Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | September 2024

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Sugar Land Missouri City Edition VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 11OCT. 8, 2024

Fort Bend County Sheri’s Oce detention ocer vacancies are at an all-time high as inmate numbers continue to rise.

COURTESY FORT BEND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Local law enforcement agencies combat stang shortages

over eight years,” Missouri City Police Chief Brandon Harris said. “We are constantly competing with surrounding agencies for an ever-shrinking pool of qualied applicants.”

area are facing 30 police ocer vacancies com- bined, as of this summer. Additionally, the county is seeing shortages including 55 detention ocers at the Fort Bend County Jail, according to data from the Fort Bend County Sheri’s Oce. “Our department has not been fully staed in

BY AUBREY VOGEL

As law enforcement vacancies continue nation- wide, local police departments have shifted their focus to ensure they are attracting and retaining candidates, ocials said. City agencies in the Sugar Land and Missouri City

CONTINUED ON 20

Also in this issue

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Election: Sugar Land, Missouri City propositions head to November ballot (Page 9)

Development: Imperial Char House, Lake Pointe Plaza redevelopment projects stall (Page 15)

HOUSTON METHODIST LEADING CARE where you need us

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To find care near you, visit houstonmethodist.org/care-sugarland or call 713.790.3333 .

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

You are Invited to Attend:

FBISD Board of Trustees Listening Tour

Kristin K. Tassin Board President Position 6

Monday, October 7, 2024 Willowridge High School 16301 Chimney Rock, Houston, TX 77053

Rick Garcia Board Vice President Position 3

Roundtable Discussions | 5 p.m. Board Agenda Workshop | 6 p.m.

David Hamilton Secretary Position 7

This event will provide the community with an opportunity to engage with board members and other district leaders. Student entertainment and artwork will be showcased. Light refreshments will be served. Parents, staff, and community members can participate in roundtable discussions with the FBISD Board of Trustees and district leaders. Following the event, attendees are invited to attend the monthly Board Agenda Workshop.

Angie Hanan Position 1

Adam Schoof Position 2

Dr. Shirley Rose-Gilliam Position 4

Sonya Jones Position 5

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

STAY INFORMED www.SugarLandTX.gov/SLBond2024

ELECTION AND VOTER INFO www.SugarLandTX.gov/Elections

ugar Land City Council called a $350 million bond election for Nov. 5 to address public safety, streets, mobility and sidewalks, drainage, municipal facilities, and the planned animal shelter. The election provides voters a choice to consider funding up to $350 million for proposed capital projects over the next five to seven years, which equates to approximately $300 million in project costs in 2024 dollars. If voters approve the projects, the bonds will require a tax rate increase of no more than 5 cents, spread out over the next five to seven years. This will initially cost the average homeowner with a home valued at about $500,000 approximately $5 per month. This cost will increase annually, and by 2030, the monthly cost could rise to about $20 per month. This projection excludes property revaluation.

Proposition B: Streets, Sidewalks & Mobility 34% Proposition A: Public Safety 41% Proposition C: Drainage 10% Proposition E: Animal Shelter 3% Proposition D: Municipal Facilities 12% Bond projects were identified through years of public feedback including the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, sentiment surveys and community meetings - as well as various master plans and City Council input.

Para obtener una copia de esta información en español, visite www.SugarLandTX.gov/SLBond2024

CONTENT PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF SUGAR LAND

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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Saturday, Nov 9 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

SHOP our Crafts Marketplace and support small businesses . Bring your friends! BID on a unique assortment of Silent Auction items. GOBBLE

PLAY ALL DA Y FOR FREE on our Carnival Midway. Kids can win awesome prizes.

great food from Carnival Midway food trucks and The Tea Room. Take home treats from Aunt Hattie’s.

Public Welcome,

3900 Lexington Blvd. Missouri City, TX 77459 Sunday Worship 9:00 & 11:05 am 281-499-3502 | www.fumcmc.org

Free Admission & Parking

SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Impacts

W . B E L L F O R T B

W . A

officials said. It offers dog grooming services from bathing and nail trims to energy cleansing with Reiki, which the owners believe can ease anxiety and pain. • Opened Aug. 16 • 2817 Dulles Ave., Missouri City • www.normapetspaw.club 4 Playbook Sports Bar & Grill Playbook will double as a workspace by day and sports bar by night with a full-bar and food menu, such as chicken wings tossed in one of 15 house flavors. • Opened Aug. 8 • 3434 FM 1092, Ste. 300, Missouri City • www.playbookgrill.com 5 Aki Sushi & Ramen The Japanese eatery’s menu features a variety of sushi, sashimi and hand rolls, Manager Joy Le said. It also includes fried rice, noodle dishes and numerous ramen dishes with beef, seafood, pork or chicken. • Opened Aug. 9 • 16535 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 2510, Sugar Land • www.akisushiramen.kwickmenu.com 6 Pet Wants The nationwide pet health and wellness franchise sells dog and cat food made with natural ingredients. It has over 150 locations across the U.S. • Opened late August • 6146 Hwy. 6 S., Ste. A, Missouri City • www.petwants.com membership-based model, where patients receive personalized, “unrushed” care with an emphasis on building long-term relationships with their providers. • Opened Aug. 12 • 1111 Hwy. 6, Ste. 122, Sugar Land • www.vidafamilymed.com 8 Gyro Republic The Houston-based restaurant offers customizable New York City-style gyros, rice bowls, salads, pita sandwiches and loaded fries. 7 Vida Family Medicine The primary care practice operates on a

LONE STAR DR.

13 5

TOWN CENTER BLVD.

LAKE POINTE PKWY.

Missouri City

NBLVD.

PROMENADE WAY

1092

99 TOLL

Sugar Land

T R

COMMONWEALTH BLVD.

K W Y .

KITTY HOLLOW PARK

2759

SIENNA PKWY.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

SIENNA CROSSING DR.

2 Stemtree The after-school education center provides tutoring in subjects relating to science, technology, engineering and math. It offers personalized curriculum with one-on-one instruction for grades K-12. • Opened July 29 • 4734 LJ Parkway, Ste. 308, Sugar Land • www.stemtree.com/riverstone 3 Norma Pet Spaw The dog grooming business takes a holistic approach to nurture pets’ physical, emotional and spiritual health,

Now open

1 Day 6 Coffee Co. This Black-owned, Christian-inspired coffee shop opened its second location in Sugar Land. The business serves specialty lattes and other caffeinated beverages, as well as pastries, breakfast sandwiches and tacos. • Opened in early June

• 3227 Hwy. 6, Sugar Land • www.daysixcoffee.com

Services: Physical Therapy, Aquatic Therapy, Sports Performance

First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center - Rosenberg 5765 Reading Rd Rosenberg, TX 77471 (346) 375-7202 www.fortbendpt.com

First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center - Sugar Land 20403 University Blvd STE 100 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (346) 375-5633 www.sugarlandpt.com

Sports Therapy Center 2225 Williams Trace Blvd #104 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281) 344-2704 www.sportstherapycenter.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

• Opened Aug. 29 • 20340 Fort Bend Parkway, Ste. 100, Missouri City • www.gyrorepublic.com

Relocations

Now open

14 Pearl Dynasty The Chinese restaurant will relocate from

Coming soon

19828 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land. The eatery serves specials like peking duck and peking-style pork chops. • Relocating in January 2025 • 13521 University Blvd., Sugar Land • www.pearldynasty.com

9 Chick-fil-A The national chicken sandwich franchise will offer various breakfast and lunch options, including sandwiches, salads, and sides. The store will be owned and operated by Tony Levine, Chick-fil-A officials said. • Opening this fall • 20320 Fort Bend Parkway, Missouri City • www.chick-fil-a.com 10 Smoothie King The international smoothie and health lifestyle chain’s menu includes smoothies, smoothie bowls, blended coffee drinks and protein shakes. • Opening late 2024 • 13607 University Blvd., Ste. 200, Sugar Land • www.smoothieking.com 11 EoS Fitness The national gym chain will offer group fitness classes, free weights, cardio with TVs and saunas. • Opening in early 2025 • Hwy. 6 and Fort Bend Parkway, Missouri City • www.eosfitness.com/location/missouri-city-fort- bend-pkwy-hwy-6 12 Sushi Haya The all-you-can-eat restaurant will serve specialty rolls including dragon rolls, rainbow rolls and shaggy dog rolls, along with fried rice, edamame and calamari. • Opening January 2025 • 9320 Hwy. 6, Ste. 400, Missouri City • www.sushihaya.com 13 Uniqlo The Japanese fast-casual clothing retailer will sell T-shirts, trousers, coats and jackets. • Opening Oct. 18 • 16535 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 25, Sugar Land • www.uniqlo.com

In the news

15 Seafood City The grocer selling Filipino food, beauty products and specialty items will add a food service department. Details from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show construction could end in late November. • 15235 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land • www.seafoodcity.com 16 Hotworx Sugar Land The business will host a grand reopening event Sept. 14 for the studio under its new management. The international franchise provides 24-hour access to infrared and heated fitness rooms where members can move through more than 10 workouts. • 350 Promenade Way, Ste. 950, Sugar Land • www.hotworx.net/studio/sugarland-hwy90a 17 Rosati’s Pizza This Chicago-style pizzeria will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Sugar Land location in October. In addition to deep dish pizza, the restaurant serves pastas, wings, salads and calzones. • 18802 University Blvd., Ste. 140, Sugar Land • www.myrosatis.com James Avery Artisan Jewelry The jewelry retailer is celebrating its 70th anniversary. It offers jewelry pieces, as well as engraving, soldering, cleaning and repair services for James Avery jewelry. • Locations vary • www.jamesavery.com

18 La Cocina De TJ Formerly a Stafford taco stand, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its scratch-made menu features birria tacos, birria mac and cheese, a variety of breakfast tacos and other Mexican dinner entrees. • Opened July 20 • 9101 Sienna Crossing Drive, Ste. 800, Missouri City • Instagram: @lacocinadetj

Closings

19 Sweet Boutique Bakery The bakery announced its closing in a July 24 Facebook post, where owners Christine and Martin Nguyen cited multiple challenges including the slow economy, rising cost of ingredients and rents, as well as Hurricane Beryl. • Closed Aug. 3 • 2270 Lone Star Drive, Sugar Land • www.tsbcakes.com

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Government

BY AUBREY VOGEL

The creation of a hospital district to address health care gaps and mental health in Fort Bend County was set to be voted on at an Aug. 13 Com- missioners Court meeting but wasn’t on the agenda. Instead of placing the proposed county hospital district on the Nov. 5 ballot, the county is pursuing a more in-depth analysis of the program, said Tami Frazier, Fort Bend County communications director. “We believe that this is an important initiative to ensure that Fort Bend County residents have access to quality and affordable health care,” Frazier said in an emailed statement. “It is also our desire that the costs and benefits of any Fort Bend County program are assessed and communicated effectively to the public.” In case you missed it Fort Bend County Health & Human Services proposed adding the creation of a hospital district County hospital district proposition delayed

Sugar Land creates music advisory board At an Aug. 20 meeting, Sugar Land approved the second reading of an ordi- nance to create a music advisory board to further promote the city’s music industry. The board is part of a larger initiative to join the Texas Music Office’s Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Program, which aims to support the commercial music ecosystem across the state by providing a network of like-minded communities. What else? City Council also approved the four board members and city representative. City staff will finish its application to the Texas Music Office and plans to celebrate its certification as a music-friendly city on Oct. 26 at its rescheduled Summer of Sound concert, said Sha Davis, Sugar Land Civic Arts manager.

Proposed district functions

The proposed hospital district would be funded annually by taxpayers with a focus on providing primary care and mental health services for the uninsured. The district aimed to:

$6.8M

Expand the eligibility of the County Indigent Health Care program Create a county health care access card program Develop the Family Medicine Residency Program Develop mental health partnership outreach services Create a mental health drop-off center

$1M

$2M

$710K $2.9M

SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT

to Nov. 5 election ballots at an Aug. 1 special Commissioners Court meeting. The $12.5 million annual cost would be covered by taxpayers with a tax rate of $0.0106 per $100 property valuation, county officials said. The district would help address health care gaps and mental health issues.

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Saturday, September 14 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Drop in anytime)

Missouri City Landmark Community Center 100 Louisiana St., Missouri City, TX 77489

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Sugar Land and Missouri City residents can vote on propositions in the Nov. 5 election. Sugar Land residents will vote on the city’s $350 million bond benefitting public safety; streets, sidewalks and mobility; municipal projects; drainage; and the animal shelter. If approved, the projects will be funded by a potential tax increase of no more than $0.05 per $100 property valuation, which is an estimated cost to the average resident of less than $5 per month in 2025 and approximately $20 per month by 2030, Deputy City Manager Jennifer May said. The proposed capital projects would be funded over the next five to seven years. The bond will account for $300 million worth of projects with an additional $50 million calculated for inflation, May said. City propositions on Nov. 5 ballots

Breaking it down

• Shad Bogany • Shaizad “Sam” Chatriwala • Feven Gebremariam • Mu Liu • Joanna Ouderkirk District C council member Anthony Maroulis didn’t file for re-election. Incumbents Jeffrey Boney and Floyd Emery were also up for re-election but did not receive challengers for districts B and D, respectively.

Meanwhile, Missouri City residents will weigh in on 14 proposed charter amendment changes, which primarily focus on procedural changes for City Council and the city manager. Some City Council-related changes include compensation changes, member appointments and council meeting requirements, City Attorney E. Joyce Iyamu said. Meanwhile, one amend- ment also proposes allowing the city manager to appoint, suspend and remove directors after discussion with City Council. The charter amendments will be posed in a question format on the ballot requiring voters to answer with a yes or no to each proposed change. Missouri City residents will also see two contested council seat races for districts A and C. According to the city’s website, District A contestants include incumbent Monica Riley with two challengers Steven McKinney and Bruce Zaborowski, while District C has five contestants including:

Visit communityimpact.com for more detailed descriptions of Missouri City’s 14 proposed charter amendments.

Sugar Land proposed bond for November 2024

Proposition A Public safety: $144.5M Proposition B Streets, sidewalks and mobility: $118M

Looking ahead

Total $350M

Important election dates to know Voter registration deadline Oct. 7

Ahead of Sugar Land’s bond election, city staff will continue public education through the city’s website as well as update its educational and engagement calendar with events. When heading to vote, registered voters should bring proper identification options, including a Texas driver’s license, personal ID card, handgun license, military ID card or U.S. passport.

Deadline to apply for ballot by mail

Oct. 25

Proposition C Drainage: $35M

Oct. 21-Nov. 1

Early voting

Proposition D Municipal projects: $40.5M

Nov. 5

Election Day

Proposition E Animal shelter: $12M

SOURCE: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: CITY OF SUGAR LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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Education

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Fort Bend ISD approves book review revisions At the Aug. 26 meeting, Fort Bend ISD trustees approved policy revisions that allow the superin- tendent more authority over book selections. Under the district’s previous policy, community members had to file a formal challenge requesting instructional materials be reconsidered. The reconsideration committee would read and review the book before the committee makes a determi- nation, trustee David Hamilton, chair of the policy committee, said at FBISD’s Aug. 12 workshop board meeting. With the revised policy, Superintendent Marc Smith or someone designated by Smith will deter- mine if a book violates law and should be removed from the district. What they’re saying The policy passed with a 5-2 vote, with trustees Angie Hanan and Shirley Rose-Gilliam voting

FBISD bond shortfall rises to $70.4M Fort Bend ISD is $70.4 million short on funds needed to complete projects outlined in its $1.26 billion May 2023 bond program, staff said at the Aug. 12 workshop meeting. The roughly $14 million increase from the $56.8 million shortfall reported in July is due to nine extra project cost estimates coming in, Chief Financial Officer Bryan Guinn said. Director of Design and Construction Daniel Bankhead said he anticipates the shortfall will fluctuate as the remaining 33% of project estimates are finalized. Next steps Cost estimates on the projects could continue coming in through the second quarter of 2025, Bankhead said.

Policy change The new policy will:

• Allow Fort Bend ISD’s superintendent to choose books to review without a formal challenge • Allow the superintendent to convene an internal committee to make a decision • Dissolve the reconsideration committee

SOURCE: FORT BEND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

against, citing concerns trustees would ask Smith to remove books and lack of “guardrails” in the policy. However, board President Kristin Tassin and oth- ers said they trusted district librarians and Smith to make decisions on what books should be allowed. What else When making book decisions, Smith said he will lean on the expertise of librarians and collect feedback from others through the process. “I have full faith and confidence in [librarians] and their ability to be able to provide our students what they need and to protect our students from what they don’t need,” he said.

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

ADVERTORIAL

WCJC PROMOTES ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SERVICE AREA The Economic Value of Wharton County Junior College

In all, the college’s total economic impact (for FY 2022-23) was $122.4 million. That total is comprised of $39.5 million from operations spending, $18.2 million from student spending and $64.7 million in alumni impact. WCJC Board of Trustees Chair J. Paul Pope said the report confirms that the college’s benefit to the community is extensive and noteworthy.

Wharton County Junior College’s impact extends far beyond the halls of education. A recent study determined that the college promotes significant economic growth in its entire service area. According to the report, WCJC’s total economic impact for fiscal year 2022-23 was more than $122 million.

the associate degree over a high school diploma will amount to an undiscounted value of $352,800 in higher earnings per graduate. The students’ benefit-cost ratio is 5.2. In other words, for every dollar students invest in WCJC in the form of out- of-pocket expenses and forgone time and money, they will receive a cumulative value of $5.20 in higher future earnings. For taxpayers – WCJC generates more in tax revenue than it receives. These benefits to taxpayers consist primarily of taxes that the state and local government will collect from the added revenue created in the state. As WCJC students will earn more, they will make higher tax payments throughout their working lives. Students’ employers will also make higher tax payments as they increase their output and purchases of goods and services. By the end of the FY 2022-23 students’ working lives, the state and local government will have collected a present value of $73.5 million in added taxes. Total taxpayer benefits amount to $80.2 million. Taxpayer costs are $19.9 million, equal to the amount of state and local government funding WCJC received in FY 2022-23. These benefits and costs yield a benefit- cost ratio of 4.0. This means that for every dollar of public money invested in WCJC in FY 2022-23, taxpayers will receive a cumulative present value of $4 over the course of the students’ working lives. For society – The social benefits of WCJC equal a present value of $1.2 billion. These benefits include $735.4 million in added student income, $369.5 million OR $39.5 million Added income Operations spending impact Impact of annual payroll and other spending Enough to buy 838 new cars OR 629 Jobs supported $64.7 million Added income An economic boost similar to hosting the World Series 10x Alumni impact Impact of the increased earnings of WCJC alumni and the businesses they work for 871 Jobs supported The average associate degree graduate from WCJC will see an increase in earnings of $8,400 each year compared to someone with a high school diploma working in Texas. < High school High school Certificate Associate Bachelor's Taxpayers gain $4.00 in added tax revenue and public sector savings Students gain $5.20 in lifetime earnings * = family of four = 50 jobs 546 Employees 411 Non-credit students

About WCJC 7,471 Credit students

The W C

Economic impact analysis

“It is clear that the positive impacts of Wharton County Junior College are far-reaching

ann $12 Added inc

“We all know the college provides many benefits, but this report calculates the actual payoff for taxpayers, the community, and for students. The total payoff is

The economic impact study was compiled earlier this year by Lightcast, a labor market analytics firm. One of the key takeaways of the 95-page report is that WCJC promotes economic growth in its service area through direct expenditures and the resulting expenditures of students and regional businesses. WCJC’s service area includes Wharton, Matagorda, and Colorado counties, as well as parts of Fort Bend, Jackson, and Austin counties. The report notes that, as an employer, WCJC contributes to economic growth through buying goods and services for its day-to-day operations. The college’s activities also attract students from outside the service area whose expenditures benefit regional vendors. In addition, WCJC enhances productivity in the regional workforce by providing trained workers to the area’s industries. and significant. In addition to offering a high quality, affordable education, the college provides a substantial economic impact that benefits the entire service area.” – WCJC PRESIDENT BETTY MCCROHAN

+ 3 2 1 5 U

Enough to bu families* a yea of groceries $18.2 Added incom Student s Impact of the students attra

The report also determined that WCJC is a good investment for its three major stakeholder groups: students, taxpayers and society in general. assessed at over $122 million. I am particularly pleased to see the fivefold return on student investment – at a time when some educational programs are not even breaking even.” – WCJC BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR J. PAUL POPE

Investment analysis

For every $1…

$25,100

$32,3 $

For students – WCJC served 7,882 students in FY 2022-23. The total

Sources: Lightcast Economic Impact Study; http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-world-series-host-cities-economy-20151103-story.html/; https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38748092/new-car-average-sale-prices-47100/; https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodAug2022LowModLib.pdf

investment made by students amounted to $38.5 million. In return for their investment, WCJC’s students will receive a stream of higher future earnings that will continue to grow throughout their working lives. For example, the average WCJC associate degree graduate from FY 2022-23 will see annual earnings that are $8,400 higher than a person with a high school diploma or equivalent working in Texas. Over a working lifetime, the benefits of

Paid for b

in added business income, $31.7 million in added income from college activities, as well as $19.2 million in social savings related to health, the justice system, and income assistance in Texas. People in Texas invested a present value total of $77.9 million in WCJC in FY 2022-23. The cost includes all the college and student costs. The benefit-cost ratio for society is 14.8, equal to the $1.2 billion in benefits divided by the $77.9 million in costs. In other words, for every dollar invested in WCJC, people in Texas will receive a cumulative value of $14.80 in benefits. The benefits of this investment will occur for as long as WCJC’s FY 2022-23 students remain employed in the state workforce. The study concluded that WCJC creates value from multiple perspectives. The college benefits regional businesses by increasing consumer spending in the region and supplying a steady flow of qualified, trained workers to the workforce. WCJC further enriches the lives of students by raising their lifetime earnings and helping them achieve their individual potential. The college benefits state and local taxpayers through increased tax receipts and a reduced demand for government-supported social services. Finally, WCJC benefits society as a whole in Texas by creating a more prosperous economy and generating a variety of savings through the improved lifestyles of students. To review the entire report, visit the college’s website at wcjc.edu , click on “About” at the top of the homepage, and then click on WCJC Economic Impact Study from the menu on the left.

Reflects FY 2022-23 MARCH 2024

MARCH 2O24 eflects FY 2022-23

Wharton County Junior College Service Area

CJC total nual impact 22.4 million come

1,825 Jobs supported

+ 3 2 1 5 U

spending impact e daily spending of WCJC acted to or retained in the region

uy 1,469 ar’s worth million me

325 Jobs supported

Investment analysis

Society gains $14.80 in added state revenue and social savings

300 $35,700

$40,700

$58,800

Sources: Lightcast Economic Impact Study; http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-world-series-host-cities-economy-20151103-story.html/; https:// www.caranddriver.com/news/a38748092/new-car-average-sale-prices-47100/; https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodAug2022LowModLib.pdf

WCJC’s service area is larger than its tax base

WCJC Service Area WCJC Tax District Includes Wharton County and Needville ISD

WHARTON | SUGAR LAND | RICHMOND | BAY CITY

by WCJC

Development

BY CARSON WEAVER

The Grid in Stafford in final phases

RT BLVD.

The Grid, a 192-acre mixed-use development in Stafford, could be built out by 2026, said Adam Schiller, co-founder of Edge Realty, the developer of The Grid. The development has about 24 acres left to fill out, and Edge Realty will be adding concepts that offer food and beverage for the remaining space, Schiller said. Construction on The Grid began in fall 2018, according to its Facebook page. The details The Grid plans to repurpose the former Texas Instruments campus, which was built in the mid-1970s and closed in 2012, Schiller said. Schiller said his company has “hundreds of plans” for the Texas Instruments office building but the development group has yet to decide how to repurpose the space. “Some [plans] are tearing it down, some are using pieces,” Schiller said. “The majority of that

building was where they did silicon chip manufac- turing. ... It wasn’t really kind of built out for, let’s say, moving some office people in.” A closer look Schiller said Fort Bend County is “incredibly dense,” leading to high traffic counts along roads passing by The Grid. An estimated 328,000 cars drive past The Grid daily on Hwy. 59, West Airport Boulevard, Kirkwood Road and Murphy Road, according to an East Fort Bend Development Authority presentation to Fort Bend County commissioners March 12. “If you’re going to the [Texas] Medical Center, Astros game, museum district, ... you’re basi- cally going to pass the site one way or another,” Schiller said. What’s next Schiller said 2026 is the target date for The Grid’s completion, and could be completed sooner if

New businesses in The Grid 1 Lenox at the Grid 2 Snooze, an A.M. Eatery 3 Target

Opened in 2024 Coming soon

4 Portillo's 5 Hopdoddy 6 Cava

SOURCES: EDGE REALTY, MRIAPARTMENTDATA, SNOOZE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

there aren’t any delays. “We’ve been talking to everyone that you can imagine, that you know about and that you don’t know about,” Schiller said. “We really want the right use and users that will finish this off and make it a continuing, healthy, growing community.”

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Imperial Char House, Lake Pointe Plaza redevelopments stall in Sugar Land

Redevelopment priorities

Adolph said. In an emailed statement, a Puma spokesperson said the company remains committed to developing the Imperial Sugar site. “While developing anything in today’s financial environment remains difficult, we have a plan and are resolute in our efforts,” the spokesperson said. What else Meanwhile, Sugar Land-based Planned Commu- nity Developers announced plans last September to redevelop the Fluor Corp. campus under the project name Lake Pointe Plaza. “It’s good real estate, it’s good for the community and I think we can do a good job with basically tear- ing the buildings down and rebuilding something that’s even better than it was before,” PCD CEO and President Don Janssen said. PCD officials initially said construction on the property could start this year, but the timeline has been delayed while PCD officials work to get the property back under contract, Janssen said. Janssen said PCD “ran out of time” to complete the feasibility period of the contract with land- owner Maxxam Inc. “I did everything I could do to be ready, but then when really the seller ran out of time and I ran out of time with the current lender, then we went out of contract,” he said. However, Janssen said it’s a high-priority project for both the company and the city, and PCD has started the process to get back under contract. “So we’re going to keep working; we’re very optimistic we can get this done,” he said.

Plans to redevelop the Imperial Char House and Lake Pointe Plaza into mixed-use hubs have stalled, reportedly due to the two developers facing financial and market challenges, per the city of Sugar Land’s website. The Imperial Char House is the former building for Imperial Sugar Co., while Lake Pointe Plaza is the former headquarters for construction com- pany Fluor Corp., which relocated to the Energy Corridor this summer. The developers of the respective projects are no longer under contract for the two properties as of this summer; however, both developers told Community Impact they plan to get their proper- ties back under contract and continue the projects. “The redevelopment of both the Imperial Historic District and Lake Pointe are long-term projects that will take years to come to fruition,” Sugar Land Communications Director Doug Adolph said. “The city remains committed to supporting these proj- ects and are actively working on them regardless of their current development status.” The backstory Despite several failed starts over more than a decade, the Imperial Char House project made progress last year after Houston-based entre- preneurial firm Puma Development announced intentions in December 2022 to spend about $1 billion to turn the historic space and the surrounding area into a mixed-use project. SLP-90A LTD, an affiliate of air conditioning contractor Hunton Group, is the property owner of about 27 acres, including the historic char house,

LAKE POINTE PKWY.

1 Imperial Char House Landowner: SLP-90A LTD, an affiliate of Hunton Group Former developer under contract: Puma Development Project details:

Preserving the char house

Adding surrounding retail, entertainment, multifamily and single-family housing, and office spaces

2 Lake Pointe Plaza Landowner: Maxxam Inc. Former developer under contract: Planned Community Developers Project details:

Providing residential options such as condos and apartments Adding retail, restaurants, office spaces, a hotel and conference center, and entertainment venues

SOURCES: PLANNED COMMUNITY DEVELOPERS, CITY OF SUGAR LAND, PUMA DEVELOPMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Transportation

Real estate

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Residential market data

Sugar Land to pilot microtransit service on-demand electric vehicles, including at least one that is wheelchair accessible, Beaman said. Riders age 13 and older will be able to request services via an app or phone call within the microtransit service area, and a vehicle will arrive within 8-12 minutes.

Number of homes sold

July 2023

July 2024

-23.36%

-17.39%

-23.46%

-7.41%

+17.86%

B L

The city of Sugar Land will add another way for residents to travel throughout the city this year. At an Aug. 6 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved accepting a nearly $1.2 million Houston-Galveston Area Council grant to launch the Gulf Coast region’s rst microtransit pilot program. The limited-area service will provide residents aordable, on-demand access to a rideshare program, said Melanie Beaman, Sugar Land transportation and mobility manager. The program aims to expand upon the Fort Bend Transit Program, which doesn’t oer many day-of trips and has limited availability, she said. “People want to get where they need to go when they need to get there, and they don’t want to maybe schedule ahead of time,” Beaman said. “They may not realize they need to go to the grocery store until the day of.” The details The program will initially launch with seven

Fewer homes were sold in Sugar Land- and Missouri City-area ZIP codes in July compared to last July, with 244 homes sold versus 296 last year.

Proposed service area

Services will run Mondays through Saturdays from approximately 6 a.m.-9 p.m., but Saturday hours may be extended in the evenings, Beaman said. Each ride will cost approximately $2 per trip. The cost The program will be funded by the HGAC’s Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Commuter and Transit Services Pilot Program grant as well as a $298,544 local match, which will come from Fort Bend County’s 2023 voter-approved mobility bond, according to City Council agenda documents. Looking ahead City sta plan to launch the microtransit pilot

77459

77478

77479

77489

77498

77478

77498

77489

Median home sales price

99 TOLL

July

2023

2024

77479

$433,970 $433,000 $525,000 $245,000 $319,725

$455,000 $435,000 $504,200 $265,500 $299,500

77459

SOURCE: CITY OF SUGAR LANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

77459

77478

program this fall, Beaman said. Beyond the three-year pilot, city sta would like to expand the service areas to serve the entire city, she said.

77479

77489

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 2819612944 ALINAWROGERSYAHOO.COM

77498

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Environment

BY MELISSA ENAJE

Hurricane Beryl’s impact left around half a million CenterPoint customers without power for at least five days after the hurricane landed on July 8. Eight Harris County fatalities were attributed to heat exposure due to power outages, according to July 24 data from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. From July until December, investigations and formal hearings are ongoing into CenterPoint Energy and other Greater Houston-area utility providers’ emergency response and preparedness efforts for the storm. Meanwhile, a new 13-member Texas Senate Special Committee was formed July 17 and tasked with studying power companies’ hurricane and storm preparedness. The committee first met July 29, asking why more than 2 million Houston-area residents lost power and why it took weeks to restore it. The hearing was held as Texas policymakers continued investigations into how various utility companies performed not only in the wake of Beryl, but also the derecho wind storm that hit Houston in May, knocking out power for nearly 1 million CenterPoint customers. While appearing in front of Texas public utility commissioners on July 25, CenterPoint Energy executives laid out a three-phase resiliency plan with details and deadlines as early as Aug. 1. CenterPoint’s plan focuses on three priorities: • Customer communications • Resiliency investments • Strengthened partnerships CenterPoint releases resiliency plan after Beryl

The action taken

In what may be the first staff action related to Beryl, Lynnae Wilson, CenterPoint’s senior vice president of electric business, is no longer with the company as of July 29, according to an email from CenterPoint media officials. In a July 28 publicly advertised letter, CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells apologized for falling short of customer expectations during times of emergency. Wells also outlined immediate actions to improve not only future response and restoration efforts, but also customer and public-facing communications. CenterPoint Energy’s resiliency plan includes prioritizing power restoration and temporary generator deployment for critical facilities. The top five general priority levels for mobile generator deployment include: • Hospitals • Emergency services & Houston airports • Cooling centers • Senior/assisted living facilities • Small emergency rooms CenterPoint Energy's 3-phase timeline to implement resiliency improvements*

Completed

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Immediately

By Aug. 15

By Dec. 31

Prioritize restoration and temporary generation deployment for critical facilities, including critical care facilities, water utilities

Harden nearly 350 distribution line miles to the latest extreme wind standard; CenterPoint is replacing wooden towers with steel and concrete towers

Complete all aerial imagery and visual inspections on all over- head distribution circuits affected by Beryl to identify equipment or vegetation-related issues that could impact future outages Informed by the Texas gov- ernor’s office, CenterPoint will execute identified repairs based on risk Increase call center capacity by 165% for storm events with a standard average answer speed of 5 minutes or less

Launch initial public communi- cations earlier in the storm cycle

Hire two new senior leaders: one for emergency preparedness and response and one for communications

By Aug. 1

By Aug. 31

By June 1, 2025

Launch a new cloud-based

Leverage AI and implement changes to accelerate dispatch of vegetation crews to immediately address higher-risk vegetation issues through Dec. 31 Remove 100% of vegetation from the 2,000 incremental distribution lines considered to be at a higher-risk due to vegetation Deploy 300 automated devic- es to reduce sustained interrup- tions and reduce restoration time By Sept. 30 Select sites for up to 10 donated backup generator facilities

Install donated backup generator facilities

storm outage tracker

Increase mobile generators

from four to 13 units

Adopt a daily press briefing policy before and during a named storm, and daily restoration updates, during the press briefing

By Aug. 9

Coordinate more closely with local, county and state officials as well as emergency management personnel to align response efforts

*LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES: CENTERPOINT ENERGY, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SMART GRID CENTER/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

Number of customers without power 2.5M CenterPoint Energy Hurricane Beryl outages

What to expect

Impact , CenterPoint did not provide information on how much the new plan will cost the company and its customers. The state could take action on energy legislation next legislative session as Senate committee members on July 29 looked into what new regulations or legislation they can enact to keep similar circumstances from happening again. While no further Senate committee meetings on hurricane preparedness are scheduled for this year, the PUC’s final investigation report will be delivered to the governor and Legislature for review by Dec. 1.

CenterPoint originally filed a $2.2 billion-$2.7 billion resiliency plan with the PUC for its long- term sustainability efforts on April 29, prior to the derecho and Beryl outages. Internal July 24 communication between Wells and Gov. Greg Abbott indicated Wells enacted stricter deadlines to CenterPoint’s original resiliency plan, which required refiling with the PUC in order to meet the new strategies, Wells said. By Aug. 1, the company withdrew its PUC filing and announced it needs to complete a broader assessment of additional resiliency opportunities. In an email with Community

2.2M

2M 1.5M 1M 500K 0

4,713

Hurricane Beryl lands

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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