LEADER LISTING The Leader • Saturday, May 23, 2020 • Page 1B
Avenue makes final push to fund multiuse center By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com It is a dream that was a long time coming, but Avenue Center will open in July, according to Avenue CDC Executive Director Mary Lawler. With $10 million of a $12 million goal raised for the 30,510-square foot, three-story multiuse facility designed by Page and located at 3527 Irvington Blvd., Avenue is asking the public to help get it to the finish line. For the past 10 years, Avenue staff has envisioned a comprehensive space. While helping Houstonians find affordable housing is Avenue’s priority, Lawler said there are other key services that provide a lifeline to families that are struggling financially. “There is a synergy in bringing them together under one roof,” she said. Lawler said Avenue bought the property on Irvington in 2015. For the past five years, the nonprofit has been planning for the building that would serve as its headquarters and as an all-in-one community hub - with services such as a health clinic and early childhood education center. Hurricane Harvey forced Avenue to rework its timeline, but Lawler said construction has continued through the past six weeks and the project is now in the home stretch. “We are thrilled to be in there this summer,” Lawler said, noting that the new center will allow Avenue to consolidate staff from its four other locations, including one on Washington Avenue. The City of Houston provided $3.4 million in project funding for the Avenue Center, while the BBVA Compass Foundation, Houston Endowment and the Complete Communities Improvement Fund
from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) gave more than $1 million each. The Marek Family Foundation is one of many other organizations that contributed additional funds to a capital campaign launched a few years ago. A public campaign followed. While the COVID-19 pandemic did not slow construction, Lawler said it threw a wrench into fundraising efforts. “(The past two months) would have been a big push,” Lawler said. “If we need to we will borrow funds. The building will be complete in July.” The center will offer classroom space for Avenue’s homebuyer education and financial capability counseling classes. While staff used to have to do both the English and Spanish versions in the same class, now Avenue employees will have the space to break out the sessions. “We can serve a lot more people,” Lawler said. Another group that will use the space is Project GRAD, a nonprofit that provides a host of college readiness programs to those who are new to the process. Ramiro Fonseca, the community engagement manager for Project GRAD, said the organization is “like a one-stop shop” that helps high school students and their families explore careers, seek out scholarships and navigate the college application process. “For the majority (of the students), they are the first in the family to go to college,” Fonseca said. That was the case for Heights High School student Adrian Herrera, who will attend Trinity University in San Antonio in the fall, majoring in engineering science. He participated in a variety of workshops in his GRAD club.
Photo by Betsy Denson Avenue Center offers more space for Avenue CDC to provide its homebuyer education classes and for its partners to utilize as well.
“I didn’t think I would get in (to Trinity),” Herrera said. “(Project GRAD) truly has been a key part of the process. They never pushed me but they motivated me. It’s been a blessing to me and my family.” Last year, Project GRAD served 5,200 students from all over Houston, borrowing space in libraries and local colleges to offer classes. Now, it can add the Avenue Center to the list. Even though the center is located in the Northside, Lawler said its services will be
available to anyone throughout the Greater Houston area. The genesis of Avenue was a neighborhood group founded by individuals from the old Fifth Ward. “It has organically grown over time,” Lawler said. “Washington (Avenue), then the Near Northside, then Northline.” Those interested in helping Avenue to meet its financial goal are encouraged to visit https://www.avenuecdc.org/ capital-campaign/.
Jennifer M. Solak Attorney & Counselor at Law
ESTATE PLANNING PROBATE BUSINESS LAW
713.588.5744
jennifer@solaklegal.com
1305 W. 11th St., #3094, Houston, TX 77008
Contributed artist’s rendering The Lowell Street Annex development is seeking tenants.
the Stomping Grounds lawn. There will be consultation space for about six people inside the store as Pham has been making custom cakes for weddings and other special occasions for several years now. But when not in use, the area will provide some inside seating. “We’ll see what the guidelines are when we open,” Pham said. “We want everyone to feel safe.” Follow Becca Cakes on Instagram or visit https://www. beccacakeshtx.com/ for updates. Contributed photo Rebecca Pham plans to open Becca Cakes in June on West 34th Street.
the last few weeks, however many remain hesitant to ink a deal without extreme protection,” she said. “I foresee many tenants slow-playing negotiations as best they can through the summer until there is more certainty if the virus is going to come back in the fall.” Becca Cakes to open in June In December, dessert artist Rebecca Pham announced plans for her first storefront at Stomping Grounds, 1225 W. 34th St., next to Threadfare Children’s Boutique. Now, she said she plans to open Becca Cakes, an 861-square foot space in Building D, by midJune. Pham said the retail bakery with cupcakes, cookies, macaroons and more will mainly be takeout, but customers will be able to enjoy their sweets on
Revive Bingo still on When Revive Development started its Bingo card promotion to help tenants increase business, director of leasing and marketing Monica Danna said the company was pleasantly surprised with the early interest and activity. “The first day we launched it we had a winner,” she said. The promotion, in which customers can win $250 or $1,000 prize packages by making purchases or booking future services from 24 of Revive’s tenants in the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest area, will continue until May 31. REVIVE BINGO! cards are available on the company’s Facebook and Instagram page. No one has yet achieved bingo blackout, which nets the winner a prize package valued at $1,000. Danna said Revive might reshuffle the card, on which each tenant business represents a
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Hannah Tosch with Colliers International specializes in the retail sector of the Houston area with a primary focus on tenant representation and buyer acquisitions. She also does a lot of work in the Greater Heights and offered an assessment of the current landscape amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. “The retail sector has taken one of the hardest hits by the economy’s shutdown surpassed only by hospitality,” Tosch said. “Now we begin on the path back to normalcy. While Phase 1 and its 25 percent capacity sounded good on paper, ultimately it proved to be financially unfeasible for many restaurants to generate a profit. Many Houston restaurants have chosen to refrain from opening their dining room until Phase 2, which allows for 50 percent capacity. I think we will see more restaurants open for dine-in now that the capacity has been increased and revenue should boost.” As far as leasing activity goes, Tosch said there is a slowdown as most retailers and restaurants need to spend their time and resources on keeping their existing locations up and running. “Hot markets like the Heights and Garden Oaks are not immune to the impact – we are finding that tenants who signed before COVID are now pushing back their openings, some indefinitely,” she said. “Even hot submarkets will see substantial failures of smaller retailers who did not have capital reserves sufficient to survive a prolonged shutdown and then fund a restart. This will open up spaces for new concepts to enter hot, niche markets.” Tosch said all the new leases for Colliers International will include some form of language in regard to COVID-19 or other future pandemic situations. “More tenants have been out in the market touring in
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627 Peddie, $700s Amanda Anhorn, 713.256.5123
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By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
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Retail on road back
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6007 Pineshade, $530s Kristin Tillman, 281.785.3566
4415 Koehler, $470s Alex Berry, 713.480.2213
2222 Lamonte, $360s Jason Knebel, 713.232.9712