Allen Center Makeover

Downtown office tower complex slated for a green makeover with new restaurant

Allen Center, the trio of office buildings that date back to the 1970s, is getting a 21st century makeover.

Brookfield Property Partners has unveiled plans for a $48.5 million renovation of the complex located at the southwest corner of Smith and Dallas streets in downtown Houston. All three buildings are slated for renovation, along with the grounds on the seven-acre site, to make the area more accessible and people-friendly.

Among the key elements of the redesign are the removal of a second-level bridge connecting One and Two Allen Center to make way for a one-acre, tree-lined lawn, with an outdoor performance and event venue. Smaller scaled gathering areas will be mixed in among the trees along the lawn, with plans for world-class art installations, performances and events.

The plazas along Dallas and Smith Street will also be redesigned and landscaped.

One Allen Center is slated for the most dramatic renovation, making it the gateway to the center. Plans call for a two-story, clear glass facade and open lobby. The new space includes plans for a white tablecloth restaurant overlooking the central lawn, with a large outdoor dining area.

The entrances to Two and Three Allen Center will also be renovated, with new glass doors and canopies. The lobby of Two Allen Center will contain an Alternative Work Area that anyone can use.

Construction is expected to begin in June, with completion by fall 2017.

One Allen Center will be transformed with a two-story, clear glass facade facing Dallas and Smith.

Photo by studio amd

One Allen Center will be transformed with a two-story, clear glass facade facing Dallas and Smith.

downtown

RETAIL WATCH

Bed Bath & Beyond returns to Houston via Container Store merger

The Container Store/Facebook

The Container Store is merging with Bed Bath & Beyond.

Bed Bath & Beyond is making a comeback — well, sort of. The Container Store is merging 98 of its nationwide stores with the once-mighty home goods chain, including the its Houston-area locations location in Uptown, Champions, and Friendswood.

On April 6, Bed Bath & Beyond entered into a merger agreement to purchase The Container Store for $150 million. A release says combining the two concepts’ goods will “better serve how customers live today.”

In recent years, both brands have been struggling as part of the “retail apocalypse” of big box stores. In December 2024, Coppell-based Container Store filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy without shedding any stores.

Bed Bath & Beyond, meanwhile, collapsed in summer 2023. After filing for Chapter 11, it liquidated all of its U.S. stores. It shuttered three Houston-area stores in 2020, followed by all of its remaining locations in 2023.

As part of the merger, The Container Store will be streamlining its offerings, cutting around 30 percent of its stock. Stores will be offering clearance prices on the items starting Friday, April 24. The Container Store will also be opening an hour early on April 25-26, giving early birds an extra 5 percent discount.

“This is a reset with purpose,” said Jen Pape, Senior Vice President of Stores at The Container Store, in a release. “We are actively reshaping our stores to make room for what’s next. By streamlining select categories today, we’re creating the space and flexibility needed to introduce Bed Bath & Beyond products and deliver a more complete home experience for our customers.”

The merger affects 12 Texas stores, including:

Arlington — 4000 Arlington Highlands Blvd #101
Austin — 9629 Research Blvd
Dallas — 13710 Dallas Pkwy
Dallas — 7700 W NW Hwy #500
Fairview — 151 East Stacy Rd
Fort Worth — 4601 West Fwy #500
Friendswood — 18760 Gulf Fwy
Houston — 5466 FM 1960 W
Houston — 2511 Post Oak Blvd
Plano — 8460 Parkwood Blvd
San Antonio — 333 NW Loop 410
Southlake — 1200 Main St

shopping mergers organization home goods retail