BCS Coming & Going: Retail, Restaurants, Businesses, etc (2023)

727,219 Views | 2804 Replies | Last: 11 mo ago by Tailgate88
Captn_Ag05
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Medical Examiner Facility potentially breaking ground next summer, construction consultant approved

https://www.kbtx.com/2023/09/12/medical-examiner-facility-potentially-breaking-ground-next-summer-construction-consultant-approved

Quote:

"ARPA requirements stipulate that we have to have all money encumbered or we have to have it promised contractually by the end of 2024. And then we have to have everything spent, all the money, prior to the end of 2026. And so we're still in good time to do that. Their estimated schedule has this complete and prior to the end of 2025 or approximately there," Brazos County Purchasing Agent, Charles Wendt, said.

With construction expected to begin in Summer 2024, the project could potentially be completed by October 2025 according to plans. Wendt says this timeline is not set in stone, but the excitement for each step of the project continues.

County officials, architects and the construction services team will be working to design and plan for the next phase until then. The facility will be located on an 11-acre property located in St. Joseph Professional Park in Bryan, just north of Briarcrest Drive on East 29th Street.
Captn_Ag05
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Anyone review the Wellborn Plan the city of CS put out earlier this week?

https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_12410832/File/Departments/PDS/PLAN/Small%20Area%20Plans/Wellborn-District-Plan.pdf

Quote:

Proposed changes over the next decade include more sidewalks and shared-use paths for pedestrians, a focus on community development along Live Oak Street, and landscaping improvements to Wellborn Road. The report also acknowledges the desires of residents to preserve Wellborn's rural, natural, and historical features while also opposing TxDOT's plan to widen Wellborn Road.

One of the more significant changes that could come to fruition over the coming decade is the development of Live Oak Street as a main street for the community and extending it to connect to McCullough Road. According to the plan, there is a focus on creating a more pedestrian-friendly, village-type environment with small-scale businesses located along Live Oak Street. "Of note was the desire to have existing and new businesses still generally front toward FM 2154 (Wellborn Road) and the railroad, but to incorporate side streets, front, and rear building access, and to avoid having continuous backs of buildings along the primary thoroughfare of the community."
https://www.kbtx.com/2023/09/13/city-college-station-shares-10-year-wellborn-district-plan/
MyNameIsJeff
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Captn_Ag05 said:

Anyone review the Wellborn Plan the city of CS put out earlier this week?

https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_12410832/File/Departments/PDS/PLAN/Small%20Area%20Plans/Wellborn-District-Plan.pdf

Quote:

Proposed changes over the next decade include more sidewalks and shared-use paths for pedestrians, a focus on community development along Live Oak Street, and landscaping improvements to Wellborn Road. The report also acknowledges the desires of residents to preserve Wellborn's rural, natural, and historical features while also opposing TxDOT's plan to widen Wellborn Road.

One of the more significant changes that could come to fruition over the coming decade is the development of Live Oak Street as a main street for the community and extending it to connect to McCullough Road. According to the plan, there is a focus on creating a more pedestrian-friendly, village-type environment with small-scale businesses located along Live Oak Street. "Of note was the desire to have existing and new businesses still generally front toward FM 2154 (Wellborn Road) and the railroad, but to incorporate side streets, front, and rear building access, and to avoid having continuous backs of buildings along the primary thoroughfare of the community."
https://www.kbtx.com/2023/09/13/city-college-station-shares-10-year-wellborn-district-plan/
The general consensus from those in Wellborn is that we want the City to leave us alone. I don't need a downtown area on Live Oak Street. I had to go look up which street Live Oak even was, although I live like a quarter mile away. Tower Point/Caprock and Jones Crossing are both within 10 minutes' drive.

Wellborn isn't a "corridor" into CS. It's a damn farm to market road. Nobody wanted to become part of CS and nobody wants the improvements CS will force on us. It's another clear example of CS having way too much money to spend and try to justify their Taj Mahal and the huge staff that inhabits it.
maroon barchetta
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I heart Wellborn Instagram prop sign coming soon!
trouble
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Hopefully they size it better for insta posts
Charpie
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Wokamole is reopened yall.
trouble
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Charpie said:

Wokamole is reopened yall.


AND THE PEOPLE REJOICE!!!!!!!
bushytailed
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Albertsons is becoming a fitness center.
https://www.kbtx.com/2023/09/14/new-fitness-facility-going-into-old-albertsons-building-university-drive/?fbclid=IwAR3jvFNLT5Se-_V7jlCaPTkKIQ_j1l2L93PPD3KWdh29_6ndL8NXHsixsFM_aem_Adp7ehS02yqY0blMLcUNar6RAtRhj3WJtiQmpU7rCJxHWhakUWgtVovaNbrtbt6cKrw&mibextid=2JQ9oc#lmjjxzsei9ixfwnrbx
FlyRod
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trouble said:

Charpie said:

Wokamole is reopened yall.


AND THE PEOPLE REJOICE!!!!!!!


I'm rejoicing. My favorite place in town along with the original Shun de Mom for authentic (more or less) Chinese.

Bonus: close to my house.
trouble
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Same for us. My kids have been asking for it every week.
techno-ag
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bushytailed said:

Albertsons is becoming a fitness center.
https://www.kbtx.com/2023/09/14/new-fitness-facility-going-into-old-albertsons-building-university-drive/?fbclid=IwAR3jvFNLT5Se-_V7jlCaPTkKIQ_j1l2L93PPD3KWdh29_6ndL8NXHsixsFM_aem_Adp7ehS02yqY0blMLcUNar6RAtRhj3WJtiQmpU7rCJxHWhakUWgtVovaNbrtbt6cKrw&mibextid=2JQ9oc#lmjjxzsei9ixfwnrbx
Good! Glad to see that space put to good use.
wendyb
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What was the place mentioned on this thread possibly coming that was similar to grand Station. I think the place also had pickle ball courts perhaps
BiochemAg97
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wendyb said:

What was the place mentioned on this thread possibly coming that was similar to grand Station. I think the place also had pickle ball courts perhaps


Maybe you are thinking Schulman movie bowl grill.

https://www.kbtx.com/2022/11/15/bryan-midtown-park-welcome-largest-schulman-movie-bowl-grille/?outputType=amp
BCSWguru
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TxB is having some sort of grand opening affair Tuesday. That place is going to kill it if they dont sell out.
Captn_Ag05
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CS published their Northeast Gateway Redevelopment Plan


Quote:

NORTHEAST GATEWAY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN

In response to recommendations made by residents and elected officials, the City of College Station began a planning effort for the Texas Avenue & University Drive (FM 60) Redevelopment Area in December 2022, which was renamed the Northeast Gateway Redevelopment Plan. The planning effort engaged property owners and interested residents in a visioning process to create a cohesive district that welcomes visitors and residents into the City, incorporates vertical and horizonal mixed-uses, supports existing commercial uses, and provides a greater mix of housing options to support the growing population seeking to live, work, and play near Texas A&M University.

The plan imagines changes to the area to better serve the two major corridors that intersect within the redevelopment area and complement the nearby hospitality corridor, Eastgate area, and Texas A&M University campus.


https://www.cstx.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_12410832/File/Departments/PDS/PLAN/Small%20Area%20Plans/Northeast-Gateway-Redevelopment-Plan.pdf

There is a lot of unpack with this. I am not sure how much of it is grounded in reality or things that will ever happen vs. a city planners fantasies. I do find it interesting that the "preferred scenario" (below) replaces the big box stores on Texas between Live Oak and Lincoln (Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, Office Depot, etc.) with more dense development.

I do hope a private developer purchases the U-haul property at Texas and University and redevelops that soon.



maroon barchetta
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Where are people going to park to reach this "front porch" at Eastgate? Do they think everyone is going to bike?

We keep seeing these concepts for offices or living spaces up top and retail on bottom, and I'm still looking for where that has great success in this market.

It hasn't worked at Dartmouth and Holleman.

It works at The Rise and Aspire because CVS is there. And the Asian place that people like so much. Shun De Mon? Other restaurants have come and gone.

World of Beer is the only thing that has worked at Northpoint and stuck around.

What percentage of these retail spots work out long term?
Charpie
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Kinda feels like they are trying to turn that area into the drag in Austin, without all the dirty hippies and the like.
BiochemAg97
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Grade separation of ped and cycles @ Texas&University. That will be a long time coming. How long have they been planning for the Welborn&George Bush intersection?

Additional bike crossing at Live Oak & Texas? Are we going to grade separate that too, because adding another light that close to University would suck for the traffic that already backs up there. Find it hard to believe TxDOT is going to go for a traffic light there.


I expect the vision to change a few times before any real progress is made.
maroon barchetta
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I wish they would shift their focus away from "let's do everything right by campus" and worry about other parts of the city.

This, like building the new city hall where they built it and refurbishing the old fire station by city hall, looks like "we get more traffic along here, so let's pretty this all up".

City Hall should have gone down near the police station or the other city buildings south of Southwest Parkway. They would have plenty of land on Texas do do exactly what this plan shows. But making sure the city hall was all the way at the north end of town across from main campus was a total "LOOK AT ME!!!!!!" move.

The city likes to dabble in real estate. They missed an opportunity here because they were too focused on optics.
trouble
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Goodness, that's a mess to try to read and decipher.
Charpie
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trouble said:

Goodness, that's a mess to try to read and decipher.
Glad I wasn't the only one. I pulled it up on my computer and blew it up.
Captn_Ag05
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The scenarios begin on page 104 of the 111 page .pdf. It is easier to zoom in on that than the image I posted.
crbongos
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maroon barchetta said:

Where are people going to park to reach this "front porch" at Eastgate? Do they think everyone is going to bike?

We keep seeing these concepts for offices or living spaces up top and retail on botCollege Stationtom, and I'm still looking for where that has great success in this market.

It hasn't worked at Dartmouth and Holleman.

It works at The Rise and Aspire because CVS is there. And the Asian place that people like so much. Shun De Mon? Other restaurants have come and gone.

World of Beer is the only thing that has worked at Northpoint and stuck around.

What percentage of these retail spots work out long term?


Here here. This is not only true here but elsewhere. It takes great density to make concept work. Like downtown Boston. Which isn't.
crbongos
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Which isn't College Station.
CRBongo
Dumbfounded
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COCS had used The Rise as an example of what could be constructed in this redevelopment. The Rise is ~17 stories and would add ~700 beds. This will undoubtedly increase sewer flow in that area.

Current sewer flows to a 30" Cooner St pipeline that flows into a 12" pipeline. Beverly Estates residents have brought this up at numerous COCS city council meetings questioning where this additional flow will go.

They have recommended to the COCS to install their new trunkline down Chimney Hill, which would kill two birds w one stone but it appears this has fallen on deaf ears.

soccerboi710
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Density and easy to walk in with public transportation, none which is true in College Station. Still too car dependent for retail on bottom and housing on top to work out.
75AG
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We miss Ozona's patio this time of year. Anybody know if anything is going in there soon?
halibut sinclair
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Don't know, but Mo's has a nice patio.
75AG
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Isn't it overlooking a parking lot?
wareagle044
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They won't stop until Texas A&M campus is the "Central Park" of college station expect high rises to surround campus at some point.
halibut sinclair
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75AG said:

Isn't it overlooking a parking lot?


Depends on which way you are looking.
75AG
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Got it. Thanks
halibut sinclair
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75AG said:

Got it. Thanks


Smitty K's is another possibility to fulfill your replacement patio needs.
Captn_Ag05
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I like the outdoor space at Urban Table.
Expert Analysis
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Bryan Marine is closing.
Is there any other place in town that works on boat motors?
 
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