Pearland - Friendswood - Manvel Edition | November 2025

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Pearland Friendswood Manvel Edition VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12 NOV. 12DEC. 10, 2025

2025 Volunteer Guide

‘Today’s revenue is tomorrow’s expense’

BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

Sushi chef Michael Zhou moved to Houston in 1995, working in Japanese restaurants until he opened his rst restaurant in Houston’s Memorial area, which he was forced to close four years later as rent costs rose. Seeking a more aordable market to do business, Zhou eyed Clear Lake and opened Masa Sushi in 2005. Two decades later, Zhou said he is facing similar challenges he saw with his rst restaurant—rent prices rising, food costs increasing and fewer people eating out. It’s a similar story many in the industry—including in the Pearland and Friendswood area—are seeing. While roughly a dozen businesses in the area have closed dating back to 2024, others remain open but are struggling to make ends meet.

CONTINUED ON 20

Michael Zhou, owner of Masa Sushi in Friendswood, said the rising cost of food is impacting restaurant overhead. (Rachel Leland/Community Impact)

Also in this issue

Impacts: See where a new Urban Bird Hot Chicken has opened up in Pearland (Page 6)

Development: Check out a new development project that could come to Manvel pending future approvals (Page 18)

Business: Read about LIT Java Coee and the various community events it oers that are centered around literature (Page 25)

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Angela Bonilla Sarah Brager Melissa Enaje Valeria Escobar Wesley Gardner Atirikta Kumar Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Roo Moody Tomer Ronen

Papar Faircloth General Manager pfaircloth@ communityimpact.com

Nichaela Shaheen Julianna Washburn Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Jake Schlesinger Jesus Verastegui Ronald Winters Managing Editor James T. Norman Product Manager Martha Risinger Quality Desk Editor Sarah Hernandez Houston Market President Jason Culpepper

Haley Velasco Editor hvelasco@ communityimpact.com

Lindsay Radenz Account Executive lradenz@ communityimpact.com

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Impacts

MCHARDRD.

SHADOWCR

MCHARDRD.

WALNUTST.

MILLER RANCH RD.

Pearland

521

518

W. BROA D W A

Friendswood

WALNUT ST.

M AGNOLIA PKWY.

288

BAILEY A V E .

MCKEEVER RD.

2351

BLUEWATER ST.

Manvel

MAP NOT TO SCALE

and business lending, expert loan processing and deposit services. • Grand opened Oct. 14 • 6302 W. Broadway St., Ste. 100, Pearland • www.fcbot.com/pearland 6 Barracks Bites Cafe & Snacks Located inside Pearland’s VFW Post 7109, the cafe offers fresh sandwiches, snacks and treats. • Opened Oct. 1 • 4202 W. Walnut St., Pearland • Facebook: Barracks Bites Cafe & Snacks 7 Hallmark Prosthodontics The business offers services for preventive, implant, sedation, general and emergency dentistry, as well as periodontal and prosthodontic treatments. • Opened in September • 1535 Cullen Parkway, Ste. 160, Pearland • www.hallmarkprosthodontics.com 8 Klaw-Oke Kingdom The business offers claw machine arcades and private karaoke rooms, along with five private themed rooms for birthday parties. • Opened Oct. 25 • 2849 Miller Ranch Road, Ste. 501, Pearland • www.klawoke.com 9 The Lemon Drop The business will be a boutique toy store and specialty soda shop. • Opened Nov. 8 • 111 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood • Facebook: The Lemon Drop

Now open

Coming soon

1 Monarch Pastries & Coffee House The shop sells coffee, matcha and pastries, which are hand-made and sourced from local bakeries. All coffee served supports local roasters, and all syrups are made in-house. • Opened Oct. 11 • 2114 El Dorado Blvd., Friendswood • www.monarchpastriesandcoffeehouse.com 2 Century 21 Tevas The business offers services related to real estate, including selling homes and mortgages, among others. • Opened Oct. 6 • 2505 S. Park Ave., Ste. B, Pearland • www.century21.com 3 Shop the Famous Market The boutique offers clothing, accessories and sportswear. It also provides space for local business owners to rent space and sell wares. • Opened Sept. 6 • 11200 Broadway St. Ste. 940, Pearland • www.pearlandtowncenter.com 4 iCRYO Baybrook The business offers services such as cryotherapy, red light therapy, IV infusions and body sculpting. • Opened Oct. 8 • 1065 W. Bay Area Blvd., Ste. 150, Webster • www.icryo.com 5 First Community Bank The bank offers financial services including personal

10 McDonald’s The global fast-food chain will serve burgers, fries, chicken nuggets and desserts, among other items. • Opening in November • 10501 Pearland Parkway, Pearland • www.mcdonalds.com 11 Uptown Cheapskate The two resale stores are operated by the same parent company and will open side by side, offering secondhand clothing for adults and children. • Opening in the beginning of 2026 • 2803 Business Center Drive, Ste. 101, Pearland • www.uptowncheapskate.com/location/pearland • www.kidtokid.com/location/pearland

What’s next PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

12 Exclusive Furniture The store will offer living room, bedroom, dining room, home office and outdoor furniture. • Opening TBD • 3425 Business Center Drive, Pearland • www.exclusivefurniture.com 13 Sherwin-Williams The company specializes in quality paint, paint supplies and stains. Customers can also place an order online and pick it up at the store. • Opening TBD

• 7310 Corporate Drive, Manvel • www.sherwin-williams.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

17 Gear Monkey Bike Repair The family-owned shop offered services including tune-ups, suspension services and flat tire repairs. • Closing in November • 1910 Country Place Parkway, Ste. 158, Pearland • www.gearmonkey.bike 18 Anything RV Service Center, LLC The family-owned shop provided repair services for motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and trailers. • Closing in November • 4103 Dixie Farm Road, Pearland • www.anythingrvservicecenter.com

Relocations

Now open

14 RevIVe Medspa and Wellness Previously located on Friendswood Drive, the med spa offers services such as dermal fillers, Botox, body contouring, laser hair removal and IV therapy. • Relocated Oct. 4 • 4211 Friendswood Link Road, Friendswood • www.revivemedspawellness.com 15 Blueprint Fitness The gym relocated within Broadway Street and offers services such as private personal training, small group training and online coaching. • Relocated in June

Worth the trip

19 Urban Bird Hot Chicken The Katy-based chicken restaurant chain serves Nashville-style hot chicken, including halal tenders and sandwiches as well as loaded fries like urban fries, Tijuana street fries and Buffalo mac fries. • Opened Oct. 8 • 9250 Broadway St., Ste. 180, Pearland • www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com

• 1807 Broadway St., Ste. 109, Pearland • www.blueprintfitnesspearland.com

Queen Bee’s Tea Room Located in the Houston Heights, the business offers an afternoon tea experience with vintage teacups and inventive tea-infused creations. • Opened Oct. 7 • 201 W. 15th St., Houston • www.queenbeestearoom.com

Closings

16 Big City Wings The restaurant offered a variety of sauces with spice levels ranging from mild to firehouse. • Closed Aug. 23 • 9721 Broadway St., Pearland • www.bigcitywings.com

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY RACHEL LELAND & HALEY VELASCO

Land near Pearland Walmart to stay zoned for single-family Pearland City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 27 to deny a rezoning request for two lots, totaling 9.2 acres, from single-family residential to neighborhood services. The measure would have allowed low-intensity commercial uses, such as service providers or offices. What happened The Planning & Zoning Commission voted 1-4 against recommending approval of the request at its Oct. 6 meeting. The commission received over 20 comments opposing the rezoning, according to city agenda documents. The applicant, Julia Nguyen, said the property, located at 3302 and 3306 Dixie Farm Road, no

Manvel OKs purchase of playground parts Manvel City Council on Oct. 20 approved purchasing $162,000 in equipment for a new playground at Heritage Park. Heritage Park will be located behind Manvel City Hall on Large Avenue from Palmetto Street to Masters Road, according to city documents. The details The playground will have: • Sensory and inclusivity features to allow all children to play on the playground, including children with disabilities • Large shade canopies • Play patterns, in which there is an exit, such as a slide, and an entrance, such as a climber, to keep children active • Deck material for children to grasp

Single family zone

longer functions well for residential properties due to its proximity to Walmart and being near a heavily commercial corridor, according to agenda documents. Several residents spoke at the meeting in opposition to the rezoning request, pointing out that rezoning the land for commercial use violated the city’s future land use map. “Don’t break the covenant the city has with residents, which keeps residential areas residential and follows Pearland’s adopted comprehensive plan,” resident Greg Nelson said.

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Government

BY RACHEL LELAND & HALEY VELASCO

Cities consider updated comprehensive plans Friendswood and Manvel city councils at sepa- rate meetings in October each received presenta- tions on updated comprehensive plans. For Manvel, ocials are planning for growth, while Friendswood ocials analyzed future land use, hazard mitigation and infrastructure. The gist The plans will serve as a document to guide each city in its future planning, ocials said. For Friendswood, the city has about 14% of its remaining land to develop, Director of Communi- cations Glenda Faulkner said. Manvel city ocials said the goal was to keep the most intensive future developments along the Hwy. 288 and Hwy. 6 corridors. Friendswood ocials said they will look to adopt their plan next summer. Manvel did not provide a timeline, noting it is a draft at this point.

Mayor Cole to run for Brazoria County judge

Comprehensive plan quick look

Friendswood

Land use Hazard mitigation

Infrastructure Downtown

After ve years of serv- ing as Pearland’s mayor, Kevin Cole announced Oct. 9 he will run for Brazoria County judge. The details Cole said in a news

14% of land left to develop $300K potential grant from the General Land Oce 4 meetings for advisory group 10-12 months in total to develop plan

Kevin Cole

release that his campaign would focus on issues of public safety, infrastructure, ood control, property tax relief and smart growth. “Brazoria County must be ready for the growth ahead as projects like Highway 99 expand and the population continues to rise,” Cole said in the release. Currently, Matt Sebesta occupies the position. He announced in September he wouldn’t rerun after his third term ended.

Manvel

Corridor improvements Land usage

Economic development Growth management

10-20 year plan Hwy. 288 and Hwy. 6 as primary corridors 24 square miles of city 9% estimated annual growth in population

SOURCES: CITIES OF FRIENDSWOOD AND MANVELCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Pearland OKs $6M utility plan for Smith Ranch Road An area in Pearland near Smith Ranch Road could soon have sanitary and sewer service, clearing the way for future development. What happened Pearland City Council approved on Oct. 27 will be included in a public improvement district, or PID. A PID is a nancing mechanism to help the city fund improvements in a given area. The cost

288

The Pearland Economic Development Corpo- ration will advance roughly $4.6 million, to be reimbursed by property owners. The developer will contribute $1.5 million.

moving ahead to establish a service and assess- ment plan for 80 acres of land in the city. The area, which lacks access to wastewater infrastructure,

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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD MANVEL EDITION

Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

PISD, AISD improve in state finance rating, FISD sees dip

Alvin, Friendswood and Pearland ISDs all scored an “A” in the state’s annual Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas report. What you need to know The ratings are based on financial data from fis- cal year 2023-24, with Friendswood and Pearland ISDs presenting the reports at their respective October board meetings. The rating is based on several factors, including financial solvency, debt management and effi- ciency in managing funds, among several others. In total, it uses 21 indicators, according to the Texas Education Agency. While PISD and AISD both saw slightly higher scores than last year, FISD dipped from a 92 to a 90, according to the TEA. PISD got a 95 and AISD got a 98. FISD scored an eight out of 10 possible points on its current assets against current liabilities measure—down from 10 out of 10 points last year.

Alvin, Friendswood, Pearland ISD's financial ratings scored out of 10 10

Alvin Friendswood Pearland

6 4 2 0

Number of days of cash on hand

Current assets against current liabilities

General fund revenue against expenditures

Long-term solvency

Future debt against assessed property value

Administrative cost ratio

No 15% decline in students to staff ratio in 3 years

External audit results

NOTE: EACH DISTRICT ALSO RECEIVED A 5/5 FOR POSTING ITS FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS ONLINE. PISD DID NOT RECEIVE FULL CREDIT ON ONE INDICATOR, RESULTING IN A 95 OVERALL. SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

FIRST “ensures financial accountability and transparency across Texas public schools,” accord- ing to a PISD presentation. “We are dedicated to ensuring that every dollar is spent wisely,” PISD Superintendent Larry Berger said in an Oct. 10 news release.

The background FIRST began after the 77th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 218, which required the TEA to form a rating system for school districts’ finances. Districts are also required to prepare a report.

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BY HALEY VELASCO

Alvin ISD reviews design for AHS improvements A new career and technical education building is among some of the additions included in Alvin High School’s renovation and expansion project. The project The renovation and expansion of the school is a part of the district’s $380.1 million bond that addresses AISD’s enrollment growth. The bond passed in November 2024. In its totality, the project will cost nearly $100 million , according to district documents. Other projects within the bond include renova- tions and additions to Manvel High School, along with two new elementary schools, a junior high and a replacement campus. Stay tuned The renovation and expansion of AHS is slated to start construction in May 2028 and complete by

PISD to partner with HCA for program Students at Robert Turner College and Career High School studying health science could have an opportunity for hands-on learning after Pearland ISD’s board of trustees approved a partnership with HCA Houston-Pearland. The board approved the two-year partner- ship at its Oct. 14 meeting. The overview The partnership allows students to com- plete clinical rotations at the HCA facility for the district’s health science course and patient care technician program, according to board agenda documents. The clinical rotations will be supervised and provide a “hands-on experience in a real-world health care environment,” board agenda documents note.

AHS renovations

Additional student capacity for 400-500 students

Expansion of classroom and instructional spaces

Updated CTE building

Repurpose historic auditorium space as the campus front entrance

Enhanced campus security

Removal of older temporary buildings

SOURCE: ALVIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

July 2031, according to bond documents. Prior to that, studies, design and bidding must take place, documents show. Officials hope bidding can take place in the early part of 2028.

Friendswood ISD students improve in early literacy Students at Friendswood ISD have marked improvement in early literacy, according to 2024-25 reports from the district. The context While kindergarten through second grade students are not accelerating upward at the same rate as in 2023-24, over 50% of students scored

Composite benchmark results

Well below benchmark Below benchmark

At benchmark Above benchmark

8% 2024-25

above benchmark in 2024-25, data shows. “[There is] lots of pride in the work that we do,” said Lauren Ambeau, FISD’s deputy super- intendent of teaching and learning. “We’re really most thankful for our students, our teachers, our parents and our community.”

9% 32%

51%

One of the most notable improvements was through the district’s mCLASS assessment tool, which measures phonological awareness skills for kindergarten through second grade.

2023-24

10% 11% 33%

46%

SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD - MANVEL EDITION

Transportation

BY JULIANNA WASHBURN

Ron Papsdorf, H-GAC’s chief transportation officer, discusses priorities in Greater Houston area

Community Impact interviewed Ron Papsdorf, the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s chief trans- portation officer, about the state of transportation in the Greater Houston area. H-GAC is a regional organization through which local governments consider issues and cooperate in solving problems in areas such as transporta- tion. Papsdorf, who stepped into the role of chief transportation officer in June, spoke about the region’s greatest transportation priorities and challenges. What are your responsibilities as the chief transportation officer? I have the honor of working with a group of dedicated professionals in service to the Houston region. With the Transportation Policy Council, we partner with local, regional and state agencies to plan, prioritize and invest in transportation system improvements to improve the lives of the people who live and work here. That means marshaling our resources to achieve the region’s transportation goals: improve safety, keep the system well-maintained, move people and goods efficiently, strengthen economic competitiveness and protect the environment. What are the biggest priorities for transportation and mobility in the Greater Houston area? I view addressing the region’s safety, congestion and air quality issues as paramount. If we can address those core issues, we will have a trans- portation system that contributes to a thriving and livable region. As an example, during the last three months of 2024, we experienced over 47,000

crashes on the region’s transportation system. Not only was each of those crashes probably the worst thing that happened that day to the people involved in them, but those crashes also make it harder for people to get to work on time, slow down the deliv- ery of goods to our stores and put our emergency responders at risk. That adds to our congestion, worsens our air quality and hurts the economy. What are some of the challenges this area has when it comes to transportation and mobility? The Houston region is large, dynamic and growing. Our population tripled over the past 50 years to 7.7 million people, and we expect to grow by another 3 million people over the next 20 years. ... We also have challenges with congestion and our ability to efficiently move freight through the region. In fact, according to a study by the American Transportation Research Institute, the Houston region has eight of the nation’s top 100 truck bottleneck locations and two of the top 10. As a port region, our economy depends on being able to move goods efficiently. Are there any new trends you are seeing in mobility needs across the region? Like most regions around the country, we’re still experiencing changes in travel patterns post- COVID, from some people working from home some of the time. E-commerce and increased home deliveries are influencing transportation needs. Finally, changing technologies like self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence ... will change the way we use and experience the transportation system over time.

COURTESY HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL

What do you want people to know about H-GAC and the role it plays in the region’s transportation and mobility projects? At our core, we are conveners. We bring people together to wrestle through difficult issues and collaborate to make the best possible decisions to address the region’s transportation problems and build a livable future. We support that by collect- ing, analyzing and sharing data and information, and preparing plans and strategies.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

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BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Work to reconstruct Industrial Drive set to begin in Pearland The area the project will take place in is home to several businesses as it stands, with city ocials noting there is more room to grow—both along that stretch and other parts of the corridor.

Work on Pearland’s Industrial Drive is slated to begin Nov. 10, which will include roughly $5.4 mil- lion in work along a stretch of road that contains nearly 20 businesses. What you need to know The project will include reconstructing the road, which totals about 0.5 miles in length, according to city documents. Replacing the asphalt with reinforced concrete, new water lines, re hydrants and other utility work are included in the project. Ocials will also expand the city’s detention pond near Pearland Parkway to accommodate increased runo, documents show. Diving in deeper The project stems from the city’s Hwy. 35 rede- velopment strategy, approved in 2016, in an eort to improve infrastructure and aesthetics in the area to help attract more businesses, background documents on the project state.

To pay for the project, the Pearland Economic Development Corporation will front the funds needed for the work, which the city will reimburse later, ocials said. The contract will go to Houston-based Conrad Construction, with its bid coming in 11% lower than the city engineer’s estimate of $6.1 million. While the contract calls for $5.4 million, once everything is factored in, including construction materials, management and contingency costs, ocials expect the total to come in at around $6 million. Stay tuned The contract calls for the work to take 10 months to complete.

INDUSTRIAL DR.

Space currently occupied by businesses

Projected to be complete in 10 months Roughly 0.5 miles of road

$5.4M in work

18 businesses on stretch

SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD MANVEL EDITION

Transportation

Pearland approves $9.5M to repair Sherwood roads Pearland City Council on Oct. 13 approved a $9.5 million contract to reconstruct the roads within the Sherwood neighborhood on the city’s west side. The gist

Pearland OKs work to improve safety Pearland will install a new traffic signal and add a new lane at the intersection of Dixie Farm and Hastings Friendswood roads—a move aimed at improving safety. What happened Pearland City Council voted unanimously at its Oct. 13 meeting to award a $612,000 contract to Pearland-based Metro City LLC to install a traffic signal and widen the south leg of the intersection from two lanes to three lanes. Between August 2018 and November 2024, 36 crashes were recorded at the inter- section, according to city documents. Looking ahead The contractor has until August 2026 to complete the project.

Sherwood

The project has been one the city has eyed for months, Community Impact previously reported. Documents from the city show many of the roads in the subdivision are rated as being in poor condition. Specifically, many of the roads exhibit major cracking and signs of failure beneath the road, officials said. In addition to street reconstruction, which will include removing and reconstructing the storm sewer system and paving the roads, officials will replace the water lines throughout the neighbor- hood, according to city documents. In total, 1.5 miles of sidewalk and about 1.5 miles of concrete pavement will be rebuilt.

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Stay tuned The project was awarded to Environmental Allies, with the bid coming in roughly 3% under the city engineer’s estimate, documents show. Work is expected to begin in November and take until March 2027 to complete.

BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

Upcoming projects

Ongoing projects

2351

288 1 Blackhawk Boulevard Phase II-C Project: Ocials will reconstruct two parts of the road—from A Edenvale Street to FM 2351, and from B Thursa Lane to FM 528. Work will include replacing the pavement, drainage improvements and pedestrian enhancements. Update: The city expects the design for the project to be 90% completed in November. • Timeline: bidding to happen between February and March • Cost: $8.1 million • Funding source: city’s street maintenance sales tax fund, Harris County 48 2 Sunset Drive traffic signal improvements Project: This project will include improvements of trac signals at four separate intersections along Sunset Drive. Update: The project was approved in September. Ocials expect bidding to take place in 2026. • Timeline: Work could start in early 2027. • Cost: $3.25 million • Funding source: surface transportation block grant from the Houston-Galveston Area Council 521 SHADOW CREEK

W. BROA D W A Street to Geneva Drive, including new pavement, sidewalks, storm sewer upgrades and striping Update: The project is close to completion. Final additions, such as striping and punch list items are expected in the coming weeks. • Timeline: Work began in July 2023 and will wrap by the end of 2025. • Funding source: city’s street maintenance sales tax fund, Harris County MCHARDRD. WALNUTST. Pearland 3 Blackhawk Boulevard Phase II-B Project: Full reconstruction of the road from Edenvale

EDENVALE ST.

MCHARDRD.

GENEVA DR.

THURSA LN.

FRIENDSWOOD DR.

528

518

M AGNOLIA PKWY.

Completed projects

W. SPREADING OAKS DR.

BAILEY A V E .

89 4 Sunset Drive traffic signal cabinets Project: Ocials replaced the trac signal cabinets at three intersections along Sunset Drive near Friendswood High School. Update: The project was completed in July ahead of the new school year. • Timeline: wrapped in July • Cost: $61,800 • Funding source: city’s general fund MCKEEVER RD.

BRIARMEADOW AVE.

W. CASTLEWOOD DR.

2351

Friendswood

FALLING LEAF DR.

MORRIS AVE.

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

Manvel

SHADOW CREEK 11023 Shadow Creek Pkwy (281) 977-1027

PEARLAND 10555 Pearland Pkwy (713) 987-9205

ALMEDA 11130 Gulf Fwy (713) 910-3941

FRIENDSWOOD 3126 FM 528 (281) 648-5473

Development

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

LUXUY LIVING

Manvel to consider deal for new commercial hub

FOR 55+ ACTIVE ADULTS IN HOUSTON, TX

Several council members said they support the project but have concerns with the incentive structure. Council member David Lands said both parties might have to “squeeze the pennies” for a deal. “We want this,” Lands said. “With this thing going to be so tight, personally I think every business in there needs to be a sales tax-producing business.”

Manvel City Council received a presentation in October for a new development off Hwy. 6 that could eventually contain a number of national brands and bring in more than $1 million in tax revenue annually. To make the project happen, BSC Capital Group will cover costs in exchange for sales tax rebates, according to a presentation from BCS.

$2.1M in total annual tax revenue for city, county 15-30 years proposed for potential agreement

$116M in annual retail sales 500+ jobs in Manvel

Project area

Potential retail businesses

Detention area

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Stay tuned

If ultimately approved, tenants could be set to open in the first quarter of 2027, officials said at the meeting. In the meantime, Mayor Dan Davis told Community Impact that nothing will officially happen until council approval.

Officials said an agreement, as well as sale of the land, could come as soon as the end of the year. A planned unit development, annexation of the area into the city, and a path to utilities will all need to be sorted out prior to BCS buying the land.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Development

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Apartments Phase 1 Phase 2 Amenities The Bristol

DUNBAR ESTATES DR.

Dog parks

BRANDYWYNE DR.

SOURCE: BANFIELD PROPERTIES/COMMUNITY IMPACT

A mixed-use, independent senior living community is expected to break ground in Friendswood in the coming months. The gist The Bristol, which Friendswood -based Banfield Properties will build out, is set to total nearly 250 units and include a clubhouse, fountains, walking trails, dog parks and a com- mercial element, Banfield President Brett Banfield said. The first phase will include 119 Apartments to break ground in coming months

units and take 16 months to build out, Banfield said. The second, totaling 128 units, will take 14 months to build out and will start soon after the first phase wraps up. It will be developed across two sections of land along North Friendswood Drive, city documents show. Officials with both the project and the city confirmed the project is being funded privately and will not require any incentives from the city. Stay tuned Banfield said he expects ground to break in late November or early December. “We’re excited to bring this project to Friendswood,” he said. “There’s a very strong demand.”

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Lonza in Pearland plans renovation

Lonza Bioscience in Pearland is prepping for a renovation totaling $950,000, according to project documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. What you need to know Work is anticipated to begin in November and take roughly two months to complete, according to the timeline listed in the filings. In total, the work will include renovating existing lab areas, including adding two personal airlocks and a cleanroom suite,

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD - MANVEL EDITION

From the cover

‘Today’s revenue is tomorrow’s expense’

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The overview

Closings

MCHARD RD.

Amid challenges with inflation, as well as increased rent and labor costs, business and restaurant owners across Pearland and Friendswood say they are struggling. The restaurant industry runs on tight margins, said Mike Shine, the executive director of the Houston chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association. Those margins have gotten tighter in recent years, with the inflection point in a lot of cases being the COVID-19 pandemic. Many restaurants several years ago spent about 30% of their revenue on food. Today, that has upticked to around 33%, Shine said. Other factors playing into that include a tougher labor market, real estate values going up—which in turn drive up rent costs—and people eating out less than they have in previous years, Shine said. Specifically, Shine said Texans ate out an average of more than four times per week pre-pandemic. Today it’s around three. “You live day-to-day,” Shine said. “Today’s revenue is tomorrow’s expense.” Despite this, local chamber officials in Pearland and Friendswood said they are not seeing any signs of a dip in the market. Membership

Pearland

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2 7

518

Friendswood

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288

BAILEY AVE.

Manvel

MCKEEVER RD.

2351

MASTERS ST.

6 1 Friendswood Grocery 2 Fire Stone Pizza Bar 3 Pignoli Bakery 4 Dunn Brothers Coffee 5 German Store

6 2+ businesses in Pearland Town Center 7 4 Amigos Mexican Restaurant, Bar & Catering 8 Hubcap Grill

9 InStyle Boutique 10 Jado’z Grill House 11 Southern Hype Soles 12 Emma’s Mex Grill

THIS MAP IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE OF CLOSURES, NOR DOES IT INCLUDE ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE OPENED IN THE PAST YEAR

However, over the past year, both the Pearland and Friendswood areas have in total logged at least a dozen closings—the bulk of which are restaurants.

renewals are strong and multiple local services remain available to help small businesses, said Jim Johnson, president of the Pearland Chamber of Commerce.

The challenges

Zhou said he’s seen food prices increase month over month, which made it challenging to keep menu prices stable. Around the same time prices increased, he said he started to notice fewer people were eating out, leading the restaurant to offer more promotions such as daily happy hours and lunch specials. More than 90% of U.S. restaurants surveyed said labor costs, food costs, inflation and the economy were “significant challenges” in 2024, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Restaurant Industry 2025 report. Other data from the association, such as its performance index, suggests the industry is con- tracting and has steadily declined in performance since 2022. After a brief uptick in late 2024 and early 2025, the industry’s overall performance is waning again. Despite this, while food costs have continued to go up in the Greater Houston area, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of increase has slowed down since 2023. From August 2021 to August 2025, the consumer

Food costs

Retail rent Rent per month (by square foot)

CPI on food in Houston area

0 250 225 275 300 325 350

$10 $5 $15 $20 $25

$20.43 $20.87 $20.49

+26.8%

$18.95 $19.58

+6.6%

Q3 2021

Q3 2022

Q3 2023

Q3 2024

Q3 2025

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: PARTNERS REAL ESTATE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

have faced is increased taxes as the area around the restaurant continues to develop. Zhou said his taxes doubled three years ago, an increase he attributes to nearby commercial development and rising appraisals.

price index, or CPI, for food costs increased at a faster rate than from August 2015 to August 2020. CPI is calculated by comparing current average prices with a baseline. Another economic pressure Masa Sushi officials

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

What they’re saying

The options

PEDC incentives over time The PEDC offers incentives to businesses based on job creation and capital investment.

To help small businesses in town, the Pearland Economic Development Corporation has a number of programs and resources, PEDC Marketing Director Melissa Cook said. The main one is the Pearland Innovation Hub, which, in addition to events and networking, offers grants and technical assistance. Other resources, such as creating documents related to human resources and learning materials, are available as well. Advisors within the program can also direct business owners to other resources across the Greater Houston area, Cook said. “We have a lot to offer by all means, but we’re not everything,” Cook said. “We can’t be everything, but we can help you know what’s available.” Johnson and Carol Ives Marcantel, president of the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce, said events and networking opportunities are available through each chamber.

“At the end of the day, it depends on the quality of the food. Maybe our prices

$586,526

2018

had to go up a little bit, but we really try to keep them down as much as we could.”

$1,226,230

2019

$918,890

2020

LUIS PERLA, GENERAL MANAGER, MASA SUSHI

$1,562,825

2021

$954,361

2022

$1,113,455

2023

$942,246

2024

“Rising cost in food and labor are continuing to be the key indicator. ... If both of those exceed [a certain

SOURCE: PEARLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

level] as a relationship to sales, you have a problem.” MIKE SHINE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HOUSTON CHAPTER OF TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

However, Shine said it’s common for restaurants not to be members of chambers. Luncheons and events often happen during the day—oftentimes when service is peaking.

Looking ahead

“Business is tough. It’s a tough world, especially right now. … [We offer] a one- stop shop called Pearland Innovation Hub … to be our resource

and avoid significant price increases. For Shine, he said it’s important for patrons to continue to eat out. “Neighborhood restaurants … are the backbone of our society and communities,” he said. “I encourage people to find them, seek them out, give them business and know them. That will encourage them to succeed.”

While struggles will continue to be ongoing for some, a few businesses are looking for creative ways to keep expenses down. Tyler Neubauer, general manager at the barbecue restaurant Big Horn in Manvel, said he’s observed fluctuations in pricing. Still, because the restaurant works with multiple vendors, they’ve been able to maintain margins

for small businesses and entrepreneurs.” MELISSA COOK, MARKETING DIRECTOR, PEARLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD - MANVEL EDITION

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