When the $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park renovation project that beautified and transformed the iconic green space was completed in 2015, the area stretching from I-45 West to Shepard Drive, known as the Allen Parkway corridor, was primed for growth.  Gaining attention from developers and businesses, the area quickly became a hotspot for residents looking for a short commute to work and easy access to food, entertainment and green space. Groundbreaking developments such as Regent Square, the 24-acre master-planned mixed-use district combined with the area’s close proximity to downtown, propelled growth, establishing the Allen Parkway Corridor as a premier destination.  However, after Hurricane Harvey hit Greater Houston in 2017, people and businesses faced costly damages, and Buffalo Bayou Park was left submerged underwater. Dedicated to stay in the growingly popular Allen Parkway corridor, businesses implemented new flood mitigation processes, including podium-style parking garages that feature concrete parking structures on the bottom floors, serving as a barrier to protect buildings from possible flooding.   Other flood mitigation projects following Harvey include the North Canal project that will provide flood protection to 30,000 commercial and residential buildings downtown, and along White Oak and Buffalo Bayou, over 300 local drainage projects, and more than $100 million in dredging projects. Six years later, the Allen Parkway corridor proves to be “Houston strong,” as it now reflects a bustling community, booming with new developments and business.    A new, sophisticated $500 million mixed-use development dubbed The Allen is breathing life back into the area and redefining its real estate market.  The first phase, The Residences at The Allen, includes the development of a $290 million, 35-story skyscraper that towers over Buffalo Bayou Park. The stylish new building will offer luxurious condos, high-rise penthouses, and a sleek 170-room Hotel – the Thompson, which will reside on the first 15 floors. The Thompson Hotel will feature lavish amenities such as a 24-hour valet service, a resort-style pool deck, a full-service spa, and a helipad that both guests and residents can access.  Click to expand The Residences at The Allen is nearing completion, with residents expected to move in this fall. Nearly four years in the making, the remarkable development is set to revolutionize the Allen Parkway corridor, driving high-end property buyers and businesses to the area.  "These residences epitomize the pinnacle of the development,” said Acho Azuike, COO of DC Partners, the developer leading The Allen project. “The Penthouse Collection, each a masterpiece in design and style, take inspiration from the grandeur of condo living, infusing every residence with the world's most coveted luxury features. Buyers now seek properties and amenities that rival those found in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. The Residences at The Allen are setting a new standard for elevated living in Texas."  Click to expand The project also includes a 62,000-square-foot retail building – the Pavilion at the Allen, which has already been completed. The Pavilion at the Allen is home to a 34,000-square-foot gym by EOS Fitness, formerly known as Texans Fit, and Toca Madera, a high-end Mexican steakhouse scheduled to open by the end of this year.  Phase II of The Allen is anticipated to break ground in early 2024 and will include more retail and restaurant space and luxury multi-family living.  Alongside The Allen comes another massive mixed-use project – Autry Park, a 14-acre urban village designed to increase connectivity and walkability to food, entertainment, retail, and living.  Click to expand The project's first phase includes two apartment buildings, Hanover Autry Park, a 24-story apartment tower with 324 units, and Hanover Parkview, an eight-story mid-rise with 421 units, as well as 50,000 square feet of mixed-use space. The apartment buildings opened last year, featuring gyms, dog parks and pet salons, movie rooms, coworking spaces, and all-inclusive pools.  Many unique restaurants, shops, and amenities will open in the upcoming months at Autry Park’s mixed-use space, including Doko, a sushi restaurant complemented by an intimate, 12-seat bar – Bar Doko, Duo, a fitness studio and café offering Pilates and spin classes and a full bar and kitchen and Sloan/Hall, an eccentric boutique featuring gift items, ready-to-wear clothing and fine jewelry.  The project will also bring a new lighted intersection on Allen Parkway at the development's main entrance on Buffalo Park Drive. This new road will create safer access to and around Buffalo Bayou Park. Other infrastructure updates include revamping pedestrian crosswalks and traffic signals and a new bike lane along West Dallas.  Future phases will include five additional buildings encompassing 1,450 residential units, thousands of square feet of retail space, and a hotel.  “With a 14-acre blank slate, we saw an opportunity to ‘re-mix’ the concept of mixed-use by creating great spaces that integrate entertainment, technology, and wellness in a way that meets the needs of today’s workers, residents, shoppers, and visitors,” Lionstone CEO Jane Page, Autry Park developer, said in a news release. “Sustainable and healthier spaces can result in more productive people, and Autry Park combines best-in-class real estate in a walkable environment with access to the relaxation and outdoor activities afforded by the park.”  Click to expand Other new developments bolstering the Allen Parkway corridor include the Ismaili Center, a cultural hub spanning 11 acres placed at the southeast corner of Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard. The new center will consist of breathtaking outdoor gardens and serve as a gathering space for the Ismaili community to worship and provide cultural and educational programs. The center is slated to be completed by the end of 2024.  Additionally, the second phase of Regency Square – The Sterling, a 590-unit multi-family complex, recently opened in 2021. Adjacent to the apartment building, the new section will add 55,000 square feet of retail space, including three stand-alone restaurants surrounded by a pedestrian-friendly plaza featuring captivating green space and stunning water features.  Discover Houston’s neighborhoods and communities. 

Often referred to as the “Boating Capital of Texas”, Bay Area Houston is a top destination for businesses, families, and tourists, thanks in part to its close proximity to Galveston and Houston.  Encompassing a widely diverse region, the Bay Area stretches from Pasadena to Galveston, consisting of communities such as La Porte, Seabrook, Clear Lake Shores, Webster, Friendswood, League City, Dickinson, Texas City, and La Marque.  Boasting the nation’s third largest concentration of recreational boating centers and a variety of amateur sports, outdoor activities, beaches and parks, the Bay Area’s waterfront contributes to its high quality of life and has propelled growth in its recreation and tourism industry, while population growth in the area and the arrival of new facilities has buoyed the region’s health care sector.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, the Bay Area has experienced consistent growth in population, income, and employment since 2016 and is home to over 560,000 residents, based on 2019 data from the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.  Business Climate  Home to the NASA Johnson Space Center, Ellington Airport, and one of the world’s only truly urban commercial spaceports, Bay Area Houston is known as the nexus for Houston’s aerospace and aviation industries.  Additionally, the Bay Area is also an important hub for transportation and logistics, health care and life sciences, and tourism. Other industries of note include specialty chemical, maritime, and recreation.  Its robust industrial presence is supported by the construction of several industrial parks and complexes, as well as new warehouse and distribution centers and facilities.   Packwell, a plastics bagging and logistics company based in La Porte, recently broke ground on a 725,000-square-foot resin packaging facility at Port Houston’s Bayport Industrial Complex while Kao Corporation recently broke ground on a $250 million tertiary amine production plant in Pasadena.  Business Developments  Houston Spaceport  The Houston Spaceport serves as a center for collaboration and innovation in the aerospace community. Earlier this year, the company announced that it will launch Phase II of its expansion project with plans to begin work within the next 12 months. Phase II will stretch over 300 acres, offering more parcels for aerospace companies, a hotel, restaurants, and retail space.  Axiom Space broke ground this spring on a 23-acre campus that will house its new headquarters and space station production facility at the Spaceport. The campus will contain spaces for astronaut training, mission control facilities, and engineering development and testing labs. Axiom has also leased space in Webster for engineering and production operations.  Collins Aerospace recently opened a 120,000-square-foot facility that will allow for expanded operations, manufacturing, and testing. Its new facility will support the development and testing of several key space systems, including the next-generation spacesuit.  Intuitive Machines broke ground on 12.5 acres at the Houston Spaceport with a 125,000-square-foot facility under construction that will house office, laboratory, production, assembly, and test space.  Mixed Use  A number of communities in the Bay Area Houston region have mixed use developments planned, including Seabrook, League City, Texas City, Friendswood, and more.  Seabrook Plaza on NASA Parkway is a 15-acre, $170 million mixed-use waterfront development that will feature two Margaritaville-branded hotels. The development will also include a 10,000-square-foot event center, a seven-story apartment complex, and 20,000 square feet of waterfront dining.  Riverview at Clear Creek in League City is another waterfront mixed-use development spanning 59 acres that will include a hotel, multifamily project, townhomes, an amphitheater, boardwalk and trails, and retail space and restaurants. The project also has marina infrastructure work currently underway.  Plaza 96 is a 75,000-square-foot mixed use development in League City that will have space for retail, restaurants, medical offices, and office warehouses. It is expected to break ground this year. One Sixty One in downtown Friendswood is a 5.5-acre development anchored by a boutique hotel and banquet room. The project will also include residences and executive offices, restaurants, retail, collaborative spaces, and a green rooftop experience. New construction began this spring. Click to expand Rendering of One Sixty One boutique hotel Photo courtesy of Banfield Properties, Inc.   Recreation & Tourism  Peninsula Beach Resort is a 110-acre resort development on Bolivar Peninsula at Crystal Beach that will include over 200 beach houses and cottages, in addition to five mid-rise condominium buildings and 50 RV sites. The development will also include a clubhouse, beach bar, and an FAA-approved airport, making it the only fly-in beach resort in the U.S.  Great Wolf Lodge broke ground on a new hotel, indoor waterpark, and conference center in Webster in 2022, with the resort planned to open in 2024. Representing a $200 million investment, the 27-acre site will also boast a 58,000-square-foot family entertainment center called Great Wolf Adventure Park.  Education  Bay Area Houston is home to several higher education institutions, including the University of Houston-Clear Lake, which touts one of the most complete biotechnology graduate programs in the state, as well as San Jacinto College, College of the Mainland, Lee College, and Houston Community College.  College of the Mainland, a community college in Texas City with locations in League City and La Marque, opened its Industrial Careers Building in fall 2022 and has several new buildings planned, including a 134,000-square-foot library and classroom building, a 20,000-square-foot corporate and continuing education center, a 50,000-square-foot public services center, and a three-story classroom building.  Lee College recently opened its new 11,000-square-foot Corporate Training Center that will offer hands-on technical training, including onboarding and upskilling, and leadership development for employees of all levels. The center will give students and employees the opportunity to work with equipment that is being used in the field, as well as a number of training labs.  San Jacinto College is planning to launch a new degree program in spring 2024 that seeks to fill the workforce gap in early childhood education. The new Bachelor of Applied Science in education will target paraprofessionals and individuals who work for other early-learning programs.  Learn more about Houston’s surrounding regions.