Property owners jump-start renovations
Property owners looking to capitalize on an energized development market in Northwest Austin are renovating retail centers and bringing contemporary design to the area.
Retail and industrial buildings constructed in the 1960s and '70s are ideal for renovations because they can be sustainable investments, said Clay Little, owner of NoackLittle Architecture and Interiors, whose firm designed renovations to two industrial buildings in North Austin.
"From an ownership's perspective, you can buy a building that is really an eyesore for the community, and you can put some money into it and turn it into an asset and do it quicker than you can building a new building or tearing down an old one," Little said. "If that is something that you're into, the most sustainable thing you can possibly do is to maintain what is already existing."
Modernizing properties
Westover Square shopping center, located at 3501 Hyridge Drive near MoPac, was purchased in late summer by a group of local investors. Renovations to the building's exterior began a few months ago with new lighting, wood paneling and a taller facade, said Kim McGregor, property manager for Granite Properties of Texas, which handles the managing and leasing for Westover Square.
The renovations brought more foot traffic into specialty grocery store Hyridge Grocery, Manager Betty Torres-Qussad said. She said the remodel caught the attention of some drivers who never knew the store existed prior to the renovations. Torres-Qussad, whose brother owns the store, said the store was in danger of going out of business when she was hired as manager in February, but the renovations and her desire to increase business helped revive Hyridge Grocery.
McGregor said the renovation resulted in four renewed leases, one newly signed tenant and a negotiation that is underway for one of the last remaining vacant spaces at the property.
"[The owners] saw an opportunity to improve a property and enhance the value," McGregor said. "We hope to make that neighborhood better for the residents in Northwest Hills, the drivers on MoPac and the tenants."
Construction began on another shopping center in early October on Burnet Road. Levy Architects is designing improvements to the 20,000-square-foot Kramer Center, a retail center located at 11005 Burnet Road.
President Stephen Levy of Levy Architects said the remodel could result in similar outcomes as his firm's redevelopment of the West Anderson Plaza retail center, which has become a hot spot for eateries such as Hopdoddy Burger Bar since its remodel. Levy said he expects renovations to the Kramer Center to wrap up in early 2014.
"[Burnet Road] may not be restaurant row, but as far as retail goes, it's kind of the gateway to The Domain," he said. "I think it's going to bring a whole new set of retailers and restaurateurs to a part of town that have not been there to date."
A driving factor for remodeling retail centers in Northwest Austin is The Domain emerging as a new district in the city, Levy said.
"The potential growth of The Domain is huge," he said. "That alone has been a great catalyst for that area of town."
Levy Architects is also designing an upgrade to Anderson Mill shopping center. The previous anchor tenant, H-E-B, moved out in November 2012, and the retail spot remains vacant. Levy said the property owner wants to renovate the retail buildings adjacent to the former H-E-B to attract new tenants.
"So many of these buildings have good bones, and they are in a great location. It makes sense to do something with that property," he said.
Growing a community
One North Austin shopping center has plans to expand. The Greater Austin Merchants Association is building a 6,500-square-foot event center in the middle of its shopping center at 8801 Research Blvd., just south of Northgate Boulevard. Chief Operating Officer Shane Walker said the event center will be complete in March.
"We wanted to try to bring more people to the shopping center," he said. "We just think it is going to be a nice place for people to have different events. I know around this area there are not a lot of places to have even business-type events for companies."
The GAMA event center will have a dance floor, banquet hall, food preparation area for catering, a sound system and more. The venue will also be open to the public to rent for events.
"We want to be part of this community. We want to add to what the community has to offer," Walker said.
Repurposed office space
Two industrial buildings located at 2111 and 2115 Kramer Lane sat vacant for about five to 10 years until the property's new owners decided to repurpose them for office space. Little said the vision for the project is to bring more light and height into the building. A portion of the property was leased before construction finished, he said.
"What a lot of people can't vision or see is that this building is ever going to look good—that it is ever going to be something that they are going to want an office in," he said. "Those are the projects that I absolutely love because the before and after is so compelling."
