HOUSTON – Realty News Report has learned that H-E-B Grocery Co. is planning to build a new approximately 100,000-square-foot store at Meyerland Plaza, the retail center located at the southwest corner of Loop 610 and Beechnut. The proposal would place a large-format grocery on a portion of the center’s existing parking areas.
The proposed Meyerland location would help H-E-B replace capacity lost when the Chimney Rock and South Braeswood store suffered flooding during Hurricane Harvey. Company representatives say they are actively seeking a site in the Meyerland area, although no binding agreement has been finalized.
Meyerland Plaza, originally constructed in 1957 and redeveloped about two decades ago by developer Ed Wulfe, is a long-established retail complex hosting several big-box tenants and a J.C. Penney. The center spans roughly 50 acres and includes expansive surface parking along with multiple pad sites now occupied by banks, restaurants and other standalone users—some of which could be removed or reconfigured to accommodate the new grocery building.
The shopping center’s ownership is currently held by a partnership between Fidelis Realty Partners of Houston and BlackRock Realty Advisors of New York. Located just south of the City of Bellaire, Meyerland Plaza benefits from strong neighborhood demographics and consumer spending power. The center predates the rise of enclosed, climate-controlled malls and reflects mid-20th-century open shopping-center design.
If the project proceeds as discussed, the new Meyerland H-E-B is expected to be a two-story facility with roughly 95,000 to 100,000 square feet of retail space. Plans indicate the grocery would likely be sited on the west side of Meyerland Plaza, close to the J.C. Penney anchor. H-E-B spokeswoman Cyndy Garza-Roberts has confirmed the company is evaluating sites in the area but reiterated that no contract has been signed.
This move follows other recent H-E-B developments in the same general area. The grocer is also building a two-story store in northwest Bellaire near Bissonnet and South Rice, with that location slated to open in 2018, according to H-E-B. The chain, based in San Antonio, operates more than 380 stores across Texas and Mexico and reports annual sales exceeding $23 billion.
The addition of a full-service H-E-B at Meyerland Plaza would be a significant retail upgrade for the center and the surrounding neighborhoods, restoring grocery capacity lost by storm damage and providing residents with expanded shopping options close to home. Exact timelines, store design details and final site plans will depend on lease agreements, permits and construction approvals.