BY AUBREY VOGEL
Looking ahead
What they’re saying
Why it matters
As the city reaches build-out, with only 4% of land left undeveloped, city o cials said they have prioritized redevelopment of key sites such as the Imperial Historic District and the former Fluor Corp. campus. City o cials have said the Imperial Historic District is the No. 1 priority as the city works to create mixed-use spaces. However, resident Peter Jacob, principal of real estate development business Rubicon Realty Group, said during the Feb. 18 City Council meet- ing that he didn’t agree with the city purchasing the entire historic district. He instead urged the city to focus on just preserving the Char House, citing struggles of developing mixed-use sites and claiming the property wasn’t a good t for that purpose. “The city should keep in mind it is there to help the development and redevelopment of commer- cial sites and not become the developer,” he said.
Following closing in May, city o cials will begin “mothballing” preservation e orts for the Char House including structurally securing the building, preventing vandalism and providing interior ventilation to control long-term deterioration of an unoccupied building, according to the project website. The city will then begin its search for a private development partner, who will help create the historic district into a mixed-use site, Rodriguez said. City o cials said they aim to begin negotiations on a Master Development Agreement by the end of this year, according to the project website. The process will include community input and site planning. If progress continues as expected, infrastructure work could begin as early as 2027, Rodriguez said.
“Projects of this size and complexity require the right investors, developers and timing. We believe
the time is now.” DEVON RODRIGUEZ, SUGAR LAND DIRECTOR OF REDEVELOPMENT
“We recognize the importance of making investments that honor our past and support our
community’s growth.” JOE ZIMMERMAN, SUGAR LAND MAYOR
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