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This week, we take a look at two businesses looking to make a big splash in the community - and one suffering from an unfortunate setback.
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Whole Foods to open new concept 1B · Expert Opinion 2B • Hunter Dance Center to open in Heights 6B
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Saturday, August 22, 2015 • Page 1B
On Hold: Oak Forest Place apartments Fisher Homes variance request denied due to conflict over setback line By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
It’s back to the drawing board for Fisher Homes who were denied their variance request to invalidate the setback line at the 27-unit Oak Forest Place apartments, 4300 Rosslyn Rd., which they purchased in February 2015. “We did not get approved,” said Fisher Homes’ Andre Julien, who told The Leader in June that, because the existing complex is right on the property line and the city’s setback is 25 feet from the street, a developer has to seek a variance to invalidate a setback line. Julien said that they had hoped that since the Oak Forest Place Apartments, built in the 1960s, predated the restrictions imposed by Chapter 42 of the Code of Building Ordinances, they might be grandfathered in but that was not the case. Oak Forest Homeowners Association President said that to his knowledge, no one from the association went to the City Hall meeting on July 9. But he said he is in regular communication with the City of Houston legal department so he knows they are aware of Oak Forest’s deed restric-
tions. The denial will affect how Fisher Homes intends to develop the property. In June, Julien said that they planned to add 100 more square feet per apartment and raise the height of the second story to 10 feet, capped off by a new gable roof. Now Julien said that the property will probably remain apartments although they will still be renovated. Oak Forest Place is comprised of three buildings. The middle one will be renovated but will stay as it is, while the buildings on the left and right will lose two of their units in order to meet the setback. Those two buildings will have their roofs raised. “We don’t need a variance for that,” said Julian. The question of what the deed restrictions do and do not allow is one that was debated on social media when the plans for the condos were announced. Architect Greg Ryden wondered if the covenants and deed restrictions put any restrictions on the scale of a commercial development. “They didn’t on the churches,” he wrote. Julien said that they are finalizing plans in the next two weeks and hope for permitting to take a month. He said
Photo by Betsy Denson The 27-unit Oak Forest Place Apartments, located on Rosslyn Road, might not turn out exactly how Fisher homes originally hoped.
that they expect to start construction in 90 days. There are those who will be disappointed that the condo option is most likely off the table. Juan Cuevas, a senior associate with Marcus & Millichap, who represented Cali-
fornia resident and Oak Forest Place apartment owner Dennis Prout in the sale, said that he thought condos would be a good repurposing of the building since 20 of the 27 units are already two bedroom.
Whole Foods Market concept set to open on Yale Street By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader
The Austin-based grocery company, Whole Foods Market, is about to take another bite out of Houston’s grocery store pie with its new concept, “365 by Whole Foods Market.” The new store will be located on the northeast corner of Yale St. and Loop 610, as Whole Foods recently signed a lease in the new “Yale Marketplace” under development there. It will be Texas’ first “365” location. The 4-acre parcel of land is currently under lease by Neff Rental, an equipment rental company, and the lease stands until 2018. When it expires, Houston-based Fidelis Realty Partners will start construction on its “Yale Marketplace,” a 10,000-square-foot development that will host 365 and other retail units. Whole Foods Market announced its 365 concept in May 2015, and wasted no time searching Houston for a good location. The 365 concept is designed to meet the public’s growing demand for natural foods through the use of a “curated” selection of products in a store that occupies a much smaller footprint then Whole Foods. Notably, it also touts 365’s “value pricing.” The public often jokes that the brand’s actual name should be “Whole Paycheck.” The foodie blog, “Eater,” even called the new 365 concept, “Whole Foods for broke people.” Industry journals speculate that the concept is targeting millennial and young urbanites. The name was chosen exactly to indicate the store’s
value pricing while reflecting Whole Food’s 365 Everyday Value house brand. “365 in the name celebrates our belief that fresh, healthy foods can be readily available to more people in an affordable way, 365 days a year,” said Jeff Turnas, a 20-year Whole Foods veteran and President of the new concept. “365 is designed to complement the Whole Foods Market brand by bringing the highest quality, healthy foods to a broader audience,” said Jeanette Webster, Houston Media & Community Relations Manager for Whole Foods. “365 will allow us to serve more customers with a fresh, value-driven shopping experience. The new stores will feature a mix of products that meet our quality standards, in an environment that’s fun and convenient for shoppers.” Who will be 365’s neighbors in the new development? “We are really excited about Yale Marketplace,” said Lynn Davis, Chief Marketing Officer for Fidelis Realty Partners, “But we only just started speaking with possible tenants. There has been a great
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deal of interest already. We are not sure at this time what other retail businesses will occupy Yale Marketplace, but it will be companies that go well
Ryden, who has his architecture offices on 43rd Street in the same building that houses Hudson Chiropractic Center, Salon Studio and the Book Scene, said that he thought that condos would have been good for the cor-
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with Whole Foods.” As the eighth largest food retailer in the US, a typical Whole Foods store occupies about 40,000 square feet. The 365 concept will be considerably smaller, but the company will not commit at this time to the footprint of the Houston location. Whole Foods currently operates 420 stores, and announced a target of 1,200 locations earlier this year. Of these, they did not indicate how many would be the new concept. However, they have stated that they are confident that 365 has the legs to keep pace with its older brother.
Dream Home
Michelle Ray Broker Associate -CNE, ABR, ASP, SFR
2013-2015 Five Star Real Estate Professional, Top Producer Garden Oaks PTO Mom
832-715-5819 (Direct)
5050 Westheimer, Ste 200
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Your Neighborhood Bankers
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Experienced community bankers providing value to Houston business owners. Please stop by - we want to visit with you and find out how we can help your business. 2222 North Durham Houston, TX 77008
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3 Beds | 2 Baths | 1580 Sq. Ft. $359,900 MLS# 95258456
4 Beds | 2 Baths | 2558 Sq. Ft. $279,900 MLS# 67217440
3 Beds | 1 Baths | 1509 Sq. Ft. $374,900 MLS# 88280821
3 Beds | 2 Baths | 1658 Sq. Ft. $220,000 MLS# 570598530
Stacy Mathews
1535 Chesire
ner. “There is so much potential [at 43rd and Rosslyn],” he said. “The development of the contiguous space there could change the entire landscape of that corner of Oak Forest.”
Ramona Overstreet
5051 Oak Shadow
Janet Schmidt
5915 de Milo dr.
1723 Willowby dr.
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1803 W. 43rd • Houston, TX 77018