Parts of Rice Village to see creative renovations
This holiday season, shoppers could have an easier time parking and navigating their way around Rice Village.
Landscaping and parking improvements, including technology that allows guests to use mobile devices to find available spots, are part of a multimillion-dollar renovation underway on a 296,000-square-foot commercial property in Rice Village, located west of Rice University.
The projects are part of the first phase of a multiyear renovation that will include improvements to sidewalks, creation of common areas with outdoor seating, installation of public art and construction of new building facades.
The project was announced Oct. 6 by Trademark Property Co., which manages five buildings in Rice Village on behalf of owner Rice Management Co., the entity responsible for the Rice University endowment. The first phase of the renovation project started Oct. 8.
The management company expects some work on the initial phase of the renovation to be completed before the holiday shopping season starts. Minimal disruption
“There is going to be minimal disruption to retailers and restaurants,” said Tommy Miller, managing director and chief investment officer of Trademark Property. “We are working really hard, and we have to work around tenant leases and schedules to get work done before the holidays so that shoppers can see an improvement in the way they navigate and walk around the property with new landscaping and a little bit of new parking and most of the parking garage improvements.”
Miller said the city of Houston has already signed off on the addition of some off-street parking spaces, too.
During the first phase of the renovation, Trademark has been updating landscaping, creating common spaces for guests and installing public