giant parking lot, comments Twitter photographer knittykat (there’s one inside the Target already), the area would truly fulfill its destiny as stay-at-home mom mecca of the Heights.

Previously on Swamplot: Daily Demolition Report: Chicken and Rice

Photo: Twitter user knittykat

77007, Fast Food, First Ward, Franchises, New Construction, Restaurants, Shopping Centers

New Construction

01/03/12 10:15am

Trader Joe’s Braces Itself for a Woodlands Shopping Center Landing

Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

16 Comments

That’s it, right there, next to Petco: Trader Joe’s first Houston-area store, now in fetal form in the shopping center at 10868 Kuykendahl Rd., across the street from the H-E-B at Woodlands Pkwy. New Swamplot reader Michael E. sends these pix showing how far construction has progressed since the dusty days of last November. The steel frame is up! When do the multi-pack avocados come in?

77382, Grocery Stores, New Construction, Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

New Construction

11/08/11 10:55am

Your Early Photos of the Trader Joe’s in The Woodlands

Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

3 Comments

The Trader Joe’s market in The Woodlands looks like dirt. For now, at least. Yesterday, the company finally admitted that this tree-stripped site in the under-construction Woodlands Crossing Shopping Center at the corner of Kuykendahl Rd. and Woodlands Parkway will be the first Houston-area store to open (even though the other potential TJ’s location on the horizon — in-town, inside the former Alabama Theater — appears to be in the moving-dirt-around stages as well). Swamplot broke the news of The Woodlands store’s location last week — then asked readers to send in pics showing how far construction has progressed. And our Woodlands-area readers came through with these photos from yesterday and over the weekend, showing just how a baby shopping-center TJ’s is born:

77382, Grocery Stores, New Construction, Retail, Shopping Centers, The Woodlands

Demolitions

10/31/11 10:14am

Did Weingarten Realty Just Bury the 1939 Art Deco Interior of the Alabama Theater in Concrete?

Historic Preservation, Interiors, Leasing, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby

30 Comments

It sure looks like it: Here’s a photo of the theater’s west parking lot, sent to Swamplot by a reader who noted that a concrete pour began on Saturday morning. Earlier this month, Weingarten received a permit for “Landlord Improvements — Infill/Leveling,” though the permit’s title doesn’t make it clear what kind of leveling the national REIT wanted to do to the landmarked structure at 2922 S. Shepherd Dr., which is expected to be transformed into Houston’s first Trader Joe’s market.

Why would Weingarten want to pour a thick layer of concrete onto the floor of its historic building — and how much demolition of the theater’s interior might be accompanying this work?

77098, Alabama Theater, Demolitions, Historic Preservation, Interiors, Leasing, Movie-Theaters, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby

Adaptive Reuse

09/22/11 4:44pm

Trader Joe’s Showing at the Alabama Theater: Approved

Commercial Real Estate, Historic Preservation, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Upper Kirby

9 Comments

Changes to the exterior of the Alabama Theater proposed by Weingarten Realty to accommodate grocery store Trader Joe’s debut appearance in Houston were approved today by the city’s Archeological and Historical Commission. Because it’s a designated city landmark, the commission’s approval is required for changes to the building’s facades (though an alternate wait-90-days-and-you-can-do-whatever-you-want option is also available). Trader Joe’s or Weingarten’s plans to restore, alter, or strip the innards of the Art Deco building at 2922 S. Shepherd Dr., though, won’t require any commission approvals — only construction or demo permits.

77098, Adaptive Reuse, Alabama Theater, Commercial Real Estate, Grocery Stores, Historic Preservation, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby, Weingarten Realty

Commercial Real Estate

09/19/11 12:49pm

Trader Joe’s at the Alabama Theater: New Sign in Front, Cheese in Back

Historic Preservation, Leasing, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby

39 Comments

Yes, Trader Joe’s wants to open what would likely be its first-ever Houston store at the long-vacant Alabama Theater at 2922 S. Shepherd Dr. — the vacant retail space last used as the home of the Alabama Bookstop. Nancy Sarnoff digs up the proposal for exterior alterations to the designated city landmark sent to the archeological and historical commission by shopping-center owner Weingarten Realty; the changes have already been approved by city staff. Included in the plans: Two big store signs on top of the marquee facing Shepherd . . . and a brand-new turret at the back entrance.

77098, Alabama Theater, Commercial Real Estate, Grocery Stores, Historic Preservation, Leasing, Proposed Developments, Renovations, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby, Weingarten Realty

Memorial City

09/02/11 1:47pm

The Cranes Come to Bunker Hill

New Construction, Office Buildings, Shopping Centers

19 Comments

What’s that looks-kinda-huge project going up on the southwest corner of I-10 and Bunker Hill Rd., just east of the Memorial City Mall? A reader writes in with some info, but wants to know more: “Anslow Bryant, the company responsible for the lotus-blossom-topped Memorial Hermann Tower, is handling the project. There’s a couple of cranes doing crane things and a temporary fence lining the spot already. In addition to spicing up that desolate parking lot, the project means the demise of the nearby Spec’s and the other four or so forgettable places that line that dilapidated strip center, too. Do y’all know anything? Tell me it’s something cool and not just an office building or a La Quinta.”

77024, Memorial City, New Construction, Office Buildings, Retail, Shopping Centers

Commercial Real Estate

08/03/11 12:51pm

A Trader Joe’s in the Alabama Theater?

Leasing, Quicklink, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby

47 Comments

A TRADER JOE’S IN THE ALABAMA THEATER? 3 months ago, Trader Joe’s announced plans to build 10 stores in Texas. But where? A little bird tells Nancy Sarnoff that the California-born grocer isÂ exploring the possibility of taking the vacant Bookstop space in the former Alabama Theater on South Shepherd Dr. No official comment from Weingarten Realty or Trader Joe’s, but Sarnoff notes the theater space’s listed 14,000-or-so sq. ft. is right in the target range for a Trader Joe’s store. The space has been vacant for almost 2 years. [Prime Property; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Chris Adams

77098, Alabama Theater, Commercial Real Estate, Grocery Stores, Leasing, REITs, Retail, Shopping Centers, Strip Centers, Upper Kirby, Weingarten Realty

08/01/11 11:46pm

Comment of the Day: Shopping Center Parking Lot of the Apocalypse

Critters, Fort Bend County, Quicklink, Retail, Shopping Centers, Stafford

No Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT OF THE APOCALYPSE “This is how I imagine the end of the world begins.” [Justin, commenting on For the Glory of Old Navy: Purple Martinsâ€™ Majesty Meets 59 Feeder Road Shopping Center Parking Lot]

77477, Birds, Comments, Critters, Fort Bend County, Parking-Lots, Shopping Centers, Stafford

07/21/11 11:20pm

Comment of the Day: The Value of a New Chain Store, in Small Bills

Critters, Franchises and Chain Stores, Hazards, Meyer Park, Quicklink, Shopping Centers

3 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: THE VALUE OF A NEW CHAIN STORE, IN SMALL BILLS “But donâ€™t yall think having a Kohls nearby is well worth the price of a few ducks?” [Joe, commenting on Comment of the Day: Mystery Neighbor for the Meyer Park Walmart?]

77035, Chain-Stores, Comments, Critters, Hazards, Meyer Park, Shopping Centers

07/20/11 11:52pm

Comment of the Day: A Brief Guide to Meyer Park Shopping Center Waterfowl

Critters, Hazards, Meyer Park, Quicklink, Shopping Centers

6 Comments

COMMENT OF THE DAY: A BRIEF GUIDE TO MEYER PARK SHOPPING CENTER WATERFOWL “I would bet a dollar to a donut that these are domesticated Muscovy Ducks. Muscovy Ducks are non-migratory and are frequently bought to stock artificial ponds (they are not native to Texas). They are not very agile and could easily get run over by an inattentive driver. The only other duck that might be in Texas in July is a black bellied whistling duck. Black bellied whistling ducks are far more agile than a muscovy. Unless they get fed constantly (like the ones in Hermann Park), they will keep a good distance from humans. My guess is that the Muscovy ducks are waddling out into the parking lot to forage through all the garbage the Walmart customers leave in the parking lot. There is little anyone can do to stop them as they can get up in the air enough to get over any kind of barrier that could be put up between the lot and the pond. A nice duck crossing sign might be all that can be done.” [Old school, commenting on Comment of the Day: The Meyer Park Shopping Centerâ€™s Sitting Ducks]

77035, Comments, Critters, Hazards, Meyer Park, Parking-Lots, Shopping Centers

07/19/11 6:59pm

Comment of the Day: The Meyer Park Shopping Center’s Sitting Ducks