Katy Mills gets major overhaul
Mayor describes mall as ‘economic engine’ that drove westside community’s growth
Katy Mills Mall is getting a top-to-bottom multimillion-dollar makeover scheduled to wrap up by year’s end that will include a revamped food court and more open seating spaces for shoppers to rest.
Katy Mills Mall is getting a fresh coat of paint.
A top to bottom renovation of the 2-decade-old shopping mall is scheduled to begin at the end of April and wrap up by year’s end. The upgrades will include completely redesigning the food court at the center point of the mall, along with adding more seating spaces for tired shoppers who need to take a breather.
The multimillion-dollar redevelopment project was unveiled Thursday at a ceremony that included Katy community leaders and officials with Simon Property Group, the Indianapolisbased owner of Katy Mills and dozens of similar mall properties around the country.
“Renovations like this don’t happen overnight. It’s taken about four years to get to this point,” Simon executive vice president Michael F. Romstad said. “We’re ready to get this thing kicked off.”
The upgrade will feature energy-efficient lighting and new tiling throughout the facility. The mall and the 175 or so stores will remain open during the renovation. The renovation work will be done at night, and company officials said the construction materials will be put away by the time shoppers arrive in the morning.
Romstad said the hope is to make the transition as pain-free as possible for the shoppers but noted it “takes a few broken eggs to make a cake.”
“You’re going to see a lot of broken eggs here over the course of the next several months,” he said. “But the finished product is something you’re going to be very proud of.”
The first phase is the interior renovation. The flickering fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling will be replaced with energy-effi-
cient LED lighting and the boxy, Spartan look of the mall’s current warehouselike design will be gone. A new children’s play area also is in the plans.
“It’s going to be very contemporary. I think they’re going to be pleased with the changes,” Romstad said.
The overall remodeling project will include outside improvements scheduled for 2019 and a third phase that will consist of signage changes, Romstad said.
City Administrator Byron Hebert was living in Katy when the mall was opened in 1999. Except for some renovations of the AMC movie theater and the comings-and-goings of various tenants over the years, the mall’s design has remained basically the same.
“I watched this mall being built,” he said. “Anything worth having is worth the wait.”
On Thursday, Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner underscored the mall’s significance to the westside community, declaring it the “economic engine” that has driven Katy’s explosive growth over the years.
“It helped the city of Katy prosper and provide better services to our citizens,” Brawner said. “When this thing is finished and everything is done — inside and out — it’s going to be a great driving force for the city.
5,000 workers
About 5,000 people work in some capacity at the mall. The employment figure increases dramatically, Romstad said, when you factor in those who work at the businesses surrounding the mall that have sprung up over the years, such as the Typhoon Texas water park.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Romstad said.
At a time when some malls are endangered species, Brawner said he was glad the company decided to pay for the renovation of Katy Mills. Simon officials declined to provide an exact amount.
‘Premier assets’
“It’s one of our premier assets,” Romstad said. “We’re very committed to Katy and we’re investing to make sure it stays a very market-dominant shopping center.”
Brawner said the redeveloped mall will be tied into the planned Katy Boardwalk and the hotels springing up around the site.
“It’s going to help the city of Katy become a destination city,” Brawner said. “All of the economic development makes it easier for us to provide services to our citizens. It’s a benefit to everyone.”