HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) –The first phase of Lower Heights, a new 24-acre mixed-use district, is nearing completion with a tenant lineup that includes a SheSpace co-working facility for women.
The Lower Heights project, fronting Interstate 10 between Studemont and Sawyer streets, is dressed up with a geometric mural that charms drivers, cyclists and pedestrians along Studemont. Created by Guatemalan-born graffiti artist Gelson Danilo Lemus Lopez, aka w3r3on3 over the course of a month, the expansive piece creates an optical illusion and pays homage to Mid-century geometrics.
Gulf Coast Commercial Group, a Houston-based firm specializing in retail development, management and leasing, developed the project on an assemblage of former industrial sites just west of downtown and abutting the First Ward Arts District.
Especially noteworthy among the tenants is SheSpace, a first to market, multifunction coworking and meeting space featuring a range of amenities and resources for females. SheSpace leased 6,000 SF on the second floor. Bob Cromwell and Spencer Starkey of Moody Rambin represented Gulf Coast Commercial Group, and Brandi McDonald Sikes and Meredith Kelly of Limestone Commercial represented SheSpace.
“We looked at upwards of 25 potential sites around Houston for SheSpace,” said SheSpace founder Stephanie Tsuru. “Besides its cool factor, based on analytics, Lower Heights put us at the epicenter of our target demographic while also providing an unmatched level of convenience factors for clients – from freeway access to the proximity of walkable businesses including grocery, retail and restaurants.”
Anderson Smith and Brett Levinson of Capital Retail Properties are overseeing retail leasing of Lower Heights.
Lower Heights’ initial retail component – 2857 Katy Freeway – is a 37,000-square-foot block that welcomed Total Wine and Ulta openings late last year.
The development’s most recent commercial addition, 1440 Studemont is an approximately 35,000-square-foot, two-story building with street level retail below loft-like offices opening to terraces. Build out is currently underway for its inaugural tenants, both of which are slated to debut early next year.
In early August, Gulf Coast Commercial Group will unveil a landscaped, crushed granite hike and bike trail running along the eastern edge of the property, linking the development via the MKT Trail to Stude Park and its Heights neighborhood namesake directly under I-10. Immediate access is also available to existing hardscape trails that traverse through the First Ward.
According to Jerry Alexander, Gensler Project Manager and Principal, “Our goal in the design of Lower Heights was to purposefully intertwine the curated mix of urban amenities with the quirky charm of the historic Houston Heights. The development delivers that carefully crafted experience through its walkable, pedestrian-friendly design and familiar industrial materiality to create a welcoming, activated space for 24-7 community engagement.”
The Gensler team also provided consulting services to help inform building material choices and configuration of just over 15,000 SF of ground level retail/office within Alexan Lower Heights, the district’s multifamily hub developed by Trammell Crow Residential.
Move-ins are underway at Lower Heights’ five story, 375-unit apartment property.
Future phases of the development call for a movie theater, additional retail, office and multifamily.
A financial institution, Central Bank, will occupy 3,687 SF in the center. Danny Miller represented Gulf Coast Commercial Group, while Joan Collum of Collum Commercial represented Central Bank.
Founded in 1999, Gulf Coast Commercial Group is led by Tom Lile.
July 29, 2020 Realty News Report Copyright 2020
Image: Via Gulf Coast Commercial
File: New Heights Project Pops File (2) New Heights Project Pops with a SheSpace Co-working spot
