Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | December 2024

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Sugar Land Missouri City Edition VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4 DEC. 10, 2024JAN. 14, 2025

Construction continues on homes in Sienna, one of only a handful of developments set to add new homes to the Sugar Land and Missouri City area over the next veto10years . The community sells between 500550 homes yearly.

AUBREY VOGELCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Low inventory pushes home prices higher, creates aordability challenge

stock coming in,” he said. However, PulteGroup’s development in Sugar Land’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and continued growth in Sienna could create some more aord- able single-family homes in the area, Dean said.

Dean, president and CEO of Community Builders Advisory Services, a housing market research rm. “I would expect to continue to see home prices, even in the oldest sections … [of Sugar Land], continue to appreciate very strongly because it’s a highly desirable area and doesn’t have much new

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

As the cities of Sugar Land and Missouri City move toward build-out, the area’s single-family inventory is dwindling, data shows. Low housing inventory pushes single-family housing prices up due to demand, said Lawrence

CONTINUED ON 24

Also in this issue

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Impacts: See what’s planned for Trill Burgers’ new Missouri City eatery (Page 6)

Business: Learn about how Better Bling Studio’s owner gives jewelry new life in Staord (Page 27)

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY THE NUMBERS

TOP 5 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES FBISD Graduates Attend

Texas A&M University

Houston Community College

Wharton County Junior College

University of Texas

University of Houston

31 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS IN SPRING & SUMMER OF 2024

Located Southwest of Houston, Covering 170 SQUARE MILES

MORE THAN 80,000 STUDENTS

One of the most diverse school districts in the nation. Our families speak more than 90 languages and dialects

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FINE ARTS and ATHLETICS PROGRAMS

CAMPUSES 12 High Schools 15 Middle Schools 51 Elementary Schools 5 Specialized Schools

2023-2024 STATE CHAMPIONS

LARGEST EMPLOYER IN FORT BEND COUNTY WITH NEARLY 13,000 EMPLOYEES

DULLES HIGH SCHOOL DECATHLON TEAM wins eighth (8th) state title and advances to nationals where they place third (3rd) in the nation. MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK earns seventh (7th) state track championship title.

COMMONWEALTH ELEMENTARY NAMED #1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN TEXAS

9 ACADEMIES

Digital Media Academy Early College High School Engineering Academy Global Studies Academy International Business & Marketing Academy

Math & Science Academy Medical Science Academy Middle School GT Academy Pathways in Technology/ P-TECH

11,971 2023-2024

15,210 2023-2024 Dual Credit Hours

87 2023-2024 Associate Degrees Earned

AP exams received a score of 3 or higher

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Impacts

2 Rally House The store carries products from teams in the Houston area. • Opened Oct. 26 • 16535 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 830, Sugar Land • www.rallyhouse.com 3 Robert Johnson Training The former USFL running back and current bodybuilding champion opened an appointment-only personal training studio. • Opened Oct. 28 • 5726 New Territory Blvd., Sugar Land • www.robertjohnsontraining.com 4 Shipley Do-nuts The Houston-based franchise offers its signature hexagonal doughnuts, breakfast kolaches, bear claws and coffee beverages. • Opened Oct. 28 • 602 Lake Olympia Parkway, Missouri City • www.shipleydonuts.com 5 Chick-fil-A The national chicken sandwich franchise offers various breakfast and lunch options. • Opened Oct. 31 • 20310 Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road, Missouri City • www.chick-fil-a.com 6 Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar The American-style restaurant has lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus. Items range from small plates to burgers and noodle dishes. • Opened Nov. 6 • 4810 Waterview Meadow Drive, Richmond • www.lazydogrestaurants.com 7 Smoothie King The international smoothie and health lifestyle chain’s menu includes smoothies, smoothie bowls, blended coffee drinks and protein shakes. • Opened Nov. 11 • 13607 University Blvd., Sugar Land • www.smoothieking.com

WATERVIEW MEADOW DR.

99 TOLL

A I R P O R T

LAKE POINTE PKWY.

PROMENADE WAY

Missouri City

N BLVD.

1092

99 TOLL

Sugar Land

COTESWORTH AVE.

COMMONWEALTH BLVD.

K W Y . 4

KITTY HOLLOW PARK

LAKE OLYMPIA PKWY.

2759

MAP NOT TO SCALE

combination plates, small bites and dessert. • Opened Oct. 13 • 15211 Fondren Road, Ste. A100, Missouri City • www.vickysislandhop.com

Now open

1 Vicky’s Island Hop The take-out restaurant’s menu includes popular proteins from Caribbean countries as entrees, sandwiches,

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

8 Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse The restaurant sells New York-style pizzas, wings, calzones, pastas and salads. • Opened Nov. 18 • 7310 Cotesworth Ave., Ste. 500, Sugar Land • www.parryspizza.com LoopDeco The furniture removal company provides furniture removal services to retailers and consumers across the Houston area, with most furniture able to be removed within 24-48 hours. LoopDeco reuses around 85% of the furniture it picks up through resales, donations or recycling. • Launched in August 2024 • www.loopdeco.com

12 Pei Wei The fast-service fusion restaurant will sell a variety of Asian cuisines, including fare from China, Malaysia and Thailand. • Opening in early 2025 • 6245 Hwy. 6, Ste. 200, Missouri City • www.peiwei.com 13 The Peri Peri Factory The restaurant will offer Portuguese and South African flame-grilled chicken served as chicken wraps, chicken bowls and chicken burgers. • Opening in early 2025 • 13582 University Blvd., Ste. 200, Sugar Land • www.theperiperifactory.com 14 The Kebab Shop The San Diego-based Mediterranean restaurant will offer doner kebabs and flatbreads served with signature sauces such as garlic or dill yogurt. • Opening in spring 2025 • 13607 University Blvd., Ste. 100, Sugar Land • www.thekebabshop.com 15 Steam Dumpling The Chinese restaurant will offer steamed and pan-fried dumplings with various fillings, such as pork and cabbage; chicken and corn; shrimp and pork; and vegetable. • Opening in the first quarter of 2025 • 3607 S. Main St., Stafford • https://chowbusmkt.wixsite.com/website-275 Phoenix Rising The new online car club combines a passion for high-end vehicles with a mission to give back to Houston’s veteran community. • Launching in January • www.phoenixrisingmythics.com

Coming soon

17 Trill Burgers The smashburger concept from Houston rapper Bun B and partners will join the shops at Fort Bend Town Center II. Known for its OG Burger— made with two smashed beef patties, Trill Sauce, caramelized onions, pickles and American cheese on a potato bun—its menu also features vegan burgers, beverages and sides of fries. • Opening in 2025 • 20340 Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road, Ste. 120, Missouri City • www.trill-burgers.com department store, features a curated assortment of brands that offer baby gear, furniture and accessories. • 5660 Hwy. 6, Missouri City • www.babiesrus.com 18 Sugar Land Regional Airport Airport renovations at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection building will include layout improvements, with part of the lobby becoming a search room and a restroom being converted to an interview room. Construction was set to begin in October but was delayed due to permitting challenges, city officials said. An updated timeline was not available as of press time. • 12888 S. Hwy. 6, Sugar Land • www.sugarlandtx.gov

Coming soon

9 16 Handles The New York-based frozen yogurt shop will offer 16 rotating yogurt flavors and more than 50 toppings and sauces. Flavors include gluten-, sugar- and dairy-free options. The business’ menu also features other frozen treats, such as cakes, frozen yogurt pints and edible cookie dough. • Opening in January • 3340 FM 1092, Ste. 310, Missouri City • www.16handles.com 10 Prime Deli and Bakery The locally owned business will offer baked goods such as croissants, bagels and sandwiches. The business doesn’t yet have a website. • Opening in February • 11420 Dairy Ashford Road, Ste. 106, Sugar Land 11 ZT Records The Texas-based record store will sell records, CDs, cassette tapes and posters as well as offer record buying and trading services. • Opening early 2025 • 16535 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land • www.ztrecords.com

In the news

16 Babies R Us The shop, which opened in late September in the Kohl’s

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Election

BY AUBREY VOGEL

For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide. Election results breakdown Multiple city and county races were on the Nov. 5 election ballot, including Missouri City City Council races and 14 charter amendments as well as a

$350 million bond for Sugar Land voters. All 14 charter amendments in Missouri City and Sugar Land’s five bond propositions passed. SOURCES: FORT BEND COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Incumbent

Democrat D

Republican R

Winner

Headed to runoff

Missouri City

Sugar Land

Fort Bend County

City Council, District A

63.96% For Proposition A ($144.5M for public safety)

36.04% Against

7.56% Bruce Zaborowski 79.67% Monica Riley 12.77% Steven McKinney

Commissioner, Precinct 3

74.35% For Proposition B ($118M for mobility) 73.74% For Proposition C ($35M for drainage)

58.77% Andy Meyers 41.23% Taral Patel

25.65% Against

City Council, District C 19.07% Mu Liu

26.26% Against

Sheriff

51.51% For Proposition D ($40.5M for municipal facilities) 48.49% Against

49.86% Marshall Slot

34.98% Joanna Ouderkirk 23.23% Shad Bogany 20.14% Shaizad (Sam) Chatriwala 2.57% Feven Gebremariam

50.14% Eric Fagan

64.48% For Proposition E ($12M for animal shelter)

35.52% Against

Election

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Sugar Land enters $4.5M Plug and Play agreement Business owners in the Houston area could receive free business development opportunities in Sugar Land beginning in 2025. What you need to know At a Nov. 5 meeting, the Sugar Land Develop- ment Corp. unanimously approved a $4.5 million three-year founding anchor agreement with Plug and Play, a venture company, to grow business opportunities in the city and across the region. Zooming in Each year, Plug and Play will provide free growth opportunities to two cohorts of startups through events, mentorship and possible invest- ment opportunities, according to agenda docu- ments. The Sugar Land flagship would focus on startups that benefit smart cities, including energy, mobility and health, said Chandler Molpus, Sugar

Rural broadband to see expansions At an Oct. 22 meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners approved a $2.5 million broadband expansion contract with Comcast Cable Communications LLC to bring internet infrastructure to rural areas of the county. The expansion aims to bring major transmission lines to improve the broadband speeds in unserved and underserved areas, including Simonton, Kendleton, Needville, Thompsons and surrounding communities, according to agenda documents. Funding will come from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and Comcast, accord- ing to agenda documents. Going forward Expansions began upon the approval of the partnership Oct. 22 and are expected to wrap up by the end of 2025, officials said.

Plug and Play payment schedule

Payment 1

Payment 2 Payment 3

2025 $1M

$500K

2026

$500K $250K

$500K

2027

$500K $250K

$500K

SOURCE: CITY OF SUGAR LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Land economic development coordinator. Looking ahead

The Sugar Land Development Corp. will provide the $4.5 million investment to help launch this program in the Greater Houston area over three years, Molpus said. The program is expected to launch in late February or early March following securing local employees and office space, he said.

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Education

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

FBISD reduces overdue special education re-evaluations categories that require different types of testing: Review of Existing Evaluation Data and a general re-evaluation, school leadership officials said. Overdue re-evaluations

Fort Bend ISD’s special education department reported an improvement in addressing evalua- tions, an issue that put the district in noncompli- ance for special education services last year. At the Oct. 21 FBISD board of trustees meeting, department officials outlined what steps they’ve taken to address this backlog of evaluations and future plans to remain ahead of the curve in the new year and to continue enhancing services. “One of the things I think we’re really trying to do is begin to operationalize the multiple special education audits we’ve had over the past five or six years and really bring those into practice,” Chief Academic Officer Adam Stephens said. “We’re really excited because we’re going to pivot from being reactive as a special education depart- ment to now being proactive.” The overview The department has made progress on re-evaluations, which are broken into two

When beginning the 2024-25 school year, the department had 2,099 overdue re-evaluations, district data shows. Since then, the overdue re- evaluations have decreased more than 75% to 507. In August, FBISD contracted with additional vendors who specialize in providing evaluators to assist the department in completing the overdue re-evaluations, school leadership officials said. With this change, the department is on track to complete overdue re-evaluations by June 30, said Deena Hill, executive director of student support services. What’s next Trustees said they were pleased to see the department “moving in the right direction,” and looked forward to future updates. Department staff said in addition to staying on

Start of 2024-25 year As of Oct. 21

1,137

962

495

REEDs*

Re-evaluations

*REEDS MEANS REVIEW OF EXISTING EVALUATION DATA SOURCE: FORT BEND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

track with evaluations, they plan to gain feedback through conversations with parents, stakeholders, students and community members. The department also plans to form a Special Education Task Force.

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Transportation

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Officials evaluate future Sienna Parkway improvements for growth

What else

Discussions are also ongoing to determine other ways to improve traffic flow along the corridor, San Miguel said. He said options engineers and stakeholders are considering include: • Expanding Sienna Parkway from four to six lanes between Hwy. 6 and FM 521 • Replacing some intersections with roundabouts to ease traffic flow Expanding Sienna Parkway would be a multi- phase project that would cost roughly $127 million, Shashi Kumar, Missouri City’s director of public works, said in an email. Johnson Development would fund about $47 million, while the remaining $80 million would be handled by the city, county and other funding partners.

With more residential and commercial growth planned for Sienna, local officials said they are making plans to address traffic conditions on Sienna Parkway, the master-planned community’s main corridor. More than 11,000 single-family homes are occupied in Johnson Development’s 10,500-acre Sienna community, which will have more than 15,000 homes by its estimated 2032 build-out, said Alvin San Miguel, senior vice president of Johnson Development. With this future growth planned, officials with Johnson Development, Missouri City, Fort Bend County and local utility districts are discussing several mobility options to prepare for it, San Miguel said. “We believe we need to be working on additional improvements to Sienna Parkway,” he said. “They could take five to six years to complete. We should certainly start on them in 2024-2025 and that way by build-out—close to 2030—all of these improvements are in place to be able to have the capacity for the community.” One project to address mobility includes adding third lanes to six intersections between McKeever Road and Hwy. 6, San Miguel said. Four intersections have been completed, with the most recent wrapping up in mid-October. Design and right-of-way acquisition is nearing completion for the two remaining intersections at Trammel Fresno Road and Hwy. 6 that will cost about $2 million to complete. However, inflation has pushed the project costs higher since their design, so funding for the projects isn’t secured, San Miguel said.

Future intersection projects Completed intersection projects

SIENNA SPRINGS BLVD.

What’s next

The expansion project, located in Missouri City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, is still in the planning phase, so there’s not yet a funding mechanism for the nondeveloper portion of improvements, Kumar said. However, he noted the county is exploring funding options, and officials with local municipal utility districts and levee improvement districts have said they’re able to contribute to the project cost.

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Real estate

Three more homes were sold in Sugar Land- and Missouri City-area ZIP codes in October compared to last October, with 236 homes sold versus 233 last year. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

October 2023

October 2024

+6.67%

-4.76%

-11.43%

+27.27%

77459

77478

77479

77489

77498

77478

77498

77489

99 TOLL

Median home sales price

77479

October

2023

2024

$404,950 $425,000 $548,500 $242,467 $242,467

$433,250 $407,478 $564,638 $265,000 $321,250

77459

77478

77479

Homes sold by price point

77489

October 2024

77498

$850,000+

$650,000-$849,999

Average days on market +66.67%

$450,000-$649,999

+8.82%

-14.89%

+6.25%

+78.13%

119

$250,000-$449,999

<$249,999

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 281-961-2944 ALINAWROGERS@YAHOO.COM

77459

77478

77479

77489

77498

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SUGAR LAND 3335 Hwy 6 S (281) 313-4446

SUGAR CREEK 13827 Southwest Fwy (281) 491-8628

MISSOURI CITY 5418 Hwy 6 (281) 403-0400

SIENNA PLANTATION 9034 Sienna Crossing Dr (281) 778-9959

NEW TERRITORY 5720 New Territory Blvd (281) 491-0811

Health care

BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR

Texas to see lowest number of drug overdoses since 2020

An increase in the distribution of fentanyl-laced substances is among the deadliest drug threats for Texans right now, said Wendell Campbell, a drug intelligence officer with Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, a federal agency focused on reducing drug trafficking. “About 7 out of 10 pills that we seize off the streets and send to the [Drug Enforcement Administration] lab ... are all fake pills,” Campbell said. Over the last year, the U.S. has seen a 15% de- cline in the number of all drug overdose deaths reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. Texas, while improving, only saw a 1.67% decline. Just nine states nationwide saw an increase in the number of overdose deaths in that time. Dr. Allen Dennis, the medical director of Round Rock Surgery Center and a member of the Texas Medical Association, said states such as Florida and Kentucky have seen higher levels of opioid use in the last few decades, which could explain why other states have seen larger declines. Dennis also said manufactured fentanyl is coming into the U.S. from across the Mexico border, so Texas being the largest border state in the nation is an additional factor to consider, he said.

Change in drug overdose deaths, June 2022-May 2023 vs. June 2023-May 2024 Health care experts report the majority of all drug overdose deaths involve the use of opioids.

Less than -20%

-20% to -10%

-9% to 0%

0% to 10%

More than 10%

U.S. overdose deaths

111,422 94,758

2022-23: 2023-24:

-15%

70%+ of all drug overdose deaths involve opioids

5 Texans die every day from fentanyl poisoning

Overdose deaths per 100,000 residents

Texas overdose deaths

5,643 5,549

27.34 18.19

2022-23: 2023-24:

U.S.

-1.67%

Texas

SOURCES: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The background

The approach

This year, Texas is expected to see the lowest number of drug overdose deaths since 2020, according to the CDC. Overdose deaths decreased in Texas from 5,643 between June 2022- May 2023 to 5,549 between June 2023-May 2024—a 1.67% decrease. About 18 in 100,000 people die annually from an overdose in Texas compared to the national average of about 27 per 100,000 people, according to a report from the CDC. The majority of drug overdose deaths can be attributed to illegally manufactured fentanyl being added to other pills, according to the National

Institute on Drug Abuse. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 79 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2014 and 2,306 in 2023. “There’s a huge increase in counterfeit pills. What that means is, if you get a pill off the street, it’s likely to ... have fentanyl as part of the drug,” said Marcia Ory, a professor at Texas A&M University School of Public Health and the co-lead of the TAMU opioid task force. “So, before, [what] people talked about was prescription drugs; ... what’s killing people [now] are counterfeit drugs that are laced with fentanyl.”

In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott launched a $10 million multimedia awareness campaign as a part of his “One Pill Kills” initiative to combat the fentanyl crisis. The initiative through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission educates Texans on how to prevent, recognize and reverse fentanyl poisonings. The campaign also distributed naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug also known as Narcan, to all 254 Texas counties through the Texas Division of Emergency Management. For the upcoming 89th Texas Legislature, Dennis said the Texas Medical Association is asking the state to pass bills that would: • Legalize fentanyl test strips • Mandate the tracking of opioids from manufacturers to patients “There are things we can do to mitigate the issue, but it’s going to take a collaborative effort with everyone concerned,” Ory said.

5,093

Fentanyl poisoning deaths in Texas All drug poisoning deaths Fentanyl-related deaths

0 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000

2,306

2,111

SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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Events

BY ASIA ARMOUR

Movies on the Square: ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Sugar Land Town Square invites visitors to the Square to see a screening of the 1946 Christmas movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” • Dec. 14, 7:30-9:30 p.m. • Free (admission) • 2711 Plaza Drive, Sugar Land • www.sugarlandtownsquare.com Candy Cane Course This Christmas-themed 5K, 12K and kids run will feature T-shirts, free photos and treats at the finish line. • Dec. 15, 9 a.m. • $20-$42 • Brazos River Park, 18427 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land • Facebook: Bigfoot Running Company New Year’s Comedy Jam Comedians including DL Hughley, Cedric The Entertainer and Earthquake will perform at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. • Dec. 28, 8 p.m. • $73-$231

November

Sugar Land Holiday Lights At this 11th annual holiday season celebration, Sugar Land’s Constellation Field is decorated with lights and features food and activities during themed nights such as lights and leashes and teacher appreciation. New in 2024, the field will have an ice skating rink for attendees to skate on for an additional fee. • Through Jan. 5, 6 p.m. • $14-$17 • 1 Stadium Drive, Sugar Land • www.sugarlandholidaylights.com

December

‘Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet’ Attendees will see a classical European ballet performance of “Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet” at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. • Dec. 29, 3 p.m. • $40-$124

Merry Masquerade This Christmas gala will raise funds for the Fort Bend County nonprofit Expose Excellence Youth Program Foundation, which partners with school administrators, nonprofit organizations and community leaders to provide educational resources and programming for kids between the ages of 10-17. • Dec. 14, 6 p.m. • $100 (individual ticket), $500-plus (sponsorships) • 218 Promenade Way, Sugar Land • Facebook: FBC Expose Excellence Youth Program

• 18111 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land • www.smartfinancialcentre.net

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Events

Ice skating guide

Ice Skate Memorial City Open Saturdays and Sundays, the Memorial City shopping center has themed skate nights, such as favorite holiday characters, ugly sweaters and festive hats. Patrons will receive free admission if dressed in theme. • Runs through Dec. 15, 1:45-5 p.m. (Saturdays) and 12:30-5 p.m. (Sundays) • $10 (admission), $5 (skate rentals) • 303 Memorial City Way, Ste. 902, Houston • www.iceskatememorialcity.com

(select dates) • $12 (day time admission), $8 (skate rentals)

Houston

• 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston • www.moodygardens.com

Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex The venue hosts visitors for ice skating and hockey lessons during the winter season, as well as “Nutcracker on Ice” performances on Dec. 13-14. The complex is open for public sessions and private events. • Year-round • $11 (admission), $17 (admission and skate rental) Ice at The Galleria This indoor rink is open year-round in the Houston Galleria’s center food court. It offers skating classes, broomball—a Canadian ice sport played without skates and with a broom—and other events. • Year-round • $27 (admission and skate rentals) • 5015 Westheimer Road, Ste. 1260, Houston • www.iceatthegalleria.com • 8220 Willow Place Drive N., Houston • www.aerodromes.com/public-skating

Sugar Land

Sugar Land Ice and Sports Center This dual rink and event venue is the home rink for the University of Houston’s hockey team. It offers parties, hockey, figure skating lessons and broomball. The venue will also put on “Nutcracker on Ice” performances on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15. • Year-round

Galveston

Ice Land at Moody Gardens As part of Moody Gardens’ annual holiday tradition, the Galveston hotel, spa and convention center features Ice Land, which is a culmination of winter offerings such as ice skating, a festival of lights, an arctic slide, breakfast with Santa and fireside s’mores. • Runs through Jan. 1, 6 p.m. (nightly) and noon-4 p.m.

• $15-$17 (admission and skate rentals) • 16225 Lexington Blvd., Sugar Land • www.sugarlandice.com This list is not comprehensive.

THANKSGIVING WEEK November 23–December 1 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY December 21–December 30 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Christmas Day NEW YEAR’S EVE Tuesday, December 31 10 a.m.–5 p.m. NEW YEAR’S DAY 2025 Wednesday, January 1 12 p.m.–5 p.m.

EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY AT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE AT SUGAR LAND WITH SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS!

Visit hmns.org/sugarland

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BY ASIA ARMOUR

Houston

The Woodlands

Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green The model boat basin of Discovery Green’s Kinder Lake transforms into an ice rink, with borders made of recycled materials and equipment that utilizes renewable energy. It also has figure skater performances, live DJs and inclusive skating nights for people with special needs. • Runs through Feb. 2, hours vary • $18 (admission and skates for 75 minutes)

The Ice Skate Rink at The Woodlands Town Center The Woodlands Township’s 21,000-square-foot Ice Skate Rink features festive lighting, a state-of-the-art sound system, tables for parties and concessions.

• Runs through Jan. 20; Mon.-Thu. 4-8:30 p.m., Fri. 4-11 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Sun. noon-7 p.m. • $15 (admission for ages 6 and up), $7 (admission for ages 5 and under) • 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands • www.thewoodlandsicerink.com

• 1500 McKinney St., Houston • www.discoverygreen.com

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Low inventory pushes home prices higher, creates affordability challenge From the cover

Digging deeper

Two-minute impact

Median home prices in the Missouri City area rose as much as 43.25% between August 2019 and August 2024, while Sugar Land West rose as high as 51.4%, according to Texas Real Estate Research Center data. Meanwhile, Sugar Land South fell below both Houston and Texas at 31.97%. In the third quarter of 2024, the Houston housing market experienced a positive shift in housing affordability for the first time since 2020, rising year over year from 35% of households being able to afford a median-priced home to 38%, according to a news release from the Houston Association of Realtors. Compared to the Houston region, a larger percent- age of households in the Missouri City and Sugar Land area can afford to purchase a median-priced, single-family home, per HAR data.

Research Center at Texas A&M University. This is below the six months of inventory real estate experts consider a balanced market. The lack of available land in the Sugar Land area, which city officials said is around 4%, makes it difficult to bring new housing stock to the area, Dean said. Steven Fernandes, president and broker of Substantia Realty, said he believes the low inventory and land availability in Sugar Land and Missouri City is pushing first-time homebuyers into other areas of Fort Bend County, such as Rosenberg and Richmond.

A June 2023 report from the Chamber of Commerce, a product research company, showed the Houston metro had the most new residential home permits issued in 2023 among the largest metros in the U.S. Despite these 23,062 new home permits issued, the Houston area’s housing inventory is still lower than it was pre-pandemic. The housing inventory, the time it would take to sell all homes on the market, in three Sugar Land and Missouri City submarkets averaged 3.87 months in August—lower than the pre-pandemic average of 4.92 in August 2019, according to data from the Texas Real Estate

Local Sugar Land and Missouri City markets

Missouri City

Sugar Land

August 2019 August 2024 Median home sales price

Sugar Land West Sugar Land South Missouri City

90A

Sugar Land West

$303,000

+51.4%

$458,750

Sugar Land South

$358,500

+31.97%

Months of housing inventory

$473,125

Sugar Land West

Sugar Land South Missouri City

Missouri City

6.6 3.2 5

$215,000

+43.25%

6 4 2 0

$307,995

3.47 3.53 4.6

Texas

$245,000

+38.37%

$339,000

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Houston metro

$249,000

+34.84%

$335,750

SOURCE: TEXAS REAL ESTATE RESEARCH CENTER/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: TEXAS A&M REAL ESTATE RESEARCH CENTER/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Health & Wellness Edition Advertise in the

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BY KELLY SCHAFLER CONTRIBUTIONS BY HANNAH NORTON & AUBREY VOGEL

Looking ahead

Zooming in

Zooming out

Texas could make it easier to build homes in commercial areas and reduce the minimum lot size for single-family residences, said Nicole Nosek, the founder of Texans for Reasonable Solutions, an organization that aims to solve the housing shortage. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Senate, and House Speaker Dade Phelan directed lawmakers to look into potential zoning changes for the 89th Legislature. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has cut its federal funds rate, the amount it charges banks, .75 percentage points since September. Dean said this could encourage more home construction, as builders and developers can finance projects for less. It could also influence lower mortgage rates, which would push more homebuyers into the market. However, homebuilders adding more new inventory is the most significant way to address home affordability, he said.

Texas’ population growth has outpaced home- building since 2020, resulting in a widespread housing shortage, per the State Comptroller’s Office. “So it’s not that people aren’t trying to build [houses],” Will Counihan, who leads the comptrol- ler’s data analysis and transparency department, said at an Aug. 27 event. “[They’re] perhaps not building the right types of houses, specifically housing for low- and middle-income Texans.”

More housing inventory could aid in balancing out housing prices, Dean said. About 4,000 more units are planned to join the 10,500-acre Sienna community by its 2032 build-out, said Alvin San Miguel, senior vice president of Johnson Development. The homes will start in the low $300,000s, with lot sizes beginning at 35 feet. Sienna’s new homes are coming in the southeast area of the master-planned com- munity, with 500-550 home sales yearly, San Miguel said. Meanwhile, PulteGroup will bring 2,650 single-family housing units to the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the city able to annex the property in the future. The first homes in the 960-acre Ryehill will come online in mid-2025, with an average of 400 homes completed each year, said Lindy Oliva, president of PulteGroup’s Houston Division.

Total homes needed to meet demand by metro Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 109,721 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 61,971

San Antonio-New Braunfels 19,303 Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown 34,655

SOURCE: UP FOR GROWTH/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Math Competition Saturday, January 11th 9:00am SST Sugar Land 10007 Clodine Road, Richmond, Texas 77407 5th Grade n h SS Suga a d

Do you have a 5th grader in the Houston area that loves math? Then have them join us for this energetic competition where students match their skills against the best math minds from throughout the city for great prizes including: Meta Quest 3

1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize

Nintendo Switch Apple Watch SE

SSTschools.org

FREE TO REGISTER! SIGNUPBY:

January 6th, 2025

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Business

BY ASIA ARMOUR

Caarena’s appreciation for jewels and gemstones began as a teen.

Better Bling Studio sells men’s and women’s jewelry pieces, including watches.

PHOTOS BY ASIA ARMOURCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Better Bling Studio continues legacy in Staord Britt Caarena, owner of Better Bling jewelry studio in Staord, said she rst fell in love with gems when she was gifted her birthstone, an aqua- marine gem, at Christmas when she was a teen. Her mother took her to the jewelry store to get the jewel set in a ring, she said. This was her rst time designing a piece of jewelry, and it set her on the path to open the store in October 2017. Why it matters The heart behind Better Bling is taking old pieces of jewelry and reimagining them as a means to continue a legacy, Caarena said. statement pieces for her sisters, nieces and cousins, she said. “I can oer these opportunities to people to make something that’s special and unique,” Caarena said. “Let’s gure out what’s the best use for it to make sure it’s not just sitting in the dark somewhere.” What else?

Owner Britt Caarena is a studied gemologist with more than three decades of experience.

90A

Sta at the jewelry studio will also clean jewelry, pierce ears, replace watch batteries, and appraise, redesign, engrave or trade items. Caarena also submits wearable pieces in art shows. “That’s why we [call it] Better Bling,” Caarena said. “Because we want, every time anybody comes in, for them to leave blinging better.”

This year, she revamped her grandmother’s “awkward” coral necklace, taking apart the pieces and adding oxblood coral to make simpler

2813 N. Main St., Staord www.sugarlandjewels.com

Start the New Year by joining Meal Plans | Workouts | Events | Meditations

SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Dining

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

across the Houston metro, as recently reported by Community Impact . CI Foodie

Looking to get out of your neighborhood to try a new dining experience? Check out the following restaurant news from

Houston

Katy

Humble

Afuri Ramen The Houston location is the first restaurant to open in Texas. Located on North Durham Drive, the Heights spot features a full bar and a large open-concept kitchen where guests can watch the noodle and broth-making processes from the comfort of their table. • Opened Nov. 1 • 1215 N. Durham Drive, Ste. B-100, Houston • www.afuriramen.com/houston-tx

Charcoal Eats The North Indian fast-food eatery is known for its authentic biryani, curries, kebabs and other street food, franchise co-owner Neeraj Kumar said. Other menu items include kati wraps and various sides such as naan and salads. • Opened Oct. 23 • 6734 Westheimer Lakes N. Drive, Ste. 112, Katy • www.charcoaleatstx.com

Letty’s Authentic Mexican Cocina Owned by Letty Martinez—who also owns Yummy Tummy Bakery in Humble and New Caney—the new concept serves family recipes and specialty cocktails with menu items including menudo, carne guisada, carpacho salmon and chile en nogada, as well as Tomahawk and ribeye steaks. • Opened Oct. 26

• 1005 First St. E., Humble • www.lettyscocina.com

Pearland

Webster

Spring

Lindo Mar Bar & Grill Lindo Mar Bar & Grill opened Oct. 21 in Pearland, according to a social media post from the business. The restaurant serves seafood, American and Mexican cuisine, according to the business’s social media page. • Opened Oct. 21

Lobster & Beer NASA The California-based counter-service seafood restaurant and bar serves a lobster-centric menu featuring lobster rolls, lobster macaroni and cheese, and craft cocktails. • Opened Oct. 28 • 20801 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 24, Webster • www.ilovelobsterandbeer.com

Nacho Padres Cantina According to an October new release, the Tex- Mex restaurant offers fajitas, craft nachos, flauta towers, cactus tacos and enchiladas. • Opened Oct. 21 • 2121 Rayford Road, Spring • www.nachopadres.com

• 6200 Broadway St., Pearland • Facebook: Lindo Mar Bar & Grill

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