Business Development Update - Issue 79 - December 12, 2022

A publication of Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership

Issue 79 – December 12, 2022

www.bayareahouston.com

In this Edition...

Commercial/Office/Industrial Development Retail / Hospitality Development Residential Development Infrastructure News and Everything Else!

Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP) is a member-driven organization that provides leadership to stimulate regional economic development and employment in a range of industries such as specialty chemicals and plastics, advanced manufacturing, maritime, aviation, aerospace engineering, healthcare and biotechnology, and tourism. BAHEP partners with 280 member companies, 16 cities, Galveston County, Harris County, Houston Airport System, and Port Houston in southeast Texas to foster economic vitality through regional collaboration.

Please feel free to pass this e-newsletter along to others who would enjoy it, and kindly credit Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.

Commercial / Office / Industrial Development Manufacturing -Chevron will increase the capacity to process light crude at the Pasadena refinery by nearly 15% to 125,000 barrels a day. The $400M project will expand Chevron’s Gulf Coast refining system and help supply a portion of their retail market in Texas and Louisiana. Chevron to Expand Pasadena Refinery - Connect CRE OxyChem plans to modernize and expand its chlor-alkali production unit on Independence Pkwy. The $1.1B project will have significant effects on production capacity and efficiency, and the improvements will also reduce its carbon intensity. OxyChem gives green light to $1.1B Deer Park chlor alkali expansion - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com) and OxyChem plans $1.1 billion expansion of Houston-area complex (houstonchronicle.com)

Houston Spaceport news -Collins Aerospace, a division of Raytheon Technologies, moved in to its new 120,000 SF facility at the Houston Spaceport in early September. The company will develop and test new spacesuits to make it safer for astronaut travel in the coming years. There is also a 10,000 SF incubator space for universities, tech startups, and colleges to solve complex space technology challenges.

Lunar Mars Immersive Experience and Learning Center -Space Center Houston announced plans to transform a 100-acre site that will include a Lunar Mars Immersive Experience and Learning Center. The nonprofit Space Center Houston is advancing a Facilities Master Plan to support the growing need for space exploration learning and training. Two massive structures will also give the public a front row seat into the development of robotics, rovers, lunar landers, and reduced gravity systems.

• The Lunar Mars facility will include simulated surfaces of the Moon and Mars as well as modular surface labs to design and test instruments and techniques for surface exploration, support testing lunar and Martian rovers on a one-mile indoor track, allow engineers and astronauts to practice working in reduced gravity and conduct emergency procedures.

• An elevated exhibit hall will overlook the two surfaces, providing the public a chance to watch as astronauts prepare for missions on the lunar surface and Mars. The facility will also have modular surface

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labs and dedicated STEM learning centers. The facility will bring together guests, NASA, commercial space partners, colleges, universities, and global space agencies to collaborate on new technologies that are propelling present and future human spaceflight.

• To support the vision and expansion of these programs and facilities, Space Center Houston will engage public and corporate support in addition to private philanthropy.

• The expansion will enable the center to grow its immersive programs that inspire guests of all ages to realize the significance of space exploration.

Future milestones will be announced here in 2023: https://future.spacecenter.org/ Read more: Space Center Houston Reimagines Itself with a Bold New Vision, Turns 30 and Launches New Brand - Space Center Houston and here: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-101822a-space-center-houston-lunar-mars-terrains.html Did you know, according to a Citigroup analysis published earlier this year, that Texas currently has 17 of the world’s top 20 aerospace manufacturers, and by 2040, the global space economy could generate revenue of $1 trillion or more.

New development / construction – •

A planned new Class A Office / Medical development by Griffin Partners in Nassau Bay -- Saturn Plaza, 80,000 SF, located at 18505 Saturn Lane. This planned development is ideal for corporate headquarters, medical offices, or a surgical center. Building specs: three stories, 26,667 SF floor plate, 5 per 1,000 parking ratio, structured parking. Tenant ownership is available. The site is in the epicenter of the Nassau Bay Town Square, across the street from Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital and Courtyard by Marriott, close to Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake, as well as surrounding multifamily and residential areas, retail and restaurants, professional medical offices, NASA JSC, and Space Center Houston.

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Rex Road Industrial Business Park is being built on Rex Road in Friendswood, less than two miles from the Gulf Freeway. Planned are seven buildings, each +/- 15,000 SF. Delivery for the first three buildings is Q1 2023. They are free-standing on two acres with outside storage and are a minimum of 20 ft. clear height. All have 3 phase /480 volt power and grade level doors.

Healthcare news – •

Construction is underway to expand Kelsey Seybold’s Clear Lake clinic, at 1010 South Ponds Drive into a three-building Bay Area Campus covering 11 acres. The location is across the Gulf Freeway from Baybrook Mall. Planned is a four-story, 116,000 SF professional building which will include an ambulatory surgery center on a pad next to the existing clinic, and a two-story, $17M cancer center, which will sit adjacent to the freeway frontage road. The existing three-story, 55,000 SF clinic is undergoing renovations with a 25,000 SF expansion. Additionally, a 300-space parking garage will be built. At completion, the campus will have space for 82 providers.

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Kelsey Seybold also has construction going on in League City at 3625 E. League City Parkway for a 15,000 SF clinic. There are also plans to open a location on the west side of League City -- this two-story facility will be 33,000 SF; the location has not been announced. All the new and expanded facilities will bring about 600 jobs to the area. Read more: Kelsey-Seybold Clear Lake Clinic to expand into Bay Area Campus - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

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UTMB Health League City campus is in the process of designing an expansion of the south tower, taking it from five to 11 floors and from 97 beds to approximately 300. This is a $250M project.

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UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch) was awarded a project worth up to $87.4M for the development of a vaccine to fight advanced and emerging viruses that threaten members of the armed forces. UTMB awarded $87 million to develop vaccines for looming viruses | Local News | The Daily News (galvnews.com)

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Groundbreaking for a new facility at Shriners Children’s Texas! It will provide parking and housing for about 40 patient families. The new Galveston facility will be west of the hospital, across from the Moody Medical Library, at 910 Market St.

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Texas Oncology opened a new location in Pasadena on the HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast Campus at 4000 Spencer Highway, Suite 200.

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Construction is underway on Houston Methodist Clear Lake’s emergency care center at 1310 E. League City Pkwy. at South Egret Bay Blvd. The facility will be open 24/7 early in 2023.

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Memorial Hermann announced that 10 urgent care centers reopened as Memorial Hermann-GoHealth Urgent Care centers.

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A new building was completed for BioLife Plasma Services at 1011 S Ponds Dr.

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TIRR Memorial Hermann Outpatient Rehabilitation-Southeast will open at the beginning of the year at 300 Rogers Court in Webster. The facility will provide individualized single or multidisciplinary therapy and aquatic therapy for children and adults.

Acquisitions and other transactions – A 9,156 SF industrial building located at 1440 Sens Road in La Porte sold. Finial Group / Doc Perrier and David Durham represented the seller; Boyd Commercial / Garrett Thomas for the buyer, MRS Equipment Group.

An office/warehouse building of 80,110 SF at 1001 E. Shaw Avenue in Pasadena recently sold with Reed Vestal and John Erck / Junction Commercial Real Estate representing an affiliate of Junction’s private equity division to acquire the property. More than half of the building is leased to Camin Cargo Control.

Mpire Real Estate purchased 13.7 acres at 205 N. Friendswood Drive. Kelly Hutchinson / Colliers represented the seller and Liz Bui / EXP Realty for the buyer.

Property consisting of 3.1 acres at 2905 Pasadena Blvd. recently sold. The buyer hopes to build a new shopping center on the property that corners Pasadena Blvd. and Preston Avenue. Mike Stone / J Holt Properties represented the seller; Sobi Qazi / SVN / J. Beard Real Estate – Greater Houston for the buyer.

Two Harbour Square, a 26,970 SF medical office plaza at 3033 Marina Bay Drive in League City, recently sold to Creative, an investment firm based in Miami. Negotiating the deal was Partners Cary Latham, Wyatt Huff and Jason Gaines.

Leasing activity – 22,314 sf – Third Coast leased at 13100 Space Center Blvd. Partners / Trey Martin represented the tenant in the transaction. JLL / Scott Fikes represented the landlord, Billipp Space Center L.P.

8,000 SF – OEC Group, an international shipping company, leased at 1300 Hercules Avenue in Houston.

1,575 SF – Transblue leased at 17300 El Camino Real. This is the second Texas location; the company’s business is outdoor design and construction management. Alex Wolansky / Marcus & Millichap represented the landlord.

Did you miss an issue of this Business Development Update? Current and previous editions can be found here: Business Development Update - Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Now open: Pasadena – Next Level Urgent Care opened a 3,000 SF clinic at 7315 Fairmont Pkwy.

Coming soon: Webster - Banerji Plastic Surgery at 135 Water Street. Bayou City Dermatology at 750 N. Texas Avenue Hitchcock – Beehive Homes of Hitchcock at 6714 Delany Road (assisted living) Friendswood – Friendswood Psychiatry and TMS Clinic at 1506 Winding Way Drive

Retail / Hospitality Development Development news --

In the works are several restaurants at Shops at Baybrook, to be in Webster on the southeast corner of Bay Area Blvd. at the Gulf Freeway: Velvet Taco, Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, Wild Fork, Via 313 Pizzeria, Shake Shack and Crack Shack. Some space is still available plus a pad site. Colliers / Wade Greene and Hannah Tosch are negotiating the leases.

Reconstruction and renovation are underway at 400 Gulf Freeway South in League City for Tesla’s new dealership. Completion is expected spring 2023.

Chicken N Pickle, an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex, will open at the Flyway development in Webster late next year. This venue will span nearly three acres to combine a restaurant/sports bar with pickleball and yard games. Flyway will be anchored by Great Wolf Lodge, a 532-suite resort hotel and 11,000 SF conference center with an indoor 95,000 SF water park. It has broken ground and is slated to open in 2024. Read more: Houston area’s first Great Wolf Lodge coming to Webster in 2024 | Community Impact and Chicken N Pickle brings pickleball, entertainment to Webster (houstonchronicle.com)

The second phase of a development in Pasadena has begun at 7333 Fairmont Parkway. A new building of 7,333 SF has been leased to Pet Supplies Plus taking 5,800 SF with Tropical Smoothie Café leasing the remainder.

Rob Johnson, Robby Johnson, and Jon Kantalis negotiated for the owner, Rob Johnson Interests Inc. Blazer Builders has a project underway on the adjoining nine acres – 137 apartments for adults 55+.

A commercial building is planned for La Porte’s historic Main Street district at 100 W. Main St. Details later on this and on the new food truck park.

The retail development that’s under construction at Baybrook East, next to the recently opened 107,000-SF HEB, Gulf Freeway and El Dorado Blvd., has several new tenants coming: In-N-Out Burger, The Taco Stand, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Twin Liquors, One Medical, Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, Café Express, Nails of America, and Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse. It’s expected that the new center will be complete and open by the third quarter of 2023.

A 32-room Scottish Inn & Suites opened at 9002 SH 6 in Hitchcock; it features standard, kitchenette, and apartment-style rooms.

A 12,000 SF commercial center is being built at 13230 FM 1764 in Santa Fe for Lone Star Pharmacy (9,200 SF) with a diner and doctor’s office taking the remainder. Look for the building to be completed by the end of the year.

Tuscan Lakes Marketplace is planned at the League City Parkway and Tuscan Lakes Blvd. Two buildings, 6,700 SF and 11,300 SF, are planned.

Still in the works … Investors for the Alamo Drafthouse planned for Victory Lakes in League City are considering to first develop a family style entertainment complex but are still committed to the movie theater concept. We will wait and see.

Grand Oak Village at Link and Calder Roads at the Gulf Freeway in League City -- Tenants for the two new buildings totaling 15,000 SF are a coffee shop taking 1,500 SF and SLICE, a high-end brick-oven pizzeria concept taking 4,500 SF. Forum Studios (beauty and wellness providers) will take 6,000 SF. Still available are 3,000 SF. The first phase consisted of an 11,000 SF building that was leased to PetSuites and Children of America Preschool.

Have you looked at our flip book of Hot Projects? Hot Projects - Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Restaurants, cafés and more …

League City – Miru Seafood opening in December at 2490 Gulf Freeway South. La India Bonita will open soon at 401 E. Main Street. Barcenas Mexican Kitchen opened at 2508 Gulf Freeway. Crust Pizza will open late this year or early next year at 1921 W. League City Pkwy. Mixing House (sweets shop) opened at 2047 West Main St. The Spot is looking to open in the second quarter of 2023 at 2502 Gulf Freeway. Kelley’s Country Cooking will reopen in February or March at 1502 W. Main.

Friendswood – Ocean Sushi & Ramen is now open at the One Sixty One development at 214 S. Friendswood Dr. Also watch for Great Harvest Bread Co. coming there in early 2023. PizzaForno, an automated pizza venue,

opened at 3210 E. FM 528. The units hold 70 fully-prepared pizzas and have a state-of-the-art oven – no labor costs and no waste. Owners plan to open 12 more locations within a year.

Houston – Noodles & Dumplings is open at 16630 El Camino Real.

Santa Fe – Whataburger at 4206 Avenue T opens soon!

Baybrook Mall – Fogo De Chao opened on The Lawn at the mall.

Webster – Little Woodrow’s will open in late 2022 at 20251 Gulf Freeway. Water Oak Cafe & Bakery at 19325 Gulf Freeway (Baybrook Passage) plans to open around April 2023. Bliss Bakery opened inside the 18333 Egret Bay Blvd. office building.

Dickinson – Cristo Rey Restaurant & Bakery is open at 2301 SH 3.

Seabrook – Zane’s Original Craft Burgers & BBQ leased 2,232 SF at 3300 Bayport Blvd., Shops at the Commons. Sunny Seafood opened at 2320 NASA Parkway. Sunshine Kitchen (bakery & more) opened at 3138 NASA Parkway.

Leasing activity – •

Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale Store leased 29,515 SF at Baybrook Passage in the former Golfsmith store in Webster.

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Boomer Jack’s signed a ground lease for a 1.75 AC parcel in Webster Town Center next to Twin Peaks. For the landlord: Nick Ramsey and Kevin Sims / NewQuest Properties; for the tenant: Kyle Anz / HGA Holdings.

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pOpshelf, a Dollar General concept, leased 11,830 SF at Baybrook Village in Houston. Elise Weatherall / Wulfe & Co for the landlord and Mark Raines and Matt Parsons / JLL for the tenant.

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UrgentVet leased 2,400 SF at Baybrook Gateway at 931 Bay Area Blvd. in Webster. Negotiating the deal: Chris Burns / JLL for the tenant and Kimberly Lenardson and Cody Persyn / Colliers for the landlord.

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Restore Hyper Wellness + Cryotherapy leased 3,298 SF at 1520 W. Bay Area Blvd. in Houston. For the tenant: John LaRue / LaRue Retail Advisors; for the landlord: Elise Weatherall / Wulfe & Co.

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Donald’s Donuts leased 1,954 SF to open at 3300 Bayport Blvd., Shops at the Commons in Seabrook.

Carleen Brand / WMF Investments, Inc. represented the owner.

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F45, an Australian-born fitness brand, leased 2,359 SF at Baybrook Passage, 19435 W. Bay Area Blvd. in Webster. Planned opening is early 2023. Representing the tenant were Brian Ashby and Sidney Dixon / CBRE; for the owner and operator, Danny Miller / Gulf Coast Commercial Group and Elise Weatherall / Wulfe & Co.

Acquisitions and other transactions …

A 13.7-acre property at 205 N. Friendswood Drive was recently purchased. The buyer was represented by Liz Bui of eXP Realty; Kelly Hutchinson / Colliers for the seller.

The circa 1936 Moorish-style Pignataro Castle at 12902 SH 6 in Santa Fe has been purchased. The new owners plan to restore the property and are considering a commercial venture. More details later.

Pecan Park Plaza, located on the Gulf Freeway at FM 518 in League City, sold to Baker Katz. The 108,000 SF shopping center is currently more than 80% leased, and is adjacent to Riverview, a planned mixed-use development on more than 60 acres along Wesley Drive. Just north of that development, on the other side of Clear Creek, another mixed-use development called Flyway is underway in Webster. This one will be anchored

by Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort.

The Friendswood Center, 10,110 SF at 1720 S. Friendswood Drive was acquired by a Texas-based group of limited liability companies. The three-tenant retail center was completed in 2021. NewQuest Properties negotiated the deal: Rick Ragan for the buyer; Marc Peeler for the seller.

The former Bubba’s Shrimp Palace at the Gulf Freeway and Wesley Drive in League City has a new owner.

The family who owns La Brisa in Bacliff and League City acquired the property which is adjacent to La Brisa. It

is now being used for parking; the restaurant just remodeled its outdoor space, doubling the size of the palapa area and more parking was needed. This acquisition added roughly 170 spaces. There are no plans for the building at this time.

DPB Properties purchased a 7,637 SF retail building at 2502 Gulf Freeway in League City. NewQuest Properties negotiated the deal: Jon Jamison and Hugh Ruggles for the buyer and Marc Peeler for the seller.

The former Bolivar Beach Club & RV Resort on Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County has been rebranded to Camp Margaritaville. There are locations in three other states, but this is the first on a saltwater beach. Plans are to convert the clubhouse into a 20,000 SF restaurant (Fins Bar & Grill), triple the RV park in size and capacity from 204 sites on 40 acres to between 600 and 680 sites on 150 acres. The property is at 796 SH 87.

Things are perking up for coffee drinkers in Bay Area Houston!

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Minuti Coffee is open at 11551 Aerospace Ave. Minuti has its own entrance in front of the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Airport. Also served are breakfast and lunch items.

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Dutch Bros (coffee) is opening soon at 2755 E. League City Pkwy. and 1911 W. League City Pkwy.

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PJ’s Coffee is coming to Grand Oak Village at Link and Calder Roads in League City.

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Scooter’s Coffee Shop at 2615 W. Main St. will open in 2023 in League City.

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Mid Haven Coffee is being built at 106 Whispering Pines Avenue in Friendswood.

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Summer Moon at Nassau Bay Town Square is not yet open.

Just for fun – Galaxy Lights at Space Center Houston, 1601 NASA Parkway, daily 6-10 PM through January 1st. www.spacecenter.org/galaxy-lights

Coming Soon Hitchcock – Sonic Restaurant and convenience store at 7017 FM 2004.

Baybrook Mall – Fat Tuesday will open at the end of the year.

Webster - Baked Bear Ice Cream at 18205 Egret Bay Blvd.

League City – The 25,000 SF Gordon Food Service at 215 W. Main St. will open first quarter of 2023.

Now Open Baybrook Mall – Clean Origin (lab-grown jewelry). Tilly’s (men’s, women’s, children’s clothing) and accessories.

Houston – La-Z-Boy at 18973 Gulf Freeway. Houston’s Sauna & Spa at 903 Bay Area Blvd. Sitta Brew Hub at 618 Dixie Farm Road.

League City – Dirt Poor Couture and Foo Foo Fido pet boutique at 240 Park Ave. Main Street Event Center at 322 E. Main Street.

LinGrace Boutique at 2500 Marina Bay Blvd. Tiff’s Treats is open at 201 S. FM 270. Flawless Diamonds at 201 S. Egret Bay Blvd.

Friendswood – Align Boutique at 122 S. Friendswood Drive.

Seabrook – Alspaugh’s (gifts & more) at 2100 NASA Parkway, 2nd floor). The Backyard (expansion & renovation) at 4th Street and Hall Avenue in Old Seabrook.

Houston – Ollie’s at 18182 Gulf Freeway at El Dorado Blvd.

Residential Development Prose Broadstone Baybrook, a multifamily project, will be built at 19101 Town Ridge Lane in Houston across from Baybrook Mall. More details later.

CJ Development purchased 23 acres on FM 518 in League City across from Clear Creek High School and has another 21 acres under contract. Proposed is The League, a $125M walkable mixed-use development on 44 acres. It would include five buildings, six stories each, with apartments on the second through sixth floors and retail and restaurants on the first floor. Duplexes and fourplexes would total 120 townhome units. The five apartment buildings would have approximately 125 units, one to three bedrooms each. The first phase will include 230 apartments and 30,000 SF of commercial space for retail and restaurants. We will have more details

later as the project moves along.

CJ Development plans $125M mixed-use district in League City - Houston Business Journal

(bizjournals.com)

Lago Mar, a 2,000+ acre master planned community in Texas City, has completed 1,200 to 1,500 homes out of 4,000 planned. The first retail development is planned on the NEC of Lago Mar Blvd. and Crystal View Blvd.

Commons at Lago Mar is planned for 15,000 SF, with an expected delivery date of Q3 2023.

Got the go-ahead for nearly 800 new homes in Texas City in the Lago Mar development! Beacon Point at Lago Mar will be one of the first major residential developments on the east side of the Gulf Freeway. Land Tejas owns 2,033 acres of the Lago Mar development on the west side. There are 1,300 acres on the east side of the Gulf Freeway, also part of the Lago Mar development, that are owned by two companies not affiliated with Land Tejas. Planned are 40 and 60-foot-wide lots. Read more in The Daily News: Nearly 800 rooftops to rise on east side of Lago Mar in Texas City | Local News | The Daily News (galvnews.com)

Ivy Point Friendswood, a 55+ active adult apartment community, is being built at 2920 W. El Dorado Blvd.

Plans are to open early in 2023.

Acquisitions – Hillwood Communities added 156 acres to its forthcoming master-planned community on the western end of League City after initially buying 540 acres for the project. The additional land will allow 400 more homes to be built in the community, bringing the total to about 1,770. The homes will range from $300,000 - $800,000 and sit on 30- to 70-ft-wide lots. The seller was represented by Chris Hutcheson, James Kadlick, and Harrison Kane / Colliers. Read more: Hillwood Communities Adds 156 Acres to League City Project (therealdeal.com)

The Bay House Apartments Homes, a 190-unit complex at 2041 San Sebastian Court in Nassau Bay, was sold to CoVest Ventures. These apartments were built in 1967 and upgraded in 2015. This submarket (Clear Lake/Webster/League City) contains 102 multifamily properties, currently 90.2% occupied. The seller was represented

by Bob Heard, Chip Nash and Jaleel Adatia / Colliers.

Waterford Harbor Apartments, a 200-unit property at 1420 Marina Bay Drive in Kemah, sold to San Franciscobased Hamilton Zanze. It was built in 1996 and is 96.5% leased.

Domain at Morgan’s Landing, a 350-unit apartment complex at 3300 Bay Area Blvd. in La Porte, sold to St. Augustine, Florida-based DLP Capital. The Domain was built in 2021 and includes many popular amenities.

Regatta Bay, a 240-unit apartment community at 2555 Repsdorph Road in Seabrook, sold to Brixton Capital.

Matt Saunders / Newmark represented the seller.

Creekside Villas at Clear Lake, a 202-unit apartment complex at 707 El Dorado Blvd. in Houston, recently sold to the partnership of Trinnium Equity Group and Starboard Equity. Representing the seller: Joey Rippel, Chris Young, Kyle Whitney, Chris Curry, Todd Marix, and Jeffrey Skipworth / Berkadia Houston.

The Grayson at Baybrook, a 322-unit apartment complex at 19100 Glenwest Drive in Houston, recently sold to affiliates of SRJ Real Estate Investments. Renovations are planned.

Westmount at Summer Cove, a 376-unit apartment complex at 725 FM 1959 in Houston, sold to a new owner.

The property was built in 1983 and is 96% occupied.

The Moorings, a 201-unit apartment complex in League City at 601 Enterprise Ave. sold to Fogelman Properties.

The complex is on Clear Lake and 85% occupied.

Infrastructure News and Everything Else!

The Coastal Texas Study, an effort by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office to plan and design projects to protect the Texas coast from major storms, is making headway. Projects include a series of navigable gates between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, a ring of barriers around Galveston Island, sand dunes and beaches along the coast to offer a natural form of defense, and more.

Sen. John Cornyn introduced the Texas Coastal Spine Authorization Act during the summer, and it passed in the U.S. Senate in July to make the project eligible for construction.

The House passed the negotiated National Defense Authorization Act of 2022. Because NDAA is a must-pass bill, the bill served as a vehicle for attaching other bills. WRDA 2022 and the Coast Guard Authorization Act are two such bills that were attached to NDAA and passed the House. The senate is expected to pass within the next 5-7 days and will then go to the president’s desk for signature before the end of the year.

Read more: Sen. John Cornyn discusses importance of coastal spine with area leaders | Community Impact Port Houston has $1.1B in projects underway that include 12 ship-to-shore cranes, 19 rubber tire gantry cranes, two additional container yards, two new container berths, another wharf at the Turning Basin, and redevelopment of general cargo and breakbulk docks. There’s also Project 11, with a total cost of $1B, which will expand the 52-mile stretch of the Houston Ship Channel up to 700 feet wide in some sections. Three of the 12 contracts needed for Project 11 have been completed. State of the Port: Updates on Port of Houston's Project 11, more - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Royal Caribbean Group has unveiled its new zero energy cruise terminal. It is the first of its kind and is 100% solar powered through 30,000 SF of onsite panels. The $125M terminal at Port of Galveston’s Pier 10 will accommodate the newest and largest classes of cruise ships and will free up berth space at the other terminals for more cruise business.

It is homeport for the Oasis Class Allure of the Seas -- 1,187 ft. long, 215 ft. wide with a 6,780-passenger capacity – what a site to see as it was tied up at the new terminal! In 2023, Royal Caribbean expects the Icon of the Seas -- 1,198 ft. long, 20 decks, six waterslides and a 7,600 maximum passenger capacity. The terminal is forecasted to create 800 new jobs, $1.4B in local business services revenue, and $5.6M in state and local taxes – a substantial portion of which goes to the city of Galveston and its community. Read more here: Galveston's $125M cruise terminal a leap for port, officials said | Local News | The Daily News (galvnews.com) terminal in Galveston - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

and here:

Royal Caribbean opens $125M cruise

There is a federal proposal to develop a massive wind-turbine farm offshore from Galveston which would cover more than 500,000 acres in the Gulf of Mexico, less than 30 miles from Galveston. When more details are known, we will let you know. In the meantime, there is a lot of information in this article from Galveston’s The Daily News.

Offshore wind farm could bring jobs, industry to Galveston | Local News | The Daily News (galvnews.com)

Thought you’d want to know ….

Cup of Joe-Y, a group that started at the Ion in Midtown, now has a location meeting at Space Center Houston in the ‘food lab’ on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, 8:30 to 10:00 am. The purpose of Cup of Joe-Y is to create a connected culture of coffee shop-open networking across our region. You’ll have the opportunity to meet new people and expand your current networks, talk about tech, inspire innovation, and create community. Come and join your fellow innovators … the future is only a cup away. It’s free! Register to attend here: City News – Hitchcock – The Hitchcock EDC is well underway into a plan to develop a mixed-use downtown district that would include new retail, offices, and possibly residential. The target area is along Highway 6 between Second and Fourth streets and Wallace Avenue, which could be a residential area lined with retail and restaurants.

• The city is already renovating one of the city’s oldest buildings at 8002 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., which will serve as a catalyst for the downtown historic development. It’s available and would be ideal for restaurants and retail.

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The EDC also acquired property at 8030 SH 6 (next to the new city hall) and property at 8125 SH 6 to add to development efforts for the new district. Did you know there are approximately 1,650 homes that are proposed/planned/underway in Hitchcock?

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The ‘downtown district’ project is in the initial stages; a developer has not yet been identified. For information about opportunities: trobert@cityofhitchcock.org Read more: Future Hitchcock downtown development meant to add livability, boost local economy - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

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Kemah – Progress is being made to bring improvements to Kemah’s nature park on 57 acres, south of the Kemah Oaks subdivision at 1894 Park Oaks Drive. The construction would be done in phases to include infrastructure, removing underbrush, building another parking lot, pavilions and bathrooms, and installing lights.

League City – The League City Community Center opened at 400 S. Kansas Avenue. The 30,000 SF facility was formerly the League City School Building, built in 1938. It’s available for events.

League City is looking for a developer – property at 144 Park Avenue on approximately two acres with 180 ft. of frontage on Main Street is available for redevelopment; 580 ft. is on Park Avenue. It is in the City’s Historic District. Permitted uses are live/work units, residential, education, office, hotel, retail, restaurants, food & beverage sales, microbrewery, recreation and entertainment, and artisans. Up to five stories is allowed. More information can be found here: Downtown Development Opportunities | League City Economic Development, TX (leaguecityedc.com) Dickinson – Two tax increment zones spanning more than 530 acres along the Gulf Freeway corridor have been created in hopes of stimulating commercial and residential development. The first is more than 177 acres along FM 517 and SH 3. Zone two includes 355 acres along the Gulf Freeway. Both will have a board of directors and establish a tax increment fund for the zone. In particular, the city is looking for mixed uses such as residential, office, retail and food and beverage establishments.

Education news – Future plans for University of Houston-Clear Lake – As part of its partnership with the Houston Spaceport, the university plans to create the Houston Spaceport Center for Research, Education and Workforce Development (HS-CREW). Also, officials have also requested funding to open a second Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Building.

College of the Mainland’s new Industrial Careers Building is now open! The 90,000 SF building will house the popular Process Technology (PTEC) program along with Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC), Occupational Safety and Health Technology (OSHT) and Collegiate High School (CHS). The new facility was made possible through the College’s 2018 Bond Program.

University of Houston-Clear Lake has partnered with Boeing to offer engineering students entry level employment experience and internships that support multiple projects. To qualify for the employment program, students must meet basic engineering requirements for entry level work. Boeing’s Houston site supports the ISS (International Space Station), CST-100 Starliner Commercial Crew Program, and the Space Launch System, among others.

Voters approved a $158.6M bond for Texas City ISD, which will pay for a new La Marque High School, a new stadium, and various improvements to district facilities.

Alvin Community College has brought back the Computer Numerical Control program – known as CNC, a sixmonth certification program. CNC machinists function in mills and lathes which are used in industrial construction projects.

College of the Mainland will build a new program in Robotic Process Automation Career Training. This program will establish a new career pathway for students through a workforce program that supports industry-recognized Robotic Process Automation (RPA). This emerging software technology allows technicians to configure software robots that run on a personal computer. The robots streamline and automate mundane, repetitive operations to free up workers for more complex tasks. This software is needed in many industries such as banking and financial services, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, retail, and energy.

Galveston College received a $5M leadership grant from the Moody Foundation for the college’s new Health Sciences Education Center. The 64,000 SF three-story building is planned for classrooms and labs for nursing and other healthcare classes. The project broke ground in June.

College of the Mainland is offering the RN to BSN degree for nurses wanting to expand their professional roles in healthcare and gain access to leadership opportunities. This is a hybrid transition program for those who have attained an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing and who hold an active and unencumbered registered nurse license.

Road News …

Final design stage is in the works for the $100M North Landing Boulevard extension project in League City. The project is a four-lane road that will extend Landing Blvd. and NASA Bypass to intersect at a roundabout.

The $8.6M widening project of Grissom Road in League City is expected to be completed in April. The project will widen Grissom Road from two to four lanes to manage increased traffic. Grissom Road connects West NASA Road to Bay Area Boulevard after passing through the Autumn Lakes subdivision.

BAHEP is part of the Facebook and Twitter network providing its members and followers yet another way to keep up with its activities.

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Economic development doesn’t happen by itself! If you would like to know more about how you can support our economic development initiatives and have the opportunity to work with the region’s business leaders, please contact Membership Director Harriet Pilgrim at 832.536.3255 or Harriet@bayareahouston.com.

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