HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – MLB Capital Partners has selected NewQuest Properties to lease the Houston Farmers Market, the redevelopment of a Heights produce outlet that was born on the site 80 years ago.
Recognized regionally as the oldest and largest in its category, Houston Farmers Market has been in continuous operation since 1942, open daily except for Christmas and New Year’s Day.
In May 2017, MLB Capital Partners purchased the 17.67-acre property located at 2520 Airline Drive in the east side of The Heights from The Farmers’ Marketing Association of Houston Inc., which had owned and operated the market since its inception in 1942.
MLB Capital Partners is a Houston-based commercial real estate investment company led by Todd Mason, Jeff Lindenberger and Fred Baca.
Underbelly Burgers by Chris Shepherd, a James Beard award-winning chef
Until now, MLB Capital Partners’ in-house team has led the leasing charge, landing two concepts by Chris Shepherd, a James Beard award-winning chef. His burger shop, Underbelly Burgers, has just opened and Wild Oats will come on line in early February. Opening this spring will be Crawfish & Noodles, a concept of a James Beard semifinalist, Chef Trong Nguyen. The project also is home to RC Ranch Texas Craft Meats and at least 50 produce and specialty vendors.
“Branching Out to Include Austin’s Well-Known Eclectic Eateries”
The Houston Farmers Market has about 46,000 SF of available space in six buildings, a mix of vendors’ stalls, small shops and culinary spaces with grease traps, including a fully built-out, 4,424-SF freestanding restaurant fronting Airline Drive. The search is on for locally driven concepts, not national brands, with the NewQuest team branching out to include Austin’s well-known eclectic eateries.
NewQuest’s John Nguyen, vice president, and Nick Ramsey, senior associate, will lease the 167,000-SF project at 2520 Airline Dr., which now features a one-acre event lawn, updated vendor areas and ready-to-occupy restaurant spaces. Construction is winding down after four years on MLB Capital Partners’ vision to redevelop the Houston landmark into a culturally diverse, multi-faceted culinary destination.
“It’s an honor that NewQuest has been entrusted with this valued assignment,” Nguyen says. “Our strong relationships in the restaurant and food and beverage operators will help us to achieve the ownership’s vision for a world-class destination showcasing the best that Texas has to offer in culinary, agriculture and creative goods.”
Houston Farmers Market is less than five miles north of Houston’s Central Business District and just a few blocks south of North Loop 610.
Jan. 17, 2022 Realty News Report Copyright 2022
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File: Farmers Market Advances Tactics
File: Houston Farmers Market Advances Tactics. NewQuest. MLB Partners. Todd Mason, Jeff Lindenberger, Fred Baca