This is the third mall to be built in Houston after Gulfgate Mall opened in 1956 and Meyerland Plaza in 1957, but the first fully air-conditioned mall in Houston. The wonderfully overstuffedhuaraches at Huaraches La Villa are big enough to split. I guess that photos of Sharpstown are rare. The Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority announced Tuesday that a contractor will be selected from two bidders - Jerdon Construction of Stafford and Reytec Construction Resources Inc. of Houston - to complete intersection improvements at Bellaire Boulevard at Fondren Road. Monday - Saturday 11AM - 8PM. The little baseball field was right behind them. The exterior was like brown rocks. By that much of the commercial properties and apartments could be bulldozed and redeveloped. [5] Online shopping began and started to take away from mall shoppers as well. There is no way for people to bleed over to the Sharpstown area when they start looking at homes in other places. I live in a redeveloping area in the Heights and realize that areas have to reach a point sometimes where the area is so rundown that redevelopment is attractive. When Sharpstown's potential customers who had disposable incomes left because of problems, the replacement low income families and thugs had much less money to spend. The oblong corn masa cakes at this PlazAmericas favorite come topped with everything from pork al pastor to beef fajitas, plus plenty of toppings: radishes, queso fresco, crema, tomatoes and crispy lettuce. They were easier to get in and get out of. Katharine Shilcutt The food camemore, The ambiance is outstandingtables in honeycomb, not noisy. The neighborhoods are among some of the most beautiful in Houston (when you get off the main streets). By 1970, Sharpstown Center had 57 stores and was fully leased. The mall is owned by Simon Property Group. The service from both our server and the bartender were also really good. Southdale Shopping Center in Edina, Minnesota, is regarded as the first enclosed shopping center in the United States. I met my wife there. Anyway, before that it was something else. 3. The place has changedand then againhas not.and that is good. I definately remember the drive in. In 2006 the Houston Press alternative weekly newspaper awarded Sharpstown Center "Best Hip-hop Mall,"[13] and Sharpstown began to bill itself as "Houston's Premiere Urban Mall" on its website. April 29, 2016 I went to the mall under 5 times since those days and been sort of let down each time because it's just not the same. Sharpstown Time Capsule was opened March 11, 2000 at the country club. In addition to the other factors already mentioned that contributed to the "decline" of Sharpstown Mall, I would add the construction of First Colony Mall, expansion of the Galleria, etc. However, others may view Sharpstown as being less desirable because it has a high crime rate and is not as well-maintained as other parts of the city. Remember Peppermint Park? Sharp was president of the Home Builders Association that year and often in news stories about the housing shortage for veterans and shortage of materials for home building. Powered by Invision Community. Sharpstown Center - Houston, TX 77036 - Yellow Pages As a publicity stunt, Sharp donated homes on Rowan YEARS. Yes, the "Beatles" etching was on the Waldo side of the school. Wow! I came across the same story while reading thru the Chron for '46 and took some notes on the story instead of just the headline. In 1998, JCPenney would close its store at Sharpstown, having lost much of its clientele to its First Colony store, with much of its remaining business going to its Meyerland Plaza store. These developments included countless new apartment complexes home to young professionals in Houston's energy industry, residential developments as far south as Missouri City, the construction of Houston Baptist University, Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, numerous car dealerships, and a new studio complex for the city's NBC television affiliate, KPRC-TV and its sister radio station KPRC-AM. Man, Winchel's was the best! The other places were more exciting to shop in. A list of officers of the company did not include Louie Welch. [21] The property would include an 83,000 square feet (7,700m2) "mercado" (marketplace) that would have many smaller businesses, a large family lounge, live entertainment stages, and a children's play area. I see the "Conquistador." Glenbrook is closer to downtown, but on the "wrong side of town" for most people. Signs posted before the intersection indicate this. I also could have been one of those kids standing at the clock, I have a good memory of that thing. 10 Best Shopping Malls In Houston, Texas | Trip101 Every weekend I drive past Pat Neff Elem. What is the first shopping mall in the world? The first phase of Sharpstown, which included the construction of residential and commercial areas, was completed in 1962. Bill Calderon, executive director of the Authority and TIRZ No. It was developed by Sharpstown Center, Inc., a subsidiary of Sharpstown Realty Company, headed by financier Frank Sharp. You guys have brought back so much memories for me while living in sharpstown back in the 80's- neff, sharpstown middle, sharpstown mall, the theater next door, astroworld, fame city and so much. Cities occasionally need to make certain improvements to their infrastructures to help economic. We ended going the long way and noticed the neighborhood reminded us of Chicago.more. When Sharp built the mall, he also created the Sharpstown neighborhood, which is named after him. Stores such as Foot Locker, Journeys and GNC continue to operate inside the mall, however Premiere Theaters, the movie theater inside Greenspoint, remain closed. Checking out my old stomping grounds. Sharpstown Middle School (formerly Sharpstown Junior High) was originally a consolidated junior and senior high in the beginning around 1971 to 1974. It is also home to 120 retail stores and restaurants, a department store, and a food court founded in 1995 which is perfect for family dining. I met a person attending SHS in year 2000. local news and culture, Chris Lane building. Unfortunately I see bulldozers in it's future just like AstroWorld R.I.P. I would think that this area has reached this point as land values have to be attractive to land developers looking to make plays on its proximity to the galleria. Ok, the interior might be awesome but what aboutmore, The corn cheese, kimchi fried rice (w spam) and soju blends (esp orange creamsicle and gummy bear) were all awesome. Went to the Astro Arena for graduation. PlazAmericas - Wikipedia Do you think the Harwin strip contributed to its downfall? We used to eat at the Del Taco that's a sandwich shop now. The arrival of railroad lines in the late nineteenth century, as well as Houstons development as a port city, aided the citys rapid growth. I just got your email that you sent back in January. 20 board will meet this month to reconsider those specific improvements. #ItsOpen Do you have any favorite memories of this place? Davy Crockett addition, west of Lamar Hi, south of River Oaks, 153 homes on 37a, $10,000 price range. Contact Us. Less than a week ago I grew up at Greenspoint Mall! We like it best inside a cheese-fattened pupusa with a mound of crunchy, tart curtidopickled cabbage and carrotson the side. The development of Sharpstown is credited to Houston businessman Frank Sharp. However - I don't wish for all the old Sharpstown homes to be torn down and replaced with McMansions - they are great, solidly built homes. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. By that I mean other areas will have to get too expensive, thus driving entry-level creative class buyers into Sharpstown to get the size, condition or style home they want. Toys 'R' Us sues small Houston Toyz store owned by immigrant Those were Pulte homes if I remember correctly. Amenities: (713) 777-5391 Visit Website Map & Directions 7500 Bellaire Blvd Ste 201Houston, TX 77036 Write The man in "station 7" is wearing an Arco shirt. Despite both Glenbrook & Westbury having issues with crappy apartments nearby like Sharpstown as well as similiar era homes, most buyers I have feel like Westbury is more "connected" to the city and generally feels closer in, with a little better curb appeal in most areas. General Hours. These are the best vegan friendly restaurants near Houston, TX: People also liked: restaurants with outdoor seating, restaurants for lunch. It was there at least during my time there from 79 to 81. [citation needed], Early on, transportation concerns became a threat to the mall's success, and consequently Frank Sharp decided to donate a 300ft (91 m)[6] wide strip of land to build the Southwest Freeway (Interstate 69/U.S. Trust me. Don't remember what movies we saw there - I probably just fell asleep. Sharpstown's drive-in theatre was the Lowe's Sharpstown on Bellaire Blvd. growth within an area. Since I lived across from the school, I recall watching all the kids with beards, long hair, hippies I tell ya! Sharpstown Country Club Estates. Attending a movie would be special again if there was a theatre like this to see it in. She stopped and experienced a burst of nostalgia after hearing from a viewer post that some area of the property may have been demolished. It is true that sometimes transitional neighborhoods are like bad drunks, they have to hit rock bottom before they want to go into rehab! Does anyone have photos of Sharpstown center in the 60's? If the staff is reading this, the only change I'd make is to upgrade the bathroom. Houston police responded and confronted the suspect in the food court. Guess it's closed now. There is one Sharpstown realtor who has been saying for years, "Sharpstown is the next Bellaire." The area is also known as the Texas Gulf Coasts cultural and economic heart. Sharpstown Mall opened in 1961 as the first air-conditioned shopping mall in Houston. Bought my first CD from Foleys! First Colony clipped it the hardest. You can still see the original 1955 plaque for the time capsule at Sharpstown Park at Bellaire and Mary Bates. WebPlazAmericas Mall 201 Sharpstown CtrHoustonTX77036 (713) 777-1111 Claim this business (713) 777-1111 Website More Directions Advertisement Photos See More Hours Remember Sharpstown Mall? First air conditioned Mall in - Reddit He was alway working on them in the driveway and about every 30 minutes you could hear him holler at his wife, "Etheeeeellllll! Is the Heights' success pumping up the northern suburbs firstwe'll get to Sharpstown after we finish Oak Forest? In answer to your question, old_sharpstown, I don't know what PID is, but I remember reading about TIRZ an article that was in Chronicle a few months ago and partially quoted here: Those costs will be financed through the (Sharpstown) Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. I hear of how Sharpstown used to be a prominent middle-to-upper middle class area similar to such areas as Timbergrove and Meyerland back in the 60s and would be interested to hear of its history. Ok guys.I am 42. My dad worked at Sharpstown mall when I was young and we used to go every Saturday, this was in the 60s & early 70s. The bulldozers would be unfortunate. Also - I saw that water tower photo for sale on eBay, but I didn't buy it. What did people search for similar to restaurants near Houston, TX? I remember our neighbohood as being on the poor side of middle class. Sharpstown Mall is a regional shopping mall located in southwest Houston, Texas, United States. The mall remained successful throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. We went there all of the time just to kill time cause my family was pretty new to Houston and did not know too many people in town. New businesses may not locate in cities where the streets are inadequate, the utility service is substandard, or the public facilities and services are inferior. Lucio Vasquez is a newscast producer at Houston Public Media, NPRs affiliate station in Houston, Texas. I'm so glad that others had the same mall experience I had with Sharpstown in the early 80's. This appears to be looking NE at the corner of Roos and Redding. He profitted and we laughed! The aforementioned crime issues also continued to take their toll on Sharpstown Center, as the crime rate in the area surrounding the mall increased in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to white flight and urban decay. Sharpstown mall in the 80's was awesome. [5] Shopping center developer Ed Wulfe, whose Wulfe & Co. redeveloped Meyerland Plaza as well as Gulfgate Mall, said that the loss of the major tenants negatively affected Sharpstown Center.[5]. I can recall that the floors in the mall were done in these small red circular tiles with the railings and metal stairs painted brown. By February 1989, Sharpstown Mall was 97% occupied, making it the mall with the highest percentage of occupied space in the Houston area. Here's a Bob Bailey pic from a book called, Who cares about Sharpstown in the 60's, when we've got. They finally got rid of it many years later. Location:Southern North America, United States, Texas, H-Town, Montrose, Lower Westheimer. Sharpstown was an up and coming When Sharpstown Center opened, it was located on the edge of Houston's southwest suburbs. He sold the land for Strake Jesuit and St. Agnes for a low price since he wanted those schools. [10][11], Consequently, customers even within the surrounding area were deterred, and major retailers who desired a low crime, middle class, and wealthy area for profitable support began to leave. I'm sure a lot of people in Oak Forest, for example, are there not because they were jumping up & down to live in Oak Forest, but b/c their first choice areas such as Garden Oaks & Heights didn't offer acceptable homes in their price ranges, or maybe they were out of their price range altogether. But, since most of the homes were custom built there the housing stock just has a better quality fit & finish in the details than what they see in Sharpstown. There is a huge house that is way out of place on Willowbend just west of the railroad tracks about 1/2 a mile west of Stella Link. The seven-member TIRZ No. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. Originally the vision of developer Frank Sharp, who also created Oak Forest, construction of Sharpstown began in the mid '50s and was completed in 1961. It was Houston's answer to New York's Levittown and was touted as the "World's largest residential development." He started putting the quarters in his suit pockets, but they were heavy and overflowing so he was taking handfulls and handfulls and handfulls of quarters out of his pocket and tossing them on a table. Food Delivery ServicesComfort FoodCaterersGalleria/Uptown, Sausage & Pepper, Meatball, and Chicken Bacon Ranch, Definitely order the popcorn chicken. Adding a business to Yelp is always free. However, by the mid-1990s, the mall began to decline due to competition from newer malls such as The Galleria. I so wish I could go back in time, get in a car and drive around Houston. Share with us in the comments below! In the 1949 City Directory, Frank W. Sharp is shown residing on Meadow Lake Lane, just off San Felipe and Weslayan. Samir Dharia moved to Houston from New York in 1985. Since opening its doors in 1985, the Galleria has become a focal point of Houstons downtown. 20, created by the city of Houston in 1999 and governed by the Authority. The mall is known for its popular AMC Neshaminy 24, which is counted among the top theaters in North America. I was looking for a car for my daughter and found this car on facebook market place. Glad to hear Mr. Martin is still around. As a publicity stunt, Sharp donated homes on Rowan street to the original 7 astronauts when NASA was located in Houston. Anyone know the history of the land that is across the street from Sharpstown mall where the Gillman Mitsubishi/Honda used to be before it moved out? Read the Court's full decision on FindLaw. This mall in Houston is an outdoor shopping center that features numerous retail shops, dining options, and entertainment areas for the whole family. Sharpstown Country Club Estates is a set of two sections in Sharpstown. [39] It was developed in the late 1950s by the Sharpstown expansion west of the Southwest Freeway by Frank Sharp. The neighborhood is next to the Sharpstown Golf Course and west of PlazAmericas (formerly Sharpstown Center and Sharpstown Mall). Sharpstown Industrial Park Section 12 Block 24 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Mall Makeovers: Struggling malls revamping to boost business, Sharpstown Shopping Center: 50 years later, The fall of a mall / Sharpstown Center seized in foreclosure, "SHARPSTOWN CENTER EXPANSION - Adding the Second Level", Sales at Houston malls rise/Local retailers cite improving economy, shuttle flights, http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7085993, http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/houston/stories/khou090803_tnt_gulfton-ghetto-gang-crime.a50aff2e.html, J.C. Penney to shutter SW store / Site at Sharpstown 1 of 75 to be closed, REINVENTING SHARPSTOWN / HIP-HOP STYLES BRING MALL BACK IN FASHION / Sharpstown Center has lost major tenants over the years, but its hoping specialty stores and a lot of bling outshine what it calls an unfair reputation as a dangerous place to shop, Radio Station KPTY Party 104.9 FM "Houston's Hip-Hop Station" Grand Opening, Houston losing part of its retail history, Macy's to close its doors at Sharpstown Mall, Finger Furniture follows Macy's in exiting Sharpstown Mall, Sharpstown Center, in Chapter 11, for sale / `Major players' are said to be interested, Changes underway for once-popular local mall, Sharpstown Mall sells to investment group, "Sharpstown's PlazAmericas Has New Owner", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PlazAmericas&oldid=1106903888, Articles with dead external links from August 2022, Articles needing cleanup from August 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from August 2022, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from August 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles needing additional references from January 2010, All articles needing additional references, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Latino City Jewelry Market" (177,229 square feet, first opened as, This page was last edited on 27 August 2022, at 02:37.