Bellaire residents question plan for old Chevron site
Residents are questioning a development proposal that could bring several hundred apartments, upscale shops and restaurants, and a movie theater to a 30-acre parcel in the city of Bellaire.
Danny Sheena of SLS Properties, which owns the land near the northwest corner of the West Loop and Fournace Place, said he intends to build a project similar to BLVD Place, the highend, mixed-use complex on Post Oak Boulevard near the Galleria.
The Houston-based company purchased the Bellaire site from Chevron Corp. last year. It had been home to a Chevron office and research campus that at one time housed some 900 employees.
The developer has asked the city to rezone the land so it can be redeveloped for
mixed-use. During a public hearing this week, residents came out in support of the project and in opposition, citing the development’s anticipated effect on property values, crime and traffic.
Resident Michael Tweedy expressed concerns over environmental contamination of the land and how the development would change the character of Bellaire.
“If I wanted to buy in Midtown and be down in the center of things with amenities and movie theaters and bars and restaurants, I’d have bought in Midtown,” Tweedy said during Bellaire’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Thursday. “I wanted to buy a place that would have longevity so I can raise my kids here … If we would have known you were going to change the rules, I probably would have looked at building someplace else.”
Others said Bellaire needs a high-end commercial development that they can walk to with their families and drop off their kids to see movies instead of having to go elsewhere. The apartments would provide another option for younger people who want to live in Bellaire, some said, especially people who grew up there and want to return but aren’t ready to buy a house.
Sheena said he intends to bring something positive to the neighborhood.
The project, to be called Bellaire Place, is planned for three phases. The first, which was already approved, includes a parking garage and the renovation of an existing office building. He is currently seeking city approval for Phase 2 on the west side of the property. The third phase is slated for the land closest to the 610 Loop and would also be mixed use in nature.
During Thursday’s meeting, Commission Chairman Ross Gordon said he’d like to see more documentation related to the environmental issues as well as a master plan for the entire property.
Sheena said Chevron has been studying the property for many years and is waiting for the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality to provide comments on whether there needs to be any remediation to the land. As part of the property purchase, Sheena said Chevron must handle remediation if the TCEQ says it is needed. TCEQ approval, however, is not required to develop the site, he said.
The commission said it will accept written input from residents through July 31. It plans to vote on the proposal at its August meeting.