Missouri City officials, in coordination with Houston Community College, have started to look at the possibility of relocating the HCC–Missouri City campus from its location in Sienna Plantation to one of two vacant tracts near City Hall.
The campus relocation is intended to serve as a catalyst to promote commercial revitalization and development along the Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road corridor. Should the campus be relocated, it would also provide an anchor for additional expansion and investment as well as attract more consumers to the area, said Joe Esch, director of economic development for Missouri City.
"We are currently in the discussion phase of this project and have many more details to explore," City Manager Edward Broussard said. "This potential development would be beneficial to citizens, businesses and stakeholders."
The two vacant tracts of land being discussed total about 42 acres and are located on either side of the future
Lexington Boulevard extension—a $2.96 million project that is slated to be complete by spring 2015 and will connect Texas Parkway to Scanlin Road.
Although the extension will not extend Lexington Boulevard beyond Texas Parkway, it is expected to open new land for development along the city's major thoroughfare near City Hall, Assistant City Manager Scott Elmer said.
City officials have been exploring ways to redevelop Texas Parkway for several years and have taken steps to make the corridor more attractive to prospective developers and tenants. However, Esch said the area lacks a catalyst project that would spur future development and increase the temporary or permanent population along the corridor.
"We believe there is potential for development along Texas Parkway by relocating [HCC's] entire campus here," Esch said. "We believe it is a potential catalyst project and an opportunity that would provide significant capital investment."
The city has also reviewed various concepts, such as a possible charter school, a technical college, a multifamily development and a youth sports complex as potential catalyst projects.
The review of the relocation project is expected to take place over the next six months before any final decisions are made, Esch said.
The HCC board approved a decision to move forward with due diligence regarding the project and will conduct an appraisal of the existing facility at 5855 Sienna Springs Way. HCC will also be conducting an environmental assessment of the vacant land along the Lexington Boulevard extension in the near future.
For the relocation to come to fruition, it will require multiple agreements involving multiple parties, which would need to take place in a short period of time, Esch said.
HCC is in the process of implementing several bond projects at its Missouri City and Stafford campuses, which includes the construction of a new building in Missouri City. The bond stipulates that work begin soon, officials said.
In addition, officials with Missouri City, HCC, Fort Bend County and land developer Johnson Development Corp. will have several pieces that must fall into place in a particular order for the project to move forward. One action item includes putting the unimproved site at Lexington Boulevard up for sale and making changes to the city's zoning ordinances.
Despite the obstacles, Esch said that all involved parties have expressed support.
"If we have an opportunity to bring $10, $20 [or] $30 million in capital investment next to City Hall—an area of Texas Parkway that has not seen that type of investment in decades—then it is worth our consideration of how we wish to participate to enable that to move forward," he said.
