The mark of a vibrant town is an equally vibrant town square — and towards that end, a major Houston community will break ground next year on a game-changing city center.
A new hub dubbed Memorial Town Square is coming to the bustling Memorial City/77024 area at Barryknoll Lane and Gessner Road, MetroNational, the Houston-based developer, announced.
Plans call for a transformation of Memorial City’s 300 acres, a reimagining of the 1.7 million square-foot Memorial City Mall, new multi-family residential units, an office tower, and office and co-working spaces. Specifically, the 27-acre, 190,000 square-feet of retail in the new Memorial Town Square will debut in 2025; construction will begin in 2023, per a press release.
Visitors can expect more than 40 aspirational and emerging food and lifestyle brands; some 35 percent will be food and beverage, ranging from chef-driven restaurants to fast casual food experiences — all with al fresco dining — per MetroNational.
To enhance the walkability experience, the town square will provide valet and convenient parking, electric car charging stations, private outing and corporate event planning, car washing, and rentals for strollers and baggage, wheelchairs, umbrellas, and cell phone chargers.
Adding to the town square aesthetic, the destination promises walkable streetscapes, lush landscape and a town square centered around expansive green space, all meant to host art, entertainment, and experiential events.
As for the nuts and bolts, MetroNational tasked Gensler as design architect; Office of James Burnett as landscape architect; RSM Design for environmental graphics and wayfinding; RUE as leasing consultant; and Pacific Retail Capital Partners as development consultant.
“MetroNational has been working towards this day for more than 25 years,” said Jason Johnson, president of MetroNational, in a statement. “Memorial Town Square was designed for the community with the hope that they would one day consider it a part of their daily lives — hence the name. Memorial Town Square gives a nod to the small town feel that only Houstonians know and understand. Houston may be a metropolitan city; however, Houstonians enjoy having a place that feels like it is all their own.”
Memorial City Town Square promises to be a game changer for 77024.
