VOL 7 No. 24
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FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Sugar Land
Gallery Furniture breaks ground
Jim “Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture, speaks at the ground breaking ceremony. Artist’s rendering of the proposed Gallery Furniture store in Fort Bend. Gallery Furniture, one of Houston’s most beloved landmarks, officially broke ground on the new Gallery Furniture Fort Bend/Grand Parkway on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Jim “Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture, along with Keenon Rayner of Identity Architects, Dave Cannon of Trend Development, Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson and Yvonne Tuttle Streit of The Brookwood Community, were on hand to welcome Gallery Furniture to the Long Meadow Farms and Fort Bend County com-
munity. Festivities included a special appearance from the Brookwood Community hand bell choir and ended with a surprise skywriter who landscaped the Houston skies with #gfgp , a social media hashtag that will lead to information and renderings for the new Gallery Furniture location. The store, which will be the third and largest Gallery Furniture location in Houston, is expected to open in late November/December and will be located at The Market at Long Meadow Farms, 7301 W. Grand Parkway South, Rich-
mond, TX 77407 (next to the Santikos Palladium theater). Plans for the 165,000 sq. ft. showroom include amenities such as an indoor playground and tree house for children and a full service restaurant. The new Gallery Furniture will also include an area where residents of The Brookwood Community for disabled adults will sell their products. Services available also include Gallery Movers, a full-service moving company that utilizes the stores’ highly trained and meticulous delivery staff.
New plan proposed for Texas Instruments land By BARBARA FULENWIDER As Stafford Councilman Cecil Willis said, “The devil’s in the details.” He was taking about the proposed $500 million development on the 192 acres Texas Instruments is leaving for more southerly pastures. So far Stafford City Council, planning and zoning and the economic development council officials have all seen the grand plan, which was publicly shown May 27 at Stafford’s Civic Center. The details will be forthcoming but until then, Street Level Investments of Dallas, and its partners are planning a “significant economic benefit” to Stafford that will “be the catalyst” for that city’s future. The plans are for a mixed use development of offices, retail, residential and recreational – a place where people work, live and shop. A presenter at the meeting said the developers want “to create human interaction” and “a dynamic mixed use environment. We will call this project The Legacy of Stafford.” She went on to say that mixed use is “about building community and how people feel, what they remember and the emotional attachment they have to a place.” She described The Legacy as “an update and new version of Stafford -- a new beginning, a time of vitality.”
She also said the project “will highlight walkability and recycling. Hike and bike trails will be included and it will be a full celebration of nature, design and art. Words that describe the project are strength and integrity.” The 50-year-old oak trees on the property will be an integral part of the development, which will include retail outlet stores, office buildings, distribution warehouses, four residential neighborhoods, two hotels, office buildings, parking garages, restaurants, cafes, playgrounds, dog parks, ponds and water features, wide sidewalks, open spaces and “unique architecture.” The center of activity will be provided by what the developers call The Lawn – an open expanse where people can gather for holiday celebrations, programs, concerts, etc. Developers said The Lawn is the heart of the project and will be programmed throughout the year. The most visible part of the 192 acres fronts on U.S. 59 so that’s where retail and commercial will be. Light industrial is planned for the acreage that fronts on Murphy Road. Construction of those two areas is planned to start in the fall of this year so it can be in place by 2016 before the Super Bowl comes to Houston in 2017. Texas Instruments has leased 60 acres of the prop-
erty that it will continue to use through 2016. Officials were told that this section “will have some commercial and retail but the majority will be residential.” Three-story, multi-family buildings are planned but changes in Stafford’s current zoning regulations will be requested before they can be built. Presenters of the project estimate the tax value will be $40 million after build out. The current development design includes 40 acres of office/warehouse distribution, 400,000 square feet of outlet shopping, 50,000 square feet of restaurants/cafes, 300,000 square feet of offices and 1,800 residential units. Murphy wrapped up the presentation by saying, “This property can be a catalyst for everything that happens next door.” He predicted that nearby properties will all increase in value and that will attract higher quality uses. “We look at this as the front door to the community,” Murphy said. “It can be the catalyst for the complete change and rejuvenation of the city of Stafford.” Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella said, “This is one of the most important projects the city will consider in the forthcoming years.”
Harish Jajoo is Sugar Land’s Mayor ProTem By SESHADRI KUMAR Sugar Land Councilman Harish Jajoo was appointed Sugar Land’s Mayor ProTem last week. Sugar Land City Council appoints the Mayor ProTem on a rotational basis and by consensus. The Mayor ProTem shall act as Mayor during the absence of the Mayor and has the power to perform every act the Mayor would perform if present. In Missouri City, the Mayor Pro-Tem is elected by a vote of council members Currently, the recent election of Missouri City Councilman Robin Elackatt as Mayor ProTem is in a legal tangle.
Elackatt’s election fell into a legal limbo because the new councilman, Chris Preston, was not properly sworn in and consequently, his vote became void. At the June 2, meeting Councilman Jerry Wyatt, was elected Mayor ProTem last year, moved a motion to ratify all the items approved by council at the May 19 meeting, excepting the election of Mayor ProTem. The election of Mayor ProTem had to be placed on the June 16 agenda because it was not on the June 2 agenda. Meanwhile, Wyatt believes that Elackatt’s election was voided and until a new Mayor ProTem is elected, the current Mayor
ProTem would continue. Wyatt cited a 2006 precedent, when he continued as the Mayor ProTem because the new Mayor ProTem election ended in a 3-3 tie. According to the city administration, Elackatt is the “de facto” Mayor ProTem. “A ratification of the Mayor Pro Tem election was placed on the June 2 agenda. Council voted to postpone the Mayor Pro Tem item to the next council meeting. The ratification item will again be considered at Council’s June 16 meeting. Until that time, Councilmember Elackatt serves as the de facto Mayor Pro Tem,” the administration said.
Healing environment in healthcare
Cindy Reaves - AccessHealth, left, Marchita Priest - The Art League of Fort Bend, and Diana Miller - The Art League of Fort Bend. A growing body of research has proven that environmental factors such as artwork can shift the experience of a stressful and fearful healthcare visit by reducing anxiety, the need for pain medication and one’s blood pressure. In an effort to provide a healing environment in healthcare, two area nonprofits are collaborating as over 18 different artists from the Fort Bend Art League area display over 50 works of art in the AccessHealth Richmond health center. Dr. Julius Danziger, physician turned artist, has donated a piece to the center which will be displayed along with the
others. “We are excited about this show and the collaboration with AccessHealth once again,” said Marchita Priest of The Art League of Fort Bend. AccessHealth CEO, Carol Edwards states, “We are anticipating the new pieces that will be displayed, the artwork is quite intriguing and over time it has become evident that it has made a difference to both our patients and staff.” The event will be held on June 26, 2014 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at AccessHealth’s Richmond location, 400 Austin Street. The Art League of Fort Bend County, founded in 1957 is a multifaceted, nonprofit vi-
sual arts organization that operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Art League seeks to stimulate and encourage artists of all ages and levels by operating a gallery that offers its members many opportunities, including juried shows, other chances for exhibition and educational possibilities. AccessHealth is a nonprofit community health center dedicated to excellence in providing integrated health care services to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information, contact Cindy Reaves; creaves@ myaccesshealth.org or 281.633.3169.