There's a lot of activity going on around the new H-E-B Montrose supermarket as officials aim to be open for business before Thanksgiving.

Signs have been installed at the new store at the corner of West Alabama and Dunlavy streets and the exterior is "99 percent complete," an H-E-B representative told CultureMap. Now, most activity is concentrated on the interior, with a planned opening in mid-November if there are no last-minute snags.

Officials tested the fire alarm system on Monday night and Scott McClelland, president of H-E-B Houston, was spotted in the store's parking lot at 10 p.m. one recent night checking out the lights after a neighbor expressed concern they were too bright.

McClelland has shown a deep interest in the project, since it was announced last year. He has met regularly with neighborhood groups since its inception, showcasing three designs and organizing a vote by area residents to select the winner.

The winning design, one of three by the San Antonio architecture firm Lake/Flato, is a low-slung modern building with wood siding, glass features and an extended roof plane that shelters outdoor spaces. It will be only the second H-E-B location in the Houston area to be LEED certified for environmental design.

While many area residents like myself are eagerly anticipating the opening, we are most thrilled that H-E-B was able to convince the city of Houston to repave and widen most of Dunlavy street between West Alabama and Richmond. It's one of the few streets in the neighborhood that isn't marked with deep potholes and bumpy pavement.

H-E-B officials are planning a number of grand opening activities, including a by-invitation-only luncheon at the nearby Menil Collection for area movers and shakers and a donation to a non-profit organization to be selected by shoppers and in online voting on CultureMap. Stay tuned for details.