Mixed-Use Development Offers Modern Retail Space for Jewelers and Tenants
Rendering of Zadok development under construction in the Uptown Houston area.
HOUSTON – The Zadok family of Houston marked the start of construction today on a new mixed-use development at 1801 Post Oak Blvd. in Uptown Houston. The project, long in the planning stages, will add office, retail and restaurant space to the high-profile boulevard.
Plans call for a five-story building totaling approximately 112,000 square feet on the nearly 1.65-acre site the family purchased in 2011. Construction is expected to be complete in time for tenant build-outs by the end of 2020. Among the building’s tenants will be Zadok Jewelers, which has operated next door for more than 40 years and will relocate to the new, larger space.
“This was the dream that became a vision that became a plan that is coming to fruition,” Helene Zadok said in brief remarks following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by family members and project partners.
Dror Zadok noted the family navigated many iterations affecting scale, use and design since acquiring the property, considering numerous partnership models including hotels and office towers. They ultimately chose to retain full ownership and control of the site and its development.
Architect Michael Hsu of Austin described the design as modern and restrained, with a multifaceted façade that gives the building a refined presence among neighboring towers.
A carefully chosen mix of materials helps define distinct areas, adds warmth, and softens the overall massing. The design also conceals the parking structure so that it integrates seamlessly with the building’s exterior.
At street level, a covered drive-through arcade rises 26 feet and will serve as a protected, valet-served entrance while forming patio space for adjacent, double-height restaurant spaces that total just over 11,000 square feet. The project also includes about 68,000 square feet of office space.
Hsu said the building’s design takes advantage of the new 15-foot setbacks along the boulevard, creating a more connected streetscape and pedestrian-friendly presence.
The mid-block site previously held Post Oak Row Center, a low-rise retail strip developed during the oil boom era by Gerald Hines and once home to the upscale restaurant Tony’s. Early site preparation uncovered the restaurant’s wine cellar, which has been left in place for now, project sources said.
Zadok Jewelers, founded by the couple in 1976, has steadily grown in the neighborhood. The new store will roughly double their current footprint to about 26,000 square feet. The family emphasized designing the larger space to retain the intimate, welcoming atmosphere their customers expect—using warm finishes such as gold tones and a floor plan that breaks up the expanse into more personal areas.
During the ceremony, son Jonathan Zadok, flanked by brothers Segev and Gilad, reflected that while the family’s project took “the scenic route to its destination,” the surrounding Uptown neighborhood has been evolving as well.
Bob Ethington, director of research and economic development for Uptown Houston and project liaison for The Boulevard initiative, said the district has been transforming into a grand boulevard at the heart of the city’s second-largest business center. Improvements include new infrastructure, streetscape beautification and a dedicated transit line that is expected to debut soon. The old narrow sidewalks have been replaced with wider, pedestrian-friendly promenades, and he said remaining one- and two-story commercial properties along the corridor will likely be redeveloped over time.
