Bellaire is close to a formal proposal to establish a special zoning district for the former Chevron property at 4800 Fournace Place, Bellaire, and the Bellaire Planning and Zoning Commission will revisit the item in January.

Meanwhile, a new 1,700-car parking garage is about 60% complete, according to Danny M. Sheena, developer for SLS West Loop LP, which has owned the property since 2018.

“So far, it’s been doing great,” Sheena said. “We should be able to complete the garage by about mid-April or so.”

The garage represents only a portion of what SLS is looking to develop on the 33-acre former Chevron property, Sheena said, though zoning changes from the city of Bellaire are required before more work can move forward.

The Bellaire Planning and Zoning Commission has been working with consultants with Kendig Keast Collaborative over the past several months to formulate the language changes needed to create a new North Bellaire Special Development District, which would allow for multiple mixed-uses on the Fournace property as well as for the implementation of resident and city input.

Should the city’s commission recommend approval of the ordinance, Bellaire City Council would be tasked with final approval of the new zoning district as well as with allowing the specific-use permits needed to approve the rest of the construction. Plans call for new retail, restaurants, a gym and a theater.

Even with the approval, construction would not start for another two years, Sheena said.

“We’ve done a good job during construction and look forward to having a good development that will be good for city of Bellaire,” Sheena said.

The planning commission next meets Jan. 14.