HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Puttshack, an experiential mini-golf venue that combines tech-driven courses with a restaurant, cocktails and a nightclub atmosphere, will open in the indoor mall in downtown Houston.
The three-level retail center, known as The Shops at Houston Center, is the final segment of Houston Center awaiting redevelopment.
Brookfield Properties recently completed an extensive renovation of the adjacent office towers in the 4.2 million-square-foot Houston Center campus.
Puttshack, expected to open in late 2022, marks the latest tenant secured as Brookfield moves forward with redeveloping The Shops at Houston Center.
The 196,000-square-foot mall is located at 1200 McKinney, near Caroline Street. Once called The Park Shops, the center has historically struggled to expand its activity beyond Monday-through-Friday office hours.
With new tenants, a refreshed identity and the return of office workers who have been absent during the pandemic, Brookfield may find success in reimagining the retail space.
“Puttshack is a great new concept, and as we continue to reimagine our iconic Houston Center we are pleased to plan for this tech-infused entertainment experience,” said Travis Overall, Executive Vice President and Head of the Texas Region for Brookfield Properties, which owns approximately 10 million square feet of downtown Houston office space.
Puttshack has leased a significant footprint—26,000 square feet—within The Shops at Houston Center.
“Puttshack will attract Houstonians seeking a standout night out with four custom-made, tech-driven, highly competitive mini-golf courses, powered by the brand’s patented Trackaball technology that keeps score as you play. The gameplay is matched by an innovative, globally inspired dining menu, a full cocktail bar, world-class hospitality and a high-energy, upscale nightclub vibe,” the company said in a press release.
“Houston is a booming, top-priority market for us, and we are very excited to be an anchor tenant in The Shops at Houston Center,” said Joe Vrankin, CEO of Puttshack. “We can’t wait to bring the Puttshack experience to Texas and continue to expand our presence in dynamic, energetic communities across the U.S.”
The Houston location, expected to open in late 2022, joins Puttshack’s growing pipeline of U.S. sites, including planned locations in Oak Brook (Chicago), Miami, Boston and Nashville. Puttshack opened its first U.S. venue in Atlanta in April 2021.
Already successful in attracting a younger target demographic, Puttshack is continuing strategic expansion, identifying optimal locations across major U.S. metropolitan areas. The brand is represented nationally by Mat Focht and Robert Johnson of Emerging Concept.
Brookfield acquired the 4.2 million-square-foot Houston Center in 2017 for $875 million.
Redeveloping The Shops at Houston Center could be the most challenging piece of Brookfield’s downtown transformation. Designed by Morris-Aubry | RTKL Associates Inc., the retail center opened in 1982.
At that time, enclosed, climate-controlled regional malls anchored by large department stores such as Sears, Dillard’s and J.C. Penney were the prevailing retail model. Since then, many department stores have closed, online retail has gained market share, and numerous suburban malls have been repurposed.
Today, shopping center owners increasingly pursue experiential retail to draw visitors for dining and entertainment rather than only for traditional shopping.
The Shops at Houston Center, once known as The Park Shops, stands to benefit from growth in downtown residential development—an advantage previous retail operators did not fully enjoy. Former leasing efforts by retail specialist Ed Wulfe struggled to gain traction for the center.
The mall has drawn criticism for what some describe as a fortress-like street presence, with an uninviting brick exterior that lacks glass, natural light and visible entrances.
The center should gain momentum from nearby developments such as Skanska’s 1550 on the Green project and several new downtown residential towers that will add to the local population.
July 26, 2021 Realty News Report Copyright 2021
Photo: Courtesy Puttshack
For more about Texas real estate, see the book Houston 2020: America’s Boom Town – An Extreme Close Up by Ralph Bivins. Available on Amazon.
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File: Mini-Golf Chosen for Downtown Redo