Char House redevelopment drawing resident concern

By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

With rumors swirling over the proposed redevelopment of the Imperial Char House and the surrounding area, the Sugar Land City Council and the city's Planning and Zoning Commission held a joint meeting January 24 to try to allay the public's concerns.

Earlier in January, the council approved a $5 million package to assist Houston-based PUMA Development in the longsought redevelopment of the char house, perhaps the most iconic building in the city, which took its name from the Imperial Sugar Company. That would be the first step in redeveloping the entire surround area into a mixed-use development, anchored by the conversion of the char house into an office and retail building.

Since the redevelopment plan was first announced in December, residents on social media have expressed concerns that the possibility of multi-family housing would violate already existing codes for the redevelopment of the long- disused Imperial property. Black residents have also expressed concerns that the redevelopment would not properly acknowledge the contributions African-Americans made to the area's sugar industry, which was the economic backbone of Sugar Land for nearly a century. At the January 24 meeting, many residents spoke about their concerns, particularly over multi-family housing. Those concerns include an increase in population density, increased