$90 Million Retail Center Advances Construction, Market briefs

In Tomball, Houston-based NewQuest Properties is stepping up the pace of construction at The Grand at 249, a $90 million retail development planned for 450,000 SF in Tomball.

The regional development, on 78 acres along the Grand Parkway west of TX 249/Tomball Tollway in northwest Harris County, is already home to new locations for Portillo’s, Bojangle’s, Smalls Sliders, Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen, Black Bear Diner, Jersey Mike’s, Starbucks, and AT&T.

NewQuest reported the start of construction on 163,456 SF of junior anchor space with plans to turn over spaces to tenants in March of 2027. Retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, Dollar Tree, Cavender’s, Petco, Sephora, Bath & Body Works, and Milano Nails will begin opening in the second quarter of 2027.

Construction is also in progress on three multi-tenant buildings totaling 28,410 SF, numerous pad sites, and a Sam’s Wholesale Club. Buildings will begin soon for Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Wendy’s.

The construction comes as all but a few small storefronts of the 450,000-SF development have been pre-leased, as stated by NewQuest.

Upcoming openings include Bruster’s Ice Cream and Chick-fil-A. Quick Quack Car Wash has signed a ground lease for a new location.

“We’ve been highly selective about the tenancy in The Grand at 249,” said Andrew Alvis, senior vice president and development partner of NewQuest. “With limited retail in this corridor, it’s critical to curate the right mix of tenants that align with the area’s demographics and long-term growth.”

The project is in a growing region for residential, industrial, and retail developments spurred by the Grand Parkway, which opened in 2016. Lovett Industrial is developing the 3.1 million SF Interchange 249 business park on 240 acres just west of the Grand at 249. Costco opened a nearby store on Tomball Parkway a couple of years ago.

NewQuest, which purchased the site in the early 1990s, is currently focused on developing 65 acres at the southwest corner of TX 249 and the Grand Parkway. The company controls another 13 acres on the north side of the Grand Parkway.

The Grand at 249 serves the Tomball, Magnolia, Cypress, and Spring areas. Approximately 164,000 people with an average household income of $148,000 live within five miles of project, as stated by NewQuest.

Elsewhere in the Houston region, NewQuest recently ramped up construction at Texas Heritage Marketplace, a 165-acre multi-use project with 800,000-SF of proposed retail in Katy.

In Richmond, southwest of Houston, NewQuest is finishing up the last phase of The Grand at Aliana, a 650,000-SF retail center at the Grand Parkway and West Airport Boulevard. The final phase will be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Havertys Furniture. Additionally, the company is developing apartments in Aliana in partnership with Triten Real Estate Partners.