Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | March 2023

Program participants Missouri City has spent only $66,260 of the $1.5 million allocation—all on beautification projects, Missouri City Director of Communications Andre Humphrey said Feb. 23. Several Missouri City businesses have taken advantage of the city’s facade program, including Italian restaurant Alex’s Kitchen, gelato and ice-cream treatery Carey’s Fro- zen Delights, the McDonalds at 1605 Cartwright Road and Mystros Bar- ber Academy, Rodriguez said. Renovations are ongoing at Missouri City Central Shopping Center at 2303 Texas Parkway. Southbound Ventures is redeveloping the center, which also is set to receive funding from the city’s facade program after renova- tions are complete, said Jared Jack- son, architect for Context3 Design, the company redesigning the center. Jackson said ren- ovations began

commercial development and busi- ness occupancies. Of those applica- tions, 52 were for commercial changes in occupancy and new occupants, and one was for the demolition and recon- struction of a McDonalds at 1605 Cart- wright Road, Gomez said. In addition, 71 of the 110 permits are all located at one location, a new office suite at the intersection of Brightwater Drive and Cartwright Road. The plan Missouri City remains focused on attracting retail and other businesses to both roads, Rodriguez said. “With all the talk of online shopping, what is actually happening is there is a demand for retail space that is not being met due to higher construction costs,” he said. “We have plenty of incentive programs. ... We also have plenty of already built out space; we just need to market it correctly.” The Facade

IN MISSOURI CITY’S HISTORY, THE CORRIDOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE—

at the retail cen- ter in early 2022; upgrades include replacing the roof, installing fire alarms and sprin- kler systems, and renovating suites. “That center was kind of derelict, and several spaces were empty,” he said. Scaffolding cov-

Improvement Incen- tive Program and the Restaurant Incen- tive Program were launched in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The Restaurant Incentive Program offers a temporary incentive for local or national concepts that are projected

AND STILL IS.” JEFFREY BONEY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Sawmill Lake Club 10323 Mount Logan

to be strong enough to draw visitors to the city. The criteria for approval includes a minimum of $20,000 in projected annual sales tax genera- tion, dine-in capacity and no other locations of the business within five miles of its Cartwright location. The Facade Improvement Incentive Program offers businesses the oppor- tunity to receive a partial rebate on the cost of improving their storefront, according to the city’s website. The rebate acts as an incentive to encour- age business owners to reinvest in their property. Meanwhile, the city also invested in median landscaping projects along Cartwright Road between FM 1092 and Texas Parkway as well as along portions of Texas Parkway in 2021 and 2022, Public Works Director Shashi Kumar said via email. Future mobility changes to the cor- ridor include a $5.5 million project to reconstruct the Cartwright Road and enhance drainage from Oyster Creek to FM 1092. The project is set to begin in spring 2024, Kumar said.

ers the center’s exterior with ongoing facade improvements, which Jack- son said will finish in early summer. After the facade work, tenants will receive new signage, and the parking lot will be repaved, he said. Now, the center is about 75% leased, and sev- eral new tenants are set to join the center, Jackson said. Additionally, attorney Ramond Howard was also approved for the improvement program in December for his office that has been located at 1303 Turtle Creek Drive for 30 years. Howard said the program shows Missouri City recognizes “the value of making investments to support the businesses along this corridor.” “We’re very pleased to have been approved for the Facade Improve- ment Program,” he said. “It has always been our goal to offer a first-class business operation to the Missouri City community, and this funding will definitely help our efforts.”

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION • MARCH 2023